As a farmer, my job is to deeply connect with my environment, observe nature, and steward the land. I have a responsibility to understand what each unique plant needs and do my best to offer optimal growing conditions. I resist the urge to intervene and only impose my will when necessary. Accidentally becoming a strawberry farmer greatly tested my principled approach.

Two years ago, I was shopping at a local farm stand and they offered to throw in one sad-looking strawberry plant that was on sale. By the looks of it, they should’ve been paying me to take it! I knew absolutely nothing about growing strawberries and (at that time) had very little growing space. It was just one little plant though and I was sure I could make space somewhere. I mean, I couldn’t just leave it there to die. I had to try to save it. Rather, *I had to humbly offer it sacred space to flourish or return to the earth.

Its first year in our tiny, suburban backyard, that little struggle plant not only stayed alive, but it GREW. I didn’t get any strawberries that year, but I was really impressed by its comeback and set out to learn more so I could do better by it.

Fast forward to this spring, that one strawberry plant grew enough plants for me to expand into two small raised beds. Those plants produced approximately two pints of fresh, sweet berries this summer. They were soooo good! I proclaimed that next summer, I’ll have a strawberry PATCH. #goals

Since that proclamation, I’ve been on a mission to ground any strawberry runners I find to encourage more strawberry plant growth. In doing so, I’ve experienced a constant shortage of growing space. I’ve been growing strawberry plants in empty yogurt tubs, water bottles, tofu containers…and anything else I re-imagine as a temporary pot.

I now have nearly 200 strawberry plants. Yep, all from that one sad strawberry plant I adopted two years ago. My plan is to transplant them to our new farm strawberry patch in September where they’ll have plenty of space to continue growing. At the first sign of frost, I’ll cover the patch with loads of straw where the plants will lie dormant until next spring. I’m focused on keeping our strawberry plants happy and healthy in hopes that we’ll have lots of yummy berries to share next summer!

Well, that is…only if our critter friends are open to sharing with us next year.