Farm Planting Season 2020
Thinking Abundance
Spring on the farm is a special time of year. It is a period of revival, a sense of new life all around. For the Biodynamic farmer, or gardener, spring is the time to start implementing all the planning that happens over winter. During the winter we strategized over a variety of topics: soil preparation, plot expansion, a new irrigation system, increasing our livestock, bought a still (yay! 😊), and, of course, decided which new plants we are going to introduce to our garden. As we get ready to head to Burgundy, we wanted to share everything that goes into this aspect of our business, which for many people is a separate business in and of itself!
Naturally all the planning and preparation was grounded in the principles of Biodynamics. In the fall we buried the preparation known as 500, which is fresh cow manure pushed into a cow horn and buried into the earth of our garden. This “horn manure” enhances the life of the soil and harnesses the relationship between earth and plants, taking advantage of the process of hibernation that happens during winter. When we return, we will unearth the horns and “dynamize” the manure with rainwater, making a solution that we then spray on our beds, fertilizing the soil and giving our seeds the full spectrum of nutrients they need.
This is the first step of our soil preparation, as soil quality is probably the most singular focus in Biodynamic agriculture. The better prepared, and therefore fertile, our soil is, the better our seeds and plants are nourished to grow into healthy, vibrant plants. It is how we can best guarantee that the plants we grow will be of the highest quality and potency. This is why we also will be preparing Nettle Manure, a natural fertilizer and pesticide. We gather the tops of young stinging nettle, toss them into a barrel and fill the barrel with well water, and then let it ferment for 4-6 weeks. After a few days it creates quite a stink, so we make sure to put it next to the compost, away from the general area of the farm. Thankfully that doesn’t last long (~2 weeks) and once it’s done fermenting we spray the young plants that will have started sprouting at that point.
As for the plants, we’ll of course have our OG’S in the garden (calendula, lavender, comfrey, raspberry, stinging nettle, elder, evening primrose, lemon balm, rosemary, and roses among others) and we’re excited to be introducing some new members. We wanted to highlight some here below, we’re hoping that they enjoy their new home and become part of our “permanent collection”.
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) has been used for medicinal purposes for over 3000 years. It is found in most tropical and subtropical countries growing in swampy areas, that being said, it adapts easily and now grows in many climates (for those of you who noticed that Burgundy is not a tropical climate). In regards to the skin its extract is a rich source of natural bioactive substances, a healing botanical, improving circulation and elasticity. It also has a positive effect on varicose veins and stretch marks as well as eczema and psoriasis.
Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is a grass whose tips vaguely resemble the tail of a horse. Historically it was primarily used internally as a diuretic that increases blood circulation, helps treat infections, and to alleviate arthritis. Horsetail has some amazing benefits for the skin in it’s high level of “silicon” in the form of silica which is highly absorbable by the skin. Silica aids in the production of collagen, which the body produces less and less of, over time, contributing to duller, less tight skin, so having ingredients that are good for collagen means they are good for the skin.
Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) is an adaptogenic and tonic herb that is known to boost energy and strengthen immunity (an immunomodulator). Its antibacterial and antiviral properties make it useful in healing the skin, particularly with burns and wounds. While it is a beautiful plant with bright pink flowers that turn into milky white pods to hold its seeds, the medicinal properties most lie in the roots of the plant.
Plantain (Plantago major) is a plant that you’ve definitely seen before, it often grows out of the cracks of sidewalks. It’s a common lawn and garden weed that most people see as a nuisance, and not for what it really is: a wondrously effective medicinal plant. It’s been used for centuries, primarily for treating wounds and its ability to draw out venom and infections in stings, bites, and boils. Obviously anti-inflammatory, it is also astringent and antimicrobial, making it a wonderful herb to include for skincare products. It already grows wildly in our garden, but this year we want to give it a proper home in its own bed.
As for the rest, we’ll be doing trials (like we’ve done in the past with most of our plants) to make sure they like our soil and climate. We’re hoping to have a less extreme summer this year, last year was the driest summer on record and the year before that, the 2nd hottest summer on record. These extreme periods of heat and/or drought typically run havoc on gardens like ours, but our garden actually performed quite well, which we attribute to the Biodynamic practices of course! If you provide the best environment and resources for the plants in the spring, they have better health and strength to survive these extremes.
Another highlight for 2020 is the addition of our new still! We don’t have any pictures (it hasn’t been delivered yet), but we are beyond thrilled to be able to delve into the alchemy and art of distillation. This will allow us to utilize our own botanicals for both hydrosols and essential oils. This year will likely be experimental and educational as we learn to use the still properly, trying out different techniques with different plants to be able to make some truly special elixirs! Stay tuned on our Instagram where it’s safe to say you can expect a heap of still-heavy content. 🤗
And that’s not all. We also planned the preparation of our compost, which has now had 2 years to allow the foodweb of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoans, nematodes, etc) to breakdown the organic matter into a fiber-rich humus with all the inorganic basic compounds that plants need: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This nutrient-dense earth will delight our botanicals, allowing them to grow strong and potent. We’re also working on an improved irrigation system (in case it’s another hot or dry summer), getting more chickens to use for the natural weeding and aeration of our soil, and obviously further designing the layout of the garden.
There we go! As you can see, winter isn’t all that quiet inside the farmhouse (or New York studio in our case…). While the garden and farm are resting, regenerating, and retreating into the soil, we’re busy preparing for the growing season. If you’ve ever visited a farm or garden (or have a garden own), you’ll know that spring is really a magical time of year. Everything is green, young, and full of potential. If we can execute well on our preparations, and have a little help from Zeus, we will be able to provide our botanicals with the best nourishment and environment to become beautiful, healthy, and vital plants which will eventually make it into our bottles. We look forward to sharing the process later this spring!
xo,
– Carolina