29 minute read
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Caring for Self and Home Motivates and Inspires Us
COMMUNITy HERBALIST SARAH PRESTON ENCOURAGES SELF-LOVE AND GRATITUDE
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by Gisele Rinaldi Siebold
Allowing peace to enter our bodies, psyches and spaces brings benefits that ripple into our daily routines. Sarah Preston, community herbalist and owner of Herbs from the Labyrinth and the retail shop, Radiance, located in downtown Lancaster, understands the importance of caring for self and home. She’s been making herbal body-care products, remedies and home-care products for more than 20 years.
In addition to all of the herbal concoctions, Radiance carries a wide range of items to support physical and spiritual wellness for self and home. Fair trade and handmade items crafted by local artisans and artists from around the world, organic clothing, wearable art, books, essential oils, flower essences and Preston’s herbal products are all delightfully arranged and displayed, inviting shoppers to leisurely peruse in person. For those that enjoy shopping from the comfort of home, Radiance also has an online store; curbside pickup or shipping is available.
“We are all under more stress than our psyches and bodies want us to be; we’ve experienced group trauma by experiencing the effects of COVID-19,” notes Preston. “Our lack of self-care will affect our longterm health if we don’t take care of ourselves now. Our self-care rituals not only help us to relieve our own stress, but also help the other members of our households,” she believes.
Preston’s self-care products include the Luscious Line—face cream, night serum and cleansing cream; yarrow mist; Moondance and Exotica bath oils; Moontime massage oil; Iris body silk powder; and breast and belly balm for pregnancy and post-partum care. Loose herbal teas, dried herbs, elderberry syrup and Dragon’s Breath Fire Cider formulated by Preston support body, mind and spirit.
A kitchen gadgetry section consisting of a coffee press, compost keepers, tea balls, tea infusers, glass and metal straws, mortar and pestles, reusable produce bags and tote bags, bamboo utensils and more facilitates sustainability at home and on the go.
“Clearing the home space and keeping it clean, fresh and free from clutter rejuvenates our bodies and our psyches,” notes Preston. Preston’s Antiseptic Room and Surface Spray freshens and cleans rooms and surfaces, both at home or in the office. Holy Ganga Water, collected from the headwaters of the Sacred Ganges River, can be sprayed to purify spaces for ceremony, ritual cleansing or protection. Florida Water is a floral and citrus water used to purify energy and welcome the essence of the heavens. Other items that contribute positive energy to spaces include cleanburning candles, chakra candles and pillars; Himalayan salt lamps and fire bowls; Palo Santo spray, a Peruvian wood used to purify energy and create sacred spaces; Shaman’s Dawn spiritual protection sprays; sage smudge sticks; sage spray and more.
From head to toe and in between, organic clothing and wearable art simplify clothing choices and provide the ease of dressing in layers as spring emerges. Go-to pieces that illuminate a feel-good, lovely look bring comfort to daily life and inspire a feeling of not only surviving the days and nights, but thriving at work and play, and enjoying a restful night’s sleep. “By getting outside every day, regardless of our age, we ensure that we have enough physical activity to help our bodies sleep well naturally. Something else we can do for ourselves is simple meditation for five minutes a day, even for little kids, because five minutes a day improves our lives,” affirms Preston.
“Calming meditation along with a daily gratitude ritual for the simplest necessities and pleasures are acts of self-love. With a calm spirit, we radiate love and kindness to our environments and those around us, and we welcome a grace-filled life,” she shares.
Radiance is located at 13 W. Grant Ave., in Lancaster. To schedule an herbal consultation, call 717-290-1517. For more info, visit HerbsFromTheLabyrinth.com. See ads, pages 34 and 51.
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David A. Schwartz, DDS, PC
A Whole-body Perspective Toward Dentistry
by Sheila Julson
DavidA.Schwartz,DDS,hasbeen apracticingdentistformorethan 30years.Heprovidesgeneral dentistry—or“dentistry101”,cleaningsand treatingcavities—aswellascosmeticdentistry,sleepdentistry,physiological-based orthodonticsandotherservicesforadults andchildren,allwithafocusontheinterconnectionsbetweenthemouthandbody.
With an approach toward education and prevention, Schwartz and his team strive to create a warm, welcoming ambiance. They thoroughly explain the “what, when, Dr. David A. Schwartz where and whys” behind treatments and procedures, while providing options that best suit each client’s needs.
Schwartz recently relocated the practice to a new, larger space, which can accommodate a dental cone-beam computed tomography system (CBCT), a sophisticated device that takes three-dimensional X-rays. “The CBCT system greatly helps us diagnose what’s going on, not just with a client’s mouth, but with foundational health,” he explains.
Because some people have adverse reactions to amalgams, or fillings, containing mercury, Schwartz has a mercury-safe protocol in place that goes beyond the minimum standard set by the American Dental Association to remove amalgam fillings. “Our standard protocol is very safe. If a client requests certain protocols to remove a filling, we will accommodate that whenever we can.”
Mercury fillings can be replaced with composite or ceramic fillings. For clients that claim increased sensitivities to their environments, Schwartz recommends Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing, a laboratory screening process that helps identify existing sensitivity problems to various chemical groups. Schwartz regularly uses materials that test safe for most people.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome can cause pain or tenderness in the jaw, as well as symptoms that extend well beyond the jaw joint. Schwartz adds that just because teeth look good, it’s possible they’re not in the right place structurally, which can cause pullback. During examinations, he thoroughly checks for wear patterns that could indicate future problems with TMJ. “The jaw is connected to the neck, which is connected to the whole spinal cord,” he affirms. “A lot of structural issues within the body can result over time from a bad bite.” Preventive oral health care for children can go a long way, Schwartz notes. “Nowadays, the cavity rate for children is low. We encourage
teeth cleanings twice per year. The most important thing we do is look—we look at the growth of the jaw and the mouth; we look for tongue or lip ties; and we check if the child is a mouth-breather. We also look at the form of the mouth. If there’s any dysfunction, we want to fix it in the early stage and not wait until the child is an adolescent. We get nature back on course.”
Schwartz also offers solutions for sleep apnea, which can result from fatigued jaw muscles that can’t support the tongue. He points out that a common misconception is that snoring equates to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea tests can be done at a sleep center, or he can provide a home test that will monitor sleep and provide data.
Although there have been a wide variety of oral appliances developed over the years to help sleep apnea, Schwartz notes he offers only a couple of newer styles that help treat mild to moderate sleep apnea without causing other issues to occur. He avoids the many oral appliances that can cause misalignment of the back teeth after a few months of use.
Schwartz concludes that routine dental cleanings and exams are of upmost importance, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Studies show that having an unhealthy mouth is a risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and other health issues. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
The practice has COVID-19 safety measures in place, such as masks and social distancing for clients. Since the 1980s, Schwartz and his team have always followed standard precautions issued by the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The clinic team has recently added hand sanitizing stations, and they regularly wipe down surfaces and pens.
David A. Schwartz, DDS, is located at 701 Jefferson Blvd., in West Lawn. For more information or to make an appointment, visit SchwartzFamilyDental.com or call 610670-6910. See ads, pages 31 and 50.
Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.
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CLIMATE CHANGE AND OUR HEALTH
The Human Costs of a Warming Planet
by Sandra Yeyati
Global warming is not just threatening polar bears far away in the Arctic, and its effects are not somewhere in the distant future. With every new wildfire, hurricane and flash flood, people are understanding that the warming of the planet poses dire consequences for human health right here, right now. It’s personal, and while some sectors of the population are unfairly and disproportionately impacted, we are all in harm’s way.
This is no time to panic, say climate and public health advocates, but rather a moment for preparation, adaptation and mobilization. Prospects are hopeful as we tackle new realities together and evolve our conversations about climate change so we can build resilient, thriving communities. The good news is that many of the individual and policy changes we need to make are exciting opportunities for positive transformation and justice.
usgs/Unsplash.com The warming of the planet is becoming more noticeable. “That historic two weeks anywhere in the United States where it’s the heat wave of high summer is now six weeks to two months,” says Jay Lemery, M.D., professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado and co-author of Enviromedics: The Impact of Climate Change on Human Health. “There are parts of the Middle East now where you can’t be outside and meaningfully cool your body during certain parts of the day.”
“With warming, we’re seeing drought, wildfires, hurricanes, extreme precipitation, flooding and sea level rise, all of which have health consequences,” says Surili Patel, director of the Center for Climate, Health and Equity at the American Public Health Association. “With rising temperature and heat waves, we’re seeing heat stroke, dehydration, diarrheal disease, cardiovascular distress and respiratory illnesses. Extreme weather like wildfires, hurricanes and flooding cause direct injuries, as well as vector-borne illnesses (Lyme disease carried by ticks or dengue fever and malaria by mosquitoes), mold and harmful algal blooms that happen when it’s really hot, but also show up in places that otherwise wouldn’t have because of the combination of heat and flooding.”
Lemery notes that incidences of mosquito- and tick-borne diseases are moving higher in altitude and latitude, affecting historically naive populations that have not had levels of disease immunity, the infrastructure or cultural habits to protect them. “These are huge killers worldwide, and we’re seeing more and more of that,” he says.
“When you have a warmer winter, spring starts earlier, trees bloom early and pollen season starts early too, and longer exposure to pollen increases your risk of having an asthma attack,” says Professor Amir Sapkota at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, adding that the Northeast is heavily impacted by this phenomenon.
“Here in Colorado, in the summer heat, we have these huge swaths of wildfire smoke hanging over Denver, and people
come in to the emergency department. Their inhalers aren’t working anymore, and they’re having chest pain and shortness of breath when they’re on oxygen at baseline,” says Lemery. “These are people normally able to walk across a parking lot with their walker and their oxygen, but now they can’t. We see this all summer long, and we admit them for asthma exacerbation, shortness of breath and COPD (i.e., emphysema), but what we don’t write down is that the air quality is the worst it’s been all year, or that it’s the hottest day of the year.”
“Air pollution contributes to climate change, but it also gets into your lungs and irritates them, exacerbating chronic respiratory illnesses, and can even lead to a heart attack,” says Jennifer Roberts, director of the Path of Positive Communities program at EcoAmerica, noting that the biggest culprits are carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants, diesel fuels and ground-level ozone, which is created when pollution reacts to heat and sunlight.
“With sea level rise, things are flooding more often and we get septic tanks overflowing, sending fecal matter into our drinking water supplies and exposing us to diarrheal diseases. We also see offices and industrial sites getting flooded and, whether it’s paint, fertilizers or other toxins, those get into our water and it’s very unhealthy,” Roberts says.
The Most Vulnerable Among Us
Certainsegmentsofthepopulationare moreatrisk.“Lowersocioeconomicgroups aresufferingmorefromextremeheat events.Theurbanheatislandeffect,which unfortunatelycorrelatesverywellwith poorerneighborhoods,meansthatthey’ll haveheatwavessevento10degreeshotter intheirneighborhoodsthansurrounding placeswithmoregreenspace,”Lemerysays. “Youseethepublichealthinfrastructureless robusttobeabletoattendtocommunities ofcolor—likeyousawwithCOVID.There arealsophysiologicvulnerabilities.Climate changeaffectstheveryyoung,theveryold andtheverysickmuchmorebecauseof theirpreexistingvulnerabilities,andthen wehavegeographicvulnerabilities—people wholiveonthecoastwithoutseawallsor infloodplains.Assealevelriseprolifer-
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Achievable Public Health Solutions
The experts agree that it’s important to frame climate change as a public health issue because it brings a sense of urgency to act. “If it isn’t a crisis, if it isn’t something we’re seeing every day on the front page, then you forget about it. And when you forget about it, the funding doesn’t come,” says Patel, whose work focuses on underprivileged communities that need special attention and funding.
Sapkota advocates for the development of early warning systems so that local health departments can anticipate and adapt to impending extreme weather events, directing resources to the most impacted and vulnerable communities. In some cases, moving people out of flood plains and vulnerable coastal areas through eminent domain might be needed.
Lemery believes that doctors are in a prime position to counsel their patients on preventive measures against climate hazards with “credible messaging repeated over and over again with clarity and no hedging: Wear a mask. Stay indoors during high-heat events. Don’t let children play outdoors when the air quality index is at a dangerous level.”
There are many ways to mitigate threats. As experts point out, we know what to do, and it’s just a matter of putting our attention and resources on their implementation. “One of the biggest ways is let’s remove the sources of harmful spewing pollution—move away from coal, oil and gas—and invest in clean sources of energy, which will also create jobs in these new industries,” says Patel.
Another big step would be to promote mass transit and active transportation— walking and biking—over individual, gasguzzling vehicles. Patel advocates for local investments in bike lanes and sidewalks that encourage the switch. Both Lemery and Roberts express excitement about clean-running electric cars as potential game-changers in transportation.
Planting trees and vegetable gardens are easy, community-building solutions. “Trees are very beneficial to everything from shade to water filtration to producing oxygen and taking up carbon,” says Roberts, who adds that much can be done to restore and protect streams, ponds and lakes from the ill effects of pollution and development. “You get volunteers to clean up the gunk and increase regulations for developers to keep stuff out of the waterways.”
Eco-Anxiety and Making Positive Change
Jessica Schiff, a second-year master of science student at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, struggles with eco-anxiety—the depression, anxiety or dread associated with climate change. She says, “It impacts the decisions I make for my life and the future, just trying to think about overall impacts. Where is my food coming from? Do I want to have kids or adopt? Should I live in the suburbs or the city because of transportation and fossil fuel consumption? This all adds a layer of unease or uncertainty about the future. Sometimes I look at Greta [Thunberg] and how far she’s taken things, and feelguiltyaboutnottakingthingstosuchan extreme.Isithypocriticalformetocareabout
climatechangebutstilleatmeatoccasionally ortakeaplanetoexploretheworld?”
Schiff deals with eco-anxiety by taking action. “We’re not going to reverse climate change at this point, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take steps to slow it down or reduce emissions. There are many small things we can each do, like biking or walking instead of taking a car or bus and reducing our use of plastic. It’s a process. You can’t do it overnight, but if you make a lot of small changes, and if everybody makes small changes, that has a bigger effect.”
Roberts acknowledges the power of small, individual actions, but stresses that we should not let the big polluters off the hook. “We need to continue to press for policy changes, holding polluters accountable, passing regulations based on protecting human health and climate, requiring cleaner cars and buildings, and more. That’s the only way we will get to the scale of change needed to truly bring global warming to a halt.”
Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.
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ADVERTORIAL Is Your Mattress
The Problem?
How to get a good night’s sleep, without harmful chemicals
Take this quiz:
1. Do you have back pain when you wake up? 2. Neck pain? Stiffness or soreness? 3. Does it take you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep? 4. Do you experience restless sleep? Toss and turn at night?
If you answered “yes” two times or more, this may be the most important article you read all year.
Here’s why…
While you sleep, your immune system recovers and prepares for the day ahead. It replenishes every cell in your body.
Low-quality, uncomfortable mattresses have been linked to discomfort and pain, which can prevent quality sleep.
People who struggle with sleep deprivation may suffer from irritability, depression, over-eating—and even face a higher risk for Alzheimer’s.
If your mattress is filled with chemical toxins, airborne allergens, or worse, your body is doing battle with those things rather than repairing itself. You’re losing valuable energy each night instead of healing your body and revitalizing your mind.
And all of that can wreak havoc on your health and well being.
What’s In Your Mattress?
The following information may be disturbing to some. That’s because the Environmental Protection Agency has identified at least four possibly dangerous chemicals commonly found in some synthetic mattresses—benzene, propane, naphthalene and styrene—especially bedding made in China and overseas, where such governing agencies do not exist. Mattress?
Consider these facts:
● Typical mattresses made from artificial materials are known to emit potentially harmful gases in your bedroom—a phenomenon known as off-gassing. ● Laboratory researchers in the U.S. and Europe have identified up to 61 potentially harmful chemicals that off-gas from typical synthetic mattresses. ● Exposure to these 61 chemicals has been associated with irritation of the skin, eyes and digestive systems. ● Additionally, the chemicals off-gassed by synthetic mattresses have been associated with headache, fatigue, depression and even hearing loss. ● Your skin, the most porous entry point into your body, has contact with a mattress for 8 hours every night, on average. ● Children, who breathe faster than adults, are especially vulnerable to chemical exposure.
Every night, we lie down with minimal clothing for a seemingly good night’s sleep. But in reality, while lying on a conventional mattress, we are breathing in and absorbing through our skin a range of chemicals from synthetic materials—chemicals that can disrupt our sleep cycles and negatively impact our health.
Our mattresses emit gases from a toxic brew of components used to create them. From the polyurethane foam used in the padding to fire retardants and other additives, conventional mattresses continue to release chemicals in gaseous form long after they roll out of the factory.
Even after they have finished off-gassing, the chemically based construction of a conventional mattress provides an ideal environment for dust and dust mites, whose excrement is the #1 trigger for asthma attacks.
And get this. You know those white labels on a mattress that say, “Do Not Remove”? Incredibly, the law actually allows manufacturers to include potentially hazardous chemicals in your mattress without disclosing the fact on any label.
But if a true list of ingredients were available for conventional mattresses, it would likely include TDI (a common component), a known carcinogen, which can cause respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and asthma.
In addition, liver damage and breathing problems have been linked to vinyl chloride monomers, another common mattress material.
The list goes on. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that you would be given information about any of these chemicals from a manufacturer of conventional, synthetic mattresses.
The Natural Alternative
One of the most significant actions we can take to reduce our exposure to toxins and improve our overall health is to make changes to the one household item that is in direct contact with our bodies for one third of our lives—our mattresses.
“There are more ways than ever to sleep better and wake up pain-free on a natural, organic mattress,” says Ben McClure, president of Gardner’s Mattress & More, in Lancaster, PA.
“Many people, like me, are in search of a natural sleep system. I was shocked to learn that toxic emissions from mattresses are a major source of daily pollution in our lives,” says McClure.
An all-natural, organic mattress is free of potentially harmful chemicals. Instead, natural materials like natural rubber are used. Rubber
is naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, making it ideal for allergy sufferers.
Also, natural rubber is antimicrobial, inhibiting the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew, which can cause asthma and respiratory distress. No synthetic materials are added to provide these benefits.
“All rubber used in our natural mattresses is from the sap of a rubber tree, which can yield rubber for up to 30 years. When a tree is done producing rubber, it is taken down and turned into furniture. A new tree is then planted in its place, thus making natural rubber a sustainable bedding component,” says McClure.
What’s the difference between an organic
mattress and a conventional one? “Organic mattresses are crafted from natural materials. Conventional mattresses are made mostly of artificial materials from nonrenewable sources, such as plastic and other petrochemicals,” says McClure.
Do organic mattresses come in different
firmness? “Yes, there are two main types of organic mattresses: Natural rubber and innerspring. Both styles are available with varying firmness options to suit anyone’s sleep needs,” says McClure.
What To Look For
When researching natural, organic mattresses, look at these areas: 1. Visit a store that carries the top certified natural and organic brands including Naturepedic, Posh + Lavish and Gold Bond. “Each of these manufacturers crafts bedding that is safe and sustainable,” McClure recommends. 2. Try out a new mattress for at least 15 minutes. Lie down in various positions, to simulate a night of sleep. Look for a store that offers a clean pillow to test out. “We offer the only Dream Room, where you can spend 15 minutes to 4 hours resting or even sleeping on a mattress, with 100% sanitary linens, blankets and pillows so people can truly ‘test drive” any natural bedding,” says McClure. In a current COVID world we follow all current CDC
guidelines for your safety, but also offer 1:1 virtual consults -- simply call us to arrange a virtual meeting.
3. Protect yourself by insisting on a strong guarantee. “I know people are tired of sleeping on a worn-out, chemical-laden mattress. That’s why we give every customer a 120 night Wake Up Happy Comfort Guarantee to exchange if it doesn’t deliver the sleep you want,” says McClure.
If you’re not sleeping well or you’re worried about toxic chemicals in your bedroom, consider this: The two things in life you spend the most time on are work and sleep. How much of your remaining hours on earth do you want to waste losing sleep on an uncomfortable, chemical-laden mattress? That’s a question that many are asking.
Now Explore Your Options
“To help Natural Awakenings readers make the right choices, we’re offering a package of 4 Free Gifts for a limited time,” says McClure.
Readers may bring this article to the Gardner’s Mattress & More location to see the latest natural organic sleep systems and claim the following gifts:
FREE Gift #1: All-Natural Rubber
Pillow ($40 value). You get this just for visiting the store. There’s no obligation to buy anything. Here’s why this is important: A good pillow is essential to your health, because it can gently support you in a healthy sleep position while providing comfort to your neck and shoulders.
Doctors and chiropractors agree—nearly all neck and back problems are made worse by improper sleeping habits and bad or worn-out pillows. The All-Natural Pillow, reserved and waiting for you, is filled with soft, 100% natural rubber.
Fact: About 10% of the weight of a 2-yearold pillow is actually dust mite droppings—excrement. With one big exception: Dust mites hate natural rubber pillows, like the one waiting for you to pick up at Gardner’s. (Ask why when you visit—the answer will surprise you!)
FREE Gift #2: Natural Mattress
Guide ($9.95 value). Inside, you’ll discover little-known facts about how men and women are sleeping better on Natural and Organic Mattresses—waking up energized and more productive—and why ignoring problems with your current mattress can lead to depression, permanent health problems, and even damage family relationships.
FREE Gift #3: Sampling of our Happy NiteZzz Lavendar CBD salve and CBD tincture.
FREE Gift #4: $200 Savings
Voucher, good toward the purchase of any Natural Organic Mattress in our store. This special $200 discount is not available to the general public. It’s only for you, as a reader of Natural Awakenings.
“To see the difference that natural and organic sleep systems have made in people’s lives is nothing short of miraculous,” says McClure.
Freelance writer Kevin Donlin is based in Minneapolis.
FREE READER’S GIFTS
As a reader of Natural Awakenings, you are entitled to 4 FREE GIFTS
by visiting our store and answering three simple questions. Bring this coupon (code: LB0421) to Gardner’s Mattress & More to receive:
• FREE Gift #1: All-Natural Rubber Pillow ($60 value); 2nd is 50% off! • FREE Gift #2: Natural Rubber Mattress Guide ($9.95 value) • FREE Gift #3: Sampling of our Happy NiteZzz Lavendar CBD salve and CBD tincture • FREE Gift #4: $200 Savings Voucher on an Organic Natural Mattress
Bring this coupon to the store at 830 Plaza Blvd. in Lancaster (behind Park City Mall, next to VanScoy Jewelers). There’s no obligation to buy anything-just answer three simple questions. Your Readers’ Gifts expire Apr. 30, 2021.
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Nature Observation Through the Seasons
April: The Promise of Spring
by Natasha Herr and Tim Seifarth
We have walked through the last months engaging our senses; developing our sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. We’ve examined the tiny details on the forest floor and learned about our beautiful local watershed. At last, we’ve arrived at spring, when the natural world awakens from its dormancy and explodes into bloom all around us.
While the air in our region Flowering Dogwood can still be cold in April, the ground is starting to green. The tracks in the earth reflect the movement of the animals, preparing for birthing season. The deer, heavy with fawn, leave footprints deep in the mud straight up to their dew claws. The groundhogs, emerging from their dens, looking grizzled and hungry, are ready to feast.
Thebirdsofprey—eagles,hawksandowls—havehatchedtheir youngabitearlierthantherestandraceeachothertofindthetastiestmorselstofeedtheirbabies;anunfortunaterealityforthetiny miceandvolesfreshlyreleasedfromtheirsubniveanwinterworld underthesnow,newlyvisibletothekeen,winged,hunters’eyes.
It is time for us to prepare for new life as well, in our yards and garden beds, in the wild spaces where we forage and in the landscapes we enjoy. It is time to prep the soil, to add the compost we have created through the year with our vegetable scraps, grass clippings and coffee grounds; it is time to aerate the earth with our broadforks and garden tools. It is time to tuck tiny seeds into soft soil and wait patiently for signs of growth.
This monthly invitation to explore nature will continue throughout the year, and can be found either in print or as an Online Exclusive at NALancaster.com or
NABerks.com. Go to the home page and click on the “In This Issue” image in the top carousel or in the right column.
Springisrenewal.Itispotentialmade manifest.Itisthesweetnessofthepeafresh fromthepod,andthebeesawakeningfrom theirwintertimeslumber.Itisaseasonthat asksustoenjoythesimplepleasuresand littlethings,andaremindertotrust.For evenifwehaveourdoubtswhenthedaysare shortandthetemperaturesplummet,spring alwayscomesagain.Thatisitspromise.
Nature Awareness Prompts for April
• Plant some seeds. Seed packets can be purchased from most grocery and hardware stores or online. Look for organic, open pollinated, heirloom and native varieties. Fill a cup or used egg carton with potting soil, poke a few holes in the bottom for water drainage and set it on a bright windowsill. Plant the seeds, water and watch them grow. Observe; wait and watch. See how the sprouts reach toward the light, how they respond to water, sound, heat, the phases of the moon and the sun. When they are a few inches tall and bright green in color, plant them in a larger container and move it outside, or plant them in the ground. • Find one animal habitat, like a nest or a den, and figure out what lives there. • Identify one native plant species by its flower.
Tim Seifarth, with 24 years of experience as a landscape professional, opened Earthbound Artisan nearly a decade ago. Based out of Ephrata, Earthbound is an ecological land care company and native plant nursery specializing in organic land management, permaculture, native plant ecosystem design and installation, dry stack stone work, and riparian buffer and rainwater management. For more information, visit Earthbound Artisan.com and EarthboundNatives.com.
Natasha Herr has more than 15 years of experience as a naturalist, earth care professional, writer and community educator. Her passion is helping adults and children strengthen their connection to the natural world. Connect with her at RevelAndRoses@ gmail.com. For more information about her work, visit NatashaTucker.org. See ads, pages 20 and 52.
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