Dear Seeders,
"Is it too late?" appears to be the seasonal question. Many have asked this, and I try to guide them towards the seeds that will do well when planted directly in the garden at this time of year. Beans and Corn are among the best.
Takes me back to 1976, walking in the equatorial sun for miles in Ukambani (Kamba territory, East Africa). Waves of heat rose from brown dirt footpaths. Acacia, cow dung, giraffe. I cried "hodi" at the door of a friendly looking mud hut, soon finding myself seated in the dim, aromatic interior. Eyes adjusting, I rested in the coolness, surveying the tools, gourds, herbs and curios that hung along the walls of the hut. Watching wafts of smoke searching toward the smoke hole, I mused: Everything held dear to these people is handmade, compostable and not tied to money. Soon a woman gave me a gourd bowl filled with soaked, boiled beans and corn, dressed with some kind of fat. I marveled at the smoky flavor and satisfying chewiness of these familiar Mesoamerican foods, and that they should be the food of choice for these African people. Just goes to show the absolute adaptability of such staples, and the value of the perfect protein they contain. Lessons learned in Africa still serve me today.
I believe in beans and corn for the people, so this is to announce a couple of really good deals on these and other seeds for the summer garden! Our new Summer Celebration seed collection is on sale for $7.95, providing generous packets of corn, beans, squash and sunflowers. That much money doesn't go very far at the grocery store these days, but if you plant the seeds, they can produce significantly heavy bags of organic food. Of course, it will take some effort to manifest, although that effort is half the fun! So, please don't use "It's too late" as a convenient excuse not to garden. It isn't too late to turn the dirt, add some compost, plant seeds and water. All of us will be glad you did, and your grocery bills will be the inverse of the effort you put into gardening.
Plant on, people!
Needing a bit more inspiration? If you haven't received the 2021 Strictly Medicinal Seed Catalog, full of level-headed tips on making your environment into a wholistic garden of foods and medicines, then you can request it HERE.
Botanically Yours,
Richo
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