The Gardening Competition

Over Christmas break, my grandma got something in the mail.

It was a catalogue. A seed catalogue, to be more specific. It wasn't terribly glossy, and it wasn't a famous sup- plier. But boy, that thing was thick. It had a beautifully illustrated cover, a water- color painting of flowers, herbs, and vegetables. And inside, it had for sale more flower, herb, and vegetable seeds than I knew existed; each described concisely and accompanied by a fullcolor picture. Oca. Quinoa. Purple-skinned tomatoes. Fifty-pound squash shaped like pink bananas.

I, nerd that I am, was enthralled. I've tried to grow...