THE GREEN SPOT ON SITE 56

Erma Bombeck said “the grass is always greener over the septic tank.” It’s also greener under the holding tank.

Under the Live Oaks in the sandy soil of South Alabama it is really hard to get the grass to grow.  Here at the RV Park they are trying hard to grow the grass. In fact, if by some chance, you do have grass on your site you can’t put out your rug for fear of killing what little grass there is. The good news is that very soon on site 56 there is going to be a lush patch beautiful green grass.  And do you know what?  No chemical fertilizer was used, just the good old organic stuff.

My mind goes back a number of years ago when I was pastoring a small church out in the country surrounded by dairy farms.  Dairy cows produce two things, milk, and organic fertilizer. Lots of organic fertilizer! The farmers would remove the fertilizer out of the barn and milking parlor and off it would go into a holding tank where it would become a slurry. In the spring of the year when all the plants were bursting forth from the long winter it would be hungry for rich organic nourishment.  So, the dairy farmers would pump the slurry from the holding tank into a large tank on the back of a truck drive out to the pasture and proceed to pump that rich organic nourishment onto the grass. We lived in a parsonage next to the church and when our neighbors began this miraculous process let’s just say the aroma was unforgettable. This always happened when you had all the windows in the house open so all the fresh spring air could flow freely through the house.

I always wanted to be a farmer and today I got my chance. Let’s just say for just a few minutes I was a dairy farmer in the spring of the year. But instead of driving the truck I was back by the sprayer when all that organic wonder came gushing forth!

It wasn’t my plan to be a farmer today. I guess the problem was I didn’t plan well enough not to be. Some tasks require your full attention. Not to be fully focused might result in unforeseen results. Not being as attentive as necessary when I opened the gate valve for the tank full of organic wonder, I got a real surprise. Not once but twice! Dad always said a job worth doing is worth doing well. Turns out, I’m really good at applying organic fertilizer.

So, let me offer you two takeaways from my farming tale.  First, next time you’re at the market shopping for your favorite organic veggies, remember this story. You might want to wash them really good when you get them home. Secondly, if you’re ever getting a reservation at the Rainbow Plantation here in South Alabama, you might want to try and get on site 56 because there will be a nice green patch of grass. And it’s organic!