Itz Holistically Wholesome

I love gardening, and growing my food guarantees that I eat the best organic, pesticide-free, and chemical-free foods. Unfortunately, I do not have the space to do more, and growing food in the small garden in front of my house is prohibited. I can never understand why this is so when we should encourage people to produce some of their foods. After all, getting all the foods to meet our nutritional needs from the stores is much more expensive. No wonder people opt for what they can afford at the expense of their health because what they need is unaffordable. 

 I do not allow the lack of space to deter me from trying, so I plant and grow what I can by fully utilizing my deck space. I use containers and raise beds. Growing my food has given me a sense of duty and helped to facilitate a healthy lifestyle. 

Every year I challenge myself by growing something I have never grown before. So this year, I decided to try Callaloo also called Amaranth, because I enjoy eating it and it can be a bit pricey when purchased in the stores. Callaloo is a nutrient-rich, green leafy vegetable cooked in popular dishes in many Caribbean countries. So, I went on a quest to find some Callaloo seeds, which proved to be a bit tedious at first, but God sent a kind brother in Christ my way last summer who gave me three large bundles of fresh, homegrown Callaloo. The most exciting thing is that the Callaloo had grown flowers that produced seedlings so I could save them for planting. I was so excited and thankful because not only could I eat homegrown pesticide-free callaloo, but I could now plant my own for the future. As the old saying goes, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

I could not wait for the last frost to plant my seeds outside. Only time would tell if they would grow, but I was optimistic. The cold season was finally over, but my seeds were missing when I checked my special place, wherein I kept them. I was so confused and could not remember if I had moved them. I felt a wave of disappointment come over me as I searched high, low, and in between without success. A few weeks passed, and I decided that I was going to look one last time because I could not get over not being able to plant those seeds. I checked the buffet in the dining area, a there it was, my bag containing the callaloo seeds. What a relief, and though it was near the end of May, I still hoped it was not too late. I immediately went outside and scattered them in my already prepared-to-grow bag. I saw no sign of anything growing for over a week, but then the rain came (showers of blessing ), and the seeds began to sprout. Never give up on finding something you have misplaced; keep searching until you find it.

Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:8-10).

Six to eight weeks later, I had fully grown callaloo plants on my deck. I harvested the first set and cooked a lovely meal for my family.

The second harvest, I gave to my cousin and I am currently waiting a few more days to harvest them for the third time. Little is indeed much when God is in it.

Sometimes it seems impossible before we try something, so we abort our plans. However, sometimes we must make do with what we have until we get what we want. I never regretted turning my deck into a little garden. I have grown several varieties of foods there, and I am amazed because God continues to bring in the harvest as a reward for my efforts. Remember, little is much when God is in it. So, from my miracle garden to yours, God bless and get inspired to grow your food.