KY and farming:do any of you grow your own food?

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

I've been growing fruit, vegetables and herbs for about ten years now

I'm wondering, since Yoga and farming go so well together, how many of

you grow your own food? With the current economic situation, it's

exciting to see many people going back to self sufficiency.

I'm considering starting a produce co op, and raising chickens. With

the base of yoga students that I have built, I'm thinking this would

be good for the enviromnent, a healthy option for people, and just the

side income I need.

One great side effect of sadhana is that the garden thrives! There was

an excellent show on Public Television with Bill Moyers showing an

urban garden in Brooklyn, NY. It feels like a great project to me,

getting people off of fast food and introdung nutritious, great tasting

fresh produce.

Satpal Kaur

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Sat Pal Kaur ji,

 

Well, I didn't grow my own food last year, but really enjoy doing so,

since I find that it connects me with the food that I eat, and as

such, have a much deeper appreciation for my food. I once read that

everyone should garden, including people who live in apartments. We

often think that gardening is reserved for people who have houses and

have a yard, but anyone can plant a tomato plant and leave it on their

apartment balcony. That very simple plant will be very fruitful in

many ways--in providing tomatoes, and also, fruitful in increasing

awareness.

 

I think you have a great idea about starting up your own garden co-op.

I'm not too sure however, what you mean when you say that Sadhana

makes your garden thrive--I don't see the connection here, but maybe

that's just me. Anyway, yoga is all about uniting us right? That

means uniting us with one another, which includes the food that

provides nourishment for us.

 

I wish you all the best in this endeavour, and will be happy to help

you with your gardening in any way I can. Maybe *I* will need your

gardening advice too!

 

Sat Nam,

 

Nadh Singh

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " Stephenie Lawton "

<balletstef wrote:

>

> Sat Nam,

> I've been growing fruit, vegetables and herbs for about ten years

now

> I'm wondering, since Yoga and farming go so well together, how many

of

> you grow your own food? With the current economic situation, it's

> exciting to see many people going back to self sufficiency.

> I'm considering starting a produce co op, and raising chickens. With

> the base of yoga students that I have built, I'm thinking this

would

> be good for the enviromnent, a healthy option for people, and just

the

> side income I need.

> One great side effect of sadhana is that the garden thrives! There

was

> an excellent show on Public Television with Bill Moyers showing an

> urban garden in Brooklyn, NY. It feels like a great project to me,

> getting people off of fast food and introdung nutritious, great

tasting

> fresh produce.

> Satpal Kaur

>

[Guest guest]

It's the new zeitgeist! I just re-d to Mother Earth News

after nearly 30 years since the last read. Put in an orchard several

years ago and am putting a few veggies and herbs in this year.

 

We are very dependent on the fragile food network in this country.

It's a good idea to have something stored to eat and barter, even if

you can't or don't want to devote the time to become completely

self-sufficient, just because.... You never know when a 50 lb bag of

rice from Sam's club might come in handy, and it does keep!

 

I've been keeping chickens for a few years and you will be amazed by

their entertainment value, as well as enjoying the delicious fresh eggs!

So email me if you want more info about getting started. A great

one-stop book is " The Encyclopedia of Country Living " , by Carla Emery,

so you can sort out what you do want to try vs. what is just too much

trouble. She tells you how to do just about everything!

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

At Guru Ram Das Ashram, in Millis MA, we have 18+ acres, which

includes land where we do gardening. There is a " gardening " group

that gets together to plan and organize it during the growing

season. We often enjoy the " fruits of the gardeners' labors " at

lungars (group meals) after Gurdwara, and other community events/

meals. Our property includes apartments, townhouses, and a community

building with Yoga Center and Gurwara. We also have a spring-fed

swimming pool - which has gone out of use as a pool (except for

frogs, etc.) until we can fund repairs to the concrete walls of the

pool. (We dream of adding a hot-tub there someday!)

Guru Ram Das Ashram is a unique and special gem ... come by and

see us if you're ever in our area.

Harbhajan Kaur

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Sat Pal Kaur,

I have been growing fruits and vegetables

here in Espanola for over 8 years. Our yard was a dry desert with tumbleweed

rolling in with each wind! Gradually our 3 acres is turning into a paradise.

 

Yogi Bhajan used to smile with joy when

I would bring him baskets of freshly picked tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, apricots,

apples, etc. This summer Tarn Taran Singh and I had an abundance of cucumbers

and squash in our newly planted raised garden besides our normal harvest

of tomatoes, cabbage, eggplant, lettuce, arugula and herbs. We also harvest

lettuce, kale and herbs all winter from our cold frame. I recently started

indoor gardening in our sun room and am harvesting four kinds of lettuce,

chives and parsley.

 

We continually create new gardening

areas as we compost-layer all leaves, kitchen scraps, newspaper and cuttings.

All 22 fruit trees and four growing areas are on soaker or drip hoses with

timers so even with our extended teaching schedules our garden is watered.

We use straw, pecan shells and wood chips for mulch. And everything is

organic!

 

Please log onto www.espanolaashram.com

and click on left column " Hobbies and Interests " . You can learn

a lot about gardening from these ashram yogis. They are presently working

on a community garden near the ashram.

 

Get out and get dirty in the earth.

It nurtures you as well as the land. Sat Nam

 

Blessings,

Tarn Taran Kaur Khalsa

3HO WOMEN

3HO International

KRI Trainer, Level 1 and 2

[Guest guest]

>Nadh Singh,

 

Thank you for your response. I find that when I do my daily sadhana

it really affects everything I touch. The healing energy from the

Kundalini Yoga seems to make things sparkle! I even notice it in my

ballet student's feet. It's like there's a glitter around them. (I

use my hands to shape the beginners' arches into the correct

position.)

I slacked off on my sadhana for a while and I noticed that my

writing, (I freelance as a writer,) took a nosedive. It just didn't

have the same depth or clarity. Practicing KY seems to add a higher

dimension to the words on the page.

So, for me, sadhana has a magical effect on everything I do. Animals

seem to really pick up on it, too.

 

SatPal Kaur

> Sat Nam Sat Pal Kaur ji,

>

> Well, I didn't grow my own food last year, but really enjoy doing

so,

> since I find that it connects me with the food that I eat, and as

> such, have a much deeper appreciation for my food. I once read

that

> everyone should garden, including people who live in apartments.

We

> often think that gardening is reserved for people who have houses

and

> have a yard, but anyone can plant a tomato plant and leave it on

their

> apartment balcony. That very simple plant will be very fruitful in

> many ways--in providing tomatoes, and also, fruitful in increasing

> awareness.

>

> I think you have a great idea about starting up your own garden co-

op.

> I'm not too sure however, what you mean when you say that Sadhana

> makes your garden thrive--I don't see the connection here, but

maybe

> that's just me. Anyway, yoga is all about uniting us right? That

> means uniting us with one another, which includes the food that

> provides nourishment for us.

>

> I wish you all the best in this endeavour, and will be happy to

help

> you with your gardening in any way I can. Maybe *I* will need your

> gardening advice too!

>

> Sat Nam,

>

> Nadh Singh

>

> Kundalini-Yoga , " Stephenie Lawton "

> <balletstef@> wrote:

> >

> > Sat Nam,

> > I've been growing fruit, vegetables and herbs for about ten years

> now

> > I'm wondering, since Yoga and farming go so well together, how

many

> of

> > you grow your own food? With the current economic situation, it's

> > exciting to see many people going back to self sufficiency.

> > I'm considering starting a produce co op, and raising chickens.

With

> > the base of yoga students that I have built, I'm thinking this

> would

> > be good for the enviromnent, a healthy option for people, and

just

> the

> > side income I need.

> > One great side effect of sadhana is that the garden thrives!

There

> was

> > an excellent show on Public Television with Bill Moyers showing

an

> > urban garden in Brooklyn, NY. It feels like a great project to

me,

> > getting people off of fast food and introdung nutritious, great

> tasting

> > fresh produce.

> > Satpal Kaur

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I love your enthusiasm. This is what I think is exciting about going

back to simplicity. Yes, I've had chickens as pets for the past ten

years...so I know what you mean. They are comical and sweet. I've

just never looked at them as a business. I have the book you

mentioned...my neighbor gave it to me. You're right, it does have

everything!!

I just put an herb garden for Winter in my kitchen windowsill. One of

my favorite parts of staying at the ashram I used to visit was the

homemade recipes with home grown herbs, fruits, and vegetables. It

really complements the Yoga practice. I just made an amazing salad

dressing from scratch. I hope to see American children learning to

cook, sew, and take care of themselves again.

I'm in LA, so I see a lot of " take out and throw away. "

 

SatPal Kaur

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " ramneetfl " <ramneetfl

wrote:

>

> It's the new zeitgeist! I just re-d to Mother Earth News

> after nearly 30 years since the last read. Put in an orchard several

> years ago and am putting a few veggies and herbs in this year.

>

> We are very dependent on the fragile food network in this country.

> It's a good idea to have something stored to eat and barter, even if

> you can't or don't want to devote the time to become completely

> self-sufficient, just because.... You never know when a 50 lb bag of

> rice from Sam's club might come in handy, and it does keep!

>

> I've been keeping chickens for a few years and you will be amazed by

> their entertainment value, as well as enjoying the delicious fresh

eggs!

> So email me if you want more info about getting started. A great

> one-stop book is " The Encyclopedia of Country Living " , by Carla

Emery,

> so you can sort out what you do want to try vs. what is just too

much

> trouble. She tells you how to do just about everything!

>

[Guest guest]

I grow my own food her in Havana, FL. We have a few fruit trees- blueberry,

mulberry, lemon, satsuma, red grapefruit, loquat, pear, and we try to grow

seasonal vegetables. Currently I have mostly greens growing. I also grow

herbs, which seem to grow easily for me. We have 6 chickens (for eggs and

compost). We have a compost pile in the form of a home made worm bin. We throw

our compostables in there and I put in 120 worms from a bait shop. I rarely

have more than we need and can't feed my family on just what we grow (yet) but

when I do have excess of certain foods I give it to friends. I sell stuff

sometimes at our local Grower's Market. I buy most of my produce there and try

to eat seasonally, except some things I can't live without, like apples. Gotta

have my Galas. But good news! There are 2 Israeli varieties of apple that can

grow here so I'll be acquiring them soon. When pears are in season, I eat them

rather than apples. Some of my fruit trees are still babies and make little to

no fruit. The best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago, so get planting! I

like to garden and find it helps me get connected with the Earth, the lower

chakras, and get more grounded.

Guru Beant Kaur

 

 

Bridget Kamke, LMT

Kundalini Yoga Teacher

Licensed Massage Therapist

Children's Book Author

www.infinipede.com

 

__________

Get educated. Click here for Adult Education programs.

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biSjRUw1dusmYxTt7/

[Guest guest]

I belong to a community garden in Brooklyn, NY. I am always quite

amazed at the bountiful harvests that come out of even a small plot (i

tend a plot that is approximately 4 ft by 6 feet). Our garden has a

community compost program so that neighbors can drop off their veggie

scraps, etc.. so we always have a TON of compost on hand.

 

what i grow:

Beets, radishes, lettuce, arugula, different varieties of mint, anise

hyssop, cinnamon basil, nasturtiums tucked into every corner, oregano,

lavender, tomatoes, chard, cucumbers, sunflowers, parsley, chives,

scallions, snap peas, irises, hyacinths,tulips, crocus, allium,

zinnia, lilies, daffodils.

 

history of the community garden:

The 6/15 Green Community Garden is a rescued patch of land that had

been an empty lot in the 1970s and 1980s. It had been taken over by

drug dealers who set up shop in an abandoned truck until neighborhood

gardeners/activists started to tend the land, and insisted that the

police deal with this long-ignored problem. As the garden flourished,

property values in the surrounding neighborhood increased and the

gardeners almost lost their right to tend the land until an anonymous

donor purchased the plot (about the footprint of 4 typical houses) for

about $ 3 million dollars.

 

Our garden has a community raspberry patch, fruit trees, grape vines

and a special area for children only (to dig and plant), a

solar-powered pond/sitting area, bbq, lawn area

 

Gardening is such a joy for me, a meditation, an offering to Mother

Earth. The gifts provided by nature are then used to nourish myself,

my loved ones and community.

 

Community gardening is a great way to connect with neighbors of all

backgrounds, ages, nationalities, etc... Interestingly, I " inherited "

my plot from a Pakistani family who grew a number of things that I

didn't recognize...ahh...the endless mysteries and wonder of all creation.

 

for more information about community gardening programs in new york

city, check out www.greenthumb.org

 

the vibrations that radiate out from this neighborhood gem draw people

in and foster a true sense of community -- what a change in frequency

from the drug-ridden, crime-infested scary place that it once was.

 

Sat Nam,

Elise Constantine

Brooklyn, NY

[Guest guest]

Dear Sat Pal Kaur,

 

Yes, Tarn Taran Kaur has really done extraordinary things with her beautiful and abudant gardens here in Espanola! As you might guess, living in a desert is really not conducive to gardening, but there are both new and traditional ways to bring water to this very arid land, and to augment its very alkaline soil that lacks organic material!

 

So, since most of us here in our sweet Espanola community are neophytes at this kind of gardening, we have a Garden Club where we learn amazing techniques from each other and from other experts! Tarn Taran Kaur gave us a really wonderful presentation! If you like, you can go to www.sirigian.com/garden_club.html to read the write ups of those great presentations!

 

And we do have a fabulous group called the Community Sustainability Project who has begun experimenting with growing large food crops sustainably on our own ashram land. Our farmers have begun by putting in a winter cover crop to develop some nutrition in that soil, and they will introduce large amounts of compost in the spring before they put in our very first vegetable crop. In the early days of the ashram, this land was well farmed, and those early folks here were sustained by that high prana food! We look forward to doing that again!

 

Lots of Love,

Siri-Gian Kaur

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for all the wonderful posts on this topic! I am so

inspired to hear the details and descriptions of what you're growing!

I love the idea of having people drop off their compost. I have a

huge compost pile in my backyard and I never thought of taking other

people's leftover peels, trimmings, coffee grounds, etc...I also use

the manure from my chicken and pot bellied pig. This soil was white

when I moved in, and now it is rich, crumbly and filled with worms!

I can also relate to the change in the neighborhood where there had

been drug dealing going on...I live in an area that has had a huge

drug dealing problem for years. Maybe that's why I got such a great

price on my little cottage and plot of land. I loved the story about

the Brooklyn community garden, and I hope that eventually we see the

same changes here. People really are affected by the vibration of

nature, farm animals, herbs, and people who have a regular spiritual

practice.

SatPal Kaur

 

I belong to a community garden in Brooklyn, NY. I am always quite

> amazed at the bountiful harvests that come out of even a small plot

(i

> tend a plot that is approximately 4 ft by 6 feet). Our garden has a

> community compost program so that neighbors can drop off their

veggie

> scraps, etc.. so we always have a TON of compost on hand.

>

> what i grow:

> Beets, radishes, lettuce, arugula, different varieties of mint,

anise

> hyssop, cinnamon basil, nasturtiums tucked into every corner,

oregano,

> lavender, tomatoes, chard, cucumbers, sunflowers, parsley, chives,

> scallions, snap peas, irises, hyacinths,tulips, crocus, allium,

> zinnia, lilies, daffodils.

>

> history of the community garden:

> The 6/15 Green Community Garden is a rescued patch of land that had

> been an empty lot in the 1970s and 1980s. It had been taken over by

> drug dealers who set up shop in an abandoned truck until

neighborhood

> gardeners/activists started to tend the land, and insisted that the

> police deal with this long-ignored problem. As the garden

flourished,

> property values in the surrounding neighborhood increased and the

> gardeners almost lost their right to tend the land until an

anonymous

> donor purchased the plot (about the footprint of 4 typical houses)

for

> about $ 3 million dollars.

>

> Our garden has a community raspberry patch, fruit trees, grape vines

> and a special area for children only (to dig and plant), a

> solar-powered pond/sitting area, bbq, lawn area

>

> Gardening is such a joy for me, a meditation, an offering to Mother

> Earth. The gifts provided by nature are then used to nourish myself,

> my loved ones and community.

>

> Community gardening is a great way to connect with neighbors of all

> backgrounds, ages, nationalities, etc... Interestingly,

I " inherited "

> my plot from a Pakistani family who grew a number of things that I

> didn't recognize...ahh...the endless mysteries and wonder of all

creation.

>

> for more information about community gardening programs in new york

> city, check out www.greenthumb.org

>

> the vibrations that radiate out from this neighborhood gem draw

people

> in and foster a true sense of community -- what a change in

frequency

> from the drug-ridden, crime-infested scary place that it once was.

>

> Sat Nam,

> Elise Constantine

> Brooklyn, NY

>