The Garden is Planted!

"San Ysidro Labrador" by Belarmino Esquibel, 1996,
Museum of Spanish Colonial Art,
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Did you know that May 15 is observed as the Feast Day of St. Isidore the Farmer?  Known for his love of the poor, Isidore (1070-1130) -- a simple farmworker in Madrid, Spain --  is a patron saint of farmers and farm laborers.  According to legend, a spring miraculously sprang up and watered the fields where Isidore was planting.  This inspires some people -- to this very day -- to pray for Isidore's intercession in times of drought.  Another legend portrays Isidore inviting a large group of beggars to a feast to which he had been invited.  When the host complained that he did not have enough food, Isidore assured him that God would provide.  Indeed, not only was there enough food, but there were leftovers!  A final legend tells of Isidore recklessly feeding grain to flocks of starving birds.  However, when the sacks of grain reached the mill for which they were destined, they were miraculously full and produced double the amount of flour expected. 

So, it is quite fitting that on St. Isidore Day,  May 15, 2015, we planted the new vegetable garden -- 10 beds -- at the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women!  Thank you (again!) to Claudia from City Green for her perseverance and assistance in our garden expansion.  Thank you to everyone who helped.  Enjoy some photos from the day.  (Email subscribers, please click here if you do not see the photos embedded below.)

May St. Isidore watch over our garden and may we have a fruitful harvest!



Claudia explains the concept of "square foot gardening."