We, like most people, hate plastic, and the fact is it is so hard to get around entirely with so many companies using it in such large quantities.  Occasionally we need to buy things by mail order, and even many of the most green looking wholesome companies can supply their goods wrapped in bundles of plastic.  It always feels disheartening when confronted with a massive quantity of unnecessary single-use plastic when buying something you feel should be sustainable.

We first bought from Harts of Stur two years ago, and I’ll always remember how we felt when we opened the parcel to be confronted with what looked like a box full of polystyrene chips to protect its content.  That was before we read their accompanying literature.  You see these, chips were in fact made from GM-free biodegradable potato starch. 

To test this we put a handful into warm water and in moments they had vanished. 

Not only are Harts of Stur within our county of Dorset, but they are one of our Sustainability Heroes.  We try to buy local whenever possible; the times when we have bought from Harts of Stur, it is good to know that we are not also receiving large quantities of plastic.  Once we’ve taken the content of our parcel out we can empty the rest onto our compost heap, to add to our soil within months.   

Please, if you are a company selling delicate items mail order and feel plastic is your only solution, take a leaf out of Harts of Stur’s book and look into this biodegradeable packaging.  They keep the most delicate items safe, are light to package and do not add to our plastic oceans.

A very worthy hero!

The Benedictines have for many years put into practice a way of living lightly on the soil as a co-creator with God.  Their reverence for the land, and the way it ticks, has a lot of good philosophies that we would benefit from re-learning.

Having recently read Sister Joan Chittister’s book “The Monastery of the Heart” we were very taken by how the knowledge to live sustainably from the land is all there, but in our modern fast culture the simplicity of it is just being overlooked.

The great thing is we can all play a part, and do it, within caring parameters, in our own unique way.  As she says “We are co-creators with God of what creation has left unfinished. What has been left in embryo is left for us to develop. What can be developed God trusts us to bring to full potential. But not for ourselves alone, to continue the work of God on Earth, requires us to tend the land and conserve the waters, to till the garden and protect the animals, to use the things of the earth in ways that enhance all life now— and preserve them for later generations, as well.”

I love this invitation for us to be co-creators.  We have applied this principle on our farm, observing what grows well on our downland location, and have developed the forest garden that suits our needs, our guests’ needs, and works for our soil and location.  This is farming that is shared with others, and is good for the environment.  This invitation to be co-creators we are applying to much, much more.  We love the idea of being a steward who is allowed a lot of latitude from a good Father that delights in our work.

The Benedictines for over 1500 years have recognised “the symphony of life forms that depend on one another to bring the universe, pulsing and throbbing with life, to a wholeness that is mutual, that reflects the full face of God rather than simply our own.”

Using the Benedictine principles the aim is to leave wherever we live — our neighborhoods, our oceans, our forests and our soil— in better condition than they were before we came.   It sounds so simple.  And to a certain degree it is.  If we each take personal responsibility to add to our community and to learn to care for what we steward, its surprising how much difference we can all make.  It could be as simple as reducing plastic, flying less or sharing lifts.  If our gardens, parkland, or even window-boxes could aid the environment and we leave our own part of the planet better than when we arrived then we’ve helped to be part of the solution.

Benedictines over the centuries turned arid land green, dried the swamps so they would flourish, and hired the local people and taught them new skills.

 In Europe they helped to sustain entire populations by producing everything from food and clothing to beer.

When looking for solutions it is worth looking backwards, to the days before plastic, chemicals and supermarkets.  How did those in the know sustain themselves without modern conveniences?  In this respect we feel the Benedictines are one of the pioneers of best practices.

Living where we do, in an area of outstanding natural beauty, we are surrounded by creation.  In spring we see fresh plants spiral out of the soil (both the desired variety and the weed), animals start to prepare for their young, and seeing the amazing way that the natural world moves effortlessly to a rhythm un-orchestrated by us never ceases to delight.

We have to admit though behind all this wonder is a tinge of concern.  We are only too aware that, whereas here we are still looking out at a natural world that is still in the main working harmoniously, in other parts of the world things are changing very rapidly, and not for the better. 

With this in mind we have decided to start a sustainable heroes section to our blog.  Having a green heart to our own way of living lightly on the land, we listen to many green voices and admire those that are pioneering new ways, or challenging bad practices.  We want to share these heroes with you.  It is through these pioneering voices we came to build our own passive solar eco house over 10 years ago, and have run the farm using many principles picked up from permaculture and other environmentally concerned groups.

I hope you find some of these voices as inspiring as we do, and perhaps learn something you could take away and apply in your community.