To Grow A Garden

To grow a garden within and without
This is a treasure
One must make sure to plant good, wholesome seeds
In order for the garden to flourish

    I have been here two weeks now. This is the longest I have gone without seeing another human being in my whole life! Last year, I did a 20-day silent meditation course in England, where we were advised to keep to ourselves and pretend that we were on our own, but there was still the tendency to notice and observe others. Here, out in the forest, that is not possible whatsoever! It seems that I’m starting to get used to it. I actually really enjoy being on my own, it tends to recharge me, so I’m starting to feel quite a lot of energy to take on a number of projects along with fulfilling my work responsibilities. 

    One of those projects is a garden! For a while now, I’ve been fascinated by people who take it upon themselves to grow their own food. Homegrown food in homecooked meals is by far the most delicious and satisfying way to eat. Though it is not always feasible, given the amount of space and time available, it seems that right now many of us are putting in the effort to grow our own food. I was noticing with amusement how vegetable seeds were selling out all over the country. It was rather difficult to find the ones that I wanted to get, but I managed to secure myself some kale, New Zealand spinach, perpetual spinach (supposedly it’s like a chard), basil, and catnip. The latter two are mostly to fend off mosquitoes, but supposedly catnip leaves are tasty and nutritious as well. Let’s just hope they don’t bring in any large cat visitors looking for a buzz!*

*interestingly enough, I read that a cougars’ interest in catnip is only there if it is passed down genetically from their parents. However, supposedly there aren’t any cougars in this area, so I needn’t be concerned

Prior to arriving here, I was informed by the former tenant of Ponton Tower that the soil here is very nutrient deficient. On my way here, I stocked up on materials that may help give the soil back some will to live. Mushroom manure is what is leftover after farmers grow the mushrooms that we buy in the stores and it is full of nitrogen and carbon, which deficient soils are lacking. I bought some of this, as well as bringing along a carton of worms and dirt from my fascinating friend Michael’s garden. He was willing to part with these lovely squirmy creatures, and they can be a wonderful addition to a lacking soil. I am not sure how these worms are going to respond to their new environment once I add them to the soil. However, they traveled with me for 3 days in the car, spent a week in a hotel room, and got a helicopter ride, so they seem to me to be pretty resilient. Once I arrived here, I transplanted them to a large container of soil and I could tell how grateful one of them was to stretch out after all that traveling. Its body just kept extending! What beautiful things. Along with these soil additions, I bought some organic soil from Walmart and steamed some cardboard to add to my soil mixture. The final ingredients of the recipe were a mixture of forest soil, burnt wood, and moose droppings (they’re everywhere).** After digging out all the weeds, shaking their excess soil, and making some well-defined spaces for growing, I sprinkled the lovely soil mixture over top.

**it may seem like I know what I’m doing here by making this soil mixture, but I honestly know very little. I’ve just heard little bits here and there and decided to try some things out

Can you see the moose droppings?

When I spend an hour bent over in the sun, shaking out soil, and sometimes grumbling to myself, it is hard to see the bigger picture. However, when I climb up into the tower and look down onto my ramshackle garden, I am able to see the results of the work. It is very rejuvenating and lots of fun. My next steps are to add some more forest soil, clean up the area once I get the wheelbarrow fixed, and put the gorgeous seedlings into the ground once it starts getting a little warmer. 

Along with the gardening, I have started to enjoy looking at the clouds and observing their rapid changes. We’re starting to get into the thunderstorm season, which causes the most fires, so that will be interesting to see. The rest of my time is spent doing a number of things including looking for fires, reporting the weather twice daily, taking an online fungal ecology course, writing a book, cooking (see below), walking, maintaining the site, reading (I have started to read Tending The Wild by M. Kat Anderson), watching Westworld (I’m a bit addicted), writing a song, and watching the two rabbits eat grass in my garden. I named them Peter and Pedro, after two of my closest friends. There is always something to do, it seems. I shall leave it at this. It is nice of you to read this and I hope that you are all safe and happy out there.

P.S. feel free to send me anything, it would be a treat to get some mail!

Rupert Hudson

Ponton Tower

Bag 900, Airport Road

High Level, Alberta

T0H 1Z0

                                "To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance" - Oscar Wilde