The Seeds of Spring; Lessons from the Garden

by Steve Bates

"The Seeds of Spring; Lessons from the Garden" follows the adventures of a suburban resident who takes up gardening on a plot on a horse farm, an event that changes his life in many unexpected ways.
Steve plunges into the foreign world of chickens, tractors and predatory wildlife and becomes inspired by John, the quirky owner of the farm who seems to have discovered the secret path to happiness.
"The Seeds of Spring" follows the challenges, failures, joys and revelations that Steve experiences as he cultivates vegetables, fruit and flowers in a remarkable setting. The book intertwines practical, "how-to" gardening advice with deep insights as Steve recognizes the richness and simplicity of the outdoor life and the importance of sustainability for individuals and the planet. "The Seeds of Spring" takes the reader beyond the ordinary, revealing the extraordinary in everyday activities amid the all-too-familiar setting of suburban sprawl.
Written in the spirit of "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek," "The Seeds of Spring" is a must-read for every gardener and every would-be gardener who is looking for a better understanding of the gardening experience or deeper meaning in their life.

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2010

About the author

Steve Bates has been writing science fiction for several years after a career in journalism that included 14 years as a reporter and editor for The Washington Post. Steve's first science fiction book, "Back to You", was released on Jan. 5, 2021, by White Bird Publications. "Back to You" is a humorous novel in the mold of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." In 2010 his self-published nonfiction book, "The Seeds of Spring", won two awards.
His latest novel, "Castle of Sand," was published in July 2023 by Sunstone Pres. "Castle of Sand" follows a soccer mom from Columbia, Md., and six other Earth castoffs who are the last hope for humanity after a powerful pathogen wipes out life on Earth. With the help of an AI, the seven, who wake up on a remote planet, must establish a colony to perpetuate the species.