Gardening is a lesson in self-sufficiency that can begin in early childhood.  I had always helped my dad with the Spring planting in our backyard garden.  Even though it wasn't extensive, the care of plants helped me understand about nurturing.  Dad taught me that if you are careful when the new life begins, and provide the necessary elements of water, sun and nutrient soil your efforts will pay off in beautiful blossoms all summer long.  We also grew rhubarb, which I was in charge of harvesting by the time I had lost my first baby tooth.  Mother would remove the leaves, wash it, and cut it into one inch pieces.  I helped.  Then she'd boil it for what seemed like hours until it had the consistency of a watery applesauce.  Then the frozen chunk of strawberries would enter the pot, to be boiled down to reduce the liquid.  When the sauce had thickened, it would come off the stovetop and I would be in charge of adding the sugar and mixing it in.  Of course this also meant that I was the taste tester!  Seems like we always had a container of rhubarb sauce in our refrigerator in the summer.

 When my folks moved from their single family home to a townhome, my dad sorely missed his garden.  He found out that there were plots available at a community garden in our area.  He got himself a plot and began his experiment with growing vegetables seriously.  I was at college by then and didn't help with the soil preparation or planting.  I don't remember if he had seeds that he started inside, or store bought plants.  But I do remember that he loved to spend time in his garden, watching over and nurturing the plants, visiting with fellow gardeners, and then harvesting the bounty.  Neighbors all around benefited from his garden, since he'd planted way more than he and mom could consume.  Mom was never that domestic, so there wasn't a thought given to preserving the crops.  Just like his folks had, he and mom enjoyed gathering their fresh picked vegies and cooking them up the same day!

 Community gardens are a great opportunity to meet fellow enthusiasts, learn new techniques and get your gardening fix.  The produce you grow can feed your family, and if you're not into preserving the excess, it often can be donated to local food banks to provide for those in need.  Get some kids involved in your gardening.  They can learn about the soil, the elements required for growing plants, how eating right can make you feel better, and how to care for others.

Happy Composting!