Trees, Trees, Trees

So last fall we decided that we needed to invest in some trees here at Wild Roots. Trees are the ultimate perennial, bringing up nutrition from deep down in the earth and providing an edible crop. We made a large order of fruit trees and received a few trees from friends in the area. Best of all, some lovely friends back home pooled together some money and gave me a gift certificate for the Grimo Nut Nursery in Niagara-On-The-Lake.

Then Dan moved back to Hamilton and now I'm the tree planter. I love planting trees, don't get me wrong. I think it's a very important thing that we should all be doing (since our ancestors cut down all the trees and we just keep the old train rolling along). But it can get tedious crumbling soil into a hole all day. Honestly I think the thing that bothers me is that based on my planting, this tree may live or die. Maybe I should just stick to carrots. Then again, most factors are out of my control.

Hmm, I also think that planting trees AND taking care of them, meaning regular watering for at least the first year, challenges an unrealistic yet central attitude inside me. The idea that you can do something once and then forget about it, take it for granted. Similarly if I built something then it was built and I could move on and do the next thing. But really you need to keep an eye on it and make repairs. I think we have this attitude in our culture. The "no maintenance" attitude. Maybe it's got something to do with our consumer culture. Because we usually buy something and then forget about it and then it breaks because it was cheap or we didn't take care of it and we buy another. But that gets expensive.

Back to the trees, I would really just love some company planting. Someone to just be next to when I'm digging and crumbling and encouraging the young tree. We wouldn't even need to talk. I think I never appreciated Dan's presence enough. But I know some special people are going to find their ways here soon enough. So I'm holding on.