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Connecting With Our Eco Community

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Eco Community is not a trend it is a way of life.  What is the definition of an Eco Community??  Upon comparing many different definitions of “Eco Community”, I have summed it up  to basically mean a traditional or intentional community that is striving to become more sustainable in social, cultural, economic as well as ecological practices. A mouthful, right??? However, it is achievable.

Kevin Alsop – Alsop Growers…thinking about his community’s needs.

In the Town of Capitol Heights, there is an aspiring Farmer. His name is Kevin Alsop, Alsop Growers. If you have an hour or so, Kevin is more than happy to fill you in on his vision of feeding the masses and sharing his methods of growing as well as reconnecting with the land. I met Kevin and his lovely wife, Alana at the Washington Gardener Seed Exchange. He was anticipating with much joy the Prince Georges County Master Gardener Program and learning more about horticulture. Sharing opportunities as I often do, Kevin and I ended up at the same Community Garden last year, where we both gardened with a passion. Let me tell you – that man can grow some tomato’s!!

Kevin has found greener pastures this year and what a pasture it is!!! In the Town of Capitol Heights, just up the street from the Capitol Height’s Metro Station, you just might notice a fenced in area behind the bus stop. You also might see Kevin passionately laboring in his place of peace…..more than likely Kevin will welcome you to come and garden with him.  There is no sign, however there are some gorgeous sunflower seedlings, strawberries, peppers, tomato’s, Kale, garlic and much, much, more!!

Kevin has spotted some weeds and is on the job! No chemicals here!!

I remember when this area was dedicated to the residents of Capitol Heights a few years ago. The following Spring I gave a talk to the residents that rented plots there. At the time this Community effort to re-engage the residents with the earth was promising…or so it seemed. Nikita Floyd, Green Forever Landscaping, even built beautiful raised beds to accommodate young, old or even the disabled. It seems as though the interest was not long-lasting and that is where Kevin, Alsop Growers, seized this opportunity to share the joy of growing.

Working with the Town of Capitol Heights, as well as local Ministries like Mission of Love Charities – Kevin is putting his feet behind his faith…as well as his mission. His eco-community mission? The Feeding 5000 Initiative. The purpose is to provide naturally grown, locally sourced food for 5000 families annually within the next 5 years. How will The Feeding 5000 Initiative be achieved??  Kevin’s plan is to utilize direct producer to consumer marketing, education as well as hands on training to achieve this goal. What a special opportunity for the 5000 families that will be a part of a local up and coming eco community.

Imagine a delicious pot of beans grown locally in your own community…awesome!

Tomorrow is Capitol Heights Day. Kevin will open the gates to his Eco-Community to share activities with families from children’s events to inspirational talks on the importance of growing ones own or knowing what to grow and how to grow it. The garden plot will welcome the residents of Capitol Heights tomorrow from 10:00 until 6:00 pm at 5400 Emmet Street, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. It will be a great day to enjoy the festivities for residents, friends and families in Central Prince Georges County, Maryland. After all, when it comes to our Temple, isn’t it great to know that you are eating things as fresh as possible???

What is going on in your local eco community? Do you have an active role in building a sustainable initiative that will positively affect where you live?

Good News From The Cottage,

Teri

Alsop Growers, please click this link to discover more about Kevin.

Green Forever Landscaping, please click this link to find out more about Nikita Floyd, Green Forever Landscaping

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Are You Considered An After Work Gardener?

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Monday through Friday, I am a dedicated AWG – After Work Gardener. If I don’t stop by a garden, a garden center, attend a Garden Club Meeting or walk on Our National Mall embracing the gardens, I rush home and become the…After Work Gardener. Don’t get me wrong. I dream, think and anticipate the joy of gardening 24/7/365. I look at reams of paper and I think..I can recycle that box in my garden. Newspaper….its my weed block. Six sheets thick, overlapping 3-4 inches, so no weed has a chance to emerge. When steaming veggies or in the shower, I think, “I can use this gray water for my plants.” It’s bad I tell you, bad. My co-workers ask me “can you use this for your seeds?”….before they recycle it.

When I get home, my neighbors find that I can garden in a dress and heels just as good as I can in my overalls and boots. I have no problem dressing up for a Happy Hour in my garden. It all has to do with the tools that one chooses to use. Everyone has a favorite tool or two. I have a few that are a part of my After Work Gardener arsenal. Old favorites and a new one that I just knew would not really be useful – however, I was seriously proved wrong!!

THE AWG TOOLKIT

Upon entering the garden, the first thing anyone needs is something to hold a liquid of one’s choice. I choose my favorite glass. It puts into perspective who is in charge at The Cottage In The Court.
I LOVE my TRAKE. A combination trowel and hand cultivator, I bought my first TRAKE about 15 years ago and used it anytime I went into the garden. I could use either end to plant small plants in the soil or cultivate the soil with a simple flip of the wrist. There a few measurements on the trowel part to help with determining depths. I have never regretted buying this tool. I have my original TRAKE purchased at Roxbury Mills in Fredericksburg, Va. and I still cherish it.I gifted my Dad with two TRAKE ‘S over the past few years. How he wore one out is beyond me. I guess passion for this earth runs through my veins…I just have to figure out how Daddy wore his TRAKE out!

Another tool I consider an old favorite is my shovel. Not just any shovel, but a shovel that is an asset in the garden. I am in love with my Earth Talon. I have the long-handled version of this awesome tool. The shape of this blade allows the user to pluck rocks out, slice the earth, slice tree roots like cake and makes digging any hole a bit easier. I have only great things about this shovel. It is the perfect shovel that enables me as a woman to get that hole dug in lickety split time without asking for help. This makes the work for an After Work Gardener so much easier.

A lot of my friends wear exercise tracking devices that look like they are on release from a penitentiary. I use the Bellabeat LEAF. Still a tracking device of sorts,  but it has options on how you wear it. As a wristlet, a necklace or clip onto your clothing, the Leaf is not just pretty. The Leaf is also functional as s stress tracker and you can tap into quick meditation sessions right from your cell. The Leaf has a 6-month battery and options for what type of bracelet or necklace you can interchange the leather wristband – I LOVE my LEAF. I can also look at my week’s activity level to see if I need to garden more or walk more. Depending on how it is programmed, a gentle buzz reminds me to move, I am too sedentary. A terrific tool to wear as you monitor your steps daily and especially in the garden.

The last tool in my After Work Gardener kit absolutely amazed me. I grew up with all types of odd things that my Dad ordered through the mail for the garden. I inherited this gene of experimentation honestly which is why I saw these and wondered if they would really work.I know, I am laughing myself but for light duty, quick gardening – THE CLAW GARDEN GLOVES WORK! I raked away mulch, dug holes without getting soil under my nails and planted 7 pots in record time…all after work! I could tamp down the soil and not worry about the mud…it was amazing!!! Sometimes there is so very little time to get out into the garden to tackle those simple tasks after work, with the alternative option of waiting til the weekend. With my arsenal of After Work Gardener tools, I make certain I have time to get outside and garden with a passion. What’s in your After Work Gardener arsenal?

DISCLAIMER – I have NOT been paid to endorse any of these tools. I speak from my use of them as often as possible, at The Cottage In The Court.

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Pausing for Tea….

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Sometimes a day comes that requires you to pause and just have a cup of tea. Why tea??? The relaxing qualities, aroma, health benefits and warmth as it is sipped with a certain grace, gliding down the throat…oh what a great feeling from within!! The warmth radiates throughout the body and all is right with the intimate world around you. My what a journey…at least in my mind.

Last Saturday I needed to escape fro it all, pause for a bit and decided to enjoy a cup of tea or two. I wasn’t really hungry, so no nibbles were required. I simply wanted to enjoy a hot cup of tea that perhaps had some positive benefits for my body and perhaps an uplifting fragrance for my spirit. I put the kettle on, grabbed a few new magazines and chose a long unused teapot and matching cup. I chose The Republic of Tea “Hibiscus Superflower Tea, a blend of Coconut bits, Nigerian Hibiscus flower, Rose Hips, and Stevia – as its proprietary blend. I gently steeped it for 5 minutes and eased into the moment….which turned into an entire day of oohing and ahhing over gardens in England and sipping a wonderful cup of tea.

Although I did not grow the tea for this day, it made me think of what herbs can be grown in the garden for tea. As we approach this year’s gardening season consider growing some herbs for a good cup of tea with benefits. A few of my flowering favorites are chamomile, bergamot, and borage. Borage has such a lovely blue flower and is considered to be an uplifting herb. A gorgeous star flower that adds sheer joy to a salad or in a cup of iced tea or lemonade. I like to see the blossom’s floating in a sea of pale yellow with a leaf of mint….just beautiful!!! A beneficial of having Borage in the garden other than for tea….it is a terrific bee attractant. It is like a bee alarm that goes off in the garden!!

There is also Bergamot. A wonderful bloom that resembles fireworks, however, it can be aggressive in the garden,  but easily maintained when tugged in time – keep an eye on this one!!! Using the leaves that emit a wonderfully sweet orange blossom fragrance, this herb is a native plant that has been used for many, many years. The oils found in the leaves offer a huge level of antioxidants. A calming tea best enjoyed ….whenever!!

Rose hips are another common item found in the garden. Those wonderful orange remnants of bloom found on the rose-bush offer flavonoids, lycopene, Vitamin C and VitaminA. Drinks can be made by crushing the rose hips and steeping them in hot water. All this beneficial goodness, found in the garden. Imagine that! Some other herbs to consider are most of the Mint family, Chamomile, Lemon Balm (delicious hot or cold) and Anise Hyssop.  Now before you go making all sorts of combinations as a cure-all, check with your doctor. Some herbs interact with medications or allergies.

ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR OR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL PRIOR TO INGESTING!!!

Steal a quiet Saturday for yourself, make time to pause to enjoy a cup or a pot of a delicious tea from the garden. You will be surprised at the joy that it will bring if you dry the leaves and store them to be enjoyed offseason.

Peace from the Cottage,

Teri

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A Farmer, an Inventor and Two Patents

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Around 1807 in Glen Ross, Maryland, a young African-American was born by the name of Henry Blair. This young man would become a local farmer and have two patents attributed to his existence. Did I mention that he was illiterate and there is no record of him ever being a slave? Let’s think about that for a moment….illiterate – yet unstoppable, when it came to creating things that made farming easier.

This photo is from the UK MANRRS website. A previous photo was misidentified.

Henry Blair is a name that is not frequently shared, probably because there is not a lot known about him.  According to research, he was born around 1804 or 1807. There are little-known facts about his parents, siblings, or anything personal.  This was not uncommon when it came to the African-Americans in those days.   What is known and well documented are his contributions to horticulture despite his color or illiteracy.

Slaves could not have patents approved and records show that Mr. Blair signed his name with an ” x” when registering Patent No. X8447, also known as the corn planter.  Utilizing horses, the corn planter would break the soil, drop in the seed and cover it up. This was important for farmers, as it would essentially save the work of approximately 8 men. Henry was written up in famous magazines as he showcased his invention that made farming more efficient in those days.  Since slavery was winding down and free labor was becoming a thing of the past, Farmers needed all the help they could get to survive.

In 1836 a second patent was registered. After making a few alterations to the corn planter, Henry Blair developed the cotton planter. This second invention had two attributes that were needed at the time – a horse-drawn drill of sorts to plant the cotton and cover it up, as well as agitate the earth, which uprooted surrounding weeds. Existing records tell us that Mr. Blair was the second African-American to hold a United States patent – how wonderful is this?? Not one invention was patented, but two!!!

Of course, there are questions that haunt his inventions, since his patent was disputed by a slave owner. If you were a slave, technically you owned nothing.  Anything and all that you did became the property of the slave owner. The saving grace for Henry is that he was never registered as a slave. To this day, the two patents are still registered to Mr. Henry Blair.  After the Civil War, laws changed that allowed free and enslaved men to patent their inventions….just not women.

Records indicate that Henry Blair died in 1860, illiterate but with two patents to his name.  What a great lesson that reminds us to be consistent and put effort into our work to achieve the goal of success.  Thank you, Henry Blair, for showing us that despite all odds, if we persist in our efforts to achieve the unthinkable, and demonstrate our knowledge, we can succeed.

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Random Acts of Kindness…

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How many of us practice random acts of kindness on a regular basis??? How many people observe National Random Acts of Kindness Day or even knew when it existed??  Why can’t we embrace random acts of kindness every day? Did you know that today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day??

These are just a few of the thoughts that came to my mind as I embraced this beautiful “idea” on a mid-February Friday. If we DON’T act upon this “idea” then it is only an idea.  If we DO act upon it, then it becomes a reality. The world we live in today certainly is an eye opener and one that requires us to perform random acts of kindness as often as possible. As I began my day, I thought what can I do to make a difference that will have longevity, that could possibly demonstrate how planting a seed of kindness can show how to prevail, in spite of it all.  The answer was an obvious one and one that others might do in their own communities.  It is the act of bringing life to a tiny object, instilling hope for one’s spirit and feeding one’s body or soul. My choice of a random act of kindness is planting a seed of hope for something positive.In some zones, it is time to get seeds started for an outdoor planting of assorted vegetables or flowers. Seeds are a minimal financial investment (and sometimes free) with a maximum return. Most seed packs have more seeds than any one person can use personally.  I find quite a bit of joy watching hundreds of seedlings pop up and a bit sad when I realize that I have no use for 25 tomato plants or 35 flowers of one kind in my allotment. In an attempt to turn my frown upside down, this year, I will donate my excess seedlings to a community center or a community garden where there just might be someone who would love to engage with this earth of ours – but has no funds to buy seeds or starter plants. With a little research on where the underserved communities are that might best utilize my efforts to give back, my seeds just might be passed down from person to person.  Engaging with this earth of ours via gardening is truly a random act of kindness that can inspire. Providing someone with a small plant to grow. Something that is new or familiar to them, something that provides visual beauty or edible joy is truly a random act of kindness. This year will you consider planting not just a row for the hungry – but plant seeds to share the beginning of what could be the inspiration for one who might never be exposed to gardening.

What are YOU doing to celebrate National Random Acts of Kindness Day???

Teri,  Cottage In The Court

Need some great seed resources. Here are a few of my favorites:

Renees Garden – have used this company for over 20 years

Botanical Interests – great heirloom selections

Hudson Valley Seed – just an all around great company

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