Seedlings Are In!

My dear friend L came over today and planted summer squash, cherry tomatoes, basil and carrots and radishes in my long under-used (actually unused) side-yard planter box. I can hardly wait to see them grow!

What if we started a victory garden or peace garden program all over the world? First, to commit ourselves to our own gardens. Even a balcony can be a place for a cherry tomato and a few herbs. Those of us fortunate enough to live in houses could have a considerable impact by planting summer vegetables, much like the "Victory Gardens" of World War II. The carbon footprint of tomatoes harvested moments before we eat them from our own yards would be negligible compared to those fruits and vegetables that we import out of season from thousands of miles away from our tables.

Then what if we started a program to send seeds to people who have none? Seeds, or seed money to buy seeds, instead of heavy bags of grain, which are costly to transport. Seeds can be saved from year to year, too, so long as there is sufficient water to grow the plants to maturity.

What if we committed ourselves to sustainable agriculture to save energy and promote peace? What if we made sufficiency instead of profit our goal? Sufficient to our needs--food, shelter, clothing--couldn't we share prosperity for all?

It seems like a reasonable goal to me, rather than sheer idealism. I am glad that I can do my little by offering my space to grow things to friends who can tend the plants. I do hope the harvest will be abundant, so that we can share it, too. It is most fun that way.

The earth is beautiful and so are the plants. I think I still have the genes of my farming ancestors that even here in the heart of Silicon Valley, I want to grow my own food. Thank God for those ancestors. I hope they are harvesting an eternal reward of joy and rejoicing--and resting from their labors.