Working towards Sustainability in the City

I was super encouraged by this post over at the Squibix Family blog, for it's long term vision. I completely agree that the garden can amount to ministry- a demonstration of love- to the people in the Archibald's life. Since I started this post, the Squibix Family launched Squibix Farm, which tracks the growth and progress the farm is making. Yes, it's a farm!

I have all these big dreams for being self sufficient; having a composting toilet, solar panels, and the like. And buying the Biltong factory next to our house in Cape Town), pulling up the concrete, pulling down the barbed wire and starting an urban farm. Where everyone's invited to share the pickings. Some dreams are bigger than others.

The Biltong Factory AKA Future Urban Farm.  You can see our house on the right (it shares a wall with the biltong factory).

Dan's inspiration, together with my dad (also Dan)'s garden inspiration adds up to renewed vigor to figure out what exciting, long term dreams might be possible. Plans I have no control over--for grand urban farm-- aside, our dream should look a bit different since we're currently living in an apartment, and even our house in South Africa doesn't have a garden. I figure this may be another year to be grounded in the present--learn some more about gardening on the balcony, learning to shop and cook from the nearby farmer's market (we won't have a CSA share this year); while having an eye on the future-- learning about soil, learning from more experienced gardeners, learning how to knit socks (I'm kindof obsessed with wool after I found out it never smells).

Somewhere mixed in with trying new things out in the context of the apartment is the idea that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to be proficient in something. While I can't put in all of my hands-on self-sufficiency hours right now, I'm keen to put in my reading hours and really be conversant in some of what it takes to grow and make food. I'm inspired by the idea that our two cents matter to God (and to eachother), and that even if we have unlikely dreams, we can still work with the gifts and possibilities we have right here in the present. Even if I killed the tomato seedlings by putting them in the sun and cooking them. And even if that biltong factory never wants to sell for cheap.