The Joy of Green

By Karen Cay

With all the rain and a few hot days, it seems as if, suddenly, the trees are out in full leaf and everything is lush and fresh.

Like many of you, I began on the May long weekend the exciting yet daunting task of putting in my garden. It is a process which is almost anti-climactic as many of us have spent the winter yearning over seed catalougs, starting seedlings, dreaming of transplants and projects, going through Pinterest for idea to try to fulfill – but in a day or two the process is done and the time of waiting for growth begins.

Seeds in hand I anxiously made my way to the garden with my map of where everything will go in one hand and a spade in the other (I have raised beds). Though daunting, the sheer magnificent joy of digging in dirt and planting seeds is a process that cannot be explained to one who does not garden. It is more than the dream of harvest – gardening is a meditation that has been scientifically proven to heal.

There are a number of online articles that indicate that by working in dirt, we are connecting ourselves to our original programming.

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According to research from a number of areas, getting your hands dirty in the garden increases serotonin levels since contact you get from soil bacteria triggers the release of this happy brain chemical which acts as an anti-depressant and strengthens the immune system.

It has also been found that dopamine … another great brain hormone that releases a spirit of bliss – is released in our brain when we harvest the vegetables that we have grown ourselves.

Even kids know this and I think many of us can relate to sitting in the garden as children, pulling up carrots to kind of wipe off the dirt and start munching away. Those are some of my happiest memories and I think the same could be said for many of you.

There is a wonderful documentary called DIRT which I watched recently that showed how working in dirt and connecting with the growing process can be life changing – even for those society has given up on.

It is hard for us to imagine – but there were inmates in the documentary in jail for terrible crimes including murder. These were men and women who had no value for life. As it turns out … they were also people who had never even seen dirt. In the concrete jungle dirt is rare. These people became involved with the prison’s gardening program and their entire personalities changed. Though they would never leave the prison, they found joy in their lives from digging in dirt, planting seeds, helping them to grow and harvesting the rewards. They became a part of the life-cycle.

In Prince Albert, more and more communities and groups are realizing the healing that comes from gardening, including schools.

For those in the community that would like to explore what gardening can do for you – but you do not have access to a garden, contact schools and community groups to see how you can get involved.

Remember also, Jessy’s Garden that is only a few miles out of town. This garden was produced to help a family heal from the suicide of their daughter and they most heartily welcome gardeners to participate in their three acres of chemical free growing blissfulness.

They have a blog in Community Group News here.

The May long weekend is over but it is definitely not too late to get involved in a garden.

Also, there used to be a horticultural society in Prince Albert. This was a wonderful group which was a monthly gathering of people who loved to garden. I have searched for them but apparently this group is no longer running.

With the trend to garden – it would be amazing to have such a group again.

If you are involved with a gardening club, group or project in the city, let me know and I will promote it for you on paNOW’s Community Group News.

Get digging, have fun and be happy. Green is the color of life and joy.