Today my stepfather, Pop Lyles, and I will seed our garden. Although I originally planned to grow okra, collard greens and chili peppers, those plans changed. Pop Lyles bought packets of mustard greens and carrots instead of okra and chili peppers because he said the latter require more water and, therefore, more gardening time. His explanation makes sense to me. I am an eager apprentice. I want to soak up as much of his knowledge as I can..
When we arrive at the garden, it is late afternoon; the sky is clear and the autumn sun is kind to us--there is plenty of sunshine minus the usual scorching heat. The compost-rich, dark top soil from our last visit is greyish-brown and dry looking--not exactly ready for planting.
"Pops," I say anxiously , "I think we are going to have to water first."
"Oh, no, we're okay," he replies using the spade to make a 2 inch deep gash in the top soil exposing the dark, moist earth beneath it. He makes three identical length furrows with the spade, creating three long garden rows. Tearing open the packet of collard seeds, he drops to his knees and inches down the furrow closest to him dropping seeds into it. I open the packet of mustard green seeds and emulate him, dropping to the ground on my knees. Almost immediately a sharp pain radiates from my knees to my thighs forcing me to change positions. I stoop as close to the ground as I can and begin dropping seeds into one of 2 remaining rows. A gust of wind jettisons the tiny seeds from my hand into the air. Most land in the furrow but some are carried away. My back aches from stooping so close to the ground. I pause to take a rest break. Glancing over my shoulder, I see Pop Lyles sowing carrot seeds at a steady pace. He makes it look easy. I shake a few more seeds into my hand and realize I am almost out of them. "Oh no!" I think to myself, "I still have about 5 feet of furrow left to finish." I decide to increase the spacing between my seeding drops and to use fewer seeds. The strategy works. I am relieved when I drop the last of the seeds into the ground at the end of my row.
Pop Lyles covers the seeds in each furrow with top soil and uses the rake to level the ground.
Satisfied with our work, Pop turns to me and says, "Okay we're done. "
"The timer will keep the water going and the ground wet. We'll check on things a couple times a week but for now we just got to wait and let nature do the rest," he says picking up the spade and rake and heading toward the gate.
I look at our plot and smile. I picture the newly sown seeds germinating beneath the ground; shooting thread-like-roots into the earth to absorb the rich nutrients needed to grow, but then I think about how wild and random my row of plants will look when they finally sprout. I suppose that's how it should be. I am an apprentice for a reason.