Seeds of Wisdom
“For more years than I care to admit, I’ve grown my own food as much as possible. When I first enlisted the help of my then-young children in planting the garden, little did I know what they would teach me.
“We prepared the soil and arranged the seeds and plants according to which plants liked one another. As we prepared to make rows and plant seeds, I asked the kids, ‘Do you know why we have to cover the seeds?’
“They looked a little puzzled at first, and then my oldest daughter replied very solemnly and sweetly, ‘Mama, we have to cover the seeds to keep them warm.’
“I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, but I acknowledged her response with, ‘Yes, that’s exactly right.’ We had to cover the seeds to keep them warm, just like we cover ourselves to sleep and grow.
“I then explained that the seeds needed a warm place to rest and grow so they could make plants, and the plants would make food for us so that we could grow, too. They were very excited about getting to grow their own food.
“We’ve always grown organically and fought every bad bug we found with no chemicals. With each passing year and each new garden, I still remember that wonderful day when my daughter gave me the precious gift of her gardening wisdom.”
