Today I’m interviewing Vera Duhart – she talks about her family’s Gullah Ancestry and the traditional African American herbalism called Hoodoo.
Vera's Family is from the Sea Islands, USA – Picture Google Images Creative Commons Wikipedia
This interview is really a conversation between two friends and you’re listening in. It's another great interview and I learned so much. I was asked a question, what is herbalism? The listener knew about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) but didn't know much more than that.
I explained herbalism is a general term and can be a part of folk, traditional and ancestral medicine using plant and naturally grown ingredients such as roots, bark, mushrooms, leaves, flowers, etc., for general health or treating illness. It's also been referred to as folk medicine, a system of knowledge, beliefs, and religious practices related to a particular culture or group.
Think of herbalism as a general term similar to the word medicine. We know there are specialties—orthopedics, neurology, GI, gynecology, etc.
Herbalism is similar – there is Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM – originating in, yes, China. There is Ayurveda which originated in India. There is Native American etc.
Some traditions, such as western herbalism, are now a blend of many ancient traditions here in the United States. Native American, Shaker, Appalachia, with some old-world European influences.
Because of the intense European colonization, the indigenous people and their tradition(s) either have become extinct or what's left wasn't well documented, and researchers have spent decades filling in the gaps for the rituals and recipes.
When slaves were brought to the US their beliefs and healing practices came with them. there were no doctors on the islands and the slaves had to heal themselves. This is how Hoodoo Medicine became part of the Gullah culture. Picture Google Images Creative Commons Wikipedia
Hoodoo Herbalism is one of those traditions that is slowly being lost. Thankfully there are some researchers who have done some research on Hoodoo and other slave medicine traditions.
Vera enlightens us on her Mother's traditions – she also blows my mind with an old recipe that has an ingredient that one would assume was for the spiritual part the healing ritual – but instead actually has healing properties.
Book by Faith Mitchell – picture by Brenda J. Sullivan
Bottle Tree – Its thought it originated in the Congo. Slaves created bottle trees – mostly using blue bottles to trap the spirits inside the bottle at night. When the sun came up the spirits couldn't find their way out and would be burned by the sun. Picture Google Images Creative Commons
Vera shares her memory of her Mother and Grandmother adding spider webs to a cold and flu drink to help reduce a fever. Picture Canva
Have you ever heard of using cobwebs in your herbal preparation? Well, as you hear neither did I. According to Vera, this was a common ingredient in her Mother and Grandmother's herbal tool kit.
Wanting to learn more, I did some research on this unusual ingredient. I first asked my fellow herbal colleagues at the Herbal Academy. This is an international group, and there are thousands of us attending classes. Using cobwebs for stomach wounds but using it for fevers, the answer was no.
Then I received a message from a woman on the other side of the world who gave me a link to a website mentioning a document from a doctor in 1860. This led me to the original publication called the Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science. A European doctor, by the name of Robert Jackson, wrote about his research on reducing fevers in British Soldiers in the West Indies. One of his experiments was using cobwebs for the purpose to reduce fevers.
Section N – Cob-Web of A Sketch of The History And Cure of Febrile Diseases citing Dr. Jacksons research using cob-webs to reduce fevers.
On page 259 section N Cob-webs in the section, Dr. Jackson writes that he met the late Dr. Gillespie of Edinburgh who mentioned the use of cobwebs for treating fevers in 1801 with some success. So he decided to do some research to prove Dr. Gillespie's claims.
During this time period, the British were at their height of the slave trade, and The West Indies, especially Barbados had the largest slave harbor in the islands. One can assume, these doctors learned about the benefits of using cobwebs to reduce fevers from the indigenous people on the islands.
Historically we know it was a common practice for researchers to claim credit for other people's work/ideas especially if they are people of color. This appears to be no different.
Life Histories of Edisto Island, South Carolina: Interviews from the files of Federal Writers' Project 1936 to 1940 by Chalmers S. Murray and Margaret Wilkinson – https://amzn.to/3swq07Q
Working The Roots: Over 400 Years of Traditional African-American Healing by Michele E. Lee – https://amzn.to/3sy1SSb
Cleansing Rites of Curanderismo: Limpias Espirituales of Ancient Mesoamerican Shamans by Erika Buenaflor, MA.,JD https://amzn.to/2Oa23Eh
Healing with Herbs and Rituals A Mexican Tradition by Eliseo “Cheo” Torres https://amzn.to/3q2ongD
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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!
https://www.farmtobath.com/
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.
Theresa Velendzas – Owner of Altraform LLC – picture used with permission
What is self-care? How as women do we care for ourselves in a healthy way? Have we been fed a lot of baloney about what the perfect life is supposed to look like? Has the media taught us we're not perfect unless we're available 24 hours 7 days a week? Meeting everyone's needs while looking fantastic, great personality, and making piles of money!
These are questions Theresa and I explore during our discussion. I share a lot about my life. What I thought I was supposed to think and do as a young 20-year-old trying to figure things out 3000 miles away from my family. And now, as I edge closer to the big six-O, have I really evolved over the decades? What do I think about life, family, and career now? Do I think we can still have it all? Have I forgotten about caring for myself? What would I tell my 20-year-old self today?
Theresa shares strategies about how we can begin to care for ourselves. She recommends we start small. She demonstrates how I can calm myself periodically throughout the day to re-focus and give myself a mental break. It's a great technique and I've started to do this when I get overwhelmed in the day.
The show is 2 hrs and 20 minutes long. The first part of the show is my update, and it's a long one. I struggled to get this show done. It seemed I had a lot of roadblocks these past 3 1/2 weeks. As I say in the intro – a lot of weird shit happened in my household. But I'm happy to say, we're all ok and I powered through and ta-da! I've finished the show!
If you want to skip all my drama, the interview starts at 31:20 minutes, and I've added our 5-minute meditation to the end of the podcast. That starts at 2:13:35 minutes or click on the bar below and listen to the meditation here on the website.
5- Minute Mediation
5 Minute Meditation led by Theresa Velendzas
Theresa and Brenda during the interview (Click Here to view picture)
Theresa talks about her being “skinny fat” and explains what that is. These are her before, after pictures. (Click Here to view picture) pictures used with permission.
This is the beach in Greece, Theresa's grandmother would come and swim several times a week. picture used with permission. (Click Here to view picture)
Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers. Just ask them to order
Despite all the craziness this past month, I was still able to publish 4 books in our counting books. Paul came up with the name Kids Count Series. I just love everything about that name.
I'm waiting for the fourth book Counting Reindeer to be approved by the distributor. It's taking a few days longer than expected. It should be released by December 14th or 15th.
Click Here to check book out – Amazon affiliate link
Click Here to check book out. Amazon affiliate link
Click Here to check book out. Amazon affiliate link
This book will be released the week of December 14th. Check Amazon Kids Count Series for all our books
Kidde Nighthawk Plug-In AC/DC Carbon Monoxide Alarm Detector with Digital Display KN-COPP-3 Click Here Amazon affiliate link
Things have finally calmed down for us. Although, I'm still smelling that distinct smell of exhaust. I've had the mechanic come out for a third time checking our boiler system. I'm told everything is fine.
We tried to figure out where the smell is coming from and so far we can't find the source. There is no other machinery down there other than a treadmill – which gets unplugged so we're scratching our heads on this one.
Paul installed the new carbon monoxide and smoke detectors throughout the house. I purchased the fourth detector mainly for peace of mind. This one has a carbon monoxide reading. I thought it would be good to have so I could check if there was ANY toxic gas in the basement.
Paul and I were impressed with the voice activation units telling us what kind of emergency we were having. Carbon monoxide vs. fire – that was very helpful in our course of action. Although when I saw the black smoke coming from our chimney, I honestly thought we had a fire.
Thankfully our town's volunteer fire department was awesome and quickly confirmed there was no fire. Thank you Glastonbury Fire and paramedic unit for all your help!
The fire captain explained that once these detectors are activated, their battery life may be “spent” and will not activate if we have another emergency. In addition, there is no way to check the remaining battery life. He recommended we replace all the units just to be safe.
We agreed. A small price to pay to save our lives and have peace of mind. Each detector is $46.52 on Amazon. If you buy more than one, you can interconnect them together.
If one goes off, they all go off. Our electrician had installed the original detectors at the critical spots in our house. One at the foot of the stairs in the basement. One at the foot of the stairs on the main floor and one at the top of the stairs on the second floor. It was simple to just swap out the old detectors for the new ones.
As promised, I'm posting links to the type of detectors we have in our home. The battery life is ten years, easy to install, and no expense to have them hardwired.
Kidde P4010DCSCO-W Wire-Free Interconnect Combination CO 10-Year Sealed-in Lithium Battery Smoke Alarm Click Here Amazon affiliate Link
Show Sponsor
Please consider sponsoring this show. Due to COVID, I have not been able to sell as many products to support the administrative costs of the show. Any amount will be appreciated. Click Here
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 a friend of mine, George Duhart. George is a retired law enforcement officer and turned his passion for cooking into a business by launching George Gee's BBQ Sauce.
I first met George and his family many years ago when he was a vendor and board member at the farmers market I was managing. I've never met anyone as passionate about food as George. We've had some incredible conversations over the years, and this one is no different.
In the interview, George talks about his journey to becoming vegan and how he uses herbs and other vegetables in his Thanksgiving holiday dishes.
He even surprises me by using an herb in ways I would have never thought. I just love his creativity. We also talk about our families and what Thanksgiving means to us, especially during this pandemic. It's a great conversation.
These are affiliate links to Amazon. If you decide to buy any of these products, I will earn a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
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! https://www.farmtobath.com/
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.
“Laws pertaining to witchcraft came out of the Bible…Do not allow a sorceress to live. Then it was later changed to “Do not allow a witch to live”. And that’s where the Connecticut law for witches came from” Tony Griego
Tony Griego, Beth Caruso and Brenda Sullivan taping our interview. Picture Paul F. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
This is a different kind of show; it's about getting justice for a group of people who were murdered 300 years ago.
It is surprising to learn that even today, many people don't know about a horrific period when Connecticut was a fledgling colony and innocent people, mostly women who were accused of being a witch.
Witchcraft isn't what you think of it today. It wasn't a religion or belief. The definition of a witch in colonial New England was open-ended. It could be a person targeted by any of her neighbors for any reason or no reason or none for that matter. There was a lot of corruption by church and state, extortion, jealously, assaults, and murders.
The pilgrims who traveled to the new colonies were Puritan Christians. These people agreed to live under a rigorous religious government that didn't allow for a lot of forgiveness. If someone was perceived to violate church law, the punishment was swift and harsh—death, often the penalty. There was no place to escape other than the wilderness or to the colony of Rhode Island.
So how did all this start? It all began in the 1400s Medieval Europe when 2 Catholic priests wrote a treatise called the Malleus Maleficarum. The purpose of the document was to control the masses who the priests felt to have deviant behavior against the church and its authority. They concluded the people must be bewitched!
It became a how-to manual giving the church and courts the legal authority to investigate, prosecute, and execute anyone of witchcraft and the book was widely distributed.
Sadly, millions of women, men, and children over the centuries were executed. According to one historical reference, 85% who were viciously tortured and executed were women.
This manual was in use for over 500 years, and the Catholic church finally discontinued using it in 1939 and during its publication, it had 16 revisions, most during the 1500 and 1600s.
Even though the church discontinued its use, the damage was done. As you'll hear in the interview, many protestant ministers made similar versions to suit their own needs.
I want to share an excerpt that I found by Fia Forsström, a Swedish author who posted a comment on Facebook about the witch trials in Europe and beyond.
I thought it sums up the injustice, pain, and suffering that the church and state inflicted on its citizens.
It was not witches who burned. It was women. Women who were seen as; Too beautiful, Too outspoken, Had too much water in the well (yes, seriously), Who had a birthmark, Women who were too skilled with herbal medicine, Too loud, Too quiet, Too much red in their hair, Women who had a strong nature connection, Women who danced, Women who sang, or anything else, really.
Any woman was at risk of burning in the 1600s.
Sisters testified and turned on each other when their babies were held under ice.
Children were tortured to confess their experiences with “witches” by being fake executed in ovens.
Women were held underwater, and if they could float, they were guilty and executed. If they sank and drowned, they were innocent.
Women were thrown off cliffs.
Women were put in deep holes in the ground.
Why do I write this?
Because knowing our history is important when we are building a new world.
When we are doing the healing work of our lineages and as women.
To give the women who were slaughtered a voice, to give them redress and a chance of peace.
It was not witches who burned.
It was women.
XXX
This is Connecticut's story – it's a 30-year reign of terror, pain, and suffering, and injustice.
During those 30 years, 11 people were falsely accused of the crime of witchcraft and executed. In some cases, the reason for how the court came to its conclusion is crazy, and it boggles the mind.
One can only conclude the accusers, the church, and the court was corrupt. It was nothing more than men dressed in clergy cloaks and robes acting as an organized crime syndicate.
Approximately 35 more victims – that we know of – were accused of witchcraft. In one case, a woman was accused several times.
In that day and age, this was a serious business. Any accusation destroyed a person's life and family. Many were forced to flee into the wilderness, often leaving children behind to deal with the fallout.
And for what? Someone owning a prime piece of land? An outspoken spouse? A farmer's crop grew better than his neighbors? A woman had freckles or a mole on her body or, sadly, had a child with a disability – therefore, she must be a witch?
Tony Griego and Beth Caruso, founders of the Connecticut Witch Memorial, present a compelling argument as to why they believe acknowledgment from the State of Connecticut and an official memorial is long overdue. These victims and their descendants deserve to be recognized. They deserve peace, justice, and an official place to mourn their ancestors.
Connecticut Colonial Lawmaking witchcraft a crime, punishable by death. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Hartford Courant December 3, 1904, Annie Eliot Trumbull receives the personal diary of Matthew Grant of Windsor CT from 1635 – 1681. She discovers the name Alice Young and the date she was hanged and realizes this is the unnamed woman referred to at “One Blank of Windsor.” (click here to view picture)
Delayed Justice: Windsor Atones for its Witch Trial History – July 6, 2017 Windsor Town Council, Windsor, Connecticut (click here to view video)
Congregational Church where Alice Young was a member and was accused of witchcraft in 1647. (Website) Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
The field in Windsor, Connecticut Alice would have walked through to get the boat to be taken to Hartford for her trial and execution. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Beth Caruso on Windsor Town Green in front of the statue of General John Mason who is responsible for starting the witch trials and the extermination of the Pequot Indians. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Congregational Church, Hartford Connecticut. This is where Beth and Tony are hoping to place the Connecticut Witch Memorial pending state and city approval since they own the land around the church. Picture Wikipedia (Website) (click here to view picture)
Back of the Congregational Church, Hartford Connecticut. Ancient burial grounds. This is the place they would like to place the witch memorial since all the clergy members who executed the 11 people are buried. Picture Wikipedia (click here to view picture)
Entrance gates to the ancient burial grounds in Hartford. All 11 victims memorial bricks lay at the feet of the statute of Reverend Stone who presided over the witch trials. Picture Wikipedia (click here to view picture)
Connecticut Old State House – This is where the witch trials took place and the second possible site for the CT Witch Memorial. Website Picture Wikipedia (click here to view picture)
Brick next to the flagpole honoring Alice Young. Not pictured is Lydia Gilbert brick. Windsor, Connecticut. Picture used with permission. (click here to view picture)
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.
Bettylou Sandy – Bettylou's Gardening – Picture used with permission
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's paintings for Counting Autumn Leaves picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
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.
Counting Starfish 2nd Edition will be available in early November in all stores and libraries in paperback and digital formats. Please just ask them to order it. (click here to view picture)
Counting Snowflakes will be available in all stores in early November and libraries in paperback and digital formats. Please just ask them to order it. (click here to view picture)
Blue Vervain is an herb in the Nervine family. I made a tincture which is perfect for muscle pain, tightness, or moodiness. picture canva and Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
The Interview
Bettylou Sandy at Spruce Street Community Garden, Manchester Connecticut – Picture used with permission (click here to view picture)
Brenda Sullivan and Bettylou Sandy at Thompson Street Farm patio sitting around a wood stove doing our interview (click here to view picture) picture Paul F. Sullivan
Garlic chives growing around the garden fence picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)Our garden after a hot dry growing season. The yellow and orange flowers are Calendula which is dried and used in my bath and body products sold at Farm to Bath picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Raised bed mulched with leaves. It's now ready for its long winter rest. picture Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
The portable wood stove we sat around during the interview. This stove model is no longer available on Amazon however, there is another model that is similar. (click here) affiliate link
Book recommendation by Betthylou – this book is about growing food in the US by Americans from all over the world. (Click here to view book) Affiliate link
Bettylou recommends using a bamboo rake to rake leaves. These kinds of rakes don't rip up the lawn (click here) to view details about rack) affiliate link
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 – Bettylou's Gardening – Picture used with permission
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.
Katie Sullivan – Katie is excited to starting painting trees for her next activity book “Counting Trees” – Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
Fall is my favorite time of year. I do more hiking in the fall because the weather is perfect and its beautiful outside. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
That's me with my BCS Harvester Rototiller breaking ground for the lavender. Best machine for women who have large gardens or small farms. It's easy to start and operate. No vibration that makes your hands and arms numb. I'm sorry we had to let it go…Picture by Paul F. Sullivan (click here to view picture)Thompson Street Farm Garden – Garlic chives around the perimeter of the fence to discourage critters from cutting through or digging under the fence. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)Our garden here at Thompson Street Farm – due to the extreme drought conditions we are conserving water so our well doesn't run dry. We are no longer watering the garden. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)New e-book on its way. It's being formatted – almost ready! (click here to view picture)
The Interview
Bettylou Sandy at Spruce Street Community Garden, Manchester Connecticut – Picture used with permission (click here to view picture)Brenda Sullivan and Bettylou Sandy at Thompson Street Farm patio sitting around a wood stove doing our interview (click here to view picture)A raised bed at Thompson Street Farm mulched with 2 feet of leaves. The plants growing in the bed are now protected from freezing temperatures. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan (click here to view picture)
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
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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.
Lavender was used in a variety of ways during the Middle Ages – picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
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.
Lavender has a wide range of medicinal uses – Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
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.
Lavender Monograph – Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
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 Lavendula Angustifolia Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
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 L. Dentata Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
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 L. Stoechas Picture Google Images (Click Here to view picture)
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 – Grosso variety Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
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.
Lavender Plugs – First season. Paul in the pouring rain making sure the plugs are doing ok. picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
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.
Preparing the ground – Lavender loves dry sandy soil – Picture by Paul F. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
First year lavender plugs. It's the cheapest way to get lavender plants. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
Planting culinary lavender – Provence. We mulch around our plants. It helps with the ph. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)Lavender plug just planted. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here t0 view picture)
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.
Fresh cut Hidcote Lavender – Thompson Street Farm, South Glastonbury CT. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
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.
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.
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.
Our large copper still. Today were making hydrosol for Farm to Bath Face Mist. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)Grosso Lavender Hydrosol and Essential Oil floating on top after the first distillation. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
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 – Grosso. Fresh cut ready to be hung to dry. Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
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.
Picture Brenda J. Sullivan (Click Here to view picture)
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 –
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…”
A Historical Novel Picture used with permission – link to book in the reference section.
Today's Show
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
Beth M. Caruso, Author, Picture used with permission – Click here to view picture
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
Me after running sprints for 3.69 miles cold turkey! I don't recommend this… Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – click here to view picturePaul hanging the last of the lavender to dry. Our garage smells AMAZING!!! Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view pictureDried lavender bundles – $7.50 each USA sales only… Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view picture Free ebook coming out soon….- Click here to view picture
Interview
Puritans – 1600's – a strict religious group from England seeking freedom to worship their religion picture Wikipedia public domain – Click here to view pictureTown Map of Windsor 1600s – Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view pictureMajor John Mason – is responsible for the genocide of hundreds of Pequot Indians (including women and children) called the Mystic Massacre 1636 – 1638. He is also was involved in accusing innocent people of witchcraft and in particular, is responsible for the hanging of Alice Young. Beth Caruso giving her guided tour through the historic district of the Town of Windsor about Alice Young and the CT Witch Trials Fall 2019. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view pictures
Gravesite of Katherine Gibbs who was a neighbor and witness to Alice's accusation. As Beth stated in her talk, too bad we can't speak to her and ask her what happened. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view pictures
Places in Windsor where Alice would have walked during her lifetime. The Connecticut River is just beyond the cornfield. Alice was taken by boat down to Hartford to stand trial for witchcraft. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view pictures
A private home from Alice's time period – This is Return Strong's home 1699 – his wife Sarah gravesite – she died at the age of 37 – 1678. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view picturesWindsor Historical Society. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view pictureBeth Caruso and Brenda Sullivan after Beth's Witch Walk in the historic district of Windsor CT. Picture by Paul F. Sullivan – Click here to view picturesNew-Englands Rarities Discovered by John Josselyn. One of Beth's research books about herbs, medicine, and how Native Americans lived during Alice's time period – Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view picture. Free Public Domain copy available in the reference section.
Green Pharmacy: The History and Evolution of Western Herbal Medicine by Barbara Griggs. Another recommended research book about herbal medicine. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view picture. Link to book in the reference section.
Mugwort growing in Brenda's garden. References comments made during the show about herbal bloopers in the series Outlander TV series . And NO – mugwort or mullen is not natural contraceptives! Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan – Click here to view picture.
Beth and Brenda on the patio before the interview discussing our love of history and research. Picture by Paul F. Sullivan – Click here to view picture
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.
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 Owner of Bettylou Organic Gardening, Manchester CT. Picture used with permission
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:
Hubby in quarantine and isolation waiting for COVID test results. So he's sitting outside reading to our daughter who is sitting in the doorway. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan
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.
My pot of chicken soup full of immune boosting vegetables, herbs and medicinal mushrooms like Reishi Mushrooms. Picture by Brenda J. Sullivan
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!
Check out our website!
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
Randel Agrella, Horticulturist, Parsnippity Farm, Fort Fairfield Maine , pics used with permission
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.
Parsnippity Farm , Fort Fairfield Maine – pic used with permission.
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.
Pam Agrella, pic used with permission
Booth at Farmers Market, pic used with permission
Pam selling starts at the farmers market, pic used with permission
Farming is a Family Affair! pic used with permission
Farming is a Family Affair! pic used with permission
Randel's Helpers! pic used with permission
What a great Helper! pic used with permission
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
Randel grows a variety of starter plants. pic used with permission
Note: These plants need the right size container for the optimal results.
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Summer squash
Randel Checking out Scionwood to graft at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association Scionwood Exchange. pic used with permission
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.
