By Andrée Noye
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Our goal for the winter is to value our land’s soil, both literally as we appreciate the dormant wintering grounds, and metaphorically as we reflect on our relationship with the land itself. It’s time to consider the importance of land for Circé + Medée. We created Airmid’s Healing Gardens to control the source of our herbal supply. While being an herbalist does not necessarily mean being a gardener, I deeply appreciate the practice of caring for the soil.
As a former city dweller, I realized I needed to shift my mindset about the land itself.
Here's the reality: in the past, I viewed my property and land as something I could control, manipulate, and shape to my desires. This perspective is mirrored in our society, where we often disconnect from our roots and harm our soil for short-term gains. Now is the time to rebuild that connection, starting with our mindset.
Aldo Leopold, an author and conservationist, once said: “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”
Let’s be honest, when we are attached to something, we take care of it. Jessica and I love our land so much that we created AHG to share our passion and enthusiasm!
When we cherish the land, we recognize the soil's crucial benefits to our lives. We value it as we do anything else we are attached to. We became stewards of our land rather than mere owners (even though legally, we do hold the deeds to our respective properties).
The distinction between owning and being a steward is significant. Ownership implies dominance, while stewardship implies responsibility for the well-being of nature and all its creatures. By extension, we feel we are stewards of the Pubnicos, where we live, and this is reflected in our educational platform at AHG. We wish our neighbors to thrive as well, sharing the bounty.
So, what does it mean?
At its core, stewardship is the responsibility of supervising or taking care of something, regardless of ownership. Land stewardship goes a step further, embodying the collective responsibility to carefully and responsibly manage the land to ensure the quality and abundance of land, air, water, and biodiversity – to protect the building blocks of our ecosystem.
The way we frame our thoughts, connections, and language about the land shapes the values we hold. These thoughts will eventually turn into habits, and becoming a good land steward is built day by day. We tune into our local community and continue to value the land for what it is—the source of life. Ultimately, our vision has turned into our habits, such as:
Speaking up for the land: Advocating for the land and sharing our knowledge with others, reflecting our educational platform.
Conserving resources: Taking only what we need and giving back. We partner with Acts of Kindness to give excess products to our free pantry and meticulously plan our planting and harvesting.
Enhancing biodiversity and soil health: Through sustainable, regenerative practices.
We are land stewards. You are a land steward. Earth is a community we all belong to.
If this text moved you, if our values align with yours, and if you have children, consider letting them join Airmid’s Day Camps. On each provincial civic holiday and school PD day, C+M will host a day camp with themes centered around herbalism, nature, farming, and sustainability. Stay tuned for the first Seedlings Day, happening on NS Heritage Day on February 17, 2025.