The past 4 days

The last four days have been pretty interesting. I have had ample time in the garden where my sweat merged with the soil, and the soil into my skin, the long awaited acquaintance. I have planted chard, kale, collards, cilantro, spinach, turnips, and salad mix. Much love for the weather because it started to rain about an hour after I got done planting. Just how I likes it.

I have also visited a couple of farms. The first one we saw this week wass the Kansas City Community Farm (http://www.kccua.org/) Daniel who was our guide while we were there was really helpful in all of questions and resources that he offered. Nothing particular comes to mind right now. I do remember though, that they got hit pretty bad by tomato blight, which I learned is a fungus that has plagued farmers since the beginning of time.
The next farm we saw was called New Roots For Refugees, here is their blog right here, http://newrootsforrefugees.blogspot.com/. This is the most succesful community garden that I have ever seen. All of the plots are reserved for refugee women to start their own business and earn a living. Rachel, our lovely guide, told of us that currently there are 8 different continents represented in this garden. She said that each culture has their own way of growing food so she is able to learn alot by working there. This place had alot of love and compassion, and humongous sunflowers. The biggest thing that I pulled from this farm visit is that the most important thing to do on a community plot is to develop personal and genuine relationships. Some solid advice, and although I knew that I needed to be reminded of it again because I just kept thinking of my job in terms of programs and humans as numbers. Hell naw, I don't want to be like that and have a plastic smile, because I dont want a plastic life. Plastic is toxic and smells funny.
I have met some interesting folks the past week or so, most of them homeless. Whenever a homeless person introduces themselves to me they always seem to label themselves as homeless immediately in the conversation, perhaps because in this capitalist system we like to label ourselves by the things we have, or in their case, dont have. Anyways they were telling me that people like to take lots of vegetables from our garden. I saw a perpetrator this morning and ran out to do whatever and get him, but he had fled in his white mini-van loaded with our beautiful veggies. Bastard. I hope he really needs them.

Here is a picture of the garden. All of that empty space is what I just planted in.









this is Scat, my feline companion for the year. Momina takes care of her, but she likes me better.