Saturday, April 7, 2012

The Garden as Life


As the manager of the Buttercup Farms Garden I notice that many natural processes serve as metaphors for what’s going on with people and the organization itself.  The garden may have been overused as a metaphor for a lot of concepts, among them stewardship, renewal, potential and resilience. But it’s rare to feel that your metaphors and reality are one-in-the-same. Such is often the case for me at Buttercup.  Here are some examples:

Composting
Composting is a great metaphor for turning one’s liabilities (waste) into assets (fertilizer). At Buttercup Farms our motto is “Helping people help themselves”. We take some people who would be difficult to employ at traditional jobs and give them a chance to work in a supportive environment. My main helper at the garden is such a guy. He can only follow the most basic instructions for the most simple tasks. But not only are his liabilities offset by his energy and enthusiasm, his limited cognitive abilities have made him focus on, value and excel in tasks that many others find tedious and exhausting.  He recognizes his situation and how he is lucky to be at Buttercup. His exhilaration at digging a trench or rototilling is instructive if not inspiring for many of us. So what many view as his deficiencies become both his and our assets.
 
Managing a garden:
As a garden manager I am a steward of growth and production. Organization, timing, attentiveness without obsession and sustenance without excess are each aspects of my job that have direct parallels to the raising of children, animals and societies. 

Potential of a seed:
There is amazing energy and life in a seed. I see it everyday in the greenhouse as the seedlings push their way up through the soil, transforming into complex organisms from nondescript granules. The first time this lesson was expressed in literature may have been when Jesus comments on the potential of the mustard seed in the New Testament. Engrained in any seemingly insignificant seed is the DNA to become all the traits and functions of a plant. If I see the seed as depicting the unformed potential of some people my life, it makes me realize how I may be underestimating what they can truly be.

Renewal every season:
Without the perspective of experience the winter garden can seem to be a depressing landscape of death and inertia. But with the spring comes the sun and the longer days. The detritus of the past year nurtures the soil and the plants begin to emerge. Life begins again. So a new year or a new direction in life can be seen as a new season in the garden- having potential because of the “composted” past failures which “fertilize” or inform the present. The potential for new beginnings is always there. All it needs is the same nurturing that some might unconsciously give the failures of the past. You can decide to water the old weeds of negative self-talk -  or start your garden anew, watering the healthy crops and reaping the bounty of affirmation. It’s your choice.
At least part of each day at the garden is spent in this strange, sometimes frustrating, sometimes wonderful place between where metaphor ends and reality begins.
When I’m at my best and open to the garden’s “teachings”,  working in the garden is living out a poem that I write with nature’s help.

Gary Crandall

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Raised Bed Fundraising Project a Success



We did it! Thanks to the benevolence of so many people Buttercup Farms Garden met its goal for the Kickstarter fundraising project to expand our garden with new raised beds. For anyone who is unfamiliar with Kickstarter, it is a “crowd funding” website for creative projects that range from music to food and just about everything in between. 
 
We would like to extend our deep and heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported our efforts. Because of your generosity we will be able to expand our garden and make full use of our one-acre space. Construction will begin shortly on several new raised beds, which will enable us to grow more delicious produce. These new beds are a big step towards becoming a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), which we hope to start in May of this year. 
 
While exceeding our goal was thrilling, a wonderful bonus of our fundraising efforts was meeting many new people. We were able to grow our network and meet people with similar interests, thanks in a large part to old friends and many new ones! Once more we say thanks and we will keep you posted on our progress! For more information about the Buttercup Farms Garden Please visit us at http://www.buttercupfarms.org/garden/