The Law of the Harvest
This week was our first killing frost. In this part of the world the first frost is as inevitable as the sun set. However, exactly which morning will bring said frost is always an unknown. So gardeners in the area become expert gamblers, trying to coax one more day on the vine out of their tomatoes before harvesting their crop. Often leaving root vegetables to be dug after their tops lay wilted and dying.
I must admit, however, this year September was very kind with temperatures into the 20s & 30s (Celsius) until the last week. These extra days of heat helped ripen and sweeten the fresh produce until it was bursting with flavour. I swear my cherry tomatoes taste like candy and I’ve never had such huge beets or onions.
Each year in the spring my children help plant the garden. They each get their own plot where they can choose what to plant. Often it is a salsa garden with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and herbs as we love fresh salsa. Other top choices include spinach (a quick gratification seed), carrots (fresh from the garden taste so good), broccoli (always fun to harvest with a knife) and marigolds (so happy). We dig around in the earth, get dirty, find worms, as they make a row and carefully (or not so carefully) sprinkle the seeds, cover, and water. The kids are very diligent about keeping them watered and daily ask if they get to fill a bucket from the rain barrel to water their precious plot of dirt, at least for the first week. Then like all children, they become distracted, and move on to more pressing activities (ballgames, bike riding, play dates).
Their efforts, even though unseen to their young eyes, have begun to germinate and send out roots. Through a little diligence, some gentle reminders, watering, weeding & waiting soon those first green shoots of spring will burst through to the sun. That is my favourite time of year. Everything is fresh and new, full of potential waiting to be taped.
Then the hot lazy days of summer roll around: a time for growth, development, reaching deep into the earth, striving for the heat of the life giving sun. Now we get to care for our charges. Watering on hot days, pulling weeds when they threaten to take over, itching to pull a carrot top before it is ready. This is the waiting period. The plants are left to do what they do best, grow into their potential.
And now it is harvest. A beautiful time of year with its vibrant colours and invigorating temperatures, but one which always leaves me a little sad. The glory days are behind us and the cold, long winter ahead. April seems so far away, yes half a year of snow and cold. Why do I live here? (a topic for another day) The garden needs to be harvested, the bounty of the growing months eaten, enjoyed, put away into jars and freezer bags to be enjoyed later.
Life Lessons
I love teaching my children to garden because there are so many life lessons in this annual exercise. We are truly like the seeds we plant. With a little care and attention, some regular weeding and watering, we may also be able to reach our full potential and be truly useful, productive, flavourful, and beautiful. Also the lesson of planning a project, actually starting it, following through, and reaching a close over a period of months is indispensable in our day of instant gratification. Then, of course, come the lessons in hard work, diligence & patience. As well, the importance of taking care of the earth, connecting with its life giving force, and a responsibility to tend living things is reinforced in a very real manner. Finally, there is the payoff as we make salads, salsa, soups, chocolate chip zucchini bread, and all manner of delicious things out of what we have grown ourselves.
It’s sad to see the growing season come to a close. Now we get to dig out the scarves and mittens, put away shorts and summer dresses. I think I need to find a satisfying indoor project to get me through the coming winter. Scrap-booking? Organizing my disaster zones? Painting? A new yoga practice? Something to stimulate my mind and spirit while I hibernate. Let me see… What potential lies in these dormant months?
