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Hello dear friends,
These past few months have taken me on an unexpected journey, one that has required resilience, adaptability, and the willingness to change. It's funny how life often mimics the garden - our plans can be swept away by a sudden frost or a swarm of pests, and yet the resilience of nature, its adaptability, always shines through. We can learn so much from our green companions, can't we?
One of the biggest changes I've had to navigate recently has been due to my health condition, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). This development has pushed me to reassess and reevaluate everything, from my lifestyle to my diet and even the plants that I grow here on our farmstead.
For example, we're still growing tomatoes - so, so many tomatoes! My wife adores them, and there's an undeniable joy in making tomato sandwiches with freshly picked heirlooms. However, tomatoes have now moved onto the "off-limits" list for me. But as with everything in life and gardening, it's all about adaptation and finding new joys.
One of my favorite things about being a farmer and a cook is the constant opportunity for creativity, and my new dietary landscape is just another canvas. I've always enjoyed cultivating microgreens and sprouts - there's something truly gratifying about watching these little wonders grow, and they're such nutritional powerhouses. Now, with my updated diet, I've expanded our sprout repertoire to include more varieties that I can savor.
A particularly significant addition to my green family is the humble pea shoot. These vibrant, tender sprouts have become a weekly staple in our home. Not only are they delicious, but they're also natural boosters of DAO, an enzyme that has been in short supply in my body due to MCAS. It turns out our parakeets are quite fond of them too - who would have guessed?
This personal health journey has also led me to lean more into my healing herb garden. I've started cultivating chamomile, a plant that I've admittedly struggled with in the past, but we gardeners are nothing if not stubborn. Chamomile, with its soothing properties, is a wonderful ally for anyone dealing with stress or sleep issues.
Another new addition is black cumin, a plant with a rich history of use in traditional medicine. Its seeds have been used to support a healthy immune response, aid digestion, and promote respiratory health - all attributes that I find particularly beneficial these days.
And let's not forget about calendula - a bright, cheerful plant that has long been used in making salves and creams for skin health. The vibrant orange flowers are currently dotting our farmstead and serving as a beautiful reminder of the therapeutic connection between nature and health.
One thing that's become even more important in managing all these changes is my approach to farmsteading itself. My energy levels haven't been what they used to be, and it's caused me to lean into permaculture practices even more. The philosophy of working with the land, rather than against it, feels even more crucial now. The garden and I are evolving together, finding balance, and growing stronger in the process.
So, as we continue to journey together, remember that change is not always a setback. Sometimes it's just a new path through the garden, a different way to appreciate the beauty around us. I'm grateful for these new paths, the lessons they teach, and the chance to share them with you.
Here's to the resilience of nature, and all of us.
More to come.
To tend the garden is to be with God, adopt the pace of Truth, and to tend to the soul, touch the earth from where we are and at one with. I touch the soil and my mind stops it's chatter.