Cosmic Journal #006

Planting Recommendations for Late Summer

“NEW-received, in mystery,
thinking spins a history,
from what the senses first surmised
and my soul then inwardized*
and placed in memory’s bower:
let me fortify this power,
and fashion in myself a mirror
to furnish my soul (the seer),
with the chance to see herself.”

• From Rudolf Steiner’s The Calendar of the Soul, nineteenth week [August 11-19], trans. Max Leyf

Greetings fellow farmers, gardeners, land stewards, and caretakers of the cosmos!

Image: hanging 503 chamomile sausages over summer

The pace of summer begins to slow as we move past the halfway mark between the Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox. The following astrological observations offer suggestions that may be helpful for planning activities with the land during this time. While these suggestions can serve as general guidance, be sure to consider your own climate and weather patterns first and foremost, and adapt according to local conditions.

* Today is Friday, August 11, and it’s 9 o’clock in the morning.

* According to the sidereal zodiac, the Sun transitions from Cancer into Leo today, where it will remain through September 1.

* The Moon transitions from ascending to descending in the northern hemisphere tomorrow, August 12, and will continue descending through August 25. The descending Moon, in general, helps plants take root after transplanting. If you are in the southern hemisphere where the Moon will be ascending, it is generally a better time for sowing and harvesting. 

* The Moon is currently in Taurus until 5 PM this afternoon. Plant and tend root crops during this Earth sign. 

* The Moon will then transition into Gemini around 8 PM this evening, where it will remain until the midnight hour on Sunday, August 13. In general, it is recommended to refrain from working the land during the three hour window in which the Moon is transitioning from one sign to another (5 PM - 8 PM in this case). Once the transition into Gemini is complete, plant and tend flowering crops and herbs during this Air sign.

* These Flower days (Saturday August 12 and Sunday August 13) make for excellent opportunities to apply BD 501 Horn Silica to the land and garden. It is recommended to stir 501 along with the rising sun and apply it as a foliar spray during the morning hours.

* Then, the Moon will transition from Gemini into Cancer around 4 AM on Monday morning, August 14, where it will remain through 7 PM on Tuesday August 15. Plant and tend leafy crops and herbs during this Water sign.

* Thereafter, the Moon transitions into Leo around 11 PM on Tuesday August 15, where it will remain until 7 PM on Friday August 18. Plant and tend fruiting crops during this Fire sign.

* With the New Moon occurring on Wednesday, August 16, the following morning (Thursday August 17) makes for an ideal occasion to apply BD 501 Horn Silica to the land and garden, encouraging the photosynthetic and reproductive forces in plants to align with the growth of the waxing Moon as it begins a new cycle.

* From about 10 PM on Friday August 18 through 1 PM on Tuesday August 22, the Moon will then be moving through Virgo. Plant and tend root crops during this Earth sign. Moreover, these Root days also present favorable opportunities to apply BD 500 Horn Manure to the land and garden. It is recommended to stir BD 500 with the setting sun and apply it to the soil during the evening hours. 

* We will, however, experience the Moon’s descending node from around 10 AM until 4 PM on Monday August 21, during which time it is recommended to refrain from working the land.

* Though it seems early, this is the time to start planning fall cover crops. As the Earth has exhaled with the summer months, it is poised to inhale. Cover crops sown with the Sun in Virgo (beginning September 1) tend to root better and build more biomass, so now is the time to plan for the coming month!

Image: making Barrel Compound at JPI

Ehrenfried Pfeiffer would try to bury his horns for 500 horn manure as close to the autumn equinox as possible, which we are rapidly approaching! Early burial allows the horns to be part of the long absorptive process in the soil and prepares them for healthy overwintering. Ideal cow manure for making 500 is from cows fed good haylage. It is well-formed, holds its shape, and grows out of the late summer dryness as we move into early autumn. 

Image: crushing quartz silica for 501 horn silica

Thank you for your care and effort as we work together to heal the Earth in conscious cooperation with the cosmos.  🥳

Edit: it was mistakenly stated that the Sun would stay in Leo until October 1. It stays in Leo until September 1.