First Steps

My wife Marion and I decided last fall to cancel our yard maintenance contract because we wanted a pesticide-free lawn and garden. Neither of us was quite sure of the next steps -- we're new to organic gardening and lawn care. We figured we'd do some research and bumble our way into it, learning as we went.

Although the state of the environment has been on our mind for years, we've been busy professionals scarcely coping with the pressures of careers and family. Marion is a professor at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, and I'm an IT professional. Until recently I worked for a large insurance corporation based in Toronto.

A bout of poor health forced us both to take time out from the workforce and that sobering experience caused us to re-examine our priorities and lifestyle. In our earlier years we were avid naturalists, enjoying birding, plant identification, and walks in the outdoors. Somewhere along the way we lost touch with that. As we near retirement, we are re-establishing our bond with the earth and endeavouring to live more lightly on the planet.

We felt the place to start was at home. For us, that means paying more attention to how we recycle, how and what we purchase, what we do with kitchen and garden wastes, and eschewing the use of harmful chemicals on our lawns and gardens. We will be learning how to compost, how to treat lawns, and what native plants can be added to our gardens.

This will be a journey of learning, and the purpose of this blog is to record our steps as we enter into a new relationship with our environment. Our hope is that our fledgling efforts will encourage others to consider "green" gardening. We're not experienced at this and we believe that if we can do it, anyone can.

Fortunately, we're not doing this alone. There's an abundance of literature on green gardening in bookstores, libraries, and on the Internet. And there are many excellent organizations willing to answer questions and teach green-gardening methods and techniques.

It was our extreme good fortune to establish a link with EcoSource Mississauga, based in the village of Port Credit, Ontario, where we reside. The wonderful people at EcoSource have taken an interest in our efforts and are helping us learn our way into organic gardening. We will introduce them and their activities as this blog develops. For now, you can visit their website at www.ecosource.ca where they have posted excellent guides and links.