The Garden – A Virtuous Activity
Yiasas!
April is National Garden Month. It’s a time when we plan a road map for what will be in our garden and who may help us with it during the season; May-October.
Are you by chance thinking about growing a purposeful garden for the health and fun of it?
Need some unique tips and help with your project? Tune into this week’s episode of Kefi Life for an inside look at how George, a lover of crops, vegetables and herbs since the age of 5, makes his garden grow.
In the meantime, this Greek believes that the best foods to plant in your garden are tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, mint, corn and oregano.
These foods are easy to combine and interchange. They are healthy foods and they can be used all year when you freeze and or jar the leftovers.
A native of the Peloponnese region of Greece, George grew up spending his days working the farm & the family garden.
He and his parents would water, prune and pick the plants. The experience in the sun was gratifying for him. He felt a sense of wellbeing being outside doing something he loved.
Science shows that spending time outdoors in the sun while gardening helps the body produce vitamin D, which is linked to overall health and living longer.
Decades ago, when George immigrated to America, one thing he brought with him was his knowledge and passion for gardening. Each year you will find one plant for sure in his garden, and that is the most popular fruit in Greece, the tomato.
TOMATO RULES:
Plant where there is good sunlight exposure
Each year move the location of the tomatoes
Once the stalk gets about 2 feet tall tie the plant on a stick for stability
At the end of the of the season when weather changes bring the green tomatoes inside your garage and place on a table to ripen in the warmer temperature.
A vegetable he also likes to plant and grow each year is the green bean.
He likes green beans because they sprout fast and they are a fun crop for his grandchildren to learn about and help with the growth process.
The little ones drop seeds in the ground, water and soon thereafter they are picking the beans one by one.
This outstanding activity teaches the younger generation to be diligent, patient and do a project that gives them a wonderful result.
George has come full circle from the small village he grew up in working the farm with his family. He now carries on the garden experience to his offspring, who continue the tradition of living well by growing their own food.
Of course, one day when I have grandchildren, I will ask them to grow a garden with me… Our garden will certainly include green beans, and we will get creative with the design making it our very own.
Claude Monet said it perfectly… My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece----
What a unique way to seek mind body and spirit growth while uniting one generation to the next.
Wishing you happy gardening - Καλή κηπουρική!
Ola Kala,
Sending you filakia- kisses,
Kiki