SEEDS

Seeds in their infinite nature are a vast topic, deeper than the oceans of a mind, especially at this time of year when thoughts are beginning to germinate about planting or starting gardens (now moreso than ever) and about appreciating the value of genuine (ergo, slow) food.

Genuine food is best when you grow it yourself, and thus to your own golden standards, the own-grown motives being health, flavor and freshness, as compared to the brassy standards of agribiz, which breeds for efficiency, ship3000milesability, bruise resistance, cosmetic longevity, shelf life. Nutrition and flavor are in the equation by default, the bottom line being profit. An agribiz CEO inquiring as to the worth of a cabbage does not have the health of you or your children in mind. As you put that seed into the ground and nurture it, you do.

I grew up in the city, never had a garden, never even had a lawn (the latter of which was and is ok by me). I did spend some time in the Hudson River countryside though, at my cousins' house, where my uncle had a big vegetable garden (sure wish he was still in this world), in which as a little kid I used to wander enjoying the wondrous sight of bright red globes of tomato deliciousness growing right out of the dirt, of carrots pushing golden down into the ground at my feet, only their shoulders showing, sweet strawberries right there and ready to eat; honeydew melons, and going and picking raspberries, in real life; this was an old familiar language to some ancient in the child I was, this was the way things in life truly were and should always be, beyond the confines of dead-tree education. And so was born my strong ambition to one day have a garden of my own. It's been a long and organic journey, encouraged by the steady advances of paraquat and its pals.

What got me started on this ramble was not only seeds and Spring, when the mind becomes a garden of its own; the catalyst was finding a mention of PureLandMountain.com on CNNGo, in an article about Blogging Japanese Farmers, which led me back to its source on Martin's blog Kurashi - News from Japan, where I am complimented with praise that is way over my head. Wow. Thank you, Martin.