With the Oxford Real Farming Conference coming up in January 2025, I was browsing the programme and one link lead to another and with my interest in spirituality and agroecology, I was intrigued to read about Land-based Wisdom and Spirituality.

This is a term that I was searching for to name the emerging experiences related to engaging with the Spirits of Nature and the land-based practice of service in growing and caring for plants and other beings on my allotment.

In May 2024, I was allocated an allotment and it has been an intense journey bringing together my training in Horticulture and skills in growing plants for food – from my placement at Organiclea last year. I had been calling out to spirit, requesting to deepen in relationship to the land, when this offer emerged.

I feel honoured and blessed to be able to do this work – and sense the deepening engagement with the spirits of nature, the land and the cycle of the sun around the earth. I am delighted to read about the acknowledgment of ancient ways of revering and honouring our reciprocal relationship with the land.

When I was first at the allotment this is what it looked like – covered with a range of plants – rosebay willow herb, creeping cinquefoil, couch grass and field bindweed.

It was so peaceful and beautiful – though part of having an allotment is to grow plants on it and I had 3 months to cultivate at least 25% of it.

My neighbours have been welcoming and given me some plants and lent me their tools on occasion too.

I cleared some of the land to see what was there and found the soil compacted and eventually eased in some coconut coir as a mulch and some compost.

Initially I planted green manures, a mix of classical seeds for this – phacelia, clover, alfalfa – and a few extras simply because I had packets of the seeds at the time – radish and pea seeds that I had bought for sprouting. The soil needed ground cover and protection from the summer that was emerging – and this would help to improve the soil composition and fertility.

The plants grew quickly in the warmth and rain and survived the hungry slugs. The peas gave some beautiful delicate white flowers and provided some mangetout!

Green manures can be beautiful too.. full of flowers. And why not enjoy plants that are edible – clover leaves, alfalfa tips and plenty of French Breakfast Radishes and radish leaves to enjoy from this luxurious ground cover that has healed, protected and been a home to many beings, including bees, spiders and all sorts of insects.

Mainly I have created a mandala of raised beds and a pond in the middle – this is going to be a habitat for the frogs, which I hope will enjoy eating some slugs.

I also found a second-hand shed on Freecycle and my partner helped me get it to the allotment and put it up. I also found other resources at the local recycling centre.

It has been quite a journey and I hope that the spirit of the land feels somewhat nurtured – though it will take time to settle and allow the natural diversity to emerge amongst all the food plants there.

All in all, it has brought hours of peace and connection with the earth and wonder at the range of little creatures and beautiful surprising plants that have appeared amongst the ones that were planted.

I am learning about the seasons and how the rain, wind and sunshine interact with the animals and plants – and myself – as we are all interconnected.

And especially about the spirt of the Earth and how the soil is living and needs protection and nourishment in order to protect, nourishes and heal in reciprocity.

And that maybe I need less leaf mulch on the paths!