I was in the garden enjoying the moment with nature. I took my time to watch the crickets jump, the birds digging worms, the cute looking moths hoovering around my hair, and observing the tiny eggs under the leaves of the corn crops. What a joyful way to spend time outside. Definitely, food for the senses. Also, planning what to grow and actually watching it grow is rewarding and fun, especially if all the efforts aim to do it in a nature-friendly way. Being in our garden is definitely a source of inspiration where dreams and ideas slowly take shape. There is so much to do and discover, and it is a lot of fun too. Our land is a bit on the wild side at the moment, which is great because it gives all kinds of wildlife a cozy little home. Diverse species of butterflies, interesting fungi growing on the log piles, quirky bugs doing their thing, wildflowers sprinkled about – it’s quite the little ecosystem. We’re still figuring out the whole herb thing, but you know the saying, “If nothing’s eating your plants, your garden’s not part of nature.

Right now, we’re focused on improving our clay soil, so we can be able to actually grow our delicious veggies, herbs, flowers, and food forest. The plan is to add and dig in lots of organic matter such as sheep manure, compost, wood chips -so layering that goodness in will make the soil more fertile, nutrient-rich, and hospitable for healthy plant growth. We’re hoping that support all the helpful microbes, cut down on weeds, and ultimately lead to bumper crops.

We’re carefully planning out our garden beds and going with some easy, reliable producers like beans, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers, onions, radishes, lettuces, garlic, and Mediterranean herbs. Gotta pay attention to companion planting requirements for each bed. Some of our food is first growing in the green house, other will be first placed in pots in our balcony (back in the city) and transplanted when the time is right. And, yes… It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the do’s and don’ts of fruit, veggie, herb and flower growing, but the more we practice and observe, we are sure the more we will learn.

More of a decade ago, I studied a 2-year major in Agroecology, and I still vividly remember all our successes and failures back then. One super simple yet game-changing thing I learned is just topping up the soil with our kitchen and garden waste compost once a year. And we make sure to water in the evenings, never in the hot sun – don’t want to scorch those plants! As I mentioned above, we will use companion plants to solve problems rather than chemicals. For example: planting carrots with garlic deters insects from laying eggs in them, and interplanting marigolds with tomatoes can help repel nematodes, aphids, and other pests that target tomato plants. Researching and trying out different companion plantings is one of my favorite parts.

Oh, and another thing that’s stuck with me – always grow a bit extra, just in case plants are lost for whatever reason. Also, gotta have some to share, too! Gardening really is such a fulfilling, enriching experience. I’m so grateful to be part of this place, where I can connect with nature, get my hands dirty, and watch things flourish.