As the sun's soothing rays beamed down, I was perfectly content toiling away in my own Garden of Eden. It was not so long ago the thought of tilling soil becoming my new found sanctuary was as remote of a possibility as this once avowed carnivore going meatless. Now that I am inadvertently both a vegetarian and a gardener, I have come to appreciate that our life's circumstances are often a matter of timing.
As a 47-year old empty nester responsible for a decomposing patch of ground, I found myself drawn to the simplicity and solitude of my own urban oasis. I vividly remember the rather contentious discussions I would have with my now-deceased wife over the merits of gardening. My excuse, "honey the time is just not right," my wife animatedly interpreted as "that is bogus." In retrospect, as was often the case, her assessment was generally correct.
At that point in my life, tilling dirt and picking weeds did not have the appeal of playing with the kids or shooting hoops in the park. Besides, why would I choose to spend hours laboring to grow flowers and vegetables when I could conveniently purchase the same items at the corner store?
For many years I shunned my wife's refuge. I can clearly see her "I told you so" smirk as I, Johnny-come-lately, attempt to extol what she had felt for decades.
As America's number one hobby, gardening is as accessible and low cost an activity as they come. In the shadows of our ever expanding waistlines, this benign past-time can serve as an ideal low impact exercise. Complementarily, the fruits and vegetables that gardens produce provide the nutritional component in combating this battle of the bulge. Moreover, having the control over the use of pesticides reduces the concern over tainted food.
In addition to gardening's physical and nutritional virtues, there is the tranquility that comes from connecting with nature and the rhythm of life. Although most of us will never visit the tropical rain forests of Central America or the open plains of Africa, we can have our piece of nature in our own backyards, p-patches or container planters.
Gardening's joyful processes, with its inherent delayed rewards and sense of accomplishment, are a refreshing alternative to our society's ubiquitous obsession with instant gratification.
From a global perspective this multi-generational and international pasttime is actually a negative "carbon footprint" producer. In contrast, according to the Department of Agriculture, the average distance a vegetable travels from large-scale farms to the dinner table is 1,500 miles. Furthermore, these vegetables are often sprayed with pesticides and lose nutrients and flavor every hour that they are in transit.
If my high school history serves me right, I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who envisioned an agrarian Republic comprised of small farmers. This attachment to the land would assure a self sufficient and independent citizenry necessary for a sound democracy.
In many ways the embodiment of Jefferson's vision is taking place with the 67 million Americans who now connect with nature through their own small plots of land.
When Sifting through my backyard bounty for my dinner salad, I have come to realize that within all of us are the seeds of change waiting to be planted.
Central Area writer Joe Kadushin may be reached at this link.
