FROM EARTH TO TABLE
Ashley Moore is a herbalist and author of The Women’s Heritage Sourcebook: Bringing Homesteading to Everyday Life. She, along with Lauren Malloy and Emma Moore, started a business in 2016 called Women’s Heritage that seeks to foster community connection and empowerment through back-to-roots workshops on topics like making sourdough bread, milking cows, making soap and more. Moore recently joined Jura
Koncius to discuss how her ideas fit into the modern world. Here is an edited excerpt.
Q Do you see homesteading as a response to the coronavirus pandemic? How can some of these practices help the planet after the current crisis is (mostly) over?
A I do. It became evident so quickly that all of the supplies we depend on every day could disappear in an instant, and I think many of us got an overwhelming urge to ensure some sort of food security through starting a garden, and to begin learning the skills to take care of ourselves.
Because these practices are fun, wholesome, and respectful to the Earth, I think they will help the planet after the crisis is over. And I think they will serve to bond the community together even more as well.
Q How do you choose what to make yourself and what to get elsewhere?
A If I love making it, I do it myself. Otherwise, I try to source things from a local maker or second-hand.
Q What basic herbs do you need to start a herb garden?
A My favourites include lemon balm, peppermint, lavender, calendula and camomile. All of these have so many uses, are excellent food for the bees and essential in a herbalist’s garden and pantry.
Q I want to start composting. What’s the fastest and easiest way for a beginner to get started?
A That depends on what kind of space you have. If you have enough room, a three-part composter is wonderful. Another method I really love is worm composting. It is as simple as it gets. You can pick up a worm composting bin from a garden store, or you can make your own with online tutorials. The worms make the compost tea for you.
Q How can I use herbs to calm down?
A I think even just the act of making tea, even with a tea bag, is medicine; cupping the hot mug in your hands, breathing in the fragrant steam, taking a few minutes to sit still. My favourite calming herbs are oatstraw, camomile and lemon balm.
Q We’ve been trying to adopt the homesteading lifestyle but we live in a townhouse. We do want to find a property with a good yard and space in the near future, but what can we do until then?
A Homesteading can happen anywhere. There are many things you can do to get started: you can start making food from scratch, have a windowsill garden of cooking herbs, begin making herbal remedies and make your own skin-care products. There are also many ways you can be involved in homesteading or permaculture practices in your community. Joining a community garden where you have more space to grow veggies is a wonderful option if you have one nearby. If not, there may be someone in your community who has the space and might be happy to let someone plant it in exchange for a few veggies. Also, how about planting in those little sidewalk spaces in between your
townhouse and the street?
Q What’s a better alternative to paper towels?
A We use little rags. They’re often called “paperless towels” and some are made with snaps and can be stored on a regular paper towel stand. You don’t have to buy anything fancy, though; any old towel can be cut into smaller rectangles and kept in a drawer to be used as you would a paper towel.
Q Do you have any tips for making laundry more environmentally friendly?
A We love wool dryer balls. You can put a few drops of essential oil on them before popping them in the dryer with your clothes and they also help clothes dry faster. For the washer, use soap nuts (the dried shells from the soapberry nut), washing sheets or detergent pods instead of buying it in plastic jugs. You could also divert your grey water from the laundry and water fruit trees with it. Just be sure to use safe, biodegradable detergent and to move the water around so it doesn’t water one tree for too long.
Q I ordered sweet potato slips and planted them as instructed last week, but they still look quite sad. Am I doing something wrong?
A There could be many reasons they aren’t thriving, but sometimes they just need time to perk up after being transferred. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Sometimes my plants don’t make it. It happens to all of us. Even if this batch doesn’t make it, don’t let that keep you from trying to plant them again.