Two weekends ago a group of women with shared interests in health, herbalism, and organic farming, gathered at Osprey Cove Organic Farm in Madbury. This event was planned by my friend Anne Dickerson so that our herbal community could come together and share our knowledge while enjoying a camp out by the banks of the Bellamy Reservoir. Nature had other plans and drenched the area with days of rain. Anne graciously offered the shelter of the farm's vintage home and an herbal indoor slumber party ensued.
Herbal steams, facials, and foot baths were enjoyed as we sat inside talking and sharing a buffet of lovingly prepared autumn foods. From Anne we learned how to plant and harvest garlic successfully. Deborah Gideon discussed Wild Carrot as a contraceptive. Deb Mercier of Greenwood Herbals shared her passion for protecting our endangered plants by using herbal analogs.
We all talked about Angelica, the herb that was chosen as the central herbal guardian spirit of the gathering. Alison brought some young Angelica plants that she had thinned out of a client's garden. They sat in and communed with this group of women as we shared our Angelica stories. Mary passed around some Angelica preserves for us to taste.
Cate Aichele brought a selection of home prepared fermented foods that were inspiring to us all. I was so inspired that I immediately bought Sally Fallon's book Nourishing Traditions which was the book that Cate's talk was based on. It had been sitting on my Amazon Wish List, but I could not wait for potential Winter Holiday presents after seeing, hearing, and tasting.
Robyn Fottler has already begun to prepare fermented foods, adding to her already formidable repertoire of healthy recipes. Robyn brought two raw casseroles to the potluck. Who knew raw butternut and acorn squash would be so amazingly delicious?
Finally, on Sunday afternoon as our time was coming to a close, we took a soggy but satisfying walk around the farm property. The photo at the top of this entry captures the quintessentially New England Autumn vista that we were treated to as we walked into Nature and met the plants of Osprey Cove. A highlight for me was meeting Lycopodium. Although our opening circle had taken place inside, we closed our weekend hand to hand, heart to heart, in the wild woods of Madbury just before another gentle rain began to fall.
I hope this event will continue as a "nourishing tradition" for our local herbal community. It is not only our bodies which need healthy fuel to fortify themselves, but our minds, spirits and hearts. We crave the companionship and support of our kindreds. Thanks to the inspired generosity of Anne Dickerson, we had that nourishment on a late September weekend. May it sustain us through the coming winter months.