Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Sit Down Gardener





I realized this week that I am a Sit Down Farmer.


Yes, if you were to drive past my little farm you'd glimpse me sitting in our flower beds or out in my garden upon my homemade cushion--a trash bag tied at the top, with newspapers inside (read that idea somewhere). And digging with my hand-held spade, bed by bed, row by row, acre by acre.


No, really. In two weeks I weeded and fertilized the four flower beds up against our house mostly while sitting down. In the shade, before the sun got there. All pretty comfortably.


Oh, the wheelbarrow trips to the fertilizer pile behind the barn and up to the house got a bit tedious, what with using the regular shovel and pushing the wheelbarrow up the incline upon which our house sits. But I made each step count, always asking myself if I needed to pick up a bucket or the spade or something else along the way, rather than walk back and get it needlessly later.


I only work for twenty-five minutes, or so, completing just a small section and maybe trimming a tree or watering seedlings, then I go inside to rest or read or eat or all three. Or to do a bit of easy housework. And after a half-hour , or longer, when I'm all rested, I go back outside for some more Sit Down Farming.


In other words, I'm pretty lazy. :)


Nah, mostly I'm telling you of my being a Sit Down Farmer so to encourage those of you who may be gazing out at your flower beds and gardens, seeing only a huge chunk rather than tiny bites. And feeling too overwhelmed to even begin. 

Or perhaps you're no longer strong or are debilitated in some way. To you I would say, just start by sitting in your garden upon a little cushion or a tiny bench with a spade in your hand and a bucket by your side for weeds. And dig a little, hum a little, think some Happy Thoughts, think square foot gardening, and then stop when you begin to feel tired, even if it's after just ten minutes.


At least you will have begun--that's usually the hardest part. Begin and gaze upon your small beginning and call it Good. Because it is, you know. It's always good to push past inertia and mindsets which lie and say it's all too much--when in reality--inch by inch, anything's a cinch.


Take it from me, The Sit Down Farmer.


******


"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..." (and gives me common sense and good ideas through various sources...)

4 comments:

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

This is a lesson I needed, Debra! With bad knees and lots and lots of garden, I do easily get that overwhelmed feeling. Little by little is what I need to keep in mind.

That kind of cushion sounds like the Girl Scout Sit Upons we used to make.

My daughter Alice gave me a small garden seat that can rock forward to let me reach the beds. I really like it.

Marty N said...

I do everything this way. I call it The Compassionate Hour Concept-I work for half an hour and then do whatever I want for the next half hour. I have multiple square foot gardens all around my beach house in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Anonymous said...

I do need that encouragement to do just a little bit! Just get started.
I did manage to plant a few petunias, but the rest of the bed has been taken over by something that has a bulb at the end and spreads like wildfire.
I do have issues with getting down on the ground to weed, etc. as I am too heavy to get myself up from the ground very often plus the usual leg issues.

Pearl said...

Well I knew it was called something? I'm a sit down farmer too!