veghippy hero / August

Rob Somma !

This month, Rob is the veghippy hero of the month because of his big love for gardening, his incredible backyard farm, his 9 cats, and his yoga practice that brings it all together. Check out the interview below!

Sunshine: Hello World! We are in Stony Point, a small town resting atop the Hudson River in Rockland County, NY...Rob, this is such a beautiful place to live. When did you move here and why?

Rob: Felicia and I were living in New City before I lost my job. We moved to Stony Point in 1996.

Sunshine: How big is your land?

Rob: The property is just under an acre, .98acres.

Sunshine: Rob, you told me you built this house! Can you tell us about that?

Rob: The old house on the property was too small for us. At the time we moved in, we had a Great Dane and a New Foundland and then adopted another dog! Between losing my job and selling our last house, a lot of things happened that just afforded us the opportunity to do it.

The house was built in 2001. In the beginning it took a while for us to agree on a design, but when we finally decided on something together, we got the plans, looked at the property, and said, "This is where we want to live!" We based it on a house that we had seen out in the Hamptons which was fun, open, and airy. Basically, having a dream, having a vision, and following our hearts eventually led us to the blessings we have here today.

Sunshine: What made you decide to start a garden and grow your own food?

Rob: I always liked plants, They are alive, they change, they grow...it feels good to be around them, it's one of those things you can't explain. I don't like just having grass around. I want interesting flowers, and all the things that come with the flowers: the birds, the bees, the praying mantises, the ladybugs, all of that! Getting away from the plain old grass keeps my interest and keeps my busy mind active.

Sunshine: When did you start gardening? How did you learn?

Rob: When I was 5 or 6, it was always the springtime thing to help my parents garden. That's where I got my start. Later on, I joined a community garden. There, I got 10x20 plot of land and I was surrounded by all these people with similar interests. I got to see what other people were growing, and everyone would be around to help each other. It was a really nice community down in Brooklyn.

Another thing that got me into this was watching Gardening Shows. I was inspired by many of the guys I saw on TV. Paul James in particular was just so engaging - and he was kooky! He liked fly fishing, he grew bonsai, and practiced Tai-Chi. You know he had so many dimensions to him. P Allen Smith was another, who built his own house and inspired me to say, "Hey, if he can do this, I can do this!" I looked into becoming a Master Gardener after moving to Stony Point and discovered that the Cornell Cooperative Extension was less than a mile from my house!

Sunshine: Rob, I know you are also a Dahn Yoga Master. How has your practice influenced your gardening?

Rob: Dahn Yoga has given me a greater awareness and ability for self-expression. It has given me trust in myself, and brought me to take interest in what's truly inside me - so that I can bring it out! Without my practice, I would not have thought of gardening as more than something merely pleasing to me. I would not have thought of gardening as a way to create and be creative, and to be in harmony with all that is around me. This is why I don't use chemical pesticides in my flowers or vegetables. Instead, in springtime I'll go around collecting egg sacs from Praying Mantises and place them around the garden so that they'll eat the other bugs. My practice has made me more aware of what I do. My actions affect everything around me, it affects every single insect, the earthworms, the soil...everything. Soil is the Earth, the planet itself. And although chemicals will make my flowers grow great, which may be good for me and my ego, it's not good for the soil, and therefore it's not good for the planet. So I've become more caring about what happens beyond me, realizing that there is more than me, and in effect, that I am more than me.

Sunshine: That's a wonderful way to think of gardening Rob. Thank you. Now, before we finish up, I am so curious what Felicia thinks about your creations and your insatiable hobby! Felicia, what do you think of Rob's gardening?

Felicia: I love the garden. I love his passion for the flowers. Rob really has a strong connection to the Earth and he seems so peaceful doing this. Even though I grew up in the city like Rob, I never got the true passion for dirt like he has - although I am not allowed to call it dirt...it's soil! [laughter] So I don't personally get into it but I love what's produced from it. I love that I can go into the garden and make myself a fresh salad. I've had organic food from other places, but there's nothing like picking the food right out of your backyard. It's as fresh as you can get it!

Also, I have to say that because it is Rob who has put his energy, love, and passion into the garden, I can really taste the care he's put into everything he's grown.

Sunshine: What is your favorite thing that has grown from your garden?

Felicia: Oh my gosh. Well, each year he does something different, so it's hard to say because there has been so many good things. Let's see...I love the kale. And one year he grew yellow watermelon, which was so delicious and sweet...but actually, I would have to say my favorite is the tomatoes. We're half-Italian, so naturally there's nothing like fresh pasta sauce. Yeah, the tomatoes are my favorite.

Sunshine: Thanks for the inside scoop Felicia! Okay, last question! Rob, What is in store for the future of your garden?

Rob: I'd love to redo the whole area on the side of the house where the dog runs are so that we can come out to a greenhouse that leads into the vegetable garden. I'd love to do cold frames so I can extend the growing season and get away from using my grow lights right now. I'm using too much energy, burning fossil fuels doing that. So my garden is green but it's not "green" I hope to take time this winter studying and perfecting the use of cold frames so I don't have to keep those lights on.

Once again, we have a veghippy hero who stands as a great example for those who choose to follow their "green dream." Rob's passion for all living things is evident in the life he's supported and created all around him! There is beauty blooming on that land in Stony Point NY. What an inspiration. Thank you Rob!!

If you have any questions for Rob or would like to recommend someone for "veghippy hero of the month" segment, please email: veghippnews@gmail.com

-Peace~!