I still get nostalgic thinking about the picture perfect little farming community I rolled up to that Sunday afternoon. The bubble, the helpful, happy, and curious roommates, the scenic plush landscape with lil foxes and owls hiding here and there. sigh...
For the moment, I think I've found the best balance, designing full time now, and urban gardening on the side. Urban gardening is not as overwhelming, and a more realistic environment for today's world. The group I apprentice with, Heirloom Gardens, goes a step further than a CSA (community supported agriculture), naming themselves a NSA (neighborhood supported agriculture). Gardens in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver have been donated by their owners to us, we cultivate, and sell the produce via the Highlands farmers market and CSA shares. I challenge all my friends to find their own local markets or CSA, or even grow their own vegetables for the summer instead of going to the grocery store for produce! You will not be disappointed!
Our NSA started working back in February, planning gardens and starting seedlings in the greenhouse. I feel like winters last forever, yet with all my fun in the snow this year and realizing that garden season starts so early, this winter took off! March and April were spent prepping the gardens by tilling in compost. And this was the first year I was able to plant spring vegetables in an actual yard! Obviously I'm still learning about hardening off transplants...which means gradually adjusting them to outside temps and sunshine, not leaving them in the sun for the first time for 8 hours! I'm also learning that new transplants need a good amount of water in the beginning...not vacation abandonment :) Needless to say, when I got back from Ecuador, the majority of transplants lived (arugula, lettuces, carrots, parsley, cilantro), and the direct seeded lettuces, radishes, potatoes, onions, beets, and peas were coming up strong! And to think before my trip I nearly caved and bought reemay row cover! :)
Back in the NSA gardens, a lot of last year's plants that went to seed have already given us some tasty dinners. Nothing beats fresh arugula, green onions, and beet greens!
And yesterday while we were prepping a garden, Sundari's goat had 3 babies! So we visited them today...too precious! I hope to capture their cute 'mmmmmaaaaa' sounds on video. They are still a little clumsy on their feet, but look so good and healthy. All nestled with chickens in the backyard of a Denver home. Awesome.
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