PEACE farm - Permaculture, Education, Art, Community, Enterprise. We are a small permaculture farm in the Yarra Valley, east of Melbourne.
Monday, 24 August 2020
Taking Health into your own Hands - Murray Goodchild
I’ve been doing the Wim Hof breathing as a daily practice now for about 2 months and I have to tell you, it’s life changing.I work as an acupuncturist. A colleague once described how I work as “surfing the Chi”. I make my living based on my ability to sense and influence energetic changes in the human energy field and I wanted to lend that perspective to describe the effects of the Wim Hoff breathing technique.My hope is that you feel inspired to give it a go.
If you’re not familiar with Wim Hof, he’s called the “Iceman”, a name he earned by performing incredible feats of cold endurance. He holds the world record for being immersed in ice for almost 2 hours. That’s an impressive feat but what’s truly astounding is that he’s been able to teach others his methods which have been clinically proven to enhance the immune response.
In a clinical trial, 10 out of 10 of the participants who trained with Wim were able to negate the effects of the E.coli Bacteria upon injection using his breathing techniques, which would typically cause food poisoning symptoms.Online there is plenty of information if you want to learn more. The short description of the technique I’ve been practicing is cyclic hyperventilation followed by breath retention. Importantly, the breath is held at the end of the out-breath.
Here’s my take on how this brings benefit. When you hyperventilate you charge up the body with oxygen. You then hold the breath. The important thing to realise is that the body will not be evenly oxygenated throughout. In the same way that in a house, some rooms get used more than others, in the body some areas get more oxygen than others. Areas where we hold stress, tension and fear will be low in oxygen simply because there’s no room. Try fitting an apple into the palm of a closed fist. As you hold your breath, guess which parts are going to start screaming for oxygen. Yep, the tense, stressed and fearful parts. Holding the breath beyond comfort becomes like stretching a rubber band, between these areas and the breath gateway. The longer you can hold the breath the more powerfully the oxygen floods these low oxygen areas when the breath arrives, because by this stage the body has prioritised them as the most critical. The oxygen becomes like aid work supplies being air-lifted to those most in need in a crisis.
Clinical trials have revealed the ability of this technique to influence the autonomic nervous system and the innate immune response, which were hitherto thought to be beyond the realm of conscious control. The technique of breath holding on the out breath is known in some yogic traditions as the death breath. At a certain point when holding the breath, in a relatively short period of time, one encounters the reptilian mind whose primary concern is survival. We don’t usually approach our reptile because it contains some unpleasant truths about our drive to survive. It’s the one that lifesavers protect themselves from when rescuing a drowning person. They know the predictable response of a drowning person is to pull the rescuer under in order to get a breath. The reptilian mind’s priority is to stay alive at any cost.
According to Wim, after 30 big breaths, the body has enough oxygen to last well beyond 2 minutes of breath deprivation, so it is more indicative of the habit patterns of the reptilian mind to want to breath than it is necessity.
When you feel how powerfully the reptilian mind grips the body insisting that you finally breath you understand how capable it is to overwhelm our rational mind. When the human directs his/her will towards training the reptile our unexamined drives can start to be shaped rather than given free range.This offers multiple benefits.
Personally, I have started to find I have more courage to share my perspectives in ways such as this essay, on social media and in person than I previously did. I feel more robust, less reactive and overly sensitive. I think I’m becoming more dependable and my fitness and stamina has improved, I assume because of increased lung capacity. I’ve experienced both physical and psychological benefits. I’ve observed that the thoughts I have influence how long I’m able to hold my breath. As a rule, the more fearful I am the less time I can hold. From this I can observe which thoughts and attitudes empower me. I can also look to practice my equanimity to thoughts that scare me.
This method is a great tool for mental and physical wellbeing. In the current crisis, tools that can empower us to take more responsibility for our own health are a valuable thing indeed.
In the current stage 4 lockdown, acupuncture is permitted for emergency care and in stage 3 is permitted as usual. It can be extremely helpful in helping you find your feet in these uncertain times.
Contact Murray on 0405 455744 for enquires and bookings.
Wednesday, 15 April 2020
Thursday, 13 June 2019
Winter beauty in the garden
It is a pleasure at that time of the year to walk in the garden and still enjoy bright colors, and seeing the bees buzzing around.
My weekly winter ritual is to harvest and dry mainly calendula, yarrow and comfrey.
Winter is also a time of decay.
Our beautiful Zinnias, queens of our summer and autumn are now decaying and transforming to seeds
I am reminded of the beauty of each part of the cycles, each part playing their important role for the equilibrium of nature and life.
As we are part of nature, we need to remember - as the flower returns to seed and dormancy, us too human, need to come back to our essence and stillness.
Tuesday, 5 February 2019
PEACE Farm Tomato Festival is on 23rd Feb 2019
See this video made by last years Carpe Diem interns, Kate and Ella
Monday, 1 October 2018
Raspberry leaves tea
Did
you know that you can make a delicious (and medicinal) tea with raspberry
leaves?
If
you're already growing raspberries (or know someone who is!), remember to
harvest, dry, and brew yourself a wonderful cup of tea.
It’s
wonderful to be able to harvest it from the garden, to drink a potion of
vitamins and minerals and to feel a stronger connection with the plant.
Benefits:
The leaves are rich in potassium, iron, magnesium and
b-vitamins.
How to Harvest & Preserve
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
The
leaves are best harvested in the spring before the flowers emerge.
Choose
young, bright green leaves.
Collect
raspberry leaves before the plant blooms.
Harvest
mid-morning after the dew has evaporated and before the sun is hot to preserve
the oils and flavor.
Spread
the leaves out on a screen and allow them to dry naturally away from dust and
sunlight.
Or
you can gather the leaves by their stems, tie the ends, and hang them to dry.
Depending
on the humidity, drying usually takes 2-3 weeks.
You
can tell when the leaves are dry, by crushing a leaf or two. It should crumble easily.
Try
not to crush the rest of the leaves to reserve the flavor until you are ready to brew your tea.
Once
dry, store leaves lightly packed in a glass jar away from direct sunlight.
Friday, 15 June 2018
From the market garden.
On a whole we feel it’s been a great season for the market garden.
We have had some stunning crops throughout the season with some of the favorites being the late carrots, dill, sweet corn, Chinese cabbage and the consistent crisp salad mix.
The long dry period late summer and autumn gave our autumn and winter crops a bit of grief such that our cabbages, Japanese turnip, broccoli and cauliflower yields have not been so great. As a testament to the diverse CSA seasonal veggie box model, we have still been able to provide a great value and a range of veggies each week.
Winter boxes will be a little less abundant for the last few weeks and the last box will be on the 24thof July. As hard as it is not to see our crops reach their full potential and make it to our valued customers place , we have to accept that we can't “win them all” and plan to improve for next time.
In terms of box numbers, demand continues to increase and at times we have had a small waiting list. More and more people are seeking out farm direct veggies from the Jing Clinic in Lilydale and Upwey food hubs which has been great.
A massive thanks to all our members and special acknowledgement to our members who made the time to come to help out on a Tuesday and for the hands on the land days. This connection and participation is at the heart of our CSA model and it really warms my heart and gives me a boost to see big smiles on our member’s faces getting out on the land!
Thanks again for playing your part of the CSA and we hope you can join us next season when we start back up again in late December.
Why is balance so important in relationships?
You’ve probably experienced being thrown off balance and you grab onto anything within reach to stop you from falling.
This is what it’s like in relationship when you don’t take care of your own balance. We grab at, clutch and cling to those around us in an attempt to stabilise ourselves. The problem is that everything around us is inclined towards movement (unless it’s dead, in which case it’s probably time to let it go). When we’re depending on someone or something to stabilise us we tend not to appreciate it moving on us.
In the case of a relationship we’ll be compelled to, in some way, influence, control or manipulate another in order to maintain some semblance of stability.
Of course, it’s not going to create long lasting stability. Everything changes and we must perform our own balancing act and in doing so, leave others free to develop their own balancing abilities. Of course it’s hard to let others go sometimes, for example, one’s own children as they head off to forge their own path in life but at this stage you can only hope that you’ve sufficiently modelled how to stand on “one’s own two feet” well enough that they’ve become proficient enough at it by then. The more we cling the more we limit others’ opportunity to grow and learn and practice.
In the case of a relationship we’ll be compelled to, in some way, influence, control or manipulate another in order to maintain some semblance of stability.
Of course, it’s not going to create long lasting stability. Everything changes and we must perform our own balancing act and in doing so, leave others free to develop their own balancing abilities. Of course it’s hard to let others go sometimes, for example, one’s own children as they head off to forge their own path in life but at this stage you can only hope that you’ve sufficiently modelled how to stand on “one’s own two feet” well enough that they’ve become proficient enough at it by then. The more we cling the more we limit others’ opportunity to grow and learn and practice.
So if you’ve been sufficiently interested in the subject presented here to read this far you might be wondering in which context I’m using the term “balance”. “Does he mean mental balance, emotional balance, physical balance....?”
Well the amazing thing about balance is that it crosses all these divisions, meaning that physical balance effects emotional balance effects mental balance, etc....and because that’s the case, balance always points back to the centre.
What centre? The centre of your universe. You. Just below your belly button. The expression, “to contemplate your navel” is a bit of a backhanded way to refer to someone who likes to meditate. But in light of what we’ve been talking about but in another light it’s actually not a bad idea. To pose the question in relation to anything, inverted Commers where is my centre in this? Is a very fundamental question in reaching confidence debility insurance within oneself in a changing world where things often move in and unpredictable way
In therapy sessions people commonly experiencing stress and doubt in relation to situations in which they are facing. Sometimes there is an appeal and the client for some advice on the matter. The best advice I can give in any case is to invite encourage the person to find a balance in the face of the challenge course when you can find your balance with something you are not dependent on the outcome the surfer does not need to know how the way the scanner ultimately crash so long as he can maintain centre of balance. So what is the golden nugget, the secret to maintaining one’s balance.? Well I don’t think anyone can answer this question for anyone else but the best I can offer is to say that asking the question is the first step. Because when we asked the question we move the focus away from controlling another’s actions and look towards Our own Centre for the answer
Friday, 8 June 2018
How medicine drumming became part of my life?
My main use of the medicine drum is through Drum Journeys. It's when a drumbeat is played at a rapid rate allowing your brain waves
to harmonize, dive to a deep state of meditation and receive messages from a deep wise
inner place. The benefit of these inner journeys took full meaning for me during my birthing journeys.
I came across the School of Shamanic WomanCraft
when I was pregnant with my first baby, and a new path opened to me. I’ve
learnt to use and understand deeply the benefits of the medicine drum thanks to
the Four Seasons Journey where I have connected and continue to learn about
womanhood, honoring the rites of passage of birth, menarche, childbirth,
menopause and death, and connecting with the Cycles.
Drumming is one tool, amongst many others,
I’ve learnt to be very familiar with and I found it very useful in my life
journey especially in time of crisis.
For example, one difficult time was
when I went though the experience of my second miscarriage. I was 10 weeks
pregnant, and it was very painful emotionally as I had to face myself again in
the grieving process.
I’ve reached for the first time for
support, and during a drum journey I have been able to connect with my
baby, I saw her, I received a name and important messages from her. I’ve been
able to have a better sense of clarity and being able to say goodbye and let
go. This experience totally shifted my experience of a miscarriage because I
didn’t feel guilty or victim of a loss but I felt gifted with a story and a strong
sense of connection with my baby. She existed. Her birth was really beautiful at
home and for the first time of my life I truly felt like being a goddess when
she was born and I was proud to bring her to my hands and heart. I am grateful
for that honoring and healing experience, made it possible thanks to an amazing
trustful support.
We live at a time where natural birth has become “endangered”. My first experience of giving birth in a hospital with an
unexpected pre-eclampsia condition, was a real waking up call for me, realizing
the impacts and reality of the hospital policies, routine, and way of
communication to the birthing mother. Since then, part of my personal journey has been to reclaim trust and
surrender with birth and it's mysteries. For my last pregnancy, I chose to receive
regular drum journey sessions as a way to check in and connect with my baby. My
baby gave me clues on how he wanted to be born. He always told me about a straightforward
birth at home, with our little family, me being the one who catches my baby in my
hands. I chose to trust those messages. It was actually huge to follow this
guidance and act accordingly to prepare for birth while facing doubts and fears.
It felt like a huge inner battle between the rational mind and the heart. I was
blessed that the birth unfolded exactly as my baby told me.
So the drumming and the messages I got from
it, showed me a new way and informed clearly my decisions. From fear, I’ve
learnt to connect, trust and surrender. This has transformed my life
completely. It’s why I’m now sharing that amazing tool with women.
For this reason, you have now the possibility to make your own medicine drum.
Sarah (shamanic craft woman, dancer and creator of : www.embodimentsdance.com.au), and myself (shamanic craft woman, dancer and creator of womb connect) are so honored to work together to offer a sacred space and to hold you while you are birthing your drum.
If making a medicine drum calls you, feel free to contact us for more info or book in your place through that link:
https://www.embodimentsdance.com.au/product/shamanic-drum-making-two-day-workshop/
Blessings to all!
Sarah (shamanic craft woman, dancer and creator of : www.embodimentsdance.com.au), and myself (shamanic craft woman, dancer and creator of womb connect) are so honored to work together to offer a sacred space and to hold you while you are birthing your drum.
If making a medicine drum calls you, feel free to contact us for more info or book in your place through that link:
https://www.embodimentsdance.com.au/product/shamanic-drum-making-two-day-workshop/
Blessings to all!
Thursday, 19 April 2018
Kate's PEACE Farm Internship Experience
A Personal Account from an intern at PEACE Farm
Most
mornings start with chickens. Their crows might wake you up, or you’ll have an
early alarm set to feed them, but either way you certainly won’t forget their
presence on the farm, and they won’t forget about you either because no matter
what time of day, if you walk past their enclosures they’ll be running up to
greet you hoping you have some old bread or compost scraps for them to peck at.
During my
time at PEACE Farm I opted to divide my time into 2 week segments using each
segment to focus on a different aspect of what the residents of the farm
specialize in. After the first 3 weeks of settling in and doing the normal
wwoofer routine of rotating which families/areas of the farm we would be working
with, we started in the nursery with Matt. Here we learned about the earliest
stages of a plant’s life, where we started with the seeds each Monday,
propagating at least 50 trays of a variety of vegetables. Learning about the
different families- brassicas, chenopods, and so on, and how each seed must be
sowed in different ways depending on the type, temperament, and environment.
After sowing the seeds we learned about the seedlings themselves and how to
properly care for them before they grow on their own after being replanted into
the ground.
When our
time in the nursery was up we moved on to the CSA market garden with Trav.
Aside from Tuesday, veggie box day, each day was different, but was filled with
new information to learn about many different aspects of the farm. We learned
how to start a garden from scratch, going through every step of bed-prep, soil
fertilization, plant spacing and more, gaining confidence in the process so
that if need be we would be able to grow our own vegetable garden wherever we
were, no matter the circumstances. Between all the weeding, planting,
harvesting and more we were able to get a deeper insight into the philosophy of
the PEACE Farm, and the importance of Community Supported Agriculture. This
would always come full circle on Tuesdays as every member of the PEACE Farm
along with wwoofers, and friends/members of the community would come together
to pack the veggie boxes full of fresh veggies and herbs straight from the
garden. Through the chaos of it all I was always able to find joy from the
simple act of a community working together for the greater good.
Our final
focus at the farm was centered around the women’s practices here. With Emilie
we were able to learn more about her journey of shamanic womancraft, and herbal
medicine, gathering a plethora of new knowledge about the benefits packed into
every herb and flower in our garden that is often taken for granted. With Cat
we continued to attend her Chi Yoga classes every Wednesday night and with her
guidance and extensive knowledge on film/media and video production we spent
many afternoons putting together some videos highlighting different aspects of
the PEACE Farm. On Monday mornings over our last few weeks we got to
participate in Vicky’s Kundalini Yoga classes and spend more time with her
learning about her experience and history with the practice, and how we may
incorporate it into our lives. She also shared her love of eco printing with us
and helped us make printed paper and wool to keep. With all of the women we were
able to learn about their personal journeys and experiences along with creating
a space where we were welcome to do the same, celebrating the joy of womanhood
and how we can all learn from each other.
When I
signed up to be a PEACE Farm intern, I had no idea what was in store during the
three months I had planned to work at the farm. Through all the weeding,
planting, sowing, cooking, and much much more I have gained such a vast array
of knowledge from the wonderful folks at the PEACE Farm. This place is radiating with love, peace and curiosity, and I'm already planning when I can make it back.
Ella's PEACE farm internship experience
This is a blog article written by Ella Gambell for the Carpe Diem Latitudes Semester program https://www.carpediemeducation.org/2018/04/peace-farm-australia-2/
I’m not going to lie, the first couple weeks of this semester were pretty tough for me. At Latitudes orientation right before I came here, I heard about all of the amazing things all of the other Carpe kids are doing and I wondered if I could be doing something better or more adventurous than working on a farm. I would be weeding in the garden and think, “Wow. There are people cage diving with sharks, diving with seahorses, teaching African kids how to swim, helping women who are being trafficked in Nepal, etc., and here I am sitting in dirt pulling out weeds in another wealthy, Western country, much like my own.”
I really needed to shake that perspective and see the bigger picture, so I did. It took a little more patience than I like but I kept reminding myself: I chose to be here. I’m supposed to be here. Better make the most out of it.
I’m going to talk a little bit about the place I’m living right now. It’s a permaculture farm in the Yarra Valley, east of Melbourne, called P.E.A.C.E farm. The name itself makes this place so inviting. It’s one of the reasons I chose to be here, to be honest. It stands for “Permaculture. Education. Art. Community. Enterprise,” some of the many things this place has to offer. The farm is run by 3 families, all of whom live on the property. There are Travis and Emilie and their two boys, Ossian and Matis. Trav runs the market garden and the CSA. I’ve never seen someone who works as hard as that man. Then there’s Matt and Cat, with their four kids named Jazzy, Marlow, Luca, and Ollie. Matt runs the nursery and sells seedlings in local markets. Lastly, there’s Murray and Vicky who live in a tiny house that they built out of all recycled materials, with their little daughter Gracie. Murray is an acupuncturist and Vicky is an artist. Also, several WWOOFERs come and go. This place is always buzzing with people!
So, I don’t know if you’ve counted, but there are seven kids total that live here, and most of them are little boys. We also had a Catalonian family living here with 3 kids of their own. Things can get pretty loud and crazy, though while the kids are at school, the peace remains at PEACE farm.
There is an abundance of things to learn and do here. Cat and Vicky teach yoga classes throughout the week, Emilie does shamanic drumming women’s circles on the new and full moons, we have an annual tomato festival in February, and there are all different kinds of workshops throughout the month; it’s endless.
I chose this place because I felt super drawn to Australia and like I needed to come here. I am also in love with our planet and wanted to connect deeper with her and learn ways to reduce my carbon footprint.
Throughout my time here I’ve realized the importance of many different things. From the environmental perspective, I have learned the benefits of eating local, organic foods on the personal and community level. Every Tuesday here, we have our “Box Day,” where we pack boxes full of produce for our CSA. Everyone on the farm gets together and harvests heaps of produce fresh from the garden that gets dispersed in about 40 boxes for different locals. So much effort and love is put into the consumer getting the best produce possible. Community Supported Agriculture has great benefits for the community and the people, I’ll briefly mention a couple things.
People have lost touch with what they eat and where their food comes from. Most people eat whatever they are craving, regardless if it’s healthy, seasonal, or if it has traveled thousands of miles to get to the supermarket. Not only is local, seasonal food better for the environment because it is not traveling far to get to you, it is better quality, therefore better for the body. Knowing where our food comes from and who grows it, is a practice of being connected to the earth. If more people felt connected to the land we live on, I think they would be more inspired to save the planet. It has been enlightening for me to be part of a CSA, and I know it’s something I’m going to carry with me in the future.
Personally, I’ve been more connected to the earth here than ever. I’ve always loved nature and being outside, but having my hands on the earth almost every day has really made me more aware of how special our planet is. Doing little things like planting baby beetroot in a garden bed and having my hands in the soil or just walking around barefoot, have given me a sense of groundedness and peace. Harvesting veggies and herbs straight from the ground and using them to cook and make tea is so fulfilling. It’s so nourishing taking something from right from the earth and using it to feed our bodies, just like a baby nursing from their mother. I have learned how to raise a plant from seed, prep a garden bed, how to keep a plant thriving while it is in the ground, all of the tools needed to grow a successful, healthy crop. I have even learned how to use the different veggies on this land, so nothing goes to waste. I can’t imagine living any other way than getting my food from a CSA when I get back home!
Those are a few of the many skills I have acquired from farming, but I’ve learned much more than just how to tend the garden. Living here has given me a new appreciation for life. Separating myself from all of my loved ones and immersing myself in a community of strangers has been one of my toughest challenges. I’ve had to learn how to take care of myself on my own, without the support system I’ve always had. It has not been easy, but as I learned last semester, you grow the most from immersing yourself in the unfamiliar.
I have found new gratitude for my family, friends, my hometown, mother Earth, and for myself. This place helped me open my mind and my heart and connect deeper with myself. There is so much I have left to learn from the incredible people that live here and I’ve barely scratched the surface. That just gives me more of a motivation to come back!
Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Kate and Ella - 2018 interns at PEACE Farm
From the end of January to mid-April we have been lucky enough to host Kate and Ella from the USA as interns at PEACE Farm. The girls are on a gap year program through Carpe Diem and have been learning about living in community, running an organic nursery and market garden, participating in some of the well being activities at PEACE farm such as Yoga and Shamanic Drum Journeys, and some deeper learning from the PEACE Farm women. Kate and Ella will be sharing some of their experiences on the PEACE Farm blog over the coming weeks.
Fall at PEACE Farm - by Kate
Nestled in the Yarra Valley of Australia, the PEACE farm is home to an eclectic community of three vibrant families along with a constant flow of volunteers and friends just passing through or even staying for a while- always working as a collective effort to love the land. The past few months have brought great joy thanks to a successful tomato festival to wind down the summer and celebrate an incredible tomato harvest as a community with food, music, dancing, and all sorts of fun. As the autumn equinox has passed we’ve started to feel the chill of fall, waking up to feed the chooks requiring an extra layer to brave the cold and maybe even an extra cup of coffee too. After a bountiful summer overflowing with tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchinis, both our hearts and plates are excited to welcome the vegetables of the season. Last week we cleared out the tomato jungle to make way for new life, sowing peas where the tomatoes once thrived, ready for the change in season along with the change of pace here at the farm.
Fall at PEACE Farm - by Kate
Nestled in the Yarra Valley of Australia, the PEACE farm is home to an eclectic community of three vibrant families along with a constant flow of volunteers and friends just passing through or even staying for a while- always working as a collective effort to love the land. The past few months have brought great joy thanks to a successful tomato festival to wind down the summer and celebrate an incredible tomato harvest as a community with food, music, dancing, and all sorts of fun. As the autumn equinox has passed we’ve started to feel the chill of fall, waking up to feed the chooks requiring an extra layer to brave the cold and maybe even an extra cup of coffee too. After a bountiful summer overflowing with tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchinis, both our hearts and plates are excited to welcome the vegetables of the season. Last week we cleared out the tomato jungle to make way for new life, sowing peas where the tomatoes once thrived, ready for the change in season along with the change of pace here at the farm.
Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Is the question "what to eat?" Or "when to eat?" by Murray
I like to fast every now and then. I do it as much for the clarity of mind that
results as for the physical purifying effect.
By the time the fast ends I'm so clear as to what I want to eat. It's never the cake or chocolate. These are superficial cravings that subside quickly for me. What remains are truer and truer rememberances of what truly nourishes me. Beetroot featured heavily in my most recent fast and when it was time I made a roast beetroot salad with goat's cheese and rocket.
A greater insight occurred as a result of this most recent 3-day fast though, which was not so much about what I eat but when. In my reading I learnt that the liver governs the catabolic (breaking down) and anabolic (building up) processes in the body. The former begins a 4am every day. Digestion is part of this process. At 4pm every day the Liver switches in to the anabolic process using the nutrients derived during the day for restoration and repair.
This helps explain the heaviness experienced in my body upon waking, accompanied by a niggling anxiety prior to my fast. Since the fast I have resolved to eat my main meal during the day and a light soup for dinner. I have been waking earlier, needing less sleep, and feeling lighter, happier and ready to go upon waking.
I can't help but wonder how much of the confusion about WHAT to eat might be resolved by changing the focus to WHEN we eat.
Of course, if like me you have an Anglo-Saxon background you'll probably be used to eating the main meal at night. No doubt there are some cultural hurdles to be jumped if you're considering implementing what I'm suggesting, but when you consider the costs verses the benefits through giving it a trial, you may discover, like me and my family, that it's a no-brainer.
You might think it strange but what I like to do when I'm fasting is to look
through cook books. It's so easy to take food for granted in our affluent
society. When deprived of it, it is, for me, invariably restored to a divine
status, a gift of heaven and earth and reading cookbooks becomes a devotional
study.
By the time the fast ends I'm so clear as to what I want to eat. It's never the cake or chocolate. These are superficial cravings that subside quickly for me. What remains are truer and truer rememberances of what truly nourishes me. Beetroot featured heavily in my most recent fast and when it was time I made a roast beetroot salad with goat's cheese and rocket.
A greater insight occurred as a result of this most recent 3-day fast though, which was not so much about what I eat but when. In my reading I learnt that the liver governs the catabolic (breaking down) and anabolic (building up) processes in the body. The former begins a 4am every day. Digestion is part of this process. At 4pm every day the Liver switches in to the anabolic process using the nutrients derived during the day for restoration and repair.
In light of this, eating a big meal at night time is swimming against the tide
of the body's rhythms.
This helps explain the heaviness experienced in my body upon waking, accompanied by a niggling anxiety prior to my fast. Since the fast I have resolved to eat my main meal during the day and a light soup for dinner. I have been waking earlier, needing less sleep, and feeling lighter, happier and ready to go upon waking.
I can't help but wonder how much of the confusion about WHAT to eat might be resolved by changing the focus to WHEN we eat.
Of course, if like me you have an Anglo-Saxon background you'll probably be used to eating the main meal at night. No doubt there are some cultural hurdles to be jumped if you're considering implementing what I'm suggesting, but when you consider the costs verses the benefits through giving it a trial, you may discover, like me and my family, that it's a no-brainer.
By Murray Goodchild
Monday, 29 May 2017
ORGANIC TOURS AT PEACE FARM
PEACE farm is a beautiful
permaculture farm in the Yarra Valley where we aim to grow our food, manage
farm animals, work the land, and co-create a life where we can express,
implement and support our own passions such as growing, teaching, yoga,
building, craft, parenting, storytelling, sacred circles and healing.
We offer half day (3
hours) or full day (6 hours) organic tours which incorporate different options
depending on your groups interests and what is available on the day. Lunch or
dinner can be provided as optional extras. Smaller groups must choose the same
activities however for groups of more than 15, we can split them between two
activities concurrently. When booking please indicate your preferences.
Half day - $45 per
person
Full day - $85 per
person
Minimum group size – 6
Maximum group size – 30
Each
half and full day includes: A tour of PEACE farm including an introduction to
permaculture principles and systems, animals, seasonal considerations and
observations, what’s growing in the garden, and composting etc (1 hour)
Plus
choose 2 (half day) or 5 (full day) activities from the following options:
Tiny
Home Tour
Green
Technology Tour
Seasonal
Planting (not available all year)
Propagation
(not available all year)
Eco-printing
Yoga
(Kundalini or Chi Yoga)
Massage
club
Nature
crafting
Edible
Weed Walk
Shamanic
Drum Journey
Campfire
songs and stories
Food
preserving (seasonal)
Farm to
table – harvest, cooking and feast
Canoeing
and swimming in the dam
Lunch/Dinner
Options:
Wood-fired pizza $10 per person
(1 pizza each)
Three course vegetarian feast
$20 per person
For bookings/enquiries: peacefarm.yarravalley@gmail.com
or
Vicky 0417 985 713 or Cat 0403 334 808
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