Hard Work and Hands Dirty

Laying The Ground Work

As I lay sprawled out on our couch Saturday evening, eyes heavy and limbs limp, my mind couldn't help but mull over the success of the day. My energy tank was empty as I tried to rest up for celebrating a friend's birthday in just a few hours, but my motivation and inspiration meter was off the charts. The restaurant group that I work for, Columbus Food League, incorporates social responsibility and sustainability into its core mission. Each summer the restaurants or our office have attempted to grow some garden produce to proudly serve at the restaurants. This year one way we decided that we could work toward both goals and increase our real impact was to take our garden to another level as a CFL Employee Garden. For the employees, planted by the employees. Providing an opportunity for access to fresh food, enhanced knowledge of our food and how it grows and the community of building something together which we can celebrate in the success of the bountiful (we hope!) harvest.


So Saturday was the rain postponed installation day and we could not have asked for better weather. Partly cloudy and 75 degrees, we got the ball rolling around 11am. Our small group of about 8 wonderful peers didn't give up until the job was done around 7:30pm! Raised beds of cedar planks were constructed, Scioto River Delta soil was shoveled and dumped, mulch bags were emptied, seedlings and seeds were planted and granite slabs (recycled cut outs from bathroom and kitchen sinks!) were laid as walk ways. Not a single complaint; only laughs and positivity filled the day's work. Not to mention, being in the Ohio State Campus area, the house party across the street provided pretty constant entertainment for the day as well. The hours flew, sun shining and progress constantly showing itself in each step that we completed. Fresh and heirloom eggplant, brussel sprouts, chili peppers, tomatos, cabbage, cucumber, broccoli, zucchini and a whole variety of herbs are just a start to what our reward will be come the late summer!

Final Product!

The exhaustion of the day's work was that wonderful feeling of having truly accomplished something; the feeling of creating something positive and the great and unexpected lift that you get from being outside,  rolling up your sleeves, getting your hands in the dirt,  breaking a sweat and loving every minute of it. What was most exciting and racing through my mind laying on the couch slipping into the sleepy bliss of laying vertically and on the soft cushions, was the rush of everyone working together to create. The power of a small group of people is incredible and tangible results like going from zero to full garden in just 8 hours makes a pretty strong case. The day suddenly was almost like a blur in my memory. Not the interactions with our group and learning about each step of the process or sharing our great cook out lunch to refuel. No, those are the salient details, but the physical labor just became part of the result in my mind leaving my fatigued muscles as a side thought and the pride, sense of accomplishment and desire for the opportunity to do more have become my take "forward" of the the day. I am inspired by the positivity of the group and what we did.

This kind of collaboration is everywhere and the hard earned results are starting to make more relevant, immediate and conscious impact; look around in the community. It's everywhere and you don't have to look to far to be inspired. It just takes a little hard work and getting your hands in the dirt.