The summer is gone; the rainy season has made an early appearance. My garden has done quite well, really. We have enjoyed food from it almost every day: tomatoes, chives, herbs, carrots, strawberries, lettuces, broccoli, occasional cucumbers, beets or green beans, and more. I've begun planting for the winter crops: beets, parsnips, fava beans, and radishes. When all the tomatoes are done, I'll work more on shoring up the terraces and enriching the soil for the next growing season.
What have I learned from this experiment? I marveled at seeing the transformation of my backyard from a traditional lawn into a functional space that provides my family with healthy food. I really enjoyed the solitary and challenging physical work of digging, shaping and building the terraces. Over the course of the spring and summer seasons, I have lost any squeamish tendencies about "removing" the pests that eat our crops. I pick out slimy slugs and crush them under my shoe without any mercy and squish aphids as they hide under the leaves of broccoli, kale, and chard with my bare fingers. Well, okay, dealing with the aphids is pretty gross, but I do it anyway. Since I have learned how much space and water different plants actually need to grow, I am more confident that I will be able to plant them in a more organized way. Next spring, I will definitely have a better idea of what to do to make the garden more productive.
Growing this garden successfully has helped me feel more confident about taking steps to rejoin the world of employment. What I think can be transferred from gardening to working for others is that worthwhile efforts take time and patience. Each day brings a new set of circumstances, but with a basic structure and defined goals, I can accomplish a great deal.
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