Faced with a growing mountain of zucchini, I decided I needed to do something about it, quick.

In addition to the usual methods of disposing of zucchini in quantity (zucchini bread, zucchini cupcakes, grilled zucchini and zucchini tetherball for the chickens) I needed another way to re-home the 24″ long squash before I was buried in it.

That’s when the lightbulb went off. I’ll get rid of…er…share my bounty at work!

The next day I carted in three of the giants, followed by another two the following morning.

Something unusual has been unfolding in the office since. I’ll spare you the jokes ripe with innuendo (something about a large, cylindrical vegetable apparently is too much to resist), but it’s safe to say there was more than a few snickers at the zucchini dotting the desks of my co-workers that sit in close proximity to me.

But the juvenile antics isn’t what surprised me – I expected that! – what surprised me was the honest gratitude and the follow up for “more please”. Then there’s the unexpected conversations about organic gardening. People didn’t just want my vegetables, they want to know how I grow them (organic yes, but how they’d do so well?). What compost I use (compost from my chickens of course), how I set up watering (timed soaker hoses) and …. what else do you have to share?

Since then, I’ve brought in cucumbers, tomatoes and jalepenos. And even better, I have “buyers” for my remaining overstock.

Beyond the fact that sharing my bounty has sparked some great conversation – I have to admit that deep down I’m giddy with the fact that I’ve subverted the office dialogue. Instead of did you watch the Seahawks game last night? I find myself chatting about chicken breeds as part of the morning greetings instead. And instead of chit chat about shoes (no, I do not joke) instead we’re discussing container gardening.

While I know the change in conversation won’t last forever. I’m glad to be able to spread my subversion of typical office-culture for even only a moment in time. It’s soothing to know that there’s others interested in organic, or at the very least, excited to have a fresh cucumber to share with their spouse when they get home for dinner tonight (no dirty jokes!)

I am not someone that likes to force my beliefs on others. But I’m passionate that organic and sustainably raised food is the future and instead of talking till I’m blue in the face, I’d much rather let my awesome vegetables do the talking for me.

One organically grown zucchini at a time, I slowly undermine the industrial food system.

Let the zucchini subversion begin!