EDible Project Site

Introduction
December
January
February
March

EDible, is a senior capstone project that focuses on teaching myself how to garden and understand sustainable, urban agriculture.

Proposal

I want to live on a farm in my future and continue my creativity. Through this project, I will learn how to grow my own food, personally understand agriculture, and the basics of a homestead lifestyle. This project has meaning for me because I am passionate about the process of being sustainable, and have a drive to live on a self-sustaining farm. This will mostly benefit my own being, but I want to also share my experience by journaling and creating a shareable zine.When I think about my later years, I imagine my life full of love and gathering, while living a simple life on a farm. --

This project acts as my learning process towards this goal.In the first few months, I will be begin to grow seedlings for my personal urban garden and learn from my botany class about plant structure and the way plants grow effectively. I will then be applying this research to art pieces and try to reflect on how this new knowledge impacts my thoughts of a homestead and my future goals. I also will be taking notes and taking progress pictures along the way.

Introduction

During my junior year of high school, I had a secret "awakening". This sudden jolt of serenity occurred to me while walking down the hall of Lincoln High, just out of my chemistry class. Chemistry class was the hardest course I had ever taken, it caused many nights of late studying and paranoia. I felt unhappy and overwhelmed, it felt as though life had no meaning other than good grades and strong work ethic, but I knew that there was more to my existence. This project acts as my learning process towards this goal.

I looked for answers to cure this distress. I studied not only chemistry, but also music and culture, trying to form myself as a human. I somehow discovered this underlying drive to live on farm. I felt claustrophobic in that high school hallway: I felt the need to escape, to flee the city. I imagined the warmth of sunlight on my cheeks while harvesting, the gathering and eating of the food I would grow; it made my heart fill with love for something I never had. I then dropped my enthusiasm for urban exploration, knowing that this uncomfortable hustle would never give up. I finally found my true purpose and guiding hope. I was meant to be a farmer.

December

This month was spent fully reflecting on what it means to be a farmer for myself.I thought back to my younger years of being with my father and step mother, engrossed in community activities such as Bioneers and my father's edible and native garden. It seemed to be where my love for growing food with a community began and I feel so lucky to have had that opportunity as a kid.

My grandfather often talks about his childhood on the Hintz farm. This reminds me of my heritage in rural Nebraska and gives me hope that I can return to something I never had, but is in my blood.I am reminded of my grandmother, Hintz. How she taught me how to plant flowers and tend to a garden, how to make a dead place full with life.

January

In winter months, I longed to give life to the warmth inside my imagination. All I could think of was the research and knowledge I was gaining. It felt like the more I learned the more I dreamed. I taught myself the functions of permaculture, aquaponics, and indoor farming, out of the hopes of planting my own seedlings. With all of my family having their own gardens, I have never worked to have my own garden. I now dream of the spring and planting, sowing and taking care of my seedlings. The most fulfilling part of this month was picking out seeds at my local grocery store, and sensing a bond between the warmth, the hope that I felt originally, and the new life in my hands.

February

The time has finally come to plant my seeds and develop a relationship with my new sprouts. On February 17th, I planted 50 seedlings: 10 oregano, 10 bell peppers, 10 onion, 10 tomatoes, 10 tomatillos. They now live in front of my window.
I also started my zine cover page and am starting to understand the format.

March

March has been crazy! During the first few weeks of the month, my seedlings have been growing stronger and now their leaves are so heavy that they need support. I put popsicle sticks next to them to help them grow upright. I can feel this bond between myself and my seedlings that I can not believe I ever lived without.In the middle of March, the Covid-19 virus left me anxious, depressed and unable to think about much else. But, as I continued to focus on my seedlings they seemed to help me understand my safety with them as a resource and a way to spend my time. They gave me security that nothing else could really give, a sense of I have something to rely on and continue through this havoc. I am very thankful that they comforted me and that I have a sort of a symbiotic relationship with them. I take care of them with water, food, and maintenance and they take care of me through the comfort and support I find in them.The Covid-19 extended spring break and gave my mom and I enough time to build raised beds in our backyard. I feel very grateful for my health and stability at this time.