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Blog 13. Simplicity and Autumn Harvest.
Welcome to blog 13 ♠
It is not just the cuisine at Karuna which is unique but the attitude of mind towards the food itself. We became aware of attitudes towards food on our travels abroad. I don’t mean holidays, traveling becomes a way of life and learning, as a result of sojourns in foreign lands we have grown through experience and self-education. Those experiences permeated into our whole concept of food, from production to consumption,they inspired us to create Karuna. We believe that food (& Drink) is something divine, beautiful, to be respected and that regarding food in this way can change the consciousness and help make life more integrated and wholesome.
For anyone interested in one’s own health, or family’s well-being ,the care of the environment, Low impact living, positive response to climate change, conservation, pollution, self-sufficiency, organic food cultivation, cooking and eating, and much more… then Permaculture is the answer, it is a holistic practice. Karuna is one of the countries more established larger scale Permaculture projects.Participants on courses at Karuna get to directly experience the integration and wholesome aspects of Permaculture in ‘practice’.They are immersed in Forest gardens at different stages of development and directly observe how what they’re learning in class actually works -explicitly. A stimulating and rewarding experience. As Vanessa Spedding discovered this summer during her Forest Garden course at Karuna. click here to read her article Tasting The Vision
We are happy to have finally been featured in the Permaculture magazine with it’s worldwide readership. We are really pleased with Vanessa’s article and wish to thank her once more. Ta Vanessa! Janta should have been credited for all the photography used in the article.
Veranga Quinces make a delicious warm or cold drink, simply slice & boil up with Cinnamon stick or cloves, add a little honey or Jaggery.Recently we visited a friend and made a wonderful ‘Quince & Apple Crumble’ experience,…an explosion of Mango flavour! Says Merav.
Merav taking in the final harvest of Purple French and runner beans.*Note the new young forest floor.
Medium hot Chili peppers with greens, Rainbow chard, Red peppers Courgettes & sesame seeds,delicious!better than any top class restaurant in the country.You can expect some hot reports on our experiences with Chillies in a future bolg.
Karuna has survived the summer drought very well. A local Tree and foot paths warden visited the site before commenting on our planning application, which he supported. He commented that unlike all the rest of the places he’d visited in Shropshire Karuna had moisture retained in the ground. Of course the planting of 9,000 trees on site helps retain moisture; I assume that this is likely to support the farmland around us to some degree,more so in the future. The above picture also shows how well the new woodland floor is developing, this year the grass between the trees was noticeably less, we hardly had to scythe it.I guess from here on it just gets better. To a forest gardener living grass is the enemy, cut & mulched it’s an ally.
Picklescott Parish council meeting.
Karuna planning application.
On 7th November Merav, our eldest son Caio and I attended the parish council meeting. We were curious to see how the Parish council (P.C.) would be responding to our planning application for a Low impact dwelling at Karuna. P.C.’s comment on applications to the Local planning authority either positively, neutrally or negatively. We had invited the P.C. to Karuna a few weeks before to help them understand exactly what we are applying for, why, and where. We felt that the meeting went reasonably well.
We were quite relieved to see that a few concerned supporters attended the evening meeting at the village hall. There were also half a dozen strong objectors.
Due to an element of ‘deep sadness’, possibly a result of a desire for approval and recognition from past objectors, I have seriously considered including this report into the blog. It is not easy being reminded of how out of reach and out of touch some people have become.The crisis that we ALL face only gets worse if we bury our heads in the sand! We work with, manage and teach-groups,associations,teachers,individuals & volunteers.We have many records of their appreciation and respect for my families example and their rewarding experiences at Karuna.Due to the nature of our work we mostly come into contact with very interested, genuine, aware, dedicated people.So for us this was a terrible, deeply unpleasant experience, especially for our 17 year old son who quietly sat and witnessed some ‘grown ups?’ behaving like obnoxious children.
The chairperson had to warn the objectors that if their riotous behavior was not brought under control the council would have to throw everyone out and send them home.
Without going into the sordid details it should be told that the meeting was not conducted in a proper, civilised manner, despite repeated warnings from the chair.
The Chairperson tried to conduct the meeting in the best way she could. However the antagonists continued to be abusive and insulting throughout the meeting and there were undercurrents of racism thrown into the air.
All this was in public view, yet can you believe not a single mention of it was included in the minutes of the meeting, as if it never happened.The minutes have since been approved by the P.C. at the following meeting on the 22nd November. Read the Minutes here
We reported our dissatisfaction to the Parish Clerk, who in response informed us that the minutes are not a verbatim but an ‘outline’ of the matters discussed and decisions made. I maybe naive and new to local politics, but I feel that in all fairness, if it is an ‘outline’ that is being recorded then the ‘environment’ in which the matters and decisions were discussed and made are intrinsic to the whole, as naturally it affects the outcome. I’m kinda left feeling that some very essential ‘Outline’ of the meeting has not been recorded. Apparently there is an authorities ‘monitoring officer’ you can approach if you feel the need to do so. Anyway back to the meeting…
We learned that a small clique of objectors simply do not want us to live at Karuna. Over the years they have become obsessed with their crusade against the project, not only in regard to planning, they take actions against us in other aspects of our lives and simply try to make our life hell.
They do not know us, neither have they visited the project that they so strongly object to. Few of them understand our work, nor do they want to understand it,this was clear from their comments on the application, which they had clearly not read properly, if at all.. Unhappily retired with nothing better to do perhaps!
They have little understanding of our values or the values of the diverse community that support and benefit from Karuna.
One positive result of the meeting was that there were some courageous Parish Councillors who didn’t vote against the application. Hopefully an indication that some of the P.C’s are beginning to take interest,or a more serious view of the project and make a genuine attempt to understand our need to be living on the land in order to make our small business a success and operate effectively.
There have been over one hundred letters of support to the application from a very broad spectrum of the public.That’s allot of support letters! It’s not the quantity that is important here but the intelligent content, the genuine ‘essence’ of the letters.
To read the outcome of the meeting see the Parish councils comments to the planning application.
Wots next?
The application goes to the planning committee on 15th December,all are more than welcome to attend the meeting.
Now let’s get back on track with the beautiful, the simple…
“everything should be made as simple as possible but not one bit simpler”….. who made that very Zen statement?
Simplicity
‘Serving Hanumanji’ ©
This shot was taken back in 1987, on my second visit to Hampi or Vijayanagara as the former empire was once known. Mostly a capital in ruins with a few temples that continue to be an important Hindu center and auspicious place for pilgrimage. Located within an astounding, bizarre, magical natural landscape. Farmers have revived the irrigation channels, so that lush green rice and banana plantations fill every cultivable spot between the sprawling ruins and mysterious giant boulders peaking out of a desert landscape. The live green contrasts with the yellow browns of the desert, that change at sunrise and sunset, like the Taj Mahal changes by moonlight, is beyond!
I visited Hampi three times during my three years in India, each time it was apparent that the place was becoming more popular with tourists. Sadly, I just learned that these days the central village is now a tourist ghetto.
I befriended this very special man (above) and visited him daily before starting out on my rambles and climbs around the surrounding area. He was living in a simple Low impact structure, a palm thatch roof, with mud and cow shit adobe walls plastered on woven bamboo.Located right by the edge of the Tungabhadra river, where there are fresh water turtles, dolphins and crocs. Nomadic fisher folk cast nets from Coracles and also offer a ferry service across the river. I have one photo showing the large vessel (coracle) being used to transport a heavy motorbike across the water.
This wise man taught me about simplicity and happiness. I learned how undervalued simplicity is and that it is the real key to a happy heart. Each time I visited him we sat and laughed allot, though we did not speak each others language- we communicated. As we fed his ‘rescue monkey’ with mini tropical bananas we laughed at it’s avarice and its crazy, Ziggy playfulness. I remember how we laughed so hard about the concept of money when I pulled out a few British coins to stimulate communication. He had no use for money, he only took food from passing local people and pilgrims to the area. After my stomach ached from laughter we sat together silently for a while and watched the flow of river surge on by. I then moved on to explore the hermit caves where Sadhus dwell, the temple ruins of the Shiva cult, an ancient ruined civilisation. And yeh, cave bats, and the most amazing kingfishers that I have ever seen. I had utter respect for this man whose simplicity of living was deliberately chosen; to me it implied a compassionate approach to life, a lesson that entered my soul. Charles Mingus once said.. “Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity”.
Hampi © - main village, taken from the rooftop where I slept under the bright starlit sky, covered by a cotton sheet to keep mosquitoes from feeding on me. This family house where I slept on the roof for a few rupees ,as there was no accommodation in the village at that time, has probably been destroyed by the government now. All part of the creation of a ‘wonderful’ new tourist programme .The Dravidian temple is a living museum where pilgrims still come from all over India ,sadly it has become a tourist ghetto.
(Above) ©-Away from the main village ruins of complex cities and temples abound for 9 square Kilometres (if memory serves me right). Shot after a night of sleeping out high upon the rocks, I could base a film on my experience of the unusual energy and the mystical out of body experience I had at this place….even my journey there was weird. The truck driver that I had hitched a lift with got so inebriated on Arrack that I had to take the wheel of the Public Carrier (Large truck) and drive through the night. But that’s another, I’m not going to get into all that here.
Amazing isn’t it?… So why did I stop traveling?
Answer: out of a new awareness and concern for the environment.
Alfa or Omega!?; © -Children of the nomadic fisherman playing by the Tungabhadra river. The Coracle must be one of the most ancient modes of transport. So beautifully Simple!Remember these photos are not digital but taken with my SLR camera,some things have improved ,but not that much eh?
24 years later. Back at Karuna where we are trying our best to live simply…our son Soma is standing behind a Giant ‘perennial cabbage’, probably, actually ‘Dorbenton Perennial Kale’, we’re not yet sure . This plant is now three years old and growing like Audry 2. Small plants will be ready for sale from Karuna in the spring. Even after weeks of deep snow this plant thrives and is always there when you need some greens. It tastes quite sweet and can be nibbled raw as you work in the garden, we often stir fry or add it to Tibetan style noodle soup. . The surrounding area is heavily mulched with miscanthus.
(Above) Mespilus germanica – MEDLAR.
The Medlar trees are growing well for the past three years and baring good exotic looking, & tasting fruits. The fruit always ripens on the tree in the Mediterranean, in Britain it becomes eatable when ‘Bletted’, that is just turning rotten…but not rotten. As the climate changes more Medlars at Karuna will ripen on the tree, there are many records of trees doing this throughout the U.K. At Karuna some fall to the ground and Blet with the coming gentle frosts others ripen on the tree.
In Stafford they call these fruits ‘Bulls arses’, quite obvious really.
Checking for softness of the dark brown fruits. Split it open down the center with the finger tips, some people eat it with a small spoon.
This is my favorite way to eat this wonderful unusual fruit. It tastes something like a caramel-slightly coffee-fig-date-Chickoo.
Got you wondering wot is a Chickoo? (Saparilla)
(above),we used to eat allot of these in India.
The Medlar fruit was common in medieval times. Possibly fell out of favour due to the fact that you have to spit out the seeds, considered impolite behavior, that’s the British for ya. In many countries spitting out the seeds of fruits is all part of the pleasure of the eating game. See Food security on Karuna website.
More autumn harvests.
This year we have produced more food than ever. We have stored away our usual 20 varieties of potatoes (4 consecutive years now), our apples and our grand collection of various pumpkins. We feed our quality organic food to people attending courses and to our volunteers, and ourselves of course. We are always exploring new ways to use and preserve the food that our forest gardens produce.
Above- shows some new experiments…We have made various pickles in balsamic, cider, and wine vinegar (not our own,- yet).Here we have Chillies, delicious Nasturtium seeds (similar to capers),French beans, Shallots, Garlic, Red Cabbage Sauerkraut, all with various precious herbs from the forest gardens. For the first year Merav has pasteurised some of our quality Apple juice. The Elderflower Cordials and Rosehip Syrup are still very good. We were inspired by a friend to make some Sloe Gin as well as Hausszewettch Damson Vodka and White Jamaican rum and of course we have lashings of Cider on the go.
Which reminds me- please contact us if you know of a large ‘manual cider press’ (For sale) for commercial use. We would very much like to start supplying a local pub or two with Karuna cider.
I will be giving ‘grafting workshops’ again this year at Karuna and at
Landmatters, and the Dartington Hall Trust, both in south Devon.
Here’s an inspirational feature on Bamboo Polytunnels.
We are now preparing for winter hermit mode in the hills. Please feel free to visit us at our hovel during the long cold winter which can be most inhospitable, we see few people at this time and don’t get out that much.We would be most grateful for any help with establishing/planting new orchards at Karuna.We will celebrate winter solstice and try to come out of hibernation and be sociable,though there is something special about the stillness and solitude amid the trees here. Like our ancestors, due to our closeness to nature and appreciation of ‘light’ (Warmth, seed growth, solar power etc) we celebrate the new beginning of increasing light. Sing, dance,share, light candels, create, party, rockaway, be still, experience simplicity, seek peace and inner clarity, and belonging to the whole. Enjoy it & Be happy!
*Surya shining through- Fargesia robusta. ©
∞
4 Comments so far
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Kia ora from New Zealand. Its wonderful to hear and see the great job you are doing, inspirational work, keep on keeping on it is so needed, I am coming to UK next year I will try and get out to see you. Love to you both. Shafia
Comment by Shafia Stevens December 7, 2011 @ 8:57 amHi this is Heather, from Crewe, Cheshire.
Comment by Heather December 13, 2011 @ 2:12 pmI feel deeply saddened when reading this blog, at how people have treated you in your local area. I have read of your work in permaculture mag and on the website, and think that, as a family, you sound like the most wonderful, peaceful, caring family ever! I have told many people about your project and I’m hoping to do either a permaculture or forest gardening course with you in the future. I have just completed a two year horticulture course, but feel that it is incredibly important to take a sustainable and holistic path. I cannot express in words just how much I think that what you are doing is fantastic. Stay strong and true to what you believe. I’m also a Reiki master teacher and completely get the connection to the land and the energy in every living thing around us. It may not be much, but I will put the situation with the planning permission on my healing list and send lots of healing energy to it. I wish you and your family all the best.
Love and Light
Heather.
Hi Heather,Janta ere,
Comment by karunaroots December 14, 2011 @ 12:26 pmSo nice to have your supportive comments , recognition and approval.Remember not ALL people in the area have treated us badly,there are just a few ‘reactionaries’, unbalanced ones who have not got a grip on reality.They fear change and lack a wholesome approach to dealing with it as they always fear the worst.Lets face it we are all creatures of habit & we embrace familiarity.Not everyone can appreciate how a positive reaction to change helps dissolve fears,helps us grow,it can be difficult for people like us to accept those who are stuck,and lack interest in growth.
Fortunately for us we rarely see these people in our daily lives.Just occasionally on passing vehicles down the country lanes,and public planning doo’s.Which they really seem to like as it gives them something to do with their time.You will note there have been over 100 support letters,40 from within Shropshire.Like you the majority of people appreciate the work we are doing and enjoy their visits,courses and volunteering.They come from near and far.Most of them are very ‘special’, ‘aware’ people who are grateful of our efforts towards compassionate land management, diverse farming systems etc.Like you many people who have studied Horticulture come to feel there are some essential elements missing. Permaculture fills this gap.
Which is why global networks/projects are growing so fast.This is great news for Karuna too.Consider joining the Permaculture Association,this will help you no end.Look forward to seeing you on a course at Karuna
next year…..Enjoy!
Good luck with the planning application
Comment by Jack Elliott Saxby December 15, 2011 @ 2:40 pm