Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Talk-it-out Tuesday: getting the dirt...

I have a theory...

Dirt is good for you...  Not gossip dirt.  That stuff's totally toxic.  But good, honest, from-the-soul-of-the-Earth DIRT is fantastic for you (I think).  All those hand sanitizers, and "disinfecting" soaps do a great job at nuking bad bacteria, but they also have the same effect on good bacteria; the stuff that helps keep our immune systems strong and build up resistance to diseases, bugs, and other general heebie-jeebies.

I'm not suggesting that you should stop bathing and stew in your own filth.  Just don't be so afraid to play in the dirt.  Go weed you garden.  Don't have a garden?  Go weed your neighbor's garden.  They don't have one either?  Who are you people?  Good grief, just go buy a pot, put some dirt in it, and play in it.  Chip the hell out of your manicure, get some dirt under there that might take days to get back out, give the ground a nice loving massage, and sit back and watch it thank you.  You'll be doing your immune system, the ground, and your plants an enormous favor.  Let your kids play in the dirt too.  Let them eat it.  Trust me, the fact that it doesn't come in a package containing BPA makes it less scary than a whole lot of the other stuff they'll eat.

Here's a formula to go on... 45 minutes of weeding 1/2 of a raised bed garden = greater than 1 hour of therapy.  Repeat the next afternoon for another hour of free therapy.  Pick up a pitch fork, repeatedly stab and turn soil (trust me it loves it), stand back, observe a happy plant-ready bed of soil, and the freedom to skip the gym today.  You're welcome...  


Thanks for stopping by,
-Lindsey

PS:  I'm not sure who the guy is that originally spread the rumor that raised beds were weed-freed gardens, but he's a turd.

3 comments:

  1. I had to share this with you:

    http://www.sproutrobot.com/

    Enter your zip code and this site tells you when to plant certian things. This is great for garden noobs like me :)
    Whatcha think?

    Yesterday, I spent a half hour weeding my lil flower garden. My lillies are growning like crazy! Now I just gotta haul my ass to my local greenhouse and pick out some pretty flowers.
    Was nice to get some dirt under my nails. Its like a badge of a job well done :)

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  2. i'd never heard of that site before. Thanks! it's fantastic!

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  3. I figured you would like it. Gonna try growing some Mint in a pot in a pot this weekend. I really hope it grows *crosses fingers* I have a black thumb and I'm hoping to change that this year.

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