I began my gardening life because I loved flowers. I was content to cultivate blooms; besides, vegetable gardening seemed beyond my abilities. Yet as I dug deeper into God’s Word, Jesus talked so much about mustard seeds, I was compelled to plant them.
He simply caught my attention,
with all his mention—
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed Matthew 13:31
It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Mark 4:31
It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. Luke 13:19
Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed… Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20
and I was moved to see for myself. Surprise! I became a vegetable gardener without even realizing, and brought forth food from the earth (Psalm 104:14). If growing vegetables seems impossible to you as it did to me, be encouraged. The same culture that sees to the spread of wild mustard with reckless abandon makes mustard and easy plant to cultivate in the garden.
Mustard greens should be considered a first-class garden crop simply because they are tasty, highly nutritious, extremely productive, economical to produce and – best of all – easy to grow!
—Dr. Sam Cotner, The Vegetable Book, A Texan’s Guide to Gardening, 1985
It is becoming increasingly important that we grow our own food, with pesticide revelations, food allergies and diet concerns weighing heavily on our hearts. Thankfully mustard makes us successful from the start. Sow seeds this month if you have a fall growing season and enjoy these leafy greens in salads, soups or steamy side dishes when the weather eventually cools off. Though Brassica nigra is considered the mustard of the Bible, there are many varieties available for your garden to table delight. Stay tuned for recipes! In the meantime, marvel at God’s Word coming to life in your garden as you bring forth food from the earth.
Photo Credit: © 2012 Shelley S. Cramm ‘Green Wave’ mustard seed sprouts, 12 days old in September. This variety grows to 2 feet tall with heavily curled leaves and gently biting flavor.
