Planning / by Karie Luidens

Planning.jpeg

I’ve been thinking on large scales lately: the rise of industrial agribusiness over the last century or so, the intractable complexities of today’s unsustainable food systems, the question of humanity’s ability to feed itself in the long run as both soils and fossil fuel reserves are depleted. 

It can be overwhelming. 

So here’s a breath of fresh air—my small desk and the breeze from the open window it faces. My piece of our great multiplicity.

It’s early April and just about planting season, which means, first, planning season. When and where and how will I sow each of the seeds I’ve collected in the freshly-dug and fenced-off garden plot out back? Based on what I’ve learned researching each plant’s needs and observing the space’s soil, light, and moisture patterns, I’ve been sketching a layout and setting up a timetable for the weeks ahead.