The birth of our organic gardens
Every inch of my organic vegetable and herb gardens have been infused with love – literally.
This land was once a working farm decades ago. We have been reviving the farm, starting with organic vegetable farming and growing fruit trees and berry bushes. In May 2020, we enlisted the help of one of the local Mennonites to till the land, which had, over the years turned into a field of grass, wheat and oats.
The easy way out of weeding out all the mounds of tilled grass would have been to spray it with pesticide, wait a year, then plant, which is what some local farmers recommended.
I, on the other hand, preferred to infuse my future garden with love, not toxins. Instead, I used my bare hands to weed through every inch of the 38- by 38-foot sacred circle garden space. Digging and weeding through 1,296 square feet of dirt with bare hands is not for the faint of heart. As I worked my hands through the dirt, I softly sang Bachan Kaur’s Bountiful, Blissful and Beautiful song the entire nine hours I knelt, squatted and crawled in the garden. It became a profound moving meditation.
I did the same with my second large-scale vegetable/potato garden.
The next day, I divided the first space into three circles – the two outermost would serve as veggie gardens, while the nine-foot diameter inner circle would house all of my medicinal plants and herbs.
In Shamanism, everything is a circle, with no beginning and no end – only transitions. Anything that holds power is in a circle. The energy of a circle creates a ripe environment for gardens to thrive.
Aside from compost, I added some manure I had purchased from the Mennonites.
As I planted the vegetable seeds, a highly excitable bumble bee with bold yellow and orange stripes whirled around me, following me everywhere through the entire day, even on washroom breaks – back and forth she danced with me. It reminded me of a young child jumping for joy in anticipation of good things to come. I smiled as I watched her excitement grow.
I intuitively scattered flower seeds, like nasturtiums, marigolds, cosmos, geraniums, daisies and wildflowers, all around the outer perimeter of the gardens and throughout the gardens. The flowers attract natural pollinators and butterflies, while at the same time deter pests. Flowers like nasturtiums attract insects like ladybugs that eat pests like aphids. An organic gardener’s dream. The gardens thrive annually, producing an abundance of all kinds of vegetables and herbs – over 40 varieties.
To my wonderment, no forest animals feast in the gardens. I read somewhere that if you work your garden with bare hands, wild animals stay away. I thought perhaps the pungent odour of marigolds kept them at bay, or maybe it’s the garden fairies. I have watched the rabbits nibble away on red clover that is growing right next to the 1,296 square-foot garden – and, despite the fact there is nothing standing between them and a buffet of lettuce, kale, sorrel, watercress, arugula and dozens of other delicacies, no animals enter into my garden.
If you feel inclined to come and help weed the gardens, a moving meditation that will boost your happy hormone serotonin levels and nourish your spirit, I welcome you with open arms and a big smile.
Organically grown produce will be available for purchase at the farm gate throughout the growing season.
Love and light,
Sari