THE Com POST

Keeping you updated on all things compost related at the garden!

Happy St. Roch Sunday! This week we managed to fill another bin of local food waste for our compost at the garden! I was able to meet with some of our contributors as I planted two blackberries around the grounds. Mostly the interactions are short and sweet filled with mutual support and gratitude. “Thank you!” is expressed from both sides and people go about their day. Today I had a rather inspired conversation with Annie, our other composting Mama and it could not have come at a better time.

The morning started with ups and downs, as happens sometimes in the garden, it’s all part of working with nature. The high note was realizing we have almost spread all of the mulch around the property in just over a week. The low moment was after realizing this milestone, we also discovered one of our logs was infested with termites. We found the little buggers after a weeks worth of heavy labor basically providing them with more food…the irony did not escape me. In the end I chose to think of compost, resist the temptation to freak out, and remind myself that this is all part of the process. I’ve isolated the logs for now and plan to experiment with a vinegar solution, so I have plenty of time to stress out about it later if my attempts or eradicate the problem are unsuccessful.

After this less than awesome news I decided to plant the blackberries to cheer me up. It was then that Annie showed up and I told her of the termite situation. She did as most New Orleanians do and calmly reminded me termites are everywhere, which is a truism here to be sure. I quickly remembered how no one likes to hear negative stories and shared with her my excitement about the new Artist in Residency program we initiating. Turns out my fellow composting comrade was all too familiar with such programming and offered great suggestions and support for the idea. I was delighted.

This week was a great week for the Galvez Garden. The compost bin is nearly full, it still smells earthy and so far I have only been startled once, by a field mouse that I found scrummaging through the scraps. Lucky for me, after the initial shocked passed, I have to admit I found it rather cute. I’m delighted to report I haven’t seen him again, so I’m crossing my fingers he won’t become a regular visitor. If I do see him again (or something worse), I plan to roll with it, take it as it comes and find zen in the process of it all.

The best thing I read this week said something about how gardening requires only one talent; the ambition to want something to grow. Everything else that a gardener needs to be successful comes with patience and persistence to learn the skills needed to help that ambition come to fruition. The same can be said for composting. I would only add, rolling with the punches, it just makes the process that much more fun to witness.

Thanks to all our lovely supporters and the words of encouragement along the way!