Bettylou Sandy from Bettylou's Garden is back with us to talk about fall cleanup and putting our gardens and winter gardening. We covered a lot of information so I've divided the interview into two parts. This is Part 2 fall cleanup, starting a winter garden, growing food indoors, lawn care, shrubs, tree care how to start a community garden.
Bettylou is a treasure trove of information – so make sure you grab a notebook and take notes, or better yet – hop over to our website and download her handouts and follow along.
At the end of the interview, I’ll also have the list of her upcoming videos she is scheduled to do on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook Page.
She also answered the question about fertilizing your plants during the winter. What do you think she said?
Make sure you check out the show notes and download her documents. Also, go over to all her Facebook links and say hello to her! Send her some Love!
If you’re want to catch her gardening videos she will be posting them on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook page. Links will be in the show notes.
Personal Update
Katie and I have been busy painting pictures for our next activity book Counting Fall Leaves. We have 3 other books completed and are being reviewed by our Editor. They should be available by the end of the month or early November.
The Interview
Bettylou's Free Gardening Handouts
Where you can find Bettylou Sandy
If you’re want to catch her gardening videos she will be posting them on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook page. Links will be in the show notes. Please follow her on all the social media platforms and send her some love by saying hello to her!
Garden Themes
November: Putting Your Garden To Bed For the Winter
December: Stocking Up For The Winter: Everything you need to know so you will be sustainable for a year or two.
January: Growing Food Indoors
February: Starting Plants From Seed
Don’t forget to sign up for my 5 Herb Friday newsletter – its the best way to stay in touch with me and participate on my journey through the world of herbs!
Also, if you are enjoying these podcasts – please give a thumbs up on whatever service you are hearing this show on.
Have a great week and thanks for listening! See you next time!
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Bettylou Sandy from Bettylou's Garden is back with us to talk about fall cleanup and putting our gardens and winter gardening. We covered a lot of information so I've divided the interview into two parts. Part 1 we cover vegetable gardening and what to do to prep our gardens for winter.
Bettylou is a treasure trove of information – so make sure you grab a notebook and take notes, or better yet – hop over to our website and download her handouts and follow along.
In addition, Bettylou has graciously given you her notes from her gardening classes and they’ll be available for free download in the LLH show-notes. Links to the website will be in the show notes.
At the end of the interview, I’ll also have the list of her upcoming videos she is scheduled to do on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook Page.
I’ll post the second half of the show next week. We cover indoor gardening, winter gardening, prepping your lawn, shrubs, trees, including conifers and perennials.
We touch on community gardens, tools and she recommends a book about community gardening for those interested in starting one.
She also answered the question about fertilizing your plants during the winter. What do you think she said?
Make sure you check out the show notes and download her documents. Also go over to all her facebook links and say hello to her!
If you’re want to catch her gardening videos she will be posting them on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook page. Links will be in the show notes.
Personal Update
Healthwise we are healthy. We continue to be semi quarantined. If we go out we wear our masks and practice social distancing.
The Interview
Bettylou's Free Gardening Handouts
Where you can find Bettylou Sandy
I’ll post the second half of the show next week. We cover indoor gardening, winter gardening, prepping your lawn, shrubs, trees, including conifers and perennials.
We touch on community gardens, tools and she recommends a book about community gardening for those interested in starting one.
She also answered the question about fertilizing your plants during the winter. What do you think she said?
If you’re want to catch her gardening videos she will be posting them on the Spruce Street Community Garden Facebook page. Links will be in the show notes.
Her themes will be:
November: Putting Your Garden To Bed For the Winter
December: Stocking Up For The Winter: Everything you need to know so you will be sustainable for a year or two.
January: Growing Food Indoors
February: Starting Plants From Seed
Don’t forget to sign up for my 5 Herb Friday newsletter – its the best way to stay in touch with me and participate on my journey through the world of herbs!
Also, if you are enjoying these podcasts – please give a thumbs up on whatever service you are hearing this show on.
Have a great week and thanks for listening! See you next time!
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Today's show is all about Lavender; this is a plant I know reasonably well because we grow a lot of it, and I wanted to share with you just how incredible this plant is.
I'll share its history, the difference among the species, growing tips if you're interested in growing a plant or two.
Its exceptional medicinal properties and at the end of this posting, I'll give you some simple recipes to get you started.
Lavender is one of the most versatile plants I’ve ever come across. How many plants do you know of that can do all this?
Culinary – cooking, baking to beverages
Crafting
Medicinal and aromatherapy properties
Bath and Body products
Pet care products
Landscaping because its drought tolerant
Pest control – Which originally how lavender got so popular.
In the Middle Ages, lavender was used for its insecticidal properties. They would scatter it on the flowers of castles and sickrooms as a disinfectant and deodorize.
In China, it was used as a cure-all using a medicinal oil called “White Flower Oil.”
In wartime, lavender was used as an ingredient in smelling salts and disinfect wounds.
Other Historical Uses Include
It was thought to have aphrodisiac properties and surprise! It's still on the aphrodisiac list today! It's true. I've heard several women whisper how they feel after using my lavender products. ❤️ 🌹
It was used to embalm corpses
Cure animals of lice
Tamed Lyons and tigers
Repelled mosquitoes (and it still does!)
An ingredient for snuff
Flavoring for vinegars, jellies and salads
Medicinally, lavender was used to treat headaches, hysteria, nervous palpations, hoarseness, palsy, toothaches, sore joints, apoplexy, colic, coughs, and rumbling digestive systems.
Member Of The Mint Family
Lavender is a member of the Mint Family or – Labiatae – a family of flowering plants that are frequently aromatic. The word lavender comes from the Latin verb, lavare, which means “to wash” or “to bathe.”
Large commercial lavender operations are native to the mountainous regions of countries bordering the western half of the Mediterranean region and Europe. But, good news for us, lavender is now grown in all parts of the world.
There are approximately 45 species of lavender with hundreds of various genotypes or what I call cultivators, which now makes it possible to grow this beautiful plant in just about every climate. For simplicity, I'm only going to mention four of the most popular varieties.
Which Lavender I Right For You?
Which Lavender is right for you? That depends on the climate you live in and the soil. Also, depending on where you live in the world, the lavender descriptions change.
So I don’t confuse you, I’m using US descriptions for lavender – if you live across the pond from us here in the US or Australia, you’re lavenders descriptions will differ slightly – know, we’re all talking about the same plants.
So, what’s the difference between English, French, and Spanish lavender?
English Lavender
English (or Lavendula Angustifolia) is the most widely cultivated of the lavenders. Its also called “true lavender”. It has many cultivators that have various colors – white, pink, to dark purples and blues.
This variety can be started from seed, while for others, it's better to use cuttings and root them as starter plants.
English Lavender can be grown in colder climates and containers.
English – lavenders are mostly grown for their medicinal and culinary properties.
French Lavender
French Lavender or L. Dentata is also known as “toothed lavender.” It's not as hardy as English – Lavender Angustifolia – it cant tolerate colder climates, unlike other lavender varieties. French does well up to zone 8.
French Lavender has the same flower structure as the English, but it has a longer stems. English tends to be smaller compact plants, and the French can grow 3 feet wide and tall.
The French lavender has the most extended blooming times than the other lavenders and is primarily grown in Spain and warmer regions of the world.
For scent – French – L. Dentata varieties don't compare to the English – Lavender Angustifolia species if you want to grow lavender for the scent stick with the English types.
Spanish Lavender
The next lavender species is Spanish Lavender or L. Stoechas. Things get confusing, depending on where you live. Stoechas is a French Lavender and referred to as such in some parts of the world. But here in the US, we call it Spanish Lavender. Depending on where you live, this lavender may be referred to as L. Stoechas or French Lavender.
Spanish lavender flowers are a little different looking than the English and French. It has lance-shaped leaves at the top of the bud. Think of it as having little bunny ears. They come in different colors, and some have beautiful dark purple flowers that are stunning in one's garden.
Their scent is not as strong as the Lavender Angustifolia or English lavenders. These lavenders are cultivated for their beautiful flowers.
Spanish lavenders grow well in acid soils in hot, dry climates, for example, the Mediterranean. Here in the Northeast, we consider Spanish lavenders as annuals, unlike English and some French cousins, which are grown as perennials.
If you live in the United States Southwest, Spanish Lavender may be the perfect lavender for you.
Lavandin
The fouth lavender species I'll discuss is a hybrid, lavandin. Also known as Lavendula. x-intermedia . This plant is a cross between Lavender Angustifolia (an English Lavender) and lavender Latifolia (a Portuguese Lavender). These plants generally have a longer stem and bloom later than the Angustifolia's or English lavenders.
It's important to note that Lavendula. x-intermedia are sterile plants. Meaning they don't produce seeds for reproduction. So if you want to grow lavender from seed, English, French, and Spanish (with a few exceptions of other species not discussed today) are your only options.
To reproduce Lavendins Lavendula. x-intermedia, they must be propagated. Meaning, growers take small cuttings from a mother plant and root them in some growing medium.
Note on starting plants from seed: Be aware there is a low germination rate for starting English and French lavenders from seed. I recommend you buy starter plants and propagate cuttings.
Hundreds Of Cultivators
There are hundreds of different cultivators in this group that are popular in commercial nursery production. Lavendula. x-intermedia varieties are a favorite commercial plant for essential oil production.
I mostly grow English and Lavendula. x. intermedia because they do well in my area. I have some plants that are over 20 years old. But they are woody and miss shaped from years of heavy snowpacks.
Shopping For Lavender
If you're shopping for lavender plants, it's essential to know the type of plants your local nursery sells.
I’ve found some plant sellers are not as informed with lavender as they should be. Last year a customer came to me at the farmers market with a lovely lavender plant in hand. The vendor told her the plant was an annual, which surprised me. It didn’t look like a French or Spanish Lavender. A quick search of the name of the cultivator on my smartphone told me it was English. It was a Lavender Angustifolia and indeed would do very well in our area.
So when shopping for lavenders, if the plant doesn’t give the Latin species name, google the cultivator’s name on the plant identification tag. You should be able to find out what species a cultivator comes from pretty quickly.
Examples On How To Identify Lavender
When shopping look at the plant tag. If the tag says Lavender ….
Lavender – Grosso – its a Hybrid, Lavandula. x-intermedia. It does well in diverse climates, including colder and wetter zones.
Lavender – Munstead is a Lavandula angustifolia (or English LavenderLavender). It should do well in colder and wetter climates.
Lavender – Madrid Blue is Lavandula Stoechas (or Spanish Lavender). It only does well in hot, dry climates. If you live in a colder wetter climate, stick it in a pot and grow it annually.
Lavender – Linda Ligon is a Lavendula dentate (or French Lavender). It does well in hot, dry climates but can tolerate up to zone 8.
Just remember – there are other lavender species out there. I’m only mentioning the four most common plants in this podcast. See the resource list below for recommended books on Lavender.
Growing Lavender
For this section, I’m talking mostly of Lavender Angustifolia (English lavender) and Lavendula. x-intermedia’s (lavandin hybrids.) These lavenders are the most commonly sold and grown commercially globally, with some exceptions, of course. The Spanish Lavender or Stoechas I would plant and care the same way as the English or hybrid plants.
Tip 1: Lavender must have full sun – that’s ten or more hours of daylight.
Tip 2: Lavender is a drought-tolerant plant and can thrive in areas where other plants cant. It prefers dry sandy, well-drained soil.
It cannot survive in moist, rich organic soil.
The ground needs to be well aerated.
It does not like to have “wet feet” and are lavenders are susceptible to root rot and other fungal diseases.
Some growers prefer to grow in rocky soil.
Tip 3: It prefers a ph of 6.5 – 7. If your ph is low, add dolomite lime and a little organic compost to level Ithe ph out.
Tip 4: Spacing – How close together should you plant your lavender. If you’re using it as a garden accent, determine which lavender species you are growing. Lavender Angustafolia’s (i.e., English) need about 30 inches of room. These plants tend to be low growing but spread wide.
Lavandins or Lavendula. x-intermedia (the hybrids) grow high and wide. Give them 36 inches between each plant.
Tip 5: To mulch or not to mulch – that is the question? Lavender does not like to be crowded by weeds, or in hotter drier climates watering a will be needed. It will be a personal decision and dependent on your environment and how much upkeep you want to do.
We grow some munstead (an English variety) in landscape rock, and they do well—the rest of the munstead's and grosso's we mulched. We have very dry sandy, rocky soil to begin with, so the mulching helps with keeping moisture around the plant when we go weeks without rain.
Lavenders are drought-resistant plants, so we're lucky it rains enough in the northeast; we don't have to worry about irrigation during the year's driest parts.
If you live in a hotter drier climate, putting in irrigation and mulching would probably be a good idea. But for those mid to northern states, where everything is flowering and green, I wouldn't put in irrigation but mulch instead in sandy, rocky soil. The other benefit of mulch is that it helps keep the ph down.
There are other ways to maintain your lavender to keep them high and dry other than mulching.
Raised mounds – and plant on top of the mound. It is done in wetter climates.
Row Plastic – Put down row plastic, then poke a hole in the plastic and plant your lavender. Then grow grass in between the rows and mow when it gets high.
Plant in landscape rock Weed barrier over dirt, then mulch or use landscape rock
Tip 6: Lavenders can be tight woody shrubs and need to be pruned to keep their shape and encourage growth.
Year 1 of planting: remove new flowers and give your plant a good haircut, using good pruning shears. I use a small handheld battery-powered sheers. A link to Amazon will be below in the resource section.
Cutting promotes growth and helps keep the plant the shape you want or need. By year two, your lavender will have doubled in size.
Tip 7: Year 3 and beyond, your lavender will continue to add new growth after pruning – but prune wisely!
Pruning too severely will kill your plant. Never prune old wood unless its dead
Don't prune in cold temperatures – wait until ground temps are above 50 degrees.
Tip 8: Understand the type of lavender you are growing and its size and uses.
English lavenders are smaller growing and from small mounds. They are perfect for edging along walkways.
Tall-growing lavenders such as Lavindins make excellent hedges, and when their flowers reach their tallest, they sway in the wind, similar to tall grasses.
What Do With Your Lavender
Congratulations! It's your 2nd year, and your lavenders haven't died! Its time to harvest your stems, and you ask yourself NOW WHAT?
Well, that depends on the type of lavender you planted. Hopefully, you did your homework, and you know the kind of plants you have, and it will be easy. Here is a list of lavenders that are perfect for what use.
First up!
Culinary Lavender
English Lavenders or Lavendula Augustifolia are generally preferred for culinary purposes because these varieties have a sweeter taste and little camphor flavor. Some lavenders are lighter and sweeter than others, so experiment and grow various them versus just 1 type.
Medicinal Lavender
French Lavenders or Lavendula dentate – are best for making bath and body products, hydrosols, essential oils, sachets, and floral arrangements. These lavenders have high camphor content and are better for their medicinal properties, such as aromatherapy.
Spanish Lavenders or Stoechas – are best for landscaping. They are too bitter for culinary uses and don’t have a strong enough scent for medicinal or for crafts. However, they make any garden or landscape stunning!
And finally…
Lavendula x-intermedia – the hybrid. Not recommended for culinary uses as it has the highest camphor content of all the lavenders. It is too bitter to use.
However, it’s perfect for cosmetics, perfumes, hydrosols, essential oils, and some floral arrangements. I grow this variety for its high essential oil content and ease of drying and de-budding for my bath and body products.
Recap
– We know lavender has been around for hundreds of years.
– We have an idea of where and what types of plants to grow.
– We have an idea of what to do with your lavender after you harvest it.
But the big question that I get the most of why does it make me feel so calm?
I’m glad you asked! Lavender has excellent medicinal properties. So before I get into this information, I need to be clear –
I am not a doctor, The information I’m presenting here is for, and educational purposes only, and in no way am I diagnosing and or treating anything. If you have questions about your health, please see a licensed medical professional in your area.
For those who want to do a deep dive on herbs, the reference manual I’m using is David Hoffmann’s book, Medicinal Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine.
Lavender’s herbal actions are carminative, antispasmodic, relaxing nervine, antidepressant, rubefacient, emmenagogue, and hypotensive. And, if you don’t know what I mean by “herbal actions” download the document above.
Lavender has been known to relieve headaches related to stress. It may also be useful in clearing depression if used in conjunction with other remedies and promote natural sleep.
Its properties are also known as a gentle nervous system tonic, which may treat states of nervous weakness and exhaustion.
Safety issues: No side effects or drug interactions have been reported when used correctly. But – remember, overuse of anything can have a negative side effect.
For example, water has no side effects, but if you overdrink more than what your body can handle, it will have dire consequences. It’s the same with anything – too much of a good thing can have adverse effects.
In the herbal preparations section, Hoffman states that drinking lavender tea three times a day is beneficial.
However, he discourages anyone from taking lavender essential oil internally. So only use fresh or dried culinary lavender to make your tea. Don’t add any essential oils.
Lavender essential oil should never be ingested or directly used on the skin. It can be added to baths or added to a carrier oil and then rubbed on the skin, but ingested or directly snorted in the nose.
Now that we understand the different ways you can use lavender –
Lavender Tea Recipe
Here is a basic lavender tea recipe from David Hoffmann’s book page 562.
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon of dried culinary lavender buds.
Pour boiling water over buds. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Can have approx. 3 x a day.
Roasted Chicken Lavender Recipe
Lavender All-Purpose Lavender Clearner
2 Tablespoons Distilled White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Borax
Distilled Water
¼ cup liquid castile soap
10 drops of lavender essential oil
5 drips of lemon essential oil or 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
1. Mix the white vinegar and the borax together in a 16 oz bottle.
Fill the bottle three quarters full of hot distilled water.
Shake well until borax is dissolved.
2. Add the liquid castile soap and the essential oils to the solution and shake well. Use as you would any other all-purpose cleaner.
Reference and Books Section
Please note that many of these links are affiliate links and we earn a small commission if these links are used. There is no extra cost to you. The money earned will help support the administrative and web hosting fees charged to keep this podcast on the internet. We thank you for any support you can offer.
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links:
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
…”so why would someone accuse someone else of that? You’re in league with the devil… they really did believe the devil was among them. They, were in this vast wilderness…”
Today I'm talking to Beth Caruso Author of the historical novel One of Windsor – The Untold Story of America's First Witch Hanging.
It's a tragic story of a young woman who comes over from England as an indentured servant and settles in the religiously strict Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635.
She adapts to the new world, is an active participant in her community, and then is hung after being accused of practicing witchcraft by her friends and neighbors.
Her name is Alice Young, and she is victim number one in the colonies. Unfortunately, she wasn't the last. The witch trials continued for another 30 years here in Connecticut and another 50 in the greater Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Alice's story is relevant today – most of the debated issues in her time are still being discussed today, some 373 years later.
Issues like pandemics, falsely imprisoning people, the inhumane treatment of minorities. Bullying, character assassination, and acts of genocide. It appears history has taught us little!
And Yes, we talk about herbs, medicine of the day, healers, doctors, and the definition of a witch in the 1600s, among other topics. Its a great interview!
Beth M. Caruso
Author Beth M. Caruso grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and spent her childhood writing puppet shows and witches’ cookbooks. She studied French Literature and Hispanic Studies, earning a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Cincinnati. She later obtained Masters degrees in Nursing and Public Health and served diverse communities.
Aside from writing, Beth’s interests include travel, and gardening. Her latest passion is to discover and convey important stories of women in history. One of Windsor: The Untold Story of America’s First Witch Hanging was her debut novel in 2015. She released her second novel, The Salty Rose: Alchemists, Witches & A Tapper In New Amsterdam, in September of 2019. It takes place in colonial New York and New England. Beth is a Connecticut resident.
Personal Update
Interview
Alice's Medicinal Garden
If you're curious about what a garden looked like in the 1600s, Beth sent me a list of plants grown in Alice's time. Using historical records, I put together a historically accurate garden plan that might have been something Alice and her family built.
It's simple because that's how the Puritans lived. Having fancy flower beds or garden ornaments like many have today was frowned upon and could be considered blasphemy and punishable by the church.
Many of the colonists were not gardeners or farmers – so a lot of the gardening was trial and error – or in their case, God's blessing or devils curse depending on how successful their garden was that year.
Those who dared to make friends with the First People of America did so at considerable personal risk. It was illegal to even speak to the Native Americans.
However, those who did, learned many useful skills, such as native medicinal plants, how to grow certain crops in the New England rocky soil, or modify their gardening techniques, so the plants survived.
The garden plan is free to download, just click on the link below. It includes the house and garden and a list of plants – some are perfect for small spaces or pots on a patio.
Although I don't recommend growing skunk cabbage in your garden. If not processed properly it can cause nausea and vomiting. It's best to leave them in the bogs for the critters.
Alice had two types of herbs – European and Native plants.
Note: Some of these plants can be toxic and could cause serious illness if not processed properly. If you are interested in growing a medicinal garden, please contact me for assistance or ask someone in your local area who is a plant expert such as an herbalist.
European Herbs:
Parsley
Sorrel
Marigold
Chervil
Winter Savory
Summer Savory
Thyme
Sage
Spearmint
Southernwood
Rosemary
Lavender
Coriander
Horehound
Licorice
Anise
Plantain
Heal-All
Yarrow
Adder’s Tongue
Tansy
Rue
Native Herbal Plants:
Elecampane
Coltsfoot
Yarrow
Elderberry
Whortleberries
Black Cohosh
Blue Cohosh
Wild cherry bark
“Kinnikinnik”-Bearberry
“Indian Sage”-Boneset
White Pine, pine turpentine
Skunk Cabbage
“Red Puccoon”-Bloodroot
“Yellow Puccoon”-Goldenseal
“Touch-me-not”-Jewelweed
Wild Geranium
Hemlock
Books
One of Windsor: The Untold Story of America's First Witch Hanging – Beth M. Caruso
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music
A special thank you to Gene Tullio for writing and producing this music. He has given me special permission to use this song for the show.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Today I’m interviewing Bettylou Sandy, owner of Bettylou’s Gardening. She is a gardening consultant who loves to help others with their gardening.
Bettylou is also the Garden Coordinator for Spruce Street Community Garden and does historical gardening and history at the Cheney Homestead Museum in Manchester CT.
Bettylou is a treasure trove of information – so make sure you grab a notebook and take notes, or scroll down this blog and download her class notes.
Bettylou covers a wide range of topics – here are just a few she discusses.
Testing soil fertility – offering several different methods – scientific and folk methods.
Easy plants to grow and shortcuts
A Cool trick to growing potatoes that blew my mind!
A simple technique to keeping mosquitos from laying eggs on rainwater
Environmentally-friendly bug spray that will protect your plants from getting eaten.
If you think the season has already passed you buy – think again Bettylou has an answer for that as well!
I hope you enjoy the interview.
Personal Update:
Things in my household are calming down. Its been about a week and a half now since our COVID scare (aka the Black Plague!)
Honestly, it was one of the most stressful and scariest weeks I’ve had in a very long time and I don't want to repeat that anytime soon.
The good news, we got through the weekend without calling an ambulance. Thanks to my herbal studies, I had prepared several herbal remedies for treating symptoms for cold and flu – plus I was glad I had a large bottle of Tylenol on hand.
We had 5 days where we were basically on our own with no medical support, although I did call the doctor's office COVID Hotline a couple of times to make sure I was treating his high fevers properly.
On Tuesday, my husband finally had his medical-zoom call with his doctor getting the results of his chest x-ray and first COVID test.
Over the weekend, I made lots of tea, a huge pot of chicken soup, and decanted several jars of immune-boosting, antiviral/antibacterial herbs that had been soaking in alcohol for 6 weeks or more. I had a few surprises on what worked and what took time to see improvements. I also did a little tweaking of recipes.
Good news, after 3 COVID tests he (2)/ me (1) (yes, I got tested too!) we were negative. The final diagnosis for Hubby is a mild case of pneumonia! I have to say that although I was sorry he was sick – I was thrilled to know it was pneumonia. I can deal with pneumonia because there are TIME TESTED TREATMENTS!!! There is nothing for COVID.
God Bless my neighbors Danielle and Rylan. They checked in with us daily and picked up fresh fruits and vegetables and other perishables that we were low or had run out of. They would drop grocery bags on our doorstep and run home. So THANK YOU!
During this ordeal, at times, I felt like I was in an alternative universe. Paul had to be isolated and quarantined and I was caring for our daughter alone. I couldn't leave the house and my husband had to live in the basement banished from being on the upper floors for at least 7 – 10 days.
It was crazy! One day he's fine, and the next he's in fetal position shivering under 4 blankets and I could hear his teeth chattering with a 102.8 fever!
He said the nights were the worst. He would go from burning up putting ice packs on his forehead to freezing so badly he's under layers of blankets with the heat turned up high. His shirts and bedding were often soaked with perspiration.
At one point his fever got as high as 104! Thankfully, within 24 hours of starting the antibiotic, he improved just as quickly as he got sick. Crisis over!
Our daughter thankfully didn’t catch or at least so far – didn’t catch whatever we got and took things in stride.
I ended up coming down with a sore throat and sinus infection. It could have been from the stress – I don't know. I declined medical treatment because I was responding to my own herbal remedies. Eating my herb-infused homemade chicken soup and drinking my own special immune-boosting tea helped!
Later this summer, I’ll circle back and do a podcast on lessons learned and the protocols I created in treating my husband as if he had COVID. How I navigated this crisis over a weekend when our doctor offices and walk-in clinics were closed.
I’ll also share my temperature log and a supplies checklist/shopping list so you can quickly review what you already have and what you need to get before a crisis hits your home.
An important thing to do during an illness as serious as this (high fevers – congestion), is to track certain information so healthcare providers can quickly assess your situation.
In my 23 years of experience caring for a severely disabled child, living in and out of hospitals, and far too many emergency department visits. Plus past experience working in a convalescent home and home hospice care. Writing your symptoms down helps you remember how you got to your present situation.
I can guarantee by the time the “shit-hits-the-fan” and you have to call 911 or transport yourself or loved one to the hospital, you will be exhausted, overwhelmed, and possibly not feeling well yourself to remember critical details or chain of events.
Having a medical log with basic information about the symptoms, dates, times, body temperatures, over the counter medications, or herbal remedies taken (and why you took it) is valuable information to those trying to figure out what's going on.
Medical providers don't have a crystal ball that can magically determine what's going on with you/loved one upon arriving at their facility. You have to help them figure it out.
Usually, lab tests and x-rays must be done to rule things out and that takes time. The more details you can provide the more accurate decisions can be made about proper diagnosis and treatment(s). This saves time, fewer mistakes are made and may ultimately save a life.
My advice is to prepare your supplies now – so when an illness hits your home you are prepared!
The Black Lives Matter Movement:
As promised in the show, here are links to books and organizations that might interest you if you want to support our black and brown brothers and sisters in the fight for equality and justice. If you search around you can find all kinds of issues that may be of interest to you. Racism runs deep in our institutions and there is still a lot of work that needs to be done! The more hands helping the faster things can move forward.
I am an avid reader and love to read biographies – especially about women in politics. I'm currently reading Stacy Abrams new book “Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America”
For me – this book is a jaw-dropper! I had witnessed racism when I chaired the Connecticut State Advisory Council on Special Education over 10 years ago. I'm not surprised that racism is rampant in our state and the federal bureaucracy.
After seeing the push back from state officials (among other things) on our recommendations on how to make education more equitable as it related to children in special needs – I resigned from the Council. I was tired of the years of fighting and being harassed and I was a volunteer!
I suspect things still haven't changed much on that front. I could go on about the injustice and racism in our educational system! But I won't. Just know I'm still angry about what I heard and saw!
What I'm so shocked and angered is the depth and breath many are taking to suppress certain segments of our population is unbelievable.
After recent events with people trying to vote in Georgia earlier this month – it's real! It's happening now! In America!
Do you think your vote is safe right now? I'm talking about today as I write this blog posting – June 22, 2020 – Think again!
VOTING IS YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT!
DONT FORGET THAT!
Voter suppression is a huge problem in Georgia and Stacy and her team are working hard to fight it, but they are also warning us it's not just in their state of Georgia. Voter beware! It's happening across the country!
As an American, it is your Constitutional Right to vote and should never be confused as a privilege – as some conservative supporters will argue. No one or organization should have the authority to take that right away from you or anyone else by imposing unreasonable qualifications or blaming lack of staff, equipment failures, shortages etc. Be warned “they” are trying!
Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of eligible voters have already been blocked. It's pervasive in many states. Especially swing states or states with conservative leadership. The time is now before the November election read this book and find out how you can help fight voter suppression in your community.
Page 68… regarding current attempts to purge state voter rolls… “As the 2020 election nears, conservative groups are filing lawsuits demanding the purging of rolls, including in the swing states fo Wisconsin and Michigan, where approximately 35,000 votes between them helped decide the 2016 election. Fair Fight 2020 is working with leaders in these states as part of our initiative to protect the right to vote in battleground states for the Presidency, the U.S. Senate, and down-ballot races like secretaries of state, attorneys general, and state legislative chambers. Our system of participatory democracy begins with the license to vote, and without it, a citizen will not be heard. But assuming a voter makes it onto the list of eligible voters, the next question is: will they be allowed to cast their vote?
Page 11…Since 2008's election of the first black president, we have achieved extraordinary victories. Millions of Americans, too used to seeing themselves only on the margins or not at all, have participated in historic and hopeful wins in the House and hard-fought victories for the U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races. However, across the country, we witness a “power grab” from the minority desperate to hold on to power.
The examples bound: Native Americans living on reservations in North Dakota were told that in order to vote, they had to have street addresses – where none existed.
In Mississippi, impoverished elderly folks who needed an absentee ballot had to pay for a notary public to submit the ballot – resulting in a new-fashioned poll tax.
In Georgia, tens of thousands of people of color had their applications for registration held up because of typographical errors in government databases and a failed system called “exact match.” of the 53,000 applications blocked by this process, 80 percent were from people of color.
Page 12 …Today, the ones barring access have shifted from using billy clubs and hoses to using convoluted rules to make it harder to register and stay on the rolls, cast a ballot, or have that ballot counted. To move forward, we must understand the extent to which the shrinking conservative minority will go to create barriers to democracy. Citing voting rights experts and my own work in expansion of voting access for the past twenty-vie years, here I will not only explain the problem but offer concrete solutions to fix it.
I highly recommend getting this book! If you want meaningful change, it has to happen at the polls – we must elect leaders willing to fight for all people and not just those with money or special interest groups.
Make sure you check out Stacy's nonprofit/PAC Fair Fight 2020 – volunteer, donate – learn what you can do locally. In full disclosure, I have donated to this nonprofit, and support their work. If we want to be a truly united country, we have to secure the right to vote for all Americans and not just a few!
We promote fair elections in Georgia and around the country, encourage voter participation in elections, and educate voters about elections and their voting rights. Fair Fight brings awareness to the public on election reform, advocates for election reform at all levels, and engages in other voter education programs and communications.
Voter suppression of voters of color and young voters is a scourge our country faces in states across the nation. Georgia’s 2018 elections shone a bright light on the issue with elections that were rife with mismanagement, irregularities, unbelievably long lines and more, exposing both recent and also decades-long actions and inactions by the state to thwart the right to vote. Georgians and Americans are fighting back. Fair Fight Action engages in voter mobilization and education activities and advocates for progressive issues; in addition Fair Fight Action has mounted significant programs to combat voter suppression in Georgia and nationally.
Fair Fight PAC has initiated programs to support voter protection programs at state parties around the country and is engaging in partnerships to support and elect pro voting rights, progressive leaders.
The second book I recommend is Michelle Obama “Becoming” I found her to be honest and candid about her feelings about politics in general – her feelings about her husband running for President, campaigning, living in the Whitehouse, her family, the 2016 election and personal attacks from “The Clown Candidate”, and life after the Whitehouse. I Loved, Loved This Book!
…And speaking of her husband, President Obama recently stated in a recent Town Hall broadcast about what’s been going with the protests in America – and I’m paraphrasing here…
He’s suggesting we don't stop! Make your local leaders uncomfortable until they agree to make meaningful changes. Don't give up on the fight for justice – if we want to change we need to confront our leaders and this…
– Most Importantly VOTE!
If you’re looking for ways to support or help – again check out the Obama Foundation – they can redirect you to local groups in your area that can use your support.
If you’re in another part of the world – I believe the Obama Foundation can help you find an organization in your country. Be brave and ask them. Find out what organizations are working for equality and human rights for all people in your part of the world.
Or check out the United Nations Human Rights Commission (see link below) and see if there is information for the country you live in.
And lastly circling back to gardening – I would be remiss to not include a link to Ron Finely’s website. He's from my home state of California and lives in South Central LA and is a community activist.
In 2010 Ron became famous for challenging local zoning ordinances in the City of Los Angeles to plant food in parkways which are owned by the city. In 2010 growing food on city property was illegal and people were fined if they didn’t remove the “illegal contraband” – as Ron said in his video clip – he just wanted to grow a healthy carrot without toxic chemicals. He quickly discovered growing anything but grass, dirt or a palm tree was considered illegal!
Thanks to his determination, he got the city to change its zoning ordinances. This was the beginning of “The Ron Finely Project” – Through this nonprofit, he teaches people how to grow their own healthy food in containers or small plots of land and how you can be a community activist and fight to get healthier food in impoverished cities and towns.
As Ron demonstrated in his gardening master class, he used a Nike shoe – and a drawer from an old dresser to plant in. His motto is, “If it can hold dirt you can grow something in it.“
Cheney Homestead Museum Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cheneyhomestead/
Show Sponsors:
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids| Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Music:
Special Thank You To Gene Tullio!
The music used in this show is used with permission and is created and produced by Gene Tullio.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information about his music, please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links:
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Living and Lovin Herbs Website: https://livingandlovinherbs.com/ Instagram: @livingandlovinherbspodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingandlovinherbspodcast/?modal=admin_todo_tour Twitter: @Livingandlovin6 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuuHD-5N2tPYDbWwI4wzIJA Thompson Street Farm LLC: https://thompsonstreetfarm.com/ Brenda J. Sullivan Books: https://brendajsullivanbooks.com/
“Seeds matter because they are the basis for civilization. The planet can’t support 7 billion people without a well-developed agriculture. The seed supply is critical.” Randel Agrella
Today, we’re talking gardening for newbies, seeds, and why seeds matter to us in general. My guest is a friend of mine, Randel Agrella from Parsnippty Farm in Fort Fairfield Maine. He’s a horticulturist and works for Baker Creek Heirloom and Rare Seeds.
I first met Randel and his wife Pam many years ago, when they were transferred to Connecticut from Baker Creek's main headquarters in Mansfield, Missouri to reopen and manage a centuries old colonial seed and nursery company called Comstock Ferre in Wethersfield, Connecticut. (It's now renamed, Heirloom Market – to learn more about the history of Comstock Seed Company starting in 1845 Click Here)
Thanks to Randel and Pam, they welcomed local farmers and crafters to sell their products in the store.
Comstock just so happened to be my first wholesale account for my herbal soaps and herbal products.
Then in the spring, they had a large agricultural fair and invited speakers from all over the country to give talks about gardening and related specialties.
And for several years, I was one of many speakers invited to talk about SPIN Farming which is a educational program which teaches new growers how to turn small plots of land such as front and backyards, empty lots into commercial growing spaces.
Then Randel and Pam found their dream farm in Fort Fairfield Maine and moved north to begin Homesteading.
Randel's Recommendations:
Plant what you like to eat – don’t grow vegetables if you know you dont like to eat.
Pick plants that are easy to grow in your area – And if you dont know ask anyone who gardens. They will be happy to help you.
Pick plants that dont need a lot of babying or fussing over.
If just starting out – start small with just a few plants. Dont go crazy and plant everything.
Arugula, a small leafy green with a peppery taste, makes a perfect addition to salads and pasta recipes. Many recipes available from an online search will give you ideas on how to prepare this green.
Arugula can be directly seeded into the ground. It prefers to grow in cooler temperatures and is best grown in early spring and late summer into fall skipping the hottest part of the growing season.
Basil
Basil is an excellent herb to grow, but it does not do well if seeds are directly planted into the soil, also known as “direct seed.” Start seeds indoors in small containers and then transplant outside when it’s warm enough.
When the plant gets big enough, pick the leaves off to add to a fresh tomato salad. Dry the leaves and save them for your family’s herb and spice cupboard. There is nothing better tasting than homegrown basil in spaghetti sauce!
Basil prefers hot weather and full sun and best-grown late spring through the hottest part of the summer. Make sure the flowers are pinched off frequently for a bushier plant, which will produce more leaves.
If you are growing this plant in a container, water frequently. Plants grown in containers dry out quicker than plants grown in the ground or in raised beds.
Carrots
Carrots are root vegetables that taste sweet when freshly harvested from the garden. Some say carrots taste like candy. Did you know carrot tops can be eaten too? Cut the tops off and chop into little pieces and add them to a salad or bowl of soup for a lovely carrot taste.
Carrots can be started in early spring and direct seed into the ground once it’s warm enough for the soil to be worked. Remember to water well during the hottest time of the season. Carrots can stay in the ground into late fall and early winter right up until the first hard frost.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a gardener’s summer favorite. Make sure you have plenty of room to grow these plants; they like to spread their vines everywhere. Do an online search to learn how to save space by growing up. There are many ideas on how to build simple trellis using materials such as long sticks and twine. You may need to ask an adult for help.
Cucumber seeds can be direct seed into the ground in late spring. For those who want to get an early start on gardening, they can also be started indoors 6 weeks before planting in the garden when it’s warm enough in your area.
Green Beans
These are one of the easiest plants to grow, and you get a lot of beans in return for your work. They can be direct seed in the ground in late spring. Beans like to grow in direct sun and love hot temperatures.
When researching seeds, make sure you know which kind of beans you’re buying. There are bush beans and pole beans. Bush beans don’t need any trellising. Just plant and watch them grow and harvest the beans when big enough.
Pole beans need a trellis to climb on. Ask an adult to help you build a sturdy trellis if you are growing pole beans.
Green Onions
Green onions are tall and green with white stalks, and they are fun to grow. Patience will be essential because they may take most of the growing season before they can be harvested.
Green onions grow well in containers but need frequent watering during hot weather. They are a perfect vegetable to grow if you have a spot that has partial shade. Direct seed in early spring and keep watering. Onions take many weeks (sometimes 30 days) before they sprout. So be patient.
Onions also do well if left in the garden over winter. Once the garden bed is established, they will self-seed (the seeds drop into the garden bed after they flower), and new plants will grow the next season.
Kale
There are many kinds of kale to grow, so do your research on which varieties will grow well in your area. Kale likes cooler temperatures but will tolerate some heat if the plants are well established.
Kale is another plant that can be started in early spring and late fall and will tolerate colder temperatures until a hard freeze or even snow. These can be direct seed into the ground.
Dinosaur Kale is a good recommendation if you are looking for tender leaves, which are perfect for salads or stir-fry. If you want to grow big leaf varieties like Red Russian Kale, their leaves are perfect for making crispy kale chips – which are like potato chips. Yum!
Peas
Peas are another early spring and fall plant to grow and can be direct seed into the ground. My peas never make it to the kitchen because I eat them right off the vine while working in the garden. They make a great snack!
These plants require something to climb on, or else they will grow in a heap of strings on the ground. Ask an adult to help you build a trellis.
Tomatoes
There is nothing more satisfying than a freshly picked homegrown tomato! They are any gardener’s pride and joy! Do your research on what kind or color you want to grow. There are hundreds of varieties to pick from, but you need to know the difference between an Indeterminate and Determinate tomato variety.
For beginner gardeners, I recommend not growing tomatoes in the heirloom (or determinate category) until you are an experienced gardener. Heirloom tomatoes taste great but can be very temperamental if the plants don’t get an even amount of water and sustaining hot temperatures. They are also prone to disease and fungal problems.
When determinate plants get stressed, this results in what is called end rot or blossom rot. The tomato is not ripe enough to pick but instead starts rotting on the bottom of the fruit and the falls off the plant. Once a plant begins producing rotten fruit, the problem cannot be fixed. The plant must be pulled out of the ground and thrown away.
I recommend varieties like “Big Beef” or “New Girl,” which are nice, evenly round healthy tomato and are perfect for sandwiches or salads. These varieties are what are called “Indeterminate” hybrids and are not prone to disease or fungal problems.
There are smaller tomato varieties you can grow too. Grape and cherry tomatoes produce a lot of fruit and are fun to grow. Make sure to share with friends and family if you have too many.
Tomato Definitions:
Indeterminate Tomato: Tall plants that require staking for trellis and will keep producing fruit up until the first frost. They produce evenly round tomatoes and are not prone to end rot or disease.
Determinate Tomato: A bush variety that is low and compact and doesn’t require staking. These plants grow a certain number of fruit all at once, and then the plant stops growing and dies. Unlike the indeterminate tomatoes where the plant continues to produce fruit until it’s too cold out. Heirloom tomato varieties are determinate plants and are prone to disease.
I recommend you start your seeds indoors in small containers and then transplant into the garden in late spring. Do not direct seed into the ground; the seeds will have difficulty sprouting. Tomatoes need full sun, plenty of hot temperatures, and consistent watering.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are beautiful and can be a showy centerpiece to any garden. The good news is sunflowers now come in many different sizes. These are a perfect plant to direct seed into the garden.
There are shorter, more compact, varieties that produce multiple flower heads that are smaller. These smaller flower heads are perfect for making flower bouquets.
The tall varieties like Royal Hybrid produce one big flower and need lots of sun. Make sure your seeds are organic if growing these flowers for bird food and don’t spray your plants.
At the end of the season, cut the flower heads and dry them. The birds will appreciate a nice snack when there is little food to forage on during the cold winter months.
Plants That Grow Well In Containers
Note: These plants need the right size container for the optimal results.
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Summer squash
How To Shop For Seeds:
“Seeds matter because they are the basis for civilization. The planet can't support 7 billion people without a well-developed agriculture. The seed supply is critical.”
Try and buy open-pollinated seeds – that way you can save the seeds and use them next year. Learning how to save your own seeds is important for food security.
Baker Creek only sells open pollinated seeds.
Check for quality of seeds at stores and online.
What To Look For:
Where are they storing them? Look at how the seeds are being handled in the store.
If they are in a hot room, atrium or greenhouse – don’t buy them. Seeds stored in hot rooms diminish their ability to germinate.
Learn which brand names you can trust – That will require you to do some research on their websites.
Check dates on seed packets – you want packets with this years date. That means these are seeds from last years harvest and they are fresh.
Although home gardeners who properly store their seeds can have them last least 5 years when they are kept in a cool dry place. Seed kept in the freezer can last forever!
Seed packets that say F1 and F2 after the seed name indicates it’s a hybrid and not open-pollinated. You can’t save the seeds to reuse. Very rarely do they say “Hybrid” on the package.
Randel’s Rule of Thumb For Starting Seeds Indoors and Out:
Start plants that take longer to grow in your current climate:
For example in the northern colder climates these plants should be started indoors.
Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplants
Plants that can be direct seeded outdoors in the ground:
Plants that have large seeds –
Squashes
Melons
Cucumbers
Beans
Root Crops
Stay away from growing plants that are not good for your climate – for example: trying to grow plants from warmer or tropical climates in colder northern zones – bananas and rosemary.
Most Common Misconceptions Garden Gimmicks And Be A Garden Detective!
Companion Planting is often over rated – there isn’t any real data showing that it really works.
Planting by certain Holiday dates:
For example: Easter – the date moves from year to year there can be a 30 day difference. Instead – learn the last and first frost dates for your area.
Garden Gimmicks:
Maintain Nursery Beds – keep a small bed near the house and plant seedlings with the intention of transplanting them to the larger garden when big enough or when the original plants die.
Keep doing this throughout the growing season pulling out old plants and replacing them with newer seedlings from your nursery beds. You can double your yield in a season!
Root crops dont transplant well. Those are better started in their dedicated spot.
Be A Garden Detective!
New gardeners need to learn how to look for the subtle details of what the plants in the garden are telling them. A good gardener develops keen observation skills.
Example: How to identify problems with tomatoes:
Lower leaves yellow…what does that mean?
If its early in the season – the plant probably need nitrogen.
If its later in the season – It might be a blight problem – but usually the signs for blight is the leaves dry and shrivel up from the bottom up.
Note: In my latest book “My Garden Journal: A How To Garden Book For Kids” – there is sections in the journal pages asking you questions so you know what to look for in your garden.
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
Gardening is a learned skill and everyone has somewhere. This journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestion on themed gardens such a “A Harry Potter Garden, “ A Young Chef’s Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You’ll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
This book is available in paperback and ebook formats. You can find it in most retail and online stores. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Draft2Digital, Kobo, Google iBooks and libraries. If you don’t find the book, please ask them to order it for you.
If you don’t want to wait for the paperback book to arrive – you can download a printable version directly from me at my author website – brendajsullivanbooks.com that’s brendajsullivanbooks.com
Click on the picture and scroll down to the bottom for the papal link and follow the prompts from there.
Also check out our other books too!
Music:
Special Thank You To Gene Tullio!
The music used in this show is used with permission and is created and produced by Gene Tullio.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information about his music, please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links:
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Today I’m talking about the COVID-19 and some precautions you can do to hopefully prevent getting sick.
Just remember, I’m not a doctor and if you have specific health questions please consult a licensed medical professional. The information I share is for informational and educational purposes only and not meant to treat anyone.
I do have some professional medical experience. I am a
former EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). I hold a CT State license as a
Nursing Assistant and have worked in a healthcare facility for several years
and did homecare for a home health agency.
For the last 23 years, I’ve been home, caring for my daughter who suffered a stroke before she was born and has a long list of serious chronic medical conditions.
My home is sort of a mini-clinic and I’ve been trained to provide some skilled nursing care for my daughter if homecare nursing is not available. My daughter’s care requires 24/7 nursing just to keep her stable. We mainly focus on preventing infections and any kind of viral illness, by boosting her immune system in a variety of different ways one of which is social distancing.
I realize life may seem impossible at the moment, especially when you go to the grocery store. But its spring and the growing season in the northeast hasn’t really begun yet. Food supplies will be replenished soon.
During the show, I’ll mention some easy recipes you can have on hand just in case. – And, in the coming week, I’ll publish a free ebook with all this information including recipes mentioned in this show.
As we learn about what herbs work better in minimizing mild symptoms of COVID-19 the ebook updated with primary references. So make sure you check back to the website for the latest version.
Disasters I've Lived Through:
Major floods…it seemed like every season we lived through some devastating natural disaster. Watching my parents manage every challenging disaster in our area was my training ground for adulthood. From major floods…
Fires and earthquakes…I can't count how many brush fires we had to deal with.
During one particular flood, it was so bad, I remember my mother holding her large canning pot under the end of the rain gutter collecting the runoff from the roof because the water supply had been cut off.
But my parents took it in stride. They were prepared for anything. We had shelves full of my mother’s canned peaches, pears, and pickles. They had a huge freezer full of meat and frozen milk. It was camping inside our house.
The disasters I lived through were tangible – you could see the damage and understand the problems. You knew what needed to be fixed.
But this?
This virus – it's invisible. We can’t see it, smell it, or touch it? You don’t know what direction it's coming from or how to stop it other than literally isolating yourself from others.
All I’ve been able to do is watch is the daily numbers and which towns are the hotspots. How close are they to me? It’s just crazy.
The one thing I learned living through several natural disasters is to always have little extra supplies just in case of the unexpected – because you just never know. Things can change in a split second.
Since living here in Connecticut for the last 35 years, I’ve experienced a few more disasters. Things like blizzards with high accumulation rates, ice storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. These kinds of disasters I can deal with. I can see them coming long before they get here. I can plan for whatever comes.
Plan A Garden Now:
So now that we're in this pandemic and no one knows when it will be over with. Its the perfect time to plan for a now and for the next few months out.
Its early spring, time to get those seedlings started for the garden. This year, growing most of our own food will be a priority this year and thankfully, I had already ordered my seeds for the season.
I suggest if you can garden, start planning right now.
You can still grow things even if you live in an apartment.
On March 10th, I just published my latest book, My Garden Journal and it has many gardening ideas on how to create a garden. Big or small. I even have instructions to build a worm farm to make your own nutrient-rich compost.
It doesn’t matter if you live in an apartment or house. You can build a worm farm for your garden, or for someone else's garden.
So in the event, this international crisis lasts longer than a month – what are you going to do?
Do you have a plan?
It's important as the virus works its way through your community, we continue to practice prevention continue to build our immune system.
Number 1 Goal – Prevention:
Protection:
For those needing masks because you're sick or you’re taking care of someone who is sick. – I’m putting some links in the show notes on some websites offering some instructions on how to make medical masks.
The World Health Organization and CDC have instructions on the types of materials they think are acceptable in the event you can’t get proper masks.
What I found interesting is researchers around the world have been testing different common household materials that would block viruses like H1N1.
Their conclusion was the top household item was a vacuum cleaner bag – it blocked 86% compared to a surgical mask – which only blocks 89% of the virus’. Tea towels came in at 73%.
Whether any of these items will protect you against Covid-19 – don't know – so keep that in mind. If you're sick, something is better than nothing.
The CDC offers free downloadable posters on how to wash your hands for various age groups properly. They have superheroes and princesses for children – which are pretty cute.
Here is a great video from Lab Muffin who happens to have a PhD in Chemistry. She reviews many online homemade sanitizer recipes and explains why they are ineffective. She then reviews the World Health Organization's Handrub cleaner as a good alternative.
She created a free alcohol content calculator for those wanted to test the effectiveness of their recipe.
I’m not a certified aromatherapist – but I do have some
training in using essential oils for my bath and body business and in my herbal
studies.
I’m seeing a lot of misinformation out there about how
to use essential oils and their effectiveness.
Just because it's natural doesn’t mean its safe.
Essential oils should never be used directly on the skin and should always be
diluted in a carrier oil such as almond oil, olive oil, etc.
Essential oils should never be ingested unless they are prescribed by a licensed professional who has specific training in ingesting oils as a treatment.
There are countless cases reported of 2nd and
3rd-degree burns and toxic shock, sometimes resulting in death reported to the
FDA.
Some oils – but not all, can be used in diffusers. Adding oils to water for inhalation treatments can be safe – but do your research on sites such as the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy for information on aromatherapists and classes on proper usage of essential oils.
And finally, any company that claims their essential oils
cure anything, especially Covid-19 are committing fraud and will be cited by
the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and FTC (Federal Trade Commission).
Please remember there are no cures to most viral infections – and especially Covid – 19. The only thing we can do is manage the symptoms, allow the virus to run its course at the same time, boost our body's immune system in a variety of different ways.
Eat A Healthy Diet:
Drink plenty of water and or warm fluids such as nutrient-filled soups, and herbal teas during an illness. Staying hydrated helps your body fight off infection and keeps all systems running smoothly.
Eat Plenty Of Fermented Foods:
Eating fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, kombucha, kimchi, and kefir is good for optimal health.
Lifestyle Considerations:
Yes, this is a stressful time. But getting outside and breathing fresh air and getting some Vitamin D is good for your mind. Check out Episode 04| Managing Your Stress. I have a section on ideas on walking even if you cant get outside.
Understanding How Herbs Work:
Part of a preparedness plan is to have supplies on hand, so in the event, your family gets hit by any illness, there is no delay in starting supportive homecare.
Understand that there is no cure for this virus. The goal should be to minimize the symptoms at the same time boost your immune system using readily available foods and herbs. Food is medicine.
Thankfully, some well-known herbalists such as Mathew Wood from the Institute of Herbalism published information on some conclusions from practitioners in China about what they learned treating Covid-19 patients.
Steven Buhner author of Herbal Antivirals: Natural Remedies for Emerging & Resistant Viral Infections – has also weighed in on the controversy /discussion about Elderberry and if you should be taking it if you become sick.
Bottom line is to do your research and make the best decision you can. Nobody knows for certain if a class of herbs will minimize the symptoms of Covid – 19 or not. We know they work for general colds and flu. But Covid 19 is different.
There are so many unknowns – we are all going to have to make the best-educated guess on how to treat ourselves as we can.
Be aware, some of these herbs have safety precautions
if used in a concentrated form such as a tincture, teas, or syrups.
Check for safety issues such as allergies, or medication interactions, and proper dosages before you start taking something. Just because it's natural doesn’t mean it can’t be dangerous in concentrated forms.
The general consensus I’m hearing from clinical herbalists, if you are sick or have minor symptoms, focus on taking herbs that are considered warming.
What I mean by this is herbs that have energetics that produce certain actions within the body. Herbs can be dry, warming, moist, cooling or a combination of several.
For example, dry and warming.
These energetics are also matched to a person underlying constitution or body type. And there are a lot of body types.
For example: if a person’s underlying constitution is
“deficient” they may be pale with cold hands and feet, feel tired or weak, and
prone to certain conditions.
An herbalist might suggest herbs that are warming and
maybe drying to get the circulation moving.
Yes, this is an extreme oversimplification of how herbal
energetics work in our bodies – And I don’t want to confuse you.
My point is, well respected clinical herbalists are suggesting to work with more warming herbs than cooling herbs for COVID-19.
Although using a combination of cooling and warming may
be acceptable. You want herbs that will
focus on opening up the chest – so you can breathe deep.
Herbs that can thin mucus so it can pass out of the body and not clog the airways. From what I’m reading and hearing from doctors on the front lines, this virus seems to clog up the bronchioles in the lungs. That's why the news is filled with requests for ventilators. The lungs are full of fluid and mucus.
So what herbs are considered warming and what herbs are considered cooling?
Fresh Garlic – Warming
Local Honey – Helps fight infections and perfect to mix with bitter-tasting herbs.
Fresh Ginger – Warming and drying
Thyme – Warming and drying
Echinacea – Cooling
Peppermint – Cooling and drying
Elderberries and or Flowers – Cooling
Fermented Foods – Probiotics are important to boost the immune system
Organic Fresh fruits and vegetables – Natural vitamins and minerals to boost the immune system.
Organic Apple Cider vinegar with Mother – Mixed with other vegetables and honey helps keep your electrolytes up.
Combine all ingredients except sweetener in a large
saucepan and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for
an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, sweeten to taste and serve hot.
According to Steven Buhner’s book. Ginger is an antiviral herb to take when sick. I recommend you juice your ginger and freeze it in ice cube trays to extend its shelf life. Save those fibers and freeze them for tea later.
If you don’t have a juicer – then grate it the ginger and add it to just-off-boil water.
This recipe calls for an herb called astragalus – I’ve never found it at my local grocery store. If there is a health food store near you, then call them and ask. Otherwise, you’ll have to order it online if it’s still available.
Dr. Weil’s recipe calls for fresh – but adding it dried
is just fine.
Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, mashed
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly
sliced
Also, making old Fashioned chicken soup is also
great.
As a last resort, if making a pot of soup is to overwhelming – order wonton soup from your local Chinese Restaurant. I’ve discovered the broth has enough vitamins minerals and salts to help boost your electrolytes.
Several sprigs of fresh organic rosemary or 2 tbsp of dried rosemary leaves
1 tbsp organic turmeric powder or 2 fresh roots chopped
1/4 tsp organic cayenne powder
1 – 3 – 32 oz bottles of organic apple cider vinegar – the amount needed will depend on the volume of material stacked in jar. (Re Brand: I use “Braggs” but there are other unfiltered organic apple cider brands out there.)
¼ cup Raw local honey to taste (add after the 6 weeks of fermenting is done)
* See the list of herbal variations that I’ve added to my recipe. These are not necessary, but the * indicates the ingredients that I’ve used in the past.
Directions
Chop and slice all of your roots, fruits, and herbs and place them in a large jar. (I use a gallon jar with a lid – bought on Amazon.) Fill jar with the apple cider vinegar until everything is covered. You may have squish material down to cover with vinegar.
Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid will work. Shake well. Store in a dark, cool place for 6 weeks and remember to shake daily.
After 6 weeks, use cheesecloth to strain out the raw fermented ingredients. Discard the vegetables and pour the fermented vinegar into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquidy goodness as you can from the vegetables while straining.
Next…comes the honey. Add 1/4 cup of honey (or more if still too strong) and stir until incorporated. Store at room temperature in a dark cupboard or refrigerator.
Herbal Ingredient Variations
These organic herbs and spices would make a wonderful addition to your Fire Cider creations. You can find them all and more in our shop!
Thyme
Horseradish Root Powder
Rose Hips*
Star Anise
Schisandra Berries
Astragalus
Parsley
Burdock root*
Oregano, Peppercorns*
Beet Root Powder
Habanero Powder
Echinacea root (fresh or dried) *
Echinacea flowers (can use contents of 3 tea bags) *
1 package of Cutting Edge Cultures or 1/2 cup kefir whey
– less culture if you’re making less.
1 cup of filtered water –
1/2 small cabbage, shredded into very small pieces
1 medium sweet apple – such as Honey Crisp
1/4 cup dried Cranberries
1 medium orange, juiced with all the pulp
1/2 tablespoon coarse sea salt
Enough filtered water to cover vegetables
Step 1: If using a starter culture, dissolve culture
packet in 1 cup water. If using kefir whey – set aside until the end.
Step 2: Shred all your vegetables except cranberries and put in a large bowl.
Step 3: Add salt and mix well.
Step 4: Add the juice of the orange with pulp. Mix well.
Step 5: Fill 1/2 gallon mason jar with vegetables. Squish down to compact vegetables. If too much start another jar.
Step 6: Add dissolved culture or kefir whey. If you have
more than one jar divide up the culture among your jars.
Step 7: Fill jar(s) up with filtered water to cover vegetables leaving. Slide a long knife along edges and down the center to get any bubbles out. Drop in weight and fill the remaining jar to 1/2 inch from the top with filtered water.
Step 8: Place airlock lid on jar and follow the instructions from Easy Fermenter Kit on maintaining your jars during the fermenting process. I like to ferment this recipe for about 10 days. But if you like a real tang to your sauerkraut let it ferment longer.
The Herbal Academy’s Quick and Simple Elderberry Cold Syrup:
The Herbal Academy has another recipe called Decongesting Herbal Steam. I have some jars for sale on Farm to Bath website starting April 1st.
However, if you want to make a simple stream using a
variety of herbs or combinations, here is a list of herbs that may help.
Thyme
Thyme and Rosemary
Mint
Mint and lavender.
Bring 4-6 cups of water to a boil. To a large bowl, add
1 Tbsp. of herbs.
Pour boiling water over the herbs and cover the bowl.
Let steep for 5-10 minutes.
Cover your head with a towel, then position your face
over the bowl, using the towel as a tent to hold the steam in.
With your eyes closed and face 5-10 inches away from the hot water, breathe in the herbal goodness for no more than 10 minutes at a time.
Until Next Time…
In the next episode, we will be talking about starting a garden.
My Garden Journal would be the perfect workbook to get things started. It has cool garden themes like growing a Popsicle Garden, a Pollinator Garden, or a Garden For Kitty.
It has a section on books and themes, such as The Secret Garden or a Harry Potter Garden.
Instructions on how to build a worm farm to make your own compost. A season's worth of journal pages for tracking how your garden did through the growing season. Plus so much more!
Remember, we are all in this together and we will get through it!
The music used in this show is used with permission and is created and produced by Gene Tullio.
Gene’s music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information about his music, please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Shows Sponsors:
Farm to Bath
Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
Gardening is a learned skill – everyone has to start somewhere, and a journal provides the best way to improve your gardening skills to ensure more successes and fewer failures.
The intent of this journal is to simultaneously teach basic gardening techniques while providing a place to record your journey with important information about the “how, when, and where” to grow food and flowers.
There are suggestions on themed gardens such as “A Harry Potter Garden”, “A Young Chef's Garden”, or a “Monarch Butterfly Superhero Garden” for budding Naturalists and places to either sketch or photograph your plants to remember their appearance for the next growing season.
You'll be amazed at how much you will learn by journaling about your garden!
Books available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, libraries and other retail stores. Just ask them to order the book.
Social Media Links:
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Happy New Year everyone. Today’s show is my holiday show and yes, I certainly blew the deadline. It was the second week of January 2020 when I record this and since I’m the creator and make the final decisions on what stays and goes. I decided to go ahead and post this show.
The topic of the show is managing Holiday Stress (and stress in general) with herbs. Yes, the title of the show says Coping with Stress. I changed it because I'm posting it so late.
I debated with myself if I should scrap this show and move on to another subject, but then I thought, just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean people’s stress magically disappeared. For some, the first of the year is a trigger for stress for a variety of reasons.
December bills are due, and the shock of how much
all that merry-making cost is a huge reality check.
The first of the year also marks other life-changing events. Such as trying to buy or sell a home, starting a new semester at school, or starting a new job.
For others its all hands on deck planning that spring wedding. Here in the Hartford area, there are bridal shows scheduled for the next 3 months. That's just the Hartford area – there are other locations around the state – and CT is a pretty small state. So it appears we have a lot of blushing brides in Connecticut!
Then for some, the new year brings a new set of stressful challenges in the form of legal problems. Usually, attorneys advise their clients to wait until after the first of the year to file their petitions for bankruptcy, or divorce.
In addition, if you’ve been paying attention to the national and international news – well, what can I say… It's pretty scary out there.
So my point is – people’s stress didn’t go away after the first of the year and it seems for some, things maybe a bit rough. So I went ahead and posted the show.
In the last segment of the show, I’ll share with you my Lavender Harmony Tea Recipe which is a nice tea to drink all day long. If you wish to purchase the tea scroll down to the Reference section and I posted information on how you can find me to buy the tea.
Articles mentioned in the show have links to the primary sources for more research. I also list organizations for those seeking professional help in the areas of mental health and money management.
Finally, if you are feeling overwhelmed, right now – please reach out to a professional for help, just scroll down to the reference section and click on any of the mental health links.
Thank you for being here and enjoy the show.
The Mayo Clinic suggests the following 10 Strategies
This is an excerpt from the article Stress, depression and the holidays: Tips for Coping (link to full article below).
Acknowledge your feelings
Reach out
Be realistic
Set aside differences
Stick to a budget
Plan ahead
Learn to say no
Don't abandon healthy habits
Take a breather
Seek professional help if you need it
11 Ways to reduce stress in your life
1. Take frequent breaks from social media and news outlets – and/or don’t engage at all.
2. Create boundaries on topics you aren’t willing to discuss.
3.Get a good night's sleep or try and take a nap if you need one. Being overtired only adds to your stress.
Skullcap, chamomile, and lavender or a combination of these herbs can help with sleep. Have a cup of tea 45 – 1 hr before bed.
4. Cut back or eliminate coffee or caffeine and switch to herbal teas.
5. Stop eating sugar, and foods high in carbohydrates. They are not your friends.
Switch out a bowl of mashed
potatoes with a high fiber food such as wild rice, quinoa with mushrooms or
smashed cauliflower with herbs mixed in.
By adding more fiber to your diet its the perfect way to level your blood sugar out. Fewer mood swings and feeling sluggish and overtired.
Trust me! You’ll feel better after eating.
6. Start drinking more water. It helps keep things moving!
7. Start a routine where you can sit for 20 minutes at some point in the daily and have a cup of tea.
Examples of Nervine Herbs:
– Milky oats
– Chamomile
– Lemon Balm
– Lavender
– Valerian Root
–
Skullcap – This one I’d take just before bedtime.
– St. John’s Wort
– Rose
This is not a complete list
– there are others you can take, but I picked these because they are common and
can be found in most health food stores around the country.
And since I’m talking about medicinal herbs versus culinary herbs, I have to add this statement.
I want to stress herbalism is a way of life when using herbs for
medicinal purposes to treat certain conditions. You need to be aware:
There are no magic bullets
No quick fixes that will result in a specific health outcome.
The secret to using herbs is the accumulation of what I call conscious healthy living and eating.
Understand your body and its limits and don’t be afraid to seek medical
treatment if you’re not feeling better.
Most importantly do your homework before taking herbs medicinally. Make informed decisions based on facts and
not someone’s opinion or marketing tagline.
My goal is to teach you how to enhance your health and environment with
herbs that will bring you over-all wellness. I offer you detailed information
along with primary sources so you can research on your own.
However, I still have to give you my disclaimer so we’re clear…
I’m not a doctor, and if you have questions about your health, please consult a licensed medical professional.
Some herbs interact with certain medications negatively and if you’re on
a prescription drug ask your doctor if the herb you’re interested in taking is
safe.
In addition, pregnant and nursing Mother’s please consult your doctor to
make sure the herbs you’re taking are safe for you and your baby.
The information discussed in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat anyone.
8. Go for a walk. – indoor our out. Just move!
9. Meditate – According to Harvard Medical School article titled.
What Mediation can do for your mind, mood, and health.
They concluded that:
“Taking a few minutes to focus your mind each day can reduce stress, pain, depression, and more.”
10.Keep a gratitude journal.
According to an article in Psychology Today Article.
There are 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude.
1. Gratitude Opens the Door
to More Relationships –
2. Gratitude Improves
Physical Health
3. Gratitude Improves
Psychological Health
4. Gratitude Enhances
Empathy and Reduces Aggression
5. Grateful People Sleep
Better
6. Gratitude Improves
Self-Esteem
7. Gratitude Increases
Mental Strength
11. Practice Yoga. There are free and paid apps if taking a class is not your style. Youtube has several yoga channels you can watch and follow as well.
Blend together and use 1
heaping tablespoon per cup. Let steep for 5 – 8 minutes before drinking.
Just remember, sometimes the simplest things can make the biggest impact on you emotionally. Find a quiet place for about 20 minutes, even if it's sitting in your car – just be still and have a cup of tea with yourself.
For those wanting to buy this tea, I offer it for sale at the South Windsor Farmers Market during the growing season. During the off-season, orders can be picked up at my home. For more information email me – brenda@thompsonstreetfarm.com.
Note: Please do your research. I have not used any of the debt counseling resources. I've read Rich Dad Poor Dad and thought it was worth recommending. The author offers basic money management tips. However, there are many great books on money management. Many local libraries carry best selling titles – make sure to start there first.
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki This book is in most libraries or online for free somewhere. Check first for free versions before buying the book.
AllTrails Pro App Paid App and I use this to record my hikes and walks. Has thousands of trials and reviews by walkers and hikers nationally. I love this app and highly recommend. Available on iTunes. https://www.alltrails.com/
Lavender Harmony Tea available from Thompson Street Farm LLC www.thompsonstreetfarm.com email me for information on pickup times. Local sales only.
Show's Sponsor
Farm to Bath| Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
Counting Starfish| A Thompson Street Farm Learn and Play Series Volume 1
Children learn by experience and are stimulated by imagination. Counting Starfish is designed to build both basic concepts and what better way to learn than from the natural world? Counting Starfish was inspired by starfish (or sea stars) living in a tidal pool off the coast of Alaska. This interactive book teaches children the fundamental concepts of counting to ten with coloring pages providing the opportunity for each child to create their own imaginative version of a colorful Counting Starfish Book.
Music
Special Thank You To Gene Tullio!
The music used in this show is used with permission and is created and produced by Gene Tullio.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information about his music, please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Today is my Thanksgiving show, and I wanted to do something a little different.
I realize everyone is busy and I thought it would be fun to read to you a delightful short story by Louisa May Alcott – Its called “An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving” published as part of her collection of stories titled “Aunt Jo’s Scrap Bag” in 1882.
This is a story is about a family living on a New Hampshire farm and the day before Thanksgiving their parents are called away for an emergency.
The children are left alone to manage the farm and they decide to make the “Big Dinner.” As you expect – things don’t go as planned.
This story does have an herbal theme to it and as I read it, pay attention to the ingredients collected for the meal. I’ll explain why later –
In the second half of the show, I’ll share my favorite gluten-free stuffing that I’ve been making for years. It's full of aromatic herbs, vegetables, mushrooms that are from my garden – well almost all of them. Some ingredients I get from local vendors.
So go get your cup of tea and settle in and I hope you enjoy Louisa May Alcott’s 1882 story “An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving.”
1 tablespoon nondairy butter spread. ( I use Earthbalance)
½ teaspoon salt
2 medium onions chopped
2 – 3 celery stalk
1 – 2 carrot chopped
3 garlic cloves
2 – 3 Granny Smith Apples (or local tart apples) diced
1 lb of fresh chopped mushrooms (shiitake, oyster,
chanterelle all work) if using dried mushrooms reconstitute in a half cup of
hot water and dash (or more) of Sherry).
A good size bunch of fresh sage – chopped – if using dried
sage – use 2 tablespoons
A good size bunch of thyme – stemmed – if using dried thyme
– use 2 tablespoons.
2 loaves of sliced Gluten Free Bread – (I try and buy them
from a local Gluten Free bakery. If they’re out of stock, I use Udis Gluten
Free Millet-Chia bread – cut into cubes and toast in a low heated oven (approx.
250 degrees).)
8 oz of stock – can be Turkey stock from simmering the
giblets, or vegetable stock. Don’t forget to use the mushroom / Sherry broth if
reconstituted dried mushrooms.
¼ cup Sherry
½ teaspoon salt and pepper
Directions:
Melt nondairy butter in a large skillet. Add onions, celery,
carrot and garlic and sauté until vegetables are just about soft but not quite.
Stir in apples and cook for approx. 2 minutes. Don’t over
cook them.
Add the mushrooms – if fresh, cook until they are giving off
liquid. If using reconstituted dried mushrooms cook until warmed.
Add Sherry, sage, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until
liquid is almost evaporated. Then remove from heat.
Combine vegetable mixture with toasted bread cubes into
large bowl. Add enough broth to moisten bread. If there isn’t enough add
additional sherry. But don’t soak the bread cubes.
Stuff turkey with the stuffing and roast as directed.
If not stuffing a turkey: Transfer stuffing to a well greased baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Take off foil and bake for another 15 – 20 minutes or until stuffing is lightly crisp on top.
From my family to your's Happy Thanksgiving! Please let me know if you tried my recipe by posting on any of our social media outlets.
Show Sponsors
Farm to Bath
Our philosophy is to live a locally focused naturally beautiful life, a lifestyle choice that is infused into the products we make. The ingredients are locally grown and/or acquired and are as basic and pure as nature itself. Each bar is full of fragrant aromatics that provide a rich moisturizing lather with no artificial colors or preservatives added – naturally beautiful!
Counting Starfish| A Thompson Street Farm Learn and Play Series Volume 1
Children learn by experience and are stimulated by imagination. Counting Starfish is designed to build both basic concepts and what better way to learn than from the natural world? Counting Starfish was inspired by starfish (or sea stars) living in a tidal pool off the coast of Alaska. This interactive book teaches children the fundamental concepts of counting to ten with coloring pages providing the opportunity for each child to create their own imaginative version of a colorful Counting Starfish Book.
Music
a Special Thank You To Gene Tullio!
The music used in this show has special permission to use the music created and produced by Gene Tullio.
Gene's music can be downloaded from Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify. For more information about his music, please contact him at dreamshipmusic@gmail.com
Album: The Dreamship| The Forge Of Life| Copyright 2018
Social Media Links
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We would love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Please follow us on all our social media outlets. We’d love to hear if you tried the recipe(s) from these podcasts.
Today I’m talking about a vinegar tonic that boosts the immune system.
It has roots in a centuries-old recipe and was updated and modernized in the 20th Century and given a new name.
Since then, it's been adapted many times and is now a staple recipe in any budding herbalists recipe book. Its called, Fire Cider
By the end of this show, you’ll learn about the history of how infused vinegars got started and why they are so popular today. I’ll even share my own recipe so you can make a batch for yourself and family.
My disclaimer so we are clear…
I’m not a doctor, and if you have questions about your health, please consult a licensed medical professional. The information discussed in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only.
Several sprigs of fresh organic rosemary or 2 tbsp of dried
rosemary leaves
1 tbsp organic turmeric powder or 2 fresh roots chopped
1/4 tsp organic cayenne powder
1 – 3 – 32 oz bottles
of organic apple cider vinegar – the amount needed will depend on the volume of
material stacked in jar. (Re Brand: I
use “Braggs” but there are other unfiltered organic apple cider brands out
there.)
¼ cup Raw local honey to taste (add after the 6 weeks of
fermenting is done)
* See list of herbal
variations that I’ve added to my recipe. These are not necessary, but the *
indicates the ingredients that I’ve used in the past.
Directions
Chop and slice all of your roots, fruits, and herbs and
place them in a large jar. (I use a gallon jar with a lid – bought on Amazon.) Fill jar with the apple cider vinegar until
everything is covered. You may have
squish material down to cover with vinegar.
Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep
the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid will work. Shake well.
Store in a dark, cool place for 6 weeks and remember to shake daily.
After 6 weeks, use cheesecloth to strain out the raw
fermented ingredients. Discard the vegetables and pour the fermented vinegar
into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquidly goodness as you
can from the vegetables while straining.
Next…comes the honey. Add 1/4 cup of honey (or more if still
too strong) and stir until incorporated.
Store at room temperature in dark cupboard or refrigerator.
Herbal Ingredient
Variations
These organic herbs and spices would make a wonderful
addition to your Fire Cider creations. You can find them all and more in our
shop!
Thyme
Horseradish Root Powder
Rose Hips*
Star Anise
Schisandra Berries
Astragalus
Parsley
Burdock root*
Oregano, Peppercorns*
Beet Root Powder
Habanero Powder
Echinacea root (fresh or dried) *
Echinacea flowers (can use contents of 3 tea
bags) *
Whole Chili Peppers*
Orange slices*
Grapefruit,
Lime slices*
Ghost peppers*
Cinnamon Sticks*
Dried Turkey Tail Mushrooms*
Drinking
Instructions:
1 – 3 shot glasses per day when you feel cold or flu
symptoms coming on. Repeat until symptoms go away.
Please remember, I am not a doctor, if you continue to feel bad or get worse – go see a licensed medical professional. This recipe is for educational purposes only and not meant to treat or diagnose anyone.
Recipe Ingredient Herbal Actions List
General Herbal Actions Document Download(please note this list is not a complete list)
Primary Source Links
Primary Source Links For The Health Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar