Call me a pessimist. On the one hand, I have no expectation that the U.S. Congress will do anything meaningful to reduce the U.S. deficit.
On the other, I’m a firm believer that if it does implement budget reform, the short-term result will be another severe hit to the economy.
Faced with a lose-lose proposition, I take the advice of Voltaire’s Candide: I will cultivate my garden.
I am at the mercy of Congress when it comes to fiscal policy, so it seems better to invest my time and concern where it can have some effect, whether good or ill.
Given my economic pessimism, one might assume that the purpose of my garden is to offset some of the grocery bill with substantial quantities of vegetables from asparagus to zucchini. In fact, I do grow vegetables from asparagus to zucchini, but between those bookends all I grow are beans, eggplant, okra and tomatoes. Six crops, however proliferate the produce, do not constitute a hedge against the economy. But they’re a worthwhile distraction.
I also produce many fine specimens of crabgrass, but they are best harvested young before they have opportunity to spread. I consider crabgrass the Paul Broun of my garden: annoying and useless.
It’s too early to say if 2011 will go down on record as a good garden year, but the asparagus shined. I let what appeared to be a weak stand go unmolested all last year, and was rewarded with a vigorous crop this spring. I’ve wiped out the asparagus deficit.
The green bean economy, however, is in recession. I switched varieties this year, foolishly listening to the siren call of seed catalogues, and neither variety comes close to matching the robust performance of Helda, which I’ve grown for two years.
Eggplants are an emerging crop. I’ve harvested one Japanese variety. The production potential of Black Beauty dipped due to early bug onset, but I’m cautiously optimistic of a recovery, although it could be slow.
The tomato segment of the garden economy is promising. Early on, I feared what appeared to be brown spot would kill my plants early. It has not progressed, and a strong harvest is under way. If only housing were doing so well.
Okra remains a futures market. I’m getting one or two pods a day, and it will be a couple of weeks before productivity peaks. They appear to be sturdy and vigorous start-ups with some potential for summer-long success, particularly since okra likes hot weather.
Then there are the blueberries. They’re not considered garden plants, but they boost the garden economy in the Beardsley yard. It’s a bull market for blueberries.
My garden may succeed or fail, but at least its fate is not up to Washington. We know how
that would turn out.
Mark Beardsley is the editor of The Commerce News. He lives (and grows a garden) in Commerce.
