Vigil
Walking into Joe’s Market Garden in the early evening a flock of Musk Lorikeets up in a Manna Gum are outnoising the Noisy Miners. Conceding defeat they listen to the ruckus from a wire trellis below seeming a little dispirited.
In different parts of the garden two locals are showing first time visitors around; proudly pointing out the gerbera and cosmos patch and the rows of new brassica seedlings like it’s their own farm – which it is.
On Thursday it was ten years since farmer and mentor Joe Garita died. This year Joe would have turned 100 and celebrated his 80th year in the garden he began leasing at the end of World War Two.
Sitting under the huge Southern Mahogany that towers over the long beds it’s become hard to separate man from tree.
From my bench seat I remember a conversation earlier in the week with Nature Based Leadership teacher, Sieta Beckwith, about getting to know a piece of land.
Sieta says humans assume we’re the ones doing the getting-to-knowing and explains there’s a school of thought that it’s actually the land that needs to get to know us.
Permaculture design echoes this, advising its graduates to pause before jumping in on a property plan and to just sit, watch and listen until the land tells you what it needs.
Joe Garita sat down a lot and just watched and listened. When he retired he was very clear that the land needed to continue on as a market garden.
Today, seeing the way this thriving farm welcomes and softens the hearts of people who come to pick flowers or just sit amongst the vegetables I believe he was right.
Perhaps it’s not about us putting our roots down, maybe it’s about be letting the roots grow into us.
The sun’s going down and the resident White Faced Heron heads off home over the old swing bridge.
By the time I walk out of Joe’s the Musk Lorikeets have settled down leaving the crickets to take over the singing.
Have a great week
Chris
If you’re interested in joining an informal early evening gathering at CERES where you can quietly let the Earth get to know you – reply to this email with the word “Vigil” and we’ll be in touch.
