Chicken Soup for The SoilWritten by Jean Fritz
Your soil is most important part of your garden, but too many people forget to nurture their soil. Soil is a living thing, containing microbes, fungi, insect life and general "creepy-crawlies" vital to plant health and vigor, as well as a receptacle for chemicals and trace elements. Doing a little soil prep every fall pays off each and every harvest.First, add more organic matter. Use your rototiller or your spade, and dig under frostbitten plant material, grass clippings, leaves, wood chips, and compost. Avoid using any diseased plant material as compost – burn it first if there are no local restrictions on burning. If you live near any livestock, cover your garden with 1 – 2” of uncomposted manure, then disguise that with other organic materials, and let whole thing winter over. A blanket of snow from December through March will turn all of it into about ¼” of most beautiful topsoil you can imagine. It’s also time to think about soil pH, or acidity or alkalinity. The addition of organic materials can lower pH, or make it more acidic. If your soil is already high in acid and you’d like to neutralize it, you can also add lime or wood ashes to your garden. Wood ashes are wickedly alkaline, but after a season or two, create an excellent haven for earthworms and add enough potash to soil to grow wonderful root crops.
| | Lesson from An Old GuitarWritten by Chuck Hinson
FOREWARD Sometimes, greatest parables can be found in everyday situations. What you’re about to read is something that happened to me in August, 1964. It’s story of an encounter between me and my father, C. E. Hinson. I’ll never forget lesson he taught me that day … it’s one that I’ve passed down to my children, and to others. It’s my prayer that you’ll find lesson in it, as well, and pass it on to those who can use wisdom he conveyed in this. My dad was, in my eyes, greatest man God could’ve put in 20 th Century. He and my mama were epitome of what Christ taught … and, to their memory, I dedicate this story. I hope you enjoy it.A LESSON FROM AN OLD GUITAR Years ago, when I was just barely into my teens, my dad came home from work carrying a battered, old guitar. He knew I wanted to learn to play one – I’d seen folk groups, country acts – even some new group called “The Beatles” playing them, and it looked like so much fun. In fact, while these performers were on TV, I’d watch carefully for close-up shots, and (using a baseball bat as a “guitar”) I’d mimic their fingering, position of chords and timing. When he gave me acoustic guitar, I sat down and, propping it up on my knee, began to position my fingers on neck, just as I had seen performers do. Certainly, I was going to be next Elvis. But he did something that I’ll remember to my dying day: He took a big, calloused hand, put it over fingerboard and stopped me from playing! Then he said, “Son, wait a minute. Let me tell you a little story. You see, Life’s a lot like that old guitar you’ve got, especially when it’s time to pay your dues. And, just like sounds you can make on that guitar, onesyou make in life is entirely up to you. We can’t stop you from framming away at it like an off-tune madman any more than we can stop you from playing beautiful music.
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