“I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandmen’s cares.” ~ George Washington

Here on TommyMom, we have been looking a lot at CORE through my personal childhood within a farm community and friendship; as well as the recent profiling of Symbria Patterson where farming or “Georgics” is concerned.

Today’s post is an attempt to finish up this series…

at least temporarily.

And to bring into balance, the whole concept of  Georgics.

Because not everyone in this nation has even an acre to work with.

And some of us…

admittedly have a green thumb deficit.

As in hello, Morticia Addams!

Being challenged where botanical endeavors are concerned…

can be both daunting and discouraging.

If I want to have a part in perpetuating freedom…

and I believe what the Founding Fathers laid out is both right and true…

then I need to at least try.

Please refer to George’s quote above…

and ponder it.

I can’t speak for you…

but having an “all or nothing” attitude can really stymie even the greatest of intentions.

While out on a walk with my father two weeks ago…

I received challenge and inspiration from my neighbor Brian.

I am now motivated to experiment…

because it really isn’t about “all or nothing…”

in feeling compelled to doing everything.

It’s about encouraging yourself and others to do something.

Brian greeted us as we walked by.

He was out weeding his front yard garden.

More specifically, he was dead heading his tomato plants.

These beauties are up against the wrought iron wall that divides his property from his neighbors.

He asked if I would care to have some of them.

To which I replied…

“Is the Pope Catholic?”

Actually, I didn’t really respond with that question…

simply because I don’t know him well enough yet to do so.

We had a delightful conversation, in which I learned several things.

He had been raised on the East Coast…

he is a chef…

specializing in pastries.

The vocation is interesting and gratifying…

but the working hours are enough to nearly cause you to expire!

He has worked in several 4 and 5 star hotel kitchens…

loves the area in which we live because there is so much job availability…

but realized that the trade off was simply too much.

He worked all but one half of a day a month!

Yes, you read that correctly.

He left the industry…

bought a horse…

and “got a life!”

Last year, he decided that he wasn’t comfortable being relatively removed from his food sources.

I thought that the timing on this conversation was a great reinforcement of Brian’s confession…

So I decided that I should really pay attention!

I’m quick on the take like that.

Here’s the great, humbling, and challenging part of all of this.

Brian used the “natural resources” from his horse hobby…

took out the front half of his yard…

worked and prepped the soil…

and got this.

On a more up close and personal level…

He has more tomatoes…

Two or three varieties of lettuce..

Green onions…

Herbs that intermingle with the snap dragons he’s planted…

and celery that shares space with pansies on the end!

There is a great pot of rosemary next to his bouganvilla…

and a variety of Greek basil intermixed with his flowers that are curbside.

His yard is attractive beyond belief, and if you didn’t “know to look” in several cases…

You wouldn’t even have seen the vegetables.

“I think that it’s really important to give yourself options for freshness, availability and nutrition,” he says.

I told him that he was a real inspiration.

“It’s honestly a matter of trial and error, getting to know your local area and the profile of the soil, and not being afraid to fail.“

“I’m going to try my hand at some corn for the first time this summer.  If it doesn’t work, I’ll simply go back to the drawing board!”

Things that impressed me:

He’s passionate about cultivating something from the earth, regardless of the fact that he’s the ultimate urban profile.

He has researched what he’s done, tried it out, and learned as he’s gone along.

He’s willing to share his knowledge with others, in the hopes that he can challenge them to try their hand at Georgics.

He invited me to cut fresh herbs for meals that I’m creating for my family.

I did…

and I’m hooked!

What have you been made aware of these past few posts?

Do you have a plan for incorporating Georgics into your life?

A book you’re going to read?

A project you’re going to try?

Share with the rest of us!

Hint: there will be a giveaway featured Wednesday that this “sharing” counts towards…

so it can’t hurt to leave your two cents worth!

And let’s face it…

according to George…

making these efforts is “real”…

and gives everyone a shot at being in a circle of importance!

NOW you’re talkin’!