Bringing the bounty from the farmer’s market table to straight out of your backyard
A trip to a farmer’s market is kind of like of a trip to the zoo.
It’s an educational experience. You may see products of nature you’ve never even heard of before. You might be tempted to bring home something cute and try it out for yourself.
A tender orchid is just as adorable as a cuddly bear, but they each have their challenges. One may die the next day, the other may try to eat you. Just because it’s a plant doesn’t mean it’s easy to raise.
Farming, even seasonal backyard gardening, is hard work. Sweaty, dirty, enriching, and meaningful work that feeds our bellies and our souls.
This summer, may your local farmer’s market, CSA, or pick-your-own be a source of respect for producers and the inspiration and courage to grow-your-own.
Gardener-in-Training
As humans we all have opposable thumbs, but they’re not all green.
Whether you’ve never handled a spade or you’d like to master a new technique, here are a few ways to learn from the gardening pros before excitedly picking up too many potted seedlings at your farmer’s market…only for them to wither in the heat, still in the pot, on your back porch.
1.) Volunteer on a farm
Offer to volunteer for a half-day at a farm whose produce you like in your farmer’s market, food cooperative, or other local eating venues.
For a longer time commitment (usually minimum 1 week), exchange your manual labor for room, board, and education with the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms program. I heart WWOOFing and can recommend specific farms across the southeast U.S.
2.) Take a class
Most florist or greenhouse shops offer seminars and workshops to learn from the experts. This Colorado garden store has free perennial gardening classes every weekend in June.
Get classroom-to-field education with your county’s agricultural extension office. Iowa, where I was raised and ag is king, is teaching how to Preserve the Taste of Summer for abundant harvests.
3.) Join a club
Learn through children in the youth development organization 4-H, the source of many agricultural and science projects. 4-H was to my Midwest childhood as church camp must be to the Bible Belt.
Learn from experts in the Master Gardeners Program, who volunteer to share their horticultural knowledge with the community.
Ready to dig in? Part 2 will give you some hands-on pointers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carrie is an environmental educator, anthropologist, and translator. She took her passions for ecological, health, and women’s rights advocacy from the offices of Washington, D.C. to the streets of South America. Now in Colombia, she is slowly opening women’s eyes to the wonders of “la copita de luna” (Moon Cup) and Keepers.
