Earth Harmony: Eating in Season, Living in Balance
By Terry Rader

Tired travelers bid the driver of the van farewell, as the paved road turned to rock and dirt – dry and dusty from the long-standing drought. Darkness was falling fast as we arrived in the heart of the Rainforest Mountains of Belize. Chaa Creek Camp was yet a twenty-minute walk away, one that would take us deep into the belly of a living, breathing beauty. Relying on flashlights to guide us, we took extra care to find our footing on the steep and rocky path, our primal senses heightening with alertness to each new smell and sound. The thirsty jungle drank us up as we merged with it.

I awoke the next morning to incredible sounds in the open-air hut and felt quite at home. Sitting outside at breakfast, a dozen or so hummingbirds fed on the sweet nectar of the flowers just a few feet away. Our camp hosts greeted us good morning with great platters of freshly chopped papaya, pineapple and bananas. Much had been said on the ride in about the delicious papaya and I was about to learn why. One bite of this blessed fruit harvested fresh from its homeland burst into my mouth and spirit with long-lost life-force ready to be remembered. Sweet beyond sweet nourishment, there are no words to describe the energy of this experience. A year later I’m still poking papayas in the stores here in North Carolina, looking for that same sweetness – that burst! It just disappears once the fresh fruit leaves the source from which it is grown. Those nine days of papaya mornings in the jungle are unforgettable. We arrived in the darkness of a drought and we left in the light of morning from a soaking rain. Waking up to the wild sounds of howler monkeys (they sound more like jaguars or gorillas) in celebration of the rain stirred a new connection in me for the plants in a far away land and further deepened my relationship with Mother Earth.

Being at home, I find that same burst in the foods grown and harvested here. My spirit recognizes that life-force in a salad made from fresh, locally grown produce – crispy lettuce, crunchy green peppers and succulent tomatoes filled with red, juicy sunshine! My senses awaken to what is good and natural – my body recognizes and appreciates the “pop” of fresh enzymes from food still loaded with life from the land. And in receiving this nourishment grown here where I live, I am fed on a deeper level. I am satisfied and have no need to search for that “something missing” from my diet as I would be in eating food without this local life force. By eating foods in season, we simply bring ourselves into balance by creating a closer relationship with the cycles of nature.
The vegetables that grow in the Earth, below ground level, are very grounding and nourishing, for example potatoes, carrots and turnips. These types of foods make hearty “stick to your ribs” stews. The vegetables that grow above ground level, in the open air, are naturally lighter and more cooling, for example lettuce, cucumbers, squash and radishes. These foods take less time to grow and don’t stay with you as long as the more warming ones that are grown in the Earth. Each and every plant brings about a unique benefit. Some plants can even provide opposite benefits. For example, one of my favorite plants, dandelion, not only raises low blood sugar, but can also lower high blood sugar. It is the only “potassium-sparing” diuretic I know of. Fresh dandelion greens and roots in your spring salad will lighten the winter load on your liver. Fresh food provides vitality and health.
Another good reason to eat in season is to support those in the area where we live. By coming together in community to make a commitment to sustainability, we rely more on each other. We learn how to bring each of our gifts to the table to help free us from being dependent on oil. By making an agreement to the Earth and each other, we create harmony to feed us as well as many generations to come.

Beth Sinnott, Account Executive for The Proximity Hotel, shared this with me while having lunch at the hotel’s restaurant, The Print Works Bistro: “We strive to always offer vegetables when they are in season. We partner with local resources such as Goat Lady Dairy, Homeland Creamery and local farmers. Quaintance-Weaver as a company is passionate about sustainability and incorporates those practices into all aspects of the business.” Dennis Quaintance is excited to be the developer and owner of what’s to be the first Platinum LEED-certified hotel in the US. He says: “I promise if you stay at the Proximity Hotel, you won’t notice a negative difference. You can’t tell that the sun has heated the water you bathe with. A designer staying with us during furniture market in April asked me about fabrics and the furniture. We talked about how we custom designed most of our guest room and lobby furniture. I asked her what she thought of the green aspects of the hotel. She said: ‘What do you mean?’ I said –‘this is a green hotel, and once the paperwork is back from the US Green Building Council, we’ll be the highest rated hotel in America with their LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program.’ She said: ‘I had no idea!’ This is very gratifying, as she didn’t experience less luxury, but her stay at Proximity cost 41% less energy and 33% less water usage. She couldn’t tell what we’ve incorporated into the hotel as sustainable elements.”

We can make our lives matter by being responsible – by living consciously, by awakening to what is precious and hopefully everlasting. See Earth Harmony Resources and learn how you can eat in season and live in better balance by supporting your local community vendors.

Terry Rader serves as a messenger for the Earth in her writing, teaching, drumming and songs, with her life partner, Blair Caudle of Doedreamers. She is known as an Earth Energy Healer. She does clearings on people, pets and places (as taught in Belize) as well as Distance Reiki. She is also an herbalist and the Senior Creative Director/Writer of a green agency educating businesses on sustainability. You can contact her regarding her Earth Harmony Columns at terry@doedreamers.com.