Cultivating the garden

This summer, my family decided to make a little garden in the backyard so that we could grow our own food free of genetically modified organismws. We now grow our own vegetables and herbs, including tomatoes, lettuce, garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, and basil. We pick our food straight from the earth and bring it directly to our kitchen without any chemical treatments. It is comforting to know exactly where the things you eat come from, and to be sure that they are as fresh and natural as possible. Of course, there is no room in a tiny New York dorm for a garden—nor does there seem to be time to cultivate one. Columbia life can get pretty hectic, as we well know, but it might be worth a try to grow a little plant until we have the opportunity to grow ourselves a real garden. More Columbia students should take advantage of having a plant, as it would be especially soothing during these harsh New York winters when all the trees are bare and the world’s green is covered in white.

Besides the obvious health benefits of growing one’s own food or window plant, there are also emotional rewards. There is a sense of accomplishment in sustaining oneself by food that has been coaxed into existence with one’s own hands. Watering and grooming a plant are meditative ways to relax and return to nature, if only for a moment. It can be a welcome one-minute break from continuous studying when it’s not possible to take a walk in the park. It’s also just nice to be able to focus on unselfishly giving life to an organism that depends on you, rather than constantly dwelling on your GPA. Little plants might make better companions than the fish and turtles Columbia allows, as they can give you something concrete in return for their nourishment. A dash of home-grown basil adds a very personal touch to a bowl of pasta and any plant renews the oxygen in a stagnant room. Rather than relying solely on capitalist methods of currency to trade, gardening allows us to receive a product equal to the effort that we put into it.

There must be a reason why FarmVille is one of the most popular games on Facebook, with over 11 million daily users. Humans as a species feel the need to nurture, but virtual technology can never be as satisfying as real life. FarmVille is a lifeless method of going through the motions by clicking a mouse with absolutely no physical rewards. I would urge users to get off Facebook and to create something concrete in this world. Gardening should not be a solitary, virtual game but an enjoyable group activity. A garden in itself can represent the Earth that we share rather than our individual roots. Although plants are against housing regulations, or maybe because they are, it might be a nice bonding experience to keep them in private suites so that everyone can enjoy them and help them grow together.

In our once agricultural society, the simple pleasure of gardening was the norm and the foundation of a fixed civilization. Communities were built around sharing a diverse harvest of crops and the tradition of homemade food is a universal one that has been passed down through generations. In modern America, this practice has been forgotten and consumer culture has taken over. A little plant cannot compare to a real garden, but it is just enough to remind me of my own past in this rapidly modernizing world. My 94-year-old great-uncle still tends to his garden by himself and lives off only the food he produces. He swears that this is the reason for his longevity and is proud to follow the tradition of his ancestors.

The budding leaves that struggle to grow can bring us hope and remind us of the beauty of life while we stare at the white walls and bars of a dorm room in the shaft. Our lives can only become richer if we cultivate our own gardens—if everyone were to do this, not only metaphorically but also physically, we would have a greener and healthier campus.

Maria Gimenez Cavallo is a Columbia College sophomore.