I have never successfully grown plants in my life. My grandfather had a garden. My father and mother had a garden. My son, John, and his wife Kelly, have a garden. All I have successfully grown has been weeds.
One small exception is that, last year, I had two tomato plants that produced about eighteen tomatoes. They were beautiful cherry tomatoes. Except that they weren’t cherry tomato plants. They were supposed to be full grown tomatoes. It took four of the little darlings to make a sandwich.
So, this year, at the urging of my son, I decided to give it a real try. I bought eight railroad ties and formed them into a double-stacked square. I bought two pickup truckloads of rich soil in which to plant the seeds and seedlings. The square is 8’ x 8’ x 8’ x 8’ or 64 square feet. That is not a huge garden but, with back surgery and some health issues, it’s plenty large for my first endeavor.
I bought some garden tools and, with the help of Google, even constructed a composter for some rich soil supplement for later use. So, with a prayer to the Creator of the very first Garden and help from Miracle Gro, I began. Or I should say … WE began.
John, Kelly, and my grandson Sam helped (as in they wouldn’t let me do anything) with the construction with heavy railroad ties of the raised garden bed and the shoveling, distribution, and initial raking of the soil. John and Kelly gave me some seeds and I purchased other seeds and a few seedlings at a hardware store in Senoia.
Over the next couple of days, I planted peas, corn, squash, okra, two varieties of tomatoes, yellow bell peppers, red bell peppers, and, in a couple of large pots, added green beans and cucumbers.
And, so far, I have quite a bit of green showing! Around the outer perimeter of the garden, I planted marigold seeds which, I am told, deer hate. We shall see.
I have been inspired by my son’s garden and the community garden on our church property that is the vision of a number of our people. I have also become aware of how many people are, for the first time, planting gardens. Some, because they simply want to get their hands in the dirt and see things grow, and others because they see the possibility of rough times ahead.
I am trying to learn more and more and I have been faithful to water the garden and keep an eye on the growing plants. It’s too early to tell how it will all work out and I know I will have to do battle with the bugs and the critters but, if the results are positive, for another six railroad ties and a couple of truckloads of rich soil, I can double the garden next year.
I told my wife that I was thinking of changing my occupation on my tax returns. After all, I have been a minister for over fifty years. “What would you change it to?” she asked.
“Farmer,” I proudly replied.
“David, it’s a tiny speck of ground,” she responded.
“Okay, a really small farmer,” I said. Even big dreams often start out small.
[David Epps is the Rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King (www.ctk.life). Worship services are on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. and on livestream at www.ctk.life. He is the bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-South (www.midsouthdiocese.life). He may be contacted at davidepps@ctk.life. He has been a weekly opinion columnist for the The Citizen for over 27 years.]
