Best wishes for a beautiful Spring,
TO OUR READERS
Dear Reader,
Kate & Julie at the Hillbilly Daylilies Bloomin’ Bash
As only a gardener knows, the process of creating a garden is more than just planting pretty things. It’ s a personal journey that begins with a little creative vision and a lot of dirt. It can be unpredictable, exhausting, relaxing and inspiring all at the same time. Sometimes, it’ s just a great way to let off some steam.
Gardening challenges your creativity with design problems— how to work around rocky or flat terrain, create pleasing groupings of texture and color, and work within the confines of the space and nearby structures.
It requires you to solve for Mother Nature’ s challenges— like too much or not enough sun, poor soil conditions, dry or swampy earth, and deer and rabbits who like to eat tender shoots or buds.
Gardening reminds you that you are mortal— your muscles ache, your body sweats, and dirt gets up your nose and in your ears. Your hands and knees become tired and cut, bugs bite, thorns scratch and the sun burns your neck.
So, why do we carry on in the dirt so? My friend Julie Gaver would say it’ s because of the“ life lessons” our gardens teach us. I wholeheartedly agree, but for me, it’ s really because the garden’ s crude challenges force me to get back to basics. It provokes my spirit. Faith is digging in the earth to carefully place a bulb, seed or young plant. Watering it. Sheltering it. Watching it sprout, then unfurl its leaves toward the sun. Finally, as its unique blossoms take shape, it spreads its daring petals in colorful glory. I am in awe.
Best wishes for a beautiful Spring,
Kate Rader
About the Cover
Nicky Cullember supervises mealtime for one of the pigs on his family’ s hobby farm. Director of Photography Chris Jackson spent some time photographing the activities on the Clear Spring farmstead of the Cullembers, who had no designs on actually farming when they moved into the rural property. Find out how Amy and Mark Cullember and their family have established a thriving garden and diverse group of livestock in“ The Accidental Farmers” on page 42.
12 March / April 2013 Hagerstown: The Best of Life in Washington County & Beyond