The Garden

What the human being shares with nature, what we demand from nature and entrust to nature, what we long for and reject, this may all become song and poetry, or music and philosophy, or myth and religion; but in the visible world it must sooner or later become a garden, if it desires to make itself visible at all; and the achievement of visibility - as distinct from simple thinkability, and understandability - is its most irresistible drive, as an inherent part, like all the creative drives of the human race, of the one primordial drive to give birth to structure. - Rudolf Borchardt, The Passionate Gardener

It is getting to be the busiest part of the gardening seasoning.  Last week I had the first spinach and lettuce, some on a sandwich, some in a salad.  I also used the first fresh parsley in some meatloaf tonight.

I've been reading Wendell Berry lately.  In the stories he tells, getting food out of the ground is really, really hard work.  It is a partnership with a very unreliable partner.  It's the guy who shows up late every time except the one time you show up late.  Then he's early and decides to just go ahead without you.  He's sweet and mellow one day, drawing you in and then raging and destructive the next, throwing your trust back in your face.

Fortunately, I'm not dependent on our garden for my livelihood.  So when it snowed in May, I could just take a chance with the tomato plants and hope they survived the cold night.  When it rained buckets right after we planted the lettuce, I just waited until the lettuce plants came up wherever the seeds had landed and transplanted it back into its rows.

Wendell Berry, Barbara Kingsolver, Michael Pollan, Norman Wirzba, and others have convinced me that food matters.  Where we get our food, how we get our food, and how we eat our food all matter.  I would not describe myself as a passionate gardener, but gardening is a way into the bigger picture for me and for our family.  It reminds me that produce doesn't grow on grocery store shelves.  That food takes time, good food takes more time, and the best food should be eaten slowly and appreciatively.

I hope to think and write more about food, but in the meantime, here are some pictures of my garden!

Broccoli emerging out of the leaves

Knockout roses blooming like crazy