Our Garden Context

Towards the end of Norman Wirzba's book From Nature to Creation he makes a compelling argument that all people must appreciate the fundamental importance of the land as the source and destination of their life and to also encourage and support communities that practice environmentally conservative economies for the land and the people inhabiting that land. This is undoubtedly the main focus of all environmental groups today that advocate for the health of the planet which begins at the individual level. Wirzba promotes gardening itself because of the intimate connection a person can cultivate by simply working the land. He also brings up the fact that when working closely with flora and fauna you have the opportunity to experience the powers of death, and how in a garden a person can learn that death is not the end to life but actually crucial to further other life. Even though this idea is entirely true in terms of how the process of nutrition and fertilization works in decaying material, it is of course daunting to most and definitely a concept best saved for more mature individuals.

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