Harvest 2009- Audacity of Hope for Fresh Garden Food

This is an abundance harvest photo from the garden I planted when I lived in Bloomington while taking care of Peg while she was in a nearby assisted living facility in Eden Prairie. I have a Troy Bilt rototiller, which I envision sharing with others, who want to share their own harvest, by creating a lawn garden this spring! May we harvest and create our own backyard Eden’s as we create more self-sufficiency in 2009.

I had an “audacity of hope” dream last night about sharing the gut awareness of each of us having the nutrition that comes from eating food from the local food chain. One of my favorite authors, Michael Pollan, in his 2008 book, In Defense of Food, that fell off the shelf into my basket at the Mississippi Market food coop in St Paul a while back, simply says to get off the nutritionism band wagon of chemical non foods begun in the 50’s and 60’s (think margarine marketed as a healthy substitute for real butter) by the seven words:” Eat food. Not too much, Mostly plants.” I re started what I had learned from my parents, who had a victory garden in Faribault during WW II, on 4th Ave S, on a lot they had thought about building a home on. Later at our home at 425 SW 3rd on tate paha, "windy hill," we always had a big garden in my youth, complete with flowers, and periennial fruits like raspberries among an orchard of apple trees. I was raised on real food prior to the 1960’s and the industrialization of the food chain, so I know what it looks like!

I now serve as a digestive health and medical consultant as my higher power, higher source, enlightened me to turn in my medical license and gave myself a Valentines present in 1998, when I knew, at a deep level, dealing petrochemicals as legal drugs, which was required of me as an allopathic physician, “M.D.” is not consistent with my integrity as a “pejuta wichasha” plant human being. Today I dedicate my teaching as a young elder, to sustainable ecological entreprurealism. With the same spirit as my Chapelier Huguenot ancestors who settled Maryland about 1700, and raised crops on their way west, I am here to of service to those who want to create gardens out of lawns here in the city. Be well, eat well and breathe well.