We are still in the throes of summer as I write this, so hot, dry and
drought are the operative words, but it won’t be long before we will
be surrounded by the sights and sounds of fall. In the next few weeks
my grandkids, at least 11 of the 13, will be heading back to
school. Their young minds are like sponges. It’s been fun
for this old man to teach them a trick or two, but lately I’ve been
feeling more like the student. Last year I was given an MP3
player. My grandson loaded it with all my favorite oldies. Now I
pull in and “Be-Bop” around our farm like most teenagers I see
rolling down the road.
I don’t think we ever grow too old to learn something,
especially from the young. My daughter-in-law Amy has come to learn
this. Last year she and my son were wonderfully surprised with twins,
just when they thought they were done after the first three. Five kids
will teach you that you probably don’t know anything. In the
article, ‘Growing for Generations’, Amy shares the
great life lessons learned from gardening with her children.
My grandchildren, like most children, see the world through young
unfiltered eyes. They learn fast and are creating a new generation of
growers. My oldest grandson, Peter Russo writes about his cousins and
his sister’s and his growing enterprises in ‘The Gourd
Stuff’.
I also want to introduce you to one of our customers, 93 year old
Edna Stark-Jones. Edna shared gardening as a child, and that love and
joy of gardening has kept her strong all these years. Read more about Edna
in ‘Growing with Wit and Wisdom’.
Fall is an amazing time to live in the Northwest. While the kids
are going back to school to learn something new, it’s a great time
for us also to learn a few lessons. Did you know that fall is the
best time of year to garden in the Northwest? By doing a few tasks
this fall you will save yourself many headaches in the coming
year. Learn from my son, Mark, what garden chores can be done now
that will lead to a landscape bursting with blooms and beauty next spring
and summer.
Did you know edible gardens are not just for the spring and
summer? There is no reason you can’t have fresh produce coming
from your garden year round. Learn what you can grow now to keep you
plate filled this winter.
One of our garden apprentices learns her own lesson in
gardening. She discovers that gardening isn’t just about
producing your own crops, but instead about sharing our gardens with
others and the joy that can bring. Learn more in ‘Creating Space
in a Small Garden’.
No matter your age or gardening experience, a lesson can be learned
around any size plot of dirt when there is an open mind and an open
heart. Fertilized minds are like fertile ground; anything will take
off there, you just need to figure out what you want to grow. As you
take in and enjoy the sights and sounds of fall, give yourself the
opportunity to learn something new and take refuge in your garden.
