Margaret Hess

I am delighted to hear Sepp the Great will be presenting in Canada. Please give info re dates and where near Gimli this will happen. I would gladly walk from Ontario to hear his wisdom. Here, near Thunder Bay, the soil definitely needs building. Thanks.

I haven't used shampoo or soap for over 5 years. I use baking soda about 1 tablespoon to a cup of water for hair washing and rinse with vinegar at the same proportions with lots of plain water rinsing in between and after. It took a month or so for my scalp to get used to the change and oil production to level out. If the ends of my hair were fly away or dry from being in the sun I used to use a little Weleda hair oil - basically rosemary oil - a few drops on my hands stroked onto the hair ends and bushed in. Later I started using shea butter on my hands and wiped them on fly away hair ends. Works great so now I use just one product.

I use a less strong baking soda and water solution for showering. Then I started using BS for dish washing and laundry with a water and vinegar rinse - the amount depends on how hard your water is. All of this works great and avoids chemicals and purchasing bs at a bulk store makes it very inexpensive. I could make my own vinegar with apple or any fruit juice although I have been using white vinegar. But where is my baking soda mine?

I have long hair and usually only wash it once a week when my scalp starts to feel a little itchy or the oil starts to smell a bit off. I like a fresh feeling head of hair and it is drying to wash long hair too often.

In this hot climate I shower everyday or even more if I've been working in the garden and then need to go out. When I lived in a cold northern climate I often showered much less often because my skin got dried out but I did wash pits, privates and feet every night. I think the amount of showering or bathing you do all depends on your climate and the work you do. And there is the issue of saving water. It is amazing how well you can wash with a squirt bottle or pitcher and a gallon of water.

As far as bacteria are concerned they are well washed off with strong solution of baking soda and water and a rinse with vinegar and water. There are many studies of how well vinegar kills bacteria and virus. So I just keep these 2 cleaners handy and they could be in squirt bottles at your sinks or the toilet to use like a bidet. This is true for farm work too. Why grow organic veggies or dairy and then use chemicals on your hands?

Transdermal medicine - use of patches and just skin application of medicines or herbs - should remind us that whatever we put on our skin needs to be something we would eat because our skin absorbs it just the same.

Good to hear from you Dale. I want to visit the Aldo Leopold Center in August or Sept and perhaps that can be an occasion to meet or at least we can communicate more directly once I am on the ground in WI. I will look you up. My profile has my email address. Good day to you.

Hi from central Brazil. I will be visiting family near Wausau, WI in August and September. Would love to meet permies in the area. Am considering returning to WI or as close to WI as possible in ON (Thunder Bay, Thessalon?). Would love to visit a wofati house and agroforestry projects. Looking for cooperative living on chemical free farm. Possible purchase of toxin free cottage with garden area or build a wofati. Please see my profile for more info. And do email - would love to explore and make plans.