My south facing corner - the home to my future food and herb gardens.
“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.”
As far back as I can remember, I felt certain that I’d become a gardener someday. Five decades later, this vision is slowly coming to fruition. A turning point came several years ago when I made a conscious decision to part ways with my unfulfilling corporate career to explore alternative ways of living. I had become extremely concerned about the state of our planet and contemplated ways I could make a difference.
I signed up for a permaculture design course that was being offered to city dwellers. I learned about designing with ecological principals and about the three-core ethics of earth care, people care and fair share. Since the course took place during fall and winter months, the teachings were more theoretical than hands-on and I craved to get my hands dirty. I was eager to learn directly from those living a self-sustaining lifestyle and wanted to find out if a more rural lifestyle might be the right move for me.
I made the bold decision to rent out my city apartment and volunteered as a WOOFER (WOOF - World Wide Opportunities at Organic Farms) at four different organic and biodynamic homesteads and farms in Vermont and Maine. After six months, I walked away from those experiences assured that I was ready to leave city life behind. I was so sure about that decision that even a pandemic couldn’t stop me.
Five months ago, I settled into my new home in midcoast Maine. It is not the old rambling farmhouse with acres of land that I had dreamed of, but a modest home in a pleasant neighborhood, tucked behind a commercial district. What appealed to me the most about the property was that it was situated on a corner lot with a decent amount of land. It felt right to me.
Soon after moving in, I took a native landscape design course to help me devise a plan for my vision. One of the more surprising things I learned was that plants, shrubs, and even some trees, are resilient enough to be dug up after establishing roots and moved to a new location that might be better suited to their particular needs and nature. It dawned on me that this was also true for myself.
With the knowledge gained throughout my experiences, I’m beginning to lay the foundation for my future. I removed a large ash tree and a massive growth of invasive vines from the south-facing land directly off my kitchen. These changes should ensure that come spring, there will be ample sunshine for me, and my future garden. This clearing process also revealed a mature apple tree that was being strangled by invasive vines. Liberating it will give it a chance for a new lease on life.
I’m very grateful for this new start and having the time to scheme and plan as I experience my first Maine winter. I believe that I am a hardy and adaptable soul and given some time, I will be able to set down deep roots and thrive in my new surroundings.