So there I was yanking out one of those pesky bunches of crabgrass, the kind that seem to have a mind of their own. It decided to let go, and I got a clump of dirt right in the mouth. Naturally I thought “To avoid eating dirt, be sure to keep your mouth shut when you weed.” Makes sense, right? Well, not so fast.
This is the precious soil that we’ve been working so hard to restore to health for the past four plus years. It’s finally starting to look alive, teeming with those healthy little micro-creatures. If you get a chance, read this Thriving Learning Communities post “Good Tilth” – that says it all. Soil-building – we’re into that.
Anyway, I started to think about it and I remembered the trivia how children eat two pounds of dirt before they are two years old…and how kids who grow up on the farm have better immune systems than city kids, etc. A quick Google search later, it turns out that there are entire cultures where people eat particular types of clay (not Play-Doh, although those two year olds are into that, too!).
The good news is that clay goes around collecting up toxins and free radicals, the bad guys that wreak havoc with the innards. But, pay attention because there are apparently a couple of drawbacks. First one is constipation – don’t eat too much dirt. And the second negative is that people tend to frown upon dirt-eating.
The bottom line is that if you go around telling people that you eat dirt, they will probably “unfriend” you on FB. Just be prepared…and keep your mouth shut.
Happy Homesteading,
T.
