WHY WOULD A 67-YEAR-OLD RECENTLY WIDOWED WOMAN DECIDE TO JOIN A BEGINNING ORGANIC GARDEN CLUB?

Good question. Visions of hot, muggy West Virginia summers ran through my head.  Hours of backbreaking lifting flashed across my mind. The stench of manure and compost made my nose, crinkle in disgust. Worms, gnats, mosquitoes flies, Asian beetles, sweat bees, and wasps buzzing around my head while I danced my way across the yard, dodging them.

Did these thoughts stop me? No, but they did make me question myself. Could I really do this? I contacted Shayla Lucas who had the Facebook post offering the spot in the program. I explained my doubts, a 67-year-old woman with no gardening experience and worried if I was capable. She answered simply. I think you’ll enjoy it so I signed up. 

I am a woman with lots of education. I have earned 3 degrees in my lifetime But, at my first meeting, I was reminded of Albert Einstein’s quote: “the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” Others in the class were asking questions that might as well have been Greek to me. I took my materials given to me and went home to read, and I read, and I read and I went to the library to read some more. Time was going by. I kept thinking I’ve got to get my plants in the ground. The knowledge of cold weather, crops and warm weather crops had not penetrated my cortex. I just remembered, “ don’t plant until after Mother’s Day.” I spent the time while I was waiting to plant building garden beds  My sister-in-law from Arizona, who was visiting because my brother brought his family out in April to help me. She told me about the lasagna method of gardening Soon after that I started seeing posts on the garden  Facebook page of people preparing their beds   So I lugged logs and tree branches to my garden bed. I went to the Marshall compost facility and piled my truck full of compost. Finally, I was ready for planting.  

On May 31. I planted my little plant babies and seeds, watered them in and waited. I watered each night that it didn’t rain.  Finally,  on July 17th ,  I had my first homegrown vegetables of cucumbers and peppers.

Followed by kale and onion on the 18th 

On July 23rd I got news that the Garden Club was visiting. I was as excited as a child and felt like royalty when they showed up! Amy noticed a cucumber that I had missed and when I asked why my green beans were yellow, they coached me to thin them out.  

 On the 25th, I harvested more cucumbers and kale On July 31. I did my first canning job. I made jalapeño pickled eggs and pickles. My garden continues to produce, and I am thankful. I am also full of new lessons of knowledge that I have learned this year. 

There are no mistakes, just learning opportunities. 

My first lesson: there are cold weather crops, and warm weather crops. 

My second lesson: tomatoes are more successful if you remember to put the cages on them before you plant them.

My third lesson: the advice of “thin these plants out”, is not a suggestion, but a directive! 

My fourth lesson: the advice of “you need to tie these plants up and make a trellis  for them” was not an option, but a pure necessity! 

My fifth lesson: do not crowd the plants! 

My sixth lesson: climbing rambling plants can take over your garden!

As I think back on my hardest Garden days of the season, I remember having to Google how to install t-posts and asking if an old lady could do it.  When I learned there was a gadget called a T post driver, rushed to buy one. Installation was another matter! I had to lay the t-post on its side, place the driver on it, then muscle it up and pound with all my might! After 2 T posts, I was so exhausted and covered, with sweat that I had to go indoors for Gatorade, rest and a change of clothes.  My body looked like I had fallen into a lake! I had to repeat this 2 more times.  As I dragged my body outside for the last round, pure mental perseverance, and will power was what kept me going. I thought of the movie “Places in the Heart “, and reasoned that my efforts were negligible compared to what Sally Field’s character had to endure in that movie.

Another extremely hard day for me was the day I tied string into a trellis for my cucumbers, squash, and beans to climb up.  A 67-year-old body doesn’t take kindly to squatting for an hour and a half. My hips felt like I had given birth to an 11 pound baby!  But when I pulled off my first batch of red noodle pole beans I felt it was all worth it. I have gorged myself on my squash, beans, cucumbers, peppers, kale, and tomatoes, and visited the stores for less this summer. Now I’m planning next year’s garden in my head. The lessons I have learned will be applied So now I’m left with a new question for next year what lessons will nature teach me in 2027?