First Week at Steckle

It’s been a week since we started at Steckle Farm in the Three Sisters Garden. It seems like yesterday when we were listening to Elder Banakonda's teachings on day one. My gardening gloves are already a little worn and I’m pretty tanned. The first day we started our gardening, it was scorching hot. I drank all of my water in no time. I would have shrivelled up and withered if it hadn’t been for the fresh cold water at Steckle. I’ve learned and experienced a lot within the week that I’ve been working at the Three Sisters Garden. The dirt is soft like sand and it’s not only easy to work with, but it’s probably ideal soil for the crops. Rain would come and go occasionally but it was always strangely invigorating. I’ve also come across a variety of wildlife, some of which I found interesting and others not so much. I’ve noticed ladybugs, butterflies, birds, snails, crickets, grasshoppers and a variety of other insects. I came to know our corn thief pal in particular. It was nice to enjoy the smell of fresh peppermint as I weeded things like Purslane and Lamb’s quarters out of the potatoes. We found out that our garden was growing natural wild Apple Mint and Spearmint. Out of everything I’ve learned over the past week, one thing really stands out among the rest: grass is the worst weed.

Monday Flower Field

~Elder speaks in ripples,

Green grass rustles and tickles,

Out in a flower field,

Distant waves I can hear,

Words sink in,

Thoughts have been,

Sailing me to flower fields.