urban farming

I begin this entry with a long, calming sigh. This morning Rae and I went to help out at the CommonWealth Urban Farm again. We found out about this local garden being nurtured in the backyards of houses very near ours in Oklahoma City just a few weeks ago and were eager to help.

{A quick back story/redirection of this little blog space: I began this blog a couple years ago with the intent of keeping it as a "get to know me" section of my photo & design website. And as it goes I seemed to post more "life" statements than business. Which I'm fine with. But thus far this little blog space has been a random collection of all the random things I am/love/do/enjoy. Which is also fine if you enjoy keeping up with it. I would like to be a bit more directed in my writings about where my life is going, but we'll see what happens.}

My life (and, in turn, this blog) consists of my loves: photography, cosmetology school, growth, gardening and all things earth and quiet reflection. Then of course Rae, family and friends, being most important. My 2011 year began with my independence. Moving away from the life I had in Stillwater, starting over at "home" in my grandparents' house, formulating and creating a life that was wholly mine. I began building this picture of how I wanted to live, and started right away. I continued my recycling, began gardening, drank more tea, let my soul spread out on the land that I was tending.
My vision has been to live a sustainable life. This has been growing for years, but as I moved into a house with a yard the desire for such multiplied. A desire to farm, garden, respect, appreciate and tend the earth to harvest my needs. Support local everything - art, food, music, business. My hair career will go anywhere with me, and allow me the time to garden, photograph whatever I fancy, and have a family. I want to carry my baby on my back as I harvest our food. Raise a conscious and informed child, without robbing them of the due innocence of that time. I long to nurture and care for my family, our pets, our land, and everyone I encounter. I felt everything in me that was resting for so long now flourishing with produce (hence, my carrot tattoo.) My soil was feeling ready.
Then I met Rae, who had the same vision I did, a shared vision for life. It was recognized between us so quickly and organically. And so we continue this journey together.

Our current life consists of this:
-recycling, reducing our output of waste, and reusing what we can
-purchasing all food products locally and/or organically (or retrieved from the dumpster, if possible)
-purchasing other daily needs with conscious effort to support local and small business.
-keep a low consumer profile (i.e. we try hard not to buy things we don't need or have room for, being minimalist in possessions)
-learning to garden, compost, and harvest
-planning our family (yep, not just us and the cats....)
-paying off debt and saving money for the future

So CommonWealth garden is our new Saturday morning thing. I worked at the pub last night until 2am so when 8am rolled around and bushy-tailed Rae was ready to garden I put on quite a pitiful show of whining and moaning. But I got up and had my coffee. And by the time we were moving wood piles to make room for another compost pile I was deliriously happy to be outside instead of in bed. To be learning and growing and preparing for our future.

 starting another compost pile

 the carbon (brush) to cover the nitrogen (rotten fruits, veggies & other green items)

 winterizing the beds

 rotten produce from a local grocery - its still so gorgeous!

 sifting to get all the compost

spoils we brought home from the donated "trash" produce

<3