Days 13-16
Zucchinis have arrived! Today as I was inspecting the squash plants I noticed a long green vegetable poking out from between the blossoms. It was huge! I couldn't believe it. It doesn't seem like it has been long enough for the zucchini to go from the size of my thumb to what looks like something out of the supermarket! There were only two that were ready but each plant has a bouquet of baby zucchinis just waiting to grow up. I have heard that zucchinis are something like the rabbits of the vegetable garden. You end up with so many that you will be offering them to everyone you know just to get rid of the extras.
Over the weekend the tomatoes seemed to have exploded. I had to coax the stems back into the cages that they sprung out of. The two tomato plants that were looking sickly and yellow have gotten their second wind and will hopefully spring back completely. Last Friday I found that some of the tomatoes had been inundated with small black clear winged bugs! To my horror they rested on all of the leaves and stems. They looked like gnats and I had no idea how to get rid of them! I began mass homicide by simply stroking each leaf and rubbing the little bugs off. While everyone enjoys a good bug slaughter I decided to go a different route after a while. I began transplanting the millions of lady bugs hanging out in the corn to my infested tomatoes. When I came back this morning the little black bug population was significantly reduced! Hopefully the lady bugs ate them otherwise they were just a figment of my imagination.
Not only was a graced with my first garden bounty today but I also got a first hand glimpse at government red tape in action. It is rather frustrating and discouraging that we have been working for three weeks to get river rocks (or some sort of decorative cover) put in the garden. Everyone has to get clearance about so many different things and have all the supervisors sign off on everything. Each supervisor needs a summary of the meetings with all the other supervisors and there is only one person who has "clearance" to take a picture for an I.D. badge. I am beginning to worry that I will leave this garden, it will die due to lack of support and I will have done nothing for this program that is so amazing and has such good intentions! I can not work for the government. 
On a more inspirational note I was told the background story of how The Healing Ground got its name today. In the military there is an area referred to as The Killing Ground. When a service person is on duty, The Killing Ground is the area where he or she is in the most danger. Snipers could be any where. Peril perches on the shoulder of the person in The Killing Ground. I imagine feeling a complete lack of control. Fate is the only thing keeping you alive. However, The Healing Ground is a place of peace, and calm. No threats, you are in control. Choose to sit and look across the garden or decide which weeds to yank. Which tomato looks best for picking. Choose sobriety. Choose serenity. The Healing Ground is dedicated to all veterans. Those who survived and those who died for our country. When the man told me the story behind the name I felt inspired to continue serving. In the hopes that The Healing Ground really does help some one. 
Great story about The Killing Ground and The Healing Ground. You really are doing a great thing with the garden, Kristen. Chin up, you're setting the ground for others to follow. It will work!
ReplyDeleteKristen, you can go to coffee shops and bakeries for coffee grounds and other composting material. Also, check out restaurants, hotels, B&B's, schools or whatever institution might give you compost material. Grocery stores waste a lot of old and rotting produce, maybe they will give it to you.
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