Newsletter
Spring, 2009
It’s been a long time coming but spring is definitely, dare we say, “here” without tempting the fates? If you were one of the many of us feeling this winter would never end (and accompanying dark moods,) you were not alone. Judy wrote a post entitled Necessary Chaos and Garden Humor on our blog Sacred Gardens – Gardening for Peace and Sanctuary (www.sacredgardenblog.com) which spoke to the reasons why late winter/early spring are so hard for many of us. (Blog Link) Save it for next winter when we find ourselves (again) figuratively and literally in the Dark Days and Nights. But for now… it’s time to rise up, get outside and connect again with the reasons we choose to live and stay in New England.
It’s all about the fruits, veggies, berries and herbs There are a lot of reasons for growing your own organic fruits and vegetables this year. In fact, 7 million more households say they plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, berries and herbs in 2009. That’s up 19% from last year! Even our president and his family have installed an organic veggie garden on the White House Lawn. Surprisingly, the biggest reason for food gardening is to “grow better tasting” food and THEN “to save money on food bills”.And save money you will. Whatever happens in the economy you don’t have to go hungry! Most popular vegetable? Tomatoes. Least popular? Rutabaga. This year, as last, we’ll be offering fruit trees, all sorts of berries, and lots of different vegetable starts. Most of the berries are potted and ready for sale. We have a limited number of hardy kiwis (yes, you do need a male and a female,) lots of fruit trees, potatoes, garlic, strawberries , grapes, raspberries , and asparagus, all ready for rock and roll! “And we’ve got to get back to the garden” (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young- although they may have been singing about something else, Judy thinks) Botanical Interests seeds, our favorite source for organic and heirloom seeds, are available in the store or go to http://www.sevenarrowsfarm.com/nursery/seeds.html for the greatest selection. And again, we’ll be offering our “Sustainability Garden” service. We deliver (and set up, if desired) a raised bed(s) to your specification and a planting mix of certified organic compost and loam. http://www.sevenarrowsfarm.com/nursery/backyard%20sustainability.htm Want to try your hand at making your own raised beds? Click on these easy instructions. Here are some other good sources for growing your own.
http://www.kitchengardeners.org/2009/02/building_raised_beds
html http://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/garden-care/build-a-vegetable-bed/
And consider helping others. Plant a Row for the Hungry is a great program which encourages home and community gardeners to grow a little extra and donate the produce to local soup kitchens and food banks. Three years ago 27 million Americans were relying on food banks each year. This number has raised exorbinately over the last two years. Community organizations continually struggle to meet the demand for food assistance. You can make a difference by planting an extra row of vegetables and delivering the harvest to a local food agency or to Seven Arrows (we will deliver your food to local food banks, along with what we grow each week of harvest). If there was ever a time to help our neighbors in this way this is it! Get your church or community organizations on board with this important, but easy way to help our neighbors in need. New plants for the addicted (the good kind) gardener We need to constantly feed our own need to try something new so this year we’ve added some new native plants,, first offering hydrangeas, new hostas (of course) and lots of organic fruits (berries and fruit tr ees)and vegetables (asparagus, potatoes, and all the normal squashes, zuccini, peppers, tomatoes etc.)
Also, If you grow hostas don’t forget to ask for a "Hosta Card" (Buy 10 anytime in your natural lifetime, get $25 off anything at Seven Arrows) Have fun, save money We’ve always been do-it-your-selfers here at Seven Arrows and are happy to share ideas and instructions with others. Check out these sites for instructions on making some great garden accoutrements - wind chimes, garden benches etc. http://home.att.net/~DLeddy/garden.html http://familycrafts.about.com/od/toppicks/tp/gardenpicks.htm
Oprah featured our book Sacred Gardens (How Ordinary Gardeners Create Places of Peace and Sanctuary) on one of her blogs!
Bring out your books! A lot of our visitor/customers are aware of the animal rescue organizations we’re involved in. A favorite Angelcat Haven is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing the homeless and stray cats in local and surrounding towns in need of a safe place while waiting to be adopted into a new home. This exceptional group, which we are proud to be connected with, is completely volunteer based and like many such groups spends an inordinate amount of time in fund raising activities to pay for the spay/neuter and medical expenses of many of its little charges. A wonderful organization pays Angelcat a small donation per pound for hard and soft covered books. Choose to reuse! Donating books is a great way to help raise money for a local group and a great way to keep books out of the trash. In addition to helping raise money for this group, these donated goods will be repurposed in great ways; donated to schools, libraries, and other groups in need, sent overseas to the troops, given to teachers for their classrooms, or sold in book sales and online. Bring your books to Seven Arrows and we will take them to Angelcat’s collection box in Plainville. (We also have raffle tickets for a chance to see the Red Sox vs. NY Yankee game Friday, August 21 at Fenway Park – These are 2 Field Box tickets valued at $125! Tickets are $5 each or 6 for $25. Got a Red Sox fan in the family? Here’s a chance to win a great prize and support homeless and abandoned kitties at the same time. We can mail tickets).
Take heart, truth and happiness will get you in the end. You can't lose in this game. Have fun. It goes on too long to be taken seriously all the time.
John and Lyn St. Clair Thomas
January
2009 The Blog is up!
Check out sacredgardenblog.com and tell us your story.
December 2008
My sister recently asked me if maybe we should forego the exchange of presents this holiday season. We both like to write so she thought we might exchange poems, a category which later expanded into a short story, if we chose. She thought it might be easier on my husband and I, as small business owners are supposed to be struggling. Michel and I started Seven Arrows in a recession, and built the building which houses the store and tearoom in the next one, so we’re not strangers to this kind of economy. Anyway, our family and friends have always gotten handmade gifts or gifts from the Seven Arrows shop. Lucky for us they like tea, honey, handmade soap and that kind of thing! I really like the idea of the poem exchange (in my case, short story, although I’m very tempted to try my hand at haiku) so we’re adding a new element to the packages sent across the country this year.
Years ago Michel and I decided to ignore the commercialism of the holiday season. We ignore the daily countdown of remaining shopping days and see the season as a magical coming together of the four seasons in a fifth – Hanukkah, Christmas, Solstice, whatever you celebrate. Michel and I have always made our holiday gifts – sometimes out of necessity, always out of the desire to offer some piece of ourselves. If there was ever a good time to re-use, recycle and create your own gifts of the heart this is surely it. I’ve included some low cost, high on creativity gifts to make or collect. We’re incorporating most of them in our holiday gift giving this year.
1.Used Books are cool!
Recycle a favorite gardening book. Wrap in recycled Sunday comics newpaper. Include a pack of seeds. (Or give an autographed copy of our first book,Sacred Gardens, a collection of stories of ordinary 
gardeners, including us, who created places of peace and sanctuary for themselves. Shameless pitch, I know).
Recycle a favorite cookbook. Include a goodie prepared from one of its recipes. Recycle any favorite book with a personalized note suggesting “why I think you’ll like this book.”
2. Second hand tea cups and tea pots are very cool!
(I have found some
very nice collector pieces at the local second hand stores. One turned out to be worth $30. I paid $1.99.) Include a muslin bag full of a nice black or herbal tea.
3. Turn your old clay pots into garden art. Check out http://familycrafts.about.com/od/claypotcrafts/Clay_Pot_Crafts.htm
4. Make a basket of green, environmentally friendly products. Include some of the following or visit here for more ideas http://greenlivingideas.com/housecleaning/natural-cleaning-recipes.html#Recipes
Wood Furniture Wax
Yield: approximately 1 cup
2 tablespoons beeswax
1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon essential oil
1. Melt beeswax and olive oil in a double boiler. Add lemon essential oil as the mixture cools. Pour into a container with a lid.
2. To use, dab furniture wax with a soft cotton clothe and rub into the furniture to both nourish and bring out the wood’s luster.
Orange Glass Shiner
Use Orange Glass Shiner to polish any glass or mirror to a lovely finish and shine. Enjoy the pleasant aroma, as well.
Yield: 1 cup
4 ounces water
4 ounces apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon borax
1 tablespoon orange essential oil, 1 teaspoon lemon essential oil
Combine all ingredients in a heavy duty plastic spray bottle and shake
well before each use. Spray on glass or mirror and wipe immediately with a clean cloth. (As with all household cleaners, keep this one out of the reach of children.)
And remember that aroma is a powerful experience which can reduce stress and uplift at the same time. This season try *Burning candles or diffusers with bay, balsam or cinnamon oil *Studing apples, oranges, limes and lemons with whole cloves, roll in orris root and powdered spices (the ones you should have thrown out years ago!), tie with a pretty ribbon. Hang everywhere or place among holiday greens or in a wooden bowl. (Is there anyone who didn’t make pomanders as a kid?) *Decorating at least one tree or bush for the birds, stringing unsalted peanuts, unsalted popcorn and cranberries *Tucking something fragrant (bundled cinnamon sticks, pomanders, potpourri) in the holiday food basket you give to a needy family and remember...
“Not what we give, but what we share, for the gift without the giver is bare:
Who gives himself with his alms feeds three. Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me”. James Russell Lowell
Need to make a lot of low cost gifts? Consider these easy, inexpensive options.Click here for recipes
Lip balms (what New Englander doesn’t use a lip balm in the winter)
True Vanilla Extract
Easy Mustard, Olive Oil and Vinegars
Easy Spritzers for body or environment (I use mine for ironing)
Bath Salts (try the Lavender-Citrus recipe)
Bay Rum Aftershave and Cologne for men
Handmade incense
Coupon Sale 25% off Handcrafted Garden Accessories
Mr. Monk’s fabulous Copper pieces, Bim Williow’s handcrafted Bent Willow benches, John Fazzino’s Indoor/Outdoor ceramic pieces, Rustic Cedar Adirondack Chairs.Treat yourself or someone you love. Good until January 15. No need to download this private sale. Just mention this Sale Code - DON'T WORRY - BE HAPPY
And finally, consider adopting an adult kitty or dog. There are LOTS of wonderful furry friends waiting for their forever families. Please do not adopt an animal to give as a gift. Most reliable shelters will not permit this.This is a gift you give yourself and your new family member. Animals aren't disposable and this is a lifetime commitment. We are involved in a number of rescue organizations. Go to your local shelter or other volunteer groups like http://www.angelcathaven.com/ (We have a number of feral cats living in the barns and greenhouses from these wonderful people). Our beloved pitbull, Nicky, came from the Swansea Animal Shelter. Absolutely have to have a specific breed to replace your lost loved one? Remember most breeds have rescue groups. Google for more information.
Shalom *Merry Christmas *Namaste *Peace on Earth
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