I’ve
been gardening almost from the beginning. My first gardening adventure that I
can remember is lugging a watering can around when I was about 2 and being fascinated by forsythia and bleeding hearts. As I began to appreciate the complexity of the universe over the years, I evolved
into an organic gardener. I also discovered
I liked to do ‘edible kitchen experiments’ and thus became more and more interested in growing vegetables, fruits
and herbs.
Growing plants is never dull – every season, every year brings new challenges and triumphs
– I always discover and learn something new. And it is addictive –
one can’t grow just one tomato, rose or parsnip.
The parsnip is special in my garden. Pretty much because certain family members really don’t care for this humble
root. And so I’ve made it a point to grow the largest, sweetest parsnips
and secretly incorporate them into recipes ….
How This All Got Started...
Cardinal Pines sort of grew on me – when I first saw the place there really
was nothing there resembling annuals or perennials (unless you count poison ivy)
– The place had a motley collection of evergreens, hollies, maples, beech,
oaks, dead shrubs, one cinnamon fern and one bleeding heart under an overgrown yew.
Lots of birds and wildlife. Lots of cardinals. I’ll let you guess how the name of the property came about.
And Alas there were Definitely no parsnips!
I made a resolution to transform the place into a human and wildlife haven in a way that would
foster a sustainable ecosystem. At the time sustainable wasn’t in my vocabulary. It was one of those learning things.
