Inspiration Organic Gardening
After college, I moved to Western Massachusetts in 1975 where I heard an inspiring talk about organic gardening by Dr. Barker. Before this talk, I had never heard about organic gardening, and didn’t know what it was about.
Dr. Barker spoke of building fertile soil, mulching, growing healthy nutritious plants, all without pesticides or commercial fertilizers. It was incredible… exciting… and opened a new world!
In my large garden at my new apartment, I planted many different varieties of vegetables, strawberries, raspberries, and collected leaves to mulch plants and to make compost. It was heaven!
My first garden!
A visit to the Maine homestead of
Helen and Scott Nearing
I read Living the Good Life and Continuing the Good Life
by Helen and Scott Nearing.

It was not until I had the opportunity to visit their homestead in 1978, that their words and ideas came alive. Seeing the life they had created was incredible … and life changing!
Beautiful, creative, productive, fertile and peaceful.
The garden was organized in raised beds with walking paths between beds. Plants were robust, healthy and beautiful! The soil was dark and fertile from compost they made.
Small plants growing in flats would soon be planted in beds where plants were harvested. These newly planted areas and the greenhouse extended their harvest throughout the year. With mulching and closely spaced plants there were no weeds.