Earth Promise: 12 Months to A More Sustainable Future

Plants & People, A Natural Partnership

Until 10,000 years ago, our ancestors were hunters and gatherers, learning as much as they possibly could about the plants and animals within each land where their ancestors had settled over the course of millennium after traveling from a common origin spot in Africa.

Today, of us have forgotten these natural partnerships with both wild and domesticated plants; and instead turn toward the commercialized food industry to meet our needs. For many of us, stores provide the majority of plants, animal products, or processed foods that make up our diets. If we do buy whole foods, they are often shipped to local and regional stores through complex distribution networks that cross many ecological zones, cities, nations, and climates before making their way into our hands. The history of these plants, their care, the soils in which they were seeded and grown, and any chemicals that they came into contact over their life course is often mysterious and removed from our daily awareness.

At R. Haus Institute, we believe we can best love and steward the earth through direct engagement. Our planet can benefit when we make the effort to co-create conscious relations with non-human species, including sentient plants, who call this planet home.

For the vast majority of human existence, plants have made up roughly 80% of the average human diet, with the remainder being acquired from animal products. As a result of these lifelong partnerships, those who gathered and harvested plants often became botanical specialists as a matter of course. Knowledge of hundreds of plants has always been the birthright of people, and often women, in virtually every society. Such knowledge traditionally resulted in respectful partnerships with plants who offered themselves as food, medicine, or materials to be processed into items used in daily life, such as a stand of willows being transformed into a basket.

Today we invite you to reacquaint yourself with your birthright of reconnecting to nature vis a’ vis plants that have been used since time immemorial to flavor foods, heal the body, or change bodily awareness through experiencing the aromatic qualities of plants.

In this blog, we’ll show you how to create an herbal garden, we’ll describe a few essential culinary herbs, and we’ll give you a peek into their rich botanical and cultural lineages of these unique living beings.

Powerful Little Plants

There are a wide variety of herbs that you might wish to include in your herbal garden. These can be divided into two categories: Annuals and Perennials.

Annuals can live for a single growing season. By contrast, perennials can live more than two years. Perennials bloom for a shorter duration than annuals and go dormant in the winter.

Sample Annual Herbs:

·      Basil

·      Coriander

·      Dill

·      Lemongrass

·      Rosemary

·      Sage

·      Stevia

·      Thyme

Sample Perennial Herbs:

·      Chives

·      Cilantro

·      Fennel

·      Lemon Balm

·      Marjoram

·      Mint

·      Oregano

·      Parsley

·      Rosemary

·      Tarragon

·      Thyme

Growing Herbs

You can easily grow herbs indoors or outdoors, with other plants, or by themselves. Sweet basil is great for outdoors, and can grow from 3-6 feet in warm climates. It is helpful to plant herbs near or within the kitchen for easy access. For indoors, you might want to invest in a smaller variety, Ocimum basilicum. If you choose to plant them indoors, you’ll need long boxes or pots that can accommodate your plants. Additionally, your plants will need access to 6-8 hours of direct sunlight or cool fluorescent lights.

Getting Started…

1.    First, find a flat seed tray and fill it with ¼ inch of potting mixture.

2.    Alternately, use biodegradable egg cartons. For each carton, cut the lid off and poke a few holes in the base of each egg cups for drainage, and place the cartons in a tray to catch the runoff water.

3.    After adding soil, add seeds to each egg cup, or over the soil of the seed tray.

4.    Cover the seeds.

5.    Tamp down the soil.

6.    Cover egg cartons or seed trays with plastic and place near a sunny window or near a fluorescent light.

7.    Water daily. It is important to keep the soil moist but not oversaturated.

8.    Once the seeds sprout, transfer seedlings to larger containers or into the ground.

Let it Grow!

1.    Full Sun, 6-8 hours/day

2.    Water Weekly or more frequently in an arid climate.

3.    Drain Soil Fully.

Basil (Ocimum basillicum)

Some of the earliest references to basil are found in the Rigveda, Indian sacred texts, dating back to 3500- 1600 BCE. Known as the king of herbs, basil is alternately used for cooking and as a traditional medicine. Once used as the perfume of royalty, this plant is also associated with ancient stories of fantastical beasts such as dragons and basilisks. For a twenty-first century version of this idea, think Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. While such associations may be linked to the flowering top of the plant akin to a serpent, so many other stories of basil species are about attraction, celebration, and delicious food.

Sweet basil is a fine helper in the kitchen garden, especially when fresh. There many varieties of basil that can liven up your cooking or even play a starring role. Basil in an annual herb that emits a sweet aroma that is found in many Italian dishes including spaghetti and pesto. In addition to sauces, basil is excellent in salads, soups, and casseroles.

Basil is an important herb in Ayurvedic medicine. It can boost immunity and has been used as a traditional remedy for sore throats. For the latter, boil basil leaves in water and then add a touch of honey.

Sowing the Seeds of Love!

Early spring is an optimum time to sow basil seeds. In cooler climates, it is recommended to plant 8-10 seeds per inch. In caring for your basil plants, make sure to drain your soil fully. If planted outside, it is important to ensure the temperature remains above 50 degrees. Once your plants have four or more leaves, they are ready to be planted in a garden. As the plant grows, you can begin harvesting leaves. If you pinch back the leaves from the top, the leaves will grow larger. You can also pinch off the flowers to encourage the plant to continue to grow.

Three easy and delicious ways to use fresh basil:

Pesto

½ cup basil

1½ cup spinach

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 clove garlic

¼ cup pine nuts

½ cup parmesan

Use a food processor to mix all ingredients until smooth. Pesto can be used with noodles, in eggs, on pizza, to flavor chicken, turkey, shrimp, and fish, and in many different casserole dishes.

Ensalada Capris

1/3 cup basil

1½ pounds of tomatoes (cherry or grape tomatoes for more sweetness and tartness; Roma, Beefsteak, or Heirloom tomatoes for a milder taste)

14-16 oz. mozzarella

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar glaze (optional)

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Slice and layer tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Sprinkle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. If using cherry or grape tomatoes, fully mix with basil, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Basil Lemonade

1 cup basil

1 cup sugar

6 cups water

1½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Step 1: Make a basil syrup. In a medium sauce pan mix equal parts of sugar and basil together. Add 2 cups of water. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Let basil syrup steep for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Once cooled, strain the syrup into a pitcher. Add 4 cups of water and lemon juice. Stir. Serve with ice and basil and lemon garnishes.

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