Sister Sage Herbs - Organic Medicinal Herb Garden

Seedlings in Frosty Weather

2010-03-10T11:07:00.000-08:00

I started some seeds on a heat mat inside the house a couple of weeks ago. I was keeping them under lights, but off the heat mat once started. I went out of town last weekend (to snowboard at Crystal Mountain!) andI didn't have anyone to watch them. I could not get the automatic timer to work correctly, so I decided to put them on the porch for the weekend. They are doing much better than I expected. The lettuce in the original pot is hanging on, but not thriving- the ones I transplanted into the garden bed are gone (either to the birds or slugs). The herb seeds, however, seem to be doing fine in this cool weather. They like to come up naturally, I think. The beets, onions, and pre-sprouted peas, that I planted outside are not even poking up out of the ground yet. I keep reminding myself that they know what they are doing. We will see how they do as they grow through the season. I will start more seeds next week when this crazy night time frost is over. I like to check Cliff Mass' blog, Cliff is a UW professor and meteorologist and he always has something interesting to say relating to weather and lately he is on a crusade for better math books and teaching in Washington Schools.

Herb vinaigrette - YUM!

2010-03-08T19:00:00.000-08:00

In our after school program today we made herb vinaigrette with the infused vinegar we made last month. I brought in salad greens, and the kids loved it. It was great to hear "give me 5ths!" For the Vinegar we put Rosemary, Thyme, and Bay leaves in a half gallon jar and filled it up with Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. You can use fresh or dried herbs and any kind of light vinegar you like. We all took turns shaking it up and then I took it home and shook it every few days. I left it in the jar for about 4-5 weeks. It is easy to make, and you can make a small amount by reusing an old salad dressing bottle. Make sure you use a plastic lid or a bottle with a rubber gasket (some beer bottles have those). We made ours in a mason jar, so we put a piece of waxed paper between the lid and jar. The kids labeled their own vinegar bottles, and I gave them each a recipe that we made in class. Here is the recipe...enjoy!

Herb Salad Dressing:

1/4 Cup Herb Infused Vinegar (strained)
1 Teaspoon of Dijon Mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
3/4 - 1 Cup of Olive Oil (strained if infused)

Whisk everything together in the same bowl. Transfer to a container with a non metallic lid and store in the fridge for about 2-3 weeks

You can also infuse the olive oil, but it is best to use dried herbs in these preparations, and use the fresh ones with the vinegar. Fresh herbs contain water, so if you are using them, dry or at least wilt them first, then heat the oil a little bit (105*) to evaporate any water in them.

Wild Herb Salad with Oil & Vinegar for Lunch!

Soil Nutrition Equals Food Nutrition

2010-03-07T07:07:00.000-08:00

I came across a great article about the loss of food nutrition from food grown using conventional practices. This is a great reason to build your soil's fertility and regenerate the nutrition lost from overworking the area! So get your worms growing by eating all your food leftovers, and add all that great compost back to the soil to complete the circle. Cover cropping with clover in the fall,and tilling/turning them 2-3 weeks before planting allows them to bring up the nutrients from below the topsoil. Leave a few clover plants in the ground to harvest from. After you harvest the flowers, you can chop in the leaves back into the soil for more plant available nutrition. You can get a few batches of clover flowers through the season, and just adding 3 or 4 of the flowere (fresh or dried) makes a delicious, vitamin enriched, sweet tea without sugar. The article is at Kitchen Gardeners International, check out their other great resources while you are there.

Gardening with Chickens

2010-03-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

Chickens are fun to garden with. They help you dig, although they love to find the worms and eat them, they also add nutrition to the soil with their poop. One of my chickens- the red one named Ms, loved to take a ride on my shovel as I dug. She could get the first worms. All the chickens loved to dig in the chip pile that we had on the side of our house to spread in the pathways. I was never able to keep them all cooped up, so I would let them out- you have to keep either your food or your chickens cooped up. I learned that the hard way- they would sit on the edge of the food bed and eat all the kale leaves and totally ate all the basil- it was really funny to see them jump up to the tops of the kale to get every bite! In the end, they mowed down most of the garden! I was growing food at the farm and at our community garden, so I didn't mind so much, but now we are ready to grow tons in our own yard now, thanks to them!

We started out with chickens a couple of years ago and they did a great job keeping weeds down and eating all of our food scraps. A friend ordered them (25 to share among 3 friends), and her kids raised them from fluffy balls of chirps to pullets (about 6 weeks). We kept the chickens in the garage for the first few weeks, keeping them outside in a small chicken tractor during the days, and back into the garage for the evenings. We let them out in the afternoon to watch their antics. I knew it was time to put them away when they all flew on my lap... When it was warm enough and the coop and their yard were finished we moved them into their new space. We started out with three, but realized it would be awhile until they started laying, so we got three more slightly older ones who were already laying. We were worried about them figuring out their pecking order, but they figured it out right away- the ones we had first, even though they were younger, were on top! They each laid 1 egg per day with one day off per week, and after they all started laying we had 1/2 dozen every day! being able to give away extra eggs was an amazing plus! Our friends' loved it, and brunches were easy to host- We just had our friends bring the fillings and kept making omelets all morning.

We always called the black one the crow chicken because she was small and wiley- she would get up on the fence and hold watch- she always had to be the highest one. On the first or second day, two crows came down in the backyard (which they usually never do) and looked into the chicken tractor, and then flew away- satisfied I guess that it wasn't one of theirs. They all had many names, but that one had the most - Lips, Crow chicken, po-po (because the was like the police -settling squables), and blackie. Ms or Miz or Holly or Red was another from my first batch, she is the red one in the picture above- she got her name Ms because Marc was exclaiming "what are we going to do when they stop laying? Just say "see you later mister?" Immediately we said "Ms!" We were not sure which one was going to be named Ms until we saw her... She just fit the bill... and the other one we named from the beginning was Clucky Star- later a friend renamed her Heady, but we always called her Clucky-her colorings were black and white herringbone pattern (or starburst depending on your view) so that was that! The other three we got later were from an heirloom chicken breeder who sells eggs at the U-District Farmers' Market- he said they are a breed called Isa Warren- They were such good layers! The eggs were huge! Jumbo Jumbo you can't even shut the box jumbo! We named them Dottie (she had a spot on her and maybe on her eggs) and Lottie (the biggest eggs)

I wish I had had a better system for moving them around the yard. I think if I were to do it again, I would measure out 3 zones that were the same area, and have a portable fence to house their yard. I never had a top for mine, but I would add one because of the raccoon threat (We have an apartment building near us with an always open dumpster which I think helped keep them away) . The chicken house could move around the zones and work the soil before cover crop goes in for the winter. I always thought we should share the chickens with our neighbors because their kids loved the chicks, and who has time to weed... We did share eggs, and when we were out of town, they always checked in on them and let them in on the nights we were out too late.

After awhile, they had eaten up all the grass, and turned the whole yard up looking for worms and grubs. By then, they were just sitting around most of the day on our deck watching us eat and pooping on the deck! We ended up taking them to Vashon, and a couple of my friends have them at their houses! The black one that laid white eggs, Lips Chicken is still an oddball- but I guess with a name like that, your gonna be weird. She roosts up over the screen door in her new coop and looks out over the others. She was always one to fly the coop, so that is why she is in the enclosed area now. All in all, it was a great experience, but it was also a lot of work the way I did it. I would still like to help other folks raise chickens/eggs in their own backyard, so if you are interested in my consultation or my services (I will even clean out the coop weekly or monthly for the right price!) email me at jayne@sistersageherbs.com.

Herbal Landscaping Class at South Seattle Community College!

2010-03-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

Herbal Landscaping
6pm to 8pm Tuesdays - 3 sessions starting April 13, 2010, ending April 27, 2010

I will be teaching an herbal landscaping class at South Seattle Community College starting Tuesday, April 13 through April 27th. I will give info about some useful & decorative herb plants that grow well here, as well as some of the benefits of leaving your "weeds" in place so you can harvest them. We will draw out a plan of your garden and make a unique design that fits into your space and your lifestyle using herbs you can harvest and make home remedies from in the future. We will make plant divisions and start seeds for you to take home and plant in your garden. Hope to see you there, or if you are interested in a private consultation, please call me, and we can work together to make your yard a beautiful healing space.
Valerian:

Save the Bees!

2010-03-02T09:08:00.000-08:00

Along with soil nutrition, Bees are the most important part of gardening of any type. We can have extremely fertile soil, but without them, we would be out there in the garden with a paintbrush (or a pigtail) moving pollen around on our own! Lots of work on top of tending plants and amending the soil. This is a great blog The Honey Phamplet about urban beekeeping from a guy who does it in the city of Seattle. I am going to get a beehive for my gardens as soon as I can, and sign up all my friends and clients who love honey for his services! He will take care of the hives, and they taste like your flowers- it is amazing. I tasted Lavender and Mint from one hive he has in a friend's yard. He has reviewed a book: A World Without Bees, Benjamin, A. and McCallum, B., Pegasus Books, New York, NY, 2009
It is now on my list to read, but I am afraid of what I will find out! I may have to stock up on those paintbrushes after all.... Another great source for all things about honey and bees is this blog from The Daily Green Beekeeper.

Cottonwood Bud & Twig Salve

2010-03-01T07:14:00.000-08:00

I was jogging on Longfellow Creek trail the other day on my way to do the stairs with Marc and I found a Cottonwood tree top and the buds were coming on! Those things are persistent! So I snapped the buds and little sappy twig off and I am bringing it to my Herbal Potions class. We are going to make a healing herbal salve and learn when to use it! I teach for the amazing Powerful Schools Program. They are having a fundraiser breakfast on March 4th. check it out if you can.

Starting Herbs from Seed Outdoors

2010-02-28T08:12:00.000-08:00

It is pretty easy to start some of the medicinal herbs from seed at this time of year in the Maritime Pacific Northwest. Here are some tips to make your project go smoothly:

1) Choose the right plant at the right time- Choose plants like Chamomile, French Sorrel, Dill, Yarrow, Catnip, and Cilantro that can grown in this moist, cool weather. If you start them inside, they may get too pampered and not do well outside when you transplant them, so try to find a fairly warm spot to start them outside in the ground or in pots.
2) Plant the Seeds- Get some potting soil and some 4" pots (reused is ok, but wash them first with mild biodegradable soap). Water the soil before you start, and let the water soak in. To start small seeds, just scape the surface with a fork, and sprinkle the seeds on the surface. For bigger seeds like Calendula, put your index finger into the soil 1/2 way to the first knuckle in up to 5 spots in the pot, put a seed into each hole, then cover back up with soil and gently pat the soil back into place.

3) Care for the seedlings: Cover the pots with a sheet of glass, plexiglass or plastic sheeting to keep the moisture in and warm the soil making sure to keep the plastic directly off of the soil (you can use chopsticks or skewers to hold it up). As soon as you see some of the seeds starting to sprout, give the plants some air or take the covering off. If is cold, just lift the covering off during the day or lift the glass up an inch or two to get some air flow in there. It may take 1-3 weeks depending how much sun, rain, and wind we may get this spring.

4) Transplant the seedlings when they are big enough to hold their own in the garden. Make sure they get enough water, but not too much- put your finger into the soil and see if it is holding moisture. If so, don't water. But that said, do not let it completely dry out between watering.
I would like to take this time to say that you should sit down with a calendar and plan a little time out- in other words,plan to do this project when you can be around to check in on the plants. The first time I started herb seeds I did it before a week long trip and needless to say, they didn't get watered and not many of them survived.- Learn from my mistake! The calendar can be your friend-you can write down notes to refer back to later, and it is always hanging around where you are.
Sorrel Plant:

Happy Gardening

2010-02-27T19:53:00.000-08:00

Notice what you like- in person
Start taking walks around your neighborhood notice the plants you like. Notice what you like about them, and take a note of when they bloom, and what colors they turn in the fall, and whether they are green all year or do the leaves fall. I found that it was too overwhelming to work on my yard when I first moved to my house. We started out with a big yard and a lot of plants that I did not know much about. Looking at lots of gardens and landscaping for other people as well as learning about the habits of the herbs I grown at the farm has helped me learn what to expect from the plants and how to use them in the landscape.
Grow what you Like
If you grow plants that you like for one reason or another, you are more apt to watch their progress, and prune them at the right time, etc. If you plan to use the flower, leaf or root, you will care more about your garden and notice what they are doing throughout the year.

Plan it Out
You still need to think about the big picture in the end- think three seasons or more ahead to know what to plant when... There is a great book called Square Foot Gardening, by John Jeavons that will help you plan what edible food crops to rotate through the garden. I added chickens to the rotation after a few years of the grass getting into the beds and the soil being worked too much. I had already planted Tomatoes in all the major growing areas of the garden, and was getting blossom rot. I have designed and installed other people's edible & medicinal landscapes in the past few years, but this year the farm and the home gardens are getting a makeover!
Write it Down
I garden notebook, a calendar, a blog, or a sheet of paper in the garden shed are all acceptable forms of communicating to yourself later. You should use at least one of these tools to track your major work days in the garden. You can go as far as measuring every pound of food you grow to just writing down the last frost day and when you planted seeds and where they were transplanted and grown in your garden. I am creating the planting schedule for Longfellow Creek Communitiy garden this year based on the past two years' plans I saved. At home, Marc and I decided to turn a larger portion of our backyard into food! Since we used the chickens to clear the way last year, we have really fertile soil! On the farm, I am working with some students this Spring and Summer to start more plants for the edible landscape business, and to plant out the demonstration garden I have designed to complement the Tea Shack. They will also harvest their own herbs to make medicines on the farm. There is no way I could do this properly if I didn't know what happened the year before.
Concentrate your Effort
Sometimes, if you are trying to look at the garden all at once, you can get overwhelmed by it all. Divide and conquer... and stick with it. Try to concentrate on working on one area at a time. That is not to say that you can't look at the whole picture, but if you divide it up into bite sized pieces you are able to accomplish things easier. In one session you can make a small area look neat and have a great head start on the season. Then, another day (or week) you can start on the area next to it and so on. Also, if you are totally overwhelmed, start in pots! You can move them around the garden to where the sun is right and take note of what happens through the season.

Happy Gardening!
Don't forget to have fun and eat as you go. Plant cherry tomatoes and peas for your nibbling pleasure; make tea from chamomile, clover or mint plants. Or purchase some Holy Mama Tincture to add to your soda water or hot water and de-stress! It contains Holy Basil, Wood Betony, and Motherwort- all good for helping you adapt to stressful situations and keep you calm as a mild sedative**. You deserve a treat- and don't forget to bring a chair or bench out so you can take a break in the garden and enjoy your efforts.
Join us sometime- email jayne@sistersageherbs.com

** This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA**

Virtual Tour of Sister Sage Farm

2010-02-26T07:55:00.000-08:00

Check out this cool blog! Amber Cole, a photographer and blogger, and Crystal Seltzer, an herbalist and teacher at Bastyr, came out the the farm the other day for a visit and Amber wrote about it in her great blog. I was showing them the farm so Crystal could see what was in store for her herbal studies students if they decide to come out and intern at the farm this Spring and Summer. I have several spots open for other interns on the farm (no live-ins) this summer. If you are interested, please contact me jayne@sistersageherbs.com and we can work out the details. I am still offering the CSA fresh herb shares this year as well as product shares!

Chickweed Picture

2010-02-24T09:52:00.000-08:00

This is the chickweed plant that is so good to eat in the spring! YUM!

Eat Your Weeds!

2010-02-23T17:38:00.000-08:00

Really, I mean it! They come up in your garden at this time for a reason. They are so full of vitamins and minerals that are hard to come by at this time when you grow your own food. Try a small bit of chickweed, shotweed (Wild Cress) and dandelion greens in your salad every day and your digestion and energy will improve. I like chickweed the best- it has a nice crunchy, suculant taste. You can add it to the other herbs you put into a vinaigrette like fennel, thyme, oregano, and rosemary, or make an infused vinegar to preserve the vitamins for the summer and winter seasons when chickweed is not available in the garden. For those of you who have been trying to figure out what is the difference between shotweed and chickweed I will post a picture soon, but right now the shotweed is flowering and the chickweed is not in my garden. The shotweed is upright and the chickweed is rambling forming a matt in the later part of the spring, but both have white flowers (chickweeds are bigger).

Chickweed Vinaigrette:

1 C Olive oil
1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 C or a handful of chickweed, shotweed, and dandelion greens
1-2 fresh mustard leaves or 1 T prepared stone ground mustard
3-5 cloves of garlic or some garlic greens to taste
Salt & Pepper to taste

Put everything into the blender and whirl it around for about 30 seconds, or chop everything into small pieces and mix together with a wisk. Use immedeately or store in the fridge for about a week- use a plastic lid (reuse another salad dressing container) because vinegar will react badly with metal containers like mason jars- You can use a piece of waxed paper in between the lid and container if you don't have anything else.

Arnica Salve Anyone?

2010-02-15T18:06:00.000-08:00

This is a great article on the benefits of using Arnica Montana I found at the Herb Companion website. I grow Arnica Chamissonis, which is used interchangeably. Check out the order page, or buy some at my site at localharvest.org. I just started my own version of booty camp and have been using it for my tired muscles- Look for an arnica cream soon!

peace- Jayne

Howard Zinn

2010-01-29T15:19:00.000-08:00

The great historian Howard Zinn died this week, and my local radio station aired a speech he gave near Seattle in April 2002- check it out, it is very interesting and gives you an idea of his wonderful spirit. He will be missed! Click here to go to KUOW.org and download a podcast or listen there.
Peace-

Grow Herbs from Plant Divisions

2010-01-26T08:48:00.000-08:00

Dividing Plants: Any echinacea, marshmallow, Sorrel, and other herbs that die back every year are easy to divide into new plant now. To divide Echinacea, take a bit of the root that has the new growth of a red bud, and vibrant roots and put it in new rich soil. The bigger the piece, the better success you will have. One plant can be split into many new plants if they are well taken care of. Water both plants daily for the first week, then just check in with the new plant to make sure it is continuing to grow well and getting enough water & not too much sun- shade it with a cloth or another plant for the first year. You can fertilize them both a couple of weeks after the division to help new growth come in.

I just divided out some valerian roots and re planted them in a row near the Tea Shack last week. The flowers smell so good in the early summer when in bloom, and the honey bees go crazy for it, too.

Start Herb Seeds Indoors Now!

2010-01-24T09:13:00.000-08:00

It is pretty easy to start some of the medicinal herbs from seed at this time of year in the Maritime Pacific Northwest.

1) Choose Wisely- Choose plants like Chamomile, French Sorrel, Dill, Calendula, Yarrow, and Cilantro that can grow in the moist, cool weather so you have better success. If you see them growing in a neighbors yard, ask if you can gather the seeds - take any flower that has been pollinated and dry it out, it will form & produce seeds! You can start all of these now, and in September again.

2) Plant the Seeds- Get some seed starting mix &/or potting soil, water it well, and put it into 4" pots or seed starting trays. I usually make small craters with my fingers in the pots in four places, and put one or two seeds in each one, add more soil or push the soil over the seeds to cover them. You want to make sure not to plant the seeds too far down, so if they are small like basil or chamomile, I just scrape the soil a bit, and put the seeds where I want them, then press the soil gently- moisten the soil well and mist to water at first. Other seeds should be planted about 2x the size of the seed itself.

3) Care for the Seedlings- Cover the pots with a sheet of glass, plexiglas or plastic sheeting so they will sprout much quicker. Once the seeds have sprouted, you want to remove the plastic some to add air to the mix during the day, and eventually take it away all together.

4) Transplant the Seedlings- About two to three weeks after they sprout, fertilize them, and once the plants have grown two leaves that are distinctive to the plant it is time to transfer them to their own pots (three or four leaves total). You can leave them in their individual pots a little longer if you are going to plant them into the garden, sometimes it takes up to 2 months or more. Don't forget to fertilize with fish or seaweed fertilize the plants at least once a month if they are in small pots.

5) Give them Light- To get them to grow stocky and not leggy while you wait for the warm weather and natural light you can put them under shop lights that are hovering about 2" above the plants and as they grow, raise the lights. You can grow them in a big pot and leave them under the lights for 8-10 hrs a day or by a sunny window until it gets warmer outside. The shop lights I am talking about are a tube of 2 florescent lights that are sold in most hardware stores. If your space is cold, put a towel, piece of foam, or cardboard box under the containers to insulate a little, and don't forget, where there is watering, there is usually water on the ground... good lesson to know before the fish fertilizer spills all over.

5) Follow a Feeding & Watering Schedule- Deeply soak your plants when they dry out to make sure the plants' roots get all the moisture they can, and make sure the pots are draining properly before you water again. Mist small seedlings and leafy plants several times during the day if they are under lights until they can handle the heavy watering from a can.

6) Start a Garden Journal- Starting a garden journal is easy- either take waste paper and bind it together, or buy a cool blank book and make it your own. Anything you think of you should write down.You can learn all kinds of stuff from reading your notes later. The more info you add, the more there is to evaluate. You can divide it into sections for weather, planting schedule, counting your eggs in the basket... make a spreadsheet to keep track of tasks and time involved, or track birds that you see. I often write down names of books I hear about in the columns during the summer, then in the winter I compile my lists and borrow them from the library. Weather conditions, and water usage are usually noted, and I make notes on the growth and habits of the plants, too. You can sit and reflect on the things that you remember, and write down goals for the future anytime. It is hard to write down everything, but remember to keep at it.

Weeds you can use!

2010-01-23T19:11:00.001-08:00

That is right- the weeds- eat them in salads, in tea, in soups & breads... anyway you like them, those wild greens that are sprouting are edible. Not just for chickens, either. Ease into feeding them to your friends, don't try to make them eat a whole salad of dandelions the first time they have ever heard of eating them. Maybe start by adding a few leaves in a regular salad, or making the herb vinaigrette with some of these herbs added for great digestion. These plants also have forms of minerals & vitamins that we can absorb easily, making them very nutritious.

Chickweed Vinaigrette:

1 C Olive oil

1/4 C white wine vinegar

1/2 C or handful of chickweed, dandelion greens, and "shotweed"

1-2 fresh mustard leaves (or 1 T stone ground)

3-5 cloves of garlic

Salt & Pepper to taste

Put everything into the blender and whirl it around; or chop all the herbs and garlic, then whisk everything together. Use immediately or store for about 1 week in the fridge.

Since you are mixing fresh herbs with the oil, there is a chance of this dressing going bad unless it is kept in the fridge, so use it up! Spring is the time we can use these herbs to help us transition into spring and summer.

Chickweed is the greenest thing in your garden bed, I bet. It tastes very "green" to me,Yum. It is the color of A St Patrick's Day Parade, and if you didn't want it to spread, what were you doing last month when it started growing? Snowboarding....Now it is lush and is going into flowering stage to maybe seed in warm places,and is quite tasty right now.

Dandelion roots, leaves, and flowers are edible, and I just saw a very clever one who had already gone to seed! I am going back to dig up it's friends and make tinctures from the roots, salads from the leaves, and I may make mead from the flowers one of these seasons.

Shotweed is also called wild cress, and it is the plant commonly referred to as a weed that is "blooming" now. It has tiny white flowers, and grows in a little rosette, about 4 inches tall and upright. In a few weeks when you go to weed it will have already gone to seed and shoot across the yard to plant itself in a snug place for next fall or spring. Shotweed tastes alot like arugula to me, with a slightly black peppery taste.

I almost forgot the cleavers, but they won't forget to hold on for a ride across the garden soon on your winter sweater that you will need to take off because it is going to warm up next week! Drink the cleavers in a tea the night or two after you pick them, apparently they don't keep well. I have kept some fast dried cleavers for about 4 months and they tasted good, but I don't know if they lost potency.

Any of the above plants can be made into a tincture or tea or vinegar-

Lots of volunteers mustards, lettuces, chards, beets, and kales are coming up all around the garden, I try not to weed too early in the season so these plants have a chance to grow up. I also figure, the more weeds I make and compost, the better the soil will be.

Don't eat the purple flowering plant that reminds you of a geranium... I don't remember the name, and it is such a "weed" that the people at the Garden Store didn't have a name for it- If you can get rid of it off site, that would be good, but if not, look for it early and get it before it even flowers.

peace-

Web Shop Under Construction

2010-01-04T23:05:00.000-08:00

If this website is not letting you order any Herbal tinctures, oils, salves, or gift baskets please call me and I will take your order over the phone. 206-898-2101 I have been redesigning my website and will have everything linked up soon!
Happy New Year! Eat Your Greens!
Peace-

Jayne

What is a Garden Worth?

2009-12-28T12:50:00.000-08:00

Check out this article from Kitchen Gardeners International (KGI) about how much your garden is worth... What if you calculated the Value of making products from the herbs you harvested wildcrafting? Think of all the teas, tinctures, salves, salsas, jams and syrups you can/do make from plants growing in your yard or on farm/wild land.

Start learning how to grow your own medicines by joining Sister Sage Herb Farm's Fresh Herb CSA this coming year! Or join in the fun of learning as you help Jayne in the field on Vashon, or at one of her community garden projects.
Email Jayne for info on how to participate in an event in Seattle or on Vashon Island.
jayne@sistersageherbs.com

Winter Sale At Sister Sage!

2009-11-19T12:27:00.000-08:00

Check Out The New Sister Sage Gift Baskets on the Order Page

Discounted Products until Dec 31st!
Tinctures:

1 oz normally $9 Now $8
2 oz normally $18 Now $16

Calendula Calendula, officinalis antibacterial, skin healing,
Catnip Nepeta , cataria eases cramps, relaxing, stomach ache, fun for kitty,
Catnip Glycerine Nepeta, cataria suitable for children
Chamomile matricatra recutita stomach ache, calming, sedative
Chamomile Glycerine matricatra recutita suitable for children
Cleavers Galium aparine lymphatic tonic
Cough it Up! Hysssop, Thyme, Self Heal expectorant
Echinacea echinacea purpurea immune booster,
Echinacea & Calendula echinacea purpurea, Calendula officinalis Use at first sign of flu
Elecampane aster helenium respiratory opener
Feverfew tanacetum parthenium migraine headaches
Holy Mama Holy Basil (Rama), Motherwort, Wood Betony Stress relief
Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis herpes outbreaks
Motherwort Leonurus, cardiaca anxiety, stress
Oats Avena sativa Calming, Nutritious
Rama Tulsi (Basil) Ocimum sanctum adapting to new situations
Spilanthes spilanthes acmella toothache plant (and it works)
Wood Betony stachys, betonica Sedative, neck soreness
Yarrow Achellia, millefolium fever reducer, stops external bleeding, helps circulation

Sister Sage Herbs Winter Sale

2009-11-16T00:44:00.000-08:00

Sample of $40 Gift Basket
Out of Baskets! Now Packaged in a Box with tissue and Craft Bag with Handles

$20 Gift Baskets:
Any 2 oz tinctures and 1 1oz salve-

New Mom- Holy Mama Tincture, Chamomile Glycerine, and Lavender & Calendula Salve
Get Well Soon- Cough it Up! Tincture, Echinacea & Calendula Tincture, & Yarrow Arnica Salve

Home Spa- Lavender & Calendula Salve, Rose Arnica Salve, Lavender Lotion, Mugwort Bath Herbs, Lavender & Calendula Bath Salt & a luffa scrubby.
Tea Lovers- Dried Chamomile, Oats, Clover, Catnip & Hyssop Teas, & a reusable tea bag.

$40 Gift Baskets:
Any 4 oz tinctures, and any 6 packages of dried herbs or 4 oz Salves

Flu Season- 1 oz Cough it Up! Tincture, 1 oz Feverbreaker Tincture, 2 oz Echinacea & Calendula Tincture, Mugwort & Yarrow Bath Teas (circulation & fever), Dried Chamomile, Oats, Clover & Catnip Teas.
Family Pack- 1 oz Calendula Tincture, 1 oz Chamomile Glycerine, 1 oz Echinacea Tincture, 1 oz Holy Mama Tincture 2 oz Calendula & Lavender Salve, 2 oz Arnica Salve

$75 Gift Baskets:
A portion of the herbs I have grown this season Something for everyone in the household.

Half Share- 1 oz Cough it Up!, 1 oz Feverbreaker, 2 oz Echinacea & Calendula Tinctures, Mugwort & Yarrow Bath Teas (circulation & fever), Chamomile Glycerine, Holy Mama Tincture, Dried Chamomile, Oats, Clover & Catnip Teas (weights vary), 2 oz Lavender & Calendula Salve, 1 oz Rose Arnica Salve, 1 oz Yarrow & Clary Sage Arnica Salve, 25ml Lavender Lotion.

Bulk Basket- 8 oz each: Tincture, Salve, and Lotion (can be made into 4 oz portions)

$150 Gift Baskets:
A bigger portion of the herbs I have grown this season- Call for substitutions

Full Share- 2 oz each of Holy Mama, and Echinacea & Calendula Tinctures, 1 oz each of Chamomile, Calendula, Catnip, Cough it Up, Cleavers, Feverbreaker, Elecampane, and Yarrow Tinctures, bigger portions of your choice of 5-8 Dried Herbs (weights vary), 2 each of 2 oz Lavender & Calendula Salve, 1 oz Rose Arnica Salve, 1 oz Yarrow & Clary Sage Arnica Salve, 25ml Lavender Lotion.

Discounted Products until Dec 31st!
Tinctures:
1 oz normally $9 Now $8
2 oz normally $18 Now $16

Lotions:
25 ml normally $8 Now $6

Lavender Lotion
Lavender Rose Lotion Sold Out!

Shipping $5-$20 depending on location & item

Food and Herb Garden

2009-10-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest installation I did this year- My friend and former shareholder from a last year is studying Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University. She had me design a garden she could harvest from when she starts her own practice. She has two children who love to play in the garden, and are enjoying the food and know tons about herbs already. They already had the strawberries, raspberries, Camelia, and roses, but everything else is new.

To save money, the client did a ton of prep work, her husband built the food garden beds, and we moved the soil together. After she approved the design, I came out and explained the layout, then they did all that work, then I came back and mixed the soil, watered it all the way through, then planted the food garden. They had scored some free bricks from a neighbor, and had a friends brother do the brickwork- the first time he ever did it! He did a great job- Go Brad From Pocono Mt! The next day she and I dug up the plants from my farm stock together and loaded them into her truck. She had help on the other side unloading, so when I got there the next day all we had to do was divide up the plants and decide exactly where to place them. We did all this in the dead of that last heat wave (86 in September?), so they look exhausted in this photo. I am going for a follow up soon and will report back with more photos.

If you think you want to do any kind of new garden next year, start now, by prepping the area:
In the fall- put cardboard down on the grass (bike boxes or appliance boxes are best), build your raised bed if you want to, and then collect lots of leaves on top. Put a tarp on top of all that -they make brown/green tarps that are not that ugly, or if you don't want to use tarps, put a screen door or something like that to hold the leaves down.... In the spring, you just dig into great soil.

Bastyr Herb and Food Fair - Sat June 6th 10:00 to 5:00

2009-06-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

I will have a booth at the Bastyr Herb and Food Fair on Saturday where I will offer my Tinctures, Infused Oils, Salves, and Herbal Soda Pops for sale. Stop by to say hello, grab a product list and discuss options that will improve your herbal practice this year.

Consider giving the gift of a CSA share to a Bastyr student or grad!

I am offering several Bulk CSA options to Professional Herbalists and still have home remedy sized CSA shares to help families build their herbal medicinal chests.

I will also be taking orders for herb plants as well as vegetable plants to be delivered in the next few weeks, and you can check out options for planting food and medicine at your home or office space this summer or fall.

Herb Shares and Food Gardens

2009-03-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

Sister Sage Herbs is gearing up for the 2009 growing season, and would love for you to be involved!
I am offering full and half shares of 8-10 bouquets of herbs, flowers and roots per month through the season.
I am also offering a professional products share to herbalists. Imagine the possibilities and potential for nurturing health when you use a local source, visit the plants as they are growing, and create plant based medicines that you and your clients know you can trust.

Good Food Gardens is my newest endeavor with my Vashon Island farmer friend Jenn Coe. We install a beautiful vegetable garden in your yard, tend and harvest once a week, and leave you to nibble the rest of the time! Check it out at goodfoodgardens.com and call soon for a garden installation or consultation!

Fun at the Farmer Chef Connection!

2009-02-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

I attended the Seattle Farmer Chef Connection Monday, and had a great time catching up with some cool northwest farmers and chefs! The event was produced by the Seattle chapter of Chef's Collaborative and Portland based eco-trust in an effort to get farmers and chefs to know each other better and learn to look at the world through the others' eyes. In a busy kitchen it is difficult to stop, and have a conversation about the beautiful produce that local farmers grow and deliver, but at these events the pace is slow and the passion is shared. The farmer can learn from the chef by asking how the final product will be used and stored, and the chef learns from the farmer at what stage the product is at it's finest. The event was really fun and informational, and was followed by a beer, wine, cheese, oyster & chocolate tasting. I even scored some oyster shells from Bill at Taylor Shellfish for my chickens! Yum!

I was there to promote my herbs- I sell fresh herbs for infusing in cocktails or vinegars as well as traditional culinary herbs to chefs in the summer, and dried herbs, simple syrups and teas. And I was also with my new business partner, Jen Coe to promote our landscaping business called Good Food Gardens. It is a more veggie version of my Herban Farm Yard idea. We hope to inspire folks to plant their yards in food for themselves and share the excess with their neighbors' for food security. Use your own space or any empty space you can to garden good food, and if you need help at any stage, call us for a consultation. Jayne 206-898-2101 or Jen 206-384-0973