September 21. LOCAL IS LEKKER and TONI’S SPEKBOOM CAMPAIGN. (From BECOMING ECO-FRIENDLY FAMILIES)

Indigenous trees and shrubs, suited to the particular environment can save a lot of water, fight pollution and are also sometimes sources of healthy nutrients. Every country has them and “local is lekker” means local is nice.

I was introduced to the spekboom by our Cape Town Laudato Si community and adopted it too. 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 this time I had gone further. Having researched and using recipes, which we gave out, 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.

These are some of its benefits. Spekboom plants grow everywhere but extensively in the dry Eastern Cape part of South Africa. They are popular with  animals because of their water content. The plant is evergreen, easy to grow and is water wise and drought resistant. It has medical purposes for skin ailments, stings, bites and sore throats. It is one of more than 2000 edible indigenous plants growing wild that was known to local people, but this sadly appears to be forgotten. A special blessing for the environment is the spekboom’s 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. Viva Proudly South African!   PS for some spekboom recipes contact me, Toni.

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.  The Church wishes with humility and compassion to reach out to families and to help each family to discover the best way to overcome any obstacles it encounters.  AL 200. 

Eco-tip and prayer:  Learn more about edible plants e.g. the spekboom or others, join a food gardening programme, start to grow your own vegetables and compost food waste. Take any action to build healthy soil. Pray, Thank you God for the food we can grow and the food we can share.  Glory be to the Father