A.M. Creative Recap: Cari Griffith
Every fourth Tuesday morning of the month a gathering of early risers takes place at theCO for AM Creative, a group meet-up designed for makers, dreamers, and those who appreciate stories of inspiration to share about what they are creating and to encourage others to join in. In light of this month’s upcoming event, we revisit local farmer and healthy living champion Cari Griffith’s talk from August’s gathering on the art of gardening.
Cari Griffith is the Produce Manager at Grubb's Grocery and the creator of Jackson Harvest Share. She is also a freelance photographer and part-time terrarium builder.
Rather than diving into the calculation and intuitive thinking that many associate with with keeping a fruitful garden, Griffith opened with a reflective quote from Wendell Berry to explain why she's found her craft so meaningful. Although most listeners did not have an extensive background in growing and harvesting plants, questions and comments surfaced in response to Griffith's presentation, which involved topics from the mysterious evolution of seedlings to the special attentiveness required in each season.
When asked if she viewed gardening as a creative outlet, Griffith responded with a resounding yes and cited Jackson’s own Master Gardeners as a major catalyst for her growing inspiration. “Something that has helped me see it that way is my participating in the Master Gardener classes… Being apart of that community has been one of the most encouraging parts of my time in Jackson, both as a human and as a gardener. Something like landscaping can be an art; using the patterns and colors of foliage as an art has inspired my photography and how I look at the things around me.”
As she recalled both comical learning experiences and her more gratifying moments, Griffith ultimately expressed the joy she has found throughout the entire process of cultivating a gardening, and encouraged everyone who might be interested to try their hand at it, too, by starting small. “Just try and grow something you love to eat, and go from there. Because once you start with one thing, and you have tasted fruit from that thing that you have grown, you can’t stop.”
Written by Joseph Smith.
Photo by Rob Griffith.