I have had quite an adventure learning about asparagus over these past two months. I am absolutely fascinated by it! How can it grow 4-9 inches a day or sometimes even in a few hours? I was not aware of the growth rate of the plant when I first began harvesting and it completely took me by surprise! I had to start harvesting it two times a day because it grew so quickly and I wanted to cut the spears before they opened too much. For a short period of time, I struggled cutting the spears because I was not sure how they needed to look. It was not long before I fell into a healthy rhythm learning exactly which ones needed to be cut and which ones could afford to wait a couple more hours.
As the weeks went on, I formed a very personal relationship with the asparagus. I would notice which areas the asparagus grew the best in and which areas needed more love and attention. Regularly, I had conversations with them. I explained to them how I thought they were such a miraculous plant, and that I wanted to help them in any way I could to create a better environment for them. Day after day, harvesting asparagus became a peaceful meditation for me. Each morning I woke up and walked row by row, bending down every foot, and took my time to make sure I did not miss any hidden spears! That was a challenge! I started to look forward to harvesting it each day because I felt so energized and happy afterward. My excitement for it actually got to the point where I only saw asparagus when I closed my eyes to go to sleep at night.
Because of my time working at this farm I have a new appreciation for this plant. I look forward to going home and trying to grow it there! I will learn to be okay with the fact that it will not grow up to nine inches a day, and I will not be able to harvest it year-round.
I will always remember the day that one asparagus grew a foot in the afternoon! Submitted by Sarah Robertson, Intern

Nutritional factoids: Asparagus is very high in protein, low in carbs and calories, packed with vitamins C, Riboflavin, and Folic Acid. Asparagus have a potent antioxidant effect and also has anti viral and anti fungal properties. Asparagus supports kidney health, lowers blood pressure and stimulates hair growth. New research is confirming asparagus potent anti tumor effects.

On October 27, 2012, in the warm embrace of Lokahi Garden Sanctuary, our daughter Lila Rose Young Liebmann celebrated the love and commitment between her and Yumbel Marassi in a marriage ceremony on our land. Hosting a wedding here is a clear expression of the meaning and intention of this sanctuary as Lokahi means harmony and balance within and without. On this day, the beauty of this environment was augmented by rainbows, a spectacular sunset, a rising full moon and the fullness of the love abounding.

Ceremony and ritual are ways to promote well-being, healing, abundance and feelings of connection…to each other and the Sacred. Ritual and ceremony empower human beings and connect us to the divine within. We can be lifted beyond the mundane to experience other levels of being. When a ceremony is heartfelt and engaging, we find ourselves totally present in the moment. The mundane world slips away and we can experience a sense of magic.

That sense of magic and well-being was afoot at the wedding that took place here recently. The wedding ceremony was a resounding expression of love and the union of diverse cultures. The love, respect, admiration and enjoyment that the couple felt for each other was palpable.

With a view of the sun setting over the blue pacific ocean and the island of Maui , the wedding ceremony took place on the lawn next to the food and flower gardens. A luminous full moon rose in the east following the sunset.

Holding a wedding at this sanctuary, where Lokahi means balance and harmony within and without, supports the foundation of what every couple wants in their relationship. I am imagining Lokahi Garden Sanctuary as the perfect place for me and Richard (or any couple committed in love to each other) to renew our vows.

The benefits of attending wedding ceremonies are easily felt. We laugh, cry and feel our hearts swelling with joy and nostalgia. Performed by a couple, Dr. Barry Blum and his wife Gloria Blum, this ceremony was done in 5 languages…English, Spanish, Hebrew, Hawaiian and French. The bride, born in Hawaii with Jewish and American heritage and the groom, born in Argentina and living in the Patagonia of South American as well as having lived some time in France, wanted to honor the languages they speak, their families cultures and the countries in which they were raised.

It was a blessing and a joy for this sanctuary to host this ceremony filled with flowers, song, prayers, dancing, laughter, tears and LOVE. Congratulations to Lila and Yumbel.

I have been working with Sarah, one of our wwoofers, to develop a candied ginger product here on the farm.
Using the fresh organic ginger and fresh organic sugar cane juice both grown here on the farm we are in the process of making a value added product that has numerous health benefits.

Ginger rhizome is a wonderful root that promotes digestion, relieves the symptoms of nausea, promotes a healthy appetite, stimulates the immune system, and has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. It has traditionally been used to lower blood pressure, treat the symptoms of arithtis, relieve headaches, and treat tumors. For more detailed info please visit this website benefits of ginger

Fresh sugar cane juice is good for digestion, has a mild laxative effect, is super high in vitamins and minerals, and has been used to treat colds and flus. Being alkaline in nature, sugarcane juice helps the body in fighting against cancer, especially prostate and breast cancer. Sugar cane juice is considered to be one of the best sources of energy. Sugarcane is believed to strengthen stomach, kidneys, heart, eyes, brain, and sex organs. Sugarcane clears the urinary flow and also helps the kidney to perform its functions smoothly. For more detailed info please visit this website benefits of cane juice.

Sarah cleans and slices the fresh ginger rhizome and then boils it in the fresh cane juice. After the 30 minute simmering process the ginger is then dried in our food dehydrator for around 60 minutes.
We are now fine tuning the cooking process with the aim of producing a finished product that is delicious as well as having retained all the healing properties of the raw plants. Packaging and labeling are our next steps and then we will test our product out in the local farmers market. This is a fun project here at Lokahi. We hope to offer this island treat to our guests and clients when they visit us here at Lokahi Garden Sanctuary, the ultimate healing vacation.