I volunteered to help plant some milkweed at the local creek with a fellow Rotarian. Since I dabble in gardening, I asked him what plant could a hobbyist grow in their suburban yard at small scale and offload at a farmer’s market? He suggested milkweed. Of course though, he is completely biased as someone leading a project to help save monarch butterflies. What other answer did I expect?
What I did not expect however, was his willingness to help me scale up production. He offered to set me up with a 4×8′ tray and a system of watering them from the bottom. And getting me up to speed on all the requirements.
The idea of growing a lot of plants in my backyard has always appealed to me. Not only is it actually going to happen now, but I get the benefit of help and expertise. This is yet another example of how getting yourself out there, building your network and tribe, maximizes your chances for opportunity. And it happened in an instant. Shazam.
Here’s a look at my current attempt to grow milkweed on my own. I did this before I met him. I was only aiming to have a few plants to put in my yard so I just did a tiny tray’s worth…
