September 19.  LOCAL IS LEKKER. “MAKE MOTHER NATURE YOUR FOOD GARDEN.”   (From Becoming Eco-Friendly Families) Indigenous trees and shrubs, suited to the particular environment can save a lot of water, fight pollution and be sources of nutrients and medicinal help. Promoting their commercial cultivation can be beneficial to food security.  

TONI’S CAMPAIGN WITH SPEKBOOM AND EDIBLE INDIGENOUS PLANTS.  My food security campaign began when I was introduced to the spekboom by our Cape Town Laudato Si’ community. September 2 2023, Day 2 of the SEASON OF CREATION was the occasion of the Spring Breakfast at our retirement village. In 2022 I had promoted the health and environmental benefits of the edible spekboom and in 2023 I had gone further. Having researched and using recipes, which we gave out at the breakfast, we made spekboom jam and a breakfast smoothy,  with the spekboom leaves, blueberry fruit and yoghurt. Leaves can also be added to salads and cooked in chutneys and pickles and jams.

These are some of its benefits: Spekboom plants grow everywhere but extensively in the dry Eastern Cape in South Africa where they are popular with animals because of their water content and are being promoted commercially even for reforestation. It is evergreen, easy to grow, water-wise and drought resistant. It has medicinal benefits, is high in Vitamin C, used for skin ailments, stings, bites and sore throats. One of more than 2000 edible indigenous plants growing wild that were known to indigenous people, but are all becoming forgotten or rejected by younger generations who look down on such traditional foods. A special blessing for the environment is its ability to absorb larger quantities of carbon dioxide than usual, e.g. 100 times more than e.g. a fir tree of the same size.  

There are many more edible indigenous plants, some are spurned, described as weeds.  Morogo. (amaranth) a wild spinach, in different versions is traditional but still popularly cooked and eaten.  It has highly nutritious leaves and seeds.  Using the slogan  “Make Mother Nature your Food garden” invites us to promote the use of indigenous freely available plants, especially in school food gardens and also around homesteads. They can fight poverty and increase food security, especially if leaves are dried or frozen and large amounts of seeds also kept for constant use.

Reflect, share, act. Scripture: “A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some feel along the path and was trodden under foot and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock, some among thorns, some on good soil. Luke 8:4-15. Pope Francis:  It is important that people experience the gospel of the family as a joy that fills hearts and lives because in Christ we have been set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness.  As in the parable of the sower we are called to help sow seeds, the rest is God’s work.  it is essential to show special care for indigenous communities.   They are not merely one minority among others, but should be the principal dialogue partners in projects affecting their land.   Land is not a commodity for them but a gift from God and from their ancestors who rest there, a sacred space which maintains their identity and values. When they remain there their care is best. LS    Eco-tip and prayer:  Learn more about edible plants e.g. the spekboom, amaranth/marog  and join a food gardening programme, grow your own vegetables and compost food waste. Take action to build healthy soil.  Thank you God for the food we can grow and the food we can share. 

DAILY FAMILY PRAYER from Season of Creation 2026.  May God our Father, who brought water from a rock, sustain us in the desert. May Christ our Lord, who is Living Water, refresh us for the work of restoration.  May the Holy Spirit carry us on currents of grace until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amen. St Francis guide and inspire us on our way.