September. The Sharing Effect.
September has arrived and with it, an almighty downpour, which is great for the garden, but not so much for the gardener. I must invest in a superior raincoat. The squash that were starchy little noblets only a week ago have now swelled into what I hope will become sweet, orange butternuts in the not too distant future. The pumpkins are lagging behind but I remain optimistic.
The borlotti beans are ripening and I think they are my favourite. The french beans and runners are doing well too, almost too well and that is why I think I love borlottis so much. Unlike french beans that must be picked and eaten and shared with neighbours and friends quickly, quickly before they get woody and the plants stop producing, Borlotti can be harvested and consumed at a more leisurely pace. Pick a handful for now if you fancy, leave the rest to mature on the plant. And then there is the pleasure of peeling open that crimson pod and watching the speckled beans pop out. Like precious stones they’re lovely to hold and once dried they can be stored, ready to soak and add to stews and soup all throughout the winter. Fill a kilner jar and I dare you to resist delving your hand in to feel their cool smooth shapes tumble between your fingers. Or maybe that’s just me.
It is a busy time at Overtown and this week Nancy has been catering for B&B guests and lunch for around 20 visitors. The greenhouse and potting bench are positioned at the back door to the kitchen and I can hear the clatter of pans and dishes as Nancy, Kya and Claire prepare a feast from our garden produce. I’m potting on winter brassica while the dogs cruise around me checking in regularly for fusses.
The mouthwatering aroma of rosemary and roasting potatoes eventually reaches us in the yard and Frank takes a chance and peers around the back door. He is reminded kindly several times that he is to stay outside while lunch is being cooked before the door is closed. He wedges his determined little snout into the door jamb but finally accepts that he must wait, and we look at one another sympathetically.
I like it when the house is busy and I really enjoy talking to people when they discover the veg garden. I have the pleasure of working in some beautiful private gardens, but there is something extra special about working in a garden that is shared. The benefits of gardening on your physical and mental wellbeing have been well documented now and can easily be attributed to the increased contact with nature, but if you really want to supercharge that magical power, improve your optimism, energy and resilience, then you need to share it.
When joyful, positive moments are shared, the pleasure we experience is multiplied. This is sometimes called the ‘sharing effect’ and it is the reason Nancy, I and the team are working towards building a greater community around the garden. We already have brilliant students from Horizon College once a week for work experience and there are big plans ahead to invite more groups to visit and share all the benefits we receive from being in this beautiful space, from greater social connection, physical activity, education about nutrition, sustainability and the wider environment. Community is an essential human need and the Overtown community that has been built here is a brilliant one to be a member of and I hope it continues to grow. I will write more about these developments as they happen.
Nancy calls that lunch is ready and my wellies are off and I’m in the kitchen even before Frank. Mixed fresh bean salad, roasted herby spuds, courgette frittata, cabbage carrot and peanut slaw, dressed leaves, freshly baked breads, roasted chicken followed by mini apple and blackberry crumbles are waiting to be devoured. We all sit together to enjoy this shared triumph and it tastes all the better for it. In the words of Charlotte Bronte, “Happiness quite unshared can scarcely be called happiness; it has no taste” or if you prefer, Snoop Dogg, “It ain’t no fun if the homies can’t have none”.
