Gratitude Sunday

We are grateful for so many things.  Here is what comes to mind from this past week:

~ peas and more peas as we near the final harvest (and purple ones that we love to grow each year!)

~ a "cupcake and flower stand" in our front yard that our young entrepreneurial daughter decided to set up  with her friends on the weekend (and the friends and neighbours who dropped by to support our young entrepreneurs)

~ one dozen delicious Seed of Life bars that I was happy to barter in exchange for plants from our garden!  (if you have not tried these amazing high-quality handmade energy bars yet then by all means check them out!  They are now available at the Kitchener market, and various local health food stores - made locally by our friend Theresa)

~ a gifting of organic bokchoy and (my favourite) hakurai turnips from our friend Angie at Fertile Ground CSA - gorgeous produce that we just can't seem to grow here like she does on her farm!

~ a sweet baby in our house that now sleeps for more than two hours at a time!

~ the season of fresh local berries!  red currants, service berries, mulberries, raspberries and blackberries and soon to be ready cherries and blueberries

~ Tulsi (or Sacred/Holy Basil) that we grow in abundance in our herb garden, with it's many health benefits - for gifting to friends, drying for winter tea blends, and making into this refreshing Holy Basil Sipping Vinegar

What are you grateful for this week?

Tulsi Basil

Tulsi basil is one of our favourites, though we grow a variety of other basils here.  It can be used as a culinary herb (pesto, etc), but mainly this is an herb we grow for it's many medicinal properties, it's beauty, as well as it's legendary history in Ayurvedic medicine.  Also known as "holy basil" or "sacred basil", this plant is one that should be in every herb garden.  It has an extensive list of healing abilities: as an adaptogen it helps the body fight stress by reducing the negative impact of stress caused by tension, emotional upset, illness, pollution and many other factors; it also helps relieve inflammation, builds the immune system, lowers cholesterol, lowers fever, supplies antioxidants, and helps with colds and coughs.  It is especially known for it's support to the heart, liver and lungs, helping regulate blood pressure and blood sugar.  It is best taken as a tea, fresh or dried, and is delicious!

We have been growing this lovely Tulsi from our own saved seeds for several years, although first received the seeds as a gift from visiting interns who were farming through the C.R.A.F.T. farm program at Saugeen River CSA near Durham.

Garden tasks, snow peas, new transplants, and sacred tulsi basil

This week's garden to-do list:
- hill potatoes in the 4' x 4' potato experiment patch
- make soap spray and use on fava beans
- tie up snow peas on trellis
- plant more beans (pole and french filet)
- harvest last asparagus and rhubarb
- weeding, always more weeding
- stake tomatoes before root systems get too large
- prep side yard for the arrival of the new rain harvesting tank

The snow peas are flowering and full! The blossoms are so beautiful I had to share a photo here. We should be eating fresh peas within a week. Mmmm...

I've so far managed to keep two trays of new seedlings going, so that as we harvest we will continuously have new transplants to set in. The Tulsi Basil (Sacred Basil) is up in abundance (as usual, I overseeded a little!). I did a little more research on this herb and found out it is indeed very special. It is considered the premier divine small plant in aryuvedic medicine, going by the sanskrit/Indian name of Tulasi or Vishnu priya. It's Latin name Ocimum sactum means literally "holy basil". It is renowned as an antioxidant, helping to boost the body's ability to fight free radicals which have been linked to disease and aging. It helps the body fight ongoing stress, and balances the mind, body and emotions. It is also excellent for the throat, chest, lungs and the entire respiratory tract, and acts as an anti-inflammatory. Also useful for healthy skin, rich in vitamin C and calcium, and aids digestive system. Finally, the Tulsi Basil is also used to purify the atmosphere and protects against environmental toxins. I feel very lucky to have been gifted this herb and will be sure to save seeds at the end of the season to make this a regular addition to our herb garden.

Information from: www.ayurvediccure.com