I joined my co-worker Karen after work yesterday to harvest the nettles growing by our compost bin. “How should I cut them?,” I asked. “Well, that depends on what your vision for them is.” Karen answered. I stared back blankly. I’m a bit unfamiliar with harvesting food, but eager to get over it. All the cool kids around here are doing it and for good reason.
Karen told me how Milarepa turned green from eating so many of the outwardly prickly weeds that hide deep inner health benefits. Excellent way to conclude the last of my three-day pizza break. We discussed a podcast with a Buddhist perspective on ecological issues from meditation/gardening teacher Wendy Johson, the new community garden on our campus in which residents will work and the possibility of hosting a skill share or using nettles in a Zen House social enterprise.
Right before joining Karen, I took my camera out of my pocket, convinced that I should prove that my interest in gardening is more than a passing fad before I broadcast it to the world, but when Karen suggested that we make a blog post, I went running into the house to get it. I don’t think I’ll eat pizza today either.