So you might recall that last summer (2016) I was frustrated because the allium leaf miner had come from Europe and destroyed many onion crops of organic farms and untreated home-gardens, mine included. For me, this included leeks, garlic, Vidalia and red onions. It was about 200 plants in all. As a result, I was disappointed and aggravated. What resulted was a strong call to NOT plant a garden the following summer, which is almost upon us now (2017). This decision to not plant anything means that both the garden and I have been laying fallow. Let me explain.
Planting a 900 square foot vegetable garden requires lots of planning and pre-work in the winter. By that I mean ordering seeds and other supplies and growing seedlings indoors. Because I did not have any of these chores this year, I layed fallow. In the beginning it was just sitting still because I had the space to do that. What it led to were new ideas which eventually moved me back to action (my garden still lies fallow, I do not).
First, because I still want to have local organic produce throughout the summer, I joined a local crop share. For this I will need to go to the farm and pick up my produce. For some items like green beans and strawberries I will be required to pick my own. I also need to donate four hours of time to the farm for garden chores. This will then fulfill my love of having my hands in the soil, but only take a fraction of the time, and it will put me in a greater community space. I can't wait to see how this works out!
I also have had more time to work on some creative projects which have really fueled my soul. These things include more creative writing and more art projects. The one surprise, even to me, is that I also took a 10-week tap dancing class which has provided lots of self discovery. That's what comes from laying fallow.
When I told this "fallow" anecdote to a couple friends, they asked me what significance the onions might have in my story. I had to think about that. My first thoughts were about the pungency of onions, but then I also quickly recognized how they enhance dishes. I also did some homework and learned that they are part of the lily family and are considered an herb. So I hope that's it, that my life is going to be even more flavorful this summer, even though my garden lies fallow.
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Now for the reflective questions which you can journal about or if you'd like to share your story, the community and I would love to hear from you! Your comment could have a major impact on someone else. Most likely it will be just the right thing at the right time for one of the readers. For me, God* wanted me to know that helping even just one person is wonderfully impactful.
Reflective questions:
1. What's your calling lately, to let something go or add something new?
2. What does God* want you to know about this (ask directly, God, what do you want me to know?)
* I use the term God as a universal term. You may decide that Great Spirit, Allah, Higher Power, etc. better suits you today. It is not for me to decide.
Note: These posts are part of a broader call to do spiritual journaling (read more at CardinalTouch.net)
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