Read by Michael Flamel

If someone says, “If you’re going to go, go big!” should you listen? Well, my wife and I did when we bought our 117-acre abandoned farm in middle Tennessee. It was more scrub and trees than cultivable land, but hey, we were up for a challenge.

The farmhouse was a fixer-upper to say the least – holes in the roof, sketchy wiring, and no indoor plumbing. But with the spirit of adventure (and perhaps a touch of naivety), we dove right in.

Being a city kid didn’t stop me from dreaming of a bountiful vegetable garden. Armed with determination and a few hand tools, I carved out an acre of scrubby ground near the house. The soil was red clay mixed with rocks the size of softballs – not exactly a gardener’s dream.

Rock removal became my daily workout routine. I’d wheelbarrow them off to the ravines, dreaming of slowing down erosion and reclaiming the land. But those rocks seemed to multiply like rabbits every time it rained.

Refusing to use chemical fertilizers, I embarked on an organic odyssey. Tobacco waste, chicken manure – you name it, I tried it. Let’s just say, my tomatoes had quite the rollercoaster ride, drooping one day and thriving the next.

But amidst the trial and error, I stumbled upon a simple solution – nature itself. Maple leaves, grass clippings – the very things I used to burn became my garden’s best friends. They transformed the stubborn clay into rich, loamy soil.

And so, with a little common sense and a lot of perseverance, I learned that sometimes, less is more – especially during rush-hour traffic with a truck full of chicken manure. ❖

About the author: Michael Gigandet, a retired lawyer turned farmer and writer, has been on an organic odyssey since he and his wife Jan purchased their Tennessee farm in 1987. His humorous tales of gardening misadventures have been featured in various literary magazines and anthologies, showcasing his love for the land and the joy of finding harmony with nature. You can find more of Michael’s stories at michaelgigandet.com.