My Relationship With Weeds

Mental and physical therapy that keeps me grounded

According to Merriam-Webster the definition of a weed is “a plant that is not valued where it is growing.” 

I have planted, weeded and harvested gardens with family and friends since early childhood. The physical act of weeding keeps me fairly physically fit; stretching, tugging, bending and lifting strengthens my body.

There are two types of weeding I currently engage in. The first is the meditative, contemplative, methodical rhythm to remove the undesirable plants calms my busy mind. The easiest weeding happens when plants are small and the ground is soft from adequate rainfall and is especially helpful when working through turmoil. 

Endorphins released as I weed lowers my stress level, improves my mood and enhances my sense of well being. The calming effect soothes my brain so I can relax unencumbered by outside pandemonium. Sorting through the plants that enhance the landscape and discarding the unwanted pesky plants gives me a sense of accomplishment.

Internal conversations help strengthen my arguments, analysis and opinions on critical issues like climate change, women’s reproductive rights, school vouchers or whatever is currently capturing headlines. I am grateful for a job that is solitary and offers solace. My thoughts are cast out to the universe looking for answers. Sometimes solutions return with no effort.

The invasive weeds are easily pulled from the mellow soil and used as mulch on the Dusty Miller.

Farming has created a space in my life where thinking is possible. The job of performing arduous, menial, manual tasks forces me to slow down. Time consuming, rhythmic weeding presents the opportunity for a deep dive into the issues that consume my activist life.

Lively conversations with me as the audience and lector, improve my ability to formulate and articulate strongly held convictions. What will the Iowa power trifecta that holds it’s citizens hostage do next to meet the goals of Project 2025? How can we possibly get to election day as a whole and not fractured like shards of glass scattered on the ground?

“Good job! The flowers and vegetables can breathe and grow strong,” I say to myself as I look over my shoulder. The evicted, dejected plants lay in rows behind me neatly arranged around the plants that remain to serve as mulch throughout the upcoming summer. I unfold from a modified downward dog position to view the landscape that gives me joy. I am grateful to end my day's work with a sense of achievement and to know exactly where to start the next morning.

The second type of weeding is the physical pulling, tugging, yanking, chopping, groaning and moaning to rid an area of those nasty unwanteds. The ground is hard and dry and it's tough. Hard ass tools like the Root Slayer often assist me when the weeds get too out of hand.

Weeds between the garlic and peppers become mulch. When burdocks get out of control recruiting the Root slayer is the only answer.

This type of weeding gives me the opportunity to physically let go of my anger; but it also brings out a part of me that I’d rather not deal with. I grew up with an angry, abusive father and have never been able to totally shake the anger part of me. Although I try to be a peaceful person, the violence I feel towards the big, tough, unruly plants and humans is kind of scary. The brut force it takes to eliminate the unwanted plant, enables me to purge, in my mind at least, all those who make life intolerable for others. The grunting, sweating and attacking gigantic weeds also forces me to deal with the dark, angry side of me.

Working through stress and frustration frees my flower bed and vegetable garden to retain their beautiful textures and colors. The landscape starts to look a little more tamed as misplaced ornery plants are removed. All plants are living beings so it is important that I acknowledge and thank them for their contribution to the health of the soil and my life.

I have been gifted the opportunity to cultivate the land during my short stint on this earth, making me grateful every day. It has not always been an easy life, but it is one that has provided me with many opportunities, the most important one? Working with and attempting to live in balance with Mother Nature.