great post-as a woman who had to retire at 68, i amire your tenacity. i brokea femur on christmas day of 2024 and am healing at a care center--no opp to mess in the soil. so anyone who continues to fight the nettles and everything else deserves an accolade.
I enjoyed this post and the new legacy commitment behind it. While I have what sounds like a lot of land (6 acres) it's on a mountain ridge and I bought it for the view and the forest. But just lately I'm looking around trying to figure out how I could create a mini-homestead garden. Unfortunately, that would mean a lot of digging to remove the ever-persistent rhodos and laurels on the very little flat ground. What an adventure!
Marsha we're on ten acres of rented land, an amount which could be said to be both too much and not enough! I do hope you'll join in and share your progress - maybe you could start at least with contained raised beds?
Thanks, Jackie. I thought about raised beds. I do have a small parcel of land that the original owner had somewhat terraced with plans of a vegetable garden. I let it go to seed for a couple of years and I'm trying to reclaim it now. Sun-wise it's not quite ideal but it could work. My biggest concern is how much I'd lose to the other inhabitants of the forest – rabbits, raccoons, deer, bear, moles and voles. While I don't mind sharing some, of course, I don't want all that hard work to be for no food. Lots to think about.💚
I am here to join you on this journey. I have retired, in a small way, and begun to repurpose my life toward writing about the richness of my inner life -- which, like yours, involves conversations with plants (and other ancestors). (I Lean Liminal, here on Substack)
Im nesring 60, no sign of retirement but am pivoting my veterinary practice to providing consults online and working towards getting on my own small plot of farmland. I did finally grow some nettles, in a pot! It is not native to south Florida but she is a strong, familiar ally and its so comforting to watch her grow and go to seed I use the seed for dogs that are in kidney failure, a disease of "old age".
This is so delightful to find you as I too am up to this point of life. Im growing an embarrassingly large garden as blessed with hundreds of acres. Trying to get to self sufficiency for at least 2-3 families as grandchildren are close. I’m probably on the other side of the world so upside down seasons to you which could be fun to share our stories. ATM I’m overwhelmed by 90 fruit trees needing pruning. 🫣 feeling foolish to be growing so much.
Jackie, so much of what you said resonated with me! There's the ' ‘I am due to retire, but to retire implies being able to do things at leisure, while supporting yourself with the funds you have accumulated together with state provision. I haven’t really accumulated any funds, and state provision is inadequate. Therefore I just need to ignore this watershed and carry on as if nothing has happened, but … I am due to retire!’' which I could have said word for word (only less eloquently) ; the part about having two children who are now adults in their own right; the part about roots/mulch... so much! I turned 60 last year and due to various factors, including over 13 years of not contributing to a pension to fit flexible things around those seedlings of mine, I have no possible way of affording 'retirement' in the traditional sense. Combine that with marital separation but still sharing property, and not knowing how to disentangle one decent house with all the young folks still living in it, with their partners, I am very stuck. It's therefore really uplifting to read about and feel inspired by others in this wonderful third-third of life. xx Thanks!
I’m here for all this. This has been my legacy mission since 2016 but I’m just starting to share it here on Substack for the past year. Always learning & sharing what I learn. 💜
great post-as a woman who had to retire at 68, i amire your tenacity. i brokea femur on christmas day of 2024 and am healing at a care center--no opp to mess in the soil. so anyone who continues to fight the nettles and everything else deserves an accolade.
Oh Jeanne, I'm so sorry to hear that. Hope someone will bring you some tubs and bulbs or seeds to sow!
I enjoyed this post and the new legacy commitment behind it. While I have what sounds like a lot of land (6 acres) it's on a mountain ridge and I bought it for the view and the forest. But just lately I'm looking around trying to figure out how I could create a mini-homestead garden. Unfortunately, that would mean a lot of digging to remove the ever-persistent rhodos and laurels on the very little flat ground. What an adventure!
Marsha we're on ten acres of rented land, an amount which could be said to be both too much and not enough! I do hope you'll join in and share your progress - maybe you could start at least with contained raised beds?
Thanks, Jackie. I thought about raised beds. I do have a small parcel of land that the original owner had somewhat terraced with plans of a vegetable garden. I let it go to seed for a couple of years and I'm trying to reclaim it now. Sun-wise it's not quite ideal but it could work. My biggest concern is how much I'd lose to the other inhabitants of the forest – rabbits, raccoons, deer, bear, moles and voles. While I don't mind sharing some, of course, I don't want all that hard work to be for no food. Lots to think about.💚
I am here to join you on this journey. I have retired, in a small way, and begun to repurpose my life toward writing about the richness of my inner life -- which, like yours, involves conversations with plants (and other ancestors). (I Lean Liminal, here on Substack)
How lovely to have you here! What a glorious diversity of people!
Im nesring 60, no sign of retirement but am pivoting my veterinary practice to providing consults online and working towards getting on my own small plot of farmland. I did finally grow some nettles, in a pot! It is not native to south Florida but she is a strong, familiar ally and its so comforting to watch her grow and go to seed I use the seed for dogs that are in kidney failure, a disease of "old age".
That is so interesting! I'm so glad you're here. The breadth of wisdom we have access to here, in our little clan, is amazing!
This is so delightful to find you as I too am up to this point of life. Im growing an embarrassingly large garden as blessed with hundreds of acres. Trying to get to self sufficiency for at least 2-3 families as grandchildren are close. I’m probably on the other side of the world so upside down seasons to you which could be fun to share our stories. ATM I’m overwhelmed by 90 fruit trees needing pruning. 🫣 feeling foolish to be growing so much.
Oh this is perfect! Sharing our learning and stories will be amazing!
Jackie, so much of what you said resonated with me! There's the ' ‘I am due to retire, but to retire implies being able to do things at leisure, while supporting yourself with the funds you have accumulated together with state provision. I haven’t really accumulated any funds, and state provision is inadequate. Therefore I just need to ignore this watershed and carry on as if nothing has happened, but … I am due to retire!’' which I could have said word for word (only less eloquently) ; the part about having two children who are now adults in their own right; the part about roots/mulch... so much! I turned 60 last year and due to various factors, including over 13 years of not contributing to a pension to fit flexible things around those seedlings of mine, I have no possible way of affording 'retirement' in the traditional sense. Combine that with marital separation but still sharing property, and not knowing how to disentangle one decent house with all the young folks still living in it, with their partners, I am very stuck. It's therefore really uplifting to read about and feel inspired by others in this wonderful third-third of life. xx Thanks!
So excited for this, Jackie.
It's an exciting time, Owen!
I’m here for all this. This has been my legacy mission since 2016 but I’m just starting to share it here on Substack for the past year. Always learning & sharing what I learn. 💜
That's fabulous Becki, all kinds of teachers and learners together.