A Grower Perspective

Yes Ma’am, No Sir, How may I help you Ma’am? These are all niceties in everyday life that make our lives more pleasant and comfortable. Josh (my ‘Boss’ here at Pleasant Hill Nursery) was raised in Kentucky to address others in this lovely southern style. Being from the Pacific Northwest I wasn’t used to this ‘formal’ way of speaking and often thought of it as a little off putting, a tiny bit sarcastic. It’s not, nor is the intention any of that. It is this kind of polite training that enables us to continue our work with others in a kind and hospitable way even if we don’t always feel like it or want to say something else. If it is automatic for us to speak and behave kindly and with consideration it will always be our fallback position when we are in a difficult situation.

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I’d like to share a volunteer project we completed today at O’Hara Catholic School on West 18th in Eugene, Oregon.

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Acquire some plants and carefully and artistically plant them in your garden. You will reap rewards many times the value of your initial investment. Trees, shrubs, flowers fruits and vegetables are tangible, living items. You may enjoy them from the day you put them in and you will have a great sense of satisfaction by the time and effort you put into your garden. As time passes and your garden matures there will be fruit to enjoy. What could be better that harvesting apples, blueberries and raspberries from your ease of your own yard? Shade from the tree will cool you home thus lowering your electric bill and providing you comfort in warm weather. Homes with mature and properly placed trees are valued at thousands of dollars more than those with bare dirt. The price of well being, if that can be measured is, is great enhanced by the ability to gaze out at trees and lovely landscapes. Hospital stays are shorter and recovery time’s quicker if the buildings are surrounded by wild areas, or tasteful grounds. Some of the best ideas come from daydreams conjured by walks in the forest, staring off into space, or just looking out the window at the fog on the oak covered hill. The return on your investment in plants is constant and enjoyed daily.

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Where I grew up in western Washington we had a saying if you couldn’t see the mountain it was raining and if you could see the mountain it was going to rain. The mountain referred to here was Mount Rainier (14,411’ high). Because it rains a lot in the great Pacific Northwest this was a fairly accurate evaluation of the weather. Where I live and work now there are no high magnificent mountains. But there is great beauty and our landmarks and gauges are a bit subtler. I look out from the nursery and am surrounded on all sides by natural beauty. Papenfus Creek marks the south and east border. I don’t see the creek but I do see all of the deciduous trees bordering it. To the west are brittle cottonwoods that are snapping off as I write and the Friends of Buford Park Natural area. And to the north is the grand Mount Pisgah (1,531’ high), my weather gauge for my life here. As I drive to work I head toward the mountain and check it out and see if it is fog covered, misted over or even topped with a bit of snow. And then I think about my weather day. This is the first indoor winter job I’ve had in 30 years so the relative weather is not so important to my personal comfort as it used to be. It is important to the nursery. Dave Daniel, the nursery owner and our leader, uses a much more sophisticated weather analysis. He has many weather web sites he checks often. He knows where the reservoirs are and how to find out when the water is held in and when it is let go. He checks state weather maps and can see what is predicted and what is happening right now. He intimately knows the lay of his land, how the creek and river run and where the water collects. He makes notes where more gravel needs to go to prevent puddles and where more drains need to go for more efficient drainage. This is good land and nursery management and adds to the quality of the plants produced here.

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