Greetings from the green spaces in Jadan ashram.

It was a hot autumn this year and the temperature did not fall below 30 degrees and there was not a drop of rain though at some stage Accuweather promised it. Even so watering slowed down due to cooler nights and mornings and we were able to enjoy the first of our salad greens – roquette and baby spinach- mixed with mint and dill and basil and tulsi leaves as well as with some edible flowers and moringa leaves and fresh coriander. Otherwise all of our veggies look green and upright and confident and it is a shame that there will be no group this winter to enjoy them so we shall enjoy them for you. All in all, the plantation reflects the marvelous collection of winter seeds that we received in October. Thank you all again.

We harvested 105kg this month- some remainder veggies from the monsoon planting and the start of the tomatoes planted in July as well as the first of the eggplant and some lemons from our trees.

We fertilized many areas – ornamental and also trees this month as the cooler temperature makes it easier for the plants to digest the heat from the khad which is the local word for any kind of composted matter which in this case is a mixture of cow dung and dried grass and soil that has been repeatedly pulverized or powdered due to contact with many many hooves from our herd of cows. Wonderful stuff and light to carry too. We brought out around 15 trolley loads from the New Gaushala to our cultivated areas this month.

Another huge plus point for November was the arrival of 2 new karma yogis for the garden both of whom are from Slovakia. With the extra hands and also the daily morning help from the other karma yogis we had been able to construct a new fence for our winter fodder and vegetable garden and fertilise around 200 trees and clear away some dried monsoon grasses from some boundaries. The Shiv Bagh weeds will again be tackled during the first week of December and there was some action too in our kitchen area where replanting of Bermuda grass took place and where boundaries were made for some new varieties of European marigolds the seeds of which mostly came from Strilky ashram. Any flower seeds that any of you have from your gardens that may withstand high temperatures would be very welcome as we are keen to propagate new varieties and new colours in the Shiv Bagh area. Lavender varieties are particularly welcome.

We are looking forward to 3 cool months now and there are many many tasks ahead so if you feel like a break from the European winter then please come and visit us and enjoy the sublime and mild winter sun of this Rajasthani landscape. The weeding is always waiting for you.

Christmas and New Year Greetings to all

Love from

Puspa Devi (December 3rd, 2014)