Staying Grounded in a Turbulent Time
Grateful to have an escape
Surviving Winter Storm Lola and the trifectas at the national and state level has been a monumental task. Mother Nature is being vengeful and this is her payback to the atrocities Iowans and the nation have endured since the inauguration. Correction, reciprocity, mutual action and reaction, is how she is paying us back; you treat me disrespectfully, I’m back atcha’. I Usually think about reciprocity in a positive light, but Lola was a prime example in how this country is dealing/not dealing with climate change.
I sort of envy those who think everything is fine and all of this havoc will work itself out. The sledgehammer/chainsaw approach to government reorganization has achieved a goal of dishevelment, chaos, confusion and anger. I believe in efficiency and streamlining but there is a rational way to getting it done.
Welcome to my escape from the madness, my greenhouse. This is a small side business that keeps me healthy, brings in a bit of income and creates color and texture on our farm and in our community. Flower, vegetable, prairie seeds all start from very tiny to not so tiny origins.
I spend a good share of my day in the warm environment of living plants. Every day is exciting as I anxiously scrutinize the trays of newly planted seeds for those that have emerged since I last time I looked. This goes on several times a day. Planting the seeds in the soil is fun but watching them germinate is thrilling! The seedlings hourly progress helps me get lost in the miracle of the transformation from seed to plant.
The last week in April there will be people stopping by daily to see what plants are for sale. Most folks want flowers, they are the majority of my sales. It is a joy to provide high quality well-loved plants to my community and surpasses anything I can do with my political activism.
Plants that are raised for big box stores are raised in factory conditions where as in animal confined feeding operations, they are fertilized, sprayed with toxic chemicals and pushed out the door on conveyor belts.
Around the greenhouse and farm, the vestiges of last year’s flowers and shrubs are starting to emerge from the erratic winter. The maple trees are budding out, the bees are loving that.
The first signs of prairie plants like flax and penstemon are peeking out from under the leaves that protected them from December until now.
Like the prairie, we can and will survive this raucous time with dignity and respect for those who are at the frontlines. Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass and Serviceberry reminds us that the Earth is a gift and it is our task to treat her with love and respect. Our reciprocity with Mother Nature will be taking care of what has been gifted to us.
Nice! And I like the picture of the record of what you’ve planted - brings it to reality I guess.
I am so jealous! I would love to have a greenhouse someday. Your starts look so happy.