Easing Back . . .

Dear Folks,

First, I'm not going away.

Just, easing back on group activity and maybe fewer blog posts.

I will always answer you emails, questions and facebook messages as soon as I can.

I may be with family or doing some more traveling, so I could be off for a week or so, or just tending (that is to say better tending) to the gardens.

Some History:

I have been doing my trowel and error gardening, here in the desert for over 3 decades.  About 20 years ago, I began bringing my extra herbs and other garden produce to the farmers market. I was dubbed "The Herb Lady" by vendors and customers and was pleased to be able to answer questions.

I am not an extrovert and found "responding" to questions quite easy as it was about a subject I am passionate about.

Sometime later I discovered the Valley Permaculture Alliance online forum and joined to see what everyone was talking about and where I might pick up additional information and where I could ask questions myself.  I dipped my 'fingers' into the forum and discovered a community of gardening knowledge seekers and those with light to great expertise.

Somewhere in that time I was asked to do lectures and that opportunity to teach more folks, who may not (many were not) online, turned into many lectures both public and private.

Back to VPA, I also noticed many 'newbie' questions going unanswered and my concern that they might feel ignored, gave me a little push to tentatively answer questions which were not.

As I answered more questions I began finding another niche outside the farmers market where I could encourage folks to try . . . growing anything they had an interest in, using what experience I had to answer their questions, point them to inside links or outsides links to further give them more help.

In April 2005 I began this blog,  It was just 3 posts and then I kind of sat back, still at the farmers market and still on the VP forum and I had my first book published

In 2008 I began more regular blog posts because I found I could more easily add pictures, explanations and report on what was - and was not - working in my gardens.  I also wanted to share recipes.

If you ever tried to find information on gardening in the desert through book stores or on line you would have found a slim list.  Most gardening books are written for 4 season climates, but we can garden year round here, so answering all those "how do you garden in the desert" questions was a niche I felt I could help fill.

Seven Years ago I joined facebook due to a family tragedy and the need for that portion of the family to adequately keep everyone up to date.  I had not had any interested in FB before that.

As I got comfortable looking around I discovered I could create a Page and then I found local gardening groups and began joining.  Oh my, what a great community of like-minded garden lovers.

I began answering questions and I ALWAYS learned something new myself.  Great opportunities and experiences.

Over the years people have asked me to mentor, or take on an apprentice to pass on my knowledge.  I felt I mentored by teaching and answering questions.

I began answering questions, as I mentioned I am not an extrovert, because I was not seeing them answered.

What I have now found - happily - is there is a great community of folks out there who have the expertise and willingness to answer those questions which used to go unanswered.

I'm not going away, I am just easing back.  I will drop in every once in a while to visit the groups and see what everyone is discussing - as I noted I always learn something new when I visit the groups.

I will continue my monthly Planting Tips blog post which also is added to facebook.

I will blog and/or post when there is something useful or informative to share.

AND I will always get back to your questions whether you email me, comment on a blog post, or message me on facebook, it just might take a few days or a week.

Meanwhile I will be tending my garden, visiting with family and continuing to explore any new-to-me-herbs or other edibles I just have to try growing in my garden.

I hope and wish for you too, to expand your garden journey.
 

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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