BUT CAN SHE GROW A CAN OF GUINESS

Watching Our Irish Neighbor experience planting her first window garden was a great reminder that growing things can be a joyous experience. Our friend Maureen looked on this as week my sister Shelagh and I replanted our window boxes with a selection of wintering herbs and veggies. She was emitting clucking and ooohing noises which is a strong sign that she had caught the growing bug. So off we went to the local garden shop with Maureen leading the way, in search of some good over-wintering starter plants and a four foot long plastic window box. Chives, parsley, mixed lettuce and pak choi were her choice and a small bag of organic compost. We also added a six pack of deep purple violas to the list as they provide colour and eye appeal throughout the coldest season.After the window box was planted and she placed it outside, on the kitchen window sill, she stood there entranced. Her son Jamie commented, when he saw the display. “Oh b’God, now me mudder is growing them greens we’ll have to be after eating the stuff”.

While In London three weeks ago I visited my cousin Rebecca’s allotment garden. She lives in a flat on the 14^th floor near New Cross. The mixed population is dense and obtaining a much sought after allotment often means a long wait to qualify. Taking the train through Wales and south through central England to London I spotted allotment gardens every where, but particularly under bridges, railway right-of-ways and empty lots.

Rebecca’s site includes 67 other plots on a steeply sloped terrace beside the railway. Each plot has it’s own small garden shed, some ornately constructed and others just a few planks hammered together with a sheet metal roof. Nevertheless, each plot is someone’s tiny kingdom and the shed becomes a place to brew a cup of tea, munch on rough cheese sandwiches and observe the bounty of one’s toil. Rebecca’s plot is roughly 20’ by 40’ and has room for four types of berry bushes, artichokes, asparagus, runner beans, onions, spuds, salad stuff, courgettes, leeks and eggplants. Tomatoes didn’t do well last year so this season she has them in grow bags propped up against the shed. The camaraderie amongst the gardeners was a pleasure to watch and the mix of plot holders is like a mini United Nations gathering.

When I Return to Campbell River at the end of September I will be interested to see the progress that has been made on expanding the community gardens on St. Peter’s church property. Gold River also has plans to designate property for allotment gardening as does Quadra Island so that indicates a growing interest in encouraging people with limited space to take advantage of community property.

Here’s an interesting item spotted in an international paper. Neilsen Canada reports that demand for canning supplies has gone through the roof and sales are up more than 100 per cent over 2008. I remember the pride our mother took in lining the cellar shelves with jars of fruit, jam and vegetables. Nothing can compare with the earthy pleasure of growing one’s own food and storing supplies for the winter months. Our lives are changing so rapidly and one cannot open a newspaper without being made aware of the impact of our lives on the planet. The effect of our short sightedness is becoming increasingly obvious but we are also witnessing a shift in the way we treat the earth around us. Consumer demand for alternatives has meant that organic food has grown from something only lentil munchers ate to mainstream produce. We can make a difference, simply by growing some of our own food and the pleasure it gives is immeasurable. For your comments please email msostler@hotmail.com