Green Acres is the Place for Me!

I have been trying for several years to get a garden plot in one of Columbia's community gardens. This year with a stroke of luck I got one. Several weeks ago I stopped by the West Side Garden to see if I could find the manager or at least find someone who could give me information. I found found Llewellyn Richardson, a wonderful man for the West Indies. He was so happy to get me in contact with the garden manager. I gave him my phone number so he could call me with the manager's contact information. Later that day he called me and gave me her email. He checked back with me the next couple of days to see if I had tried to contact her and to see if she had contacted me. To make a long story short, Joanne, the manager, put me on the waiting list and Sunday my number finally came and I was able to pick out a plot.

The plot I chose was in the middle of the gardens away from the tree line. It also had a fence around it. Joanne told me that that plot was prone to flooding. I chose it anyway because it fit my criteria, I wouldn't have to spend a lot of money putting up a fence and since it was in the middle garden plots it would be less prone to deer. Joanne did tell that much of the fence had to be replaced because it was unacceptable. It was the plastic 1" mesh and some of it was blue to boot. For some reason, that was not okay. She said that the animals get caught in the plastic. The 1"x2" wire mesh was okay. How is it that the animals get caught in the plastic and not the metal when the mesh size is about the same size? The little bit of chicken wire is definitely out. It doesn't look good she said. All this reinforces the feeling that I don't belong in Columbia. I don't understand why someone else can decide what looks good and that that is the way everything should be. I happen to like chicken wire and free plastic fences. Don't even get me started on the organic gardening comments I got. I didn't know that my plants knew the difference between fertilizer that came from a big box store or one that came from compost. You know Columbia is a very educated area. I guess all that education trickles down to the plants too.

Monday Susan and I went over to the homestead to clear the land and get it ready for planting. We raked, we weeded, we hauled garbage to the trashbin. By the time we had to go, the garden plot was something we could be proud of. It just needed to have the soil turned and tilled. Susan was able to start turning the soil. It was soft and easy to work. We were both pleased that there was an abundance of worms.

Tuesday I stopped by after work to continue turning soil. To my surprise, I discovered Llewellyn had plots on the two sides of ours.

He gave me pointer on how to turn soil with my garden fork. It was just the way Susan was doing it. She is a natural gardener. Llewellyn also told me that I shouldn't have problems with flooding in my plot if I mounded the rows and dug furrows. Tuesday evening Susan's visiting teacher brought over a Mantis tiller to use.

Wednesday I continued turning the soil until it started to rain. There were so many worms in the soil. Tressa would be proud. I was itchy to try the Mantis tiller that Susan's visiting teacher loaned us. I had to got a couple of wing nuts and bolts, gas, and two cycle oil. I wasn't sure that it was going to start but sure enough it started right up. By that time, the rain had stopped and I went back to try the tiller out. Fortunately the soil wasn't too wet. I got half of the plot tilled. The soil looked beautiful. The Mantis made the soil look like sifted flour. Yes, I was disturbing the worms by giving them a twirl around the tiller blades. I rationalized that I was helping them reproduce by cutting them up.

Thursday I continued forking the plot. I almost finished.

Eldon got home from Provo Thursday morning at about 2:30 AM. Little did he know that he was going to help.

I learned something on Thursday evening. Let me start by saying I have been meeting the other gardeners at West Side Gardens. I have already told you about Llewellyn. There is Judy and Lee on the other side of our plot. I met Sue and Ginney who have plots two sections away from us. A better name for Sue would be Carbon Footprint Sue. As Eldon was finishing us turning the soil in the plot, I went over to say hello. They asked me how I liked my Mantis. They made sure I knew that I was destroying the soil microstructure, adding to the carbon foot print by tilling, and killing all the earth worms. I walked away horrified. I was afraid they were going to report me to PETA for worm homicide. Then the real terror set in. I realized that my daughter was the Secretary of the Worm Concern Association. How was I going to explain my evil deed to her?

Friday, Eldon and I went and started planting. We got the cabbage, brussel sprouts, and bell peppers in.

Saturday I hauled the compost that we have been making in the back yard over and covered the hills to keep the moisture in and block the weeds seeds from sprouting. I tilled the darkest compost into the soil. Joanne would be so proud of me. I actually used some concepts of organic gardening. I finished the day by planting a half row of peas, two hills of squash, lettace, and carrots. I went home content with the work that we have completed this week and that the compost I had taken over had worms in it. I also noticed that some of the native worms survived their spin in the tiller. The WormConASec will be relieved.