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Zeliščar Milan Kalan.
Herbalist Milan Kalan.
Gospod Kalan nadaljuje o tem, kako je potekala priprava zemlje
na novo kulturo, kako sta z ženo preverjala, kaj je na tem
področju raslo pred letom, petimi, desetimi leti. Trava. Nihče
je ni ne gnojil ne zastrupljal s pesticidi. Dodobra sta preučila
postopke priprave zelišč. Sušilnice, ki bi posušila zelišča, kot
sta sama hotela, nista uspela dobiti. Zato jo je Milan izdelal sam.
Pripravila sta vse potrebno in »ročna proizvodnja« se je začela.
Vsako bilko sta utrgala ročno. Na začetku sta bila sama, potem
pa so jima na pomoč priskočili tudi domačini. Sedaj tu odlično
uspevajo ameriški slamnik, artičoka, izop, pegasti badelj,
poprova meta, šentjanževka … Predolgo je naštevati vsa zelišča,
ki jih pridelujejo in predelajo v čaje, tinkture ali olja.
Do plantaže vodi kolovoz. Resnično nikjer ni videti nič drugega
kot le zelišča in tam na robu nekaj samorodne trte. Plantaža,
ali bolje, kos posebnega polja, pa me navduši. Sonce ima tukaj
velik pomen, vendar le za rast, ne pa za sušenje. Zelišča se
morajo posušiti v sušilnici.
Vikica in Milan Kalan živita za in z vsakim cvetom! Ko Milana
vprašam, kje dobi gnojilo, se le nasmehne: »Kako pa so živeli
ljudje v davnini Kolobarimo na tem majhnem prostoru, torej
rastline preseljujemo. Ko odcvetijo, jih za prihodnje leto
podkopljemo, rastlina sama poskrbi zase in naslednje leto
zopet podari obilno žetev. Nobenega škropiva, nobenega
gnojila. Včasih je kmet preživel brez traktorja, brez gnojil,
brez avtomobilov, z enim hektarjem zemlje … in ni bilo teka
za bogastvom. Danes ima kmet najmanj deset hektarov, dva
avtomobila, vso kmetijsko mehanizacijo, hodi na sejme, gleda
televizijo, bere o napredku, gnoji, zastruplja svojo zemljo s
pesticidi, pa vendar nima več denarja, še manj časa. Bogastva
tudi včasih ni bilo, bilo pa je zdravje in neprimerno več
družinskega razumevanja. Sedaj bi radi pripomogli k dobremu
počutju in zdravju, saj drugega ne moremo zagotavljati. Poglejte,
rožice me še danes čakajo, da jih naberem in odpeljem na
»obiranje« in sušenje.« Razumela sem, da je čas, da zapustim
tale zlati košček slovenske zemlje in da zaželim Vikici in Milanu
Kalanu še veliko uspeha in dobro letino.
Na poljih Zeliščne kmetije Kalan v Kalobju ekološko
pridelujejo okoli 50 vrst zdravilnih rastlin. V zimskih
mesecih organizirajo delavnice pridelave, uporabe, priprave
in prodaje zelišč. V poletnih mesecih pa je možno ob
predhodni najavi kmetijo tudi obiskati in si ogledati zeliščni
vrt s 140 različnimi vrstami, razstavo suhih zelišč, sušilnico
in eno od polj, degustirati zeliščni čaj in zeliščni namaz.
Za vsakršna vprašanja v zvezi z zelišči je na voljo
telefonska številka 041 311 884
ali elektronski naslov zelisca@siol.net.
Organic herb farm Kalan at Kalobje grows
approximately 50 different types of medicinal
herbs. In winter they also hold workshops on herb
growing, processing, selling and use. All visits are by
appointment only. In summer you can take a tour of
the garden featuring 140 different herbs, a dry herbs
exhibit, the drying plant and one of the fields, take a sip
of herbal tea and sample homemade herbal spreads.
For all herb-related information please
phone 041 311 884 or send
an email with your questions to zelisca@siol.net
Mr Kalan goes on to tell me about preparing the soil for the new
culture and the research he and Vikica had done into the crops
grown there one, five, ten years ago. Grass. Nobody had fertilised
it or poisoned it with pesticides. They studied in great detail the
steps and methods involved in herb processing. Unable to find
a herb drying plant that would meet their specifications, Milan
eventually built one himself. Eventually they had got everything they
needed and “production” got underway. Every plant was picked by
hand. At first it was just the two of them; later on, locals pitched in
as well. Today, their plantation is thick with echinacea, artichoke,
hyssop, milk thistle, peppermint, St John’s wort… it would take
far too long to name all the herbs grown and processed into teas,
tinctures or oils.
A country lane leads to the plantation. There is nothing there
but herbs and, along the edge, some self-sown vine. The herb
plantation, however, is simply delightful. Sun is very important,
however only for growth, not for drying. Herbs must be dried
in a drying plant.
Vikica in Milan Kalan live for and with every blossom! When I
enquire about fertiliser, Milan just smiles at me. ‘How do you think
people lived in the olden days We rotate crops in this tiny area,
meaning we relocate plants. Every year, once they have bloomed,
we sap them. The plant looks after itself and, come next year, once
again yields an abundant harvest. No spraying, no fertiliser. In the
olden times a farmer made do without a tractor, without fertiliser,
without a car, tilling a single hectare of land…there was no chasing
riches either. Nowadays a farmer has a minimum of ten hectares,
two cars, all available farm machinery, he goes to fairs, watches
TV, reads about progress, fertilises and poisons his land with
pesticides, and yet has no more money to show for it, and even less
time than before. In the past people weren’t rich either, but they
were healthier and there was a great deal more family harmony.
What we are trying to do here is promote health and well-being,
which is just about all we can do anyway. Look, the flowers are
waiting for me to come and harvest them and then take them to be
picked and dried.’ I take that as my cue to leave this golden patch
of the Slovenian soil and to wish Vikica and Milan Kalan all the best
and a good harvest.
Revija Salon Slovenija Magazine