Country Girlie

FIG AND ALMOND CAKE (Gluten-free and GAPS-friendly)

2013-09-28T13:55:00.001-07:00

I have had this Black Mission Fig Tree for five years. It has never had any fruit and hubby was already wanting to pull the plug but I kept insisting, "It is still a young tree. Give it some time."

And TA-DAAAAA.... this year it has fruit on it. Quite a bit actually for such a young tree and needless to say: It is DELICIOUS!!!

We have been eating fig with goat cheese for weeks and today I am baking a cake (yes, gluten free and GAPS friendly); took me about an hour, including baking time, so totally do-able.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients

4 tablespoons of butter, melted plus some for greasing the pan
1 1/4 cups of almond flour (blanched)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt (I use pink Hymalayan salt)
1 tablespoon of bourbon vanilla paste
4 tablespoons of honey
12 ripe figs

CAKE - before I put it in oven

Preparation

Heat oven to 375F. Butter a 9 inch pan; I used a pyrex dish. Set aside.

In mixing bow #1, mix the dry stuff: almond flour, baking soda, salt.

In mixing bowl #2, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, vinegar, honey and vanilla.

Add mixing bowl #1 into #2 and beat for about one minyte. Then pour batter into pan.

Now, remove stems from figs, cut into halves and arrange cut-side-up over the batter.

Bake for 30 minutes or until done doing the center probe test.
Cool before serving.

Bon appetite! I like them best with creme fraiche, of course.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

FLAVOURING KOMBUCHA RECIPES AND HOW TOS

2013-06-02T15:22:00.002-07:00

We love Kombucha. We love it plain but with our new peach abundance, we were figuring, we should try flavouring it with.... PEACHES!!!

Here is what I learnt about adding flavors

Once the initial fermentation period is complete and the scoby removed, you can consume the kombucha as is or choose to add additional flavorings.
Common options for additional flavorings include fruits, juices, herbs, and spices. Flavor extracts such as vanilla, almond, coconut, etc. can also be used. Flavoring agents can be added to the kombucha either just prior to drinking or they can be added to the kombucha and then the mixture can be stored in an airtight bottle for a second round of fermentation (see below). As a general rule of thumb:

If flavoring with fresh, frozen, or dried fruit, we recommend starting with 10% to 30% fruit and 70% to 90% Kombucha. Keep in mind that dried fruit often yields less flavor than fresh or frozen fruit.
If flavoring with juice, we recommend starting with 10-20% juice and 80-90% Kombucha.
If flavoring with herbs, the variety and strength of herbs varies so greatly we recommend just experimenting to come up with the best ratios and combinations for your taste preferences.
For flavor extracts such as almond extract or vanilla extract, start with 1/4 teaspoon extract per cup of kombucha and adjust to taste. Remember the flavor will develop during the second fermentation period.

Flavoring Ideas

Blueberries and raspberries
Blueberries and cinnamon
Blueberries and fresh or candied ginger
Strawberries and fresh or candied ginger
Strawberries and raspberries
Cherries and almond extract
Fresh peaches
Fresh pears
Pears and almond extract
Goji berries
Pineapple
Cranberry juice
Pear juice
Pomegranate-blueberry juice
Apple juice and cinnamon
Grape juice
Lemon juice and fresh or candied ginger
Lime juice and fresh or candied ginger
Pineapple juice, coconut water, and coconut extract
Vanilla beans (split open) or vanilla extract
Pumpkin pie spice
Fresh or candied ginger
Coconut extract

Second Fermentation and Bottling

There are advantages to taking the time to allow the now-flavored Kombucha a second round of fermentation. A second fermentation period allows the flavors to meld and achieve a deeper and more complex flavor profile. Further, if bottled in an airtight container (see below), the live yeast and bacteria in the kombucha will continue to consume the tea and sugar that remained after the primary fermentation process was completed and the scoby was removed, along with any sugar from juice or fruit added for flavor. A byproduct of fermentation is that the sugar is turned into carbon dioxide giving the kombucha the fizzy texture it is often known for.

Instructions for a Second Fermentation

Remove the scoby from the finished kombucha
Add the desired flavoring and mix to combine
Bottle the flavored kombucha in airtight bottles (see below)
Allow the kombucha to remain bottled for 2 to 14 days at room temperature.
Once the secondary fermentation process is complete, the kombucha can be strained of the fruit or herbs if desired. The liquid can then be rebottled and stored on the counter or in the refrigerator. We recommend storing kombucha at room temperature for no longer than 14 days, as carbonation can build up. The more sugar that is in the flavoring, the faster the carbonation will build.
The kombucha may need to be strained again prior to consumption as the active yeast and bacteria in the kombucha will continue to ferment the beverage (even in the refrigerator) at a slower rate and can produce small immature scobys (looks like small blobs of gel) or stringy brown yeast particles. While neither is harmful if consumed, both have an unpleasant texture.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

PEACHES ABUNDANCE - FRESH PEACH RECIPES

2013-06-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

We have three peach trees: One yellow peach, one donut peach and a white peach.

They are all ripening at a different time, so we get to enjoy the peach abundance all summer long. The first one to ripen is my favourite tree. This year, this baby has put out about 3,000 peaches; even though we picked off hundreds and hundreds to ease the load. Its branches were bending.

It was heart breaking to see and every time I walked past my tree, while extremely grateful for her producing soo much fruit for us, I whispered encouraging words to her, kind of what you would tell a twin mom-to-be during the last weeks of pregnancy.

Now they are ripe, the peaches that is.

And I am sure, my tree is happy and grateful that every day, we pick several pounds off of her. So far, we have already harvested over 30 pounds but if you take a look at my peach tree, you would say, we have hardly made a dent.

What to do with all of this peach abundance?

Well, we gave away numerous pounds, ate them right off the tree, I made peach cobbler and peach ice cream and TODAY, I am going to dehydrate several pounds of them.

I will also share some of our reciped, in case you have too many peaches, too.

Peppery Dried Peach
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

6 peaches1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

-Slice the peaches into 1/2 inch wedges. Toss gently in a bowl with the pepper and salt.
-Dry until only slightly flexible ~8-10 hours at 135 degrees F in a food dehydrator.
-Store in an airtight container or they will absorb moisture from the air.

Sweet Dried Peaches

Ingredients

2 lbs (1kg) fresh peaches

3 cups (750 mL) water

1/3 cup (75 mL) lemon juice

1 tsp (5 mL)

Directions

In large bowl combine water, lemon juice and salt.
Pit peaches and cut them into thin slices. Add peaches to water mixture and let soak for 10 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer peaches to paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry. Arrange peach slices in a single layer on cheesecloth lined cooling racks.
Place racks in 170 F (85 C) oven and let peaches dry for about 4 hours or until no water comes out when peaches are pinched (leathery and pliable). Let cool completely. Place peach slices in glass jars or parchment or waxed paper lined cookie tins.
Apple or Pear Variation: Use apples or pears for the peaches.
Spice Variation: If you would like a little bit more flavour in your dried fruit, Add 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon, ground cardamom or nutmeg to the lemon water when soaking fruit.

Or enoy just the peaches...
Wth lemon juice and lemon verbena leaves

Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone Ice Cream

Ingredients

4 egg yolks
3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 cups mascarpone, 7 ounces
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
2 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 rosemary sprig
1 cup, ripe but firm peaches, peeled (optional), halved and pitted

Directions

1. Make the ice cream: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. In a saucepan, combine the milk with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the sugar and bring to a simmer. Slowly beat the warm milk into the egg yolks at low speed. Scrape the custard into the saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes; dont let the custard boil.
2. Pour the custard into a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water and whisk in the mascarpone, lemon juice and salt. Let stand until chilled, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
3. Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the mascarpone ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the peaches: In a large saucepan, combine the white wine, honey, water and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Add the rosemary sprig and let stand for 10 minutes; discard the rosemary.

Peach Pie with Joghurt

Crust

1/2 cup pecan halves

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 cup ice water, plus more as needed

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon lemon juice or distilled white vinegar

Filling

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup low-fat milk

3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (6 ounces) we prefer our homemade one as it actually is loaded with cultures as opposed to anything you can find in a store.

2 eggs (ducks, of course as it is for baking!)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Pinch of salt

2 cups sliced peaches, fresh or frozen, peeled if desired

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

To prepare crust:

1. Pulse pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Combine with whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces. Add oil and stir with a fork to blend. Mix 1/4 cup water, egg yolk and lemon juice (or vinegar) in a measuring cup. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add enough of the wet ingredients, stirring with a fork, until the dough clumps together. (Add a little water if it seems too dry.) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times. Form into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
3. To prepare filling & assemble pie: Combine sugar, milk, yogurt, eggs, flour, cornstarch, vanilla (or almond) extract and salt in a medium bowl; whisk until smooth.
4. Roll out the dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 12-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough into the prepared pie pan. Peel off the remaining paper. Trim the dough so it overhangs evenly by about 1 inch. Fold the edges under to make a plump edge; flute or crimp the edge with your fingers (see Tip) or a fork. Place on a baking sheet.
5. Arrange peaches in the crust and pour the filling on top (some peaches will float but this won’t affect the final results). Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle chopped pecans over the top. Cover the edges with heavy-duty foil (or a double layer of regular foil) to help prevent overbrowning. Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Return the pie to the oven and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 minutes to 1 hour more. Let cool for 1 1/2 hours. Serve warm or refrigerate until cold.

Melon & Peach Salad with Prosciutto & Mozzarella

Ingredients

1 1 1/2-pound honeydew melon, seeded, peeled and thinly sliced
1 peach, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoon chopped basil
2 tablespoon chopped marjoram
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, chopped
8 thin slices of prosciutto, 2 ounces

Directions

In a bowl, toss the melon and peach with the oil and vinegre ; season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and cheese. Transfer the salad to a platter, top with the prosciutto and serve.

Gluten-free waffles with homemade Creme fraiche and Peaches

To make the waffles (makes 4 heart-waffles):
Ingredients
6 tablespoons of butter
3 eggs (of course, I use our duck eggs for baking. They are richer and yummier for baking.)
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of honey
3 teaspoons of baking powder
2 cups of almond meal, we use organic and blanched
butter for waffle iron
creme fraiche (as much as you like, I like about 1 tablespoon per waffle)
8 peaches
syrup (again, as much as you like.... I use honey instead, btw)

Directions
Melt the butter in a small pan on low heat.
In a mediuim sized bowl, while the butter melts, separated the egg whites from the yolks, set yolks (in a smaller bowl) aside.
Start beating the whites; I do it by hand for about 3 minutes until they are fluffy and show little heaps.
Then add vinegar, honey and melted butter to the yolks, stir until smooth.
After that, I slowly add the yolk-mix to the egg whites, making sure that the fluffness is retained.
Finally, I add the almond meal, a tablespoon at a time, folding it in.

Then everything goes to the waffle iron.

After the waffles come out, we heap the creme fraiche and the cut up peaches and top it off with syrup or honey. THE BESTEST BREAKFAST YOU CAN IMAGINE!

Peach Chutney

Ingredients

4 pound firm, ripe peaches
1 2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon minced fresh peeled ginger
1 small red onion, slivered
12 cardamom pods, lightly cracked
2 to 4 dried hot red chiles, such as cayenne stemmed seeded and thinly sliced
Salt

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. Using a paring knife, score the bottom of each peach with a small X. Add the peaches to the boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer them to the ice water with a slotted spoon. Peel the peaches, then halve them and remove the pits. Cut the peaches into 3/4-inch dice.
2. In a medium, enameled cast-iron casserole, combine the brown sugar with the vinegar, ginger, onion and cardamom; stir to dissolve the sugar. Simmer over moderately low heat until the onion is slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Add the peaches, chiles and a pinch of salt and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are very soft and translucent, about 1 hour.
3. Ladle the chutney into five 1/2-pint canning jars, tapping lightly on a flat surface to release any air bubbles. Seal the jars and refrigerate for up to 6 months.

Ben & Jerry's Fresh Georgia Peach Ice Cream - improved by me

Ingredients
2 cups of pitted and pureed fresh peaches
1 1/4 cup of sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 duck eggs
2 cups of heavy cream
1 cup of milk

Directions
Combine the peaches with 1/2 cup of sugar and the lemon juice and let it refridgerate for an hour.

After the hour, in a separate bowl, whisk eggs until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in the remaining sugar until blended and then add cream and milk. Blend well.

Transfer to ice cream machine and after it is frozen, enjoy!

My Peach Salad with Goat Cheese

Ingredients (for 2 person)
1 Romaine lettuce heart
4 peaches
1 chicken breast
1 small log of goat cheese
sprig of Lemon Verbena
White Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil

Directions
Heat up the grill.
Wash and chop lettuce, herb and peaches.
Grill chicken and peaches.
Add goat cheese to the lettuce and make a vinegrette (general rule is 2 parts oil, 1 part vinegar but I prefer a strong vinegar taste, so I add about 4 tablespoons of oil and 3 tablespoons of vinegar)

Heap the roasted fruit and meat onto the salad and enjoy the salad with the melting goat cheese. Ahhh!

Peach Streusel Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 lb. peeled, pitted and sliced 1 inch thick peaches

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350°F Grease and flour a 9-inch round springform pan or square baking pan or baking dish (see Note).

To make the streusel, in a bowl, stir together the flour, brown and granulated sugars and cinnamon. Add the butter and, using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.

To make the cake, in a bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed or a wire whisk, beat the egg, melted butter, milk, vanilla and almond extract until creamy, about 1 minute. Add to the flour mixture and beat just until evenly moistened. There should be no lumps or dry spots. Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. If using a springform pan, arrange the peach slices in concentric circles from the pan sides to the center. If using a square pan, arrange the slices in rows. Gently press the slices into the batter. Sprinkle evenly with the streusel.

Bake until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the sides of the springform pan, if using. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges or squares. Makes one 9-inch cake.

Note: If using a glass baking dish, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Peach Flavoured Kombucha

Use your regular Kombucha brew.

To make fruit flavored kombucha add to each freshly brewed pint jar of Kombucha: two tablespoons fruit juice, or 2 tablespoons fresh or frozen fruit (whole, sliced, or crushed); or one tablespoon unsulphured, unsweetened dried fruit.

To make ginger-honey flavored kombucha use freshly grated organic ginger root. For each pint combine one tablespoon of the grated ginger with one tablespoon of raw honey and one tablespoon of water. Stir until combined. Strain the mixture into one pint-sized jar.

Fill the jars to the top with kombucha. Place a sheet of wax paper under each lid. (The paper prevents the acidic kombucha from contacting the lid.) Cap tightly. Store in the refrigerator.
To restore effervescence to chilled kombucha remove from the refrigerator about 15 minutes prior to serving. Flavored kombucha is especially prone to developing strands of culture in the bottle. Be sure to strain the tea just before serving.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Powdery Mildew on my Climbing Rose (organic treatment)

2013-05-01T17:10:00.003-07:00

Healthy Flowers and Flourishes - I love the scent of this rose

Spring has sprung!

How I do love walking through my garden, now that everything is in bloom and or already grows veggies and fruit.

Smelling the citrus flowers and the roses.

Personally, I have no understanding for people who grow roses that have no scent.

Why would you go out of your way to care for this difficult thorny plant when you don't even get a scent out of it?

Today was rose trimming day as my 'Flowers and Flourishes" were in ueber-bloom.

The temps are already pretty high and they were fading fast. I decided to extend their amazing scent by cutting and enjoying them inside.

Powdery Mildew on climbing rose

While snipping, I noticed that my climber rose was diseased with powdery mildew.

Of course, one can bring out the guns and kill the ecosystem in ones garden or research a more organic approach.

From the research, I understood that the key was to change the ph to more acidic, making the plant inhabitable for the mildew and 'starve' it.

There were a few recipes floating around on the internet (milk or vinegar) but my abundance of kombucha, made me try to combat the powdery mildew with .... errr... kombucha.

You can use apple cider vinegar or raw milk instead. The ratio is always the same:

1TB of acidic medium to 1.5 l of water.

Who would have thought, I end up spraying my diseased rose bush with a kombucha-water mix?

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Making Kombucha - Want a SCOBY?

2013-02-28T14:09:00.003-08:00

Have you ever tried Kombucha? Not only is it ueber-yummy, it also is ueber-healthy for you. It tastes a bit like bubbly apple-cider. A German would say, "zischt wie Appelsaft"-Schorle.

It is made from sweetened tea through the fermenting process of a bacteria-yeast symbiosis.

Basically, you take sweetened tea, add the SCOBY (the bacteria-yeast-symbiosis) and let this sit in a dark place for at least one week. Then you harvest, strain, drink and be merry. You can store the finished product in your fridge for two weeks.

A SCOBY is a living thing; I refer to it as a kitchen pet. You need to feed it (put it in sweetened tea) to ensure it stays alive.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

1 gallon (4l) container
3 quarts (l) of ideally filtered water
6 bags of black tea or 6 tablespoons of loose tea
4 bags of green tea or 4 tablespoons of loose tea
1 1/2 cups of organic sugar
1 SCOBY

How to brew Kombucha:

For a one gallon container, I bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Then I add 1 1/2 cups of organic sugar and let it boil covered for another three minutes.

Then I turn the heat off, and add 6 teabags (or 6 tablespoons) of black tea and let it steep uncovered for 5 minutes. After these 5 minutes, I add 4 teabags (or 4 tablespoons) of green tea and let this all steep uncovered for two minutes. After that, I remove all teabags and let the sweetened tea cool down for 6-8 hours with the lid on the pot.

When the tea is cool, I pour the tea into the one gallon vessel, add 2 cups of Kombucha from a previous batch and the SCOBY. Place a towel over the vessel and secure it with a rubberband and store this in a pantry.

Personally, I harvest after 7 days but there are people who wait up to three weeks and enjoy it then.

The longer you wait, the stronger and more vinegary the Kombucha will become, also, it will be more benefitial for you.

There are plenty of uses for Kombucha: from drinking it s it us (which I prefer), mixing it with other beverages (martinis, margaritas, etc..) to further fermenting it with fruit juices or using it in your vinegrette to using Kombucha as facial toner. This stuff is the BOMB!

What happens during fermentation? The SCOBY feeds on the sugar and the caffeine in the tea, while creating the ferment and reducing sugar- and caffeine-levels.

A super healthy Kombucha SCOBY

Note:
It works best with black tea.

If you want to use a different tea, you may wanna add black tea to ensure, SCOBY has some nourishment.

Do not place a lid on the fermenting Kombucha, because the liquid expands and might explode the vessel.

Want a SCOBY? Let me know.... we sell them for $10 a piece. And yes, we mail them anywhere in the US.... eMail k@gardensofchange.com in case you are interested.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Alabama Chanin style kids clothes

2013-02-28T12:50:00.002-08:00

Skirt, modelled by our cousin

Did I mention lately that I LOOOVE Alabama Chanin?

Needless to say, that I am copying Natalie Chanin's techniques into my little designs. What she does, is basically hand stitching and over the top embellishments with no-fray fabrics.

And so, as a result, we have iguanas on our placemats, I have a top or two in her unique designs and now the kids have a couple items, too.

I made a dress for Demetra and a skirt and a shrug for Aurelia.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Harvest Tally - February 2013 - Easter Egg hunt in February and foamy eyed duck

2013-02-28T12:27:00.002-08:00

Freckle's nest

The breed of bird we have is called Ameracaunas amongst other names. Some people also refer to them as Easter Eggers. Recently, with the cold weather, we didnt expect them to lay all too well.

However, one fine day, I am searching for one of the ladies and I find her in the middle of my geranium, clucking up a storm. Typically, they do this, to let everyone know ueber-proudly, "I laid an egg! I laid an egg!". So, I pull the branches aside to pick up Freckles (the chicken) and I couldnt believe my eyes. That silly gal was sitting on THIRTEEN beautiful eggs. Whow, she really is an EASTER EGGER.

A word about storing eggs: If they are from a trustworthy source, one can leave them un-refridgerated for up to three weeks.

No wonder, we dont get any eggs. It's spring (according to this silly broody birdie's glands) and she wants to have babies. Of course, this upsets my daughter Aurelia, who declares, we need to find her a boyfriend. Needless to say, hubby doesnt quite agree with this rooster-idea. Although we just learnt that fertile eggs have a way higher protein content.

As it seems, my birds have developped a fancy for laying their eggs in scented bushes as geraniums and lavender. The hen house is not good enough any longer. So, I snip branches of the nice smelling stuff and make them nest-potpourries. One can easily say, there are no chickens or ducks that are more spoiled than mine.

Speaking of ducks, Biggie - our lame duck - got one of her eyes infected. We saw that one of the chickens was standing over her, pecking at her eye. Initially, we concluded that this is bad behaviour (and that the eye got infected as a result of pecking) and Aurelia immediately stormed out and chased that chicken around.

Later, Roberto found out that it is a virus that causes the eye to turn foamy and the other birds pecking off the foam is actually helpful. I figured it was a good lesson in false human projection. Of course, we washed the eye with camomille tea and it is slowly recovering. That poor bird. As if her disformed leg wasnt bad enough.

So, what did we harvest in Febuary?

10 lbs of arugula

5 lbs of swiss chard

1/2 lbs of parsley

8 gallons of Kombucha

4 lbs of yoghurt

1 lbs of creme fraiche

2 lbs of buttermilk

34 chicken eggs

17 duck eggs

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Harvest Tally - January 2013

2013-02-28T12:27:00.001-08:00

Happy (belated) New Year!

With the cold and wet front, the birds are somewhat on strike and not much is growing on the homestead.

Instead, we are pruning the fruit trees, turning the compost and get a rough seeding and planting schedule ready for the coming months.

One thing that we picked up new is brewing our own Kombucha as well as culturing our own yoghurt, buttermilk and creme fraiche. You may wanna say the culturing bug got the best of me. Little microbes are all over my kitchen. I have to say, these cultures sure opened up a whole new realm of cooking possibilities. Just think creme fraiche and butternut squash soup...

On a more happy gardening note, the peach is in full bloom and we are super excited about it. Hundreds of busy bees assisting in the fruit making. Ahh!

So, what did we harvest in January?

4 lbs of arugula - We have a super spicy heirloom variety that we LOOVE that by now has seeded itself all over the yard - yay for wild gardening! Only issue with this heirloom is its shelf life. You have to eat it immediately or keep it in a bit of water in the fridge to keep it nice and crisp.

4 lbs of swiss chard - Self-seeded after I was too busy with baby all of last year to gather any of my seeds. Now I am in love with this kind of wild seeding. Ah, the places the seeds went.

10 lbs of Meyer Lemon - it's lemon juice vinegrette time!!!

2 lbs of figs Black Mission

1/4lb of calendula

4 gallons of Kombucha

1 lbs of yoghurt

1/2 lbs of creme fraiche

1/2 lbs of buttermilk

17 chicken eggs

30 duck eggs

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

DIY - Christmas Dresses for my Girlies - Tutorial - PART 1

2012-11-27T10:20:00.005-08:00

Over the past couple of weeks, we really did look for some cute christmas dresses for our girlies but we could not find anything we liked. Gotta admit, we are somewhat picky: Aurelia insists that the dresses have to match (BTW: I cannot stand matching outfits for kids, but hey, she wants it, she gets it.) and Roberto and I were not loving any dresses we saw.

Aurelia kept arguing that christmas dresses should be pink and purple because who ever wears red and green? Roberto whispered to me, "I wouldn't mind if some of the girls' clothes were not pink or purple. I mean, there ARE other colours..."

My man even raised the point that it was somewhat silly to get an outfit that you wear once in your life, since the girls will outgrow it in no time. Well, Aurelia and I simply ignored that rational comment.

Then we thought, maybe we should go with an outfit - as in shirt, leggins, skirt - that is a tad festive but even with that idea we could not find anything we liked enough to buy it.

Eventually, i said, "Let me see what I can whip up from my fabric storage."

Back at home, I found some ivory colored knit and a red velvet. Aurelia loooves that velvet, even if it's not in her favourite colours (pink & purple). Hmmmm.....

Now, here is the idea:

I have a pattern for a cute shirt, that I could extend the hem so that it becomes a dressy length with some flare, of course.

I am planning on using the ivory knit to make this shirt-gone-dress kind with red velvet sleeves.

Then, I will cut stripes of the red velvet and make ruffles and more ruffles and sew them onto that ivory portion of said dress.

OK.... now, let's wash that fabric and draw that pattern.... stay tuned...

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Harvesting & Drying Herbs

2012-11-20T10:26:00.001-08:00

It is fall. And most of our garden's bounty has been harvested and eaten but there are still those herbs who need harvesting. With the moon in a watersign today, I decided, it is time to get the scissors out and snip: sage, rosemary, mints and lemon balm.

Now what?

After rinsing them, I shook them, tied some of them in bunches and hung them upside down in the dining room. You won't believe the scent!

Drying herbs in the oven is way faster, but if the herbs are dried too quickly at too high a temperature, much of the flavor, oils, and color of the herbs can be lost. So, to gently oven dry, I placed the leaves and / or stems on a cookie sheet or shallow pan and warmed them at 180°F for 3 to 4 hours with the oven door open.

What to do with those dried herbs? While herbs can be used for soo many things, here is what I do with my herbs:

Lemon Balm, is a perennial.The leaves are picked and I use it in herbal teas or in iced tea or fruit salads.

Lavender is a perennial. The whole flower spikes are cut just before the florets are fully open. I use lavender in sachets, cold-hot-packs, eyemasks, airsols, oils, soap as well as for culinary purposes. Check out some herbal tea recipes here.

You also may wanna check out my lavender chocolate cookie recipe here.

Marjoram, is an annual but in my mild Californian winters, they end up being a perennial. I cut them back to 1 inch above the ground and use marjoram leaves with meat, poultry, vegetables (beans for Thanksgiving!)

Mints are perennials. We harvest the leaves basically all the time for herbal teas and for cooking. Since they grow like mad, you may want to cut them almost to the ground.

Oregano is a perennial. Harvest and dry before flowering and use to season spaghetti sauces and tomato dishes.

Rosemary is a perennial and mine smell and taste amazing! We love them with meats, poultry dishes, and potatoes. After drying, you can season sea salt with it; in a pretty jar these are nice gifts.

Sage is a perennial Harvest when just starting to flower A commonly used seasoning for Thanksgiving (meat & stuffing) as well as great in herbal teas. We also love fried sage leaves. Check out my recipe here.
Thyme is a perennial and is nice with meats and soups.

Or make HERBAL BUTTER:

Soften 1/4 pound of butter at room temperature. Add about 4 tablespoonsful of dried herb leaves as well as a bit of minced garlic. Beat with an electric blender until light and fluffy. Store in the refrigerator in a covered container.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

How to make Rose Water - Tutorial

2012-11-18T18:19:00.002-08:00

My rose petals

With holiday baking approaching, it is always good to stock up on rose water. Rose water can be used in baking, cooking and even makes for a great mild facial toner for sensitive skin.

What do you need?

Fresh petals
Water (Ratio: 1 cup firmly packed petals : 2 cups of boiling water)
Ice cubes
Enamel or stainless steel pot with lid
Heat proof bowl or brick or stones
Deep bowl

What should you be mindful of when using rose petals?

Flowers should be organic (no pesticide, no herbicide!) and freshly picked; you will be using only the flower petals; no leaves or stems.

I grow my own, but some vendors at farmer's markets may also sell organic roses. Rinse briefly to take bugs and dirt off.

Inside the pot

What now?

Fill the bottom of the pot with the petals.

Then pour the boiling water over them until they are just covered.

Place the heat proof bowl in the middle of the pot.

The pot's rim should be at least a couple inches higher than the liquid.

Ice cubes on upside down lid

Cover with lid, but position it upside down so that there’s a dipped “container” to hold the ice on top (to be added later).

Bring to a boil.

After a couple minutes, turn the heat down; simmer for about two hours.

Add more ice as needed and check occasionally to ensure the petals still have some water.

How does it work?

This process will create condensation forming on thedownward facing lid.

The condensation will drip down into the bowl inside the pot, which is to become your rosewater.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

DIY Christmas Presents - Paint a Mug - Aber bitte mit Sahne

2012-11-15T10:36:00.003-08:00

With Christmas approaching rather fast, I am starting to get all my pressies ready to be shipped to our loved ones overseas.

Let me ask you this: What do grandmas love more than anything else in the world? Correct, their grandchildren!

So, I figured, they also must love artwork from said kids.

My mom lives in Germany where we have what is called 'Kaffeeklatsch', where basically a bunch of women get together, eat cake and drink well, coffee.

A famous German musician even made a song about this.... Aber bitte mit Sahne

And here is what I have in mind for my Mama: I bought Villeroy & Boch New Wave coffee mugs here..... Dinner Ware Etc

Yes, real fancy. Well, it's for my one and only Mama!!!

Then, I recruited my one and only Aurelia....

We picked up some acrylic ceramic paint at Michaels. Note if you are planning on doing this project with your kids, you may not want to take your kids to pick out the colours because in my case I ended up with pink & purple and I had to use bribing to get the blue that my mom would actually like ;-)

Anywho..... I covered the table and the girl and she painted those mugs.

What's next: Well, after one day of drying, they will be baked in the oven for about 30 minutes at 325F and TADAAA! Personalized Christmas pressie for a Kaffeeklatsch Oma!

Happy Holidays!

.... and yes, you may wanna stay tuned for more DIY Christmas pressies....

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Succulent Wall - Vertical Gardening - TUTORIAL

2012-07-20T14:18:00.001-07:00

You have seen them everywhere, probably. I liked them soo much, I decided to make two for our wall on the back patio.

I used:

2 old wooden coca cola crates.
nails
plastic sheet
succulent cuttings
sphagnum moss
soil

Here's what I did:

I found 2 old wooden coca cola crates. They are truely vintage and a piece of art just by them selves, if you ask me.

Cut the plastic sheet to the size of the back of each crate. This is to protect your wall from water. Not that you water succulents THAT much, but an itty bit of water even these little plantlings need.

Nailed the sheet on the back.

I started with layering the moss into the crates as a base and additional soaking material to protect the wall.

Then, I filled it up with soil, put the cutting in and used moss again to push it in place.
After that, I watered them, let them dry up and hung them.

That's it.

Now, I will probably have to water them once a month. When I do that, I take them off the wall, water them, let them dry and hang them again.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

SAGE IS GOOD FOR YOU - FRIED SAGE LEAVES RECIPE

2012-07-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

Herbal harvesting time on the homestead!

Now, what to do with all those goodies?

Well, for sage, there are multiple uses as tea since it is such a benefitial herb.

And of course we love fried sage leaves.

If you have never tried it, well, you must!

SAGE IS GOOD FOR YOU!

It is said to benefitially influence the human spirit,
to quell unnatural or vicious sexual desires,
restores normal virility when failure is not due to veneral disease,
helps in fevers, colds and coughs,
acts as insecticide,
heart tonic,
helps in digestive ailments, constipation, obesity,
supports weaning,
aids in nervous ailments, including paralysis and mild mental derangement,
improves memory.

And did I mention it yet: it's yummy!

OK, here now my fried sage leaves recipe:

INGREDIENTS
bunch of sage leaves
1 egg
salt
butter
optional: flour for dusting

METHOD
Wash the sage, shake dry, set aside.
Crack egg, whisk it, pull each sage leaf through it.
Now, the optional part: dust with flour. BTW: I didn't do this.
Melt butter in pan, fry leaves until crispy brown.
Takes them out, sprinkle with salt.

I like them with a rose champagne as appetizer!

If you want to read up on the health benefits of sage, click HERE.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

YARROW TEA and other herbal tea recipes

2012-07-15T16:23:00.001-07:00

For eras, yarrow tea benefits have been famous in the history of herbal medicine. It is also called the healing herb.

By drinking yarrow tea there are plenty of benefits and it is rich in vitamins and minerals.

Yarrow tea is a tonic which helps to flush away toxins.

Yarrow is botanically known as Achillea millefolium and other different names are Soldier’s Woundwort, Bloodwort, Old Man’s Pepper, Milfoil, Staunchweed, Carpenter’s Weed, Thousand Leaf Clover Achillia, Dog Daisy and Nosebleed.

The long-stemmed yarrow plant is found in the regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

HOW TO MAKE IT

Take 1 teaspoon of dried herb and add it to 1 cup of boiling water.

Allow it to steep for 10 minutes and add honey for sweeten taste.

For adding flavor add a slice of lemon.

BENEFITS

Astringent:
Yarrow tea has astringent property which helps to treat allergies like nasal secretions and watery eyes that caused by molds, dust, pollen and dander. In cases of flu, fevers and colds, Yarrow is also known to cause sweating and so helps to cure simple infections.

Prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis:
The blood circulation of the body is improved by yarrow tea. It removes the unwanted waste materials like uric acid from the joints and the muscles and oxygenate the entire body very well. Over that yarrow being a diaphoretic and diuretic which helps to remove the toxins from the body through perspiration and urine accordingly. This will prevent the rheumatic or arthritic problems.

Fights against bacteria:
Yarrow tea has an antiseptic action. The bitter parts and fatty acids of it promote bile flow out of the gallbladder which known as the cholagogue effect. Digestion is improve by free flowing action and prevents gallstones from forming.

Decongestant:
Drying effect is contained in yarrow and seems to improve coughs and sinus infections with sputum formation.

Prevent Indigestion:
Yarrow tea improves the digestion and helps to absorb more nutrients from the food that have been taken. It also controls the flatulence and improves the appetite.

Prevent Hemorrhage:
It can contract the blood vessels and prevent hemorrhage or reduce the bleeding as it is very good astringent. High blood pressure is also regulated by it. This property makes it useful for controlling heavy menstruation and intestinal bleeding.

Yarrow tea helps to combat stomach cramps, flatulence, gastritis and enteritis.

Yarrow tea has a sedative effect so drinking the tea can aid a restful sleep or help relax the body after a stressful or busy day.

Yarrow tea helps to encourage menstruation in women.

It has high anti-inflammatory properties.

Yarrow tincture can ease the discomfort of hemorrhoids.

Yarrow herb is a diuretic so can ease the effects of water retention.

It also gives relief from coughs, helps to clear the respiratory system, thus helping to ease chest infections. In this instance, it may also be beneficial to those persons suffering from asthma.

The blood clotting properties of yarrow is good for healing cuts and bruises. The herb can cure lacerations, abrasions and puncture wounds.

Yarrow helps to purify the blood and is good for improving the appetite of those who may be recovering from illness.

Yarrow is believed to be able to help regulate blood pressure and have a positive effect on cardiovascular issues.

It is good for treating bleeding from the bowels, urinary bleeding, uterine hemorrhage, menstruation problems, and bleeding ulcers.

Yarrow tea is said to help stimulate the appetite.

Yarrow tea may help in the overall treatment of liver problems.

It also helps to strengthen weak veins by making a tea with equal parts yarrow and calendula or hawthorn flowers and steep in one cup boiling water. Drink three cups daily.

WARNING:

Pregnant women should not take yarrow, because its ability to relax the smooth muscle of the uterus could cause miscarriage.

The prolonged use of high concentrations of Yarrow can cause allergic rashes to develop.

If you are ill or have any health concerns, consult the health practitioner.

Yarrow may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.

When herbal remedies are used be aware that they can be extremely powerful, and should have any side effects when taking these infusions, immediately stop using the herb and consult your health practitioner right away.

Do not use infusions near the eyes.

If a person is sensitive to plants in the aster family such as chrysanthemums, daisies, ragweed, he may be sensitive to yarrow, either taken orally or applied topically.

Do not continuously drink the same infusion. Maximum use it for 10 days and then skip 5 days.

Only have one cup of herbal infusion per day, except during acute periods such as cold or flu, tea can be taken three times a day, but for a maximum of 4 days.

OTHER HERBAL TEA RECIPES

Floral Fantasy Tea
3 parts Lavender
3 parts Yarrow
1 part Chamomile
1 part Stevia

Spiced Anise Tea
4 parts Anise Hyssop
1 part Cinnamon
1 part Vanilla Bean
1 part Cloves

Devoted Remembrance Tea
3 parts Rosemary
3 parts Lavender
3 parts Marjoram
2 parts Anise Hyssop

Dark Rose Tea
2 parts Rose Hips
3 parts Anise Hyssop
3 parts Yarrow
1 part Bergamot

Aromatic Mint Tea
2 parts Spearmint
1 part Marjoram
1 part Sweet Woodruff
1 part Sage

Good Start Tea
2 parts Yarrow
2 parts Rose Hips
2 parts Lavender
1 part Marjoram
1 part Stevia

Chocolate Mint Tea
4 parts Chocolate Mint
3 parts Lavender
2 parts Sweet Woodruff
1 part Stevia
1 part Rose Hips

Black Licorice Tea
2 parts Anise Hyssop
2 parts Bergamot
2 parts Marjoram
2 parts Spearmint

Everything & More Tea
1 part Lavender
1 part Yarrow
1 part Anise Hyssop
1 part Stevia
1 part Spearmint
1 part Bergamot
1 part Rose Hips
1 part Calendula

Love Charm Tea
3 parts Yarrow
1 part Lavender
1 part Anise Hyssop
1 part Spearmint

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

SAD CAT - Moody Animal Charade - KIDS GAMES

2012-07-10T11:07:00.003-07:00

Our four year old sometimes gets pretty upset and then aggressive. Part of it may be because she still trying to figure out how to differentiate emotions and to figure out proper responses to them.

To help her, I created this charade game with two dice:

One of the dice has emotions on it and the other one animals.

So, depending on your throw, you have to mime an animal with an emotion, e.g. a tired cow or an excited horse or a sad cat.

That way, there are 36 possibilities, all of which are non-threatening, since you are acting a moody animal.

This gives ample options to discuss emotions. And it's fun, too.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

The Herb Garden - Early Beginnings with COMFREY FOR ARTHRITIS AND BROKEN OR FRACTURED BONES

2012-06-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

OMG! It arrived! My delivery from Horizon Herbs with loads of medicinal herbs in it! Hallelujah!

HERE is who I ordered from.

While I have been falling in love lately again and all over with herbs and their culinary uses - think mint, lavender (chocolate scones), sage, oregano, borage (try flowers in your salad), thyme and rosemary (roasted chicken with roasted potatoes) - my even deeper and older love goes for their positive and powerful medicinal effects on us humans.

While pregnant with Ms D, my wonderful midwife Jeanne had introduced me to raspberry leaf tea and through my gardening class, someone had brought hibiscus tea into my life, and then while pregnant, I started using an herbal mix that was supposed to prep my uterus for birth. Apparently the effect on me was so strong (read: i am that sensitive) that I went into contractions. Roberto was taken by the power of these 'weeds'.

So, with all their amazing powers, I wanted to plant them in my garden, so we could put them to use anytime we needed them.

Who inspired my love for herbs? I cannot possibly tell. It seems it was always there. Whether my sister and I munched the sweet red clover buds on the meadows in the village I was raised in or my love for fennel or chamomille tea or possibly my mom's cooking which ALWAYS included herbs, dried or fresh!

But I can tell you, who made me want to know herbs better and use them not merely for culinary uses:
Juliette de Bairacle Levy, whose passion and knowledge of herbs is unsurpassed!

Read more about this amazing woman HERE.

So, what did I order and what am I planting or sowing?

Well, it's a bunch and I will keep updating as I keep planting, but along with a bunch of seeds, I received a comfrey root today that needs to go into soil TODAY; moon in virgo, you know.

So, what's the story on comfrey, Symphytum Officinale?

Juliette calls it a 'wonder herb', claiming it's "good for almost every ill of mankind". It is most often used for repairing fractured or broken bones. So, having two wild little girls, this can come in handy,
I figured. Some refer to comfrey as 'knit-bone'. It is also good for skin conditions and many natural cosmetics for several skin conditions, contain comfrey. Screams Saturn to me, for the astrologers reading. How to use it? Externally through rubbing leaves on a grater and smear it on or simply rub the leaves on. Of course, you can eat the leaves in a salad or with potatoes.

Read more about comfrey's use in medicine HERE.

How to grow that thing?

You probably can buy a plant but I ordered the root. It is an herbaceous perennial with pretty little purple flowers.

Comfrey is also a good helper in pulling nutrients from deeper parts up to the area more close to the surface due to its vast root system, thus, making it a great plant to grow next to annuals, who need nutrient density closer to surface, especially when starting from seed.

Plant it in a well- spaded area.

It likes full sun.

Dont cut the leaves the first year and wait in the second until about 2 inches when it reaches about 2 feet (yes, they get big!)

Of course, Mother Earth News did an article on COMFREY a bit ago. CLICK HERE.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-06-22T09:17:00.004-07:00

Laah!vender.... I love it.

But what to do with all these beautifully smelling buddies?

One use that isn't widely known is in the kitchen.

Here is a yumm recipe for chocolate scones with lavender.

Ingredients

1/2 cup real butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. dried Sweet Lavender flowers (3-4 Tbsp. fresh flowers)

1 large egg

2 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup oatmeal

1 1/2 cups white flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1 generous cup good chocolate chips

Bowl 1: Blend butter, sugar & Lavender until smooth. Add egg, milk & vanilla in next.

Bowl 2: Blend oatmeal, flour, and baking powder together; add in your chocolate chips to this dry mix.

Blend both mixes together to form soft dough.

Place by teaspoons onto baking tray.

Bake 10 minutes for soft cookies, 15 mins for crisp ones in a preheated oven at 350F.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Wonderberry Muffin Recipe

2012-06-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

I know what you are thinking, what the heck is a wonderberry?

The wonderberry, also called sunberry is a nighshade with botanical name solanum burbankii.

It is an annual, a small plant who produces good yields and takes about 75 days to ripen.

They were developed by Luther Burbank; it is a tasty, small blue-purple fruit; good fresh or cooked.
A historic heirloom that is easy to grow.

Now, I had planted some last year and thanks to bird or squirrel poo they reseeded themselves all over the homestead. Great! Especially here in Southern California, where we have a hard time growing blueberries or any ramblers.

Now what to do with them wonderberries!

MUFFINS

1/2 cup butter at room temp
1 cup sugar

2 large eggs (ideally duck eggs)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups flour

1/2 cup milk

2 cups fresh Wonderberries (I only had about 1 cup... ah well)

Bake at 375F in a preheated oven for 20 mins.

Wanna read more about wonderberries.... CLICK HERE

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Garlic Harvest

2012-06-15T18:37:00.002-07:00

OMG,.... could it be time to harvest those beauties? Really? Already?

I guess so.... my chickens scratched the heck out of my garlic bed and so I looked at them.

They look done to me.
Moon is in Taurus.
All systems say GO!

Now, the digging up part in our super compacted soil is a chore. The other day to pull out carrots, I needed a knife and instead of a pulling out it was rather a digging out.

Anyway, I am seeing roasted garlic in my very near future....

Will check out this recipe HERE.

Read about planting the stinking roses HERE.

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Look, who is in my bee hive now - Varroa Mites - Cheap DIY Remedy

2012-06-14T13:50:00.001-07:00

This poor colony of Italian Ladies has been suffering since the day I got them:

1. I had to hive them while doing all those mommy chores.... so they ended up being hived AT NIGHT

It started bad: Argh... so, i dropped the queen cage in the package. now i gotta fish it out... then baby woke up and started crying... so i had to put the sugar feeder back in with hundreds of girlies now outside the door and a few smooshed ones.... SORRY! rushing inside to calm the crying baby. thank god for the dog who entertains ms a with playing fetch.... i need to hive them before sunset.

Update: i went out during a brief calm to fish the queen cage out with the hive tool but it is stuck. so, i will have to put my hand in as soon as everyone is fed & calm.... and the sun is going down.... they really need to be hived before dark.... *sigh*

Update: after i fished out the queen cage (in the dark with a flashlight and all the bees basically asleep), i inspected it: there were several bees in the cage (there is normally only 1 queen in there).

im not sure my queen was in there because of all that 'gewusel' and because i had ordered my queen unmarked (not digging the idea that someone snips her wings and/or paints sharpie on her just so i can find her more easily in the colony)...

i figured she MUST be in there because a large cluster was around the cage. bees always surround their queen, waiting to feed her or get other orders :-D

Aurelia was assisting me; holding all the tools and watching my total bungle bee job...

So, i pulled the cork out of the cage, so that the workers can eat thru the candy thats stuck there and this way release her majesty, hung that thing from a frame in the super and shook the rest of the crew in.

of course not all went in and i left the package sitting out, next to the hive, hoping the stragglers will get 'home', following her pheromons.

next morning, while feeding sugar water, the 'stragglers' were still in the package and a bunch of dead bees at the hive entrance... OHNO! now i had to bring out the suit and open the hive. it looked alright; guess i smooshed a bunch when i hived them. when i checked on them later in the day, the stragglers had made it home, i saw many of my girlies already flying out to forage...

THANK GOODNESS for their resilience! Note to self: NEVER IN THE DARK!

2. then, ANTS invading my hive....

Yeah, i loooove bees. last year the mites got them all and this year, i started sooo poorly with the hiving and NOW i got ants in the hive.... drives me crazy because the bees are still on sugarwater and the ants keep stealing it. i already poured boiling water over the ant hill.... they dont seam too impressed...

Read more about solving this problem here

3. and now M I T E S !
Yep, M I T E S ... I noticed a few bees flying funny and then I saw a crawler with eaten up wings.

Of course you know, THIS MEANS WAR!

So, what is my first strike? Powdered sugar and a sticky bottom board.

What do I do?
Make a sticky bottom board. You may buy it or simply build it yourself. I build it myself, using cardboard, vegetable oil and a mesh that's big enough to let mites thru but no bees. Typically 3mm or 1/8 inch are recommended. However, I mis-estimated the size of my mesh (it is about 2mm) and then figured I should try it since the mites are at max. 1.6mm x 1.2mm in size and so they should fit thru a 2mm mesh. I bought 2x2 ft of mesh, costing me less than $2. It occured to me that some curtains may work for this as well or if you have a torn fly screen, there you go... you get the idea: Just measure the size of the screen/mesh/thingy.

So, I cut the board in the size of my super minus the walls. Smear vegetable oil on it. You can also use vaseline, whatever you have at home or is cheaper. This ensures the mites stick on the board and you can berid them. HALLELUJAH!

I stapled a thin rim on the four sides and then stapled the mesh on the rim.

Then the sugar... This is easy: Get powdered sugar, fill it in a glass jar, punch holes in the lid. There is your sugar shaker. No brush or other fancy equipment needed. I had to buy it: 1 lbs for about $2 (total of $4). Take all this to the hive. Put the sticky bottom board in first. Then, take the sugar and open the top of the hive and sprinkle the bees. Make sure you get many covered.

What this does? The mites cannot hold on then anymore to the bees and fall off. This also inspires the bees to clean each other and as a result, more mites fall off.

Now what? After a day remove the sticky boards, scrape the sugar and mites and toss into a trash bag or some suggest to burn it (I see some homeopathic remedy potential here and will consider). A good tip is to not leave it on the ground as it may attract ants and boy, the last thing I need is more ants around my hive. Smear new oil on the sticky board and put it back in the hive.

How often, when to do the powdered sugar sprinkling?

In spring!It is advised to do this treatment 3 or 4 times in spring at 5 to 7 day intervals.

If you have an infestation like mine, dust every 3 days for 21 days to capture mites that emerge from brood.

Before winter! Plan to do this treatment in autumn instead of chemicals. Do the dusting before the bees begin to form clusters because mites inside the cluster will not become sugared as not all bees will.

My only concern... the sugar may bring those dang ants back.... anyway, I have to get the mites down first.

If you want to read in detail how to do it, check out this pdf.

More on this gross mite stuff, here....

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

MAY 2012 - Harvest Tally and Annoying Ants in Beehive

2012-06-13T15:15:00.003-07:00

Still working to make up for all the dead seedlings. Meanwhile, at least some of my work was not in vain... we harvest some lettuce and the perennials didn't have a chance to suffer from failure to thrive since I planted them last year.

Mid month, the bees arrived. I hived them, using the old frames with drawn out comb to give them a head start.

There is not much in bloom these days in my neighborhood. Luckily, some sunflowers (self seeding - thank you very much!) are blooming. OK, there is food plus I feed them sugarwater.

Hoping they make it as I am observing lots of ants trying to rob my hive from the sugarwater.

What am I doing?

Well, I honestly watched it for a while, trying the all natural remedies:

* sprinkling cinnamon around
* putting hive on cinnamon sticks
* thyme and peppermint leaves
* thyme and peppermint essential oils
* pouring boiling water into the anthill

Result? Ants still happily marching into my hive.

Now what?

No more sugar water!

Still ants..... and NOW? I am being told that ants can take down a hive in a week, so I needa do SOMETHING. DRASTIC. FAST.

Back to my good old ant traps. Seriously, I am not in favour of this but it is the only thing that I know works:

I use old plastic containers from yoghurt or hummus or whatever we ate. Yes, I store them for all sorts of possible usages, just like this one.

OK, back to the ant traps: Take those containers. They need to have lids, though.
I poke a few small holes into the lids, just big enough to fit an ant or two through it.

Then I make sugarwater, as I would when feeding bees:

Heat 2 cups of water, take it off stove, stir 2 cups of regular sugar into and let it cool off.

Pour this stuff into the trap container, add 1 or 2 teaspoon(s) of boric acid (wear a mask when handling) and stir it in.

Now, bring those traps outside and place them into the ant street. I typically pour a bit out to make sure they understand what dead super-yummy stuff I have for them. The ones that don't die from eating it, carry it into the anthill and feed it to their young.

It may take a few weeks but I got rid of 2 ant colonies that way.

Boric Acid is poison; let's not kid ourselves but with one trap (1 teaspoon of BA), I was able to kill 2 colonies. And yes, that stuff now is in my soil. However, adding boron to soil can be beneficial to certain types of soils. So, it's not all too bad although I am really not proud of having to go this route to protect my newly hived and vulnerable bees. Choices, choices, choices.

So, what did we harvest in May?

2 lbs of lettuce
8 lbs of peaches (from that one tree that we planted bare roots last spring.... the same tree, that looked dead and Roberto wanted to throw it out only 1 million times! THAT TREE!)
1 lbs of artichokes (yay for perennials!)

35 chicken eggs
37 duck eggs

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

APRIL 2012 - HARVEST TALLY

2012-06-13T14:46:00.004-07:00

Luckily, the birds kept producing.

Whow, what a month! Our little girl has been taking all of our attention. Needless to say, that not much got done. As a result, many many MANY seedlings (!) died due to not being water at all or not enough.

Roberto said, he is working on the watering system to avoid this for any other seedlings that I am sowing these days, if ever.

Luckily, last years rotten tomatoes were hoed into the soil and produced enormous offspring. Hallelujah for self-seeding!

So, what DID we harvest in April?

7 lbs of chard
37 duck eggs
40 chicken eggs

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

Of course you realise, this means war!

2012-06-13T12:22:00.001-07:00

We have been having all sorts of vermine visitors. Some long eared and somewhat more tolerated due to incredible cuteness, while others more light evasive and omnivorous and extensively disliked due to incredible distructiveness. And I should mention, we equally dislike the bald tails and the fluffy tails, just as Carrie in SATC famously said, "Squirrels are just rats with cuter outfits."

Watch the Carrie and the Squirrel clip here.

Typically, we believe in sharing. Yes, even the labour of our hard gardening work with those dang critters. But, sharing means, that we too, get some of the food. This is the part of the sharing concept that they don't seem to quite fathom.

When our donut peaches - not quite ripe I should mention - were showing obvious vermine traces, my man decided

Of course you realise, THIS MEANS WAR!

more Bugs war declaration.
And off he went to put out traps....

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis

The Moby Wrap - Tutorial

2012-05-07T14:18:00.004-07:00

I am into Attachment or Natural Parenting, so baby wearing is a must.

Ms. D sound asleep in her new wrap

Today, I am going to make a moby wrap. These are these cotton wraps that always make me think of India. Ahhh, India! Now, I am thinking curries and get hungry.

OK, back to the wrap: Target sells them for $39.99 Moby Wrap at Target

Amazon sells it for $44.95. Moby Wrap at Amazon.com

And elsewhere they charge you up to $60 for it, while it is plain simple cotton jersey in these dimensions: 197 x 24 x 0.8 inches.

I decided to make my own in a better material: that is hemp because it blocks the sun out better than anything else, which is crucial, considering you cannot put sunscreen on little ones before the age of 6 months. More on that in a later post about my all natural sunscreen.

Anywho, Moby Wrap:

So, you need 197 x 24 inches of a cotton jersey fabric.
I ordered mine here Hemp with free shipping for orders over $35. I ordered it at $5.49 per yard and ordered simply an extra yard to get free shipping; gonna make a few onesies out of it. Halleluja.

You need about 5.5 yards.

Now, how to do it?
Nothing easier than that: You cut it in half lengthwise and TADAA!!! you are done.

Yes, you get two wraps out of it for about $35 and you can gift the second one. So, my wrap cost me really less than $18 with better material.

And EVEN better: when you outgrow the baby-phase, you still have 5.5 yards of fabric that you can create something out of.

Since it is a knit it won't fray. If you are concerned about it, though, you can serge around or use fray-check (I would not since it is for baby) but it is not necessary.

Now, how to wrap that Moby Wrap? Check out the link :-) or this one.. It takes some practise but it is really easy. Enjoy your baby!

"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis