The Rhythm of Biodynamic Farming

Biodynamic farming is a healthy and natural approach to farming that does not use pesticides. It focuses on the basic principles of nature - which is organic and self sufficient - to produce nutritious high quality foods. The "founder" of biodynamic farming was Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), a highly trained scientist and respected philosopher of his time. He was the first to expose the dangers of synthetic fertilizers, which were just appearing in his time. His perspective of farming was seeing it as "a single, self-sustaining organism that thrives through biodiversity, the integration of crops and livestock and the creation of a closed-loop system of fertility."

Rudolf was able to recognize the importance of the healthy interplay of cosmic and earthly influences. The cycle of the Earth is carried out in relation to the cosmos, in a kind of in-breathing and out-breathing. It has a daily exhalation in the morning and the daily inhalation in the evening. Biodynamic farmers spray preparation 500 (cow horn manure), which promotes reproduction and growth, root movement, soil stimulation and micro bacterial life. It also helps germinate seeds and regulates lime and nitrogen content in the late afternoon or evening during the "in breath", while some preparations and agricultural tasks are performed in the morning to compliment the "out breath".

Biodynamic agriculture, is needed at a time when it is well known that pesticides are harmful to our soil and food (ultimately our health). Farmers would be wise to put it into practice because of it's healthy self sustaining methods, which uses the earth's energy and focuses on the basic principles of nature. We are aware of the moon, the sun and the rotation of the earth playing a part in high tides. But earth rythyms as well as cosmic solar & lunar/moon rhythms are rhythms that sustain all life on Earth. Some feel we should value biodynamic farming's self sustaining methods as science and I agree.

There is a small percentage of farmers who currently use biodynamic farming methods. John Chester, a filmmaker-turned-farmer in Moorpark, is one of them. He focuses on biodynamic, or biomimicry, in which every aspect of the farm works in sync, feeding off of one another and using nature as a guide on what to do, and what not to do. His farm is surrounded by sheep, cattle, pigs, roosters, dogs, birds, and horses. He uses the animals to keep their lawns manicured and get an endless supply of manure. You can't get more simple and self sufficient than that. Learn more. Check out the links below and share with others!

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." - Albert Einstein

Image above taken from http://www.earthhaven.ca/

https://www.biodynamics.com/what-is-biodynamics
https://www.organicconsumers.org/categories/biodynamics
http://lexiconofsustainability.com/biodynamics/
http://www.quantumagriculture.com/node/257
http://www.windows2universe.org/sun/effect_on_earth.html
http://www.biodynamics.in/Rhythm.htm
http://www.agroliving.com/2014/04/29/biodynamic-cycles-the-in-and-out-breath-of-the-planet-earth/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/eshachhabra/2016/02/24/why-one-farm-startup-is-filming-their-biodynamic-story-for-oprahs-own/#5c339a327ddc
https://biomimicry.org/what-is-biomimicry/#.VvLZuWQrJFQ Pin It

Happy New Year - around the sun!

One of the Five Arts of Chinese Metaphysics is known as 'Feng Shui'. Feng Shui relied on astronomy to find correlations between humans and the universe before the invention of magnetic compasses. The purpose of Feng Shui is to create an environment with good qi. Qi in Chinese martial arts, refers to 'energy', in the sense of (positive and negative) 'life force'. When we have good design in our homes, our rooms are filled with vibrant energy.

'A traditional explanation of qi as it relates to Feng Shui would include the orientation of a structure, its age, and its interaction with the surrounding environment, including the local microclimates, the slope of the land, vegetation, and soil quality.' -excerpt from wikipedia

To begin creating this type of living space, it is always recommended to have a professional Feng Shui practitioner guide you in achieving this harmony effectively. However, here are a few ways to start putting some of these techniques into practice:

1. Find the room in your home or apartment where energy is strongest (such as where guests like to hang out in). This area would be used as a working space that will help bring you popularity, success and money.
2. Sleep against a solid wall, the headboard should be against the wall and the foot of the bed should never be in line with the door.
3. Place air cleaning plants around the home to reduce anxiety and remove toxins.
4. Clean the front entrance. The front door should be well maintained and solid and the front area of your home should be clean and not cluttered. Make it welcoming and from this focal point, you should have beautiful pieces of art and furniture that feels pleasing.

Happy New Year!

image source: http://www.decoist.com/2013-09-25/feng-shui-tips/

Information sources:
http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/home-garden/home/feng-shui-for-good-energy-1.1954611
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feng_shui
http://www.vogue.com/13383560/how-to-feng-shui-your-home-easy-ways-beginners-guide/

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The Interconnection Of New Ideas

 Youths and entrepreneurs are leading the way in developing ideas about environmental and sustainability issues that are vital for solving the current problems we are faced with. The Global Landscapes Forum recently held alongside COP21 in Paris, included a diverse group of people that discussed (technological) ideas for resolving these current issues of environment and health. Participants included 'The Nature Conservancy', who showcased the latest tools and technologies that were being used for increased production, improved livelihoods, protection of forests, landscapes, watersheds and for more biodiversity.

Other participants included 50 youth innovators that teamed up for 4 days in order to brainstorm ideas that would develop solutions to five real-world land-use challenges. Their ideas, which included an exchange program between smallholder farmers where they share resources, such as storage facilities and centralized distribution centers, can immediately be implemented to solve these land-use challenges. A speaker worth noting, named Salina Abraham said, " To us this wasn't just an exercise... These could be real-world solutions to real-world challenges. So, I want to ask from you two things: the first is to concretely integrate youth into the work that you do and the solutions we have to offer into your organizations; the second is to support our Youth in Landscapes initiative so that we can continue to grow and enable youth, so that we can become the leaders that we will have to be in the world."

 All over the world, discussions and actions are taking place, whether it be a group of people or a single individual, such as in the case of Samuel Malinga. He is a 26 year old from Uganda who recently received the Tony Elumelu Prize for Business at the Future Africa awards for his development of a full-cycle sanitation system. This sanitation system was built of local low-cost but highly hygienic toilets. In an effort to protect the environment through reducing and reusing waste, he also developed briquettes as an alternative source of energy to charcoal.

“The exposure we gain by traveling to other countries is also priceless. It widens our perspective, introduces us to new ideas and links us up with like minds from faraway lands.” - Samuel Malinga (interview with Onyedimmakachukwu Obiukwu)

Samuel is driven by "designing an effective marketing, distribution, and profitable business strategy that can be brought to scale." He cites Albert Einstein in saying, "Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of minds to think." He says, "Agricultural Engineering has well packaged courses with design, business training, other engineering disciplines, agriculture, farm power and machinery, environment, water, energy and social fields. I had to apply the knowledge I acquired from university studies to develop technologies that are solving community problems. For sustainability, every good technology has to be accompanied with a decent business approach to enable people to buy it."

 Youth and entrepreneurs can provide different, innovative and new ideas that can help solve the problems we face today in addressing climate change and sustainability. These problems are interconnected and cannot be understood or resolved within our "academic disciplines and government agencies".

"A resolution can be found only if the structure of the web itself changed, and this will involve profound transformations of our social institutions, values, and ideas. As we examine the sources of our cultural crisis it will become apparent that most of our leading thinkers are outdated conceptual models and irrelevant variables…The shift from the mechanistic to the ecological paradigm is not something that will happen sometime in the future. It is happening right now in our sciences, in our individual and collective attitudes and values, and in our patterns of social organization. The new paradigm is better understood by individuals and small communities than by large academic and social institutions...To facilitate the cultural transformation, it will therefore be necessary to restructure our system of information and education, so that the new knowledge can be presented and discussed appropriately. " - excerpt from The Turning Point 1982 by Fritjof Capra

"Government also has to create public awareness about the effects of deforestation and importance of environmental conservation. It can do this by encouraging the teaching of subjects on climate change in schools and also by funding research towards cleaner energy options." - Samuel Malinga

Image above taken from http://pure-consciousness.com/2012/11/30/the-thinking-universe-interconnected-consciousness/

Sources: 
http://venturesafrica.com/features/what-drives-the-young-african-entrepreneur/ 
http://blog.nature.org/conservancy/2015/12/09/civilization-without-destruction/ 
http://www.landscapes.org/salina-abraham-closing-keynote-way-forward-glf-2015/ 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pieter-van-de-sype/thinking-landscapes-and-t_b_8754710.html

Related:
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/09/02/generation-y-not-these-10-young-entrepreneurs-didnt-let-age-hold-them-back/ 

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"Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened"

Quote by Anatole France
Ever notice how unhappy some of the zoo animals look? And why are some dying of cancer - that would be impossible in the wild. In the zoo they are fed and exposed to the same toxins that society is exposed to, causing cancer. It's definitely an eye opener. I know the zoo keepers are trying to help these animals but we have to rethink all our practices now that we are aware of the toxins in our air and food.

"Zoos represent an ethical dilemma, which each reader must resolve to the best of his or her individual ability. Zoological collections now assert that they serve an essential conservation role. Others dispute this, not least upon the grounds that animals in the wild outlive their captive counterparts. Whatever the rights and wrongs of keeping animals in zoos, the inmates can fall prey to disease and, when they do, they then require and deserve the best treatment available." - excerpt from http://www.alternativevet.org/zoo_animals.htm

"The modern zoos we know today are a far cry from those of the past but despite all that we have learned and all that has changed, AZA-accredited institutions are still keeping many of their animals in incredibly unnatural habitats with minimal space and minimal enrichment leading to a number of abnormal behaviours. - excerpt from http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/zoos-bringing-endangered-species-back-from-the-brink/

I loved going to the zoo to see the animals. I've seen elephants up close, but it's not worth seeing if they are unhappy and medicated half the time. Samantha, a 37-year-old Western Lowland Gorilla, was the eldest female at the Toronto Zoo. She died of a stroke. Strokes are not common among gorillas, yet three female gorillas have had strokes in North America in the past few years.
Read more about Samantha here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/gorilla-dies-at-toronto-zoo/article4388880/

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Why are you drinking milk?

There are many claims that milk/dairy is good for our bodies, supposedly by providing us with Vitamin D and calcium. However, fruits give us as much or more calcium and vitamin D as they claim milk provides, and animal milk is not actually digestible by our bodies. After the age of 2, humans lose the enzymes needed to digest milk. It is clear that it is not meant for human consumption after this age. It makes no sense to take milk from an animal (such as a cow) that has produced it for her calves. Even worse, most farmers separate the cows from their calves and continue to repeatedly milk the cows for mass production. The only kind of milk that babies should be consuming is their mother's milk.

It is also important to take into consideration the negative effects of animal milk. Cow's milk has up to 200 times the safe levels measurable quantities of herbicides, pesticides, dioxins and up to 52 powerful antibiotics, blood, pus, feces, bacteria and viruses. Cow's milk can have traces of anything the cow ate, including radioactive fallout from nuke testing. If you don't find this disturbing, you are not very concerned for your health or the well being of others.

Milk causes mucus build up in our bodies because it cannot be digested and when the body builds up acids, it forms deficiencies and toxicities known as 'diseases'. Why would we want to put indigestible milk that does not in fact provide us with calcium and vitamin D inside our bodies, when we can get the calcium and vitamin D from living foods such as fruits and vegetables. Milk does not do a body good.

"Neither vitamins, minerals nor hormones can do any work - without enzymes." - Dr. Edward Howell

 

 

More calcium rich foods:

https://blissreturned.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/calcium-the-best-foods-for-bones-fruits-and-vegetables/

Information sources:

10 Fruits High in Calcium info via Global Healing Center

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D62m5nmn_sk&feature=youtu.be

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/high-calcium-fruits.php

http://www.lcanimal.org/index.php/campaigns/other-issues/factory-farming

http://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/fruits-high-in-vitamin-d.php

http://notmilk.com/

http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/why-we-should-not-eat-animal-products/the-digestion-of-milk.html

Alternative farming:

http://veganorganic.net/

http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/list-alternative-crops-enterprises-small-farm-diversification

Anyone know of any dairy farmers who switched from producing milk to growing fruits and vegetables as an alternative, so they can still be farmers and not have to give up their livelihood? I would love to share those stories!

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They are closely interconnected and interdependent

Currently re-reading 'The Turning Point' by Fritjof Capra, a must -read! Here's an excerpt from chapter one:
'It is a striking sign of our time that the people who are supposed to be experts in various fields can no longer deal with the urgent problems that have arisen in the areas of their expertise. Economists are unable to understand inflation, oncologists are totally confused about the causes of cancer, psychiatrists are mystified by schizophrenia, police are helpless in the face of rising crime, and the list goes on… the persistence of slums, poverty and crime.
None of them, however, identified the real problem that underlies our crisis of ideas: the fact that most academics subscribe to narrow perceptions of reality which are inadequate for dealing with the major problems of our time. These problems, as we shall see in detail, are systematic problems, which means that they are closely interconnected and interdependent. They cannot be understood within the fragmented methodology characteristic of our academic disciplines and government agencies.
Such an approach will never resolve any of our difficulties but will merely shift them around in the complex web of social and ecological relations. A resolution can be found only if the structure of the web itself changed, and this will involve profound transformations of our social institutions, values, and ideas. As we examine the sources of our cultural crisis it will become apparent that most of our leading thinkers are outdated conceptual models and irrelevant variables.'
- excerpt from 'The Turning Point' copyright © 1982

Photo by: Manolo Vílchez

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'The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated'

Quote by Mahatma Gandhi
"Animals have always played an important role in agriculture. Not only do they provide us with food and fiber, but they also help to recycle nutrients and add to soil fertility. Over recent decades, however, the farming of animals has become increasingly separated from its natural existence on the land." Read More...
More on helping farm animals: http://www.farmsanctuary.org/
 

Image taken from http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/

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We’ve been bamboozled long enough

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” - Carl Sagan

 Corporations will put the profit margin and will put making money from billionaires, over the lives and the quality of life of foreign citizens. And I don't think it's crazy for people to fight against that. In fact, you resemble the greatest amount of spirit that any American has ever had who fought for his rights and his dignity. It's ironic that here, in this country, the profit margin is put before people's lives, even in the food that we eat. GMOs (corporations) don't want their foods labeled. If you're so proud of it why don't you put your seal of approval on it? People are making too much money off this stage of evolution (capitalism), to stop and get off it and take us to the next level.
If we're still here in 100 years, then we've basically put the nail on the coffin for humanity, to the point where we can't speak about healthy food without being persecuted by the companies who sell food that is bad for you. They're making too much money selling processed stuff (that is going to be proven to give people cancer) in order to stop and be taken off the market."- Immortal Technique

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The whole of nature and it's beauty

“Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and it's beauty.” - Albert Einstein

Below: photos of wood ducklings in High Park pond - enjoy!

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Picking Apples at Avalon Orchards

Eating freshly picked ripe fruits is the healthiest way to consume food. When we learned about Avalon Orchards, a certified organic apple orchard in Innisfil Ontario, we decided to check it out. We were assisted by friendly people and a serene atmosphere. On arrival to the orchard, we parked by a beautiful sunflower patch and then explored the grounds (where a tee-pee sits). Our walk through the (dwarf) apple trees was amazing- it's not often you can walk along and pick organic apples and eat them on the spot! Once we filled our bag with 'Freedom' and 'Novamac' apples, we headed back into the barn where we were kindly offered a small drink of fresh apple cider. Avalon Orchards apple cider is available at Farmer's market around the city, including Trinity Bellwoods park. We enjoy drinking it hot and cold and also incorporate it into our salads as a vinaigrette. We recommend you give it a try!

' It is remarkable how closely the history of the apple tree is connected with that of man.' - Henry David Thoreau

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'Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth'

quote by: Buddha

All civilizations have depended on the sky to guide them in growing crops. Just as old astrologists studied the position of the moon, sun and stars, an elder of the Dogon tribe (from West Africa) climbs to a place amongst the rocks to observe the sun as it moves along a heel stone, in order to determine the exact time that the people must sow their seeds. Since their region is dry (dessert), planting must begin at the precise moment during the short rainy season. This will ensure their survival. 

Elsewhere, in order for crops to grow successfully, farmers/gardeners use a Farmer's Almanac to assist them in sowing seeds. An almanac contains yearly information that includes weather forecasts, planting dates and times of the sunrise, sunset, eclipses, the moon and full tides. It is believed that the earliest published Almanac was in 1457. Some early Farmer's Almanacs were written by Benjamin Banneker (1792-1797) who calculated the astronomical information himself and who also included information on medical treatments. 

Modern 'civilization' does not allow for us to observe the skies as our ancestors once did, with an exception to those who continue to live simply and with a strong connection to the earth. Farmer's Almanac.com provides information (both for U.S and Canada) on weather, gardening, preserving the earth and more!

For more information on this years Spring Planting Dates for Toronto, click here.

Worm Moon Image taken from Phillip's Natural World 3.0

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Organic Certification

When shopping for organic food, it's important to check the labels for 'organic certification' and the ingredients. There are many controversies about the authenticity of USDA Organic foods - based on their standards for testing and Canada Organic apples containing small traces of pesticides - probably during shipping. When you understand the dangers of pesticides in non-organic food, you want to eat organic. Nothing in this world is guaranteed and there is no doubt that there are corporate giants who are packaging unhealthy food with 'USDA Organic' labels. 

However, eating healthy isn't just about organic food, but also about what foods you choose to eat. Although we like to buy local, some of the fruits and vegetables we purchase, such as oranges and avocados, come from the US. We will not choose to buy a USDA organic cereal box from 'Kashi' that contains dead ingredients with traces of genetically modified ingredients, BUT we will buy an organic avocado. If our chances of pesticides are even 50% lower, this is what we want to eat. 

The reality is that until we start growing our own food that we can keep an eye on, we don't know for sure. But we aren't taking any chances with non-organic food or 'organic' labeled products that are not certified. Canada Organic is the equivalent of USDA Organic. You can learn more about their regulations and standards here. To learn more about the controversy behind USDA's Organic products click here. 

For information on the dangers of USDA organic apples and pears click here. 

Sign petition for removing anti-biotics from organic apples and pears. 

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The Organic View

June Stoyer, the host of "Organic View' radio show, recently conducted an interview on the important roles of honeybees and bumble bees, and the dangers we are faced with from their decline. One of her guests, Graham White from Scotland, states that the US has roughly 200 million acres of crops treated with pesticides. This means every seed, every year, year after year is exposed to toxins! He points out that pesticides, in the past, were used as a reaction to the invasion of insects, but the way they are now being used is as a 'precautionary insurance'.  Bees, birds and other insects are disappearing on a massive scale because 200 million acres of US land are poisonous to all forms of insect life - yearly! 

Insect life is crucial for human survival. Their most important role is pollinating flowering plants such as vegetables, that feed us! We can expect a shortage of food in the future with continued use of toxins/pesticides. You can listen to the short interview here. Genetically modified foods, which are implanted with these toxins, will continue to give the human body allergic responses and cause diseases. 

UPDATE: For a 'bee saver' kit in the U.K. click here.

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'A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus'

Quote by: Martin Luther king Jr.
Dave Meslin is a Toronto based artist and organizer involved in a variety of urban projects. I decided to write a post about his 'TED' talk because I felt it was similar to the issue of food and health - the public not being provided with accurate information about health and food labels, as well as the important role that the media plays in affecting our views about what healthy food really is, and how we are discouraged from being involved.

Dave Meslin believes most people don't lack interest or desire for a positive change in the world, but that the system we live in, actively discourages engagement. Our municipal government, for example, whose duty is to provide the public with local services, safety and infrastructure, discourages such behavior by failing to display accurate, visually appealing and clear information when a city project is proposed. It fails to peek the public's interest to engage in the project, by not asking to hear from the public and by providing 'unreadable' public notices - which limits understanding.

The media also plays a major role in our views and involvement towards political change. It discourages public engagement by focusing more attention on celebrities and scandals. In the media, political articles fail to provide any information, such as contact information or follow up stories, that can allow for the people to be politically involved in their community.

In the case of charities, according to the 'Charitable Purpose, Advocacy and the Income Tax Act', Section 149.1, the common law prevents charities from engaging in 'political' activities. 'Judges have reasoned that by engaging in political activity, the charity enters into debate over a policy that may or may not be a public benefit, rather than working towards an accepted public benefit.' This is seen as a serious problem because Dave Meslin feels that the most passionate and informed voices in society will remain silent, especially during election time.

Dave presents circumstances that are backed up by the law, the people and spaces that are around us, and by the way we interact with each other and the government. In order to live in a better community, you have to be actively involved. Heroism/leadership is imperfect and voluntary. It comes from within, following your own dream, uninvited, and working with those who can make your dream a reality. You can check out his TED talk here. Enjoy!

Image taken from nsb.com

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Raising Backyard Chickens

In January the city of Toronto ruled on banning the practice of raising chickens in your own backyard, on the basis that the chickens are a possible health risk and noisy! 

Does the city not pose a health risk due to toxins and pollution?! Is the city not noisy from people, cars and ongoing construction?! 

Hopefully the city will overturn their judgement on banning chickens in the city, based on more accurate information/facts that can be provided to them. Paul Hughes may be such a man - you can read about his story here. 

We want to live a sustainable life and one day raise our own chickens - for eggs. If you live outside the city, and are interested in raising backyard chickens, there is a website called Backyard Chickens.com that provides information on successfully raising your own healthy 'backyard chickens'. Here is one great article we came across. Enjoy!

Image by Brett Gundlock/national post

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'Look! Look! Look deep into nature and you will understand everything.'

Quote by: Albert Einstein

Systems Theory is a study of systems of organization and connectivity, that is not based on the old Cartesian model of breaking apart and learning individual little pieces. A tree is not seen as an individual structure but rather as multiple sets of relations - trees survive on fungus, water and sun.

Below: Photos from today's walk in the park. Enjoy!

'Don't think: Look!' - Wittgenstein

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The Benefits Of Dehydrated Foods

Dehydrating food removes the water content but it does keep the enzymes, vitamins and minerals in place. There are a few controversies about the health benefits of dehydrated foods so we wanted to share our own views on it. During the winter, food preservation is important. We can't always get fresh garden vegetables, especially if you choose to live sustainably and not depend on a grocery store. Dehydrated foods are beneficial for this reason and snacking on dehydrated foods from time to time is healthy as long we hydrate ourselves accordingly. We absolutely love kale chips and sometimes our kale sits in our fridge for too long and goes bad because we have lots of vegetables in our fridge. We like to dehydrate food to put food preservation into practice and save our veggies!

Below: Dry kale chips with red onion - the sweetness of the red onion goes really well with kale! 

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Naturally Storing Food

A root cellar is excellent for storing food! It can store food for long periods of time which can be beneficial during the winter season. The earth soil on top of the cellar controls the temperature naturally, keeping your food from freezing or overheating. We are going to be building one for our sustainable home. When considering our design for the root cellar, we decided to buy a book entitled 'The Complete Root Cellar Book! The book is available on Amazon and we will be reviewing it and sharing what we learn in an upcoming post.

Below: An image of a root cellar (photo taken from here) and more fermenting jars (eggplant, celery, garlic and cayenne pepper mix and red onion, leeks, celery and garlic mix).

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The Benefits Of Dehydrated and Fermented Foods

Dehydration is one of the oldest methods of food preservation known to man. The history of dehydrated food includes dried fish, Chinese tea leaves and preserved fruit, vegetables and meat. Today it is still put into practice and is beneficial for your health. Not only does it preserve food so it is readily available but it also provides the enzymes and nutrients you need for a healthy immune system. Food fermentation is also very beneficial for the immune system because it provides healthy bacteria to the gut flora which can fight against bacteria, viruses and 'diseases'.

Below: Our dried fruit yeast is ready to go, our new additions to the fermenting family (zucchini with cucumber and red beets) and dehydrated banana chips. Yummy!

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'Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.'

Quote by May Sarton
Our indoor tomato and basil plants are growing healthy so far. The tomato plants are now 44 days old. It is a challenge to grow them indoors and it requires patience! Butterflies play a major role in gardening. During every walk to the park we see butterflies and moths, but we don't see too many around our neighbors' gardens. If you have an outdoor garden, you can raise your own butterflies for your backyard and help in maintaining the ecosystem. Here is an excellent link on attracting helpful animals to your garden.

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