gardening – Page 2 – Salvaged Faith

Posted on October 5, 20111 Comment

Yesterday’s post was hard!!! It includes a lot of stuff that I have been wanting to say/express for a while, or at the very least a beginning…

I wrote that post and then I drank a cup of coffee and headed outside. It was 70 degrees by 9:00am – which is awesome for October 4th. I had spent most of the previous day weeding, cleaning out my garden, preping a flower bedand taking stuff to the community waste pile. Today’s task was to plant.

And plant I did! I first cultivated and then broke up the dirt in a 4×12′ bed and planted 100 tulip bulbs (yellows, whites and purples), 100 crocus bulbs, 50 wolf’s bane and 50 white squill. The last three are all early spring flowers and I’m just dreaming about the little white, yellow and purple flowers dotting above the snow! I also carefully marked out space in that bed to add some other perennials in the spring. I need to split my sedum plants, and I want to add some delphinium and salvia. I’m hoping that this will be an easy to care for and maintain sort of area!

In the other large flower bed I have, I spent the afternoon planting 100 more tulip bulbs (oranges and purples here), 50 allium (metallic pink), and again, the spread of the early flowering bulbs. I also dug up and replanted my irises that are in this area to help them be more evenly spread over the whole area.

I think the best part of my day came when this wonderful woman across the street asked me how it was going. All the bulbs were in and she THANKED me… She gets to look out her window at them in the spring, too, and she THANKED me for all the hard work I did. I guess I hadn’t quite thought of it like that, but what I’m doing right there brings joy to other people, also.

I finished up the evening by taking some of the green tomatoes I pulled off the plants yesterday and making fried green tomatoes. YUM. I ate them with maple chipotle glazed chicken tenders and some pasta salad. So delicious.

My shoulders ache… my left hand has two majorly huge blisters that are severly hampering my ability hold things… and the fruit of my labor is still five to six months away… but it was the perfect way to spend two gorgeous autumn days.

bag gardening

Posted on June 20, 2011Leave a comment

As a gift from my congregation, last fall I recieved a gift card to purchase some books. To go along with my love of gardening, the gift card was used to get some simple gardening guidebooks for our area.

This is the first year I have really planned out my gardening space. In the past, I tried to use techniques from square foot gardening, but I think I actually placed things too close together. I wanted to expand the space a little bit, as well as increase the number of different items I tried to plant.

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=amomono&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1603425292&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifrIn one of my books, Starter Vegetable Gardens, there were plans for a three year expansion of a garden using bags of dirt.

That’s right.

Simple bags of dirt.

You put them on the ground where you want them, you cut off the tops and you plant in them.

The plastic keeps the weeds out and kills the grass underneath. The plants grow. Your garden expands.

This is the concept that had me buying 20 bags of dirt this spring and lugging them out to my backyard. This is the concept that had these bags lying in funky little rows for about a month until it was finally warm enough to plant. This is the concept that got the neighbors a little curious and stumped as to what I was up to.

So, I thought I would share some of my results so far!

This is the view from the house of the garden. The area with lots of brown dirt is basically the previous garden plot size.

One of the ideas in this garden plan is that there is plenty of space to move between the rows… and also space to mow! Our lawn mower fits exactly between the bags… with some minor trimming required.

I also installed a basic chicken wire fence around the garden, due to all of the rabits eating my peas! It has been pretty successful and is made out of a couple of broken stakes and some bamboo stakes.

second row, starting with far end:
cilantro/parsley, 5 different varieties of tomatoes
(large, cherry, roma), and basil on the end

first row, starting on far end:

2 bags with bush beans, lettuce,

oregano/thyme, more lettuce

and three types of peppers

third row, starting from far side:
jonnyjump ups/rosemary, potatoes, kolhrabi,
more poatoes, alyssum/sage

fourth row, starting on far end:
coneflowers, three bags with squash, calendulas

final row, starting on far end:

scarlet runner beans, peas, snow peas, nasturtium

Of all the things growing here, I have never before planted bush beans, kohlrabi, any herbs, potatoes, or peas! I also have never put flowers in the garden before. Each of the varieties included are edible flowers (well, except maybe the alyssum) and it should add to the color and texture of the garden. I am the most excited about all of the herbs! I have already made thyme lemon bars and added fresh basil to the ham and cheese wrap I made today.

The last two picutes below are another shot of the garden and the first produce: a snow pea pod. I washed it up and ate it fresh =)

On the south side of our house we also have four raspberry bushes and I planted strawberries in the front flower beds.

I’ll keep you posted as the summer goes on!

Vocations?

Posted on June 3, 20102 Comments

Today at our county ministerial alliance we talked about the multiple vocations that people have in their lives. The conversation sprang from a book we are reading together and a scene in which a Catholic priest approaches his bishop to let him know that he has fallen in love. The priest both feels called to the ministry and called to love and marry this woman that he has met.

Good old Wikipedia shares that vocation is: an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. While being a wife wouldn’t always be considered an occupation… it is work. And parenthood falls under the same consideration. As do our hobbies and livlihoods. And potentially our jobs. As we talked, we became more and more aware of the multiple vocations that have an influence on our lives.

In my own life, I am called to my husband, to my family, I am called to ministry as an elder in the UMC, and I’m sure that there are many others. In seminary I wrote often about a deep calling to rootedness… part of which comes from being a Midwesterner and the daughter of a farmer. It is a calling that I am currently living out both by attempting to build deep relationships in my community and with gardening.

The problem comes however, when these various callings that God has placed within our lives don’t always neatly fit together. The conflicts can be painful. How do we divide up our time and our resources and our energy? What takes priority on what days? These is a complex dance that is stepped between these obligations and loves. Not always do we make the right choices and not always is there a “right choice” to make.

Recently, the juggling has been more difficult in my life. And try as I may to give myself fully to my husband and my church work and return the phone calls of my parents and tend to those pesky weeds sprouting up in the garden, there are also the distractions that somehow sneak in and ruin the delicate balance that we create. I spent far too much time this past week reading Grey’s Anatomy fanfiction. No lie. It’s embarassing really. And over the weekend, as I prepare for Annual Conference, I’m struggling with how I can possibly spend time with the family who are coming into town, while at the same time I have obligations for rehearsals and plenary sessions. I struggle to balance how long I stay after church on a Sunday and heading out to the river to be with my in-laws and my neice and nephews. I struggle with what to do on my Fridays off with my husband when a special meeting is called in Des Moines. I struggle with finding time to get the sermon written when a funeral comes up and find myself taking time away from sleep to get it accomplished. The pull between these vocations is intense!

As I sat down to think about this idea of multiple vocations, my mind drifts to the saints who have walked before us. What biblical characters struggled with these demands? Which founders of our faith successfully navigated these waters? My mind draws blanks. I think about the ones who didn’t…. Paul’s urging of those who were unmarried to stay that way. John Wesley’s failed relationships. Even Moses left his wife and children with his father-in-law, Jethro, for a time (Exodus 18)… and I’m not sure that when they came back they came back to stay. I’m hoping others can point me to some better role models!

Modern brain science has taught us that we really cannot do more than one thing at a time. When we believe we are multi-tasking, we are really just switching incredibly quickly between one task and another, giving each full attention… even if just for micro-seconds. But it leaves us fragmented and tired, even though our brains are quickly adapting and getting better at this dance.

What are we to do? What is the right balance? And if it comes down to it, what will be our first priority?

full of weeds

Posted on May 17, 20101 Comment

A week and a half ago I found about five hours to prepare and plant my vegetable garden. The spot was mostly cleared – we had burned leaves on the garden in the fall and so there was very little growth of weeds in the spot in the meantime. I did some careful tilling with a hand cultivator and worked in some compost and plotted out my “square plot” garden.

Then, somehow between a morning meeting and UMW in the afternoon I rushed home, planted my seeds, and got back to work.

I haven’t done any gardening since.

Now, part of the reason for that is rain. And rain is probably okay for these little seeds, although they are looking forward to the sunshine they will get in the next few days. Right now, they are under the ground working and waiting and growing and emerging. And so far, the vegetable garden is weed free.

My other garden spots however are a complete mess. The flower beds by the front steps are overgrown and need to be completely pulled up and planted. My tulip bed needs to have the dandilions pulled out and put in some ground cover and/or mulch. The bushes need some help, and some mulch, and some pulling.

Gardening is constant work. And just when you think you have one area taken care of, another place needs your attention. You are dependent on the elements and your own personal resources of time and energy and money for supplies.

But I love it. There is nothing better than getting your fingers dirty and humming sweet old hymns while I dig in the earth. There is nothing better than the blisters that show that you have been hard at work. There is nothing better than the vibrant color of the flowers and plants as they come up.

The same of course, can be said of our faith. There is a reason that Jesus so often employed agricultural and natural parables as he communicated the good news. It takes work, and patience, and outside help, but above all, it’s not something that happens over night.

Hopefully, I’ll get out and get some work done this afternoon. Both internally and externally.

pull to plant

Posted on November 7, 2009Leave a comment

This week I’ve spent a lot of time outside. For Pastor Appreciation Month my congregation gave me a gift certificate to Earl May and some gardening tools. And it was an extremely meaningful gift because a) it means that they understand some of the ways that I take care of myself (gardening) and b) it allowed me to get some things done in the midst of the stressful time of ordination papers too.

To be honest – if I hadn’t recieved that gift, the south side of my house would still be a mess. There would be tall grasses and crazy trees and weeds and leaves all over. I affectionately have referred to it as the eyesore on the south side. At least once before I’ve tried to clear the area – but then when our plants didn’t arrive, it soon grew back over.

So this past week – in the amazing warm weather for the first week of November (in the 50’s) I’ve taken a few hours each day to slowly but surely work on it.

Monday, my mom went with me to pick out some shrubs and bulbs and then helped me do some clearing. Throughout the week I’ve dug out stumps, removed the plastic underlayer, pulled weeds, broke a shovel and have some nasty bruises to show for my work.

Then yesterday – the shrubs went in the ground. There are two “fire chief” conifers, a blueberry plant, and a mandarin azaela. Today after the Iowa game I will probably be working on planting some tulip, crocus and dafodill bulbs.

In the midst of all of that, I had some time to think. About how overgrown other areas of my life are and where the chaos needs to be put in order and weeded and new things planted. The truth is that new things cannot take root unless room is made – unless everything else moves away.

As a pastor this is absolutely true. The last week in October I tried to work on my papers, but I left too many of my other responsibilities in the way. I got very little done and it took a lot of effort to get there. But this week I took time away from my other tasks, escaped to coffee shops and my office and progress was made.

As I try to nurture leadership development – I have to get myself out of the way and pull up my roots so that there is room for new leaders to emerge. I’m thinking about various ways to encourage new growth in the congregation and to fertilize those who have said yes, but aren’t sure of their new surroundings. A leadership retreat is definately in my plans – but I’m also thinking about restructuring our meeting arrangements so that more than one group meets at once, and I move between groups. Not having me to rely on means that others will have to take over the reigns – but I can also be there when they do need me. My real task needs to be working with leaders, not running the meetings.

That arrangement would also free up more time to meet individually with leaders in the congregation, do the visitation of our homebound members, and build relationships with our youth and families.

The Very First Dawson Garden

Posted on May 6, 2009Leave a comment

My first vegetable garden has officially been planted!!!

I’m following some square foot gardening principles, although I didn’t build a box or put 6 inches of dirt on top of the dirt that is already there. And my squares are 2×2…

Farthest back on the left is carrots. Then in the next square is lettuce and some banana pepper plants. More banana peppers in the third square, then tomatoes in the final 1 1/2.

On the right side, the first half square is empty and the other half is turnips. Then I’ve got a full square of cucumbers. Next is 1/2 square yellow squash, 1/2 square zucchini. And finally the last square and a half are green peppers.

It’s not a huge assortment, but it’s a start. I might pick up some seeds for the other 1/2 square later.

Composting

Posted on May 4, 2009Leave a comment

I’m a little scared of composting. I have heard from countless places that it doesn’t take that much work, that it doesn’t really smell, but I’m still a little hesitant to get started. Well, that and I’m lazy.

I found this article today though on composting and it seems simple enough that even I might be able to try it!

(from journeytoforever.org)

Think small
Composters (including us) advise gardeners to use bins or boxes with a capacity of at least 10 cubic feet: that’s equivalent to a 24×24-inch box 30″ high, or a 24″-diameter tub 36″ high.

These are too big for a household with no garden, and therefore no supply of garden wastes. So what is the minimum bulk?

We’ve made hot compost in a 10-gallon box rather than 10 cubic feet — only one-sixth as much. Filled all at once, it got very hot, and was ready in two weeks. It’s a bit different when the ingredients come in dribs and drabs instead of all at once, as they do from a kitchen, but you can make successful compost in a small container.

Actually you’ll need two containers — when the first one’s full and processing, you start filling the second one, and by the time that’s full, the compost in the first one’s ready for use and can be emptied out.

A smallish (10-20 gallons) plastic or galvanized iron garbage can with a lid will do. Drill 10 or 12 holes in the bottom with a 3/8-inch bit, find a tray to stand it in, and put a couple of 1/2-inch slats under it for aeration.

A 15x15x15-inch wooden box made of 1/2-inch ply (untreated) will also do well. So will a 20x20x20-inch box. Again, drill holes in the bottom and stand it in a tray with slats under it to allow an air supply, and put a hinged lid on it. Treat it inside and out with vegetable oil.

Filling the bin
Use uncooked fruit and vegetables, no meat, fish, dairy, or oils — at least at first. Once you’re more experienced you can decide this for yourself.

By themselves, kitchen scraps are too wet to compost — the moisture content averages 85%, and compost should be not more than 65%. So you need dry bedding to mix it with. This can be straw, dead leaves, strips of newspaper (avoid colored inks and glossy paper), cardboard or cartons, sphagnum peat moss, coconut coir, or a mixture. You can also use some sawdust (from non-treated wood) — mix it with other bedding materials. Keep a bucket of bedding handy by your bin. Also keep a coffee-tin full of ordinary soil next to the bucket, and some wood ash is useful.

First, put a few inches of dry bedding in the bottom of the container. Scatter the daily supply of kitchen scraps on top, and cover the scraps with about the same amount of bedding, or a little more. Scatter some soil on top, and a little lime or wood ash. Keep going until it’s full.

Mix the contents up every couple of weeks with a compost poker or compost aerator: buy one, or improvise.

If I did this, I would probably buy two garbage pails with lids about 10gal each. I’d shred my newspapers for help with the dry bedding and use leaves. Coffee-tin full of soil is no big deal. Then, I can take whatever scraps I have from cooking out to the bin, drop in some bedding, put the scraps in, add more bedding, top with soil. I probably won’t be doing this inside, but I definately could do it on our back porch. It sounds easy enough!!!

FF: Bucket List

Posted on April 24, 20092 Comments

From Rev Gals: Do you have a “Bucket List”? In other words, from the movie of
the same name, five things you want to see, do, accomplish, etc. before you kick
the bucket?

I actually don’t have a “bucket list”! I have a friend who I know has all of these lists of things that she wants to accomplish in her lifetime, but I have never ever sat down to make a list of those kind of hopes and dreams. I am actually having a really hard time coming up with a list, but here goes (these things are subject to change!)

visit the Czech Republic with my Babi.
Visit NYC and see a show on Broadway.
learn to play guitar ( I know… this is one I’m working on already – but it’s going to take me a while!) and lead worship at my church with the guitar.
plant and grow all of my fruits and veggies for a year in my own garden.
be a mom. (we are hoping to have two kids, but right now my hubby’s totally not ready for them)