Life Lesson in the Garden

A life lesson from my friend Tina Reichert.  She lives and works on her husband’s family farm and hosts guests from around the world at their Sycamore Valley Bed and Breakfast home/farm stay outside Brunswick, Missouri.

Enjoy and Shabbat Shalom!

tauna

A Little Life Lesson from My Garden

Training the blackberry canes, mulching, weeding, watering, weeding, watering, weeding, more training, weeding, weeding and finally some fruit. Then comes pruning the dead canes that are spent from producing the season’s fruit. But the weeding, watering, training continue through the summer into the fall in preparation for the next year’s crop. I am hot, sweaty (or is it “glowing”), and scratched from the process today. But there is a sense of purpose and accomplishment that makes me smile.

This morning’s garden experience has brought to mind this is a lot like relationships. Meaningful relationships take work, a lot of work, continuous work, sometimes unpleasant and even painful work. But if I want to see the harvest: healthy, vibrant, life giving relationships that flourish bearing much fruit in my life and the lives of others, I must stay the course and remain faithful to the “garden” of relationships the Lord has called me to tend.

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ” Romans 12:18

I am no Master Gardener, but I know the One who is. He continues to teach little life lessons in the simplest of tasks. Another sweet reason to give thanks for my garden.

May you have a blessed day tending to your “life’s garden.”

Multiflora Rose

History of multiflora rose from the Missouri Department of Conservation website:

“Multiflora rose was originally introduced to the East Coast from Japan in 1886 as rootstock for cultivated roses. In the 1930s the U.S. Soil Conservation Service advocated use of multiflora rose in soil erosion control. Experimental plantings were conducted in Missouri and Illinois, and as recently as the late 1960s, many state conservation departments were distributing rooted cuttings to landowners. It was planted in the Midwest for living fences and soil conservation. Managers recognized that plantings of this thorny, bushy shrub provided excellent escape cover and a source of winter food for wildlife. The species soon spread and became a serious invader of agricultural lands, pastures, and natural communities from the Midwest to the East Coast.”

The trunk can be as wide as 8 inches diameter and the bush can exceed 15 feet.  They are extremely hard to control and viciously difficult to handle because of the length of canes and that they are covered with thorns.  Millions of dollars are spent in time in mechanical and chemical control of these government-introduced, non-native, invasive shrubs.

Thankfully, most of our multiflora rose bushes are not as huge as this one in view of Brook Road.  I estimate the highest canes of this bush to be nearly 20 feet!  We, along with every farmer and rancher in Missouri battle these things year round.  I’m certain they would take over the world if left unchecked!