To Till and To Tend: “Petting” the Leaves

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By Susan Alexander, OSRUI Associate Director

FullSizeRenderThe other day I had a conversation with George.  George is a forester and a person who knows a lot about gardening.  I told him about the greenhouse (khah-mah-Mah), and he told me many things about starting plants from seed.  As we were finishing our talk, he reminded me to pet the leaves.  “It’s important, you know.”  I chuckled to myself, thinking that perhaps George spent a bit too much time in the forest.  I chuckled, but then raced back to the greenhouse and pet all the leaves.  I found out that petting the leaves on the plants not only prepares the plants to get used to the outdoors but also prevents them from becoming too spindly.  Thank you, George!

Hopefully, this summer, our campers will learn about the miracles of planting seeds and of growing food. There are so many different kinds of programs that gardening inspires.  We want the campers to learn about the Jewish connection to the earth. We want them to learn about healthy eating. We want them to know about the physical labor involved in keeping the garden working and how growing food, spices and flowers will not only be wonderful for OSRUI, but for our community as well.  It is a continuing project and we are determined to make it a success.

Meanwhile, back in the greenhouse, there are many things growing already.  Some of what we hope to harvest include: watermelons, pumpkins, different varieties of squash, corn, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, chives, dill, rosemary, sunflowers, and the list goes on.  I am enjoying the process of starting this project and hope that with the help of our great Teva staff, this summer, the campers will as well.

“Even if the land is full of all good things, still you must plant…..” (Midrash, Tanachuma, Kodashim 8)

Check back regularly for updates to Susan’s blog series: To Till and To Tend!