Since my return home many things have happened...by choice of course! I've been researching local urban gardens, farms and organizations...I recently visited the Hayes Valley Urban Garden in the city and soon will tour the Commonweal Gardens in Sebastopol. I feel committed to get to know Marin, my local environment, to understand about our watershed(s), local conservation practices and organizations, and to become more involved. Recently I brought Rich with me and we attended a MALT event (Marin Agricultural Land Trust). I learned about how they help to conserve and preserve agricultural land. I watched a preview of a film entitled The Symphony of Soil...the film maker spoke and shared her inspirations...and it reiterated to me what I learned on Neverland Farm in Ecuador... it all boils down to the quality of our soil...and to take it further, in biodynamics, our spiritual connection to the land. Two farmers spoke that day and I enjoyed hearing what they had to say...I have a new found respect for farmers. These people do it because they love it, because it's what they know, it sustains them.... they care about food and agriculture, their local communities. Their farms are sustainable...their animals and plants are used to create a sustainable eco-system within the farm...in a complementary way. The animals have good lives, they don't stand in manure lagoons, nor are they living in feedlots...These are real farms! Last night I went to a presentation by Michael Pollan...author of the book The Omnivore's Dilemna...it was awesome! He talked about oil based food (fertilizer, pesticides, diesel, mass growth of corn and soybeans) vs sun based food (self contained type eco-system, sustainable, sun powered not artificial/temporary chemical fertilizer powered).
Another bigger step I'm taking is to grow my own food here at home. With Rich's help, I am in the midst of creating/planning my own Biodynamic garden patch...It's about 900 square feet...all raised beds with a deer fence around to protect it from critters. Over the past two weeks the land has been cleared and old unproductive fruit trees removed to make way for new ones. We are planting a Meyer lemon, Santa Rosa plum, Pink Lady apples, and a lime tree to go with our fig and cherry trees in the same area. I have also already begun a medicinal herb garden. We are having a Biodynamic Garden Seed Planting day/ potluck on May first (May Day) with Walter and Susan Moora who will be here from Ecuador staying with us for a few days. I have asked Walter to do an earth meditation to help break ground on the new garden...we will plant seeds, have an outdoor communal lunch with friends and family, a talk on stewarding the earth, a mixing and spraying of biodynamic preparations and a closing. I am so excited!
I have started saving fruit and vegetable scraps in the kitchen for composting...I am now buying no phosphate laundry soap and cleaning products which are safe for the environment.
I already buy only organic but am starting to ask where my meat and other foods come from as I want to buy as close to home as possible. One of the farmers who spoke for the MALT event told us that the single most important thing we can do as consumers, in terms of our food, is to buy LOCAL! So, I am!
I am also beginning to really understand and appreciate how fortunate we are to live in this area, where consciousness about our food and our environment abounds! I plan on taking a course through the EFM (Environmental Forum of Marin) starting in August that runs one day a week for seven months...it's all about education and understanding what is going on here in Marin County...with field trips and speakers. There is also an advocacy component and a big project at the end.
I continue to volunteer at Green Gulch Farm every week...which sustains me on many levels...It's my sangha (community). I love working on the land with my hands in the soil, where the environment is clean and beautiful...it keeps me close to my practice....and I am learning more about farming, cover crops, rotations, etc.
Alot is happening and I do feel inspired....it makes such a difference to really be involved and understand what is going on. I continue to want to be a good steward of the earth, living at the highest level of consciousness possible.
