10 Lessons From the Garden
The last big harvest of the year.
With the changing leaves, shorter days, and colder nights, the gardening season is winding down. For some reason, the season of fall always makes me more reflective and nostalgic. For the past 2 summers my partner Garrett and I have enjoyed creating and tending to our backyard garden. This month as we completed our last big harvest of the summer, I reflected on what gardening has taught me thus far. Is this list a little cheesy? Perhaps. But sometimes spending some time playing in the dirt puts things in perspective.
Summer garden.
1. The Answer is “No” Unless You Ask
Our backyard is full of clay soil. In order to actually grow food in our yard we are amending and improving our soil.
To do this we needed to add a large amount of compost to our garden area. Unfortunately our own compost didn’t produce enough for the size of our garden. We found a local nursery selling compost by the truckload. While we don’t have a truck, we do have a van and a bunch of large buckets. So, we asked the nursery if we could fill up buckets instead of a truck bed and they said yes!
If the solution you’re looking for doesn’t exist yet it pays to ask!
2. Everything Has a Season
This one is a bit on the nose but it’s still a good reminder that there is a time and a place for everything.
While I may be sad that I won't be able to enjoy freshly picked garden tomatoes in the winter, it’s a good reminder to appreciate what I have in the moment.
3. Good Things Take Effort and Care
Another cheesy one. Tending to the garden reflects many other areas of our lives in that it may take time to see the rewards of our effort and care.
Sometimes we don’t always see the fruits of our labor right away, but, with time, that effort can grow into a beautiful fruit.
4. It’s Fun To Try New Things
Whether it’s new varieties of peppers or squash or even building the whole garden, it’s so satisfying to expand ourselves by trying new things.
You never know what you might like until you try it!
5. Get Your Hands (and Feet) Dirty
Physically and metaphorically.
There’s nothing like physically using your hands to bring you into the present moment. And getting dirty from the garden is fun. It makes me feel like a kid again.
And Metaphorically “geting your hands dirty” by fully jumping into projects and passions instead of a half-hearted approach is so much more satisfying.
Gettin’ dirty in the garden. Brings me right into the present moment!
6. Sometimes it Pays To Do Research & Learn From Your Mistakes
Our attempt at an automated watering system may have cost us a very high water bill. Oops.
Anyway, sometimes you gotta do some research in the process of trying new things. And learn from your mistakes.
7. Get Outside
Whether I was harvesting, tending to, or just observing the garden, getting outside in the garden is a great mood booster.
Watching nature do it’s thing as seeds mature into full plants is so dang cool!
Sometimes I didn’t always feel like gardening but once I got into a flow working outside I felt exponentially better physically, mentally, and emotionally.
8. Homemade is (Almost) Always Better
There’s nothing like a homemade meal made from ingredients grown in the garden. So often in our fast-paced lives it’s significantly easier to consume rather than to create.
Yet, creating is much more satisfying, encourages us to grow, and the process is empowering.
9. Don’t Get Attached to Your Expectations
Last year our squash were huge producers. This year we were looking forward to another bumper crop of squash. Unfortunately, this year our squash didn’t do as well.
A good reminder to let go of expectations especially when they are out of our control.
10. Embrace the Simple Pleasures
Basking in the morning sun. The first seedlings poking through the dirt. Popping sweet vine-ripened tomatoes. Finding one more sweet potato buried in the soil. Adding fresh herbs to the dinner recipe.
Mmmm there’s nothing like these simple moments of joy.
A salad made from (mostly) garden ingredients.
Rereading this list I realized how cliche these lessons are. But honestly, I’ve been feeling a little grumpy this week and reflecting on these reminders helped shift my perspective towards a more positive viewpoint so I thought I’d share.
P.S. Who wants to try a Carolina Reaper pepper? They may or may not have been our highest producing pepper. Time to get creative cooking some spicy food!
