For the past five years, I’ve been listening to both the national and local farm reports, which basically makes me an expert in the field.
Prices go up. Prices go down. Sometimes you use your own water supply. Sometimes you let nature dowse your crops with heavenly goodness. It’s simple math, really.
Usually in late fall, I compost or manure my garden and churn the dirt twice before the frost settles on my twelve by eight-foot section of land (yes, my farm is ginormous and very tiring to maintain). Come spring, and according to the farm channel, I mimic the local farmers surrounding my small subdivision, by tilling the dirt with hand tools. Well, not exactly like the local farmers; they use slightly bigger equipment. (And in case anyone is interested, in California, they called this process disking.)
Now, I’m all about farming my own vegetables, and to add to my crazy gardening behavior, yes, I preserve my produce in Mason Jars. (I’ve watched a lot of YouTube videos to reach this level of expertise.)
Just this past spring, I purchased my seeds, okay they were already developed small plants, and followed the instructions. Leave six inch spacing here. Allow twelve inch spacing there. I was masterful in the process, as I stated, I’m an expert in the field. Perfectly spaced heirloom tomatoes (yes, Kole, just heirlooms) to the west, zucchini on the north board side, peppers in front, cucumbers–let’s not talk about those little losers—yellow beets, leaf lettuce, and my favorite, carrots.
The leaf lettuce was great at first, then towered up to four feet high, started seeding at five feet, and became very bitter. Four zucchinis grew to twelve inches that’s what she said while the rest lost their luster and wasted into oblivion. The beets—have I mentioned how much I love roasted beets in my salad with goat cheese and champagne vinaigrette? Mmmm. Yummy.
I think it’s time we talk about those crazy carrots. First, my wife says I’m too negative all the time. I prefer the term, Realist. —Are the seeds I’m sowing so clustered and so distorted that they are a reflection of the way in which I’ve living? –The answer is two-fold.
Yes. I’m always thinking, analyzing, scrutinizing over every detail, then forgetting those details because the clouds look pretty today.
Yes. I may have planted the cute little carrots too close to each other and they literally did not have enough room to grow properly (at least I didn’t plant carrots in a planter box with a ground base).
No. I am not overreacting.
I’ve come to the conclusion that, from a metaphysical point of view, maybe I’ll admit that I might let things accumulate, not always hydrate regularly, and appear a little twisted to others. But I’m healthy. I’m fruitful. And gosh darn it, I’m as scrumptious as the carrots in my garden.