Friends -
Here's a little 'scientific
information' to bolster the use of
celestial calendars in plant work. It's important information for
anyone who wants to maximize the essential oils in their herbs and
"increase the quality of (botanical) products and increase the
efficiency of farming and management practices."
HerbalGram. 2010;85:50-56 American Botanical Council (should be on
the shelf at Borders of Barnes et Noble)
Lunar Influence: Understanding Chemical Variation and Seasonal
Impacts on Botanicals
By Ian B. Cole and Michael J. Balick, PhD
Conclusions drawn from the article that above:
>Through many generations, traditional cultures have learned that
>harvest practices, specifically the time of harvest, can greatly
>impact the characteristics and qualities of plant products. Wood is
>harvested at different times depending on if it is a "soft" or
>"hard" wood, and depending on if it is destined
to become a chimney,
>cheese box, or a load-bearing beam for a building. Similarly,
>farmers have reported the best times to plant seeds, weed gardens,
>and harvest crops. These practices increase the quality of products
>and increase the efficiency of farming and management practices.
>In the modern world of botanical products research and the quest to
>develop and improve plant-based medicines, numerous challenges
>exist. Inconsistent phytochemical profiles and commercial
>agriculture-based management practices of botanicals can sometimes
>make it difficult to prove efficacy in clinical trials and develop
>new commercial products. Traditional cultures often paid special
>attention to the lunar phase when harvesting and planting crops, but
>these practices have not been effectively applied to modern
>agriculture or critically examined by contemporary
scientific
>research. With modern chemical tools and guidance from ancient
>wisdom, researchers could examine and optimize harvest practices for
>high quality botanical products.
It's what we've known all along, but here is a scientific journal
article that substantiates much of our observation. And another
explanation of why wildcrafted herbs are often more effective than
garden raised herbs. _AB
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