| “There's only one corner of the universe
you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self. So you
have to begin there, not outside, not on other people. That comes
afterward, when you've worked on your own corner.” - Aldous Huxley |

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“It is necessary to cultivate our garden.” - Voltaire
For the past three weeks, the concept of sustainability has been ever present
in my life. Our local farmers’ markets in Connecticut and New York are providing
daily reminders of the importance of being self- sustaining by providing local
produce, eggs, dairy products and access to locally raised beef and poultry.
In addition to this, I’ve been reading a very interesting book by Maria Rodale
called “Organic
Manifesto,”in
which she discusses how crucially important organic farming is. It’s not only
about the food we eat, it’s also about how we care for the earth and plan for
future generations. It’s a provocative book and well worth taking the time to
read.
Because of the book, I’ve been re-energized about gardening despite the deer issue that we have. I’ve been looking into how to build an 8x8 enclosed garden with raised beds that I could use as our sustainability test. We certainly couldn’t live off of this, but it would be a great start. I am excited by the prospects of designing this, and I will keep you posted as it develops.
Synchronistically, I had the great fortune to spend a few days with my sister, Marge, on Martha’s
Vineyard, which is such a beautiful island and a wonderful summer haven. We had
a great time together, and on our last night, we went to dinner at a really cool
restaurant called State Road. All the entrees are completely Island grown, they have an amazing
garden that serves as a resource for their ingredients, and they support the
local Martha’s Vineyard Island Grown Initiative. I personally love how they have woven the philosophical commitment to sustainability with a successful business model – not only for themselves but for the local businesses that their restaurant supports as well. And the food!!!! Sublime. If you happen to be visiting Martha’s Vineyard, don’t miss the experience.
Webster’s dictionary defines sustainable as “relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.” I’ve thought about this in relation to our health and our bodies, as just as we want to create a sustainable outer environment, we want to create that within ourselves as well. This means caring and tending for our bodies and our psyches as constantly renewable resources. Each and every day, we have the opportunity and the obligation for the caring and tending of ourselves, through proper nutrition and supplementation, by listening to ourselves, by weeding out the negative thoughts and behaviors that keep us from being our best possible selves, and by taking time with ourselves to know deeply who we are, what motivates us and what nourishes us – both body and soul.
The ultimate act of sustainability is caring for ourselves. Once we have done this, we can then turn to our gardens, our local environments and ultimately our global environment and be part of the shift that needs to occur for the long term health and well being of the planet. In “Time Must Have a Stop,” Aldous Huxley wrote, “There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self. So you have to begin there, not outside, not on other people. That comes afterward, when you've worked on your own corner.”
I am going to keep working on my corner and then extend it out, one 8x8 enclosed garden at a time!
Happy August,
Martha
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