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You're invited to join us at the farm for our annual harvest season celebration in mid-September to honor the rebel Saint Hildegard von Bingen - 12th century herbalist, healer, poet, musician, artist and prophetess who coined the term viriditas to describe the animating life force she perceived within all things.
This year’s event is a Motherhearts fundraiser for the World Central Kitchen, serving daily meals to many thousands of displaced families in Gaza. 100 % of what is contributed to Motherhearts will be sent directly to the World Central Kitchen.
Our herbal apothecary will be open, 10-3. You are free to roam around the garden or take a trail walk down to the stream. It's beautiful down there this time of year.
A fun and lively procession through the garden, up past the orchard and around the pollinator field in honor of Saint Hildegard is one of the highlights of the day…it happens at 2PM! Bring drums, shakers, noise makers, flags, banners and your walking shoes! If you’re walking impaired, come anyway - we have the kioti to carry those with walking limitations.
Our School House is being turned into Saint Hildegard Central for the day - her music will be playing and talks will take place in there as well.
At 10am Gail will open our festivities with a prayer followed by a brief sharing of some of her favorite quotes from Saint Hildegard’s writings.
Suzanne Stone will offer a presentation honoring the inspiring life of Saint Hildegard through her commitment to visions for a more compassionate world, to Veriditas, the ever-greening power of nature, & understanding how her messages from the 12th century still apply today, calling for a deep devotion to the Earth from whence we come & the call for liberation for all beings. We will listen to some of the songs Hildegard composed, gaze upon some of her paintings, & delve into a few of her top plant allies.
Cecilia Quimby will have her Reiki table set up and will offer Reiki treatments from 10-2.
There will be a sacred fire burning throughout the day.
A fabulous lunch as well as beverages will be available, impeccably prepared by Rosa Rosario.
We’ll have a paint table set up with hemp flags and silk banners you can paint to wave in the procession.
As gardeners and herbalists we all carry a spark of Saint Hildegard in our wild hearts. Her viriditas, perfectly describes the life force we all work with on a daily basis, most of us with great reverence. Saint Hildegard was a woman centuries before her time - she was a rebel of the highest order, a teacher and leader of women, a prayer warrior, poet, musician, artist, healer, seer, and much more.
We are privileged to engage the greening force as an integral part of the work we do. Each of us transforming earth, water, fire and air into the foods and medicines that become, in the process, a unique expression of who we are. We carry a great treasure, the wisdom of the earth, in our veins. We offer our gifts without hesitation and are grateful for the work we do in this world.
Let's celebrate together and give great thanks to the land and the plants, for calling us, and for all the multitude of ways that they support us. Rejuvenate us. Make us Holy.
Let's honor a great ancestor herbalist together, She Who Led the Way, Saint Hildegard von Bingen, as we bring our 2024 growing season to a lively end.
Harvest Blessings, Gail Faith Edwards and the Blessed Maine Herb Farm Family