Sustainability?

As the world still reels from this pandemic, each of us has been rocked to our core. Many are finding that what they counted on was, in fact, unreliable. Supply sources dried up; daily schedules and destinations were rewritten or vanished altogether. How we stay connected has radically changed.

As a result, sustainability – or, more aptly, self-sustainability – has been on my mind.

How can I sustain myself, and what merits being sustained, in my life? I am continually re-examining what is worth keeping. How can I organize what I want to do or possess so it is sustainable without creating over-commitment or clutter?

Collectively, we have been forced to deal with having relied on other nations for goods. As individuals, many of us have depended upon a store for every bite of food.

Is that wise?

In terms of PPE, Personal Protective Equipment, we learned that, no, relying solely on other nations during this COVID pandemic was not a good idea. Many manufacturing companies in our country have taken up the gauntlet by shifting their factories over to making vital equipment and supplies for medical staff and patients.

Individuals have turned to their sewing machines and 3-D printers to ramp up production of some of the masks and gear we are now wearing to protect others’ health and lives.

So, that leaves food. I was asked recently why I had started a garden – I had never grown anything more than herbs. Why now?

I wanted to bolster my food supply. Of course, I also had the time to tend it…

After 40 years in hurricane-prone Eastern North Carolina, I am well-versed on how to stock up on bottled water, peanut butter, canned beans/tuna/chicken, and such to take me over the short haul. As you read this, the storm/hurricane Isais will have just passed (over?) my head.

But the long haul?

Suddenly, visions of Grandma in days-of-old, canning the garden produce in the heat of summer sounds wise for the here-and-now.

While I haven’t surrounded myself with mountains of Mason jars and vats to can them in, I do have an eye out for ways to extend my harvest. The dehydrator may be my go-to method this year since I already have a nice one.

Nothing in 2020 has turned out as planned. We could never have imagined a shutdown of how we do business, education, medicine, long-term care, sports, or entertainment. Many aspects of our former ways have not even begun to reopen because it is still not safe.

Hoarding is not the answer – witness the toilet tissue nightmare – it’s so unnecessary and selfish.

But becoming more self-reliant and self-sustainable in times of crisis can be addressed in gardening.

My sod-busting efforts to create a new 6’ by 6’ plot for corn has yielded a mix of full and partial ears. Not exactly what I had hoped for; but the satisfaction of harvesting and eating your own crops is priceless.

Learning how okra looks when growing has provided endless delight. Its flowers are stunning and the plant itself is a fascination. There will be enough to share.

Baby-sized butternut squash are so cute! Unlike their full-sized counterparts, these little gems are a cinch to peel with a carrot peeler. Baked, sautéed, or dehydrated – not a one will go to waste!

Japanese eggplants dangle like ornaments on a Christmas tree. They, too, have uncharacteristically tender skins that do not need peeling at all. There are enough to share and can be sautéed with okra for a dinner side dish of fresh goodness.

The Early Girl tomato is a prolific producer, flavorful, and is still growing.

The Heirloom Tomato has lots of flowers, but slowly produces one or two good-sized gems at a time – excellent sliced for that ‘mater sandwich I described here a few weeks ago.

What about fall crops? This garden-to-table habit needs to continue!

I’ve already been assured that the local big-box garden store will have abundant choices for fall planting later in August and early September. Fall collards, cabbage, and definitely Brussels sprouts will be on the menu.

There may be more sod busting or building of raised beds in the future. Looking for ideas on that one.

All told, in a time of uncertainty, gardening does impart a sense of relative control in supplementing my food supply.

In a time of disconnect, being connected to my food helps to fill the gap.

I hope readers will share what they are doing with their gardens or how the world situation has changed their gardening efforts this year.

My son, James, has expanded beyond his usual hot peppers and herbs to include an Early Girl that doesn’t know when to stop growing, as well as tomatillos that are probably double the normal size.

My daughter, Serena, living in the tropical climates, is growing pineapple, mango, avocado, papaya, limes, lemons, and a few other exotic fruits.

Maybe one day I can garden like my friend, Patricia. Her garden looks like a small farm and her crops are abundant.

Speaking of sustainability – is what you are eating and how you are living going to sustain you in health? I will be starting a series of articles next week that will delve into what I have learned about the gut-brain connection in terms of memory, cognitive function, and the effects of stress. Make sure to click the subscribe button so you won’t miss out.

In health,

Deidre