Thursday, March 20, 2008

Planting, planting, planting!


My sister's Mother-In-Law gave me some seeds that she brought back from Riga, Latvia. I've been really excited about seeing how they grow, and I started them last week. I'm not sure how they will do down here in the South, Riga has a very different climate, but I love a good experiment. Here they are about 2 weeks after planting:




My neice planted some sunflower seeds last year, and they came up as MAMMOTH sunflowers. My girls have been totally excited about the prospect of big sunflowers again. A few weeks ago, one of their teachers did a project with seeds, and some of the kids got sunflower seeds. I was glad one was mine! Here are her 2 sunflower plants today.

I'm doing a correspondance course with Susun Weed called "Green Allies". I chose Red Clover for my ally, and I have started some seeds in a small bed in my yard.


Day One:


Day Seven:



And I'm planning a mint garden this year. Peppermint, Spearmint, and Lemon Balm. I got my seeds yesterday from Horizon, and I'll be starting those this weekend.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Spring Planting!

Spring has just about sprung here in the Deep South, and I'm so excited to get my garden going! Last year, my sister and I started out first garden. My father tilled up an area next to his gardens in his *big* field and was our expert "go to man" for gardening. At first he acted all cool about it, like it was just my sister and I's garden- he'd call and tell us we needed to come water it or weed it or whatnot. But as the season progressed, he got as excited as we did. He called it "our" garden (as in ALL of us ;)) and rode his lawnmower down EVERY day to look things over, pull any random weeds, and when it came time for harvest, to pick ripe vegetables. Our cup runneth over in yellow squash, zucchini, and tomatoes.

But my father's passion was the Green Beans. He made a HUGE production every year when his beans were ready and canned thousands of cans of them over the years. "PawPaw's Green Beans" were always a family favorite. Last year, it was our year for him to teach us the ins out outs of canning.

Just before the big bean harvest and canning, my father died.

So my garden this year is very important to me in so many ways. I believe in sustainability, and I've been working towards it as much as I can with my family. Growing our own food is a huge part of that. I believe in organics, but the price makes it somewhat difficult for my tiny budget. I think a garden is an excellent learning tool for children. But this year, most of all, I want to honor my Dad.

Last weekend, my sister tilled up one of his little beds, and we planted spinach, onions, and lettuce.

I'm going to get a little philosophical here, but here goes.... I believe that when you die your spirit joins the great everything. The everything in all of us. And because my father was so into his gardening, I think a lot of his energy is still in that soil. So for me, it HAS to be cultivated.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

An article by my BFF ;)

Herbal Teas for Better Health by Leanne Holcomb

Herbal teas, as well as being pleasurable to drink, can be used as a preventative measure. If drunk regularly, they can help to tone and balance the body. The transition to herbal tea (from your regular caffeinated tea or coffee) can be gradual. Lemon balm, lemon thyme, lemon verbena, apple mint, and peppermint all make incredibly delicious teas and also add lovely flavor to otherwise less than pleasant herbal preparations. Try to drink 3 cups of herbal tea every day, after meals (to prevent interference with gastric juices and hinder proper digestion). Sweeten your herbal tea with honey or sugar if you like. A slice of lemon or orange is another tasty addition. Here are a few common herbs for tea preparations, with associated indications.

Basil Leaves: Soothing cleansing, diarrhea, poor digestion.

Calendula: Indigestion, skin troubles.

Catnip Leaves: Headaches, restlessness, period pains, hyperactive children.

Chamomile Flowers*: Headaches, nervousness, & indigestion.

Chickweed*: Coughs, colds, weight problems.

Dandelion Leaves & Root*: Liver & kidney troubles, fluid retention, constipation.

Elder Flower: Chills, fever.

Fenugreek Seeds*: Cleansing, soothing, excess catarrh, increase breast milk supply.

Lavender Flowers*: Headache, nervousness.

Lemon Balm Leaves: Headache, insomnia, melancholy.

Lemon Grass: Skin troubles, high in vitamin A.

Mullein Flowers*: Coughs, inflammation.

Nettle Leaf*: Kidney trouble, fluid retention.

Oatstraw*: Dry, brittle hair & nails, excessive mucus.

Peppermint*: Flatulence, nausea, stomach cramps.

Plantain*: Colds, diarrhea.

Red Clover Flowers: Nervousness, cleanser, whooping cough.

Red Raspberry Leaves*: Profuse menstruation, great for pregnant and/or lactating mothers.

Rosehips*: Coughs, colds.

Rosemary: Circulation, nervousness, depression, headache.

Sage: Fevers, tonic, sore throat.

Thyme: Colds, indigestion.

Valerian*: Tension, headache, insomnia.

Yarrow: Colds, indigestion, fevers.


Basic herbal tea preparation instructions:
1 T. dried herbs
½ pint water
Place herb(s) into a non-reactive metal or enamel pot with a lid. Bring water to a boil; turn off the heat and pour the water over the herb(s). Cover the pot and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain through a non-aluminum strainer. Herbal tea may be enjoyed fresh and warm or chilled. Honey, lemon, or milk can be added, although milk tends to mask the delicate flavors. Refrigerated unused tea to prevent spoilage.

There are no definite rules for combining herbs in a tea mixture. Taste is a major priority! Aromatic herbs such as peppermint, fennel, mint, ginger, lemon balm and lemon verbena will all enhance the flavor of a bland tea such as oatstraw, or a bitter tea such as valerian (valerian has a VERY strong odor which is unpleasant to some).

*Considered safe in moderation for pregnancy and lactation. Always consult your professional herbalist or naturopath before consuming any herbs while pregnant.

This information is for educational purposes only and not meant to prescribe, diagnose, treat or prevent any disease. It should not substitute the advice or recommendations of your physician or health professional, nor should it replace prescription medications without proper supervision. You are encouraged to seek professional medical advice from a qualified medical practitioner, naturopath or local professional herbalist, especially if you are pregnant, lactating, have a medical condition, or are taking prescription medication.

For more information about natural health/home/beauty/parenting, herbs, moon gardening and how to easily and inexpensively convert your household to eco-friendly, non-disposable cloth, visit Leanne and Melissa at http://www.herbaluna.com.

Article Source: Lady Pens