Let’s get back to our series on the new hobbies you picked up during quarantine.
We’ve looked at:
Today let’s check out gardening projects.
From Katrina VanHuss:
I have taken an interest in “winter sowing.” This is a way to create a mini-greenhouse for seeds so that you can start growing seedlings in mid-winter, even in the snow. The recommended route is to use plastic jugs, cut them in half, fill half way with soil, add seeds, tape it back up, remove cap, set outside.
Big problem…we’d sworn off plastic. I have little to no plastic in my home. Ponder…ponder…ponder….wine bottles?
I bought a glass cutter and cut off the bottoms of clear wine bottles to act as my mini-greenhouses. The neighbors are freaked and believe I am trying to grow wine.
From Emily Roush-Bobolz:
My new hobby: I started a cut flower farm “in my spare time.” Communications work is so stressful for me in my current position, and working the earth has always been peaceful to me. When the pandemic hit, I looked at my life and thought ‘I love nonprofit communications but I must find something more peaceful and less stressful or find a balance.’ So I tilled up 1,200 sq feet of my back yard, plus added raised beds all around the house to start growing cut flowers to sell at the farmers market and pop-up sales in my driveway. (I have a background as a floral designer, so that helps.) Just before Christmas I made fresh greenery holiday wreaths to sell to the community to get started.
So it’s a hobby farm/hobby business. I will likely not be leaving nonprofit communications but instead use this side business to sprinkle in a little bit of beauty, earth and peace into my life.
From Jennifer Bell:
I spent spring-fall TRYING to grow pumpkins in my yard. I had a dream of giant pumpkins dotting my lawn and neighborhood kids coming to pick one for carving. Didn’t get to that point, but I have fun growing these two baby beauties.
We also heard from a couple of others who did not share photos…
From Loreen:
My Pandemic Project was to launch a flower farm! We sold our house and moved to a home on acreage last fall. I sell market bouquets, bouquet subscriptions and will start doing wedding flowers this summer! It’s been a wonderful project for my husband and me.
From Catie:
My new hobby is gardening. My Dad passed away in the fall, and gardening was something he was really excellent at and really enjoyed. Taking it up offers me a way to feel closer to him, and also create an environment of peace and beauty around me. My goal this summer is to grow a tea garden, so I can begin mixing my own loose varieties.
