Some of the permaculture presentation attendees at Gateway Farm I had a fantastic time presenting at Gateway Farm this past Sunday and though it was not recorded, I wanted to share a transcript of my presentation here with you all! But before I do, something to understand about permaculture is that it is a design system based on observation and pattern recognition within nature. This is also the basis of the Mystery School tradition ...
Sunday, September 14th at Gateway Farm Just a reminder that I will be making a presentation at Gateway Farm in Plymouth on Sunday along with other local folks in the permaculture community. The organizers have now made it a FREE event, by donation only! So if that was a concern for you, you do not have to miss out! Here is a summary of the talk I will be giving. ✨ It's All Connected Do ...
The gods and goddesses tell us about eternal truths. We can see these truths in the ancient myths told about the constellations and the movements of the luminaries, as well as within our own bodies and lives, and the events of the world around us. The mythology found regarding the heavens and its relationship to earth and people are timeless tales which tell the same stories in different ways throughout time amongst a multitude of cultures. Our ...
rainbow in the fire circle Do you consider your body and spirit a natural system mirroring the world around you? As you picture sunshine, fresh air, and pure water nourishing and stabilizing the land, can you see it doing the same for you? Come join us as we explore the element of Earth and connect with our own inner healers. We will begin with a meditation and a song. There will then be a ...
By Jean Cavanaugh(A Wild Plum from this past August) Another of the native shrubs we have planted at Crossing Hedgerows is the Wild Plum. At one time, native plums were one of the most established wild food crops of Native Americans. According to the book, Native Plant Agriculture, by Indigenous Plants, Native Plums are more energy dense than any domesticated fruit you'd find in the grocery store and is only rivaled by other wild fruits such as serviceberries, ...
Today I took a short video so you can see what the woods are looking like right now. At the end you can hear a plane flying low overhead, as the Sanctuary is not too far from Detroit Metro airport. https://youtu.be/y7gwtDCswo4 Our world is constantly becoming more and more developed even in areas that are zoned for agriculture. Farm fields across the road from the Sanctuary are currently being partitioned off and sold for ...
Ground cherries are a crop that has done well for us over the years. Physalis pruinosa is in the nightshade family and is related to tomatoes, potatoes, tomatillos, peppers, and such (but not cherries!). Like tomatillos, they have a papery husk on them. However, ground cherries are sweet, with a flavor similar to pineapple or strawberry. Ground cherries are native to the Americas. "Estimates for the earliest use of Physalis for human consumption range from 900BCE to 5000BCE. ...
Look carefully for the nuts inside the "wrappers" The photos I'm sharing today are from a hazelnut harvest we did last February. This is the time of year when they're ready, but in our experience you can collect them anytime you get around to it, as long as the squirrels don't beat you to it. Our hazelnuts are the wild, native variety which are smaller than cultivars, but their taste ...
Continuing from my previous post about food forest crops, sunchokes are one of the perennials we've planted around the farmstead area. As you can see, they have a gorgeous flower which blossoms in late summer. They're a type of sunflower with an edible tuber root which can be used similarly to potatoes, though they have perhaps more of a water chestnut consistency. Also they can be eaten raw, sliced up on a salad with a bit of ...