I have an event coming up, in which I will have the opportunity to show others through example, a sustainable way to garden. Rather than simply making statements about why people should not be using herbicides or pesticides, and imploring them to garden organically, I now have living proof that it can be done.
This is a subject that I get very excited about, so I hope my excitement will be contagious, drawing genuine interest from the naysayers, and those who have been gardening the same way for eons. This is a harsh climate and it is inhospitable to a lot of plants. The growing season is short. Temperatures are extreme in winter and summer, but the biggest challenge for gardeners is the upper ninety degree temperatures combined with strong, gusty winds. During winter in this area, 60 and 70 MPH winds are common, often flipping over tractor trailers on the highway.
These methods are not only for gardeners. They can transform the ways that cities and towns are designed, and reduce erosion into existing water sources. You can talk until you are blue in the face, trying to convince people of something, but unless they are ready to hear it, you may as well be talking to the deaf. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The garden that I began creating only six months ago is thriving. It will be one of only four gardens displayed in the upcoming garden tour, of this small community. I have already had numerous compliments from neighbors. Will I be able to inspire a few people? Will I make a difference? l
