As My Garden Grows...

Many of you don't know this, but I am fulfilling one of my hearts desires, I have always, always, always desired to have my very own garden... In my imagination; I dwell on the outskirts of some rural southern town, where everybody knows my name or at least my face. 

My piece of heaven on earth is 5 acres squared, prime organic property with its on lake or fresh water fish pond, and an acre and a half dedicated to my aquaponic-greenhouse stocked with fresh gold tilapia, fresh fruit, and fresh vegetables, all year round.

My home is nontraditional yet possessing 3 stories with an attic/loft and a cellar, both livable... from my 3rd story viewing deck, I can view the entirety of my land.  

The fields are planted, making ready for a summer of watermelon, snap peas and good ole collard greens sold by the road side.  

In my imagination, I teach my children and children's children to be self sufficient and self reliant leaning, depending and trusting one another;

My granddaughters, nieces, nephews and cousins (all in the same age range) visit me every spring and summer, aiding me in our fields of flowers, fruit trees and high bed vegetable gardens planted just outside the aquaponic greenhouse.

I also teach them the best gift of all after LOVE, is ownership and possession of land.  Land that will be be passed from generation to generation, whole, healthy and productive land. 

My children and my children’s children will understand by love we feed the heart and with land we feed the body; for both are needed for survival.  

However, for now, my imagination must take a back seat to my reality…  For now my garden consist of two large planters of blossoming tomatoes, two small planters of  budding peppers, and many seedlings of cucumbers, Swiss chard, and beets incubating; with hopes I have not planted them too late. 

Y'all, although my garden is a 3x4 foot space on my apartment balcony in downtown St. Louis, I am still fulfilling my heart’s desire, for my desire is to grow my very own garden. 

 Self sufficiency and self reliance is the lesson I desire to instill in my children, as well as an understanding that land is the greatest commodity on earth.  I wish I had known and acted on this knowledge much earlier in life, nonetheless it is what it is.

I will teach the lessons of land ownership to my children and teach them to hold on tight and never let go... pay the land to the next generation... their children’s children and so on.

Good folks feed the soul and good land grows the food which feeds the multitudes.

SistaSistaSister