From Arab Spring to Organic Gardening

Last year it was the Arab Spring. This year, that phenomenon continues in the Syrian government slaughtering its own civilians. Closer to home, Harper and Co. are spending $25 billion of our money on fighter jets, $9 billion on prisons, and they're cutting the budgets of human right organization, environmental departments, and the CBC. Welcome to the Spring of skewered priorities.

Our little patch of the Earth, on the other hand, is ignoring all these disturbing facts and bursts forth with another set of wonderful Spring bulbs! Our crocuses, with their white, purple, and yellow petals, and yellow and orange stamens are more magnificent than the most expensive ball gown, while the hyacinths emit such a lovely smell that in another century it would cause women to swoon. Lemon- colored daffodils stand guard over the shorter flowers, while the tulips are itching to bud and bloom.

While Sara's garden is starting to fill in with bulbs and sprouting perennials, indoors we are incubating lots of flower and vegetable seeds and seedlings. We purchased some new grow-light units from Lee Valley and they work using a very primitive hydroponic method. Capillary action is the key, as the absorbent pad hangs into the rainwater (collected just for that purpose) and ensures that the coco coir seedling pots are well watered from below.

Weekly, I mix up some Iguana Juice Grow and Voodoo Juice in four liters of water and fertilize the more advanced seedlings. They seem to thrive on the stuff, and their white roots are sticking out from the bottoms of the bio-degradable pots. Sara insists on only using 100% organic fertilizers, so thank goodness for the Advanced Nutrients organic line!

I'll document the progress of our flowers, fruits, and vegetables as the months progress. Mother Nature is teaching us once again, that no matter how disturbing the flow of human history, the Earth follows a seasonal pattern and it's been around a lot longer than us humans. Let her teach us to be peaceful, loving, and respectful of her bounty.