Boots on the Ground Spell Sole Work

"You spelled your name wrong."  I was working, with my daughter, Kate, to set up our farmer's market booth in Blowing Rock and I looked up to see a man standing beside our sign.  He pointed a finger at the board.  "Sole.  It's supposed to be s-o-u-l."  I smiled at his smug face as I responded.  "Sir, you do not understand what I do."

It takes sole work to produce soul food

Years since that interaction, I often speak with people who attempt to correct my spelling, but gardeners who coax food from soil realize farming is its own "boots on the ground" job.  When I work in the fields, freshly plowed or covered with mile-high weeds, sturdy boots protect and support my feet and help to propel me from one task to the next.  Intense summer sunshine bakes both soil and soles and the vehicle's air conditioning brings welcome relief when I drive home after working in the heat.  Underfoot, ice crystals sometimes crunch as I harvest winter crops.  This week, after days of torrential downpours, knee-high waterproof boots kept my feet dry as I harvested Bok Choy, late tomatoes and fall greens.  Quicksand-like mud pulled at my ankles, threatening to toss me to the ground, but with the help of my boots, I traversed pools of standing water and stayed upright while I worked. 

Rubber boots protect feet from treacherous mud

Soon after we began to farm, Richard and I discovered the joy of harvesting and eating the fruits of our labor and we regard fresh produce as food for the body, mind and soul, but without sole work, it is not possible to grow a successful crop.  Sole work makes us more grateful for all food.  After losing almost an entire crop of butterbeans to hungry deer and groundhog attacks, the unexpected gift of the same variety of beans from a fellow gardener was a pleasant surprise.  Knowing the sole work behind the gift deepens my appreciation and enriches the bean flavor.

Worn soles reflect the day's toil

When shopping for soul food at the farmer's market, pause to consider the physical, financial and emotional investments made by sole workers who offer their wares.  Marvel at how each plant began life as a seed and offer thanks to those who humanely raised the protein ingredients you enjoy.  Occasionally, trade your street shoes for a pair of working boots and prepare to find yourself humbled by sole work as you grow your own food.

A potato heart sits in a boot print