The Yorkton and District Horticultural Society is still without meetings, but looking ahead with hope to when we can gather again! Visit us at www.yorktonhort.cato find out what’s new!
Visit and see some pictures from some adventurous gardeners who are growing cucumbers indoors, and have already have been enjoying fresh cucumbers for a few weeks already! Can you imagine how wonderful they must taste?
If you are looking for garden space, the Community Peace Garden (located at the Yorkton Alliance Church) still might have some garden plots available for the coming gardening season. Please call Warren at 306-782-3249 and he can tell you if they are all spoken for at this time.
Did you know that April 22 is Earth Day? It’s a huge occasion, with events going on all over the world, in over 190 countries, to support awareness of the environment. According to Wikipedia, it has become “the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated by more than a billion people every year”. That is an astonishing achievement.
Earth Day was celebrated for the first time in the United States in 1970. And now, more than a billion people around the globe mark the occasion in some way. While many countries are planning events, France has been a leader with all kinds of rallies and gatherings. With covid, things may be different in terms of gathering together, but no doubt they will have something special planned to celebrate the earth.
 We gardeners can understand the significance of such a day. Gardeners have a special connection with the earth, realizing with appreciation  and respect that it provides us with food for our tables, plants and trees that help us survive, beauty that changes with the seasons, serenity for our souls, exercise for our bodies, and even at the end of a hard gardening day, a feeling of accomplishment, happiness and connection with the earth and with God. As I read while I was doing homework about Earth Day, “We must restore our earth not just because we care about the natural world, but because we live on it. Every one of us needs a healthy Earth to support our jobs, livelihoods, health & survival, and happiness. A healthy planet is not an option — it is a necessity.”
Sometimes when we read about things like this, it can be overwhelming. We say to ourselves, I’m just one small gardener, what can I do to save the world? We can try to care for just one small corner of it, that’s what. Every time we plant something that we can eat and share with our neighbors, or plant something that brings beauty to the neighborhood, or plant a tree that will bring shade, shelter for wildlife and beauty for the next forty years, we are doing something very important. Together, it all is very important.
So what should we do for Earth Day? One good project would be to go for a walk through our neighborhoods, and see how most of us are lucky enough to be surrounded by nature. How many trees grow on our home street? We’d probably be surprised! Make a point of feeding the birds: their beautiful songs bring priceless music to the world. As you are out on your walk, pick up stray pieces of garbage. And as you are standing outside in the fresh air, take a few deep breaths and offer a prayer of gratitude for being alive and lucky enough to enjoy the day.
Thank you for our friends at Yorkton This Week for their wonderful work each week. Let’s pray for health for all. Have great week!
