When planting fails

Sometimes success is not what you grow or do, success comes from the lessons you learn along the way.

Last month I joined a mini challenge to grow a canola plant on my kitchen counter. I turned to my community (both online and in person) for canola plant growing advice and set a plan to grow the best canola plant that I could.

It turns out that my idea of growing the best plant was much different than reality.

So I paused.

Lessons from my Canola Kitchen

1. Try, Try Again – Do Not Allow Failure to Hold You Back

   Uh oh, it’s day 7 and still no sprouts. I’m thinking this is not good. #farmtofoodfamily pic.twitter.com/YENidnLVDa

   — Jennifer Dyck (@jeniferdyck) November 13, 2016

   When my first attempt at growing a canola plant failed miserably. I took all of my remaining seeds and tried again. Guess what?! I ended up with one germinated seed that has become my seedling.

   Project canola re-seed. Broadcast, fork mix, pack gently, water. I’m all in. No more seed left. #FarmToFoodFamily pic.twitter.com/LRgjvnvoRW

   — Jennifer Dyck (@jeniferdyck) November 14, 2016

   I have a sprout! A tiny canola sprout…now what!? #farmtofoodfamily pic.twitter.com/WYDjJpdZyU

   — Jennifer Dyck (@jeniferdyck) November 23, 2016

2. Even Slow Change is Growth

   A colleague shared this quote with me:
   “Slowly, slowly the egg will walk!” ~Ethiopian Proverb

   Slowly, slowly the plant will grow…5 weeks in. I’m on track to harvest fall of 2017. #farmtofoodfamily pic.twitter.com/yI1GPyfxF3

   — Jennifer Dyck (@jeniferdyck) December 19, 2016

   Sometimes change is so slow you think it’s not moving, until one day, it is! The lesson in this is to enjoy the journey, no matter how slow or fast it might seem.

3. Community is: Knowledge, Support & Kindness

   There was a time when your community was restricted by your physical geographical location – think your community centre, local club, church or coffee shop.

   Today with the advancement of technology we can extend our community outside our geographical neighbourhoods and all the way around the world.
   
   With technology (mostly Twitter this time):
   –Knowledge was accessed from farmers across Manitoba and all the way to Alberta, Canada!
   –Support, encouragement and questions arrived from peers near and far.
   –Kindness came as tips for best success, offers to send supplies and humour to help me through the failures.

The lesson for me was far greater than how to grow a canola plant. It was a lesson in community building, a lesson that included; humility, patience, asking for help, sharing stories and best of all contributing the the #FarmToFood conversation.

Where will your curiosity and passion for learning take you next?!

Always…Jenn