Seeds of gardening (idealistic ol' me) ..

It's February. It's Iowa. It's cold (-2 degrees F for a high today). I'm jealous of some of the great looking fresh veggie dishes I see being cooked in other parts of the country (and out of it). I know my spring will come again though, the garden catalogs are coming in the mail even though I'm not quite totally inspired to read through them yet. I just found out that I will go unpaid for only 4 weeks of the summer and yet will be off for about 12 weeks. As I think about work I may not bake at the farmer's market this summer because I am discovering a growing interest into more gardening. Previously I have been pretty practical in raising my children and food from my garden, but now I am entering into a new phase in family and life and will probably need to change my profile description soon to describe the changing and growing me.

Vegan blog land has been changing as it seems bloggers I first met when I started almost a year ago are busier, but new ones are beginning to appear that are fun/ inspiring reads. Although I still have a passion for friendly (veg) food, I am finding myself thinking more and more about things in life that have given me great meaning and satisfaction. These thoughts are often fueled by what I see around me.... kids. Although there are still homes that can produce children whose needs are met (physical, intellectual, emotional, mental, social), there are an incredible number of kids who aren't----- WHY? My great, big compassionate mamma's heart wants to take them all in and put them to work in my garden, give them common practical household chores, a routine, and someone who is usually busy with something yet awake at the table drinking hot tea at all hours of the night ready to be interrupted to listen to the latest doldrems and excitements. My common cure for all ills (mentioned when it seems appropriately humorous) is, "Have you had any green vegetables today? How about alive food... something still fresh like it came from the garden." Then I mumble something about a body being unable to do it's job of keeping us emotionally balanced and acne free without feeding our "healer" cells the food they need (Mom's cure all = green vegetables, living food).

I can't take them all in of course, but I have been thinking I can offer more skills. Gardening skills in the summer... a day camp of sorts. I had some thoughts about this in the back of my mind for the last couple of years now intertwined with some geographical lesson plans centered around food and cultures, a sprinkle of some social science diversity acceptance for my rural little midwestern town, and food of course.

Although on the outside necessity has made me practical, I am hopelessy idealistic! I have also been totally taken by a book I read for a children's literature class some time ago called SEEDFOLKS by Paul Fleischman.
Amazon review:
"Sometimes, even in the middle of ugliness and neglect, a little bit of beauty will bloom. Award-winning writer Paul Fleischman dazzles us with this truth in Seedfolks--a slim novel that bursts with hope. Wasting not a single word, Fleischman unfolds a story of a blighted neighborhood transformed when a young girl plants a few lima beans in an abandoned lot. Slowly, one by one, neighbors are touched and stirred to action as they see tendrils poke through the dirt. Hispanics, Haitians, Koreans, young, and old begin to turn the littered lot into a garden for the whole community. A gift for hearts of all ages, this gentle, timeless story will delight anyone in need of a sprig of inspiration. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition."

The idealist in me also LOVES books by Sharon Lovejoy. I honestly could not pick out just one of her books as a favorite, although I have pictured one here. This is the book that first inspired me into thinking I could teach young people the love of gardening and eating fresh (real) food with my little one acre plot. It is also the book that inspired me into wanting to see our school lunch programs begin to use locally grown garden produce. Although I personally have not taken action into any serious movement of this sort, I do agree with the efforts of a few I have read about that have. My bent will be different though... I'm a hands on kinda person and I want to give others a chance to play in the dirt or in the kitchen.

As I think warm thoughts about my summer and begin to generate internal motivation for the upcoming planting season I am reminded that my son whose culinary skills have been featured many times on this blog will be home for the summer before going off to the next year of school and although dirty work is not his favorite thing to do, he has always enjoyed having an important role in entertaining others. (He has also decided he would like to switch from computer technology to something with a music emphasis, even though he likes working with computers he says he knows as much as he wants to know about this subject come the end of this semester.) Even people with disabilities can be useful and find great joy in the garden.

There is a new link at the bottom of my sidebar that can help you find a garden blog near you or if you have one and you would like your dot placed on the map, check it out!