Herbs and Plants Overview

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OVERVIEW:

Plants are about transformation.
Plants transform sunlight and air into solid plant flesh that you can see and hold.
They take the intangible and make it tangible. They are true alchemists.
This is the gift they give us – their transformative energy.

I work with plants on many levels.

On the physical level I use them for food, medicine, body care, flavoring, color, decoration, and more.
I work with plants on the energetic and spiritual levels, where we can connect with the energy of the plant for healing and uplifting, and plants can truly share their wisdom with us.
In these ways, plants share their transformative properties with me and shape and change my life for the better.
I believe that every plant in this world has a purpose whether or not we humans have discovered it. Therefore I work with many plants ( some of which, such as poison ivy, might seem rather off-putting!) for their energy.
I use plants that are wild, maybe considered weeds, and cultivated plants; many that are considered herbs, and many that are not. They’re all important to me.

Working with plants for their energy and wisdom and spiritual gifts, as well as their physical aspects, has led me to start introducing people to their Plant Allies , so that the wider gifts of a plant can be understood by those who want to go deeper.

WILD PLANTS:

We are surrounded by a wealth of yummy, nutritious and/or medicinal wild plants, otherwise known as weeds. Queen Anne's Lace
They grow everywhere and are mostly ignored, no longer valued for their nutrients and medicine, or simply overlooked.
Some of these marvelous plants are native to this country or this hemisphere; many came with European settlers and other immigrants and became garden escapees and then disappeared from popular consciousness.

I want to introduce you to these wonderful plants that provide such bounty just for the picking.
There is much food and medicine that costs little or nothing to make and use.
I focus on the plants that grow in New England, that are often literally in our backyards. These are usually the plants that have the most to offer us here in this part of the world, and they are the plants that we can most easily access and use.
Check out my classes on wild foods and medicines, and find out what else you can do with these living treasures!

Some of the favorite “weeds” that I focus on:

  • Dandelion
  • Burdock
  • Chickweed
  • Queen Anne’s Lace
  • Milkweed
  • Evening Primrose
  • Purslane
  • Goldenrod

HERBS:

What is an herb?Thyme
The Herb Society of America calls an herb “a plant for use and delight”.
Herbs are plants used by humans for many things – flavor and seasoning; medicine; color – for fibers and fabrics, for food; for scent; for decoration; for their energetic and spiritual properties.

I use herbs in many ways and for many purposes.
Some of my favorite ways are:

  • medicine–for simple, everyday ailments;
  • skincare – in lotions and salves, infused oils, and scrubs;
  • edible flowers; dyeing fabric and fiber;
  • decoration – wreaths and simple dried arrangements;
  • herbs’ energy and spirit

Want to know more about using herbs?
I have classes and do consultations about many of these ways of interacting with herbs.
Find out how you can make herbs a part of your life!

Some of my favorite herbs:

  • Calendula
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Lavender
  • Mullein
  • Scullcap
  • Catnip

And so many more!
Don’t be shy! Ask me about your favorite herb, or discover which will become your favorite.

Natural Fabric Dyeing:

Did you know that up until the mid 1800’s the only way to get colors for your fabrics and yarns was from plants, and an occasional insect, mollusk, or mineral?
One of the alchemies of the plant world is getting color for your yarns and fabrics from a seemingly indescript plant that may or may not seem to offer anything in the way of dye color.

Looking at the green leaves of indigo, who would ever guess at the incredible blues that it renders?
It’s easy to imagine yellow goldenrod flowers giving a yellow hue, but to find that they also yield khaki green and bright orange? Amazing!

Osage OrangeBoth wild and cultivated plants and herbs give us an incredible array of colors; some have been used for centuries, even millenia, others are still waiting to be discovered.

I have been dyeing fabric and yarn for 40 years, and I still get excited when I see fabric coming out of the dye pot with a splendid hue.
Some of my favorite dye plants:

  • Osage Orange (native tree that gives yellow and khakis)
  • Madder (traditional dye plant whose roots give reds, salmons, oranges)
  • Goldenrod (yellows, oranges, greens)
  • Black Walnut (browns, blacks)
  • Onion Skins (golden oranges)

Foraging in Winter

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White pine twigs and multiflora rose hips

White pine twigs and multiflora rose hipsIt’s winter, and most people think winter is a time when there is nothing to forage for and not much to see in terms of plant life. But there is plenty that can be foraged, and it’s a wonderful time to observe and make note of what is around.

When I think of winter plants, trees immediately come to mind. In my area of eastern Massachusetts the white pine and white or paper birch trees stand out, closely followed by hemlocks (a native tree), junipers (red cedar) and arbor vitaes (white cedar). All offer food and or medicine at various times of the year, and all are easy to see in a winter landscape, with or without snow,

White pine needles on snow

White pine needles
(photo by Kylee Foots)

My favorite tree for winter foraging right now is white pine (Pinus strobus). You can use different parts of the tree, including the inner bark and resin, but what I look for are the needles, which grow in bunches of 5 needles grouped together into bundles. I make tea with the needles and it has a lovely piney taste to it. I find it comforting to drink and I know it is helping me ward off colds and flus.

Seeds and Berries

Walking and observing I notice the seed stalks from so many warm-weather plants. They tell me where I can find those plants come spring and summer. But some of those seeds are also useful to use in the winter months. I can sometimes find the seed heads of Queen Anne’s lace, in their elongated nest-like shape, giving the plant one of its nicknames of bird’s nest. The seeds are carroty in flavor and are a nice addition to a hot dish. I have never seen any seed heads of poison hemlock (introduced Eurasian plant) which can be confused with Queen Anne’s lace in the warm months, and in any case does not have the same kind of seed head. PICTURE

I notice the small red berries of barberries and multi-flora rose.  Both Japanese barberry and multi-flora rose are considered invasive in our area, but I love them dearly, and appreciate that I don’t have to worry about how much I use them for my food and medicine because I won’t be depleting a rare or at-risk plant resource.

Japanese barberry has red berries, which makes it easily identifiable, and they can be used for tea. I haven’t done that yet, but it’s on my list of teas to make.

The multi-flora rose hips—the red berries—can hang around for quite a while in winter, so if you didn’t collect them earlier in the fall, you can get them now (I am writing in mid-January). They are not that tasty right off the stem, but here is a fab way to enjoy them: when making a cup of tea, take a cluster of hips (no need to take them off the thorny stem) and place it into the tea as it steeps. They will give a little bit of rose hip goodness to you tea. After a few moments, or longer, the hips will have softened and can now be eaten. They taste like tart-sweet fruit and are so delicious! This is a treat only available in winter.

Walking and Noticing

When I am walking I like to notice all the plants around me. If there is no or minimal snow on the ground, I can see the leaves of biennials hanging out between their first and second year of life. I see the seed stalks of goldenrods and asters and sometimes spend time pondering which of those species a particular seed stalk belongs to.

I notice the oak trees with leaves still clinging to the branches, and note the different shapes and sizes of the leaves. Sometimes they are different species of oak, sometimes they are at different stages of how old the tree is. I also notice beech trees whose leaves cling onto them as well.

I look to see if there are freshly fallen twigs or branches of white pine, which I can take home for tea or other uses. The needles must still be a vibrant green, and it is wonderful that they will dry for later use, only losing a little of their luster.

I offer winter foraging walks where you can learn about these and other plants. You can find my information here winter foraging walks .

What have you observed on your winter walks or while driving? Is there anything you like to forage at this time of year? Let me know in the comments below.

Fire Cider for the Cold and Flu Season

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Fire Cider for the Cold and Flu Season

Fire Cider Vinegar November 2021

Fire Cider Vinegar November 2021

It’s cold and flu season and lots of people swear by fire cider vinegar for getting themselves and their families and friends through the sniffly time.

You can buy fire cider vinegar at the farmers market or some stores, but if you are so inclined, you can make your won and customize it your taste or what you have available (though I think with its heat flavor isn’t as much of a consideration). Making your own is also much cheaper if costs are a consideration. and ingredients can be purchased with SNAP benefits!

Fire cider (often with “vinegar” left off the name) is an old way of infusing cold-and-flu-bug-busting herbs and making them palatable and easy to take. It was named over Fire Cider Vinegar over 30 years ago by Rosemary Gladstar, who began sharing her version of the recipe; it now has almost as many variation as people who make it.

You can take fire cider vinegar to help your immune system fight off what’s around, at the start of cold or flu symptoms (and sometimes it seems to stop them, though no guarantees), or it seems to lessen the severity of the cold or flu, though again no promises.

 How to take Fire Cider Vinegar (FCV): Most people don’t take it straight, but diluted in some way. Take a tablespoon or two (or a glug or two from the bottle is it in) and put it in a glass of water, juice, or a cup of tea–you decide how much it needs to be diluted. You can take it every couple of hours, or, when you are feeling better, a 2 or 3 times a day.

You can also use FCV in a mixed drink, or use it in salad dressing–for some or all of the vinegar portion.

Below are two recipes, one from my friend Charles Garcia (https://www.hispanicherbs.com/), a wonderful Hispanic herbalist, and one from me with interesting choices and no particular measurements.

Fire Cider Recipe from Charles Garcia
(https://www.hispanicherbs.com/)

Ingredients (makes about 2 quarts):
2 glass quart jars
1 heaping teaspoon of black pepper for each jar
1 lemon in 4 slices (2 for each jar)
3 small slices of apple
1/2 diced red onions
16 garlic cloves (8 for each jar)
Approximately 2 ounces sliced fresh ginger
Approximately 2 1/4 ounces horse radish in 1 inch chunks
1 Anaheim or Serrano pepper sliced into 1/4 inch slices,
separate them into equal amounts for each jar
20 Allspice seeds split evenly for each jar
2 heaping Tablespoons of honey for each jar

Directions:
Pack everything tightly in each jar. Fill with apple cider vinegar. Allow bubbles to escape and add more vinegar.

Seal and shake. Keep in fridge. Shake every day. After three weeks remove all solid material and keep the liquid in the jars and use as needed.

Fire Cider Vinegar ingredients, waiting for vinegar

Fire Cider Vinegar ingredients, waiting for vinegar

A Recipe for Fire Cider Vinegar by Iris Weaver

Take some garlic, onions, hot peppers, horseradish or garlic mustard root, any herbs that are anti-microbial or anti-inflammatory, etc., that are in your garden or cupboard, whatever else appeals to you. Use whatever amounts you like or have on hand. Warning: go easy with the horse radish; from experience too much makes the fire cider tooo firey!

Chop the herbs, put in a jar, top with ACV (organic and local if possible) and let sit at least 6 weeks. When you strain it out, add local raw honey if you like (some people add honey in with the vinegar while it is steeping). To me this is easy–no fussy measuring or worrying about having just the “right” herbs! Oh, and if you have someone who can’t do alliums, just eliminate the garlic and onions.

The usual herbs that seem to be the base of any fire cider recipe are garlic, horseradish, ginger, and hot peppers. But, again, use what you’ve got.

Dose: 1 to 3 teaspoons in water, juice, tea, several times a day. This is also great added to soups, stir-fries, and salad dressings (but be careful how much you use–hot, hot, hot!).

Suggested herbs and other ingredients (fresh or dried; organic if possible):

  • Hot peppers/chilis
  • Ginger
  • Horseradish, or wasabi radish, or garlic mustard roots
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Astragalus root
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Lemon Balm
  • Bee Balm
  • Peppermint/Spearmint
  • Oregano
  • Sage
  • Lemons
  • Oranges
  • Turmeric
  • Organic, raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions:
Decide whether you want to make a quart, a half-gallon, or a gallon, and have appropriately sized jars, or use what you have!

Use organic citrus and ginger, and herbs if you buy them. Chop up your fresh herbs, onions, garlic, horse radish, etc. and slice your citrus if using (don’t worry about peeling it).

Fill your jar between 1/4 to 3/4 full with chopped ingredients, and then fill with apple cider vinegar to bottom of where lid sits. You can also add a bit of honey, you decide how much, in place of the vinegar and let it all infuse together. Put on lid and let infuse.

Make note of what herbs and ingredients you used and the date, Helpful for labeling and if anyone wants to know what’s in there.

Let it sit for 6 weeks or longer and then strain out the solids and bottle and use. Enjoy!

Why “Letting Go of Ego” Doesn’t Work for Survivors of Trauma

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Iris teaching

Iris being herself.

We often hear that we need to overcome what is called “ego”, to abolish it. This doesn’t make sense to me because then we have no core, no self, no internal cohesiveness.

The word “ego” has too many meanings and is used in too many ways, often negatively, to be truly helpful.

I think a better word for the sense of “who I am” is self. There is self that is the core of who we are in this body, this being, this life. And there is Self that is our soul, the larger part of us that transcends this current life.

We can see what is usually called “ego” as that accretion around the self–what coats and covers that core self and accumulates over time, throughout our life–and can blur what is necessary and blind us to our best self.

“Ego”, then, can include those things that we consider negative–pride, self-aggrandizement, jealousy, malice, know-it-allness, etc. If we see these as additions or add-ons to our core/true self and as layers that make us immune, perhaps,  both to hurt, and also to growth and learning and ultimate happiness, then we can see how peeling back the layers of “ego” can make us “better” people, or at least allow us to start to see the world more clearly and act more in accordance with kindness, compassion, and consideration (for others, for ourselves, for the world).

I think this accretion is the “ego” that is meant by the Eastern religions–or at least the Westernized, translated versions of them–that urge us to purge ourselves of the ego.

But I see also that some of these religions or traditions urge us to peel away everything that is “Us”, until we lose our sense of self and become one with God/Buddha/Krishna/All That Is/ Whomever.

That has never appealed to me.

My sense of being a self was too smashed in childhood for me to find the thought of giving up my “self” appealing.

I don’t believe that while we are in this body, this life, we have to.

We each have a kernel of the Divine within us, which is that self, and that is who we are for our time in this world.

 

If we have had that sense of being a valid being–a person who exists as their own sovereign body, mind, emotions, set of experiences–demolished, then we have no sense of self, which is what is meant by “ego” in a general sense.

If we have struggled to find any iota of what might be truly a part of our own unique, sovereign self so that we can figure out that we actually exist in this world, that we may have a few rights to have our needs met (never mind any wants!) and we have rights not to be used, abused, tortured–then, then, THEN,  the thought that we have to give up that tiny sliver of knowing we are allowed to exist and feel and make our own decisions and choose what is for us alone–is intolerable, and is a torture in itself.

For many survivors of trauma and abuse and neglect and torture, the challenge is to gain an “ego” and a sense of self, of self, and to know that they deserve, have a human-being right to have all, all, ALL of their feelings, no matter how “wrong”, “stupid”, perverse, “selfish”, scary, and uncomfortable they are. That they have a right to get their basic human needs for shelter, food, water, safety, love and connection met. That they matter simply by being alive on this earth, in this life, right now.

Carrying Grief

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statue of Kwan Yin“Some things in life cannot be fixed. They can only be carried.”
Sheryl Sandberg COO of FaceBook

Grief is a burden that many of us don’t even know we carry. It is simply there, like a part of us, the air we breathe, inseparable from our deepest being.

We mostly don’t know that it is there,  welded into our bones, because it is so ancient that it cannot be seen.

We’ve been carrying it since birth, since before birth. We’ve been carrying it from earliest childhood, from middle childhood, from teenagehood, from adulthood. From the first time one parent or both failed us, from the first time we were abandoned, abused, hurt beyond repair, raped, scolded, hit, shamed, ignored, not seen. This is more than the usual childhood travails, though maybe those do us in as well. I don’t know, because I was thrown into the deep end before I was born.

The first grievous event happens and then  we grow up into the world and all the grievous happenings pile onto our core of grief and make it heavier, push it further into our bones, make it more solid and impermeable.

It is a pain that we carry in our deepest hearts, and that stains our being like dye poured into a mixing bowl, completely coloring all.

Sometimes we are able to see it. When we can we may be able to chip away a little tiny bit of it, maybe just enough to take away one iota of the pain. And maybe take away another chip of it before the next grief hits us.

What I have discovered is that grief is mostly always there when I look for it. But I have also discovered that when I have been able to take it out and look at it–look into my bones and the long hallways of my life where grief lurks, sometimes it can start to evaporate, shrink and shrivel. It doesn’t hit as many nerve endings. It doesn’t consume me.

As Sheryl Sandberg says, sometimes what we feel and have experienced can only be carried. And sometimes knowing what we carry can be good enough.

The Hugeness of Shame

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This is how it felt to try to put the word “shame” to the actual feeling.

I remember the first time I realized that “shame” was a word that actually related to feelings I had. It was such a teeny, tiny word for such an immense world of feeling that it seemed to have nothing to do with the hugeness of the feeling.

For years and years I had been living with these big, amorphous feelings that were just there, that I had no words for, that just permeated everything inside of me and outside of me.

By the time I finally could put that teeny, tiny word to that immense world of feeling I had been working with my now-long-term therapist for several years, and I must have cleared enough of the fog that sat in my feelings to be able to start to get focus on something inside that enormous mess.

Years later I can use the word “shame” and apply it to a human-sized feeling that can make me feel awful for a little while, but doesn’t overwhelm me and stop me in my tracks. I know what that feeling feels like, I know what started it way back when, I know sometimes what calls it up now. It is a feeling that I can live with, finally.

 

 

What is Gained by Firing an Abuser?

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(This was written in 2018, but feels very relevant today. )

We have White Birch--3 trunksbeen firing a lot of men lately who we have found out have been abusive in their work and/or home lives. Sexual coercion, innuendo, assault; battering wives and girlfriends. It makes sense and is necessary to remove men from positions where they can abuse their coworkers, subordinates, and others. To fire men from their jobs because of what has happened n their personal lives, not so much.

What is gained by firing a man who has battered his wife or molested his child? Will it stop him from doing it again, to her/him or the next wife/girlfriend/partner? No. Will the message be received by other batterers and abusers as “oh I better not do this because I could lose my job!” Most definitely not. Will shaming the men possibly make the situation worse for the victim? Quite likely, yes.

Our society seems to take delight in publicly shaming and punishing the men whose transgressions are discovered and publicly acknowledged.

Sadly, we also seem to think that the mere acts of shaming them and taking away their current means of livelihood will make a difference–cause them, or society, to change. Shaming and taking away a job serve to satisfy a sense of anger and desire for revenge, but beyond that, absolutely nothing, nothing, is accomplished, at least nothing of any value.

What is needed is a sea change. A change in our societal morés and habits and fundamental values and ways of socializing our children, starting in the womb. It requires, in the end, changing the patriarchy that is the bedrock of our society.

Saying this, it seems like an impossible task. It feels like lifting heavy boulders with my bare hands. It looks like it will never happen.

But I know that change is possible and, indeed, does happen. It can’t begin to happen until we acknowledge that there is a problem. I hope that this current spate of revelations of abusers will be the start of a real societal shift. Maybe it won’t. Maybe it will be just another false start. But I know that as we keep tearing the cover off what has been kept in the dark, eventually the light will get in and clear the clotted dregs of what is most vile in our society. May it be so.

Note: I am a survivor of long-term trauma and abuse and am in no way condoning the actions of any of the men, and women, who are abusing. I simply think that we don’t currently have adequate and effective ways of dealing with them and the system that supports them.

 

Gratefulness Throughout the Day

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crayon heartWhen I was in a very deep, dark space some years ago, I started a gratitude practice of thinking of 3 things at night that I was grateful for. It gradually turned into all the things I could think of at the time. Then, because I was struggling so badly, I started looking around me during the day and saying that I was grateful for the most basic things as a way to focus my mind away from the pain I was in and to train myself to see differently. “I am grateful for grass.” “I am grateful for paint.” “I am grateful for this paved path.” That sort of thing.

Also, because I wanted to have at least 3 things to remember at night, I started paying attention to what was happening during the day that I could be grateful for. That started me being aware during the day of what was happening that I was grateful for. It started me being aware on a daily basis of at least some of what is going well, no matter how small, and I often just say thank you for it, even “thank you that I did not fall when I tripped just now!” (more than once!). I have even sometimes been grateful for the painful, uncomfortable feelings I have, because they are part of the whole human experience and they have taught me a lot.

I know that my days are so different now, for many reasons, but I find an amazing number of things to be thankful/grateful for and that keeps my mood in a better place. It has certainly shifted my anxiety and depression to a much lower state.

“What Is ‘Fragrance’?” in Cosmetics

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This is taken directly from the Environmental Working Group website, and I have put it here to make it easy to access.
https://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2007/12/ask-ewg-what-fragrance 

Ask EWG: What is “fragrance”?

December 6, 2007

Question: Is it true that the cosmetics industry can put any chemical into a product’s “fragrance” without showing it on the ingredients list? What do they put in there?

Answer: It’s true. When you see “fragrance” on a personal care product’s label, read it as “hidden chemicals.” A major loophole in FDA’s federal law lets manufacturers of products like shampoo, lotion, and body wash include nearly any ingredient in their products under the name “fragrance” without actually listing the chemical.
Companies that manufacture personal care products are required by law to list the ingredients they use, but fragrances and trade-secret formulas are exempt. An analysis of the chemical contents of products reveals that the innocuous-looking “fragrance” often contains chemicals linked to negative health effects. Phthalates, used to make fragrances last longer, are associated damage to the male reproductive system, and artificial musks accumulate in our bodies and can be found in breast milk. Some artificial musks are even linked to cancer. And if you’ve got asthma, watch out– fragrance formulas are considered to be among the top 5 known allergens, and can trigger asthma attacks. The same kinds of chemicals are often used for fragrances in cleaning products, scented candles, and air fresheners.
To avoid those unpleasant side effects, choose fragrance-free products, but beware labels that say “unscented.” It may only mean that the manufacturer has added yet another fragrance to mask the original odor. Check ingredient labels carefully, or search Skin Deep to find products that do not list “fragrance” as an ingredient.
The best solution is not to allow cosmetics companies to get through this loophole. They should be required to list all of their ingredients on the label where consumers can find out what they’re buying. On top of that, cosmetics manufacturers regularly include ingredients with known or suspected links to cancer, reproductive toxicity and other negative health effects. The federal government must set safety standards for personal care products.

From the www.ewg.org website

You Have A Choice

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My last lifetime before this one, in linear chronological terms, was during WWII.

I was a young woman living in France, probably around 1944, and I came home one day and went into the basement of the brick apartment building where I lived. I found my young daughter (maybe 2 y.o.) and my mother in that life slaughtered with other people there. I immediately went into immense, overwhelming rage and grief. I swore I would do something to those who had done this–and turned to the dark side, the only way I knew or could think of to avenge these deaths. I then had any number of lifetimes of being and working in the Darkness in all directions of time, past and future, since time is not linear. I don’t know when I died, but I came into this life in the mid-1950s.
I remembered that lifetime during a class with my shamanic teacher when we journeyed on what was creating obstacles for ourselves in this lifetime.

In this lifetime I was born into a seemingly devout Christian community that was in reality a cult hiding both ritualized Christian abuse and deeper pantheistic abuse (the kind you read about and go “Oh no, they’re making that up”). The abuse started 2 days after birth and continued until maybe my late 20s or early 30s, when I was finally able to remember what had happened and get clear of the perpetrators (though dealing with my parents, who were also a part of it, as well as victims of it, was a different story).

*******

I came into this lifetime, I now understand, with 2 differing purposes. The first one, that has guided me from the beginning and has informed my choices again and again, was to go toward goodness and light, caring, loving, bringing the highest good into the world that I am able.

Doing Internal Family Systems work (IFS is one form of a number of therapies helping you to access and heal various parts of yourself, based by the originator on shamanic understanding). I recently found a part of me that held a different belief and desire. I have found many child parts and helped them heal and come to the present, but this one was surprising.

This young baby part had a belief and determination that I would go through these terrible things because I could handle it and wanted revenge. I had asked to come into this hell at least in part for this purpose. (This is not the only example of my hubris in this life!)

When I connected with this part of me I realized I had asked for this experience in order to take get back at those who had hurt me before. I also realized I couldn’t do it.

I had the life-changing understanding that I do not have to take revenge on anyone. I do not have to punish anyone for anything. God/Higher Power/Great Spirit will do this in all ways in all times in all places. This is what Karma is. I don’t need to do anything, it will be taken care of in Spirit’s own time and way. I don’t need to carry that burden.
I experienced such a lightness with this realization! It is not up to me, I can leave it to He/She who is here to take care of whatever happens.

*********

On thinking about this more I realized that I can have compassion for my selves in all those lifetimes where I worked for the Dark, for evil, was mean and nasty, or whatever. Just as I have compassion for my abusers (and please understand, compassion does not excuse what happened). I don’t have to worry about getting even or getting revenge or whatever else on those who “wrong” me, because Spirit will take care of it. It doesn’t mean letting myself be used or abused or not protecting myself, but when things happen, I don’t have to be the one doing the punishing/avenging. Our experiences in all our lives are the whole range of human behavior, the good, bad, ugly, evil, saintly, life-giving, and so on. We will be shown what our actions do and how they affect the world, we will receive whatever learning is necessary, and “punishment” if that is needed or will be seen that way. We may not get to see it happen to those who hurt us, just as we often won’t see the results of the good we do, but it will happen.

I finally  realized that when I came upon that horrific scene in the basement in WWII and immediately turned to the Dark side without another thought, I actually did have a choice. I could turn it over to Spirit. For me that is profound.

About Seed Sharing

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seed-saving envelopes

Envelopes that get recycled for seed-saving, and nasturtium seeds.

Saving seeds for planting the next season, and sharing them with others, is an ancient tradition that probably stretches back to before the advent of agriculture. It is a custom still practiced by many gardeners and small farmers, but increasingly threatened by big business practices of big chemical companies such as Monsanto.

But at the really local level it can still be a vibrant, viable alternative to buying seeds every year, and for finding unusual or rare plants/seeds, especially for heirloom plants.
What is an heirloom plant? A quick trip to Wikipedia gives us this:
An heirloom plant, heirloom variety, heritage fruit (Australia and New Zealand), or (especially in Ireland and the UK) heirloom vegetable is an old cultivar that is maintained by gardeners and farmers, particularly in isolated or ethnic minority communities in western countries.These may have been commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but are not used in modern large-scale agriculture.
   In some parts of the world, notably the European Union, it is illegal to sell seeds of cultivars that are not listed as approved for sale.The Henry Doubleday Research Association, now known as Garden Organic, responded to this legislation by setting up the Heritage Seed Library to preserve seeds of as many of the older cultivars as possible. However, seed banks alone have not been able to provide sufficient insurance against catastrophic loss. In some jurisdictions, laws have been proposed that would make seed saving itself illegal.
Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination, while fruit varieties such as apples have been propagated over the centuries through grafts and cuttings. wiki link

 

However, trading seeds among friends is one thing; setting up a more formal, publicly available structure is a little more fraught and can have some unpleasant legal obstacles. In most states in this country there are seed libraries, some of them located in public libraries, that have become the community space where people can share seeds, both donating and receiving seeds from local gardeners.

piles of 3 different seeds

Seeds: nasturtium, red runner bean, calendula

An article in Natural Awakenings magazine in May 2017 says the “the U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal Seed Act, in place for 80 years, mandates that any activity involving non-commercial distribution of seeds must be labeled, permitted and tested according to industrial regulations that would be both costly and burdensome to the hundreds of local seed libraries operating in 46 states.”

Fortunately, four states–California, Nebraska, Illinois, and Minnesota–have passed legislation “protecting non-commercial seed activity from regulatory requirements.” This is wonderful because as people continue to share seeds in many different venues, including seed libraries, they can save heirloom and open-pollinated varieties, increase local food production in backyards and community gardens, and help communities to have fresh, toxin-free food that is nutrient-dense and healthy.

The Sustainable Economies Law Center is working to get legislation passed in all 50 states that would protect our right to share seeds freely and easily.

 Here is a link to one of the biggest seed saving organizations, that has been around since 1975. It is well worth checking out.

Have you done any seed-sharing, with friends or with a seed library? Let me know your experiences!