Amidst the promise of renewal that spring brings, I’m definitely feeling the precarity of these times. When I get upset and overwhelmed by the state of the world and the polycrisis we’re facing, I need only focus on the incredible students, clients and growers in our community to bring me back to center and remind me of all the good that exists and persists in the world. I see it every time I go to a farmer’s market, host a potluck, meet with a client or simply wander through the food forest.
I keep reminding myself of a quote by Nigerian poet, philosopher and psychologist Báyò Akómoláfé that says, “these times are urgent, let us slow down.” And this is one of the many reasons why this growing season is going to look at little different for me. As I explain in my new video below, I’m doing something I’ve never done in my 18+ years of gardening: I’m taking the annual gardening season off!
In my video, I talk about:
- Why I’m taking the annual gardening season off
- What I’ll be doing instead
- What I’ve done to take care of the garden while I’m gone
I very much view this pause from the growing season as an opportunity for reflection, a time for professional development, a chance to listen to new voices/perspectives, and a significant reset after the past 16 months of loss and grief. I hope to make several videos to share with you of my experiences so stay tuned!