The day of the wild flowers, June 14, 2015, Langeland, Denmark

Sunday, June 14, 2015 nature lovers from all over Denmark (and the whole of Scandinavia) attend trips where we experience and enjoy the wild flowers. The trip we attended took place in the small Langeland Manor: Skovsgård. Skovsgård is owned by The Danish Society for Nature Conservation. It is located like a pearl with fields and meadows out to Langeland belt. Its area of 390 ha includes fields, and wetlands. The farming practice is ecological, without chemical fertilizer and pesticides. De Vilde Blomsters Dag søndag den 14. juni 2015 foregår i naturen, dér hvor de vilde blomster vokser. Midt i det idylliske langelandske landskab, mellem de karakteristisk buttede "hatbakker", ligger Skovsgård som en perle med marker og enge helt ud til Langelandsbæltet. Det 390 ha store gods drives som et økologisk naturlandbrug med landbrug og skovbrug som vigtigste indtægtskilder.

Once again we experienced that it is the segment of the Danish population with grey hair who participates in such events.

This is how a wheat field can look like when no pesticides are used.

Not all the wheat plants had sufficient access to nitrates.

The cattle is of an old Danish breed, and they are more robust, and are eating more of the less nutritious plants also grooving on the meadows, thereby optimizing the biodiversity on the meadows.

A meadow with diverse flora.

Heath Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculate) Plettet Gøgeurt

Tower singing day at Long Island, June 6, 2015, Langeland, Denmark

Another great day at Langeland. When Langeland upgraded its electricity supply, a lot of towers, that formerly played a key role, became obsolete. To preserve this cultural heritage they were changed to art towers - "Denmark's longest art exhibition". The collaboration between the local artists and the Langeland Electricity supply has resulted in a unique art project that has gradually evolved since its start in 2003 (http://www.lef.dk/kunsttarne/de-langelandske-kunsttarne). Each year there is a singing day where different choirs performs one at each of the 12 towers. We were a few dedicated cyclist going by bike from one art tower to the next. The 12 Art Towers gives the viewer an artistic experience, while experiencing the lovely countryside scenery at close range. From North to South, from East to West, you move around in a cultural landscape, while you can experience art in the 12 towers. The towers are open all year round. The tour will always offer a new experience, which is different for the seasons and the weather.

Tower no. 1 Lohalsvej 5a

Artist: Keld Moseholm

Chorus: Taasinge Choir

Tower no. 2 Hesselbjergvej 18a

Artist: Laugesen Voigt

Chorus: Life and song

Tower no. 3 Botofte Strandvej 5a Chorus: The chorus

Artist: Heerwagen

Artist: Heerwagen

Tower no. 4: Korsebøllevej 2a

Artist:Henriette Lorentz

Artist:Henriette Lorentz

Singing: Kristine Eiler Ernst

Tower no. 5: Lismosevej 6a

Chorus: The flounder singers

Chorus: The flounder singers

Tower no. 6: Pederstrupvej 16a

Tower no. 6: Pederstrupvej 16a

Artist: Lars Calmar

Chorus: Rudkoebing singing circle

The cows would also like to participate in the fun

Tower No. 7 Skovsbovej 22a Chorus: Hospital Choir

Tower no. 8 Henne Tvedvej 58a

Chorus: Lindelse church choir

Tower no. 9 Haugbøllevej 12a

Chorus: Rudkoebing church choir

Long Islands Medicine gardens, 31 May 2015, Langeland, Denmark

Langelands (Long Islands) Medicine gardens are a very impressive voluntary initiative. The intention of the Medicine gardens is to build and develop a collection of medicinal plants, as well as to tell about medicinal plants and herbal medicine from a historic and scientific perspective. The aim is also to create a new tourist attraction on Langeland. May 31, 2015 the Medicine gardens association held a garden market to celebrate the initiation of Garden 3. The Medicine gardens association had invited local garden-enthusiasts to put up a stall with their products. The gardens tells plant history of medicine, and not least, they show the many medicinal plants that have been used and are still used to cure our many diseases and fragilities. There are 6 thematic gardens including: • The garden of the respiratory and circulatory system diseases with 178 different plants • The garden of diseases in the urinary and reproductive tract with 108 different plants The gardens are taken care of by dedicated volunteers from the association's membership. The Medicine gardens association has about 100 members.

Herbal medicine is the oldest form of healthcare known to mankind. Herbs had been used by all cultures throughout history. Much of the medicinal use of plants seems to have been developed through observations of wild animals, and by trial and error. As time went on, each tribe added the medicinal power of herbs in their area to its knowledgebase. They methodically collected information on herbs and developed well-defined herbal pharmacopoeias. Many drugs commonly used today are of herbal origin. Herbal medicine is a major component in all indigenous peoples’ traditional medicine.