Stinging Nettle: Stealth Garden Superhero
"Tender-handed, stroke a nettle,And it stings you for your pains.Grasp it like a man of mettle,And it soft as silk remains." --Aaron Hill (1685-1750)Nettle's strong defenses incite fear in the uninitiated. But to those who seek and find value in the marginal, she's abundant, generous and reliable. Beneficial to soil, plants, animals, and people. Sure, she can take over, but you may find that you don't mind. Because her functions are stacked.Let me count the ways:Soil: Nettles can be used in your composting process. Try growing a patch right next
Prolific Perennials: Tree Onion
If you're on a quest to fill your kitchen garden and/or shrub layer with edible perennials and heirloom varieties, the tree onion (Egyptian walking onion) might be for you. Limited on space and growing in pots? You, too, might find a friend in this spicy, generous allium. In a nutshell: 1) Ridiculously hardy (zones 3-10) 2) Tolerates poor soils.3) One of the first and last edibles we harvest. 4) Grows itself and reproduces prolifically.This unusual perennial onion is a cross between the cultivated onion and the Welsh onion. In full
Nourishing Vinegar Infusion
If you've ever had a salad made from wild spring greens, you likely already know that they're bursting with the vital, invigorating nutrients that have been accumulating in their roots all winter. To concentrate, capture and preserve this trove of vitamins and minerals for use throughout the year, I reach for the apple cider vinegar. You can use any kind, including fancier culinary vinegars, but ACV is easy to find and easy to make at home or find at the grocery store. (Especially if you happen to live in the
Hosted Workshops
Want to learn more about any of the following? We are now offering workshops at your home or business, or at ours. 2-12 persons per workshop. Each session is roughly 1 hour long.$ 35 / workshop (within Yakima County) + $10 per person supplies fee. $20 additional fee for workshops held at our space. The cheapest way to host a session is to round up a few friends and split the cost between you, hosting at someone's home or a nearby business location. For more information or to book, email [email protected]
Inflammation Aids: Golden Milk Mix & Cottonwood Salve+++
Whether we're living with chronic illness, feeling age creeping in (I'm talking about myself here.) or just trying to manage the stress of daily life, the effects of inflammation are familiar to many.To keep my own inflammation in check, I open up my herb cabinet and make two products that I use almost daily: one for internal care and another for external application. A teaspoon of the following golden milk mix in my coffee gets me up and running each morning. I back that up with a twice daily application
Hot Process for Homemade Evergreen Soap
There's something a bit dreamy about winter foraging. The charms of leaving the cozy indoors and braving the weather to seek a golden treasure from the barren landscape will be lost on some. And in truth, resin can be gathered year round. But if you're eager to get started and up for an adventure, fill your thermos with something delicious, grab a small knife and a jar or some such, a buddy if you want, and head out to your favorite grove of pine, spruce or fir.Evergreen resins are antimicrobial
