SG548: How to Draw Insight From the Gardens and Plants of the Bible with Shelley Cramm

Shelley Cramm is the author of God’s Word for Gardeners Bible. Shelley beautifully reveals the powerful garden imagery and metaphors of the Bible so that you can grow your faith while growing your garden at the same time. With insightful devotions that draw on the reader’s love for gardening, Shelley lovingly shares her personal discoveries about the plants, landscapes, and common cultivating practices shared throughout the bible.  Shelley is a gem of biblical gardening wisdom. In fact, she spent over two years researching and personally growing many of the plants mentioned in the bible. Shelley’s industrious research and humble faith make the Gardeners Bible a special treasure for gardeners everywhere.

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“Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson.

SG548: How to Draw Insight From the Gardens and Plants of the Bible with Shelley Cramm

Interview Questions

You have the gift of making other people feel so loved. Do you work hard to attune to others or does it come naturally?

Time Stamp: 10:50

You have five children with your husband Topher in Irving, Texas. How do you incorporate gardening into your daily life?

Time Stamp 12:50

You were inspired by a book that had been written by Dr. Bruce Wilkerson – a fellow Christian, teacher and author. What was the book and how did it inspire you?

Time Stamp: 16:25

You and I are at a dinner party. How do you describe your book to me – how your refer to it and how did you envision your readers using your book?

Time Stamp: 18:35

Does spending time in the garden help you write?

Time Stamp: 20:35

We’d be remiss to talk about your book without mentioning Kim Hagan. How did the two of you work together?

Time Stamp: 21:25

Can you share an example of a plant that has a name in the bible, but we know it as something else in today’s world?

Time Stamp: 22:40

I so resonated with the HH Thomas quote that you used to open your book. His 1916 book Round the Year in the Garden is a treasure. It is a beautiful description of the relationship we have with our gardens.

Time Stamp: 25:15

You’re in Irving. Is that zone, the garden zone, similar to where Jesus was?

Time Stamp: 27:45

In the introduction of the book, you guide readers through reading God’s word like a gardener. You say the garden is a place, a work and a story. What do you mean by this?

Time Stamp: 30:15

The structure for your book is so helpful. Did you envision your readers reading this book in a particular order or sequence?

Time Stamp: 33:10

Let’s tour the gardens of the bible. Take me with you and let’s spend extra time at your favorites and maybe breeze through, at a higher level, some of the others.

Time Stamp: 36:00

The word Eden, from Garden of Eden, was inspiration for your blog name, right?

Time Stamp: 47:00

Roughly half of the weeks are devoted to the work of the garden. It’s everything from making choices and preparing the soil, to the joyous celebration of the harvest. These are aspects of gardening here that have a much deeper meaning in the bible, don’t they?

Time Stamp: 49:55

I would love to hear your thoughts on pruning. Many new gardeners are afraid to prune!

Time Stamp: 51:25

By the way, I must have you discuss the tremendous plant guide and resources that you have on your website. You’re a bit of a researcher and an archivist, aren’t you?

Time Stamp: 55:10

Accompanying all of this work are the plants that are mentioned specifically in the Bible. Why don’t I say a plant, and you share the deeper meaning and role of that plant in the Bible.

Time Stamp: 56:20

Is hyacinth on the cover of your book?

Time Stamp: 1:29:50

The ten weeks that are devoted to Garden Stories cover everything from weather, to pests and pestilence, to the harvest of righteousness. I especially liked the week of garden stories away from the last supper. Why did you call it that?

Time Stamp: 1:32:15

In this section, it was this concept of the vinedresser that so captivated me.

You share a poem called “A Vinedresser’s Creed” – did you write this? Would you read it? I love it!

Time Stamp: 1:33:55

The two and a half years it took to write this gardener's bible must have been an adventure. You thank the Garden Writers Association. How did they support you as a first time author?

Time Stamp: 1:41:20

I love the behind-the-scenes stories of book writing. You also thank your friend Kim in the acknowledgements. Do have a few stories you can share of your time together?

Time Stamp: 1:45:05

I happened to look a little closer at the lovely bookmark you sent me and it had a quote from proverbs 31:16 “Out of her earnings she plants a garden”. Is that your favorite verse? Or is there another one?

Time Stamp: 1:47:00

You are a frequent speaker at garden clubs. You love attending and participating in them, don’t you?

Time Stamp: 1:51:05

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What listeners are saying...

I never write reviews but this is the best gardening podcast out there. Jennifer has interesting topics and guests and is not one bit annoying like some others are. I love that she involves her kids at the end of the podcast - usually with poetry or music. Really good podcast.

- Barbcfc, Mar 23, 2016

Still Growing is one of the reliably informative gardening podcasts from North America. The format consists of an intro (personal gardening status chat, seasonal remarks), an extended interview with a guest, and an outro with funny outtakes, side remarks, and some chatter (poems, readings) from the host's children. The podcast is focused on reliable knowledge - the guests are typically experts like academics, master gardeners, gardening entrepreneurs or public garden leaders. The intro and especially the outro give it a homey feel. Given I live in the high northern region, just a little below the Polar Circle, I'm always looking for more cold-weather oriented gardening information. Jennifer Ebeling is in Minnesota, so that's helpful to me! Vegetable gardening (my main interest) gets a good share, but is not predominant. Most topics transcend your specific gardening interest and are applicable to many styles: landscaping principles, vermicomposting, greenhouses. The episodes are typically an hour long, which is just fine for me.

- cwaigl, May 29, 2014

Best gardening podcast out there. Her preparedness leads to a good interaction with the guests and brings out the best in them. Very informative and yet personable.

- Corn bug, June 15, 2016

This is a great podcast. Really well produced and organized with good sound quality. I love the mix of information and personal touches. Jennifer has great guests and asks the best questions. You can tell she really does her homework. I listen to several gardening podcasts and this is my absolute favorite!

- So Cal Gardengirl, June 19,2016

Jennifer Ebeling
Jennifer Ebeling is a proud Minnesotan and U of MN alumni. Gooooooo Gophers! Each week, Jennifer produces and hosts Still Growing - a gardening podcast dedicated to helping you and your garden grow. The show is an in-depth interview format. Guests featured on the show share a passion for gardening and include authors, bloggers, professional gardeners, etc. Listeners and guests of the show can join the Still Growing community on Facebook. It's a place to ask questions, share garden stories, interact with great guests featured on the show, and continue to grow and learn. Jennifer and her husband Philip have four children, a big golden lab named Sonny, and live in lovely Maple Grove, Minnesota. P.S. When she's not teaching her four kids a new card game - or teaching them how to drive a car - Jennifer loves inspiring individuals and groups to maximize and personalize their home & garden.
Jennifer Ebeling
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2 Comments

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