Farm Life in Maine and New Hampshire
While the snow is still on the ground, it won't be long before the gardens are in full bloom. The herbs will showing off their dazzling array of colors and beauty. Our daily chores, besides weeding, will include harvesting the fresh herbs to dry. Each morning, after the dew has passed we pick each herb by hand, and then carefully dry them. Some are sun dried, while others are … [Read more...]
You wander out to the garden to pick some fresh tomatoes. You find small black droppings on the leaves of your tomato plant. The leaves are gone, but the stem remains. Looks like you probably have tomato worms. Tomato worms feast on the leaves of your tomato plants, which will lead to the plant dying. The tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) is a large caterpillar that … [Read more...]
You should be growing these springtime herbs in your own garden whether it's a window box, patio planter, or backyard garden, each is easy to grow. You'll love having fresh herbs on hand and I doubt you'll want to return to prepackaged once you try them. Mint - How can you possibly go wrong with fresh mint. Spearmint, peppermint, and even chocolate mint are great for treating … [Read more...]
If your house is like ours, right about now, you are loaded with cucumbers from the garden. What shall you do? While pickles are wonderful, I am about pickled out right now. I've made dill, spicy dill, and bread and butter pickles. Jars and jars of them, to be exact. I've made cucumber salad, cucumber salad dressing, and anything I else I cold think of. I wanted something … [Read more...]
A Bad Rap For A Great Healing Herb Goldenrod has gotten a bad reputation over the years for causing allergies, and hay fever, however, it has been shown that it's pollen does not go airborne. Rather, it is pollinated by bees and other pollinating insects. It seems that ragweed, which blooms at the same time of year is actually the culprit for those allergies. Ragweed has … [Read more...]
Plantain is a common weed found in many parts of the country. While most people try to eradicate it from their lawn, little do they know the healing power of this "weed". Plantain can be used both externally, as well as internally. Plantain has been used for hundreds of years both in folk medicine, as well as in herbal healing. Medicine In Your Own Backyard Native Americans … [Read more...]
It seems like yesterday, but it's been 15 years now.... Back in December of ’99, a little convenience store closed, and it was the best thing that could have happened. I needed a new place to get coffee and ended up with a dinner date. Michael’s a bit of a geek, while I’m a nature girl. I’d tell him to get off the computer, and he’d tell me to get my feet out of the … [Read more...]
Origins of Pumpkin Pumpkin is native to North America, and is a gourd-like squash. It is from the cucurbitaceae family of plants. The word itself comes from the Greek word pepon, which means large melon. In France the word was adapted into pompon, which then the British changed to pumpion. The early American colonists later changed it to pumpkin. Pumpkin seeds dating back … [Read more...]
St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been used for centuries as both a healing herb. It has been nicknamed the wonder herb by many of the herbalists of history. It can be used both internally, as well as externally. It was once even used in magical rituals. It is also known in some areas as goatweed, Klamath weed, Tipton's weed, Rosin Rose and Chase Devil, or Devil … [Read more...]
During the 1930's Dr. Edward Bach discovered the gentle healing power of plants. There are 38 flower remedies, and the healing powers are directed to a particular emotional state or characteristic of that state. The remedies are used as a natural therapy in relieving any emotional states that are negative in the mind. The Bach Flower remedies are safe, and easy to use. To … [Read more...]
