Reclaiming the land - clearing, digging and sowing.

Over the past couple of weeks with the seasons changing from winter to spring, and the hours of daylight growing increasingly longer I've felt inspired to get out in the garden again. I started doing all the usual things like mowing the lawn, clearing leaves out of the pots, planting bulbs all the usual stuff, but my eyes kept getting drawn to the very back of the garden which was fenced off and completely over grown with brambles. It got me thinking about clearing it out and growing some fruit and vegetables. It looked like a lot of hard work but with the motivation of wanting to eat more organic foods, the reality of fast rising food prices and the resolution that we weren't going to be moving house, I knew it would be worth the effort.
So armed with some secateurs, sheers and some (rubbish) gardening gloves I went to work attacking the brambles (though I've got to say they did their fair share of attacking me!). With the offer of an opportunity to grow some fresh vegetables for their table, I also roped in the kids and a couple of friends to help.

Half way through

 
As I was working away, my mind wandering pleasantly, I thought of writing this blog with the idea of showing that anyone can start from scratch in their garden to become more self sufficient and in tune with nature and the changing seasons. I don't know about you but this year I really seem to be feeling the importance of being in harmony with nature and becoming less reliant on the mass production of superstores and the corporate machine.

In perfect synchronicity Saturday 19th march was the equinox full moon, and happened to be a super moon (in its closest elliptical orbit to earth) appearing larger as it rises and sets. Perfect night for a bonfire and a spot of moon gazing!

Plum trees emerge!

As the super moon rose over the horizon glowing orange and extremely bright, my friends and I grabbed a few beers and some toasted marshmallows to help along the way and we had the ground clear by the morning.
Next day was the spring equinox the official start of spring, it's an important time of year as it means the hours of daylight and night are equal, literally over night all the trees and plants burst into life! So we planted all sorts of seeds like lettuce, beetroot, cucumber, tomatoes, broccoli and leeks, my children chose to plant a sunflower seed each, then we all made a wish that they grow into a healthy bountiful harvest (best to stay positive!).

Lots of space to grow in

I started taking pictures half way through to record the changes along the way and hope to keep you updated as I go.. as a complete novice.. kind of have a feeling there's going to be a lot of trial and error here! So far the beds have been dug, the potatoes, onions and garlic have gone in the ground, and some of the seeds in my make-shift propagator are starting to shoot. When I haven't been digging in the garden, naturally I've had my head in all sorts of gardening books figuring out when each seed needs to be sown, what plant should go where and when. I've got a lot to learn but am definitely getting there, I've found out interesting information that I never knew such as not to grow root vegetables in recently manured soil and about companion planting to keep pests under control, for instance you would plant garlic with carrots to keep carrot fly at bay, basil with aubergines to keep off aphids and nasturtiums with cabbages to attract beneficial insects. so armed with some newly acquired knowledge and a spade I've got some more digging to do... watch this space ... It's a great project for us all as a family and we're having lots of fun and fresh air in the process... So what are you waiting for? If we can do it.. you can too!!!

Ban on natural foods herbs and supplements.

This is a letter I have sent to David Cameron and also my local MP,  the letter is about the proposed regulation and ban on natural health products and herbs. Please sign the petition at www.joininghandsinhealth.com and spread the word, the law is meant to be passed in April 2011. Which isn't far away now. Please do your bit, it DOES make a difference, maybe even write, fax or email the prime minister yourselves and help to show how strong the nation feels on this issue. (for details on contacting the prime minster go to www.number10.gov.uk )

 I am hoping that by sending this letter in the post I will get a reply, which I will post in a future blog. Be interesting to see their response as I had always planned to do a degree in herbal medicine in the future, when my children are older. If the ban is approved will this degree even be available? I really hope and pray for everyone's sake that this legislation does not get passed. 

Dear David Cameron,

I feel very strongly against the government (including cross-party leaders/members) secretly approving EU legislations to ban natural health products. Namely you wish to ban hundreds of natural foods, herbs and supplements.

This would be a massive infringement on human rights, democratic freedoms and personal health choice. 

I have signed a petition (THE NATION SPEAKS “NO NOT IN MY NAME” www.joininghandsinhealth.com) along with millions of other people who are also opposed to this legislation being passed.

It is my understanding that thousands of herbal remedies will have to be regulated by the same methods as synthetic medicine under this new law, rendering most remedies banned and the rest with potency levels so low they’ll be virtually ineffective.

To regulate herbal medicines in the same way will be virtually impossible, as they are made and in such different environments: synthetic in a controlled laboratory and herbal remedies, grown in people’s gardens or collected from the wild. Small distributors will struggle to meet the regulations and suffer for this. Let alone the people who will suffer from not having the choice to use natural remedies anymore.

I have read that the government feels its necessary to regulate the herbs as “some” people have suffered adverse effects, and you wish to stop this happening. I would like to know how many people suffer from adverse effects, (death even) from synthetic regulated medicine compared to that of natural remedies? I really can’t see how this reasoning is justifiable at all! I would love to hear your explanation.

Plants herbs and natural remedies have been in every day use safely and effectively for thousands of years across many cultures.

 Is it not true that most, if not all synthetic medicines are derived from plant/natural sources originally?

The decision to choose how we heal our selves when ill or as a preventative measure is a right we should ALL have. To take away this personal freedom to choose would be appalling.

We are meant to be a democratic society so why are we not getting a say in such important issues as this? (And many other very concerning issues, that affect us all across the board.) This regulating of natural plants seems to me a complete farce, it seems pharmaceutical companies will be the only ones that will benefit greatly from this. We should have the option to choose how we heal ourselves and our children. I do not like to take a pill for every ill, I’d much rather use a natural alternative, which is safer and more in tune with the individual on a holistic basis (healing the body, mind and spirit). I look forward to your reply to such regarding this urgent issue.                                                                  Regards

A very concerned  UK resident.

To blog or not to blog...

I've been thinking (possibly even procrastinating) about starting a blog for a while now... however I was put off because I always felt too nervous to say what I really think and secretly worried 'who really wants to hear what I have to say?' but after spending some time following a couple of friends that are already writing their own blogs, I felt inspired. I realised the ONE thing that worried me about blogging was actually the most wonderful thing about it! It IS your own opinion no one can argue with it ,well they can I guess, but you can just come back with 'it's my humble opinion!'

So here I go and it feels exciting, like I'm finally doing what I'm meant to be doing! for ten years now I have kept a diary, a collection of thoughts, dreams and general nonsense that goes through my brain every day. Without having my diary as an outlet for the information super-highway that is my brain, I'm pretty sure I would be completely crazy by now. I've always known I would write one day, as a little girl I used to make books complete with all my own stories and illustrations, and revelled in turning my book collection into my very own library (OK can't believe I've openly admitted that, but there it is). I spent hours with my head books in whatever fantasy land I chose, which suited me fine!
Now I've revealed to the world that I'm a total book geek, I feel liberated to write pretty much anything!

I have a few ideas on what to blog, they'll be based around about being truly awake in this world we live in and hopefully provide some food for thought about issues you may or may not have heard about.
For instance I think a lot about the corrupt governments across the world; the fact we're meant to live in a democracy when we actually have no say in anything at all.. I mean did you or I agree for our country to go to war? or agree to for the members of parliament to be paid so much money with all the little perks on top? Who decided that natural health products should be regulated in the same way as pharmaceutical medicine?   I could add to these questions endlessly (and I will do in future blogs). Basically I've got lots of ideas about all things mystical, creative and most likely down right controversial that I look forward to sharing with you all! thanks for reading if you bothered and no hard feelings if you didn't! much love peace out