Gardening Your Life

Beautiful painting of the timeless agrarian way by artist Bryan Haynes

The time around the summer solstice in western Washington is a critical time for the aspiring vegetable farmer. Months of spring seeding and plant care in the greenhouse-nursery, and continuous rounds of weekly in-ground planting, give way to a full-time harvest schedule amidst the growing necessity of perpetual-watering, persistant planting, and the great separator of big-boy farmers from the babes: Weeding everything which should not be there. 

Of course, all seasons have their natural rhythms and essential activities. But it seems that these months here on Camano are especially important to be present with life on the farm, and willing to do your best, based on what you have learned to this point. 

Simply entering into the garden at times can be an overwhelming prospect. For as fast as the broccoli and zinnias can grow, one can almost guarantee there are weeds that have grown as fast or faster. The dynamic balance of activities which must take place in a short window, becomes a true test of one’s willingness, faith, calmness, endurance, and ultimate success. 

For instance, on Thursday this week, it was time to harvest the weekly romaine-heads, lettuce mix, cilantro, green onions, and kohlrabi, all planted in the haven driveway garden. Upon arrival, it was also recognized that there were more garlic scapes to harvest, 2 rows of elephant garlic to pull, and marion berries to pick along the drive, in addition to various newly planted trees across the road demanding attention (water!), by dramatically shedding their already spindly leaves. This doesn’t even include the many hours of flower harvesting and bouquet making going on simultaneously at this moment by the ashram sisters. We also had in tow, various plant-starts to get in the ground of cilantro, dill, cauliflower and romaine lettuce.

This all meant that this afternoon, we would be harvesting, watering, weeding, preparing garden beds, and planting, all at the same time - true summertime madness. For a greenhorn without the experience to see and know what must be done and when, it can lead to many a dropped passes, and even a state of overwhelm for the receiver himself, at the sheer scope of vision required, and the corresponding spirit of willingness necessary to achieve the ultimate success - a shareable crop! 

Beyond what has already been mentioned, the encroaching roots of two large cedar trees were discovered to be robbing the good garden soil through an expanding web of red, moisture sucking roots, right under the precious garlic and veggie starts. Trailing grass meanwhile lead a pincer movement, colonizing from within, under the burlap in the garden pathways. 

As all aspiring farmers are apt to do upon recognizing the situation, we attempted to respond quickly and appropriately - Like a kind of special-ops unit, with a small window to strike before the opposition could gain too great a foothold. To withdraw now, would mean a much greater battle later; one which could require much greater casualties. The time is now. 

The harvest must also go on, and the planting must happen, and the battle with the restless and disruptive enemies of today must happen - side by side by side. 

The bamboo slammer-shover was fetched, whereby the cedar roots could be broken across the edge of their garden-invasion. Additionally, an electric mower was brought into action, to reproach the encroaching blackberries, ivy and grass. Woodchips were then wheelbarrowed into berms around all the edges, to serve as embankment against future trespass. In a few good hours, about 10 crates of fresh veggies were also harvested, and perhaps 8 crates worth of garlic; 6 trays of baby plants went back into freshly prepped ground, and a quick weed evaluation and elimination movement through every garden bed that was harvested from or planted in, took place. 

As fast as the Haven driveway garden campaign took place, we were called back to base of greater awareness of the whole - to pan back out onto the much greater battlefield of 25 acres of expanding farm-life. Next up, the lower field - the largest, and longest-running veggie combat zone on the farm. We needed carrots and beets pulled, and broccoli harvested, before being called back to quarters for the night. The Stanwood market is on the ‘morrow, so this too, is a non-negotiable reality. And naturally, this involved weeds, watering, and general oversight of an otherwise wild and wooly opposition. While all of this happened on the frontlines, I can gratefully share that others of the ashram-way remained in the galley, leading the offensive to prepare rations for keeping the troops replenished. 

Perhaps you are getting the idea. The garden is no joke. And whether we are farming on the earth, or stewarding the garden of family, work and greater service to this world, the lessons are one and the same. 

Though it is truly wonderful when we can focus on a single, pre-determined activity with a fixed result, the reality we often face is that the needs of the day and of God’s vision for our life, rarely allows our daily-dharma to fit into a perfect, pre-defined box of our own mental-construction. Instead, we must learn to be open; to be truly free; to see this life with a universal vision, and the various needs about us to be addressed this day, without going AWOL or burying the head in yonder sand. To instead learn to discern what is essential at this moment, and what are the simple steps to make it happen, based on what we know, and who is available to help. 

Garden-farming is not different from the garden of Self-realization - indeed, scripture often indicates that the Garden is the original and timeless way of life on earth - for our Realization as children of God to be made manifest.

Yet, God's vision isn't something our mind can define. Can you scarcely imagine becoming omnipotently aware of any and every reality of life simultaneously? That is God’s consciousness. And the answer is, we really can’t imagine that. Infinity is beyond our minds comprehension.

We do well, however, to relate to the garden of this life as a micro-uni-vision of all the life that our consciousness is growing into becoming. That is, seeing life not from the little, personal perspective of me and mine. But instead, seeing it universally, and plainly, for what it is, and how we can help it to achieve its highest purpose. 

This often means that in order to harvest something, we also must first weed. In order to plant, we also must prepare. That in order to take, we must first give. This is the fundamental awareness of the garden, and of life itself. 

This isn’t easy - because when our vision begins to expand, we can scarcely believe how much more there is to see, and to do. Often things become revealed, that we had never noticed before. 

In the garden, we begin to realize the infinite aspects of His creation in which we can become actual stewards. We observe the weeds of restlessness, negativity, and ego-motivation inside our own self - a daunting discovery indeed - so that we can become adept at removing them immediately upon sight, and then to be prepared to replace them with the good seeds of calm-activity, and continue offering the mulch of solution-consciousness. 

If we however fall back into old ways, and embark upon the expansion of this vision from the place of ego-centeredness, we are likely to either drown in the awareness of how much there is to be done, or instead to simply tuck tail and look the other away entirely - it can be much easier at times, to wish to stay small, than to expand towards the universal vision. Ignorance is bliss, they say.

Yet, our Souls know that the higher and true solution in every arena of life, is to set aside our little self and all our personal desires in the process, and to serve the goodness in all, in the best ways that he reveals to and for us.

God is always granting us an expanding vision. Let us be open to growing into this by His Grace, and by taking the simple steps he puts in front of us. That we may also learn how to navigate the myriad activities of the garden of life, with balance, poise, discernment, and the grace of our commitment to serving Him, in all that we do. 

May your garden of life bear the abundant fruits of His love and truth lived freely in this world.