Tending the garden

The sun breaks through the clouds in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

On Monday, I was at the hardware store in town, gathering supplies for a home improvement project. I noticed racks of seed packets, pots and soil. Wide-brimmed woven sun hats and new fashionable gardening gloves were waiting for their new gardening homes. My wife is a collector of both. Gardening has been on our minds over the last few days, as we had a taste of spring weather tucked in between snow squalls, blustery wind and cold temperatures. 

We wondered, what should we plant? Last year we planted a little too much squash, but it benefited our neighbors and the local food bank. This year, the promise of rows of carrots, lettuce, red cabbage and fresh tomatoes brings promise of a plentiful harvest, nourishing our soul and body. Long ago, I always rolled my eyes when my wife wanted yet another pair of gardening gloves or a sunhat, but now they are more than material things; they are hope, gratitude and love. They are part of expecting and knowing that the path to a bountiful harvest is right here in front of us. Indeed, we know seeds will germinate and fill the garden with vegetables. 

That also shows how the ideas of growth and nourishment are so much bigger than any material object. The family time and creativity that come along with tending the garden are the real harvest. This garden is a complete idea from its very inception, made of those strong virtues that bring it to life. Reflecting those qualities of love and gratitude, we become better gardeners of our own lives. We take better care of the soil, which represents the various elements of our collective experiences. We’re aware of what seeds we buy and plant — what we allow to prosper in consciousness. That’s the kind of cultivation that leads us down good paths, and it helps us plant seeds that encourage growth and progress.

— Gareth Henderson

Gardening trend has national impact

More gardening is happening in Vermont this year, but that trend isn’t limited to these Green Mountains. Throughout the country, more people have been spurred on by the pandemic to create their own sources of food via gardening, including in urban locations such as New York, Houston and Philadelphia.

A number of residents have “begun to utilize spaces on rooftops, patios, and even the edges of classic Brooklyn-style buildings to create more green space in the area,” according to Bedford + Bowery, which covers downtown Manhattan and north Brooklyn.

Many have compared the surge in home gardening to the victory garden movement of the World War I & II era. As many recall, the demand for seeds skyrocketed this past spring.

"The whole seed industry hasn't seen anything like this since the Great Depression," Jere Gettle told the BBC in May. Gettle owns Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield, Missouri, the largest seller of heritage variety vegetable and flower seeds in the US, which ran out of half its stock in March.

Since then, the trend has only grown, and it’s even led to some new business opportunities. For example, a California man who found himself out of work ended up starting a business making customized planter boxes out of cedar and redwood.

Additionally, garden supply businesses have seen an uptick in sales.

"In a sense, it's been good for a gardening, homesteading, back to the land kind of focus. We're seeing a lot of people wanting to produce a bit of their own food,” Mitch True, of Guy's Farm & Yard in Williston, Vermont, told WCAX.

Going forward, the back-to-the-land trend only shows signs of deepening. It will strengthen food security, and it also has the potential for some fantastic educational opportunities for youth in New England, the country and the world. It will certainly be part of creating more sustainable communities, and that helps all of us.

— Gareth Henderson

Back to the land

This photo shows a plot shared by Deb Rice and Barbara Abraham at the Sustainable Woodstock community garden at Billings Farm. (Barbara Abraham Photo)

Growing your own food and bringing it into your kitchen is a tradition that goes back a long way in Vermont. 

In the past few months, there’s been a broadly renewed focus on those values, and community gardens have been a big part of it. I’ve been proud to see that first-hand, with my family and I having a garden plot in the Sustainable Woodstock community garden at King Farm. It’s one of two community gardens Sustainable Woodstock oversees, the other being at Billings Farm. I believe such sustainable local food sources are crucial, and they will be a key part of helping with food security on a regional level going forward. I’m grateful for all the tremendous attributes these gardens bring into the mix; they are, each one, a wonderful gift. 

We’ve found our community garden plot to be a tremendous educational experience. Not only is it instructive for me as a first-time gardener, but it’s also a wonderful asset to my 14-year-old daughter’s education. Science, history, math — these all tie into the gardening experience and offer unique ways to learn from it. I admit, I’m appreciating more than ever the different stages of gardening and how they link together to grow the lovely vegetables we’re now enjoying. From soil to seed to yield, it’s all so worth it. 

Another benefit is getting outside and getting some exercise amid nature’s splendor. As a journalist who has spent much of his working life typing in a chair (like I am as I write this), this is a good change for me. I’ve also enjoyed the family togetherness element of this effort, as we help tend the plot and keep track of its flourishing inhabitants. If one lesson stands out in my mind, it’s that squash and zucchini grow fast — really, really fast. 

My main takeaway is that I’m grateful for the overall experience, going back to the land using an important food source just a short distance from home. Wherever you live, chances are you have a local group nearby working on a sustainable food-source project of some kind, especially these days. Reach out to them, get involved, and you may find yourself growing local food, too. It’s a fulfilling journey, and an experience worth cultivating. 

— Gareth Henderson