An Agricultural Experiment

An Agricultural Experiment

Especially for the well-to-do, and for anyone else who’s curious and has access to at least a small plot of land.

First, find a convenient plot to be your garden. This is to be strictly for fruits and vegetables of your choice, and YOU, not one of your employees, are to be the gardener. Anyone in your family is welcome to join you to work on this experiment. Plants that may already be there do not count.

Use stakes and cord to define the plot. A book on vegetable gardens should be very useful to you as you plan. Then choose the vegetable and/or fruits you wish to plant. If you are a beginner, it might be well to pick only one or two for a start.

Next, look over the tools in your garage or storage shed to see what you have on hand. Then go to an agricultural supply store for help with choosing other tools and soil amendment supplies you will need. (Be sure that you tell the dealer that you are only interested in environmentally friendly supplies.) He should be able to supply you with further literature on gardening, what insects are friendly, which are not, and how to get rid of them without destroying the earth, and what birds and animals may start coming to visit. You will find that there both insects and animals that will be gardening friends to your garden.

Watering is of paramount importance. You can water too much as well as too little, and drought and frost can be killers. Learn to know your seasons and what to expect where you live.

Unfortunately, there will be an exam, though there will be no monitors other than yourselves to see if you cheat and what your score should be. Here are some of the questions: Did your plants make it all the way to harvest time? Did they taste good? Will you try it again next year, and possibly increase the variety? Did your crops save you any money at the grocery store? Did any new insects, animals, birds, and people visit your garden? Any converts? Does your back ache from bending and stooping? Was it worth it? Did you learn anything new, like what it must be like to earn less than a living wage and work long hours at this kind of labor in a capitalist country? Did you give up on the whole thing halfway through and say the hell with it? Did you finish the job and have pretty good luck for a beginner? And finally, did you learn anything?

ARW
2/7/08