The relationship that we have with the Earth and its creatures is, in my opinion, the biggest reflection of the quality of the relationships we have with other humans and ourselves. In order to create a world where there is peace and bliss, an end to the suffering of all beings, we need to repair our relationship with the mother who holds us all. Throughout this quarter I worked intimately with her children, watched the green poke through the ground, watched the flowers bloom and the weeds grow taller as the days grew warmer and the rains fell softer. I set out to understand more deeply the healing that is held there, the ways to see it more clearly, and the reasons behind our cultures blindness to it.
In order to explore these things, I examined biodynamics, traditional ecological knowledge, and science and the epistemological assumptions that form the foundations of each. This trail led me through the teachings of Robin Wall Kimmerer, Rudolf Steiner and his contemporaries, Johnathan Code, the knowledge of my peers and faculty, and my own inner knowing of the things that resonate and harmonize most clearly within my own being.
I came away from this quarter with a deep sense of accomplishment and pride at the work I completed in the garden. I feel happy knowing I have hopefully created a space where both plants and people can thrive and learn. Despite the amount of labor that was involved in weeding, it allowed me to watch all of spring unfold. It gave me a space to be and a task to complete that was outside of myself and felt larger than me. In a time where it feels like things are more unknown than they have ever been, it gave me a space to ground into and connect, not only with the Earth but with my peers and faculty in a meaningful way.
I am really, truly so grateful for the opportunities I had this quarter to learn and grow. I am grateful for all the wonderful people who helped me this quarter. I am grateful for the Earth and the herbs and the dirt and the rain and the sun. I am grateful for all the challenges that presented themselves this quarter, for the wisdom they impart. I am grateful to have made it to the end in one piece. I am grateful for the stories shared and the vulnerability and tenderness of being seen and heard and of listening and hearing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
This week we will hopefully have the whole garden completely cleared of weeds so that we can plant some herbs Week 10.
Garden Work & Research:
05/25/21: Sun in Gemini, Moon in Scorpio
Wow. Today we finally finished all of the weeding. Every single bed is completely cleared of weeds! What an accomplishment, and it only took ten weeks. I really am so grateful for the help of Le’Allen, who was with me throughout this quarter plugging away at the weeding, and all the community garden folk who volunteered their time as well. I am so proud of the work we did, hopefully it will encourage others to continue the garden management now that the hard part is over.
Today’s work
This week we have a full moon lunar eclipse in Sagittarius on Wednesday. Eclipses happen in six month time periods, starting with a new moon and culminating with a full moon. Eclipses happen according to the nodal axis and the ecliptic of the sun and moon. The ecliptic is the plane of Earth’s orbit around the Sun. From the perspective of an observer on Earth, the Sun’s movement around the celestial sphere over the course of a year traces out a path along the ecliptic against the background of stars. The nodal axis, based on the nodes of the moon are the two points where the moons orbit crosses the ecliptic, eclipses happen when the sun is within 15 degrees of the nodes. The nodes change signs every two years or so, with about four eclipses happening in each sign, two a year.
Currently, we are experiencing the nodal axis of Gemini and Sagittarius. The north node, Gemini, is known as Rahu, the head of the dragon. It is said to be a point of increase of good or bad, the mouth, the place where we bring in new things. Gemini is about paying attention to what is right in front of us, the things we can touch and feel and experience first hand. It is about the exchange of ideas and the places close to you, your neighborhood or the city you live in. The south node, Sagittarius, is Ketu, the tail of the dragon. This is where things, good or bad, are drained or emptied, in order to make room for the new. Sagittarius is about higher knowledge, metaphysical thinking, dogma, theorizing, traveling to far distant lands. The nodes are said to rule karma, the north pulling us forward, the south releasing us or dragging us backwards.
This nodal year we have been asked to think about the ways that we communicate, how we share things, to look at the facts and details closely before coming to a conclusion. We are being asked to learn to listen to others so that we can discover the value of true communication and exchange and see both sides of a situation instead of throwing out dogma at others. The challenge continues to be to avoid drawing conclusions before gathering enough facts.
05/27/21: Sun in Gemini, Moon in Sagittarius
Today started slow. It was Ali’s birthday so we all drank tea and chatted for awhile while the sky was grey and rainy. Then Le’Allen and I cleaned up the rest of the piles in the herb garden and spent the rest of the time in the community gardens working with Caleb, Ashley, and Ali harvesting and cleaning lettuce, radishes, and turnips. Some students from PoF have started constructing a new arbor and trimming the hedge, which is so amazing and makes me hopeful for the future of the herb garden.
Arbor!
Materia Medica:
This week I took a look at Calendula. Calendula officinalis, or pot marigold, is a hearty annual garden plant that has a long history of medicinal use. It is excellent used externally for treating many skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, burns, insect bites and the like. For these applications it is best made into a salve. Internally it is good for gastrointestinal issues such as ulcers and stomach cramps, as well as fever, abscesses, and to prevent vomiting. It was used as well in easing the complications of measles and small-pox. Culpeper does not mention Calendula officinalis in his herbal, however, he does mention another species of marigold, Chrysanthemum segetum, which he claims is under the dominion of the Sun. I would agree with this assumption and place the calendula species of marigold under this ruler ship as well. Marigolds have a striking doctrine of signature to the Sun; big yellow-orange, round flowers. They are also vulenary, stimulant, and haemostatic herbs, acting on the blood and increasing blood flow. The Sun rules the heart and the blood in astrology.
Marigolds have a rich history of use as a visionary herb in Mexico and are used as offerings to the departed during Dia de Los Muertos.
This week, of course, what else except weeding! There are, at this point, only two and a half beds left to be weeded. I really hope to finish at least one by the end of this week so that we are ready to wrap up by week ten.
Garden Work & Research
05/18/21: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Leo
Today we weeded! The lemon balm is almost gone from the western corner bed which will allow all the other plants much more room to breathe. We also planted a mugwort!
Bed!
This week I also constructed and email that will go out to PoF in order to hopefully be able to find a student to pass on the management of the garden to;
“Hello PoF!
My name is Alegra Sky, I am a student in the Terroir/Merior class and as a part of an in-program ILC, I took on the care and maintenance of the Medieval Herb Garden on the Evergreen Farm. The garden, overseen by Frederica Bowcutt, was installed originally to be an ethnobotanical resource for students on campus with the goals of promoting self-reliance in taking care of their own bodies and treating common health issues, as well as a being a learning space and demonstration of historical herbal plants and practices. I will be graduating in the Spring and would love to be able to pass the managing of the garden off to another interested student or group of students so that it continues to be a beautiful, magical space for people to enjoy. Luckily for you the hard part, weeding, should be completed by the time the quarter is up. There are however general upkeep and maintenance tasks, and things I wasn’t able to get to, that need to continue to be done. This includes;
Building of a new arbor
Trimming the hedge
Solarizing/ re-mulching the pathways
Fixing the irrigation
Weeding
Adding additional plants that got lost
Updated signage and map
I really love this garden and put a lot into making sure all the plants living in it were happy and able to flourish again. It’s a beautiful opportunity to learn more about medicinal plants and work closely with them, if that calls to you. I would love to see it get continual care through the summer and into next year. Faculty Sarah Williams also wants to allow students from her Taste program, which begins in the Fall, to work in the garden, so there will be extra hands and hopefully new students to manage the garden once PoF is over. I want to make sure there is at least an idea of who will care for it next each year so that it doesn’t get forgotten or become an eyesore for Beth and the other farm staff.
Right now, there is also an ongoing project that involves the growing of hyssop, which will need to be harvested in the late summer and given to the SPSCC’s Craft Brewing and Distilling program to use. Head brewer, Frank Addeo, was the one who made this possible so it is a gift!
I would love to meet and talk to anyone who is interested! I’m usually in the garden on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30, and will sometimes be there as late as 1:30.
This is the link to the Evergreen Teaching Gardens blog which has more info about the Medieval Herb garden for those interested;
More weeding today. We had Steve’s hands helping us today and managed to tackle three beds at once. We are looking right on schedule to be done by the end of the quarter. I would really love to have the beds done by next week so that we can maybe put some plants in week 10.
Amazing work, good hands
I ended up going back on Friday and finishing the lemon balm and burnet bed so that all we have left is the Valerian and angelica bed.
Materia Medica:
This week I took a look at everyone’s favorite culinary herb, Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis. Rosemary is under the rulership of the Sun. An evergreen shrub with pale blue flowers and needle-like leaves, Rosemary is used as an antispasmodic, stimulant, stomachic and emmenagogue. The stimulant action of rosemary is helpful for promoting liver function, the production of bile and proper digestion. It is a warming herb, aromatic and flavorful. Too much rosemary can be poisonous. “Rosemary for remembrance” is a common adage for this plant, which can be helpful both for memory and migraines. It also has a history as an herb of protection. The fact that it is under the rule of the Sun points to all these factors; an increase in self-confidence i.e. protection, stimulation, and memory invoking.
This week we are continuing to weed, as well as put some new plant starts in on Thursday!
Garden Work & Research
05/11/21: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Taurus
Today we finished weeding the marshmallow bed, and made more headway on the lemon balm. This week is exciting because on Thursday, instead of just weeding, we will get to finally put some plants in the ground!
The hyssop will go in this bed!
This week I wanted to talk more about Traditional Ecological Knowledge and the native peoples of the Pacific Northwest who have been stewards of this land for time in memorium.
Evergreen resides on the traditional and current lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, in particular the Nisqually and Squaxin nations. Ancestral Coast Salish lands surround Puget Sound, and extend north to the Gulf of Georgia, encompassing southeastern Vancouver Island and southern mainland British Columbia.
In the book Keeping it Living, author Bruce D. Smith speaks about the curious nature of the Coast Salish. They have been somewhat of an anomaly to most historians, tending to be more culturally similar to agricultural societies and yet subsisting largely off of gathered fruits and hunted game. Unlike many other hunter-gatherer societies, they live for a good part of the year in one settled place, collect material goods, and spend considerable effort and care on building houses and other shelters. The European settlers came to the Northwest with predetermined notions of domestication and farming, and how agriculture was “supposed” to look, therefore missing the widespread care and tending of perennial root crops and other stewardship practices that the Native peoples of the Northwest engaged in. These include the burning of prairies, the careful harvesting of camas and wapato, and the cultivation of berry patches near established villages.
Many plants in this area have a rich history of medicinal and ceremonial use. The Western Red Cedar, x̌payʔac, has been used as a food, material to make baskets, mats and other useful items, houses and building material, smudge bundles, even as a red colored dye. Devils Club, sx̌diʔac. is used ritually as an herb of protection, as well as medicinally as a support for rheumatism and other aches and pains. Red Alder, sək̓ʷəbac, was used as a blood purifier and the buds chewed and spread over wounds and burns. These are only a few of the powerful medicine beings who inhabit the Pacific Northwest who have so kindly shared their knowledge and teachings with us. To them and to those who have always been in close communion with them, the First peoples most especially, we give our thanks.
05/13/21: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Gemini
Today we accomplished so much! The whole cohort started out the morning in the herb garden and managed to weed the whole center bed in only a couple hours. It felt really good to clear the center bed, which made the whole garden feel so much nicer. I am really grateful to have the help of amazing students and faculty, it feels good to work as a team.
Before, way at the beginning of the quarter
After!
We also planted a catnip and all the baby hyssop seedlings. It felt good to finally plant some things instead of just weeding too! I’m really happy to have gotten the hyssop in the ground, and hopefully that project will be carried on by PoF and maybe Sarah’s program in the fall. I would love to have some viable product to give to the SPSCC’s Brewing and Distilling program and create some connections.
Hyssop babes and catnip
Materia Medica:
Elecampane!
This week I will be looking at Elecampane. Sometimes called Elfdock or Elfwort, it is a perennial plant that is cultivated or grows wild along roadsides or in fields and waste places in the Eastern regions of Turtle Island, liking shady, moist ground. It is a root medicine that is a very effective expectorant and digestive stimulant. It has been used historically to ease whooping cough, asthma, and other bronchial infections and lung ailments. It is also wonderful for stimulating digestion and toning the stomach. Elecampane is under the rule of Mercury. In astrology, Mercury is a planet of air, ruling both Gemini and Virgo. When a plant is under his rule, we can gather that they work on the lungs and respiratory system. Elecampanes fuzzy leaves are also a doctrine of signature, as most large leaved, fuzzy plants such as mullein also have actions supporting and soothing lung function. Wednesday is the day of Mercury, so it would be wise to collect Elecampane root stock on this day during the second year.
This week we will of course continue to weed. Hopefully we can get the whole inner ring done, and begin to haul out all the piles of weeds lying in the pathways and begin to think about preparing for the end of the quarter in a couple weeks.
Garden Work & Research:
05/04/21: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Aquarius
Today Le’Allen and I cleared all the piles of weed from the pathways. This was maybe a small task, but made a world of difference. The herb garden is really starting to look manicured and taken care of.
How its going
Throughout this quarter I have been delving into some different perspectives of farm management and ultimately, the epistemology that form their foundations. In trying to bridge the gap between the mundane and the mystical, which sprang from my love of and belief in the healing power of both herbs and astrology, biodynamics has been intriguing to explore. In the book Muck and Mind by Johnathan Michael Code, he sets out to answer some of the same questions that I have about not only biodynamics, but also the cultural and epistemological foundations upon which our society and current system of agriculture rest.
Epistemology is the study of knowledge, its origins, methodology, validity, and scope. It asks the questions, “how do we know what we know?”, “how is knowledge acquired?”, “what is knowledge?” etc. In order to fully understand the foundations and basis of a way of knowing or a certain paradigm, we must first question how it is we got there, what our initial assumptions or beliefs are to have landed us where we are. It seems to me that these are very important questions to be asking ourselves everyday, however, rarely are we taught, in school or through other avenues, to question the things we believe we know. This is concerning because, “every way of knowing becomes a way of living, every epistemology becomes an ethic” (Code, 47). In western culture, science is the way of knowing that is looked at in the highest regard. This is in part due to the fact that scientific knowledge is most often presented as having arisen from a place of complete neutrality, objectivity, and impartiality. However, science is rooted in its own epistemological frameworks that are rarely made explicit and often go examined. These frameworks are as follows;
“Objective” Reality:
Science is a discipline which insists on the existence of an objective reality. However, this objective reality is also one that cannot be directly experienced and must be realized through theoretical musings and understandings rather than sense perception and a connection with the realm of the body. This arose around the time of Galileo’s act of distinguishing between primary qualities and secondary qualities, the former being those that are “real” and supposedly objective such as shape, position, and motion, and the latter being those that only exist within the consciousness of the observer, things like taste, odor, and color. This resulted in the demotion of direct experience as being relevant in the pursuit of scientific inquiry and knowledge, and placed the observer as secondary and insignificant, creating a deep-seated mistrust of our unmediated sense life, which is inherently subjective, as a viable door to accurate knowledge about the world.
Cognitive Amnesia:
The next problem lies also in our unquestioned assumptions about the way that we perceive the world. Our brains are wonderful things most of the time, and help us to make sense of the world around us in wonderful ways. However, there is a distinct connection between our sensory perceptions and our thinking that is crucial to remember and understand. The majority of our everyday cognitive life is rooted in the assumption that we encounter the world and its objects as if they were just “there”, when in actual fact what we no longer are aware of is the organizing activity through which these objects become apparent. Philosopher and scientist Henri Bortoft called this “cognitive amnesia” because we forget that the organizing idea of our cognitive perception is the only reason the whole world is not just a chaotic place of pure sense perception. This means that all scientific knowledge is a correlation of what is seen with the way it is seen. It is simply another way of organizing the world, which, when unexamined, leads to an obfuscation of other ways of knowing and understanding.
To conclude, science seems to insists on division. Division between subject and object, observer and observed, which creates an epistemology of separation. It is not an epistemology that exists only within science. It has permeated all the pieces of our Western culture. America is founded on independence, on a “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” mentality, on the premise of conquest and ownership and imperialism. Our religious philosophies portray the Earth as dirty and scary, as man separate from it, not of it. Capitalism fosters competition and a scarcity mindset that is only perpetrated by the growing divide between the haves and the have-nots, and creates a fear of all those we perceive as other. Science has accomplished many amazing, wonderful feats, and I think it does serve a purpose and has its place in the world, but we have to understand and remember that every way of seeing the world and understanding it is just one side of the story and can never give us the whole picture.
05/06/21: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Pisces
Today we continued to weed. We are almost finished with the marshmallow bed, and Yola began working on the tackling the lemon balm.
Before and after
I wanted to mention this week some of the things happening in the sky that feel relevant to me in explaining the energy of the collective currently, as well as the general energy of spring.
There are three modalities that the zodiacal signs fall into; cardinal, fixed, and mutable. Cardinal signs, Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, bring us into the different seasons, they are energies of beginning, of starting and moving ahead with momentum. Fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, are the peak of the season. They are when everything is really settling into itself, it is an energy of steadiness and strength. The mutable signs, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces, are periods of transition. It is an energy of changeability and movement.
We begin spring in the sign of Aries, this is when winter is finally beginning to lessen its grip. Then we move into Taurus on the spring equinox, this is Spring with a capital S. It is a time when the bees are buzzing, the flowers are blooming, and spring is at its peak. As we near the middle of May we then move into Gemini. This is the transition period between spring and summer. Gemini is mutable air. Looking simply at the weather patterns during this time in spring we can understand this energy; blustery, sometimes cloudy, sometimes hot, sometimes cold, scattered showers. Gemini is also about the sharing of information. We can see this as spring begins to wane as well. Its a time when there is dialogue you could say, an exchanging of information, between all the beings in an environment. Pollen is distributed by wind or bees, birds are talking to each other, the wind speaks through the leaves of the trees. Things are carried and moved.
Gemini can bring to us an energy of curiosity, of wanting to share what we learn and gather new information. It can mean we are more apt to need a variety of things to do and ways we spend our time. On the flip side, it can mean we become less able to concentrate on one thing for long periods of time, anxiety, and some flightiness, or it can create a buzzy sort of head-space. It is a valuable time to stay grounded, but also tap into the energetic offering of sharing, learning, and flexibility.
Balm bed
Materia Medica:
Marshmallow
This week I will take a look at Marshmallow, Althea officionalis. A perennial plant standing 2 to 4 feet high, it occurs in the wild in damp meadows and wet places, hence the name marsh-mallow. The root-stock, which is most often used for medicine, is white, and tastes sweet and slimy when chewed. The mallow family are know best for their mucilaginous properties, which make them good for wound healing, moisturizing mucous membranes in the body, and soothing irritated tissues. Marshmallow can be used to soothe dry coughs and sore throats, or for things like ulcers and urinary tract problems. All mallows are under the rulership of Venus. This could point to their ability to soothe, to help things to flow more smoothly through the body. Venus herbs are helpful in providing comfort and good feelings, which marshmallow does!
This week we will continue weeding in the herb garden, culminating in a group excavation project of many of the herbs which have buttercup growing through the middle of them.
Garden Work & Research:
04/27/21: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Scorpio
Today I was unfortunately unable to make it to the herb garden because of some health issues. However, Le’Allen was there to start weeding the peppermint bed where we will eventually excavate a couple plants and put them back down in a clean bed. Since I will not be gardening today, I wanted to take the opportunity to expand on my interest in biodynamics, why I think it is an important view point, and its connection to traditional ecological knowledge, as well as its implementation and examples of successful farms and gardens using the system.
My natal chart, cast when I was born and given to me by my mom
Really my interest in biodynamics started with my deep love of astrology. I believe that astrology provides us with a beautiful way of better understanding ourselves, others, and the world around us. It uses a set of symbols that characterizes the archetypal, base energies that are at play in all facets of reality, and can be referred to to understand the movement of energy through any given time, place, person, or situation. This is helpful when working with plants because they are primary producers, the creators and transformers of all usable energy on the Earth. They are intimately connected with the movement of the planetary bodies through space and in relation to our Earth. We, of course, are also just as connected, however, the rise of rationalism and atomistic thinking has fostered a forgetfulness of this fact.
In action in biodynamics, this sometimes takes the form of noting the zodiacal positions of the Sun and Moon on a farm journal, which informs us of the angular positions of both planetary bodies, singularly and in relation to one another, at any given time. The angle of the Sun has a direct effect on plant growth so will allow the farmer to plan accordingly and understand through symbols what is happening around them, while the position and phase of the moon is deeply connected to water uptake and intake in plants. It also allows for an understanding of the energetic signature which is at play during any given time, which can be related to the growth cycles of plants.
The other aspect of biodynamics that draws me in is the philosophy and view of a farm as a whole living organism. Instead of looking at a piece of land and crops as separate units, each functioning individually of one another in service to only capital and human need, I believe that farming and gardening should be about stewardship, tending, and care for the land and those who are on it, not simply about pushing a commodity. The return is only as great as your initial investment, so if you spend quality time, approach your task with love and respect, everyone benefits. The land becomes more fertile and whole, and in turn produces more nutritious, healthy, lively foods. Biodynamics recognizes that each farm system is an individual, and strives to listen and cultivate an ever changing relationship that is beneficial for all.
This view of agriculture and the world is not new. It spans centuries and lifetimes, and forms the backbone of many Indigenous worldviews and cosmologies. Robin Kimmerer in her book Braiding Sweetgrass says, “like Creation stories everywhere, cosmologies are a source of identity and orientation to the world. They tell us who we are. We are inevitably shaped by them no matter how distant they may be from our consciousness” (7). In the Western world we have been steeped in colonialism and Christianity as the backbone of our worldview, even if you are not religious, it permeates all of our systems, capitalism most especially. Our story tells us that nature is full of danger and sin, that it is there for us to pillage and plunder, that it is separate from us, and that in order to be provided for you have to slave and compete with all of those around you for the limited supply that is available. I feel that most of us, hearing it this way, would disagree that that is how the world works. I feel as though our beliefs and feelings align more with what Kimmerer speaks of in her book, co-creation and generosity, abundance and gifts that are inherent in everything the world offers. The Earth loves us back. It shows it in the emergence of a seeding after weeks of waiting, in the first red tomato on the greenest of vines in summer, the promise of a pumpkin inside a yellow blossom. In order to come back to ourselves, to begin to untangle the knots of colonialism, imperialism, patriarchy, inequality, and suffering in our world, we have to come home to our Mother. This I believe is what biodynamics strives to do, in a scientific sort of way, bridging the gap between rationalism and mysticism. They are both getting at the same thing, people for centuries didn’t need science to prove the things they knew, they simply listened and watched and learned.
A beautiful example of a working biodynamic farm is Westwood Estate Wines located in Sonoma, California. Biodynamics is quickly becoming a more popular choice for many vineyards, especially with the rise of consumer demand for organic and alternative farming practices. They were awarded the Demeter Biodynamic certification in 2016, and the CCOF Organic certification in 2017. Their vineyard is managed by Philippe Coderey, a viticulturist from Provençe with decades of hands-on experience working in vineyards.
Westwood Wine Introduction
From their website; “Since our transition to Biodynamics, our vines have become stronger, more disease-resistant, and the roots have deepened dramatically – now requiring virtually no irrigation. Our vineyard is healthy and balanced, and wildlife – jackrabbits and toads especially – are super-abundant. And we swear, you can sense the higher energy in the place and the wines!”
Image from Westwood Estate Wines
They also explain, however, that biodynamic wine making is 50-100% more expensice than traditional farming, which is why many vineyards do not practice biodynamic farming. But it is catching on, almost all Grand Cru Burgundy producers farm biodynamically and are being closely followed by the top-tier producers in Bordeaux and around the world.
04/29/21: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Sagittarius
Ashley, Ali, and Steve working hard
Today was a beautiful, sunny group weeding day!! I am so grateful to everyone for helping to tackle the mess of a peppermint bed, rescue the lavender, and help the sweet little woodruff out of the buttercup carpet. We managed to get the peppermint bed entirely cleared in only a couple hours with all the hands we had. We also uprooted all the lavender bushes and the woodruff, separated them from the buttercup, and then placed them back in the ground. Hopefully everyone will be much happier now!
Before
After
Woodruff!
A perfect way to spend a Sagittarius moon day. The moon in astrology represents ones emotional nature, the intuition, imagination, receptivity, and moods. Under a Sagittarius moon people may feel more outgoing and adventurous, social and optimistic, idealistic and freedom-loving. It could also make people more inclined to explore new beliefs and ways of understanding the world through metaphysical or philosophical avenues.
Before and after in the peppermint bed
Materia Medica:
Beautiful Borage
This week I will take a look at Borage. Borago officionalis, is an annual plant with a hollow, bristly stem and leaves, with beautiful star shaped purple or pinkish flowers. It is one of my most favorite garden herbs and is quick to flower early in the year. Culpeper claims that it is an herb of Jupiter in the sign of Leo. Remedially, Jupiter rules the liver, blood, and vitality. Energetically, herbs of Jupiter are good for those desiring growth, and are recommended for those unable to give to themselves, allowing people to both give and receive good feelings. Leo, as we learned with Angelica, rules the heart, and is all about creative actualization and confidence, both in ones self and in ones talents. Borage in the body is useful for reducing inflammation, reducing fever, and restoring vitality while recovering from illness. Borage has also been found to have some calmative properties that make it helpful for nervous conditions.
This week we will continue weeding, as well as prep for the excavating of some of the more strangled established plants.
Nettles!
Now we turn to the Medicine Herbs of the world. From the beginning they were instructed to take away sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are so happy that there are still among us those special few who remember how to use the plants for healing. With one mind, we send thanksgiving, love, and respect to the Medicines. Now our minds are one.
Kimmerer, 109-110
Garden Work & Research
04/20/21: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Leo
Today I weeded around a couple lavender plants and the agrimony. The pernicious buttercup seems to have decided to come up in the middle of many of these established plants, making it extremely difficult, if not totally impossible, to get rid of them. The best course of action to take seems to be to completely uproot these plants and shake out the weeds, trimming them up and pruning them while in the process. This will happen next week, since the weather seems to be cooling off a bit, which will cause less stress to the plants and hopefully allow for an easier transition for them.
Before and after in the Lavender and Agrimony bed
In other exciting news, the hyssop seeds have started to sprout and will hopefully soon be ready for transplant!
Baby hyssop
Over the course of this quarter I have been reading Robin Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass. I wanted to include this book into my material and research this quarter in order to give voice to the long standing traditions and knowledge held by indigenous peoples. Before anyone like Rudolf Steiner or Han-Kyu Cho, who I discussed last week, were coming up with their systems of farm care, traditional ecological knowledge and a deep, rich cosmology which connected the people to the Earth in profound ways was thriving. In her book, Kimmerer speaks of the ways in which science, though helpful for measuring things and naming them, tends to disconnect us from the life inherent in all the things it seeks to study. The whole of our world has lost its connection with the conscious design and rhythms that move us and shape us. All of us. Humans are not separate, outside observers of the thing as science would like to believe. We are pieces of it, moving in time with it, a part of the whole. And yet we have forgotten this. Forgotten it because we have learned to view everything as inanimate, lifeless, conquerable. Fear of the things we cannot control and do not understand has overtaken our ability to view the abundance and gifts that are being offered to us always by the Earth.
04/22/21: Sun in Taurus, Moon in Virgo
Today we continued to weed in preparation for some plant excavation next week! The more we weed, the more it becomes apparent what is still alive and what has been completely swallowed by buttercup and will need to be replaced or just left out of the garden all together. The question becomes one of diversity vs quantity of material for medicinal use. This fact will need to be discussed with Frederica, who has the final say on what should be done in that regard.
The work completed on Friday
Before and after!
Materia Medica:
Nettle patch next the McLaine Creek in my backyard
This week I will be taking a look at Nettles. Nettles, Urtica dioica, are a perennial plant found in abundance all over Turtle Island, near waste places, roadsides and gardens, among other places. Nettles are an herb of Mars. They are physically very Mars-like, possessing small, bristly hairs which act like a hypodermic, injecting an irritating substance under the skin when touched. They also have martian actions, including being astringent and stimulating. They can aid in digestion, the young leaves eaten as a salad green, cooked into soups, or taken as a juice. Their astringent properties can help to stop excessive bleeding. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals and are useful in maintaining nourishment and good health.
Nettles should be harvested on a Tuesday, the day of Mars. Herbs of Mars are those with actions that add momentum or movement to the body. Energetically they relate to manifestation and a sense of force and vitality.
This week the plan is to continue to weed in the Herb Garden and clear space for perennials to poke up through the ground and greet the day. We also are going to make a fermented juice/concentrate that will provide nutrients for our plants and explore biodynamics and other methods of plant care which facilitate connection to the Earth, our gardens, and work with the natural rhythms and cycles.
Garden Work & Research
04/13/21: Sun in Aries, Moon in Taurus
Today we weeded a lot more. Since we are close to being done with weeding in the Calendula bed, the next thing to tackle would be to figure out how we want to prep the bed and reseed the calendula. Calendula can be sown directly into the garden bed after the last frost of the year which, in Olympia, is around the beginning of May. This means we have a couple weeks to prep the bed and acquire seeds. My thoughts are to level the ground, then leave it for a week so that what is going to germinate does, then take a torch to what is there, cover it with plastic, and when seeding calendula, do our best not to disturb too much of the soil deeper in the bed where other weeds are lying ready to take over again. Then it will just be a matter of continuing to weed vigorously as the season progresses to give our flowers the best chance.
Goodbye buttercup, so long!
Thinking about planting new seeds brings into clearer focus my interest in biodynamics and how it can be used to bring us into balance with the rhythm of plants and the turn of the wheel. Biodynamics is a farming method based on the work and philosophy of Rudolph Steiner, an Austrian philosopher who attempted to bridge spirituality and science. He was the first to hold the view of a farm as a single, self-sustaining organism that thrives through biodiversity, the integration of crops and livestock and the creation of a closed-loop system. Biodynamics incorporates methods similar to those used in organic farming, however, it also integrates esoteric and mystical practices. He developed a set of homeopathic preparations used by biodynamic farmers on soil, compost and plants that he claims help to build up the farm’s innate immune system and vital forces.
Steiner prescribed a number of different very specific homeopathic recipes that are designed to build the vitality of an agricultural system. They are split into two groups, the field preparations, numbers 500 and 501, and the compost preparations, numbers 502 to 508. The field preparations claim to build humus in the soil. Both involve filling a cow horn, one with dung, the other with powdered quartz crystals, then burying them in the ground for a number of months, the first buried during the winter season and dug up in spring, the second buried in spring and dug up in autumn, then preparing a mixture that is sprayed on the fields. The compost preparations involve a number of medicinal herbs, namely yarrow, chamomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion, Valerian and horsetail. These herbs are cultivated and then most of them stuffed inside the entrails or skull of an animal, buried, then resurfaced and added to a compost pile. Each herb brings with it certain nutrients and is said to add specific things to the compost and the system as a whole.
04/15/21: Sun in Aries, Moon in Gemini
Today we finally finished weeding the calendula bed! The plan now is to move ahead with the rest of the garden weeding, as well as prep the calendula bed and reseed. There is an already established calendula plant that somehow escaped and ended up in the center bed of the garden which I will attempt to transplant into the newly weeded bed.
Calendula bed before and after
Caleb Poppe this week introduced us to Fermented Plant Juice, a nutrient rich recipe devised by a Korean farmer, Han-Kyu Cho. The idea is that by fermenting plant matter, and leeching out the sugars, lactic acids, and other nutrients into solution, we can reintroduce that which was removed from the soil. By using plants known for their early and vigorous growth, gathered from around your own field margins, we are creating a solution made by our local micro-biota, specially suited to our soils. This is similar in philosophy to biodynamics in that it works to support the ecosystem of the farm as much as possible without external inputs. Biodynamics is a complex and very involved system which I feel might be slightly inaccessible for people, this method seems to allow for greater accessibility since it relies only on plants which are already present in your environment and not much more. The philosophies behind both methods are very similar, looking at a farm as an ecosystem in which all pieces work together and support each other, the job of the farmer being one of support and keen listening. Biodynamics differs in that it follows the moon and the astrological calendar which JADAM is not necessarily concerned with.
Materia Medica:
Angelica in the garden
This week I focused on Angelica, Angelica archangelica, a woody perennial usually found in well watered mountain ravines, riverbanks, damp meadows and coastal areas, it is also cultivated. Culpeper attributes the herb to the Sun specifically in the sign of Leo. This points to its hot nature in the body, which helps to stimulate circulation. In medical astrology Leo rules over the heart, Leo is also governed by the Sun. The Sun is hot and fiery, and in astrology represents the vital life force of a person, their conscious will. Angelica has an extensive history of use, especially the Chinese species as a womens herb under the name Dong Quai. It is useful in treating delayed menstruation due to excess cold or nervous tension because of its heating properties. It is also good for arthritis and other joint problems where lack of circulation is present. Angelica would be best harvested on a Sunday afternoon, since Sunday is ruled by the Sun and the afternoon is when energy flows downwards in plants, Angelica being a root medicine.
This week will consist of getting our bearings in the Herb Garden, coming up with a plan for the work that will take place over the quarter, and starting the hyssop and shiso seeds.
Garden Work & Research:
04/06/21: Sun in Aries, Moon in Aquarius
It was a bit of a surprise to walk into the garden today. It was immensely overgrown and difficult to figure out what medicinal herbs were still living under the carpet of buttercup and dandelion. Seems as though we will have our work cut out for us this quarter, however, I feel strongly that we can salvage whats in there and create a really lovely growing environment for the herbs that live there.
View when first entering the garden, facing west
A couple examples of the overgrown beds
Buttercup and Dandelion are both pernicious weeds and will take some careful extrication in order to not disturb the well established, woody perennials that are living in the garden.
04/08/21: Sun in Aries, Moon in Pisces
Today we did a lot of weeding! The game plan as of right now is to take on the easier beds first, those without as many long standing woody perennials where we can more easily remove the buttercup and dandelion without disturbing them too much. The map that currently exists on the Evergreen Teaching Gardens blog is out of date and will need updating as we discover who is living there now, what has been added, what has traveled some possibly, and who no longer is there.
Calendula bed before and after weeding
Herb Growing:
Seeds!
This week on Thursday the hyssop and shiso seeds went into flats so that they will be ready to plant in a couple weeks and harvest by the end of the quarter.
Finished seed flats
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Psalm 51:7
Hyssop is an easy herb to grow and has a rich history of medicinal use. Sow seeds indoors just beneath the surface of the soil 8-10 weeks before the last frost. The seeds will germinate in 14-21 days. Transplant out in the spring after the last frost. Set plants 12-24 inches apart.
Shiso is member of the mint family, native to Southeast Asia, and is used in cooking, pickling, salads and soups as a flavorful spice. Sow seed indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost. They will germinate in 7 to 21 days.
Materia Medica:
This week I will be focusing on Mugwort, Artemesia vulgares. A woody perennial related to wormwood, Culpeper claims it is an herb of Venus, “its tops, leaves and flowers are full of virtue; they are aromatic, and most safe and excellent for female disorders” (240). Identifying mugwort as an herb of Venus gives us clues about its constitution and actions. It is good for women, used as an emmenagogue, its also a visionary herb helpful in connecting to dreams and work within the subconscious. Herbs ruled by Venus have remedial associations with the blood, kidneys, and urinary system, tactile nerves, complexion, throat and skin. Venus as a planetary body governs over Friday, so if working closely with the days and the cycles of the moon, it would be best to gather and harvest on a Friday during a lunation in the astrological signs ruled by Venus, Libra or Taurus. In my opinion a full moon would be ideal especially if working with the leaves, however, Frank Holzman also suggests in his book that the waxing moon, when water, nutrients and energy are being drawn up would also work well. Mugwort is also ruled by Neptune, which points to its properties as a visionary herb and its ability to facilitate dreamwork and opening of the third eye.
Materia Medica entry
Since Mugwort is a visionary herb, one method of working with it is inside an herbal pillow. When placed under your pillow it is said to enhance dream recall and facilitate journeying through the subconscious. This is due more to Neptune’s ruler-ship of the herb, which is a more recent correspondence since the existence of Neptune was discovered after that of Venus and thus should be explored more deeply as well.
This week for me consists mostly of finalizing and solidifying a plan for the upcoming quarter.
Garden Work:
This quarter the majority of my ILC work will be tending, weeding, harvesting, and planting in the Medieval Herb Garden on campus. I will be focusing on growing Hyssop and Shiso in partnership with the Craft Brewing & Distilling Program at SPSCC, and hopefully providing them with something they can use in their work. I will also be acting as the Student Coordinator for other students who are interested in working in the Herb Garden.
This is the blog for the Evergreen Teaching Gardens project of which the herb garden is a part:
The other part of my interests lies in the connection between gardening and farming and the cosmos. I am fascinated with astrology as a language of symbols that can be used to help us to better understand the world around us and ourselves. I want to explore this language and its ability to help us get more in touch with the rhythms of the land and the bountiful sources of food and medicine She provides us. This means I will be doing lots of reading about other peoples connection to plants, exploring different cosmologies that build foundations for a broader range of relationship with the Earth, and how they have been practiced throughout history. I will be in conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer and her book Braiding Sweetgrass in order to explore Traditional Ecological Knowledge and its lessons, as well as farmers interested in and utilizing biodynamic farming methods, and a handful of herbals which speak of older plant lore and planetary correspondences.
Materia Medica:
This portion of my ILC will flow smoothly into my learning from both the other sections. Each week I will complete a watercolor and ink drawing of one of the plants within the garden. I have done plant monographs before and find them to be an invaluable way of connecting with the plant and getting to know it in a more intimate way. It also is good practice when stewarding, tending, and making medicine from them, reminding us of their aliveness and the beauty of their gifts.
