Changing Things Up To Live and Grow My Food In The City

My food garden in Johannesburg years ago

This year is bringing lots of changes; one of the big ones being my plan to move back to Johannesburg. I didn't see the big move coming, but now that it's here, I'm excited about it.

Basically, the move was forced on me: in August last year I fell sick with what I thought was bad case of flu, but it turned out to be a major lung infection. My doctor began an aggressive six-month treatment that includes antibiotics and steroids. Unfortunately, my body fought back and the side-effects were massive, including some kidney damage.

I won't give too many details here, but I ended up stuck in bed, needing the assistance of family and a care-giver. It took me months to recover, and even now I'm not 100% yet. The consequence of this is, of course, that I could barely take care of myself, never mind a garden.

And it hit my confidence in my ability to live in a rural area. I realised that our property is too big and needs too much work and energy to care for and use effectively; something that I was no longer sure I was capable of doing. I felt that I needed a smaller space, which I could easily take care of myself even when I grow much older and feeble. I also wanted to be closer to my younger sister and my writing business clients in the event things went pear-shaped in the future. So I'm moving back to Johannesburg. As I type this post, I'm staying with my sister as I rebuild my strength and work to reclaim my lifestyle.

This move was a hard decision to make and I feel like I ran away. My younger sister has no shame about that. "It's time to get out of Dodge," she insists. I also know I made a good decision for me and my future, and will adjust my food growing initiatives to suit my new life. I had a lush, productive garden long before I moved to Phokeng to take care of Mma, and I know Johannesburg will provide me with the opportunity to do so again.