Going Green

I never did like St. Patrick’s Day, primarily because I was a poor kid without many color choices in the old closet and was therefore a regular pinching target for older kids who took advantage of the opportunity to warn me of sneaky leprechauns. In retrospect, I’m pretty sure that story was a cover for simple assault.

So me and green aren’t necessarily the best of friends. Very few green clothes. No green thumb. Don’t like the Boston Celtics. Not a huge fan of Kermit the Frog. Take off quickly at stoplights when they turn green. Believe the Red Sox should paint their left field wall a different color. Prefer just calling him CeeLo.

And c’mon, The Grinch. Godzilla. Spinach. Oscar the Grouch. Alligators. Envy. Skin color when nauseous. Slime. Mucus in general. The color green should get a different publicist.

But since it turns out that I am probably Irish and maybe should learn to stop spitting when I hear the name of Ireland’s primary patron saint, last Saturday I went all out and celebrated St. Patrick’s Day not by wearing something green but by doing something green. My friend, Chris, invited his friend, Dan, from Farmscape to lead the spring planting for the community garden at Pepperdine, and I joined the crew notwithstanding my lack of green thumbs.

And it was good. Pepperdine’s Center for Sustainability provided a tasty lunch from Urbane Cafe and students, professors, and friends all joined together to plant, trim, water, fertilize, laugh, and get our hands dirty. I look forward to watching the tomatoes and zucchini squash, the pumpkins and watermelons, the herbs and peppers, and the cantaloupes and eggplants all sprout up in the months ahead.

I rarely think about food production. As a good American, I want my food to be fast, affordable, convenient, tasty, and in large portions. And as a good American, I rarely come into contact with the earth itself. I know that none of this is good. Just in my heart I know.

But last Saturday was good. Who knows, maybe I will go green yet.