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Growing Mondays: Grow to appreciate beauty
Love makes our efforts beautiful
Jo Hunter Adams
April 28, 2025
Hi! I'm Jo, writing from Heart & Soil homestead, a 1-acre homestead in the Far South of Cape Town, South Africa. Every week I share inspiration and education for your growing journey. Thanks so much for reading!
Welcome to Growing Mondays, where I share ideas to help you grow edible and medicinal plants.
Duty makes us do things well,
but love makes us do them beautifully.
Spot swivel chameleon on the apple tree… He moved over about 50cm from his spot on the wild dagga.
Produce this weekend. I love passing out food that I made.
Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.
Growing is beautiful, especially if it is part of a bigger story
We are born to be part of bigger narratives. It can’t just be about being great at growing, fun as that is. Or even at being super healthy, or have an amazing diet. We need a bigger story, one in which our love finds an outlet.
I am always trying to connect to that bigger narrative, not always successfully.
Many of you that live nearby stop by our homestead on weekends, and I feel your love when you visit. In some ways visiting us, rather than buying from bigger establishments, is your way of entering into a bigger narrative.
Homesteading is often perceived as a way to be self-sufficient, but self-sufficient can sometimes be self-righteous and disconnected. The bigger story of our farm is always evolving, but I hope it will always be a story of love and beauty.
Wherever you’re growing, perhaps love and beauty can be central tenets. Here’s to autumn growing with you.
Tunnel growing. Basil growing strong (as long as I keep up with removing flowers…) while napa cabbage is ready for harvest.
Workshops
24 May 9-10:30 Worm composting workshop
7 June 9-10:30 Veg growing workshop
5 July 9-10:30 Kimchi making workshop
12 July 9-10:30 Sourdough workshop
We’re doing our once-a-year travel this week. A moment to share some of our more shelf stable goodness with loved ones.
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