Human Power!

In El jardín, we use our very own human power to farm. Human powered farming generates positivity, healthy living, and beauty in our neighborhood. In today’s post-industrial, digital world, your food most likely comes from a farm that uses tractors, trucks, and other mechanized farming technology. All of our farming is done with out the use of petroleum. We use shovels, rakes, saws, machetes, various other hand tools, our bodies, and our souls when we garden.

In the Spring time, this means we use our own bodies and tools to till our land. In this way we enliven Mother Earth for the coming seedlings and plant starts. Various plots already have corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, gladiolas, peppers, onions, carrots, etc. In our plot, we continue to break down fava beans and turn them into the land to build soil. Last week the fava beans fell. This week we use shovels to till the favas into Mother Earth.

One thing is true – tilling the soil exhausts one’s body! Yet, in this exhaustion, one’s body stays strong. When you farm, you will need no gym membership because you work out as you plant food. I mention this because our American culture confronts obesity as an epidemic. This epdemic affects all Americans. The presence of El jardín both nourishes and educates our community about healthful lifestyles. Community gardens contribute to the healing of our cultures epidemic of obesity.

Human powered farming ensures a space for health and a space for beauty in our neighborhood. Over the spring, summer, and fall various flowers, fruits, birds and humans will beautify our community space. Right now lavender, lemon trees, peach blossoms, abutilons, daisies, grandfather sage, blueberries, roses, various birds and humans make our daily life aesthetically beautiful.

Sometimes we do not have enough time to finish all of our garden dreams. For example, we tilled only two-thirds of our plot of land so far. When undertaking human powered farming, one should remember that ones best laid plans can be foiled or completed. The most important thing is that you do work when you can and know that all your work (fruitful or not) propagates, positivity, beauty, and health. In the meantime, the earth awaits the return of her humans, while the humans await their return to the earth.

The benefits of human powered farming never end. As we use our bodies to till the soil we create a community space dedicated to health and beauty in our neighborhood. Yes, our work pushes our physical capabilities. Yet, we know that this physical “pain” and strength creates health, food, and a beautiful space for our friends and family. Human powered farming ensures a space for health and a space for art in our own neighborhood. !Que viva El jardín!