The Garden Way

Organic Gardening by Linda

Spring is most gardeners’ favorite season. But your winter garden can produce an amazing amount of food. This year, I tried growing cabbages over the winter. They all survived, but only a few grew to full size. And, surprise! They all started going to seed early this month. I have only one of my four-year-old Swiss chard plants left; one froze this winter and deer ate three. But I have five “new” Swiss chard plants that wintered over from last year’s planting and are now ready to harvest.

Our biggest harvest of the winter was from our Jerusalem artichoke bed. We harvested over a bushel of artichokes this month. This is a great plant that requires little care, and you don’t have to replant each year. It requires only a tiny amount of artichoke to begin a new plant. So, no matter how much you harvest, there is always enough to repopulate the bed. My partner, Carol, started this bed three years ago with just a few artichokes and now we are harvesting so much that we have to give them away.

But no matter how much we harvest, my garden pales in comparison to my mother’s and both my grandmothers’. My mother grew enough potatoes, carrots, beans, corn, cucumbers (pickling), tomatoes, rhubarb and Swiss chard to feed a family of twelve each year. In addition there were numerous summer crops of melons, lettuce, onions, peas, plums, broccoli, cabbage, squash, etc. And one of the biggest reasons for all that gardening was that there weren’t many options. You either grew your own or you bought from local farmers. You could buy some fresh food in the winter, but it was very expensive. And furthermore, it was inconvenient to go to the store; it was much more efficient to go to the root cellar to get the potatoes and carrots, to the freezer to get the beans or corn, and to the larder to get the canned tomatoes and pickles.

We are fortunate to have produce available year around from California, Washington State and Mexico, but we pay a price in high shipping costs and in the use of foreign oil. And unless we are buying organic, we are also using oil to fertilize the plants. Furthermore, most of the produce comes from large farms which use diesel fuel to plant, harvest and package the food. The natural solution is to buy locally and grow your own. Research shows that if we were to eat locally, especially local grass-fed beef, instead of eating shipped products, the savings would be similar to us all driving hybrids.

To promote local growing, WAG (Women’s Action Group) held a seed exchange in February and is organizing a street theater to encourage growing food locally. For WAG information, phone Susanna at 443-0031.

Sappho Sez

An Advice Column for the Clueless

Last quarter a reader (“Looking for the perfect answer”) wrote asking for a solution to the challenge of individuals, within couples, with different needs for space and companionship. Having pondered that issue myself and failing to come up with one solution that works for both individuals, I asked our readers to offer their remedies. Here are excerpts from some of your letters:

“The only way two people can really work out a relationship is to live together. It’s so much simpler than maintaining two homes. Living is just easier if there’s always someone around to help especially as we age. Issues that come up can be settled right there and the two can get on with their lives and take care of down to earth matters like vacuuming and making meals. I’m just amazed that people who love each other don’t want to spend as much time as possible together. What’s a relationship all about for those people? “Looking” seems like a selfish person to me. Maybe she doesn’t really want to be in relationship.”

(from “Disgusted” in Missouri)

“Thanks to “Looking” for addressing the couple’s living together/not living together question. I have not been able to find a partner who doesn’t expect to pull up in the proverbial old U Haul once we’ve slept together.”

(from “Staying Single” in Illinois)

“I’ve been won over by my loving and thoughtful partner of 5 years to understand that it really is possible to be in a healthy relationship without living together. I didn’t think I would be able to live separately but have come to realize that nebulous fears and acceptance of the typical nuclear family idea have kept me from realizing my own need for personal space… [My partner’s] patience and willingness to listen to my woes without judgment or blame, her insistence on taking care of herself within our relationship have opened up my vision of who I can and want to be… Best of all, our time together is of a very high quality. I find I can be more loving, more present than in past relationships.”

(from “Happier Than I Ever Thought I’d Be”
in Fayetteville, AR)

“It’s all such a struggle. I want to say—no—yell, scream, “I’ve had as much as I can take. Go away, leave me alone, find a partner who wants to be joined at the hip” and worse. But that’s from my childhood training, isn’t it? I also just want her to know my need for space is no reflection on my love for her. But that’s wrong, too. Of course, it’s a reflection of my deep regard for her that I want to take care of myself, that I care enough to be honest about my needs, that I’m unwilling to “go along” while I build resentments.”

(from “Struggling But Willing To Stay The Course”
in Combs, AR)

Thanks to everyone who wrote on this issue. I tried to present a range of views from all the opinions expressed and I wish space allowed all of your letters to be printed. Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this question, but your words may offer insight to readers looking for relief that they’ve been unable to find while living in the midst of their struggle.

Sappho

Spiritual Findings

by Esyule Twin Star

“Green is the color of…”

This is the time of year of renewal, rebirth and baby green leaves. Green is the color of growth, prosperity and life as the cycle between the sun and the earth is renewed through the blossoming of the plant world. We see rivers run freely and flowers explode with sweetness, and we experience the heady euphoria of new oxygen being pumped into our environments. This is a reminder of the flow of life from the pensive, gestating place of Winter into the place of new promise of Spring.

With newness, we may recall from whence we’ve come or the shadow trails of life. These are places and the memories of events so deep and tangible as to be nearly real again. In some cases, sensitive individuals can even see a replay of these moments in time. For most of us, the shadow trails are personal images caught and triggered by sensations, sight, touch, smell or taste. Whether it is a positive event or a negative experience, we may honor these moments as etchings on our soul that have given us profound “touch stone” points on our journey to greater consciousness. It is our job to transmute any fear or anger coming from something out of a past occurrence or encounter and allow this “picture” to be a marker and a teacher to bring into this renewal time, beginning now. Many lessons are learned through strong events if we look at them from many angles, especially spiritually. Imagine the higher self as witness and guide. Allow the positive events to be the seeds of today and any negative or hurtful ones to be allowed to compost into fertile ground for new growth.

Another insight for us now is the river of life. She is flowing as the devourer in many places as she moves large stones and trees from blocked passages. Her currents portend strong feminine energies able to change what one would have thought unmovable. She also brings great bodies of water to places long dry and needing cleansing. Offer blessings to the river in song and fruit and ceremony. Ask her for what you need, as her sweet spring waters carry all wishes along swiftly and eagerly. Note her green waters transitioning from still winter pools into eager places of movement.

Greet the faeries as they move up toward the sun and call the hidden flowers out from hiding. Remember those small creatures that can be seen if you just sit still and watch, as the sun grows in warmth and brightness. Happy Spring!

December -- Spiritual...

Spiritual Findings

Reaching for the Light by Esyule
(December 2007)

As the chill and darkness of the season settle in, there often comes the desire to hole up and sleep, both literally and metaphorically. In this dark time, I issue the call to reach in and embrace our inner spark, our inner light, and fan the fire, so to speak. As humans, we can get largely mental about the process of understanding ourselves in the scheme of life, but this is a perfect time to get basic. We are all united in spark and radiance. Enlightenment simply means being in the Light, the place that exudes all wisdom, all connectedness, all love. External light is a reflection of our very own inner glow; the degree with which it shines is the only variance. To strive for the light is a quest for enlightenment, inner peace, happiness and unity with the Greater Light. When you light your candles, string up strands of electric lights or kindle solstice fires, welcome back your own flame and look for ways to feed the fire that will then extend itself to illuminating the world. Practice loving acts of kindness. These seemingly small “twigs” of events are the fuel that feeds not only the fires of others, but our very own central flame. When we think of giving gifts this holiday season, reach deep and give that which is precious to us and joyfully received by others.
Remember we are all bits of star matter dancing in the universe, the world orbits our own inner selves, and we in turn orbit others. Reach for the light this season and see what grows from it.

December -- Sappho Sez ...

an advice column for the clueless
(December 2007)

Dear Sappho,
I find myself getting really irritated with my partner for no reason. We’ve been together for over a year and have been living together at her house for that entire time. That was swell to begin with, but after six months or so, I began to find myself growing restless and irritated with our routine. I began yearning for my simpler, pre-coupled life. At the same time, I love the comfort and familiarity of sleeping and eating together. I can’t decide whether to go back to living in separate houses or somehow creating more space for myself at her house. (I’m not even sure whether the latter would work as a solution.) We’ve talked about it some; she is very comfortable with our present living arrangement, doesn’t like living alone and isn’t looking forward to changing our current arrangement. Do you have any suggestions for us? We’re both aware of Rosenberg’s nonviolent communication process and try to use it whenever we find ourselves stressed over any issue. (So please don’t bring up that nonviolent communication group in Crosses.) Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Looking for the perfect answer

Dear Looking,
OK, I can take a hint and will back off from mentioning that really great group in Crosses, AR, which continues to be a source of growth for women living there. And thank you for approaching a topic which has been on my mind in the past few months. I believe many couples struggle to find a way to live together that is mostly beneficial to both partners. We’ve been socialized to believe that living together is The Way to partner with a lover. And yet, one person in a relationship is often more in tune with a coupled living arrangement than the other. I believe that most couples simply fall into a this-is-the-way-it-is attitude and carry on with their resentments and irritations, developing passive-aggressive or other behaviors in an attempt to bring themselves brief avenues of relief. I, personally, believe there are healthier means of maintaining a strong couple bond, but I’m at a loss to describe how two people go about achieving the perfect solution you’re seeking for two people with very different needs. So I’m going to ask our readers to help you by offering their ideas and experiences on this issue.
If you have any advice to offer “Looking” on the issue of living in a relationship while getting most of one’s needs satisfied, most of the time (particularly one partner’s need for time and space alone) without extensive suffering on anyone’s part, please email us at sapphosweb.com. We’ll publish your letters in the spring (March) edition of “Sappho’s Web.” I hope, Looking, that you can hold on until then.

Sappho

December -- The Garden Way

Organic Gardening by Linda
(December 2007)
With the onset of cold weather you might think that gardens and gardeners would be on vacation (or at least in rest mode). Not so, for this is the time of year to plan your garden for next spring. You may pour over seed catalogs to decide what new plants you would like to grow. One year I did just that and ended up with many more types of plants and seeds than I could ever plant. Or you may already have seeds you bought or saved from last year or earlier. Some seeds (like carrots) do best if they are very fresh, but many seeds keep more than a year, especially if you store them in a cool dry place or even in your freezer. To test if your seeds are viable before you spend money or time planting them: 1. Place 10 seeds on one half of a used damp double layer of paper towel. 2. Fold the other half of the towel over the seeds. 3. Place the towel in a used plastic bag and seal the top three-quarters of the way across. 4. Label the bag (especially if you are sprouting several kinds of seeds). 5. Check daily to make sure the towel stays damp; moisten if necessary. After 7 to 10 days, count the number of seeds that have germinated. If only 60 to 70 percent of seeds sprout, use extra seeds when planting. If less than 50% germinate you may want to buy new seeds.

If you want to get an early start on gardening, you will want to plant your seeds in containers. Stuck inside their containers, vegetables and flowers need a growing medium that provides them with air, nutrients, moisture retention and drainage. Making your own mixture allows you to customize it. Here is one recipe for starting seeds. Use: 2 gallons peat moss, 2 cups perlite, 3 or 4 quarts aged (6 months) compost and 1/8 cup of limestone. You can also add vermiculite (which contains potassium, calcium and magnesium). Mix in a tub with a trowel or by hand. Test your mix, before you use it, for: 1. Porosity. Pour 2 cups of water into 1 quart of the mix. In a few minutes you should be able to drain off about 1 cup of water, leaving 1 behind. The result will be ½ media, ¼ water, and ¼ air. 2. Drainage. Fill a small pot with the mixture and tap lightly on the sides to make sure it is loose. Pour 1 quart of water through the pot. If it filters out in less than a minute, your mix has proper drainage. 3. Sprouting. Plant a few fast-growing seeds like marigolds in your mix. If these grow and look healthy than you have a good mixture. Feel free to create your own blend using compost, peat, perlite, worm casting, vermiculite, bone meal, etc.

One you have planted your seeds, place them in an extra warm place until they sprout. Then move them to a sunny place (or you may use grow lights). Seeds that do not get enough light will tend to be tall and spindly. It also helps seeds if they have some “wind” or movement; this makes them hardier. Don’t let your plants be couch potatoes. You can place them outside on warm days for periods of time before you plant them. And as you transplant them to the garden, you may touch their leaves, but do not touch and try not to disturb the root. Hold them by their arms and not their feet.

And as the weather warms you may want to start early seeds or plants using cold frames. Or if you are one of those Arkansas winter gardeners, you may already have wintered over greens, which will begin to produce, as the days get longer.

The Women’s Action Group (WAG) will be meeting at Linda’s garden on Sunday, January 6. The focus will be on the benefits of organic gardening for the environment and our health.