“Organic” Growing Isn’t Enough

Trigger Warning: Topic of Miscarriage/Pregnancy Loss Discussed 

What the heck does regenerative even mean 

We’ve all heard the terms “sustainable,” “organic,” and “environmentally-friendly” tossed around quite a bit. Why do we have to add something new? Well, honestly, because we don’t really have a choice.  

It can be frustrating... You’re just trying to be a good person and do the right thing. You recycle, buy organic food, shut off your lights when you’re not using them. You might even compost. These are all great things to do and I want to be clear that YOU SHOULD NOT STOP DOING THEM. However, friend, there will always be a better way to save the world.  

Enter regenerative gardening/farming/agriculture. What we’ve been doing so far has been to not make things worse. Regenerative practices focus on actually improving the damage that has been done. Rather than just not dumping a bunch of chemicals into our soil, we’re going to do our best to get them out. Instead of just using less water, we’re going to create root systems that retain water for longer periods of time. Instead of just reducing our carbon emissions, we’re going to actually capture it and store it somewhere that it can be used by plant life.

How Did I Get Here 

That’s a good question. I was probably born a tree hugger. But the other side to that coin is that I’m a lifelong learner. I can’t help but notice what is happening. I have fond memories of seeing my favorite “blue butterfly” and now wondering why I never see it anymore. The butterfly I’m referring to, by the way, is the Silvery Blue Butterfly or Glaucopsyche lygdamus . In the same sense, I hardly ever see fireflies on summer nights anymore. The sky feels less blue, the air feels less clean and the city limits are growing further and further into our forests. We only have so many natural resources (like oxygen) to share. I’d rather not run out.

Photo of me being a flower child

A Story of Healing 

Yeah, yeah so I’m a “do-gooder.” But other than vital resources, nature has provided me with healing.  

I am a registered nurse by trade. My lifelong dream was always to be a mother. Naturally, I found my healthcare niche as an OBGYN nurse. I also now have two beautiful babies of my own.  

My first pregnancy was textbook. My husband and I had just gotten married and four months later I saw that little plus sign. This pregnancy was successful and we had our son. Our very spirited son.  

Fast forward to when he turned two, we decided we were ready for another. My second pregnancy was not successful. As a nurse I knew that 1 in 3-4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, but that doesn’t change the fact that you never think it’ll happen to you. A few months later I got another shot... only to be let down again. A few months later, yet another heartbreak.  

Working in an environment where you’re constantly needing to put on a happy face for your happily pregnant patients, and put on a professional one for those who are not so thrilled, messes with you. Of course, I did my therapy like a good girl and it helped. But what really helped me was playing with a different kind of nature, a beautiful one out of my control. I grew flowers for the first time simply because I wanted them and I could make that happen. When I was outside, in the cloud of mosquitoes, I lost track of time. I felt like I could breathe.  

My husband and I had decided to take a break from “trying,” but shortly after my third miscarriage, I had found out about our daughter. I was in my first trimester with her when we had gone to an orientation meeting for adoption (another topic for another time).  

She is the light of our life, my sunflower. And my son, of course, will always be my sunshine.

My Sunshine and my Sunflower

We All Have a Reason 

If you’re still with me, I know it is because you have a reason. You have a need to do good in the world, whether you were inspired by someone else, a situation, or because you were just born with it. When you see a new blog or social media post about this new thing I’m trying just remember that it really is important. In other words, just do the good already. Be better than “organic.”

So Now What 

As I write this, it is June, the prime of our zone 3 growing season. There are SO MANY things you can do but I’ll give you just a few to get started: 

Compost 

If you’re already doing this then you’re already a step ahead. If you’re not, let me explain why it is worth the effort.  

If you’re throwing organic matter into a plastic garbage bag for the big truck to haul however many miles to a landfill to sit for years, decades... please stop. The food that sits in a plastic bag does not decompose.  

The other big reason is that you’re throwing away money and potential. It takes time but having your own quality compost at home is golden. You won’t have to spend money on a questionable plastic bag of compost and you won’t waste money on the groceries you already paid for. Your garden/lawn will love it too.  

Our super fancy compost set up

Plant Natives 

Like. Now.  

The reasons native plants are so beneficial are many. Obviously, they are great for keeping our pollinators alive and well. They also have the types of root systems that our local ecosystem NEEDS. Those “weed” roots that are so difficult to pull out of the ground are providing food for beneficial microorganisms, water storage and soil stability. This means healthier soil overall as well as less watering and less erosion. Make yourself a deal to “give back” 5 square feet of your lawn to pollinator plants every year. If you’re able to do more, great! Start with areas of your yard that you don’t really “use.”

Bird Cherry in bloom

Ditch the Plastic 

If you already have a bunch of plastic growing pots and trays, don’t throw them away. Use them, if you’re comfortable, until they’re no longer usable. I’m not one to waste anything that is still functional.  

When you need more garden materials, try something else. We’re still experimenting with what works best for us here on the farm but so far we’ve opted to soil block using sturdier plastic trays that won’t break down after a year or two as well as home-built wooden trays made from old wood scraps we had lying around.  Pro-tip, if you build your own wood trays, build them with a lighter weight wood than we did unless you plan to keep them in one place. Those babies do get heavy once they’re filled with soil, roots and water.

I recognize that we live in a plastic world but there was a time that these products weren’t available and our grandparents seemed to do just fine if not better.  

Our wood trays

Go Forth My Minions 

Let me know what other easy steps you already take towards regeneration and sustainability in your garden. If you liked this blog post, please share it with a friend. If you know someone that is a little resistant to change, send it to them once a week for the rest of the year.  

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