“We may think we are nurturing our garden, but of course it’s our garden that is really nurturing us.”
– Jenny Uglow
Hello, all, from the interns! ‘Tis the season for picnics, stargazing, and gathering with friends to sort garlic and swap ghost tales. The sun beats down on us every hour, and we’re soaking up every last drop of it – if only these days could last forever!
Finally, after all those long days of bed prepping, planting, weeding, watering and fending off hungry little critters, we are finally seeing our work come into fruition. The squashes are growing fatter by the day, the broccoli is bursting into flower. At one point we labeled a bin in the walk-in cooler “even more lettuce”, because we could barely keep on top of eating it all, let alone store it in one container. The corn surpassed knee high well before the Fourth of July, and we very nearly drowned in berries of all sizes and vibrant colors.
Along with being busy with our harvest, we also find ourselves in the constant chaos of pulling those darn weeds that threaten to swallow the garden whole. Even so, we never fail to appreciate the benefits these beings provide us with, whether that be in the form of nitrogen for the compost pile, ready made mulch, or even in an additional bit of bulk to add to our salads. Lambsquarter and purslane are excellent edible weeds, who’s nutrients we take full advantage of by tossing a bit into our salads.
To keep up with all of this abundance, we created a rotation where interns per week track, clean and bin all the produce that floods out of the garden. Bearing the name “Cooler Captains”, these two awesome people manage the harvest in our large walk-in cooler, making sure everything is spick and span for anyone wishing to pop in and grab something to cook with.
Along with our Cooler Captains, we also have a team of two to prepare lunch. The cooks scrounge in the fridge for leftovers to reheat and whip up new, delicious creations, sometimes jamming out to the collections of cassette tapes that live in the kitchen and other times absorbed in a peaceful, meditative silence.
And last but not least, we have our tool cleanup team. What a bummer it is to head out to the garden after a rainy night, and find an old neglected hoe hiding in the grass, beginning to rust. To avoid this unfortunate situation, our tool managers get to go Easter egg hunting at the end of each day for all the sneaky tools that attempt to stay out past curfew. After collecting every rake, shovel and digging fork in sight they head to the shed, where they brush off all the dirt and condition the metal with oil. This way the tools will stay in use for many years to come, and will help grow many more beds of food.
“Our tool managers get to go Easter egg hunting at the end of each day for all the sneaky tools that attempt to stay out past curfew.”
Another task we have found ourselves frequently tackling is scything the orchards. The grass grows and it grows some more, and soon it threatens to suffocate the poor fruit trees and create a jungle of green, though one could surely argue for its wild and untamed beauty. So we head out with sickles and scythes in hand, to chop it all down. This is a particularly good activity to do if you’re dealing with any frustration – just hacking away at the grass relieves much pent up emotion, and is satisfying overall. We then rake it up and haul it to the compost pile, where we layer it along with manure and old leaves to create “compost lasagna”, that will decompose to one day be used as nourishment for the garden.
Along with garden work, there continues to be a never ending list of miscellaneous tasks to do around here! One thing that has demanded our attention has been fixing an old well pump that has provided water to one of the community houses here for roughly a decade. When we heard the water wasn’t working, we rallied our forces to pull up the water line on the end of which was attached the pump. In tug-of-war formation, we heaved with all our might, expecting to see the end at any minute. Though we pulled and pulled, the heavy line kept on coming. Those of us nearest to the well got completely covered in orange rust, and by the time we finally reached the end we were all panting for breath. The line turned out to be 310ft long – a whole lot longer than we’d expected. After some troubleshooting with the electric line, we had to lower it all back down – only to pull it up all over again because it stopped working once more! Even though it may test our resolve, we have gratitude for this moment to grow. Each challenge like this presents us with a new opportunity to stretch our patience and learn new life skills, things that will benefit us for the rest of our lives. And yes, the well situation was resolved eventually, thank goodness!
Even though it may test our resolve, we have gratitude for this moment to grow.
One day in the not too distant past, we were sitting in the greenhouse for a delicious lunch complete with steaming bowls of tomato soup, when it began to rain and thunder. Lightning flickered and the water droplets pounded on the glass above us, and as it became heavier we covered our ears due to the din. All the while we clapped and shouted with glee, for we had been yearning for rain for quite some time. That is, until it began to hail. At that point, we realized that the rain was filling up an old window well and seeping into the Community Center basement. Teddy took initiative by boldly racing out into the downpour, a bucket in hand, and beginning to bail out the water. He was soaked within seconds, and afterwards Gillian and I (Faith) each took turns. It didn’t last too long, for soon the rain had passed, but it was certainly an adventure nonetheless!
Though our work is hard, we often take the time for rejuvenation. More often than not, we find ways to add a spark of whimsy to even the dullest of weekend days, or to the most monotonous of tasks.
Us interns have had an indoor picnic to celebrate a long awaited rainstorm, hosted a cob oven pizza party, and cozied up with some sweet piano tunes while sorting veggies in the kitchen. We teach each other songs while weeding the onion bed, and take trips to local tag sales in search of cheerful decorations for our dorm space. In short, we are always creating magical moments we will be sure to look back on with a smile.
We were sad to say goodbye to Natalia in late July. We certainly miss her ever present spark of lighthearted silliness, her peaceful inquisitiveness and her magical ability to find four leafed clovers left and right! We hope that wherever her path may lead her, she will continue to be the lovely bright light we know her as.
As September has wandered into our lives, more beautiful than ever, we are starting to notice the changing of seasons – the shift from Summer to Fall. Where once we had been walking to our respective nooks after dinner in a periwinkle glow of evening, we now encounter the additional test of remembering to bring a flashlight for the journey back, or else stumble blindly under silhouetted treetops swimming in an ocean of stars. The nights are getting cooler, chilly enough for down blankets pulled up to cherry noses, and we are ever serenaded by the perpetual song of sleepy crickets, as they sing of the coming of autumn.
The nights are getting cooler, chilly enough for down blankets pulled up to cherry noses, and we are ever serenaded by the perpetual song of sleepy crickets, as they sing of the coming of autumn.
We have now reached a lull in our daily load of tasks too. Previously we had been scrambling about in order to take care of every odd and end of garden work (almost like whac-a-mole in a way). Now, while our days are still full to the brim with things to do, it is approached with far less urgency. There is less to harvest, less to plant; a chance to sit back before the business of fall sets in. With peaceful hearts we go about our tasks, grateful for this breath of fresh air, grateful for the company of so many beautiful souls. And as September quickly slips into October, we will forever keep the warm, yellow sunshine and sweet summer daydreams in our coat pockets, ready to wrap ourselves – and others – in on a rainy day.
Love and light,
Faith
