Sister Sage Herbs - Organic Medicinal Herb Garden

Skullcap~ A Great Night Cap

2010-09-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

We call it sleeping potion at my house. A few years ago I tried growing it, and it didn't grow well, then last year I bought a small amount and made a tincture. I forgot all about it until I was consolidating things. I strained it, and added a little glycerine to make it a little less harsh if I take it right before bed time. I can take just a dropper or two and rest well. My friend who is going to Bastyr said that her class had to pick a nervine and take it all semester. She chose Skullcap. I asked her how much, and she said up to a teaspoon per day if you are really nervous. I didn't know how anyone could function after taking that much since it put me to sleep, but it really made it so I didn't stress and think about everything I have to do. I am now growing my own plants, and as long as they last through the winter, I will be able to start harvesting in the next few years. I will use it along with Catnip and Chamomile in the "Sleeping Potion" I make with the kids in the after school program this fall.

Motherwort Flowers for "Women's Hysteria"

2010-09-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

Motherwort Flowers (Leonurus cardiaca)

If we studied and listened to Herstory as much as we do History, we might understand the Hysteria! I use the fresh herb tincture in my anti-stress formula called Holy Mama. It also contains an adaptogen, Holy Rama Basil (Tulsi), and the nervine, Wood Betony (stachys, betonica). I like to add a dropper or two to a glass of soda water, and sometimes vodka & ice for a tasty relaxing cocktail. I have also added the tincture to hot water and a scoop of local honey for a relaxing cup of hot tea.
The Motherwort Leaves and flowers are so beautiful this time of the year when I harvest and dry or tincture them. I let some of the plants flower and go to seed for the bees & birds. I got a close-up of the flower when I was in the field last week with the camera.
Maude Grieves, a well respected herbalist from England, author of A Modern Herbal published in the early 1930's writes about Motherwort "(It) is especially valuable in female weakness and disorders (hence the name), allaying nervous irritability and inducing quiet and passivity of the whole nervous system." And "when made into a syrup, it will allay inward tremors, faintings, etc."

It sounds to me like I should be taking it to help me sit for yoga meditation...

I Love the Calendula flower!

2010-09-02T06:53:00.000-07:00

Calendula Flower~ First Aid From the Garden

It is so bright and cheerful, and smells so clean and crisp. It doesn't spill pollen out or entice from far away with it's aromatics, but you can tell it is an antiseptic from the moment you smell it. I encourage you to stick your nose in one as soon as the sun comes back out. I did manage to pick quite a few, and have many more dry days this season to pick, but when we get a sudden rain like this week, I always worry I did not harvest enough yet.
When I harvest on sunny and hot days, I dry the flowers and make infused oil. Later I combine it with Lavender infused oil to make my great skin healing Calendula Lavender Salve. I make the tincture out of the Calendula that has some dew or rain on it in the late season, and combine that with Echinacea tincture for a formula that is used as an immunity booster.

Burdock Seeds Aplenty

2010-09-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

Burdock with a Pollen Laden Bee

I accidentally forgot to harvest my burdock root, and it went to seed! On further reflection, there were a few bird families living in the burdock area this summer, and they did scold me every time I got close to them- I was listening to nature... I kept thinking about looking up the best time to dig up burdock, and kept forgetting. Burdock is really easy to grow, and only needs weeding at the perimeter of the growing area since the leaves are so big. I will be growing it in the same spot forever since I will inevitably be leaving some of the root when I dig and it will re sprout, but I have been wanting to try growing them in a garbage can with holes in the bottom. I finally acquired a big planter to try out in my home garden.

Dried Burdock Root

I do have some Burdock that are first year plants, but I missed the optimal time for most of it this year. I am going to dig up what I can anyway in the next few weeks, and process them into soup stocks for my personal use. The good part about having so many herbs around me is that I can experiment with herbs to see if they taste good in soup, or freeze as ice cubes, or if they will grow in certain conditions... I also need to figure out what I am going to do with so many seeds! They are extremely prickle-y and I already got a big splinter from cutting off the first batch.

It is pretty long (up to 3 feet) and off white like a turnip. If you dig it yourself, make sure you have permission, proper ID, and wash it well.

The roots need to be simmered for a long time, and have been traditionally added to stocks for soups. One recipe had it stewing all night in a crock pot.

Burdock Root Stock:

2 onions

4 carrots

4 celery stalks

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (Optional)

1 fresh burdock root (whatever size you can get) cut up as small as you can

Cut all of the vegetables except the Burdock in a rough 1 inch cut, and put them in a oven safe pan. Put into the cold oven and set the temperature to 400 degrees.

Roast the veggies for about 35 minutes, then turn the oven off and let them sit for 15-20 more. They should be soft and caramelized.

Remove the veggies from the pan and put into a stock pot with the cut up Burdock. Fill the stockpot with water to cover the roots by 3 inches or so. Add water to the roasting pan and scrape all the good, crusty bits off into the stockpot. Bring the stock to a boil, then turn it down to simmer for 4-10 hours. Check in on it often and add more water as it evaporates.

Cool the stock and put in old yogurt containers or ice trays to freeze. Take out what you need during the year. You could also add glycerine to the mixture (at least 30%) and preserve it that way if you didn't want to use the electricity. I would not advise using alcohol because skin issues are supposed to be related to the liver, and alcohol is not supposed to be good for the liver.... Cooking with the root will benefit your whole family though and you won't think of it as medicine.

**These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and you should use caution when using any remedy- talk to a naturopath for more information.

I have yet to make a lotion or infused oil with it, but I am determined to do it this year. I am sure I will be reporting here on my findings.

In Seattle you can buy Burdock at almost any asian grocery store and at http://www.uwajimaya.com/ almost any time of the year. Next year, in the Spring, Call or email me!~ jayne@sistersageherbs.com.

Echinacea Tea for a Rainy Seattle Afternoon

2010-08-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

Well, we are having an unusually (don't laugh) rainy August this year in Seattle, so I decided to make a lovely cup of tea from my dried Clover & Echinacea flowers, stems and leaves.

Echinacea, Bees and Pollen.

Dried Echinacea & Clover Tea:

Boil 2-3 quarts of water, add about 12 clover blossoms & 4 Echinacea top (including flower and leaves) & turn the heat down to simmer for about 20 minutes Serve it hot with honey, or after it cools a bit put it in the refrigerator overnight to extract the most potency. In the morning, strain off and drink daily for the next 4 days, or reheat and add 1-2 cup of sugar for each cup of tea to make a syrup that will last for the flu season.

Simmer, then Steep Overnight

** If you have an auto-immunity dis-ease, you should not boost your immunity**

Herb Infused Olive Oil

2010-08-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't believe it has been over a month since I have blogged... Wow- the Summer has flown by this year! The light in Seattle has already begun to change, and I just ate my first ripe tomato the other day!

I had my intern Erin come over to help garble the herbs and re-package them into manageable containers. We used the screens I had made last Winter with a clean tablecloth underneath. We rubbed the herbs on the screen and for the most part we were able to keep the stems separate from the herbs. We then put the herbs in mason jars or zipper bags, depending on what was going to happen next to them. We ended up making over 3 gallons of infused oil! I have lots more to do, especially tincturing. I have to check inventory and see what I need to make and then what new products I could make and then decide what to do with the rest! I plan on having a sale for friends with the products I don't sell online, and give the rest to the women's shelter. (get on the mailing list by emailing me - sistersageherbs@gmail.com).

The problem with growing herbs that I don't use in my formulas is that if I don't do something with the herbs to further process them, they will loose their potency and I will basically be hanging on to very good compost makings... The herbs themselves are good for up to about a year depending on how much light and/or moisture they have received, but the products I make will preserve the potency even longer (from 1 year to 10 or more!) A couple of weeks ago I consolidated of all the herbs in paper bags that were stored in little plastic tubs all over the place and composted the rest. Then, I used all the empty plastic tubs to hold my finished products. I now have all the products in their own tubs- labeled, and soon to be inventoried before making more with the herbs from this season!

St Joan's Wort Tincture

2010-07-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

I made some beautiful St Joan's Wort (St John's Wort) Tincture in the sun the other day, and it is so red! I put the wilted leaves and flowers in a mason jar with 100 proof Vodka and put in the sun. I went into the house for a few minutes to get the laundry and by the time I was outside again it was bright pink! A few hours later it was red (looking like a true herbal potion should!). I put it inside on a window sill to receive both sunlight and moonlight, and will strain it and bottle it in about a month. I still have a bunch of herb drying in the loft, and will infuse it in olive oil as soon as it is dry.
I have been "finding" St Joan's Wort all over now that I know what it looks like - I saw it in the median of the Mercer St roadway during the Livestrong walk; on the side of the highway by Federal Way; on a street in Georgetown; in a corner of my farm; and several empty lots in West Seattle... pretty cool! The one way to tell for sure you have the right herb is to wait for it to bloom (it is now) and squeeze the flower between your fingers- if it looks like you cut yourself and there is dark red on your fingers, you have it! Make sure to dry it before you infuse it in oil, but the fresh herb can be put into any type of alcohol to infuse- Brandy is nice to use.

Beautiful Harvest Day!

2010-07-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

We had a great day at the farm this Saturday, without a cloud in the sky we weeded and then harvested lots of herbs. I spent the night on the farm Friday and the full moon was shining a spotlight down through the rows- the beauty was amazing. (So were the mosquitoes!) Tied up the tomatoes we have growing in the hoop house, and weeded the Basil patch which is growing so slowly this year. The grass certainly is not having a problem growing this year....
The harvest this month consisted of Hyssop, Calendula, Clover, Chamomile, Catnip, Motherwort, Wood Betony, Comfrey, Chickweed and Sorrel.
Marc's Aunt and Uncle brought their friends for a tour, and my friend Jacob Acier, stopped by to see how we were doing, pick up some fresh vegetables, and tell my intern all about how special the farm is to him and the other "Lost Boys" that have worked there. I have written about him before on this blog, but he is a former "Lost Boy" from Sudan, and he is working on getting enough money together for his dowery for his finacee in Kenya. She is Sudanese, but living in Kenya now, and apparently he needs to purchase 300 cows... so far he has 20, and sent them to the desert to meet the bulls and will soon have at least 40... it is a long road to marriage I guess. I am going to try to have a fundraiser for him at some point this Fall. He is also managing to work full time (starting at 5:30 AM) and go to school 4 nights per week! If you would like to donate to his cause, let me know- jayne@sistersageherbs.com.

Lavender Celebration on Vashon

2010-07-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

The farmers' market on Vashon is being inundated with the smells of fresh picked lavender as The Lavender Sisters celebrate their Lavender harvest! They will be giving a demo on essental oil distilling as well as offering baked good containing lavender. The Vashon Farmers' market runs from 10-2 every Saturday through the Summer, and on Wednesdays in the afternoon there is another chance to support local farmers and crafters.
This week I harvested lots of Lavender that I will dry and infuse in olive oil for my salves and lotions. I also continued harvesting some calendula, one of the best herbs for skin issues. I heard back from a friend who used the Calendula and Lavender Salve after a back surgery that his doctor couldn't believe how fast his scars healed. I recommend it for dry chapped skin, bug bites, and diaper rash.
I also harvested California Poppy, Motherwort, Catnip, Thyme, Yarrow, Lemon balm, Oregano, Comfrey, St Joan's Wort, Clover, and probably more that I am forgetting... This hot weather has been great for harvestng and especially drying.
Water your plants if they need it- dig down to the depth of the roots and see if you can hold the soil together with your hand. If so, no need to water. But water yourself for sure!

June Gratitude for the Herbs, Honey & Berries

2010-06-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

This June has been a great time for growing and processing herbs in the northwest. First we had the early sunshine in May for a great boost of energy, then the moist early June to slow the growth, now the sunshine to finish off the first flowering of lots of herbs. I harvest some of the herbs before they flower, but at my home I usually let most of them go to full flower for the bees. We have harvested Motherwort, Mugwort, Catnip, Chamomile, Wood Betony, Violets, Calendula, Lemon Balm, Clover, Comfrey, Sorrel, Thyme, Oregano, California Poppy, Arnica, St John's/Joan's wort.

I am extremely grateful for all the help I have had from my friends and interns to this point. I have asked the interns if they will write a blog entry from their visits, so look forward to that at some point soon.

Thanks to Anna Lise at Vashon Good Merchandise! She has essembled a great collection of handmade and artisinal items from Local Artists on Vashon and the Puget Sound. She has agreed to carry my items. Please visit and tell them Sister Sage sent you!

Last night I was over at the community garden visiting the bees, weeding the strawberries, and digging out and the crowded herb patch. My friend and I are planting three patches of herbs and making a place for the bees in the middle! We are going to start with the Sage plants from the farm that need transplanting- and then Thyme and maybe Hyssop since it is evergreen as well. We will plant some spring and fall bulbs to help provide the most pollen we can- although the blackberries all over the neighborhood are going off the hook right now! This post on www.honeypamphlet.wordpress.com/ Honey Pamphlet shows the original tree that our swarm of bees came from. It is likely the same tree that another huge swarm came from at just about the same time (earthday) last year and reminds me of the tree at "pooh's corner".

Marc & I are clipping our way through the Blackberries in our backyard every evening this week at least 1/2 hr of work per night each and we are making a pretty good dent in the project. The flowers are big and the berries are already forming! We have a raspberry patch, an acacia berry and three blueberries, a patch of Shuksun Strawberries, and small pear tree in the front yard; and in the back we planted tons more strawberries this year from bare roots, and I put three more Blueberries and a Loganberry by the Cherry tree. Our other friends have more Cherries, Pears, Plums, and Peach trees. We plan to forage tons of food from these sources and dehydrate a bunch for camping and for fruit in the winter. Each fall we go into the mountains to find chanterelles, (and oregon grape) and I hope to do that again this year.

Saturday Harvest Day

2010-06-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

Please join us for a harvest day on Sister Sage Herb Farm

Saturday, June 26th from 10-4.

The farm is located on Vashon Island, just off of Vashon Highway two blocks from the Movie Theatre & Monkey Tree Bakery.

We will be learning about some of the herbs growing and harvesting herbs & preparing them for future medicine making. We will be harvesting Catnip, Chamomile, arnica, Calendula, Violet and any other herbs that have popped up recently. I will be tilling & weeding a few new rows and would appreciate help with that- if you are interested in that aspect of the day, please come prepared to work with appropriate attire-
There will be a farm meeting at 10 with introductions and a brief tour of the farm, then start working around 11. Please bring drinking water/beverage & lunch, or you can walk to town to grab a bite at a restaurant or at the farmers' market from 10-2.

From the Theatre (one block South of the stop sign, turn West and go to the end of that road (SW 178th), turn left and then right into the Roseballen Land Trust Housing area (Mukai Cr). Stay right, and park on the paved road. Walk up the gravel road and turn left at the fork. Walk to the end of the road until you see the Tea Shack, a gray metal building on the property.

Call for further directions or if you get lost- 206-898-2101.

Great fun at the Bastyr Herb & Food Fair!

2010-06-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the great folks who stopped by the booth this weekend at the Bastyr Herb & Food Fair! It was nice to see old friends and meet new ones on a lovely day with plenty of sunshine. There were herb walks in the woods, classes on cooking and nutrition, guest lecturers, and free acupuncture and other treatments available. I look forward to this weekend every year, and this year exceeded expectations- I hope to see you next year!

peace-
Jayne

A Poem inspired by Sister Sage Herb Farm

2010-05-27T06:06:00.000-07:00

Vashon Afternoon

--For Jayne

A woman’s hips are for bending, for dancing and breeding,

For swinging through farm gates, swung wide open, on loose hinges,

For walking, for following

A woman’s hips, down rows of herbs planted by a woman,

Her hips bending, squatting, as she tells you how the

Man planted his vegetables in these three rows, sold her that

Tea shack on the corner of the lot where he said he’d put down

The foundation in a night, but kept his truck in the drive way for seven months.

Pulling a giant radish from a mound,

Red and pink bleeding down its heart-shaped root,

She’s telling you to pick all you can eat,

To uproot all you have room to plant in your yard.

The two of you identify the crops by taste—

Not sure of the difference between kale and collard greens,

A generation too late for recipes of rutabaga and parsnips.

Sure of the difference between your domestic ambition and follow-through,

You try to limit yourself to a modest amount

You unhinge your jaw, swing it wide open,

Guffaw with goodwill at a cheese casserole

she says you could make with the broccoli.

You know, at home, in a dark drawer, eyes are growing

On five pounds of baby red potatoes you bought the last time you felt like this.

But you’re a city girl, and there are goats

In the next plot, chickens clucking in a coop.

You allow yourself the fantasy of yourself in a modest dress,

A forked tail of apron strings swaying with your hips as you roll

Dough near a kitchen window.

Your hips are for making a lap, for hope, for holding your vegetables in the car

Driving away from her farm.

-Rachael Harper

2010 CSA Subscriptions, Harvest Days, Summer Learning Opportunities

2010-05-25T17:09:00.001-07:00

CSA Harvest Days- 5-29, 6-26, 7-24, 8-21, 9-25, 10-23 10:00 am- 4:00 pm

Fresh Herb CSA
We deliver freshly harvested vibrant plants to your doorstep. The CSA style herb farm will provide you with all the herbs you need to fill your herbal culinary & medicine cabinets for your family and friends. Each month you will receive 5-8 different fresh plant materials on harvest day.

Directions: From Seattle (From Tacoma turn left & all other directions are the same) Take Vashon Highway to town. take a right at the movie theater/chevron, go to the end of the road (178th) past the post office and a storage place. Turn left and then right into Mukai Cr. keep right and park. Walk up the gravel farm road and turn left at the red gate. Go to the last gate on the right. You should see the grey metal tea shack in my herb area.

Herbal Apprenticeship Program- 8 months $800 (prorated for 2010 Season)
You will receive a minimum of two 5 hr hands-on classes (1 at the farm and 1 in the herbal apothecary) and learn to grow and tend the herbs in the field as well as make natural remedies for The Sister Sage Product line as well as custom products for yourself. Please email me for more info jayne@sistersageherbs.com

Herb Summer Camp for Kids (yes we could do one for adults too- just email me!

Bastyr Brown Bag & Interns Schedule

2010-05-23T23:12:00.000-07:00

I will be out at Bastyr University at noon tomorrow to speak and answer questions about my farm and my unique CSA Share program. I will have brochures for the CSA Descriptions and flyers explaining about the internship program. If you are interested, please come and check it out- and keep checking back here for updates on classes and work/study opportunities. As always, you can contact me at jayne@sistersageherbs.com.
The summer interns schedule: May 29th, June 26th, July 24th, August 21st, Sept. 25th & Oct 23rd.

Easy Herb Salad Dressing

2010-05-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

It is easy to make a quick and tasty vinegar to use in your salad dressing from herbs growing in your yard. The easiest way is to pick the herbs you want and infuse the vinegar - rosemary, oregano, thyme, garlic, parsley, & chives or shallots in any combo makes a good Italian Dressing, or dill is great for potato salad, or as your cilantro or parsley is looking ragged and about to go to seed... Your choices are only limited to your imagination and the season ( if you dry your herbs you don't have that limitation). Anyway, just put the herbs and enough vingar to cover them in a blender or cut them and put in a jar with a non-metalic lid and shake. This is one of the first things we ms in the herbal potions class, and today we will strain it and make dressing for the kids to take home- I will bring in lettuce and "wild" greens for salad in class as well.
So, for the Salad Dressing Recipe:
1/4 cup vinegar
3/4-1cup of olive oil
1Tablespoon of prepared mustard
Whisk all the ingredients together or put together in an old dressing container and shake. I add salt and pepper to taste. I like to dress the salad in a bowl and then transfer it to the individual plates so the whole leaf gets coated and distributed evenly.
Enjoy!e

Comfrey is Great for a Compost Tea

2010-05-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

My comfrey is getting out of hand! It is tall and beautiful, and the bees love it, but I need to cut it and make compost tea from it to nourish the other herbs. The old herbalist suggest that you use the second cutting (and beyond) per year because the first leaves have a constituent that can be toxic to the liver- I wouldn't mind drinking the tea once or twice, but if you are making a salve or vinegar or other product that you will be continually using, you may as well wait. I know how hard it is to practice patience, but I think gardening makes you practice patience as well as diligence. I cut a few stalks last week, and put them in a bucket to ferment, but it just hasn't happened yet! I am waiting.... I am going to cut the next batch, dry it and then make a strong hot tea from them, then add that to the bucket to see if it will speed things up! you can plant the dregs of the mixture when transplanting, but I don't recommend planting the fresh stalks unless you want a new comfrey plant with every hole you make! (I doubt it)

peace-

Jayne

Spring Herbs Abound

2010-05-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

Calendula is sprouting, cilantro and dill are in the garden with lots of lettuce and strawberries! The feverfew, lemon balm and catnip should be ready to harvest soon, as will some of the motherwort. We have been eating the parsley, sorrel, dandelions, and other salad greens as well as sprouting cauliflower and broccoli that we planted last fall, and some kale that has been trying to go to seed, but hasn't gotten bugs yet. I divided and transplanted echinacea into three spots and got rid of that pesky grass that was in between. The oregon grape is getting tremendous, and I even saw one of the supposedly small oregon grapes get pretty big over this winter! I found many small patches of the self heal all around the garden as I weeded this weekend, too. There are so many things to harvest in the spring, I have forgotten to return to the nettles patch... There are also a few other spots to get ready for planting, but all in all it was a pretty productive weekend in the garden.
One comment I will make about the lavender that is blooming now is that it is pretty, but now it is raining, and it might get moldy! I do love the deep colors and the "wings" of those lavenders, but the summer blooming ones are much more full of essential oils and are usually harvested in late July, when it is not raining. peace- Jayne

Seedlings Sprouting & Kids Growing

2010-04-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

Well, the kids reported back that the seeds we planted last week in class all sprouted (except the dill). They were all excited, and one kid even brought the seedlings back to show me! Some of the kids had forgotten their plants or were not there when we planted, so I brought them home and kept them in my truck (in a plastic tub to catch the water). They sprouted the same as everyone else's, but it became apparent that they did not keep the seeds confined to one of the planting squares each, because calendula was sprouting where the clover was planted and the chamomile was coming up in each... Oh well, at least you can tell them apart!
I brought in fresh herbs for the younger kids to make infused herb vinegar with, and they enjoyed that. After we put the herbs and vinegar together we usually each shake the jar, but since it was so big I decided to have them drum on the jar and say something like "become great vinegar for us". The kids loved the drumming, and it really stirred up their playful energy.
I brought in dried marshmallow tops that were full of seeds for the older kids to help me separate. We had three stations, and each one figured out a way to do it that was best for them. They got to take the leaves home as tea, and I took the seeds home to plant. I have been meaning to do this job, but it is tedious so I put it off- many hands do make light work! I also brought in Nettles tea for the older kids. Some just watered the plants with it, but others drank it or took it to their moms.
I was amazed how just touching and smelling the herbs, the kids became more calm and talked about how they use the herbs in cooking or teas. I also love how the kids all want to help heal their parents and other relatives with their ailments. One of the parents mentioned that her grandmother was a plant person and healer from Mexico, and how happy she was that her own daughter was following the tradition. I was so touched... I love that stuff!
peace-
Jayne

Sorrel tastes great in salads, or right in the yard!

2010-04-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

I love to eat sorrel when I am out in the yard or at the farm, and I have been trying to feed it to lots of people I meet, and every time anyone walks through the farm I offer it. The other day I was there and my friend's kid Eloise and her two girlfriends came over with food for the pigs and she said " I love sorrel". I love when I hear that! I told her she could have as much as she wanted! Here is an article I found at Mother Earth News about Sorrel. I grow the regular variety, and don't mind cutting the bolting stalks. Last year the chickens on the farm ate it to the ground and scratched up the area around it.I don't know if they are just craving the minerals or what, but they look great now. I would love to run chickens through for about a week every four to six months to freshen it up.

What vegetables are you growing this year?

2010-04-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Willi Galloway's blog Diggin Food- She is always talking about stuff that is relevant to the season, and cool to check out. Right now she is asking for comments on your favorite veggie varieties and giving away cool tools made in Seattle to someone selected from those who comment on her blog. I love the old standards that will get me through the winter, but if you ask me this summer, I will probably tell you about one of the varieties of tomato I grow. I have not had much luck with lemon cucumbers, but I will be growing the marketmore's down at the community garden since we got some donations.

Planting Herb Seeds with Kids

2010-04-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

I brought seeds to the after school program I teach so that they could plant something for Earth Day. I brought chamomile, clover, calendula & dill, and had them try to ID them. Everyone got chamomile right (we made chamomile tea, too), but the others were more difficult. We talked about what a seed needs to grow into a plant - sun, soil, air, water, care & love; and how the different shapes of the seeds could help them get themselves planted... the round ones can roll, the smallest ones can fly through the air, the pokey ones can grip onto things and get carried to another spot, and the flat ones can slip into cracks and still put down roots. We went outside (the best part for the youngest ones) and planted them in four compartment pots with labels. The small kids definitely mixed all the seeds into all the compartments, but the older kids were writing their own labels and making sure they put their seeds in the right place. They took them home since there is no greenhouse at the school, and are to report when the plants sprout. They are all excited to grow plants somewhere in their gardens. Some of the kids already knew who would help them keep the plants alive! All in all it was quite rewarding for me & them.

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

Plant Something into the Earth today, and give appreciation for the cycle of life, death & rebirth! Every time I plant, something dies...even if it is a microscopic bug. I try to give respect to those things that I cannot see that have given their life so that we can gain sustenance. That is also why I try to eat only things that will rot- I want to make sure the loop is closed in my food system! What ever you do to honor Mother Earth today, do it in health! Peace- Jayne

Cough got you down?

2010-04-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

If you or anyone you know is experiencing a cough right now (and many people I am in contact with are) try my Cough It Up! Tincture for fast acting relief. I am always amazed how quickly it breaks up the phlegm. I know it is gross, but if you can get it out of your system from your mouth, the mucus doesn't go into your digestive system, too. Try to stay away from dairy and orange juice, but dose up on Vitamin C & D and drink lots of hot water. If you have thyme, oregano, sage rosemary, or hyssop growing in your yard, pick it and make a tea with it. You can put the stems in a pot of hot water and then put a towel over your head and inhale it up. Hyssop is the main expectorant, but the other herbs are all good for respiratory issues.

Spring Training? Try Arnica Salve

2010-04-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

If you have been hitting the slopes hard like I did last weekend, or trying to get into that bikini, and your muscles are burning try my Arnica Salve. I grow these beautiful plants on my farm, and hast them and infuse them in olive oil. Then I add wax to the infused oil and make them into Salves. I make several types each year, usually scent them with chamomile or clary sage essential oils, but not too much because I don't like heavily scented things. I plan to make more infused oils to sell as a bulk item in the future, so if you are interested in buying some, email me for details and prices at jayne@sistersageherbs.com
peace-
Jayne