Who is Alexander Von Humboldt?
And why is Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery having a celebration in his honor this Saturday?
Every now and then a book turns your head around and makes you wonder, “Why did I not know this?” For Rick Williams, owner of Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery in Graton, that book was The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World by Andrea Wulf, published in 2015. Interestingly, in some editions, the book carried a different subtitle: “The Adventures of Alexander Von Humboldt, Lost Hero of Science.”
It is in the second spirit—restoring a lost hero to his rightful place of honor—that Williams has declared this coming Saturday, Sept.13, as the 1st Annual Alexander Von Humboldt Day at Harmony.
The Harmony Farm Supply website puts it this way:
Over 200 years ago, Alexander Von Humboldt’s observations changed the paradigm of how we view the natural world on Earth just like Einstein changed how we view the universe. Take a moment and imagine a world 200 years from now, where less than 1% of people know the name of Albert Einstein, or who he was, or his contributions to physics. Hard to believe, yet that is the equivalent of where we are today with regard to the one man who, over 200 years ago, literally changed our understanding of the natural world. A man whose audience was sought after by the greatest minds of the early 19th century. A man who inspired Darwin, encouraged Thoreau, collaborated with Emerson, and was a close friend to Goethe. A man whose council was sought after by Thomas Jefferson and all the kings of Europe. A man whose name was known by all—to the degree that there are more places and living things named after him than any other person. And yet, less than 1% of people know of him. We at Harmony are determined to change that!
Born in Berlin on Sept. 14, 1769, Alexander von Humboldt was a Prussian naturalist, explorer, and geographer known for his groundbreaking scientific expeditions through Latin America in the early 19th century. He pioneered the concept of nature as an interconnected system, laying the foundation for fields like ecology and biogeography. His work helped popularize a holistic view of the natural world.
“Everybody I turned on to this book, they just start reading and they go, ‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’” Williams said of The Invention of Nature, “which is exactly what I was doing when I read it. Like, why is it…how is it…that this guy, he did all this, and nobody knows about him?”
Most of Von Humboldt’s expeditions were in South America, but he also visited the United States in 1804, where Jefferson hailed him as “the most scientific man of the age.”
“There are over 1,600 places worldwide named after Von Humbolt,” Williams said, including Humboldt County to the north of us.
“And the state of Nevada was almost named Humboldt,” Williams continued. (Nevada’s Humboldt County and the Humboldt River were named by explorer John C. Fremont in honor of Von Humboldt.)
What most endeared Von Humboldt to Williams, however, were his prescient environmental observations. “The most valuable thing—that we’re still dealing with today—is that he discovered and brought to world attention the observation that deforestation and our impact on the land is having an impact on and changing the climate and if this continues, it’s going to affect climate worldwide and have an impact on future generations.”
Williams said he’s been thinking of doing an Alexander Von Humboldt Day celebration ever since he read The Invention of Nature, but he put it on the back burner when COVID hit.
“Then the idea resurfaced,” he said. “The objective of Alexander Von Humboldt Day is to bring attention to him and elevate his status and people's awareness of him and to restore him to his rightful position in human history.”
What’s happening at the event?
The kind of events you’ll see at Alexander Von Humboldt Day are similar to the type of gardening and environmental workshops you’re used to seeing at Harmony’s traditional Customer Appreciation Days, but this time they’ll have a Von Humboldt twist.
“The speakers have been instructed that they need to include Alexander Von Humboldt in their topic to explain his impact on what they presently are doing, and how what he learned and what he brought to the world influences what they're doing today,” Williams said.
Here’s the line-up:
10 am – 11 am: Bring in the Bugs: Gardening for Beneficial Insects and Pollinators—The Essential Role of Bugs. Did you know that over 95% of the bugs we see in our gardens are good bugs? Join Suzanne Bontempo for an enlightening program that explores the crucial role of bugs in the garden ecosystem. This workshop is designed for gardeners, nature enthusiasts, and anyone interested in understanding the benefits that insects bring to our gardens. Discover how these tiny creatures contribute to a thriving environment and learn why they are essential partners in gardening. Bontempo will share who the pollination powerhouses are, how beneficial insects manage pests naturally, and simple solutions for growing a balanced ecosystem.
11 am – 12 pm: Small Scale, Intensive, Regenerative Farming for YOU. Elizabeth Kaiser from Singing Frogs Farm will talk about intensive, no-till farming and gardening that can be relatable to any scale. Learn to increase your soil health, the health of your plants and the produce coming to you. She’ll discuss principles of regenerative farming and examples of how it is implemented on their farm just four miles from Harmony Farm Supply and how that’s translatable to you.
12 pm – 1 pm: FELCO Pruner Maintenance Workshop. A representative from FELCO will be here to teach you how to maintain your pruners. Learn the proper way to clean, sharpen and repair your pruners to keep them working in top shape. Bring your personal FELCO pruners as this is a hands-on class. All maintenance parts will be available for pre-purchase inside the store.
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Roadmap to Sustainable Gardening. Mark Ervin, author of Cultivating Green: A Gardener’s Guide to Sustainable Living, will share his extensive knowledge, offering readers a roadmap to sustainable gardening, community impact, and a greener way of life. Mark’s journey has taken him from the boardroom to the garden, where he has discovered the profound connection between business acumen and the nurturing of the natural world. His life’s work serves as a bridge between the corporate world and the soil, demonstrating that responsible stewardship of our environment can coexist with entrepreneurship.
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm: Healthy Soil, Healthy Garden with Randy Ritchie. Growing healthy soil is the key component in real Organic Gardening. This workshop walks gardeners through how to grow healthy soil, why that benefits everything in the garden and what products, amendments and protocols are best to be used in safe, healthy organic gardening and landscaping.”
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Regenerative Landscaping: Landscapes that Heal Ecosystems. Landscape design and implementation can be a force to heal and repair ecosystems. In the age of climate change and an uncertain economy, landscapes provide a plethora of solutions to sink carbon, develop water resilience, grow food, and generate habitat for all life. Learn how to use the regenerative design process with award-winning author and landscape contractor, Erik Ohlsen of Permaculture Artisans and The Permaculture Skills Center.
In addition to these workshops, there will be games, giveaways and prizes. Williams said there will be several books about Von Humboldt for sale at the event, including The Invention of Nature.
Learn more about Alexander Von Humbolt Day at https://harmonyfarm.com/alexander-von-humboldt-day/.
