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Quote of the Day: Gandhi

January 16th, 2010

“To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil
is to forget ourselves.”

Mohandas K. Gandhi


I like that he includes “tend the soil” in there, which I believe is the most important part of gardening.

Do you think he’s right?

9 Comments to “Quote of the Day: Gandhi”
  1. Christine on January 16, 2010 at 10:18 am

    My goodness, your soil is beautiful. Any time I can see rich, dark soil, I get a little envious. No matter how much compost, manure, and other amendments you put in Florida sugar-sand, it never quite looks as good.
    .-= Christine´s last blog ..A homegrown meal =-.

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    • Susy on January 17, 2010 at 12:13 am

      Oh, our soil didn’t used to be this way. It’s pretty much sand/rocks when we got here and I started mulching and adding lots of organic matter. It looks really healthy now and the worms are moving in.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  2. Chicago Mike on January 16, 2010 at 10:43 am

    He is absolutely right.

    As I try and improve my soil, the more I learn, the less I know. I grew up gardening with my Dad and he composted (something I am still very poor at) and added manure, but there are so many other things to think of.

    Remineralization, mycorrhiza, nematodes, acidity, and on and on.

    Boy, so much to learn and implement.
    .-= Chicago Mike´s last blog ..Why Garden? =-.

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  3. kitsapFG on January 16, 2010 at 11:31 am

    Ghandi was absolutely correct (on so many other things as well). I think staying connected to the natural world and the aspects of providing for our own existence is critical to having a sense of true purpose, and that deep abiding contentment that comes from directly contributing to our own and other’s well being. I cannot put it into words very well – do not have the economy and beautiful mastery of words that Ghandi commanded.

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  4. Jessica on January 16, 2010 at 1:31 pm

    I think he is totally right. I am in my first year of gardening and its amazing how much I have learned not only about gardening but about myself. The pursuit of this knowledge has allowed me to meet people that I never would have connect with it and I am loving every bit of it.

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  5. JP on January 16, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    not to be unpopular here, but soil is often just fine until we start ‘tending’ it. If we never mowed, raked or otherwise interfered, we might have richer soil than what we’ve got. We’re just ‘sod-busters’! No-till gardening is quite successful, maybe because observation is more important than intrusion. And that’s a pretty strong lesson, too.
    .-= JP´s last blog ..Winter Sowing (tomatoes, too…) =-.

    Reply to JP's comment

    • Susy on January 17, 2010 at 12:15 am

      Very true, but some of us aren’t blessed with good soil to begin with. I could grow nothing if I didn’t amend and add organic matter. I don’t till except for the first sod-busting of the soil and I generally try to work the soil as little as possible.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  6. Melissa on January 17, 2010 at 10:56 pm

    Absolutely. I worry what would happen to those around me if our food supply was suddenly cut off. It’s frightening to think that most people do not have more than one week’s worth of food on hand. And no gardening or preserving skills.
    .-= Melissa´s last blog ..Craft Hope for Haiti =-.

    Reply to Melissa's comment

  7. Annette on January 18, 2010 at 12:01 pm

    I most certainly agree with Ghandi! Great quote.
    .-= Annette´s last blog .. =-.

    Reply to Annette's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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