We are digging it!

I reported before that there was something in the making that excites me to level 27. So here the story goes.

The Green Task Force at the Uni of Essex started a campus farm initiative. I got myself on a waiting list for a local allotment site here in Colchester last year still, but it might as well take another 2-3 years to actually get a plot in town. So, i literally jumped at this uni project and excited some friends to move along. Because, seriously, is there anything better than keeping your hands clean while reading papers and crunching numbers, then going to dig and weed it for a while in the academic backyard after lunchtime, and then clean your fingers back in the office while typing?

Early March i made a huge mess in the kitchen knowing that the outcome eventually would be very beautiful. I was very proud of myself that i only bought five pots to make the potting happen. The remaining pots i collected from the garbage bin, remembering that i had successfully grown greens in plastic bottle bottoms on a sunny terrace in Quito, Ecuador, back in 2004/05.

by the time i finished, it looked much worse than that

And this was the result, many many pots.

I planted tomatos, dates, butternut squash, parsley, basil, capuchin cresses, avocado, chives, sunflowers in various varieties, an old seed of a 'wonder tree' from granny (which hasn't come out yet, as haven't done the parsley, chives, sunflowers -- where are they?!).

My coming down into the kitchen/living area in the early mornings has acquired a new meaning. I am tending to my young 'suns and droughters' and wish them a beautiful day that will grow on them. I enjoy that at least one project in my life is moving forward on a scale that i can actually watch on a day-by-day basis with great curiosity. i took these pictures today:

I have also started to green-up the bathroom.

These plants are a German import. Benjamin-love generously donated these via his green friends at home. 

Well, and today we started digging it. It is still too early to set the green kids out in the field, and first of all we have to get rid of a lot of grass, roots, and stones. Like. A LOT! Four of us started preparing a bed today and found it such hard work. As a girl you can jump on your spade, up and down, it might not move an inch.

We realized we need some manpower in here (and probably eat more chocolate). So if you read this could you please come visit and let yourself be introduced to my new friends Spade and Hoe? In the meantime, we will keep optimizing our grass-rip-out-technique. Already, we doubled the size of our bed after lunch in half the time. Girls can do it! Especially with a sensible amount of swearing, and gratitude when the deed is done. But we are wondering where all the men are. So, plans for tracking down more tools are in the making ... 

I love them girls. And i can feel on my face that i spent time outside today. The pathway to harvest is a long one.