March is a month where the first signs of spring time begin to arrive in the Carolinian Forests of southern Ontario.
The buds begin to swell and open up, breathing in the precious celestial light into their cells to begin their sacred work of making the air we breath and feeding countless beings. The bloodroot flowers and ramps poke out from under the leaf litter and the early bloomers such as haskap (Lonicera caerulea) begin to open up their flowers.
I like to walk through the forest in March and collect fallen seeds from native trees (which have now gone through their natural stratification process and are ready to wake up) so I can germinate them in pots and help them find homes in other regenerating forest patches and food forest designs.
We still typically still have many frosty nights and a few snowfalls in the month of march (which can result in out onions, nettle, kale, heirloom cannabis, lemon balm and a few early bloomers getting covered in snow, but thankfully we grow hardy varieties that can take it the cold).
March offers a reminder that nature has an incredible and irrepressible capacity for regeneration and renewal, offering us the invitation to align our lives with that regenerative capacity, becoming the stewards of the Earth and a keystone species sending out trophic cascades into the ecosystems that support us. Embarking on the path to align with and become an agent of regeneration and abundance begins through observing the wisdom inherent in a functioning ecosystem and then moving on to combining that knowledge we have gleaned from our elder species with a handful of seeds that has the potential to become an entire forest teaming with life and producing an abundance of food and medicine.
Is it a drone shot of the grand canyon? The surface of the planet mars? Nope! It is the bark of a Hackberry tree I was admiring on our walk in the forest the other day !I love exploring the fractal geometry that is present in nature all around us. We have so much to learn from Mother Earth and our elder species in the kingdom of photosynthetic beings.
super close up of hackberry bark, Point Pelee Park, Ontario
(For more info on this amazing tree, here is a video with Akiva Silver of Twisted Tree Farm talking about this species and the many gifts it offers.)
looking up a hackberry tree in Point Pelee Park, Ontario (Late March). Here is a Canadian bareroot source for purchasing this tree. For those in the US, You can also sometimes buy Hackberry trees and seeds from Twisted Tree Farms in NY here.
Our cold hardy Egyptian Walking Onions growing through the snow like it is no big deal. Sometimes also called "tree onions" these are an unusual perennial onion, Allium x proliferum (formerly classified as Allium cepa var. viviparum, bulbiferum or proliferum) is a cross between Allium cepa, the cultivated onion, and Allium fistulosum, the Welsh onion. It gets its common name from the way it “walks” across the garden. For more pics and info, check this out.
maple buds opening
maple buds opening close up
maple tree with buds opening caked in some snow from a afternoon sun flurry
Some tunes for your spring time photo viewing enjoyment..
some tunes to enjoy the spring time photo journey..
I think this beauty Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is older than the nationstate of Canada. One of the last few pre-colonial Carolinian Forest trees left near our place. She has medicinal compounds in the roots that offer similar medicinal qualities to eucalyptus or pine essential oils. So grateful I was able to save some seeds for wild tending and propagating for food forest projects. For more information on the many gifts of this tree and a preview of a future article I will be publishing on this species, read this note.
the base of the Tulip Tree (over a meter wide)
I was picking up Tulip Tree seeds from the base of that giant tree and noticed this interesting plant that was growing at the base of her trunk.
Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) samaras (similar to maple "keys" but more symmetrical and streamlined).
a singular Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) samara with seeds separated beside in my hand
The Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) can grow over one hundred feet in height and can live for up to 700 years.He was known as Ailm in the ancient Ogham Celtic tree alphabet as he was appreciated by the Druids for his many medicinal and spiritual gifts. The Scots Pine was also symbol of durability, as expressed in the Gaelic proverb: Cruaidh mar am fraoch, buan mar an giuthas (Hard as the heather, lasting as the pine). We had to cut down a sizable Scots Pine (that was dying and at risk of falling in a high traffic area) in late fall of last year. Despite the fact that he was already on his way out, it did make me sad to play a part in accelerating his journey to return to the Earth purely for the sake of humans (as the wood peckers were obviously appreciating foraging on all the various insects that had colonized the half dead side of the tree, which was peppered with hundreds of beak carved holes). I thanked the tree for the gifts of his foliage (pine needles) for making tea, his wood for building and his sap/pitch for medicine. I also promised the tree I would honor his life by collecting his seeds from his pine cones to ensure the continuance of his lifeblood into future generations. I am now making good on that promise.
Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) seeds
The first seed saved from his cones (shown above) has now germinated (shown in pics below).
Today I feel grateful that I was able to germinate one of these seeds who's ancestors made the long journey, over many centuries and countless generations to find their way here to Turtle Island from the homeland of my ancestors.
(here is some music to enjoy while you watch this Scots Pine wake up and come into the world)
This act of planting his seeds in the rich Earth here, provides a lifeline that extends from past, through the present and into the future, offering habitat for the winged beings of the more than human world, medicine for humans and food for the soul.
So it is, and so it shall be.
close up of a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) seed I planted from the tree described above germinating
close up of a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) seed I planted from the tree described above germinating and standing
close up of a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) seed I planted from the tree described above germinating and beginning to shed the seed casing
close up of a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) seed I planted from the tree described above germinating and about to shed the seed casing
ultra close up of a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) seed I planted from the tree described above germinating about to shed the seed casing
close up of a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) seed I planted from the tree described above germinating, having now shed the seed casing
ultra close up of a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) seed I planted from the tree described above germinating having just shed the seed pod
ultra super close up of a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) seed I planted from the tree described above germinating one day after shedding the seed pod
Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are emerging through the leaves in the Carolinian forest of southern Ontario
Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are emerging through the leaves in the Carolinian forest of southern Ontario
Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are emerging through the leaves in the Carolinian forest of southern Ontario
some more music to enhance the photographic journey:
collecting Ramps (Allium tricoccum) seeds in the Carolinian forest of southern Ontario (march, 2024)
Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are emerging through the leaves in the Carolinian forest of southern Ontario
and now for a brief music intermission:
ramps waking up Early in Ontario this year 2024
and sometimes mid march it snows and I get to test out just how hardy my perennial food forest members are…
Hinnomaki Yellow Gooseberry with snow
close up of the new Hinnomaki Yellow Gooseberry leaves after snow has melted
self sown second year carrots in snow
self sown second year carrots after snow melted
Red Goji Berry (Lycium chinense) pushing out new leaves despite being covered in snow at the base
close up of new Goji vine growth on old vine wood
“if you have never walked barefoot through the earth barefoot and felt the soil between your fingers, and smelled the scent of a thousand years linger, here is your invitation to preserve the lifeblood of our generation” - Journeyman
Walking Onions in our garden frozen on a frosty morning, they bounce back like nothing and taste even sweeter! For more info on this versatile self-perpetuating onion variety check out the description section under these pictures.
Red Russian Kale growing in the snow
red russian kale growing despite the frosty nights
close up of new red russian kale leaves after snow (with increased anthocyanin content in the leaves)
various brassicas germinating (that have self sown in our garden from last year's plants)
Looks like saving seed from the toughest plants over the past few years is paying off. These little guys (or gals) grew from self sown seeds that fell out of mature flower heads in the fall/winter and they germinated a week or two ago (early march) despite night time temps still going below minus 5 Celsius regularly and it snowing off and on. These resilient little pioneers are a variety I co-created called "Purple Ponderosa". I have been selecting for cold hardiness, powdery mildew resistance, high caryophyllene, limonene and THCa, CBDa and anthocyanin expression for three generations now. I have high hopes for this strain to provide abundant medicine and food to people in northern climates all over. For more info on the many non-psychoactive health benefits of Cannabis read this.
The seedlings in the pic above with snow have been hit with minus 7 now and still bounced back. Here is a pic from today (late march) when it briefly got above freezing long enough for the snow to melt and plants to thaw.
This pic is showing self sown seedlings (some seeds fell off a mature flower into a pot filled with compost near it's base). The (self sown) seedlings shown in this pic are a variety called "Blueberry Permafrost" (one of my own heirloom varieties that is the result of natural hybridizing and selective breeding). p
Taken the next day (after the seedlings thawed out). These seedlings have been frozen solid a number of times now and bounce back each time to keep on growing.
Honey berry aka Haskap (Lonicera caerulea) pushing out new leaves and blossom buds
close up of one of our Honey berry aka Haskap (Lonicera caerulea) bushes opening one of it's first blossoms
wild tending some milkweed seeds in a local forest
wild tending some milkweed seeds from my garden
and for another brief music intermission:
”I'm just a vagabond with flowers for Algernon..
So I'm driftin' away like a feather in air Lettin' my words take me away from the hurt and despair So I'm keepin' it vertical forever elevator Ridin' the escalator to the somethin' that is greater..” - Cise Starr/Nujabes
milkweed seed that flew up into one of our malus sieversii trees and was resting for a moment before she jumped over the fence and soared up above the tall maples (light as a feather ;) ) and onward to explore and colonize far away lands
milkweed seed up close (for more info on how this amazing plant can provide not only food for butterflies and people but also an alternative to goose down read this note and check the comments)
One of the interesting phenomena that is revealed by the silky soft filaments that emanate from each seed and never stop moving enough to get an in focus macro picture outside is that the translucent fibers which allow these seeds to fly through the air often behave like a freshly spun spider web or a spray of mist in the morning sun, refracting light rays and creating a prism effect, i`ll share a few pics below this one to show you what I mean. (they are not in focus on purpose)
the above pic zoomed even further in (showing sunlight refracting through milkweed threads creating a prism effect)
sunlight refracting through milkweed seed threads creating a prism effect
some Bruce Lee vibrations to contemplate while you observe the immense potential contained within an apple seed when you combine water, soil and TLC..
malus sieversii seedlings waking up. Both the seeds that produced these seedlings in this pic came from the same fruit. This offers a visual testament to the potential contained within the immense ancient library of genetics that exist in each seed.What strange, tangy, colorful, bitter, mysterious and/or sweet fruit might they produce in their long lives which are yet to be lived? How many generations of children yet unborn will experience joy climbing up the sturdy branches of these trees when they are over one hundred years old, as they watch the million bumblebees that will feed on the nectar of their blossoms each year? What wonderous regionally specific recipes for cider, pies, preserves or treats will those multiple generations of children create with the trees unique fruit when they grow up to be adults? (passing on those recipes and seeds from that tree to their grandchildren one day so they can in turn create their own recipes and abundance for future generations). Such are the potentials and blessings we unlock when we use our gifts as humans to align with the regenerative capacity of the Earth, tending to the wilds and using our hands to spread the seeds of hope, regeneration and abundance.
I underestimated the germination rate on these malus sieversii seeds and so I had to separate these from this pot into their own pots. I use a tub/container of luke warm clean water so I can dissolve the soil around the roots and gently separate them without breaking any. I also often simultaneously inoculate the seedlings with mycorrhizal spores.
after separating into their own pots
the champion from our malus sieversii 2024 seedlings so far, an Anthocyanin rich seedling that I have high hopes for :)
close up of a malus sieversii leaf from one of our 2024 2nd gen seedlings
close up of a malus sieversii leaf from one of our 2024 second gen seedlings
close up of a malus sieversii leaf from one of our 2024 second gen seedlings
malus sieversii seedling and a tray of newly germinated heirloom seeds on their way to becoming members of our 2024 garden
close up of Tulsi (aka Holy Basil) seedlings that need separating into their own pots. For more info on this medicinal species that the bees love and which tastes great in tea, check out this post
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) growing inside out house among the seedlings
Pleurotus ostreatus, young oyster mushrooms, growing along side our heirloom seedlings. For more info on growing your own at home, check out this post.
Pleurotus ostreatus, young oyster mushrooms, growing along side our heirloom seedlings. For more info on growing your own at home, check out this post.
Pleurotus ostreatus, oyster mushrooms, growing along side our heirloom seedlings.
Pleurotus ostreatus, oyster mushrooms, growing along side our heirloom seedlings.
ultra close up of a Serviceberry bud (Amelanchier arborea) revealing one of it's mechanisms for protecting it's blossoms and coping with cold temperatures (little furry insulating hairs surrounding the blossoms and new leaves)
Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) blossoms emerging from the leaf litter in the Carolinian forest of Ontario, late march
more ramps waking up
Sometimes if the weather is gnarly outside and I get bored I play around with technology that allows me to defy the force of gravity.
If you can figure out what is going on with the video above (I recorded this in my home, no CGI/deepfake stuff involved) I will send you 3 different kinds of heirloom seeds! ;)
Here are some pics of the “UFO” shown in the clip above (and pics of the phenomena around it and the materials that made it possible) for more clues on this mystery object..
anomalous object Point Pelee park
These videos below offer some clues, but I will say that the form of levitation I was playing with above is less about sound and more about EMFs.
Did the ancient peoples of cultures that built monolithic stone structures that required lifting objects that are beyond the load capabilities of even our most advanced modern industrial equipment use sound and resonance to achieve a levitation/ "mass cancellation" effect ? Perhaps ;)
Okay that is enough with of my anti-gravity tangent for now, back to the last of the march photos..
taken on the shore of Lake Erie, Wheatley Provincial Park, march
video above shows the trees in the Carolinian Forest of Ontario dancing in the wind while still dormant in march
bluebell flowers waking up at Point Pelee Park, Ontario, March.
bluebells at Point Pelee
bluebells open close up
taken in Wheatley Provincial Park, Ontario, march
Okay that is all i`ve got for March my friends!
Now that our exploration of the nourishment for the soul that is offered in the month of March has come to an end I hope you will take some time to go out and experience similar moments of magic in your local area. Each moment we spend in nature opening our heart, our eyes and our other senses to what she is communicating to us offers us a chance to gather spiritual sustenance and enrich the eternal part of one’s Being.
For all of you interested in foraging for nutrient dense ephemeral wild foods and “weeds” this month, I share the following:
Beautiful once again, my friend! ☺️. I am so inspired by your eloquence around possibility! You throw a few of my assumptions to the wind with every post. Like, I had NO clue at all that cannabis could become frost tolerant. Holy Amazing! The adaptability and resilience of nature really helps me to see that even the weather mod/geoengineering that has been SO driving me nuts for years is, while crucial, not the full show, not by a long shot. I don’t know how much negative effect we have on the environment, and it’s not that my position has changed fundamentally, but we do need to be inspired by nature’s resilience and possibility over the realization of its unnecessary destruction and man-made manipulation based on greed, ignorance, tyranny and hubris.
The spring has been very nice here, not a tornado, flood or hail event yet! Yes, they still spray our beautiful days away, but it’s looking good around here, and I see from your photos, there’s plenty of lovely life there too. Thanks for the gorgeous update on your world through your lens!
Beautiful once again, my friend! ☺️. I am so inspired by your eloquence around possibility! You throw a few of my assumptions to the wind with every post. Like, I had NO clue at all that cannabis could become frost tolerant. Holy Amazing! The adaptability and resilience of nature really helps me to see that even the weather mod/geoengineering that has been SO driving me nuts for years is, while crucial, not the full show, not by a long shot. I don’t know how much negative effect we have on the environment, and it’s not that my position has changed fundamentally, but we do need to be inspired by nature’s resilience and possibility over the realization of its unnecessary destruction and man-made manipulation based on greed, ignorance, tyranny and hubris.
The spring has been very nice here, not a tornado, flood or hail event yet! Yes, they still spray our beautiful days away, but it’s looking good around here, and I see from your photos, there’s plenty of lovely life there too. Thanks for the gorgeous update on your world through your lens!