Photo by Егор Камелев

By Mary Appophia

“your farm attracts quite the wildlife grandma.”

I finally remark as we both continue watching yet another bird perch on a young pawpaw tree, a bee hover over a coriander plant, ladybugs manouvre the broad kale leaves, and a lizard wind it’s way over the support rocks.

“This..”,
She starts, as she waves her hands around,

“The scents,
The color,
The activity,
Range of plants,
All the chaos and diversity really,
This I feel is how a garden, and any farm should look like.”

I stare at her blankly as I chew her words over in my mind.

Hands on her waist she stares back probably wondering why I can’t comprehend it.
Then continues in an almost exasperated voice now waving her hands around again.

“The farm looks alive.
It is alive…
It looks rich.
It is rich”

And I find myself nodding as I catch on her meaning.
Her farm has an aliveness to it.
It is rich in both flora and fauna.
The soils are healthy.
It produces plenty.
And it looks…..happy?

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