Let Nature Do the Work...

When I look back on all we have learned these 1st 4 years on the Farm, my Head spins but my Heart just smiles a nice big broad warm Smile.  One of our most significant teachings has been to work within the cycles of Nature. Any Gardener who wishes to be in this for the long term and to maximize Resources (not the least of which is Human Energy) would not dare to work outside Nature's Cycles. That just isn't very smart, yet that is something we surely are not taught to do in our advanced Western Society. 

As 1 example of this, we have learned that it's wonderful, uplifting and awe inspiring to let Nature do the work.  I guess that makes us Partners on the Land. Now that's a Partnership that works.

So what are examples of this Partnership?  First, let me say that in the early stages of living here, I would read carefully Seed Packs and plan ahead carefully for starting plants inside.  To plant inside, one must consider preparation of Soil, finding and preparing pots and flats to hold them, starting them at just the right time and in the right light, watering them and constantly paying attention to their needs.  Sometimes, we have watched them "dampen off" and die.  The latter is not pleasant. 

I must say that overall I have enjoyed all of this.  It has been inspiring to plant the Seeds, watch them emerge and grow, and analyze just the right conditions needed for their development. 

But Nature has waved her finger pointing us off in another direction.  This one has been considerably easier and more fun, I might add. And it is maximizing our Human Energy.

Over the years, we have let some of our Plants go to seed, and we do not clean off all of our Garden Beds for the winter season.  We do not like bare soils, plus our Chickens enjoy scratching around in the debris. The City Gardener that was once me would wag a finger and say: "That is a no-no."  Tidy is the name of the Game.  Well that is a Human Game.  Nature is far from tidy.  She has her own set of Rules on the Land.

Our 1st discovery in this matter came from letting the Lettuces go to Seed.  Our Dear Friend and Partner on the Land, Mother Nature, scattered those Seeds all about.  They went through a Winter and emerged in the Spring as Lettuces just especially for us, the Human Family on the Land. We Humans didn't have to figure out when to plant them, we didn't have to even think about wading out in the Mud, we didn't have to figure out rows or where to plant them, we didn't even have to weed them (at least initially).  Sure we could move them about if we wanted and we did.  (Please note the Gold Rush Lettuce below. Melanie moved some to line the path, or get out of the way of the path.)

What are other examples of little Gifts of that Great Mother Nature?  Mustards, Cilantro, Arugula, Walking Onions, Tomatillos, Fennel, Cox Comb, Marigolds (yes, Marigolds), Borage, Chamomile, Calendula.  The list just goes on.  Those are ones that I can think of.  I am sure there are others I have yet to notice.  But my antenna are increasingly up on such matters.

One of my favorities is the Petunias depicted in the 1st Photo here.  This is a lovely flower known on Iowa Homesteads 100 years ago.  It's called "Vining Petunias" and I got the seeds from Seed Savers Exchange.  I just discovered that I have oodles of Seedlings in the 2 Whiskey Barrels on the West Lawn.  I had planted them there last year.  Finding all of those Seedlings is a lot easier than planting them inside the end of January or the 1st of February and caring for them until just this time to transplant.  With this recent discovery, I have shared the little Seedlings with lots of other Folks who enjoy them, plus I have more than a plenty for the 3 C's.

These little adventures make me wonder: What are the next lessons that our Dear Partner on the Land, Mother Nature, has in store for her Humans?  We're listening and watching a lot more carefully than when we started.