This article explores why seed saving is an incomprehensibly powerful act that serves to increase one's food sovereignty, encouraging resilient communities and nurturing the Gift Economy.
Haha, I was about to say that I’d never heard of Vana tulsi… then I went back and checked, and lo and behold— Ocimum gratissimum is the Eritrean basil I ordered a few weeks ago! I’ve always grown the other kind, O. sanctum— looking forward to learning the differences between them.
This helped me get inspired to go collect some seeds from a nearby patch of vernonia (ironweed), and to try rooting some cuttings off the tallest blueberry bush. Unfortunately I don’t know what variety it is, because I haven’t always kept good records of what was planted where.
Fair warning, I don’t spend much time on-screen so I’m hesitant to even try to get into a real conversation online, but I had intended to comment on an earlier article where you touched on the concept of ‘native’ and ‘invasive’ species, and how the distinction becomes somewhat irrelevant in the context of long-term ecological change and human/animal migration and disturbance. I think the first few statements of Dr. Vandana Shiva’s Declaration on Seed Freedom would make an excellent starting point for that kind of discussion. (I’ve gotten a little frustrated at times with seeing perfectly good landscape plants torn out in order to plant “all natives,” but was also tempted to play devil’s advocate on your statement that there’s “no such thing as a weed” — I doubt you could change my mind about something like English ivy, for example.)
I am so glad to hear you are gonna try growing different types of tulsi this year. I have found that aside from discovering that various types grow better in our climate they also contain different concentrations and ratios of essential oils. Here is some data on some of the main essential oil differences:
- Krishna Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) 4.90 Eugenol, 10.47 Rosmarinic Acid expressed as dried wt in mg/g.
- Vana Tulsi (Ocimum gratissimum) 8.89 Eugenol, 3.51 Rosmarinic Acid expressed as dried wt in mg/g.
- Temperate Tulsi (Ocimum africanum) 0.74 Eugenol, 5.53 Rosmarinic Acid expressed as dried wt in mg/g.
So as you can imagine, Vana tulsi will offer a very fragrant cloves aroma (offering many of the same medicinal benefits as well) and I found that it grows vigorously where we are in southern Ontario (with the purple leaved Krishna Tulsi just doing ok).
That is great you are propagating your own veronia and blueberry cuttings! I have always found blueberry hard wood cuttings as somewhat stubborn to get rooted. I used a willow twig water one time and that seemed to help get the roots started.
I admire that you do not spend much time on the computer and totally understand.
Ahh English ivy, yes I know your pain as I have been hired to go to battle with well established colonies on multiple occasions at my day job. It certainly does a great job preventing soil erosion but can become quite dominant in certain settings. I have noticed it growing in our local national park and so I will make a conscious effort to observe it more closely this year to see if I can discern any potential benefits the plant may offer to the community of plants, fungi, animals, insects, microbes and humans that live there.
Your comments are always welcomed. I look forward to hearing how Vana Tusli does for you this year :)
I had no idea there were so many kinds of tulsi… the kind I’ve been growing is more fruity-smelling, and I think the stems are kind of fuzzy?
Okay, yes, ivy can be useful for erosion control— and having seen how it can crack the mortar between bricks, I can imagine that it might be important as an early-succession species in rocky environments. Keeping it from strangling the trees is a continual chore, though.
I’m using up the last of an old jar of rooting powder on these cuttings — hoping for the best, but it needed pruning anyway. One of my neighbors has a willow tree in their yard— I should ask for some cuttings and give that a try as well. I know I’ve attempted it once in the past with no success, but that was so long ago I can’t even remember what I was trying to propagate.
Another exquisitely beautiful post, Gavin! I have a pot of Tulsi that I brought inside in the fall. She's pretty sparse, so I haven't been picking her leaves very much, but I rub them and inhale that scent. :) I can't wait to plant the seeds I got from you. :)
This - "A wooly knit hat purchased at the store will keep you warm regardless of its origin, But if it was hand knit by your favorite auntie, then you are in relationship to that ‘thing’ in a very different way. You're responsible for it, and your gratitude has motive force in the world. You are likely to take much better care of the gift hat than the commodity hat because it’s knit of relationships. This is the power of gift thinking." 💚
I loved the song, too. Can't wait to have your physical book in my hands for reference! You just might get me excited for spring/gardening yet! :) xo
Thank you Barbara, I really appreciate the comment. :)
Ahh yes, I had the same thing happen with our tusli when I brought her inside for the winter. One thing that I found to help was rotating the plant daily so that each side got equal sunlight, but even doing that I mostly allowed the plant to conserve her energy and refrained from harvesting lots of leaves for tea. Grow lights allow for a more steady harvest of tea leaves in winter months, but I think something is lost in the medicine when it is grown with artificial light so I minimize using lights to grow.
That is a lovely idea to touch the leaves to breath in the essential oils, it allows the plant to reserve her energy with the few leaves but also gives you poetry for the senses and medicine in aerosolized format. I think I shall try that myself :)
Yes I love that part about the wooly knit hat as well, and it is so beautiful and apt when that perspective is applied to seeds and living plants that were tended with love and then gifted :)
I am honored you would say that I may get you excited for spring given how much you love winter! I look forward to being able to share my book with you my friend. Thank you for the lovely comment.
I just came back to my computer after a walk in the woods. I read your post today and wanted to come back to it and watch the videos. When I opened up my Brave browser, there was an image of a herd of buffalo. That story always guts me, and it was on my mind walking in the woods. I'm choosing to believe it was synchronicity and not some weird I'm-being-tracked Internet thing. I guess I'll never know.
I would love to hear how it goes for you :) and if you need any tips on saving seed once your plants start flowering/forming seed pods feel free to reach out. Happy seed starting! :)
Thank you for sharing such an inspiring post Gavin. I am not an expert but I do love collecting seed. Last year I saved so much I decided to hand out little packets of wildflower seeds at my local agricultural show. Little packets of potential! I got such a lovely reaction from people. My plan was to encourage a little wildness into folks gardens.
. This year I know I must grow more heirloom varieties so I can save more edible seeds. I regret not being more discerning with my seed choices.
I love the idea of a gift economy. It just feels like sharing plants, seeds and produce is the right thing to do. I have received may lovely gifts in return.
I really enjoy reading your very detailed posts! Now I must get planting! ☺🌱
I love the intent to invite the wilderness back into people's gardens. I have been working on formulating strategies for designing food forests here in southern Ontario using unconventional species and I am seeing some promising results with Eastern White Pine or Pinus strobus (it has many edible parts and uses for the needles) and Tulip Trees or Liriodendron tulipifera (which produces medicinal compounds in the roots). These trees grow wild where we live and are among the tallest trees in what is left of the natural forests so they provide a lot of habitat for wild life and serve the very important functions of soil stabilization and protection against erosion. I collected many seeds from the 200 year old plus White Pines up north last summer and will sharing seeds locally and germinating some for adding to food forest projects near here (to hopefully bring a little wilderness into people's gardens while also providing food for humans and habitat for wildlife). If you are interested in learning more about the many forms of food and medicine that White Pines provide I wrote a long article that focuses on that tree which you can read here: https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/an-encounter-with-an-ancient-healer
Thank you for encouraging people to connect with Mother Earth and grow some of their own wild plants for pollinators, that is sacred work and you do a great service to your more than human family in doing so.
I think it is also worth noting that I have observed that some medicinal herbs and veggies provide just as much nectar for native pollinators as the native flowers do whether or not they are native to where they are being grown (or more in some cases). Temperate Tulsi and Borage in particular are a couple that I find are beloved by the native solitary bees so I like to plant lots in our garden for both our winged native friends and so we can have access to an abundance of medicine.
I am glad you appreciate all the time and detail I put into my posts, they may slow down a bit once I am back working at my day job in the spring but I will also be publishing a book soon that will contain about 440 pages of material pertaining to food/medicine cultivation, companion planting, preservation, composting and seed saving.
Hiya Gavin, thanks for the considered reply. I love the idea of growing trees. I have started a handful of oak trees but don't really have a plan! Your food forest plan sounds great. I enjoy companion planting and growing for pollinators as well as myself. But a food forest would be the dream. I'm looking forward to your book coming out. Do you have a publishing date? I have bookmarked many of your posts but your book would be an asset to my little library.
My book is done and 90% re-formatted to be compatible with the printing company's software (I had some software compatibility issues and had to re-do the whole thing one page at a time) so I just need to finish those adjustments and then it is off to the presses. I do not have an exact date but i`m hoping to have the ebook out in the next month or two (I am better with plants than computers...)
The book does include a section on planning for starting / designing a food forest but I can also suggest some other books that specialize in food forest design if you want to learn more about that topic in depth.
You wouldn't happen to be the Kirsty that courageously refused to shut down her restaurant when the our corrupt government (and their corporate/bankster bosses) attempted to wage an economic war on small businesses would you? :)
I would love if you could recommend some books for me.
I may be Braveheart ( scottish) but I'm not that Kirsty. I do live in the highlands of Scotland so I guess that makes a difference to the books that would be relevant. Oh and "packets of potential" is not my phrase... I pinched it from my favourite organic seed shop in the UK ( vital seeds)
I am also better with plants than tech stuff . So I will wait till your book is in printed form.
I will take a peek in my library and see what would be helpful and appropriate for your climate and bioregion.
:) ah okay, I asked because there is a local restaurant where we live in Ontario that refused to follow the lockdown orders when all the scamdemic government tyranny was happening here (and I believe the owner's name is also Kirsty). I also have Scottish blood in my veins, though sadly I have not been to visit the homeland of my ancestors yet. Some day perhaps..
I have been enjoying learning about the history of the Brehons and the Ogham Script in the last couple years and I see that we modern westerners have much to learn from the wisdom of our Celtic and Druidic ancestors.
Thank you for the comments, i`ll share some book recommendations with you later when I have a chance.
Kirsty sounds like my kinda gal! Not enough people stand up for what they believe. Which is why we are all in a bit of a pickle right now.
Hope you are able to come to Scotland one day. You would be wise to avoid the midge season!! I'm very lucky to live is such a wonderful area but the midge makes summer a little tricky!
I love that! I think you are wise to make saving seeds such an integral part of your life as not only does it let you give back to the Earth, the past and the future but there may also come a time when heirloom seeds become worth more to some than any amount of fiat currency.
That alyssum sounds wonderful. Would you be interested in a seed swap? :)
will include some photos of the colors of the alyssum at the end of my March post so you can see the colors from last year. planted a lot of seed last fall so this summer when they bloom i will tag them & save for you. no reciprocation necessary, you are doing me a favor in perpetuating the lovely plant.
I am so glad to hear that :) If you are into Indian curry, Thai/Laotian cuisine or hearty miso soups try adding in a few tulsi leaves, I find it is a delicious way to use that powerful medicine plant in an unconventional way. Thanks for the comment, wishing you great germination rates and many bountiful harvests!
One of the myriad reasons to follow the path you are advocating Gavin https://www.technocracy.news/scientists-edible-plants-being-altered-to-carry-mrna-vaccine-payload/
Thanks for the comment and intel my friend, i`ll read this in more detail when I have time.
Haha, I was about to say that I’d never heard of Vana tulsi… then I went back and checked, and lo and behold— Ocimum gratissimum is the Eritrean basil I ordered a few weeks ago! I’ve always grown the other kind, O. sanctum— looking forward to learning the differences between them.
This helped me get inspired to go collect some seeds from a nearby patch of vernonia (ironweed), and to try rooting some cuttings off the tallest blueberry bush. Unfortunately I don’t know what variety it is, because I haven’t always kept good records of what was planted where.
Fair warning, I don’t spend much time on-screen so I’m hesitant to even try to get into a real conversation online, but I had intended to comment on an earlier article where you touched on the concept of ‘native’ and ‘invasive’ species, and how the distinction becomes somewhat irrelevant in the context of long-term ecological change and human/animal migration and disturbance. I think the first few statements of Dr. Vandana Shiva’s Declaration on Seed Freedom would make an excellent starting point for that kind of discussion. (I’ve gotten a little frustrated at times with seeing perfectly good landscape plants torn out in order to plant “all natives,” but was also tempted to play devil’s advocate on your statement that there’s “no such thing as a weed” — I doubt you could change my mind about something like English ivy, for example.)
Hey Jean! :)
I am so glad to hear you are gonna try growing different types of tulsi this year. I have found that aside from discovering that various types grow better in our climate they also contain different concentrations and ratios of essential oils. Here is some data on some of the main essential oil differences:
- Krishna Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) 4.90 Eugenol, 10.47 Rosmarinic Acid expressed as dried wt in mg/g.
- Vana Tulsi (Ocimum gratissimum) 8.89 Eugenol, 3.51 Rosmarinic Acid expressed as dried wt in mg/g.
- Temperate Tulsi (Ocimum africanum) 0.74 Eugenol, 5.53 Rosmarinic Acid expressed as dried wt in mg/g.
So as you can imagine, Vana tulsi will offer a very fragrant cloves aroma (offering many of the same medicinal benefits as well) and I found that it grows vigorously where we are in southern Ontario (with the purple leaved Krishna Tulsi just doing ok).
That is great you are propagating your own veronia and blueberry cuttings! I have always found blueberry hard wood cuttings as somewhat stubborn to get rooted. I used a willow twig water one time and that seemed to help get the roots started.
I admire that you do not spend much time on the computer and totally understand.
Ahh English ivy, yes I know your pain as I have been hired to go to battle with well established colonies on multiple occasions at my day job. It certainly does a great job preventing soil erosion but can become quite dominant in certain settings. I have noticed it growing in our local national park and so I will make a conscious effort to observe it more closely this year to see if I can discern any potential benefits the plant may offer to the community of plants, fungi, animals, insects, microbes and humans that live there.
Your comments are always welcomed. I look forward to hearing how Vana Tusli does for you this year :)
I had no idea there were so many kinds of tulsi… the kind I’ve been growing is more fruity-smelling, and I think the stems are kind of fuzzy?
Okay, yes, ivy can be useful for erosion control— and having seen how it can crack the mortar between bricks, I can imagine that it might be important as an early-succession species in rocky environments. Keeping it from strangling the trees is a continual chore, though.
I’m using up the last of an old jar of rooting powder on these cuttings — hoping for the best, but it needed pruning anyway. One of my neighbors has a willow tree in their yard— I should ask for some cuttings and give that a try as well. I know I’ve attempted it once in the past with no success, but that was so long ago I can’t even remember what I was trying to propagate.
Another exquisitely beautiful post, Gavin! I have a pot of Tulsi that I brought inside in the fall. She's pretty sparse, so I haven't been picking her leaves very much, but I rub them and inhale that scent. :) I can't wait to plant the seeds I got from you. :)
This - "A wooly knit hat purchased at the store will keep you warm regardless of its origin, But if it was hand knit by your favorite auntie, then you are in relationship to that ‘thing’ in a very different way. You're responsible for it, and your gratitude has motive force in the world. You are likely to take much better care of the gift hat than the commodity hat because it’s knit of relationships. This is the power of gift thinking." 💚
I loved the song, too. Can't wait to have your physical book in my hands for reference! You just might get me excited for spring/gardening yet! :) xo
Thank you Barbara, I really appreciate the comment. :)
Ahh yes, I had the same thing happen with our tusli when I brought her inside for the winter. One thing that I found to help was rotating the plant daily so that each side got equal sunlight, but even doing that I mostly allowed the plant to conserve her energy and refrained from harvesting lots of leaves for tea. Grow lights allow for a more steady harvest of tea leaves in winter months, but I think something is lost in the medicine when it is grown with artificial light so I minimize using lights to grow.
That is a lovely idea to touch the leaves to breath in the essential oils, it allows the plant to reserve her energy with the few leaves but also gives you poetry for the senses and medicine in aerosolized format. I think I shall try that myself :)
Yes I love that part about the wooly knit hat as well, and it is so beautiful and apt when that perspective is applied to seeds and living plants that were tended with love and then gifted :)
I am honored you would say that I may get you excited for spring given how much you love winter! I look forward to being able to share my book with you my friend. Thank you for the lovely comment.
I just came back to my computer after a walk in the woods. I read your post today and wanted to come back to it and watch the videos. When I opened up my Brave browser, there was an image of a herd of buffalo. That story always guts me, and it was on my mind walking in the woods. I'm choosing to believe it was synchronicity and not some weird I'm-being-tracked Internet thing. I guess I'll never know.
I loved this post and am inspired to grow some Tulsi!
I would love to hear how it goes for you :) and if you need any tips on saving seed once your plants start flowering/forming seed pods feel free to reach out. Happy seed starting! :)
Thank you for sharing such an inspiring post Gavin. I am not an expert but I do love collecting seed. Last year I saved so much I decided to hand out little packets of wildflower seeds at my local agricultural show. Little packets of potential! I got such a lovely reaction from people. My plan was to encourage a little wildness into folks gardens.
. This year I know I must grow more heirloom varieties so I can save more edible seeds. I regret not being more discerning with my seed choices.
I love the idea of a gift economy. It just feels like sharing plants, seeds and produce is the right thing to do. I have received may lovely gifts in return.
I really enjoy reading your very detailed posts! Now I must get planting! ☺🌱
Hi Kirsty, you are most welcome.
Packets of potential, I like that :)
I love the intent to invite the wilderness back into people's gardens. I have been working on formulating strategies for designing food forests here in southern Ontario using unconventional species and I am seeing some promising results with Eastern White Pine or Pinus strobus (it has many edible parts and uses for the needles) and Tulip Trees or Liriodendron tulipifera (which produces medicinal compounds in the roots). These trees grow wild where we live and are among the tallest trees in what is left of the natural forests so they provide a lot of habitat for wild life and serve the very important functions of soil stabilization and protection against erosion. I collected many seeds from the 200 year old plus White Pines up north last summer and will sharing seeds locally and germinating some for adding to food forest projects near here (to hopefully bring a little wilderness into people's gardens while also providing food for humans and habitat for wildlife). If you are interested in learning more about the many forms of food and medicine that White Pines provide I wrote a long article that focuses on that tree which you can read here: https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/an-encounter-with-an-ancient-healer
Thank you for encouraging people to connect with Mother Earth and grow some of their own wild plants for pollinators, that is sacred work and you do a great service to your more than human family in doing so.
I think it is also worth noting that I have observed that some medicinal herbs and veggies provide just as much nectar for native pollinators as the native flowers do whether or not they are native to where they are being grown (or more in some cases). Temperate Tulsi and Borage in particular are a couple that I find are beloved by the native solitary bees so I like to plant lots in our garden for both our winged native friends and so we can have access to an abundance of medicine.
I am glad you appreciate all the time and detail I put into my posts, they may slow down a bit once I am back working at my day job in the spring but I will also be publishing a book soon that will contain about 440 pages of material pertaining to food/medicine cultivation, companion planting, preservation, composting and seed saving.
Thank you for the lovely comment!
Hiya Gavin, thanks for the considered reply. I love the idea of growing trees. I have started a handful of oak trees but don't really have a plan! Your food forest plan sounds great. I enjoy companion planting and growing for pollinators as well as myself. But a food forest would be the dream. I'm looking forward to your book coming out. Do you have a publishing date? I have bookmarked many of your posts but your book would be an asset to my little library.
Hey Kirsty! :) I elaborate on why I think food forests are so important in the context of the challenges we face today in the following post (linked below) if you would like to learn more: https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/in-pursuit-of-an-antidote-for-parasites
My book is done and 90% re-formatted to be compatible with the printing company's software (I had some software compatibility issues and had to re-do the whole thing one page at a time) so I just need to finish those adjustments and then it is off to the presses. I do not have an exact date but i`m hoping to have the ebook out in the next month or two (I am better with plants than computers...)
The book does include a section on planning for starting / designing a food forest but I can also suggest some other books that specialize in food forest design if you want to learn more about that topic in depth.
You wouldn't happen to be the Kirsty that courageously refused to shut down her restaurant when the our corrupt government (and their corporate/bankster bosses) attempted to wage an economic war on small businesses would you? :)
I would love if you could recommend some books for me.
I may be Braveheart ( scottish) but I'm not that Kirsty. I do live in the highlands of Scotland so I guess that makes a difference to the books that would be relevant. Oh and "packets of potential" is not my phrase... I pinched it from my favourite organic seed shop in the UK ( vital seeds)
I am also better with plants than tech stuff . So I will wait till your book is in printed form.
I will read the link later, thanks :)
I will take a peek in my library and see what would be helpful and appropriate for your climate and bioregion.
:) ah okay, I asked because there is a local restaurant where we live in Ontario that refused to follow the lockdown orders when all the scamdemic government tyranny was happening here (and I believe the owner's name is also Kirsty). I also have Scottish blood in my veins, though sadly I have not been to visit the homeland of my ancestors yet. Some day perhaps..
I have been enjoying learning about the history of the Brehons and the Ogham Script in the last couple years and I see that we modern westerners have much to learn from the wisdom of our Celtic and Druidic ancestors.
Thank you for the comments, i`ll share some book recommendations with you later when I have a chance.
No hurry for the recommendation.
Kirsty sounds like my kinda gal! Not enough people stand up for what they believe. Which is why we are all in a bit of a pickle right now.
Hope you are able to come to Scotland one day. You would be wise to avoid the midge season!! I'm very lucky to live is such a wonderful area but the midge makes summer a little tricky!
have a compartment in my refrigerator dedicated to seed saving… have a rare hot pink alyssum that I have been cycling seeds for almost 30 years.
I love that! I think you are wise to make saving seeds such an integral part of your life as not only does it let you give back to the Earth, the past and the future but there may also come a time when heirloom seeds become worth more to some than any amount of fiat currency.
That alyssum sounds wonderful. Would you be interested in a seed swap? :)
will include some photos of the colors of the alyssum at the end of my March post so you can see the colors from last year. planted a lot of seed last fall so this summer when they bloom i will tag them & save for you. no reciprocation necessary, you are doing me a favor in perpetuating the lovely plant.
Omg I absolutely love this post! I just ordered tulsi seeds a month ago and you have inspired me to get planting! 🌿
I am so glad to hear that :) If you are into Indian curry, Thai/Laotian cuisine or hearty miso soups try adding in a few tulsi leaves, I find it is a delicious way to use that powerful medicine plant in an unconventional way. Thanks for the comment, wishing you great germination rates and many bountiful harvests!
Commenting to encourage your writing.
Thanks for your efforts!
Thanks for the kind comment! :)