by Sabre Morris
Who would have thought gardening would be exciting for not only me but for the kiddos? Who would have thought we could bond so well while smushing our fingers into dirt and planting seeds or even watching the frogs hop across the land? Who would have imagined we would be here watching our seeds grow into something so amazing…not me! I’m Sabre, aka “mom” …I consider myself to be young! Anyway…I’m a mother of two energetic kids, 8 and 10. Constantly wanting to go go go! But not where I want to go. I wondered how we can get on one accord and find something that interests ALL of us, especially when they claim to be “bored” all the time!
I’m sure parents hear that constantly…” I’m bored, there’s nothing to do!” Or even better…” can we go outside and play?” Well my answer has changed to yes, a lot more often. There seems to be so much joy in gardening…almost surreal serenity. I guess it’s because you are out in the elements and you don’t really consider it to be work when it’s something you enjoy doing.
Roughly a year ago I was approached by Lucille Patterson the co-founder of the Catawab Trail Farm regarding an opportunity to bring my kids and I closer together and learn at the same time. How many parents can turn something like that down? I couldn’t. We drove into the driveway of the farm and upon arrival we were a bit skeptical…bumpy entrance way, surrounded by trees but to my surprise there was a beautiful plot of land just waiting to be loved! We were given the grand tour of the area where we saw lots of garden beds and lots of fresh veggies sprouting from the ground.
From learning the different tools to learning how to use those tools our green thumbs are getting greener with each visit. We have learned what veggies to plant and what season is best to plant them in. I also found out that my 8-year-old has great strength (strength enough to push full wheel barrels on her own and dare you to help her). We have learned so much and met so many amazing people. There is so much wisdom at Catawba Trail Farm. There is so much love there! There is so much strength. My children have met other little kids and they actually look forward to going to consistently to work hard and play even harder. The smiles I see make it worth it. And let us not forget the sweet quietness I get once I get them home from a long day’s work! It is a win for all of us. If you want to experience this then I recommend you come out to Catawab Trail Farm at 2080 Sawmill Creek Parkway, Durham NC.
