Wow! What a year it's shaping up to be already huh!?
I can't believe it's taken me this long to get something in writing about how amazing the Small Farm Conference was this year. If you haven't ever been, I recommend checking it out next year. It was so inspiring to me just seeing the incredible community we are building here in Northern Michigan.
The previous year I spoke on "Edible and Medicinal wild plants" - sort of an outline of some of the common wild plants in our area and their uses. As I applied to speak again it occurred to me that I needed to back up. While it's all fun and good to learn what the plants can do for us, we must first ask ourselves what we can do for the plants. So this time, my talk focused mostly on one of my favorite terms and practices- "Reciprocity"
Reciprocity is the act of exchange with another being for mutual benefit. It is at the core of any functional ecosystem, and is essential to our survival as a species. Gratitude is one of my favorite ways to practice reciprocity, as well as teaching. The response to my talk was overall very positive. There were tears in many eyes, which was sort of my goal- to awaken the passion and love for Earth and it's inhabitants. I feel tears welling each time I sit with the forest, or read an account of herbs helping someone, or listen to a podcast...it's that passionate love for mother nature that drives me in everything I do. It's my compass rose in this crazy world. As I learn and grow, I find that my heart leads me in the direction of teaching - primarily relationship. Relationship with the plants, and the trees. One can learn all there is to know about herbal medicine, but without relationship the information is of little use. On the other hand, one can know nothing about the uses of specific plants, but have a deep connection and relationship to nature and find all they need to know through that alone.
Thanks for reading, and thanks for being you. In Reciprocity...I LOVE YOU ALL!!!