The answer is in the soil!
Gardening has so much to offer – being outside with the weather, birds, insects and plants, and developing the ability to help plants grow. Watching beautiful leaves, flowers and fruits develop from tiny seeds is an excitement and a privilege.
Growing food deepens the relationship considerably, as we eat and share the fruits of our efforts, and realise that we can influence the flavour, freshness and quality of our fruit and vegetables.
Continuing to grow food crops over many years offers the chance to glimpse some of nature’s relationships, especially if we do it without using chemical short-cuts. I feel grateful for the opportunity to glimpse a few of the laws and principles that underpin the growth of plants – to be able to share the sheer wonder of it.
So often, in seeking to understand more I am drawn back to the soil, the key to all life. We understand it so little, and probably do not respect it enough. Since the invention of chemical fertilisers, soil has come to be seen by some as nothing more than a reservoir of nutrients, akin to a bank account.
Yet every hectare of living soil has about 20 tonnes of living organisms, from bacteria and fungi to earthworms and spiders. It is truly and literally alive, as much as a person or animal. The quality and quantity of plant growth stem from the quality of soil life. Enhancing its aliveness is the basis of good gardening, leading to better health of plants and humans.
I hope that using this book helps you to achieve a wonderful garden, many great meals and vibrant health.