Harvesting the Basil

Five basil plants are now reduced to four. The largest bush, the one in the grow bag, yielded about 8 oz of minced basil in oil produced by processing it in the blender. My wrists, arms and shoulders have had a workout.



It is amazing to see a rather good sized bush, a fair pile as it sits on tissue paper on the floor to be photographed, reduced to such a small quantity. I have seen its precedent in apples. Many years ago a friend gave me a paper grocery sack of apples from her backyard tree. I peeled and chopped and boiled and canned and had--four pints of apple butter. It was amazing. Essence of apple and I have never done it again, but am glad I did it that one time.

The basil is going to be like that. A small cinnamon basil, not part of the count of five, is drying on top of my dryer. I will attend to it tomorrow, stripping the leaves from the stems and placing them in a separate layer above the basil or the roses. (I am always drying roses, almost always drying something.)

So now there are four. One is temporarily residing in the house as a house plant. One will be cut tomorrow and laid out to dry. The other two, outside, I hope to nurture along for a little while longer.

It was cold over the weekend so the basil wasn't happy. That is why one is in the hall. The others, overgrown in their pots, were hooded with white plastic bags and kept warm. With warmer weather this week, I hope they will be fine.

I am grateful for the plants, for the harvest and for the fact that I had the good sense to harvest only one and split the basil processing over two days--keeping the branches that I hadn't gotten to yet in the refrigerator.

Prayer for a Farmer or Gardener

Last week while I sweltered, my plants throve. Basil is large and green and the best I have ever had. Marjoram in her pot looks almost as full and pretty as she would in a lovely well mulched spot in the ground. The roses are blooming. Indoors, each of the little pots in which I planted seeds a week and a half ago has baby plants in it.

The sea breeze, one of the most beneficent aspects of the climate where I live is blowing in on me as I write this. The house is a temperature that would be almost perfect any time of the year and wouldn't be anywhere near this warm in the winter.

Yesterday as I sorted a collection of holy cards that I have had for more than fifteen years, I came across one that has a prayer on the back titled, "Prayer of the Christian Farmer and Gardener". It seems like a suitable prayer to share in light of the weather disasters of June in the Midwest and California.

"O God, Source and Giver of all things, Who does manifest Thy infinite majesty, power and goodness in the earth about us, we give You honor and glory.

For the sun and the rain, for the manifold fruits of our fields, for the increase of our herds and flocks, we thank You. For the enrichment of our souls with divine grace, we are grateful.

Supreme Lord of the harvest, graciously accept us and the fruits of our toil, in union with Christ, Your Son, as atonement for our sins, for growth of Your Church, for peace and charity in our homes, for salvation to all. Amen."

That we have clement weather, rain in due season and respite from heat and from fire, from flood and from wind I pray. I am grateful tonight for cooler weather and for the friends who are making my beautiful garden possible and a blessing to me. Thank you all.