Autumn Equinox XOXO

Biodynamic Growing in The Garden
 
This afternoon with all of it’s warmth and sunny disposition, I had a visit from Carin of Blossom’s Farm. She arrived with my CHS (Community Herb Share). I bought at the beginning of January to my delight, and have been enjoying a quarterly delivery of salves, body oils, bitters, herb teas and hydrosols hand made by Carin and Del.
 
We walked through the garden, while she gave me tips for each plant as we walked by. Here was one tall plant called Mullein. She waxed poetically, pinched some yellow flowers and gave me a sweet sweet discourse on gathering Mullein Flowers for infusions for ear aches.
 
Gather each yellow flower bud as it blooms. Set out on a hot sunny window sill so it will dry quickly and retain the colour yellow. Infuse into a fixed oil. She suggested an almond oil but I like jojoba because it doesn’t go rancid.
 
She offered up her recipe for comfrey and nettle fertilizer concentrate.
 
Fill a 5 gallon galvanized metal bucket with layers of comfrey leaves, and nettle.  Cover with water. Leave it to set out in sun, covered lightly. Wait for 2 to 3 weeks.
 
Use one cup of the fertilizer to a gallon of water in your watering cans.
 
She explained that comfrey roots are very deep and the leaves are all nitrogen.

 She suggested we not plant the kale again where we have had it the last two years. Explaining that it will weaken the kale, she went on to give more tips for a thriving garden. During the course of the past four years that I have known Carin and Del I have come to really respect their knowledge of growing plants in the most ethical, organic way.

Her proud announcement was that she has 500 feet of vetiver growing. That is amazing to me as a perfumer, I love love this vision of being able to buy some local vetiver.
 
She had a hydrosol of Tulsi, some tea also of Tulsi: Holy Basil. We had a nice chat about her distillation of the plant. I sprayed some on my face and I smelled a clove or cinnamon scent along with the basil. Quite amazing, and refreshing. It was only the Tulsi, and it ranged from herbal to spicy, I loved it.
 
She named off a long list of plants we could use in the garden as a cover crop for winter to re-ignite the soil. Fava Beans, Red Clover, and many more. I use the red clover in my Women’s Tea so that is likely what I will plant.
 
She identified our wild chamomile as being wild, and described the difference between it’s inner crown compared with a hollow crown on the roman chamomile we are growing in the garden.
 
Carin and Del are our Slowcoast Regional Biodynamic Experts.
 
She encouraged me to begin a compost pile for the garden, with just a circular fence, using sunflower stalks in the bottom to create aeration. She suggested w break down the compost before adding it in to speed up the breakdown of botanicals.
 
They are powdering vegetables now to add them in as a sprinkle on top of their foods to get their minerals, and daily requirements for help with longevity.

For More Contact with Blossom's Farm you can shop for products at our Slowcoast.org stores, or visit them online for their lovely Quarterly Herbal Share.

http://www.blossomsfarm.com/