It is a great honor and a privilege to have been asked to share my Back to Eden Gardening story. First of all, I would like to express my utmost gratitude to each and every individual that has partaken in the creation of the film that has impacted many, including me. 

I grew up and currently reside in California and from the time I was very little, I was helping my family with the vegetable garden every year. It was labor intensive, with the digging and tilling, weeding, and watering. The only part I really enjoyed was when it was time to harvest. Otherwise gardening seemed like too much work and at the end of the growing season the soil would return back to being dry, compacted, and weedy and the cycle for “preparing” the soil and staying on top of weeding and watering would start all over again. 

I discovered the Back to Eden film sometime in 2016 and was astonished at the simplicity of such a way to garden. Everything made sense but I was still somewhat skeptical about using wood chips in the garden because I was “educated” against using them. I watched the film a second time and decided it was time for me to try this whole woodchip thing. I received a free load from a local tree trimming company and in spring of 2017, covered a small area where mostly herbs and other perennials grew. I mulched my tomato beds as well and experienced a great bounty of a harvest. I immediately noticed how little I had to water and weed and use no fertilizers and the soil seemed to come alive. The plants were growing well. That was all it took for me to realize I could have a garden with very little work.

That fall I was getting loads and loads of wood chips and started covering our orchard area and large vegetable plot. When the fruit trees left their dormancy period in the spring of 2018, they came back vigorously than ever before. There were plenty of blossoms and leaf growth and fruit set. One thing that really caught my attention was my apricot tree that has been sick for a few years now. I considered cutting it down because it would barely come out of dormancy, had weak foliage, stopped producing fruit, and even had fungi on it. I couldn’t believe my eyes when that apricot tree awoke with hundreds and hundreds of blossoms and healthy foliage growth. It was quite an excitement when it was time to reap the harvest from the tree that came back so strong after I put the covering down. 

Another exciting thing was when I grew my potatoes using wood chips and some compost, without disturbing the soil at all. I placed the potatoes on the surface of the soil and covered them with a thick layer of 8-10 inches of wood chips. I learned to grow potatoes like that from Paul. I ended up only having to water one of the potatoes during planting and they were relying on rainfall the rest of the time, all the way up to the harvest. I got a great crop and it was so easy to harvest the potatoes with my bare hands! I didn’t have to worry about puncturing them with a gardening fork and they came out nice and clean! The taste of these potatoes surpassed the taste of the potatoes I grew in the past and I will definitely be growing them this way from now on! 

Ever since I have watched the film, it has been my dream to visit Paul and see his garden. That dream came true on June 3, 2018. It was a day I will never forget. I saw his beautiful and peaceful garden and listened to his wisdom, insights, and revelations as he guided us through with enthusiasm. Paul inspires me so much in so many ways and I am grateful to him and for him and to have had the opportunity to visit him and experience the wonders of his garden. I hope to be back there one day. 

I spread the word about Back to Eden Gardening any chance I get, sharing it with anyone who is interested in gardening. At the beginning of this year, I started to post Youtube videos to capture the progress and experiences in my garden and take others along on this wonderful journey. I want to inspire others and show that gardening doesn’t require a lot of work and it’s about copying nature and allowing it to do the work for you. It's about protecting and nurturing the soil, which is the foundation of a healthy garden!

Back to Eden Gardening has taught me the importance of being in tune with the Creator and mimicking what is done in nature. It has completely changed my perspective about gardening. I cannot wait for the upcoming years to continue to witness the progress of my garden and when the soil will become even better. Gardening the Back to Eden way has made me experiment, learn, and dream in my garden more than ever.