Heilpflanzen von Ric’s Farm
Ein costaricanischer Garten Eden: Ric's Farm in Costa Rica. Organisch regenerative Landwirtschaft für höchste Vitalität und Qualität
With over 25 years of experience Ric Scalzo in the field of medicinal plants is now world-renowned. He stands for new, outstandingly advanced standards in the herbal medicine industry and dedicates his efforts to educational projects that teach children healthy and sustainable lifestyles. In 1987, after Ric became increasingly well-known and sought after as a doctor of medicinal herbal medicine in North Carolina, he founded Gaia Herbs. The company has about 300 acres of land where about 40 different medicinal plants are grown and then sold on the worldwide market. The term Gaia represents the interconnectedness of all being on Mother Earth, interdependence and co-evolution. From the beginning until today, Ric and his team align themselves with this mindset in all their activities.
In the United States, Ric is a renowned and one of the most valued herbalists and botanical researchers. In the name of co-creation; of learning, growing and laughing together, he networks leaders in the field of botany such as ethnobotanists, natural health practitioners and students. On a personal visit to Costa Rica, we immediately felt his openness, interest in the other person, and joy in sharing his knowledge. We came to know Ric as a gentle, thoughtful and sympathetic person. His openness and hospitality made us feel right at home. We have enjoyed the mutual exchange greatly and feel very enriched in various ways by his manner, his work and the considerable wisdom he has shared with us.
Already in his youth Ric recognized the significance of the co-evolution of the human and the plant world
Driven by curiosity and inquisitiveness to better understand the forces of nature and to study selected medicinal plants and their ideal habitat in more detail, he emigrated to evergreen, fertile Costa Rica after selling the Gaia Herbs company. Here, about 2.5 years ago, he purchased a 43-acre farm where 8 different medicinal plants are grown and researched organically and regeneratively. After years of formal study in naturopathic plant medicine, Ric wanted to get right into the action. He wanted to be in direct contact with nature and learn through his own observation about the organizing power of nature and the role of plants of its metabolism. He set out to understand the wondrous alchemical processes of his medicinal plants; how they synthesize the power and wisdom of nature into their very own structure. Even in his youth, Ric recognized the significance of the co-evolution of the human and plant worlds. His progressive understanding of the cosmos of plant lore also drove his personal, inner growth ever forward. Accordingly, Ric titles this process of research and development, driven by his inner curiosity, as a spiritual journey rather than a business with primarily economic intent.
Entdecke die Suyana (Heil-) Pflanzen von Ric’s Farm
Ashwagandha
Turmeric
Ginger
Mucuna
Passion flower
Begleitet uns auf eine Reise zu Ric’s Heilpflanzen-Plantage in Costa Rica. Selbstregulation der Natur und Balance zwischen Aktivität und Passivität
Starting from Uvita, located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, we drove a good half hour through jungle-like, incredibly fertile-green nature towards the inland. The region seemed very quiet and peaceful to us, withdrawn from the livelier coastal towns. We especially liked the very authentic character of the area; we met local residents and school children from time to time, but there was no trace of tourist infrastructure here. Arriving at Ric's Farm we were overwhelmed by the natural power and beauty of this place. The sap green fields are surrounded by mountains and dense jungle with huge trees from which vines climb down and a river meandering through. It touched us to see how connected Ric is to nature and his work, with what passion and wisdom he told us about his plants and their healing powers. With all our senses we felt the purity and vitality of this place and absorbed it deeply.
Organisch regenerative Landwirtschaft für höchste Vitalität und Qualität
Ric erklärte uns, dass die herausragende Biodiversität des Landes und die satte Niederschlagsrate dieser Region optimale Bedingungen für den Anbau seiner Heilpflanzen bieten. Alle wichtigen Indikatoren für den Anbau seien hier von Beginn an erfüllt gewesen, ausgenommen der anaeroben Bodenstruktur, die bis heute viel Aufmerksamkeit bedarf. Dies ließ Ric jedoch nie daran zweifeln, seine Farm wahrhaftig regenerativ und zu einem fruchtbaren Ort machen zu können. Der Großteil der Bemühungen von Ric und seinem Team gelten somit der Umsetzung regenerativer Landwirtschaftspraktiken, bei welcher der Regeneration des Bodens (des Bodenlebens und der Biodiversität) ein zentraler Stellenwert eingeräumt wird. Durch starken Regenfall kommt es oftmals zu einer Verdichtung des Bodens, was wiederum Erosionen zur Folge haben kann, bei denen wichtige Mikroorganismen aus dem Boden herausgewaschen und abgetragen werden. Somit haben es sich Ric und sein Team zum Ziel gemacht, den Boden aufzulockern und seine Struktur zu verbessern, was wiederum den Mikroorganismen des Bodens zugutekommt.
Rics Art der Landwirtschaft ist somit weit mehr als organisch; es geht ihm darum, die Integrität des Bodens zu etablieren und ihn auf einen Stand der Vitalität zu bringen, den es zuvor nicht gegeben hat. Gemeinsam mit seinem Team experimentiert und forscht er daran, wie die Regeneration des Bodens und die Reparatur dessen mikrobiologischer Struktur die Integrität einer Pflanze durch die Biochemie der Nährstoffe, die sie aufnimmt, verbessern kann.
Um das Bodenleben zu aktivieren und die Stabilität des Bodens zu gewährleisten, wird der Boden bei regenerativer Landwirtschaft mit organisch gebundenem Kohlenstoff (Humus) angereichert, indem dieser auf die Erdoberfläche aufgetragen wird.
Somit werden dem Boden verschiedene wertvolle Mikroorganismen bereitgestellt, welche die essentiellen Bakterienkulturen im Boden unterstützen. Zwar ist dieses Vorgehen der Bodenanreicherung ein langer und aufwendiger Prozess, doch er zahlt sich aus. Eine weitere Besonderheit der regenerativen Landwirtschaft ist, dass der Boden ganzjährig bepflanzt wird, vor allem durch Untersaaten oder Zwischenfrüchte, die dann durch die sogenannte Flächenrotte flach in den Boden eingearbeitet werden. Ziel ist es dabei, Nährstoffverluste durch beispielsweise Nitratauswaschungen zu vermindern, Unkräuter zu unterdrücken und eine bessere Pflanzengesundheit zu erzielen, ohne dabei auf Pflanzenschutzmittel zurückzugreifen. Weiterhin wird der Boden durch einen sogenannten Komposttee angereichert; eine Mischung aus Kompost mit warmer Melasse und Wasser, welche die Vermehrung der enthaltenen Mikroorganismen ermöglicht. Da eine Auflockerung des Bodens mittels technischer Hilfsmittel wie einem Pflug das Bodengefüge zerstören und den Humusaufbau dämmen würde, haben sich Ric und sein Team gegen den Einsatz solcher Instrumente entschieden. Alle Bemühungen zielen darauf ab, einen Zustand zu erreichen, in dem das Food-Web des Bodens (hierzu zählen alle Pilze, Bakterien, Nematoden, Protozoen, Arthropoden) in Balance ist, der Boden sich selbst regulieren kann und er den Pflanzen eine hohes Maß an wichtigen Nährstoffen zur Verfügung stellt. Ist ein solcher Zustand erreicht, ist der Boden widerstandsfähiger gegenüber externen Einflüssen wie dem Klima, Schädlingen und Unkräutern. Eine Imbalance in der mikrobiologischen Bodenstruktur ist hingegen in den meisten Fällen auf ein unzureichendes Bodenmanagement zurückzuführen.
‘Our soils are way out of balance, generally around the world. And we got to change this.’ – Ric Scalzos
Further, Ric clarifies the specificity of the role of fungi in the soil, dubbing them 'magical elements'. Having a healthy population of fungi in the soil, he says, enables some plants to develop an amino acid profile that can support the body in a variety of ways and promote human longevity. However, most plants in the world lack the necessary conditions to do this.
Die Natur schöpft immer aus der Ruhe heraus, einen Bewusstseinszustand, in dem alle potenziellen Ausdrucksformen bereits enthalten sind.
A global movement of positive change
Ric believes that everything that influences the body eventually influences the mind. He describes it with the metaphor of a light poster drawing our body and mind: only when all our lights are turned on and the connection points in our poster are activated, are we complete and with a clear transmission of information. All his medicinal plants figuratively offer the potential to make all the lights on our poster shine brightly (again).
Even if criteria of sustainability and quality are becoming more and more conscious to many people, Ric still sees a lot of work to be done. Educational measures are needed to make people aware of the potential of medicinal plants and to sensitize them to a healthy and mindful lifestyle. At the same time, he suggests that he is concerned with much more than a product or education alone. He strives for a holistic movement that creates new perspectives, interests, and pathways, generates animating conversations, and brings about a whole new level of narratives and standards of living.
Everything that influences the body also influences the mind
Ric's selection of medicinal plants is based on several factors. Through his previous business, he has already gained a lot of experience in working with these species. Furthermore, the climate in Costa Rica offers ideal climatic conditions for their cultivation. A third major driver is the strong demand, both from various large companies in the U.S. and from end users worldwide. While the homelands of these medicinal plants are originally in India and China, the quality of products from these areas is often very low. While Ric stands for quality and integrity in his organic regenerative growing methods, he wants to establish new standards in this market and create a 'movement of positive change' for all humanity.
‘How can we do what we do and begin to establish a movement around change, around positive change for the world and for all of us? And you know we have to do it, right? No one else is gonna do it, to restore the earth, restore the way we use the forces of our planet and use it in harmony with nature. It is really up to us, to have ambition, to have an impact.’ – Ric Scalzos
"Restore the earth, restore the way we use the forces of our planet and use it in harmony with nature"
– Ric Scalzos