People come by and smile (or frown or look at it quizzingly) and say words like "revolutionary" "subversive" "weird" "fabulous" "horrible"...
I love how people respond to our garden, and our project, but really, what is so subversive about growing our food? What is so "revolutionary" about feeding ourselves when we need to eat to stay alive? What is so "weird" about not relying on corporations to do the job of sustaining our family in it's most basic function: eating! What is so "fabulous" about simply being independent? Have we really sunk that low? Can I tell you that every time I give one of our neighbors a little something - be it a handful of basil, a squash, or even a little radish or a strawberry, that they suddenly smile.
Yes, I am proud of every bit of everything that we grow. It makes me feel SAFE that we grow about 80% of our veggies. It makes me feel like part of the world that we picked about 8 million apricots off our across the street neighbor's fabulous tree and canned them. It makes me feel saddened and depressed that this is such a big strange deal. Did Laura Ingalls' neighbors think they were "subversive"? What a world.
Especially today...just take a look at this:
New Salmonella Outbreak
Now who's weird?
XXX
Yvette
7 comments:
You know, I get the same reaction from some of my neighbors. They all have perfectly manicured lawns, but mine is full of wildflowers and veggies. At least I can eat the fruits of my labor; all they have to look at is a green lawn!
Hey you! What a gorgeous front yard!
Your front veggie garden looks great.
In the 50's everyone grew veggies. Summer days were spent like you and your family have just done, canning apricots and peaches and making plum and grape jam.
Then eating crisp lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes outside on the lawn.
Children ran and laughed and played under water sprinklers.
Life was quieter and simpler and smelt and tasted good.
It's great our families will remember the taste of freshly picked apricots and basil.
Greetings from winter in South Australia where we are harvesting citrus and green veggies of all sorts.
It's so beautiful! Way to be subversive, sister.
perhaps what makes your garden subversive is that it's on the front lawn, instead of in the back. people have had back yard gardens forever- this is something new. by having it in the front, you're making a statement. being subversive is a good thing.
Hear hear Sister! Remember when recycling seemed weird? Maybe this will come around too. It IS sad that we have gotten so far removed from growing our own food, that people can't even relate to it any more. And it wasn't even that long ago that it was "normal". Some of my neighbors have become inspired by our "yard" garden, and have started planting some things of their own. Maybe we are planting seeds of change...reversing the trend, and returning to the REAL "normal"
Totally not weird OR subversive. Makes me sad that doing it yourself (once totally common) is now considered as such.
I love your blog. You've inspired me to grow our own as well. I'm planning it out now....
So thx for being weird. :)
-kn
Post a Comment