Whirlwind Publishing

When I first started gardening in June, I had no idea that it would take root in my heart the way it has. Even with winter fast approaching, I don’t want to give up growing my own food. so I started looking into micro greens. I particularly wanted to grow spinach – even though I didn’t have a fire escape or a balcony. It would have to be grown inside on my window sill. My apartment gets great natural light so that wouldn’t be a problem. I had plenty seeds left over from summer enthusiasm shopping. Containers? Check! I even got gung-ho with recycling when I took a helmet that no longer fits my son, removed the bright colors and used the base as a container for collard greens.

but I started out wanting spinach. so that was my first “experiment”. It’s turning out well. Those first initial leaves have given way to tinier than tiny true “baby” spinach leaves.

Below is what the spinach container looks like regular sized.

Arugula which I tried started growing late in the summer and found I loved.

This are turnip greens which are growing verrrry slowly – even though they have the most room of all.

Below is my bean plant. I might have to transplant this into my actual garden as it is soon going to outgrow the cup. It might not ever grow beans but I am looking into the edibility of its leaves.

These being mainly cool weather crops I keep one window open almost all day. I close it at night when/if it gets bitterly cold. That, and the bugs which grow along with the plants, are the only negative aspects of this enterprise. However, the fresh air is nice and the bugs led to an interesting discussion with my son about Earth’s ability to grow things – and maybe even people.

i don’t know how it happened but the plants I’ve been tending for the last two months turns out not to be the bean plants i could’ve sworn i planted. no, it turns out it’s a weed called pigweed. i read the name and thought to myself "figures – even in my own garden, i can’t get away from pigs".

I don’t like being surrounded – either by weeds or by pigs so I decided to see what I can find out about pigweed. Turns out pigweed is some kind of catchall phrase that can or can not be pigweed. It’s all very confusing.

What’s not confusing is the name Amaranth.

Amaranthus, collectively known as amaranth, is a cosmopolitan genus of herbs. Approximately 60 species are recognized, with inflorescences and foliage ranging from purple and red to gold. Members of this genus share many characteristics and uses with members of the closely related genus Celosia.

Although several species are often considered weeds, people around the world value amaranths as leaf vegetables, cereals, and ornamentals. A traditional food plant in Africa, amaranth has the potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable land care.

Still trying to figure out how the bean plant turned into weeds that somehow grew in a line like they had been planted, I started to realize it might be edible. I knew – because one of my neighbors told me and I confirmed it – that edible purslane (also known as pigweed) grew in my garden.

I haven’t yet tried it. I can’t quite get over my nervous about eating weeds. I spent a significant amount of time researching amaranth – trying to make as sure i could that it was safe to eat – and give to my son to eat. While OCD’ing on the research, I read something that immediately calmed my fears:

In the Caribbean, the leaves are called callaloo and are sometimes used in a soup called pepperpot soup.

My stepfather was Jamaican and one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten is his callaloo (when he didn’t add nasty ass saltfish to it). I’ve had batches of it expressed to me wherever I’ve lived – that’s how much I loved it.When I look at how it grew and think about how he also grew callaloo in his garden, I wonder if he was somehow – spiritually responsible for its orderly presence in my garden.

Whether he was or wasn’t, I can’t call. But I can and will eat.

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1st, 3rd & 4th picture by Tichaona

Purslane pic: http://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/ppdl/weeklypics/3-17-08.html