by David Sargert
It all started with a simple request. A few years ago my friend Subu
would swing by the nursery and ask if he could have a few leaves from
one of our banana trees in the medicine and butterfly gardens.
'Sure,' I would say, and we’d walk out across the nursery, through
the fragrant almond verbena and past the esperanza and brilliant
red coral bean to gather a few leaves.
Along the way we would marvel at the variety of beautiful butter-
flies fluttering around us, and all of the other colorful specimens,
and breathe in the life that is the garden.
I would always brag on my grandsons, who had helped me dig in
the plants, and track their growth. Subu indulged my grandpa's
pride.
After a while I decided it was time to take a risk, and I asked if
he would mind sharing with me why he wanted the leaves. I
knew from my time in Taos, NM that sacred practices and rituals
are rarely discussed with outsiders, and I was prepared for a polite
rebuff. Subu is always polite.
He explained as only he can, the concept of Annam Brahma: 'Food
is God – God is food.' There are many levels to this belief and I
did my best to understand them. I continued my own research and
found that yet again, ancient wisdom is just that: Wisdom.
Banana leaves are a 'super food' packed with plant-based compounds
called polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, which
is also found in green tea. Polyphenols are natural antioxidants that
battle free radicals and prevent diseases. Moringa oleifera
Chris had already been growing curry leaf for a few years for the
local Indian grocers and I had just started growing the drumstick
tree (Moringa oleifera), gourds and holy basil (Tulsi). But suddenly
a new opportunity presented itself.
As our quantity of plants grow, so too did the number of customers
from the central Texas Indian community. As customers came in I
would ask where they were from, and what other plants they would
like to have available.
In no time I had a list of over 100 requests and dozens of recipes.
Further research showed that all the other plants being requested
would also be termed 'super foods' and I started planting in earnest.
What began as an occasional, informal meeting with my friend
Subu has now expanded into something that is both global, and
wonderful. It's About Thyme has an entire greenhouse dedicated
to growing the beautiful healing herbs and plants of the Indian
sub-continent.
This spring we will have over 80 different Indian plants available
to our customers. Last year we shipped to over 20 states and had
daily visits from folks from all over the country seeking plants and
packing tips to get them home, (FedEx, USPS flat rate or checked
baggage). I also began receiving gifts of seeds straight from India.
Parents would give their children and grandchildren seeds to take
home. They would then share them with me and I would also grow
these to share with others.
My buddy Loganathan (co-owner of Asiana Indian Cuisine, the
best Indian restaurant in town) would also bring plants and seeds
from his family farm in India. We spend hours together each week
talking plants, living soil, and checking on our 'babies' to see how
they are doing.
Our friends Arthur and Judy have donated a vast amount of seed
straight from their home state of Tamil to expand our offerings.
Our good friend R. Mohamed put the word out on the Indian Veg-
etable Gardeners page on Facebook and all of a sudden we are
swamped.
What began as weekly visits from gardeners in Dallas and Hous-
ton are now happening every day. We are so very grateful.
Last week I was given a few seeds from the bilwa tree (Aegle mar-
melos) that came straight from a sacred tree planted by His Holi-
ness Sri Sankaracharya of Kanchi in the 1800s. (It is also known
as the bael tree, and Bengal quince.)
I was honored to receive such an important gift and took them
into the greenhouse to plant into seed trays. As I prepared the
trays and said my prayers over the seeds it occurred to me what
a huge responsibility I had been given.
Each spring, thousands of heirloom seeds pass through my fingers,
into the soil. I feed them and water them as best I can until they are
ready for the thousands of others to take home and feed their families.
Hopefully they will remember to save some seeds and continue the
lineage into the future. God is Food. Happy gardening everyone! ❦
