Often when I gather the meager offerings of the little
potager garden in my backyard, imagination transports me to a remote corner
of Northern Scotland. To a garden in a place called Findhorn. Where cabbages grown there weighed 40 pounds; onions 71.
From the book, The Findhorn Garden Story:
A miracle occurred over 40 years ago in windswept and barren sand dunes in the far north east of Scotland. On a small plot of poor soil around a thirty-foot caravan trailer the most wonderful flowers, vegetables and fruit grew to an enormous size. This remarkable event occurred with very little assistance from external sources – or so it seemed.
With an absolute faith in the art of manifestation Eileen and Peter Caddy, together their three sons and their friend Dorothy Maclean, had followed Guidance from God to set up home and garden in this place. Their discovery of how to contact and co-operate with nature spirits and devas made the seemingly impossible possible: the Findhorn phenomena had begun.
If you want to read the complete Findhorn story, visit theQuantum Agriculture/Findhorn page. It's a detailed story, much too long to tell here.
I read this book shortly after it came out in the early 1970s. It's available through Amazon and other sources.
By the way, I don't believe the magic of oversized vegetables being grown there still exists today. What happened?
Findhorn has evolved into a foundation -- a spiritual community, ecovillage and an international center for holistic education, helping to unfold a new human consciousness and create a positive and sustainable future.
Perhaps I should begin talking to my plants and try to summon forth the fairies and devas. Couldn't hurt!
Well.
ReplyDeleteI read your post and I read the link and I must have missed something..
I do, however, think that it is possible for someone ( s ) having heard, read and believed the story, been tempted to build an eco village on that very place.
Mette, I have updated/corrected the link. The one I provided previously was the Quantum Agriculture main page (with a Findhorn link to the left), but now the link goes directly to the Findhorn page. Sorry for the confusion. I think this link provides more details about the early garden, the controversy about it, as well as the down-and-dirty of the founders. I just find it all so extremely interesting.
ReplyDeleteDear Sanda,
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so very interesting. I will look it up.
Some few years ago. I saw on a programme.. that a town in the US have pumpkin competitions.. one man's pumpkin was gigantic.
Reminds me a little of Jack and the beanstalk.
happy week.
val xx
Hi Val, some do pride themselves on the size of the vegetables they can raise. The biggest ones don't always taste the best either!
DeleteHave never heard of this phenomenon,though have visited the area several times!! Will follow your link.Reminds me of Lynne McTaggart's book "the Intention Experiment" about the power of the mind.
ReplyDeletePrince Charles talks to his plants so you will be in good company when you chat to yours :). Thanks for this informative post.
Yes, I have read somewhere that Prince Charles talks to his plants! He's a keen gardener, isn't he? I haven't started talking to mine yet; don't know quite to say to them. Good morning? How are you doing today? What can I do for you?
DeleteI actually visited Findhorn in about 1978 but can't really remember all that much about it as it is so long ago. I recall that there were lots of large vegetables, and the people could be termed 'alternative'. We just had a quick look around and went on our way. May be I should have taken more interest.
ReplyDeleteWow, you went there. Yes, as I understand they definitely were what was considered "hippies" in the day. Said to be the earliest of the current New Age movement. It's rather fascinating they could have the garden results they did, given the poor soil. But apparently, it's the belief that they brought it about by communing with nature spirits.
DeleteSounds so interesting.....its all new to me. Maybe another book to add to my reading list.
ReplyDeleteLove hearing tthings your mind remembers.
You might find the book at the library. I had a copy once but its long gone now. I was fascinated by Findhorn at the time and still think of it often.
DeleteWhat an intriguing story, Sanda, and I will follow the link. There are some farmers around our area who produce enormous vegetables, although I don't know how they do it. Maybe the fairies, but there are probably some good agricultural methods involved too. It is hard to imagine anything much growing in such a barren place.
ReplyDeleteProbably a good deal of organic fertilizer, Patricia But who knows, maybe our plants do want to be talked to!
DeleteI was thinking that name sounded familiar and then I remembered I'd written about one of the people involved with Findhorn...http://shelleyshouse.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/the-disinherited-son.html
ReplyDeleteMy garden could use a lot of help, so let me know how you and the fairies get on!
I took another look at your blog post, and then remembered reading it when you posted it. But I didn't quite catch that he had some involvement with Findhorn. He sounds like an odd fellow.
DeleteI'll be sure to give you a report on the garden fairies!
I've heard of FIndhorn and will have to check your link. I'm not sure what one is expected to do with a 40 pound cabbage. That would be a whole lot of coleslaw.
ReplyDeleteDarla
That would make a lot of sauerkraut, wouldn't it? Somewhere I read that that guy who started Findhorn determined he'd need to grow eight 40 lb cabbages to feed them all winter long. They had no money. So it does beg the question of how they kept them all winter.
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