Harvest time.
Autumn is coming, and I begin to work circles, pulling all the ends in and storing up for winter.
I have half put the garden to bed at rare.
I harvested these tomatos, some catnip, lemon verbena, dill, mint,
and about 30lbs of potatoes. All of that felt really good.
I mean to move two thilictrum from the perrenial beds into the center circles of the demo garden, and move the three little thymes in at their feet.
I will write out a little map and guide to the garden for whoever does it next year, and I do wish that I could be here to do that.
The Garden Ninja school was fun, and super-educational for me.
I learned a lot about my own time, energy and organization,
as well as how I teach.
I am still sculpting myself,
especially socially.
If I did it again I would, in every class, make something for the office. I think that would give the class more purpose, demand our creativity, and integrate the humility and offering that comes of gardening.
Next time too, I will leave more time for the class to create their own discussion, and I will give out feedback forms.
So I did the Garden Ninja school for the first half of the year, and then I folded it in. It got too hot, me too tired, not enough committment, and there was no interest or support from rare. The energy needed to be put in did not compensate for the energy return.
The lack of integration and support from rare weighed heavy on me. There was no continuity with my little project! There was no one there who would take it on from me, no one who had any clue of what I was doing to help pass it on. I did email all emails in through the office, but no one ever came. I know that no one came because no one had time; the problems are systemic within the charity.
So I put much of the garden to bed this weekend, though tomatos, basil, peppers, sorguhm, chinese motherwort and sunflowers remain. And beets. I hope the beets get left to go to seed: they are chiogga beets ( white with concentric magenta circles).
The workshops are done.
I thank all those who came.
I hope you all learned some,
and I certainly learnt a lot.
As for rare, it is a very sick organization and I worry about its future.
Such potential...
but there is something there unspoken -
some undercurrent that is not on the table, is not healed,
and is not appeased.
blessed be.
i pray for peace, safety, and Love for the land
