Haven’s Mini Organic Vege Garden
I have never viewed animals as food, but as other beings living on our planet. For a long time now, I have been encouraging my students to take vegetarian vows and many have. Some have taken on vegetarian vows a few times a week, some once a week and some even once a month…
Being vegetarian not only saves lives. It has also been proven many times, both scientifically and through people’s experience, that being vegetarian improves our health and general wellness. I have blogged many stories of people defying the ageing process and of heavy weight champions whom are vegans and vegetarians… do have a read on those past articles.
In recent years, many people started becoming more concerned about buying vegetables from our local grocery store. Unless from the organic section, most vegetables from the grocery store are chemically treated to prevent rotting or bug infestation.
On the other hand, many people still buy non-organic vegetables… for the simple reason that they’re cheaper! It makes a lot of difference for those with big family’s.
Due to all these reasons and more, I decided that we should do something about organic plantation. One of my student’s started an organic garden blog, and the Haven kitchen staff have start a mini vegetable patch! This is our first project planting vegetables that suits the beautiful Malaysian climate. We did this on order to gain experience before we start our large scale vegetable farm at our Kechara Forest Retreat. This project was initiated by our late Dharma brother Justin Ripley… he cleared off an area in the backyard, laid the bricks and filled in rich organic soil a couple of days before he passed away. Thanks for Justin, Levi has been able to do work on this little vegetable patch.
Throughout these few months, Levi has been patiently planting each seed, cultivating the soil and watering the saplings until they have grown into deliciously luscious vegetables! In three short months, we now have fresh leafy green herbs, chillies and just most recently, beautiful Okras!
Below are the results of Levi’s wonderful care for the Haven’s mini vegetable patch!
What do you think? Would you enjoy reaping fresh vegetables from your very own organic patch? Do you want to be a weekend farmer at the Kechara Forest Retreat? DON’T THEY LOOK DELICIOUS???
Tsem Rinpoche
White radish and okra… delicious!
I have yet to try the passion fruit we have been growing!
Levi with the okras she grew!
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Home grown vegetables are always the best because we know exactly what goes into the soil, from the soil what grows and what ends up on our dinner table. Planting okra is a very wise choice because okra has many nutritional components that combat diabetics and lower blood pressure. Thank you for this sharing!
I would love to have my own miniature organic one day. No animals are harmed in the process and the food is extremely healthy. This is a great way to create the causes for larger farms at Kechara Forest Retreat!
Everything about Kechara started small from either Rinpoche’s home or from whatever little outlet we have. Like Kechara Saraswati Arts Department, it started from our one and only small Dharma retail outlet in Kechara Paradise SS2 which just a small group of us learning how to paint and insert mantras from scratch… look at what it has become today…http://www.kechara.com/arts/
This little green patch area was initiated to create the cause for a much bigger purpose. In our little minds, we might think this is just another hobbie… but nothing is ever done randomly by Rinpoche especially when it is a instruction to do so. Justin always liked growing “stuff” and for a long time he has mentioned he wished to have a garden of herbs and veggies for Rinpoche… well he did, and look at what this little small green patch has created the causes for… http://retreat.kechara.com/news/the-green-team/
This is so cool! It’s very healthy too! I never liked gardening, but my parents do. My mum will be the one who’s in charge of buying, where else my dad will be the one who does the gardening work.
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
Love, beatrix.
Among all the hobbies of modern day people who live in the hustles and bustles of a city, gardening is a very rewarding one. One needs only a few pots of soil, place them at a balcony, sprinkle some seedlings and with some TLC you shall have your own little “garden”.
One can take gardening as a spiritual training – patience, effort, impermanence etc.
Gardening has been used as an analogy for merit field – planting the right seeds for the causes we want, removing negative habits like pulling out unwanted weeds.
In Kechara we have many avid gardeners who look forward to tilling the soil of KFR and be self sufficient at the Retreat Village.
Awesome for using us whatever resources at our disposal and land, plus choosing to also plant in our garden rather than turning it into a concrete place. As the more plants we have all over it serves to offset green house gases and etc. Plus we get more oxygen in the area for everyone. Also nothing sweeter than our home grown vege’s rite.
Wow..Green Thumbs-up for LEVI,I love organic farming…..My whole family loves gardening…we can just get all the herbs fresh from the garden….pandan leaves,lemongrass,spring onions,mint leaves etc.. and my favourite is always the very spicy chilli padi…
oh wow, I love all the growing vegetable, i have been helping my mum plant vegetables since im 7 years. I remember we have egg plants, lady fingers, choi sum, sweet potatoes, bitter gourd, papaya, kangkung. I have been assigned to water them daily, remove the weeds, and put food waste as fertilizer. I remember after washing the rice grain, i pour the wash water into the vegetables farm, and they grow really fast and healthy.
I enjoy doing those when i was very young. I would love to do organic farm at Kechara Forest Retreat together with many young people in the future, its fun and surely therapeutic
I used to grow cherry tomatoes when i lived in the US. I worked for a bio organic company, which produces fertilizers made of kelp. That’s when i learnt a little bit more about growing fruits and vegetables the organic way means. It is scary how much poison we are ingesting each day.. and this is one of the risks vegetarians are taking. Organic food can be a little bit more expansive in malaysia so i highly suggest to wash your fruits and vegetables with special washing solution that’s available in organic shops. At least that will remove some of the chemicals.
Hahahah Yvonne parent is a vegetarian from many years ago.
Her father like to plant. Her father Passion fruit tree. but this tree need to replant always 7-8months. If not the fruit come out will not nice and tasty !
It is very amazing, coz her father also plant a very huge nice aloe vera in a very very narrow space!
Every weekend i’ll go to her house, then her mum & dad will make drink with this fruit to me. I love it , and enjoy very much !
Another great project again that will help to create awareness on being vegetarians or vegans. Thanks to late Justin Ripley to start out on this mini organic vege garden. By planting these vege, we need to water daily, clear the weeds and checking the soils. Its also a way for us to train our mind to be more aware and discipline.
Organic Vegetables?? Don’t use any farm chemicals, and those vegetables just need natural fertilizer, sun, water and oxygen only. 3 words can describe Organic foods ( Healthy, Fresh and Sweet )
Yes Rinpoche, the vegetables look’s Yummy and fresh. And will like to give a hand to KFR organic farm in future.
Best Regards : Erickksiow
Thank you Rinpoche for the post. Those veggies looks lovely. I can’t help but to notice that the planting of vegetables are somewhat similar to our Dharma practice. Whatever we do/say/think/see, we are indirectly planting a seed in our mind stream.
With the proper practice,(or in this case sun light, water and soil)our merits will grow just like the plants/tress/flowers.
I will definitely plant more good ‘seeds’.
Much care,Jess.
Wow this is great. The vegetables look tasty. I love self growing organic vegetables. This is really a great idea to have this organic garden. Lets planting vegetable seed, planting dharma seed toward vegans and vegetarianism.
Yes Rinpoche! It looks so fresh and delicious. And yes, I would like to be a farmer in Kechara Forest Retreat although I am not a fan of farming but who cares. Since it’s much more expensive to buy, why not plant our own, right? We can plant for our own consumption and sell them to raise funds as well. Yea! I definitely want to be part of it!
Thank you Levi for your care and love to grow those plants for Rinpoche…
Yes Justin prepared the Place at the backyard for the organic vegetables to be planted. Justin used to do it in a pot in Ladrang, near the laundry area.
To choose between Meat and Vegetables, green vege are still the best in spite of the chemical treated. Meat has chemical, antibiotic and hormone, on top of that Bad Karma.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post…
It was great, if we have a large vegetable farm at our Kechara Forest Retreat. Then we will have organic vegetable that will be more healthy for us…
Since young, I have been a heavy meat eater..vege did not exist in my vocabulary..until I started to read H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s blog about vegetarianism and animals. Lately, I have been eating more vegs and I feel good about it! I do not know how much positive effect it has on my body/health but at the very least I know I am not part of animal cruelty. I have seen enough videos to know how much torture the animals have to go through prior to us gobbling their meat down into our stomachs.
It feels great to enjoy our very own vegetables from our own organic vegetable garden. I would love to help out in the vegetable organic farm in KFR! It will be a great way to spend our time and in retreats too. How nice! Imagining myself in KFR tending to the vegetables patches…hehehe.
These would be ideal reasons for us to change our diet to “Organic Vegeterianism” as per understated:- (1) To upkeep non-killing. (2) Vegetarianism, esp. organic, improves Health and general Wellness. (3) Retardation of ageing process and elimination of ‘overweght’ and fatness problems. Nevertheless, we should give our heartfelt thanks to our late Dharma brother, Justin Ripley, for having helped out in the formulation of this vege. programe when he was with us. And to Levi too, for the continuation of Justin’s goodwork. Last, but not least,to our dear, wonderful and compassionate guru, Rinpoche, who is always caring, sharing and giving to all beings.
What a great idea to have an organic garden as the vegetables.Keep up the good work..
It’s great that the vegetable patch finally has vegetables growing. I remember when Justin Ripley and Levi first started working on it. Nothing grew except wild grass. hehe.
I told them, perhaps the birds have eaten the seeds. I’m glad it’s growing so well now. Justin would be very happy to see this. Thank you Levi. Rinpoche can have home grown organic vegetables!
The other day Levi was so happy showing me the bitter gourd that was growing. She told me that it is getting bigger by the day, She is all excited!!! I guess when you put effort in something and start to see the fruits it bears, you would be happy and proud of it. And that is what Levi is feeling. Levi, one day we will get to eat the white radish soup!!
Since i was kids, i remembered early morning i had to followed my mum help to cut veggie at our own vegetable farm to get fresh vegetables for sales. I enjoy a lot because every day watching our own plant vegetable get bigger and bigger daily.
From my experience, planting organic vegetables need a lot care for watering and cultivating soil , protect the plant away from insect. Develop our patient. Good way for our Dharma practice.
When KFR land have our own organic vegetables farm at the future. We can promote more earth project and avoiding eating meat.
i used to grow the vegetables when i was young at the school in agriculture subject. The school provided each one of us a small area to grow the vegetable and we dug the soils, put vegetable seed, water it daily until it grow.
We were very excited and happy when we saw a vegetable seed turn to a small green leave which mean we succeed in it and kept watering until it grow.
i used to plant Kale, chinese cabbage, lettuce. i still remember the feeling when i waiting for them to grow.
At home my mum used to grow long bean, lady finger, chili, sweet basil, ginger etc, in that time, most of family will grow their vegetables at home, but now we buy it from the market.
I can see how levi happy with the vegetables she has been taking care of.
I would love to be a weekend gardener at KFR. Its a nice feeling when the plants grows well and we harvest the crops. Especially if its planted without causing damage to the environment and insects. We can also relate it to our dharma practice coming to fruition if we practice well.
不要以为只有肉才可以让我们每天的食物甜美，尤其是不放农药和化学物的蔬菜更是甜美。只要是尝试过住家后院栽种的有机蔬菜，现採现吃/煮的人，都知道那可比市场上走过几公里或整百里路来到蔬菜，那鲜滋味更棒。要吃素，不管是在外面用餐还是在家自己煮，即便比以前容易，但还是有不少“限制”。然而这个限制就考我们的创意，更重要的是慈悲—不伤害其他有情的用餐方式。慈悲—从每日盘中餐开始，不妨今天就踏出第一步，从一星期一餐开始到全素！
Nothing better than plucking organically grown vegetables from your own backyard and cook out tasty meals! It’s one of the 10 things I like!
Thank you Levi for taking the time and effort to grow the veg, this is the first step towards the manifestation of organic farm in KFR.
This may be just a small garden but a very healthy and delicious one! Like all the vegetables that she is growing, looks so well taken care of and i really want to try some of those vegetables! And…. Keep up the good work Chef Levi!!!!
Wow.. nice organic vegetable plant! Levi is patiently planting vegetables 🙂 I shall start to plant vegetables and i want to be a weekend farmer at KFR, is nice to spend weekend at KFR with fresh air, natural environment there.
It is very great to see plant grow day by day, being able to eat the food that we planted is very amazing, the satisfaction is really difficult to explain by words. Especially now this is for us to create a cause so that in the future we will be able to do it in a big scale.
I personally like this farm very much, to plant and to cook for ourselves, starting from beginning until the end, it is all from out efforts.
Wow…this is so cute…Mini Organic vege garden. Although is small but with the effort that Levi has put in. I am sure will have a great harvest hehehe…Good work Levi:)
I live in a condo but has many potted plants. Non are eatable I think; save for a glorious pineapple that my wife harvested. Yet to try it. Perhaps we should grow something that we can consume. Yes.
I love fresh, green and chemical-free vegetables. It is definitely nice to see organic way of planting as harmless to environment, human, animals and other small insects.
I grew up in a farming family. When I was a kid, I got to see, smell and touch vegetables, soil and of course pesticides everyday. But very sad to say, judging from the “attachments” I have now, I don’t have chance to do that anymore. Hopefully one day I can enjoy growing and playing with these green plants again but with organic way. hehe 🙂
May this day come very soon. I pray _/\_
Thanks for sharing, Rinpoche.
Take very good care.
With love,
VP.
What a lovely Vege patch. Thanks to Justin who did the ground work and now Levi who is taking care of it.
Haven’t been getting time to grow any vege but my mum-in-law and maid have been growing sweet potatoes leaves, ginger, papaya, pandan leaves and lemon grass at the back yard. Today, they showed me the papaya trees bearing fruits. I can see how excited they are. Can’t wait to try the papayas when they are rippen. 😉
Would be great that I will have the chance to grow the greens at KFR with girls in the nature while at the same time doing work and meditation there. What a great way to spend the weekends and family time.
It’s a great idea to have an organic garden as the vegetables are more higher in vitamins and mineral content.
Levi,you are not only a good cook but a good gardener as well!
Would love to spend the weekends tending to the garden in KFR.
[…] very own organic patch? Do you want to be a weekend … … Read the original post: Haven's Mini Organic Vege Garden | Tsem Tulku Rinpoche ← The Benefits of Organic Plant Food – Weeds & Seeds […]
When I was young, we lived in a house where we have rambutan, starfruit trees and my parents planted the different herbs that’s used for cooking. Even in my grandparent’s house, there were chiku tree, banana tree, guava tree, lemon tree, chili, lemon grass and pandan leaves. It was always a joy to pluck fruits direct from the trees and eat them. Now I missed all these as I am staying in a condo.
I would love to tend those vegetables in KFR and relive the joy of gardening
An organic garden can make you feel good for many reasons. From seedling, watering till harvesting, no chemicals is used and it’s all natural. Being a vegetarian not only can boost your energy and health, by growing your own organic plants can also uplift your spirit because it gives you an opportunity to take care of the environment.
Would love my mom to be involved in organic farm in KFR in the future. She loves gardening!
Hi Karen,
Ask your Mom to join me. I would love to be a gardener at KFR. I always find gardening , being with nature very therapeutic and energizing.
I love organic foods, can’t wait to go help in planting vegetables and fruits in the organic vege garden in Kechara Forest Retreat soon.
I believe everyone can and is able to tend to vegetable plots and plants, it’s just getting down and doing it.
I think what we will have in KFR Organic Veg Patch may be veggies grown from love, care and with lots and lots of fun! I don’t think we may harvest them for sale, at least not now, for there may not be enough even for Kecharians.
I have a small garden, 144 sq ft, outside my condo and I have tens and tens of leafy and flowering plants including orchids. Unfortunately there are in pots. It will be great for me to tend to vegetables on weekend retreats in KFR.
Hello brother – when KFR is open for retreats, you can bring your orchids to offer up.
Remember our home-grown vegetables and fruits lovingly tended by our late grandpa and aunt? I miss those grandpa’s guavas, mum’s chikus and pisang raja, and aunty’s chili-padi.
I miss Ar Chor’s nonas! You won’t find nonas like hers anywhere else in Malaysia…I know, I’ve been searching for years! Actually a lot of our family members were gardeners in some way, weren’t they? Ah Kong had orchids and a mango tree in his house as well! Too bad the green thumb wasn’t passed down to me 🙁
Can anyone just have “green fingers” to grow just about anything? I don’t have it but I admire Levi who can grow their own vegetable patch easily. What a great way to have the same in KFR surround by fresh air, good soil, promote Green environment and being vegetarian.
Levi, what a beautiful harvest!
Justin would be happy to see that.
As they say, world peace starts with making friend with your neighbor, so a green planet starts by making our garden and our plate green…
I am looking forward to help with the vegetable garden at KFR!
Everything starts from a seedling………this is a great way for something big in future for Kechara Forest Retreat.
I have always love organic farming, I used to have a little small herb gardens in my house in France, where rosemary, thyme, basil, lavander were grown. I love those fresh scent every morning and they give the dishes an extra twist with a handful of crushed leaves.
And the ex-grand mother in-law of mine taught me how to plant vegatables, she grew her own lettuce, pepper, potatoes and tomatoes in her garden. I still remember how happy I was to see the first little tomatoes growing on the vines..
Levi, you have a “green thumb” and I can see how well the vegetables are growing under your care…..
Imagine, no chemical, no pesticides, what a healthy way of living!!!
I don’t have a garden now but I am seriously thinking of planting some in pots in my balcony.
I love self growing organic vegetable patch. It is a great idea that in future KFR will have its own organic vegetable patch to supply to our own people residing there. When we can become more than self sufficient we can sell them to generate revenue for KFR. It is also a Go Green intiative to save our Planet earth and become healthy too.