my year of Jefferson

So far, 2010 has been my year of Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson, that is: President, builder of Monticello and incredibly ambitious kitchen gardener (if you dare call it simply that). 

My Jefferson quest started back in February. I tucked myself happily into an airplane seat (no mean feat) for a cross-country trip with a book about the tortuous path of the restoration of Monticello. Since then, I've been thumbing through Jefferson's garden journals and just about anything I can get my hands on regarding the staggering catalog of food crops he (and his staff and slaves) grew on those grounds. I'm quite into the idea of growing some of the same heirloom vegetables and herbs.

If you don't know, Jefferson was an avid collector of exotic and/or ancient seeds, trees and crops, experimenting with vegetable varieties and organic planting methods. I love this stuff. Yeah, I kind of go nuts for history of a certain sort, and I hope to visit Monticello (particularly the gardens) someday. Today, over 4th of July BBQ leftovers, I greedily devoured this all-too-short article in the NY Times. Love this stuff.


photo: Jay Paul for the New York Times