Offshoots

From Sarah: Here at Sarah’s Seed Shop, we're trying something new this year. In this blog post, I would like to introduce Maren, a farm girl from the faraway land of my imagination.

Yes, of course I talk to the plants. And no, I ain’t crazy. Thing is, when you raise ‘em from seed, tryin’ to coax ‘em from the dry sand, well–they become like family.

Maybe an explanation’s in order. 

My name’s Maren, and I live in the dusty town of Tolero. ‘Course, I hear all towns in this forsaken land are dusty, some more than others. See, the Drought’s been goin’ on since–well, I don’t even know when. Legend has it the last raindrops fell into Hidal’s flask centuries ago–but that’s a tale for another time. Papa says a drop o’ that special rainwater found its way into our wells, so here in Tolero, we’re better off than some. Still, it ain’t no small task gettin’ seeds to sprout, much less keepin’ ‘em alive.

So, yeah, I talk to the plants. I encourage ‘em to stretch their little roots down, down, down, toward hidden water. 

I tell ‘em they’re beautiful when they open up their little leaves. 

I tell ‘em stories from my mama’s library, stories of dune dragons and rainsingers and ancient times–not ‘cause the plants have any use for stories, but ‘cause I love to tell ‘em. 

I praise ‘em every day they face the sun, bowing to its relentless heat but refusing to let it take ‘em. Because, like my papa and mama and everyone in this town–I want ‘em to live. 

Back on the stories, though. Papa says we’re all offshoots of a bigger story–an epic tale that goes on and on, though the characters come and go and tell their own tales along the way. I reckon that’s the real reason I talk to the plants–to remind ‘em they have stories to tell, too.  

Take corn, for instance. He wears rags fit for the desert–green leaves that quickly fade to brown each summer. Yet he stands tall, waging war with the sun, drinkin’ up the little bit of water we give him and thankin’ us for it.   

Corn thrives in drought, grows taller in the heat. Even without much water, each stalk gives ear after ear of pale, white-yellow goodness. Corn feeds our cattle, givin’ us beef and milk and hard labor. He feeds us, too–there’s so much you can do with him. Eat him fresh off the cob. Grind him into meal and masa. Cook him down into a sweet syrup. Wrap tamales in his husks. We even make medicine from his silks. 

Water may be king, the giver o’ life… but corn does much o’ the work for him. He’s a servant of the people, a loyal protector and defender. Don’t let his desert rags fool you–corn is really a prince in disguise. 

And he ain’t the only one with a story like that. All the plants are just waitin’ for someone to come up and ask ‘em: What part do you play in all this?

From Sarah: Check back every Monday as Maren shares stories from each of the plant varieties available at Sarah’s Seed Shop.

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