Fallow.

To grow great veggies you need to have soil with benefits in it - nutrients. This is why many gardeners rave about using composts, manure, air-rating soil...etc. Look after the soil, and the veggies will look after themselves.

My veggie patch is currently divided it up into quarters. Three quarters is filled with seedlings and plants ready for a winter crop, and the remaining quarter will be left empty - on purpose.

A "fallow" is (land) plowed and left unseeded for a season or more; uncultivated.
The area left to fallow is inactive for a season. It is the method of planting nothing at all to allow fields time to replenish, rejuvenate, and regain fertility.

This system gives the empty ground a rest, only things are added... compost, new things to give it health. This may seem to some as waste... it did to me... but now I understand.

Fallow - is a simple principle which highlights the benefits of a section of you that is being built up (not taken from)... while the bulk of you is being used/poured out. So, the remaining part rests and the following season the fallow area is used, and a previously used area will have a rest. During the rest hopefully some good stuff is put in to your soil... your condition stronger and produce more fruit.

A field that has great soil and is never used is a waste, the same way a field that is constantly being used and never looked after will become baron land - both are poor results. A good farmer looks after what he has been given and tends his property so he can get the most out of his fields without neglecting or destroying them. Getting crops now as well as supporting the land to ensure success of future harvests.

This all makes sense... but when I become busy or greedy, I think "I could plant more seedlings and get a bigger crop this season". But it would be at the detriment of future seasons. We need to keep an eye on our soil condition.

Don't run yourself dry, and remember to put good stuff back into your soil.

Growing with you,

Akita.
18-5-09

To view past editions of Thrive, click: THRIVE editions

Matthew 25 v 2-4
"The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins"

"Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps."

Please feel free to forward this email newsletter to friends + family.

Akita Olsen

Bunbury Vineyard Church.
PO Box 1475, Bunbury,
WA 6231, Australia.
www.bunburyvineyard.org.au

If somebody has forwarded this email to you and you'd like to subscribe to this weekly message, please visit www.bunburyvineyard.org.au/thrive.htm.