Worthy Few: Start Gardening Now and a Brief History of Indigenous Food

Also, the basics of birding

Hi there, it’s Hillarie! This is your favorite weekly newsletter about things I found worthy of my time and I think you may enjoy, too. Keep reading for some ideas to get your week started.

Hey friends! I am excited to announce that the first of my tulips have arrived! They are the very very first signs of spring and they are giving me so much life. There is something deeply gratifying about placing a seed in the earth and watching it come to life—so powerful. In the next few weeks, I’ll paying close attention to the brilliant changes around me in nature, and I hope you see encouraging signs of spring wherever you may be. Be well and take care.

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A gardening book to get you outside year-round:

Timber Press: Vegetable Gardening

I recently returned to my local nursery and ran into my favorite gardening friend—we both nearly cried. We were bubbling with excitement for a new year of gardening and gushing over the hellebore flowers in bloom. Had it not been for my hungry children, we could have talked all day about garden plans and farming aspirations.

Last summer, when I was just getting started with my garden, she recommendedThe Timber Press Guide to Vegetable Gardening in the Pacific Northwest. (They have different ones by region.) It is easy to read and well organized. The best part is the month-by-month activities that will keep your garden healthy and productive. If you are new to vegetable gardening or curious about how to get started, I recommend starting here.

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A documentary about Indigenous connection to the land:

Gather

A look at how systemic dismantling of Indigenous food practices decimated communities, created food deserts, and stripped many Indigenous people of their right to self-determination. In our modern world, it is hard to appreciate the kind of knowledge and wisdom required to live in harmony with the natural world. Food can be sustenance, medicine, and a means of spiritual connection. But in truth, when someone else controls the food supply, they also control the population.

This is a powerful reminder that dominant ideas of living should not adversely affect those who choose to live sustainably off the land. We owe it to ourselves and each other to respect the land and those who live in harmony with it. I will leave you with some wisdom from an Indigenous chef from the documentary:

“If discomfort arises, don’t shut off, but ask yourself why. The first step is understanding violence in all of its forms.”

Chef Nephi Craig

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Bird watching basics :

Physical Features

My great-grandfather was an ornithologist (i.e., bird nerd) for the state of South Dakota, and spent a lot of time observing and writing about birds. My mom recently gave me an excerpt of his write-ups that were published in the local newspaper, and they are so precious—very Little House on the Prairie. They made me wish more people had time to appreciate the brilliance of birds.

One year ago, I thought all birds were basically the same brownish bird—and I wasn’t totally wrong. It has taken time to develop the ability to see subtle differences in physical features and behaviors. Currently, my favorite part of birding is learning the patterns of activity throughout the day—it’s fascinating!

Bird basics for you to get started

Over the next few issues, I am going to provide some bird-watching basics so that you can begin to identify different birds. With time, you will start to notice different patterns of birds and even see the way they behave differently. Which ones are shy and skittish, and which are fearless and feisty. It will make you appreciate life differently.

This week, I want to help you characterize some basic physical features of birds to help you distinguish between them. There are endless attributes, but as a newbie, I found it was easiest to keep it simple. Over time, you will naturally begin noticing other characteristics.

Now, get out and observe! What birds are you seeing?