Be Aware of the Volunteer Spirit

Greetings fellow Gardeners,

Isn’t it beautiful when the wildflowers bloom after a rainfall, even in the arid desert landscape? Where did they come from? How did the seeds survive all this time? We take these appearances for granted without even asking any questions. But this is a miracle of life right in view and often overlooked—and it happens in all gardens.

This spring I have already found in our gardens: hundreds of sunflowers, Hopi red amaranth, many varieties of lettuce, arugula, kohlrabi, collards, broccoli, spinach, radish, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, squash, beets, carrots, cucumber, melons, tomatoes, fennel bulbs, garlic, onions, sweet potatoes, leeks, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, basil, peppers, purslane, lemon balm, hollyhocks, larkspur, Johnny-jump-ups, even peach and other fruit trees. So many more will come as it gets warmer, culminating in the monsoon rains.

I am sure that you too have noticed that in your gardens certain plants show up in various places without your planting them there. These are the special treasures of all gardens. They are coming voluntarily and sometimes abundantly—especially if you left plants like lettuce that were going to seed or allowed plants like cucumbers to over ripen. In larger gardens the weeds can overtake some areas and bury some of the vegetables whose seeds mix in with the soil without you even noticing. Hidden underneath they mature and ripen. It’s a volunteer spirit that is quite vigorous and healthy. It shows a life-force bigger than any ordinary planted seed or transplant. It gained survival status and lets everybody know that it can outshine everything. Some of the seed may have been brought from far away by birds and other animals like javalinas and left with their droppings. The wind too can carry some seeds for miles.

Sometimes one must wonder how these seeds made it through all of the season changes. For me it’s proof of a well thought out creation with a master plan by a Master designer, creator—a true Master Gardener. If you ever find time to study seeds and learn of plants original homes, you would be amazed of the stories we know and as well as what we don’t know. Since the Santa Cruz River Valley has been farmed and harvested for over 4000 years—some believe 10,000 or more—we have a long heritage of the volunteer spirit.

This year I am asking you to Be Aware and not to pull all your “weeds” or “unwanted” plants but to pause and give them a second thought. Maybe some of these plants will beautify and eventually naturalize if you let them grow and seed again. There are some magnificent vegetable flowers which become amazing seed stalks that can move you to praise the Creator of all. Even certain weeds like the wild amaranth, lambsquarters, dandelion, elderberry, tree tobacco, devil’s claw and poppies can become habitat for a diversity of butterflies, birds, lizards and insects. Some of these weeds are edible and medicinal too. Naturalized gardens can be quite beautiful and with a little touch of design can become an integral part of the overall landscape, exemplifying the true principle of permaculture.

Sometimes I get to know people who come from far away but somehow were moved to live here. Often we call them transplants. But I notice also something in certain personalities: an inner drive, a survivor’s wisdom, a calling for a greater purpose, an understanding of everlasting spirit, a trust and faith that brings hope to others who might not have it. Be Aware of these volunteers of the spirit of life because they bring so much joy, peace, patience, love, understanding, and wisdom—just like the wildflowers that appear after a good rain in the desert. Appreciate them more and support them by allowing them to thrive. You can provide them a good home in your gardens, and in your introspective moments you might catch the Spirit of a Volunteer yourself.

We invite all of you to visit Avalon Organic Gardens, Farm and Ranch from May 7 through May 10, during our BeAware Festival (www.beaware2010.org/festival). You will meet an abundance of plant and human volunteers to cheer you up, to rethink about what really matters in life. We are also launching our first week of our Community Supported Deo-Agriculture (CSA) season (www.avalongardens.org/csa ). After several years of adjusting to our new home, we are now able to offer it all year.

I hope to see many of you at our sanctuary of volunteers in Tumacacori,

Tarenta Baldeschi (Change Agent )