It's 6:30 am and Derek like a good teenager is still asleep. On a summer morning, my husband and his buddy are hitting the local mountain trails, while I make my escape up the road to the farm where Rock Wall Garden is still asleep in the shadows. For the next hour or so I work the rows on the south side, weeding or seeding by hand. When my green troops salute the sun, standing straight and brisk with the turgor pressure from yesterday's water, I know my time is up. I go home for breakfast, and notify Derek that it's time to get to work.
At Rock Wall Garden, we believe in chore-eography! My son Derek, who is on the autism spectrum and is non-speaking, is an integral part of our day-to-day operations. However, to accomplish this, we have to approach some tasks (like spreading grass clippings) in a creative way. Sometimes it takes a bit longer, and there's often a more efficient way to do it -- but at Rock Wall Garden, we aim for duets over solos.