Best Foot Forward: Something special

By ELLEN BEST

Do you have a garden? If you do, you know there’s always something to figure out. When I started my current garden here in Pound Ridge fifteen years ago, it was on land that had been stripped of its topsoil for the 1939 World’s Fair. Sounds crazy, right? That was Challenge No. 1. And because the vegetable garden sat next to a pond, the water table was high — a fact I figured out much later. Challenge No. 2. 

I expected the plants to thrive once I put them in the prepared soil, but it wasn’t that simple. What was wrong with each plant? What was eating my seedlings? Whatever did grow, I was content to just see it fill the space with greenery and some fruits. “But you need to harvest!” my husband would remind me.

As a fan of diversity in the garden — meaning both perennials (plants that return each year) and annuals (vegetables need to be planted each year) — I went with my gut and planted plenty of perennials to attract pollinators and keep roots in the ground year-round for better soil health. The perennials, mostly native plants and herbs, grew well and seemed immune to most pests and diseases. I was happy to see plants thriving!

Comfrey and sage were the real champs. They easily survived winter, and the comfrey even sent up new growth on a mild winter’s day. Lo and behold, this season — after several years of letting those thrive — I noticed something remarkable: anything planted among them thrived too. No disease. No pest damage.

I had stumbled upon something special. It turned out to be a surprisingly effective solution to one of my worst problems — mole crickets. If you don’t know them, you’re lucky. Imagine a 2-inch-long miniature lobster that tunnels through soil, eating seeds and the roots of tender seedlings. I had been forced to overplant, praying for something to survive, attempting to outsmart the little creatures. But now, with sturdy root systems and thick swatches of plants the insects didn’t like, the pests were thwarted. Maybe the roots created a physical barrier underground. Who knows? ChatGPT never suggested that!

Gardening always seems to mirror life — it’s a process of observation, trial, error, and discovery. That search for “what works” is also familiar to any parent, always hoping to find the right guidance or the right people to help along the way.

I found one of those special people here in Pound Ridge: Joe Cavise. He just celebrated his 25th year leading the moving-up performances at Pound Ridge Elementary School. Both of my daughters were part of that decades ago. Joe also leads similar events in other Westchester schools and teaches ballroom dancing to young children. (I loved seeing that in action when he did it here in town!)

Unless you’ve had kids in the elementary school, you probably don’t know him. He says he lives here “on the discrete side of things” in terms of not being known in Pound Ridge even though Joe and his family moved here in 1999. 

I first met him while he was teaching a dance class to my daughter back when he offered a class in nearby Vista. I remember thinking, if he taught needlepoint, I’d still sign up my kid. I had clearly discovered something special. He was electric — completely passionate about what he did — and the kids responded to that energy. He’s still a pied piper in motion.

“Mr. C” (as he’s known to the kids) has run his dance school, Dance Cavise, in Mamaroneck, for 37 years. It’s also the base for two nonprofits he founded that bring dance to underserved and disabled communities. When you talk to him about any of this, his enthusiasm overflows. “I’m 67, but it feels more like 47,” he told me. “He’ll never retire,” says his wife, Lori.

Joe was in the original Broadway production of “Cats” in 1982 and later appeared in the movie “A Chorus Line.” But he turned down further offers to pursue his real passion: teaching kids. He even wrote his college economics thesis on how to open a dance school. That’s someone who knew exactly what he wanted to do early in life.

Lessons, rewards and joy often come from special solutions and special people who show up when we least expect it. It can happen while we’re gardening, parenting or teaching dance — all of it helping us to put our best foot forward.

Ellen Best is a longtime Pound Ridge resident and cheerleader. In her column she explores the many aspects of gardening, life and people in Pound Ridge. If you have suggestions for future profiles or topics, email her at esbest8@gmail.com.