COLLECTING SEEDS: WILD SEEDS ARE DRYING IN SHEETS AND WILL BE SPREAD THIS WINTER.

COLLECTING SEEDS

WILD SEEDS ARE DRYING IN SHEETS AND WILL BE SPREAD THIS WINTER.

Seeds for Wool Grass on the left below and Elderberry on the right have been painstakingly collected this past month by Naturalist - Kathy Kipp. They, along with False Indigo, Nine Bark, and Buttonbush, are drying in thrift-shop sheets, by hanging in the wind. They will be cleaned, sifted, and then broadcast in December by Kathy and Jacob Bartley onto bare patches of soil, in 100-foot buffer zones surrounding our wetlands.

Collecting and planting seeds is a hopeful and essential activity. The trees below were planted 8 years ago in our wetlands and are now 20 - 30 feet tall, growing about 3 feet per year. Think of the good they are performing - sequestering carbon through photosynthesis, creating habitat for wildlife, cleaning water, purifying air, creating employment for naturalists, generating revenues through wetland mitigation, all while pulsating with spirit. They emerged from 2-foot tall seedlings that sprouted from the almighty seed. The power of seeds is amazing and lies at the heart of the natural cycle, this restored wetland, and our own dream for sustainability.

In each person's life, one plants seeds of hope to realize dreams, to grow an ecosystem for one's visions. Many seeds must be planted for a few to emerge and for even fewer to germinate. The ground must be fertile and moisture plentiful for abundance to take root. But abundance will take root if one is faithful to one's dreams and liberal with seeds of hope dispersed upon them.

First, however, one must collect seeds distinct to the self, requiring intentional acts of selection. Kathy knows the difference between Nine Bark, Wool Grass, and Elderberry, and will be discriminating in how and where each is planted. One must be thoughtful about what one plants, so one's true visions will emerge to grow, perhaps at the rate of three feet per year. If one is careful, persistent, and hopeful, one will realize a boulevard of vision, like the picture above on the right. We refer to this as Bartley Boulevard, in honor of Jacob, who is the architect of our wetlands. Such a boulevard awaits anybody who cares, persists, bears hope, and is willing to collect and plant appropriate seeds.

The above is a meal of pork shank, polenta, cannellini beans & kale, baked apples, and a late-season, tomato salad. The shanks were cooked 14 hours at 200 degrees, and were great.

The growing season is drawing to a close and outdoor farmers markets are winding down. This presents a challenge for those of us with bills to pay year round, so we hope you will stay with us one way or another through the winter, as we have product available all year long.

The Hyde Park market goes indoors to Clark Montessori at 3030 Erie Avenue, five blocks east of the Square. Susan and I will be there most Sundays and hope you will be as well.

For our new customers and friends in Milford, we encourage you to order from us on-line starting in November. If there is enough demand, we will deliver every other week to the same parking lot as the current market in front of Grant's Greenhouse at the intersection of Rts. 50 & 131, on Wednesdays at 5:30 PM. If one of you would care to serve as "host" and encourage your friends and family to patronize us, we will provide you with a 20% discount on items purchased for your family. We need a $500 minimum gross order to make this delivery worthwhile. Hopefully, the host will help us develop on-line business in Milford.

For our new friends at Findlay Market, Beth & Bob will continue to supply great food for you on Sundays until an opening arises on Saturdays. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve you and this market.

May we each continue to collect necessary seeds, that will grow into the vision we imagine for ourselves,

Drausin & Susan