It All Begins With a Patch

The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Patch. A small piece, scrap, or area of anything.  A piece or tract of land; plot. A small field, plot, or garden, especially one in which a specific type of plant grows or is cultivated.

Patch405.  A small garden in the 405 area code, otherwise known as Oklahoma City. It’s the place where this gardening pastime sprouted. My intentions were to cultivate a variety of vegetables, fruits, and flowers, create my own little slice of heaven, restore my soul, and nurture those around me.

But a patch is never just a place. It’s something you carry.

Now, Patch405 lives in Montgomery, Texas. The soil is different. The heat is heavier. The growing season stretches longer, and the lessons come faster. What began on three acres outside Oklahoma City has followed me here – evolving, expanding, and taking root in new ground.

That patch taught me how to begin.

This one in Montgomery is teaching me how to begin again.

The basics haven’t changed. I am still not particularly handy, but my skillset is growing with each new project. I don’t always buy organic (but I am doing it more often!), but I admire the movement. I’m still not a vegetarian, but the cravings for a really good tomato are being joined by persistent thoughts of juicy blueberries. 

My desire to garden continues to run deeper than all of that. It’s an innate yearning. A call to my childhood. A call to my early years of motherhood. A call to get my hands dirty. To slower days, hard work, and small miracles.

Patch405 is still mine. Still a little selfish. Still something my husband supports. Still something that leaves my adult children (now aged 30, 28, and 24) bewildered. And hopefully, it will soon be a source of wonder for my two granddaughters. Certainly, all of them will enjoy the yummy fruits of my labor.

But this has never just been about food. No matter where I plant it, this little patch will always represent so much more to me than good tomatoes. In the end, I hope that those who know and love me will come to understand that!