U is for Under the Cover Crop

For things to live, something must also die. I savor the ocean of ebony and ivory blooms, knowing soon they will be gone. Good food is rooted in good soil, and cover crops are a co-creator. They help to pluck nitrogen from the air and with their bacterial partners, bring this richness down to earth. Later, in their own time, they are cut down by the farmer to nourish the soil.

The same soil beneath these trembling leaves and flowers could grow winter squash, garlic, or okra for a potful of pinakbet. But the earth must also be fed so we can feed ourselves. I silently thank the bell beans for readying the ground, and swing a machete through the luscious green stems.