Category Archives: permaculture

taking advantage of small spaces in the garden

Posted by growing grace farm in farming, gardening, homesteading, nature, permaculture and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you are a front yard farmer like I am or have limited full sun spaces, don’t fret.  I’ve been there, and I’m doing that.  Our little farm has continued to expand a little each year, but this year I am committed to maximizing our produce yields.  I’ve been reading and studying, planning and dreaming so I thought I pass a bit of that along to you too.

  • Go vertical–many veggies and fruits will climb stakes, planks, walls, and fencing.  Growing up instead of out saves ground space for those yummies that can’t climb.black eyed peas trellis
  • Try succession planting–I’ve not been as organized as I’ve wanted to be the last few summers, but after reading up on succession planting, I’m giving it a real go this year.  Taking the time to plan to plant seeds every few weeks can keep the produce coming in regularly.  Once the first round is harvested, you can also replant in that spot as well.
  • Think outside  of the box–once I quit dividing “flower beds” from “produce beds,” I doubled my options for growing space.  Now, my kale provides a great filler around my coneflower and daisies, and my herbs have become neighbors to my veggies.
  • Pair sun with part sun plants–Some climbing veggies, such as cucumbers and beans, can provide shade over tender plants like lettuces that will burn in hot, direct sun.  Creative use of chicken wire, pallets, or bamboo can be functional as well as artistic.
  • Contain ‘em–I’ve actually used food safe pots that I could move into sunny areas so that veggies could get enough light.
  • Tighten up the space–take advantage of the small space by planting items closely together, remembering to leave them enough room that they don’t compete for nutrients

Over the next few weeks, who knows what else I’ll discover.  I’ll be glad to share any other ideas and hope you’ll do the same!

gentle gardeners and creation care

Posted by growing grace farm in creation, farming, gardening, nature, permaculture, spiritual and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

For much of the last century, religious institutions have missed–or ignored–our responsibility as stewards of the creation and to the Creator.  However, people of faith have long relished the grimy pleasures of gardening.  The process of nurturing life brings contentment and a sense of wholeness in the accomplishment.  We instinctively understand that we were designed to be gentle gardeners.  We just haven’t realized the entire planet is our garden.

~Michael Abbate, Gardening Eden:  How Creation Care Will Change Your Faith, Your Life, and our World

A couple of weeks ago, I was blessed to attend a regional conference sponsored by RAFI (http://rafiusa.org/come-to-the-table/) on farming, food, and faith.  Since that time, I have been pondering my calling as a front yard farmer and “ecovangelist” and renewing my connection with creation as Spring comes to Growing Grace Farm.

With Winter bringing disappointment, rain, and home projects, my time and energy had moved away from gardening and farming, and I can tell I’ve been feeling it in my spirit.  I don’t know about you, but there is something life-giving that grows within me when I tend to the earth–even if it’s only within the context of a small yard farm.  It is bigger than me and compels me to want to be a better person.

Last night as my daughter and I watched the movie Rent, I caught hold of a line that planted itself inside of me.  One character eloquently noted, “The opposite of war isn’t peace, it’s creation.”   Because I love the art of language, I didn’t let that one pass by–I stopped the movie and contemplated it for a moment.  When I thought about it, I realized he was right.  War brings with it destruction.  When we see photos of war-torn countries, we witness people, the environment, and communities devastated and lacking in resources, wanting for life.veggies in bowl

Perhaps that is why gardening and farming have become so critical to my being.  They are the means by which I can put my faith into action and create–create a healthy and sustainable environment, create connections with God that nurture and heal.

My prayer is that in some way, each one of us will become “gentle gardeners,” engaging in creation not only for the sake of the Earth but also for the wellbeing of our faith.

lessons learned: taking down the walls

Posted by growing grace farm in creation, farming, gardening, homesteading, journey, lessons learned, nature, permaculture, spiritual and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Those of you who follow this blog know how deeply I connect my time on the farm with time spent with God.  I believe as human beings we miss so many valuable lessons that can be learned in the simplicity of nature and creation.  I also find that gardening and homesteading offer me quiet opportunities to meditate and pray with God.  It is in those hushed moments when I learn the most about myself and my relationship with the great Gardener who tends my soul.birthday gift from family

In the last couple of years, I have spent time maximizing the growing space in my yard, not only for the purpose of growing more healthy food but also for nurturing native plants.  I find that the flat rock borders that I once placed around gardens have either been covered up by mulch or seem to constrict what it is I am trying to do.  In the last few days, I have realized that I don’t need those boundaries.  God doesn’t keep creation inside a rock wall, why should I?

As I began to remove the large pieces of stone, I realized something.  I have grown from a gardener into a homesteader into a farmer and in the process, have let go of some of the “boundaries” that have enclosed me.  Creation has taught me that growth happens in its own time, not in stops and starts based on mile markers like educational degrees or professional accolades.  Creation likes a little flexibility and artistry, she cannot be confined by fences, stones, trees, or hedges.  She winds her away around them or spills over the edge of them and continues to grow and produce.

Creation thinks “outside the box.”  While she has a purpose, she’s also a dreamer.  She solves problems but takes risks.  She works with what she’s got but isn’t afraid to ask for more.  She reaches beyond her limitations to continue the journey as set forth that first day the seed was planted.

I am Creation, and so are you.  We are part of the garden God is tending to.  We can hope and dream, grow and create.  We just need to be willing to remove the stones from the wall or open the gate on the fence and grow forth.