Most attribute that revolution to Earthbound Farms, started in Carmel Valley, walking distance from my middle school. Others attribute it to Todd Koons- Salinas Valley tycoon, friend of my present boss Deborah, who I run in to at Christmas parties, and Mill Valley social affairs. In addition the article made vague mention of other smaller companies that were bought out early in the competition for salad mix king, and one of those was started in my mother's backyard by my late step father, Jake Hougham. From the beginning of the 15 page article, that spanned multiple geographical areas; Salinas, Carmel, Santa Cruz, New York- until the finale where Earth Bound trumps all, my life story was interwoven with the articles' cast of characters. Even seemingly random connections like houses that my dad built for the managers of Earth Bound gave me chills.
And when the UCSC Farm and Garden was mentioned as an inspiration to go organic, I looked out from our Farm Center deck and laughed to myself. I felt like my whole existence and purpose had been wrapped up into some strange history of the small green leafy trend that swept the nation a dozen years back.
Some times it's nice for me to think that this means my life has one grand meaning behind it all, some greater significance, but then again maybe it means nothing more than the fact I grew up in Central California, a child of farmers and contractors- a salad mix kid.
2 comments:
Hi Jesse
Now that your grandmother has shown me how to post a comment, I am responding to your blog. (I was clicking on the little envelope.)
Yes, I have gotten chills reading "What Makes the Plants Rejoice" as the author mentions walking into the uphill entrance to the UCSC garden that Alan Chadwick started. Robert Howard writes "...the subtle smell of lilies wafted up to greet me." I remember being asked to plant seedling lilies in that bed when I volunteered. I remember being taught to keep the roots covered with a wet cloth while I planted so that no root hairs would be damaged from contact with the air. It took several years for the lilies to bloom from seed. Imagine a whole raise bed devoted to lilies 4 to 5 feet tall.
This was 1968. No one had heard of raised beds or biointensive gardening. My father and many of my other relatives farmed apples and other things in Watsonville. What I was learning at the Santa Cruz garden seemed radical to my father at that time.
We have seen many organic successes such as Earthbound Farms. You can drive by lettuce fields and see plants filling wide beds where rows had been the norm. Perhaps people are getting the idea that it is time to take care of the Earth.
Keep up the good work.
Marlena
Hello Marelena!
Thanks SO much for your encouraging words! What an incredible story. The longer I'm in this program, the smaller the organic world becomes. People are definitely getting the idea that it's time to take care of the Earth- or, at least, the people that are connected to this place know that. Perhaps I have a skewed vision of reality at present. Keep writing me, and I'll keep responding.
Very Best,
Jessy
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