On Being a Hobbit Gardener

On Being a Hobbit Gardener

It was the spring of 1974, before I entered college and way before I had a clue about what I wanted to major in at university. My cousin gave me a copy of The Hobbit, I almost inhaled that book and then The Lord of the Rings soon after. Those hobbits intrigued me. I felt that I understood them and their pastoral way of life. They were short, fond of food, rarely wore shoes, gave gifts to celebrate their birthdays and were environmentally conscious before it was cool! With the release of the second movie in The Hobbit trilogy, worldwide attention to Tolkien’s books and hobbits in particular, are again in fashion.  But what does that have to do with gardening…

Hobbits appeared to be comical, 2 dimensional  characters with very little substance, but Gandalf (one of the wise) had been watching hobbits for centuries and knew they are deeply tied to the earth and their lands. After Bilbo’s adventure of “there and back again,” we find that Bilbo has a garden, for how else does one keep their larder full? The narrative makes reference again and again to sustainable agriculture in action. Potatoes are grown and given in bushel baskets as gifts. Sam looks for ‘taters in the wild to cook with rabbit stew. Mushrooms are a delicacy that tempted young hobbits into acts of thievery just to get a taste. Eggs, bread, butter and bacon are all staples in a hobbit pantry, as are wine and ale. All of these are part of a thriving agricultural society. Waste from fishing and livestock production keeps the soil healthy, and rich healthy soil produces quality fruit and vegetables. Once this is accomplished grain, eggs and dairy provide a rich accompaniment to the hobbit diet. What is so special about all of this?

  

Good gardening takes intelligence, care, work and time. The keen observation of nature from bees to the weather gave hobbits knowledge of how the natural world works.  Many of the pantry supplies mentioned above require a sophisticated interaction of chemistry and biology. Grapes may grow on vines, but they require specific insect and disease control to get a good crop. Then you must not only have the correct yeast, but also a food supply (like honey) for it to ferment in a controlled environment to produce a palatable, potable beverage. THAT is impressive for a strictly agrarian society! Not to mention the science behind breads, cakes, cheeses and pipe tobacco (I didn’t say all their habits were healthy).  In the end we learn of the horrible result the land can suffer if technology is put first before the environment.  Of course there is hope (hobbits are very hopeful creatures) and even the land can heal if we make the effort.

It occurred to me when I declared a major that these hobbits were what I wanted to be. Granted, I do not live in the fictional land of Middle Earth and I am taller than 3 foot 9 inches, but I have a passion for plants and love the intricacies of our natural world. Understanding how our crops grow, what to do to control pests naturally, the science and art of doing this inside and outside the home was my goal.  A university education in horticulture and agricultural science fed my inner hobbit. There are many ways to improve the world, I just wanted to do it the hobbit way.

The land was a priority to a hobbit, and the air and water precious as golden rings to them. A hobbit’s heart was with his family and friends, with the family dog by their side and a family of cats to keep the pantry free of mice.

Would that we could be so wise…