Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

http://www.mygardencare.com/vegetables/tomatoes/

Tomatoes:

South America is considered to be the homeland of the tomato. With the discovery of America tomatoes quickly spread to Europe, where they were soon named “love apples”. Such a name was given to the tomato in regards to its external smoothness, beautiful shape and color. From Spain and Portugal tomatoes quickly spread to Italy and France and other European countries such as Russia. However, for a long time tomatoes were grown only as ornamental plants. In Germany tomatoes were considered indoor plants and were grown in pots. In France they decorated arbors, and England and Russia were growing tomatoes in greenhouses among other rare plants.
In 17th century many thought that the tomato fruit was inedible and claimed that it cause nausea and vomiting. In 1811 Germany a botanical dictionary was published which stated that although tomatoes were considered poisonous, Portugal and Bohemia appreciated tomatoes in terms of their pleasant sour taste.

Now, tomatoes are grown and consumed by almost everyone. More than two thousand varieties of tomato culture are created nowadays. In England, France, the Netherlands and some other Western European countries tomatoes are grown only in greenhouses while in Lithuania they are grown both outdoors and in greenhouses.

Tomato bears an undeniable importance to human nutrition. The chemical composition of the tomato fruit varies accordingly to its variety and growing conditions. Tomatoes contain 5-9% of dry matter, which makes 3-7% sugar, and 1% malic and citric acid; protein, vitamins Bi, B2, B3, PP, pro-vitamin A, iron, sulphur, iodine and other agents, which increase the body’s resistance to many diseases. The annual rate of tomatoes per person should not be less than 20-25 kg. It was previously believed that the tomato is a source of oxalic acid, which consumed by large quantities affects the metabolism negatively. Therefore, people who have become of age have been advised to avoid tomatoes in their daily diet. Now it is known that amount of the oxalic acid in tomatoes is even lesser than the amount of it in potatoes or beetroots. Tomatoes are now recommended for the people of different age. Tomatoes can be used for food in different ways: fresh, cooked, fried, marinated. It is an important ingredient in making various vinaigrettes, condiments. Juice and paste which were made from the tomato retain all fresh fruit characteristics.

Tomatoes are high in vitamins and potassium salts, thus it is recommended for those with bad metabolism or suffering from heart and vascular diseases. It has been discovered that tomatoes contain phytoncidic properties too. Crushed tomato fruit or its juice can kill some germs which cause the fester of wounds. It has been discovered that fresh tomato paste is more nutritious than the juice.
Tomatoes are very susceptible to growing conditions. Optimal temperature should be 18-30 ° C. Once the temperature falls below 15° C, tomatoes stop blossoming. And once the temperature falls below 9 ° C – they stop growing. The temperature rise above 30-32 ° C results in thinning of the tomato leaves and forks. Blossoms start to fall out. At -0.5 ° C, plants may die. Young and poorly rooted tomatoes are more sensitive to low temperatures. Tomatoes which were gradually bred at lower temperature are more resistant to chilly weather.

Tomatoes are very demanding to light so you shouldn’t plant them among trees. Young sprouts of tomato require especially good lighting. The soil must be fluffy and fertile. In light sandy loams tomatoes will only fit well once they are fertilized with rich organic manure and mineral fertilizers.
When growing tomatoes outdoors you can be assured with a wealthy crop if you spray plants with 1% of Bordeaux liquid 2-3 times a day. When spraying for the first time you should wait until 2 weeks after the sub-planting of seedlings have passed, and then repeat spraying every 10-14 days. Tomatoes mustn’t be sprayed 8 days before the fruit picking.
Growing tomatoes in greenhouses. Tomatoes should be sown once the soil’s temperature at a depth of 10 cm is higher than 15 ° C. Density depends on the variety and growth time. For early harvest you should plant in higher density and limit the number of inflorescences on a plant. On average, 3-5 tomato sprouts are planted into one square meter. Tall varieties of tomato are planted rarely meanwhile reduced growth (lower) varieties- more frequently. Plant in rows. For tall plants you must leave 0.8 m of space between rows and 0.3-0.4 m between plants, meanwhile for the lower species 0.6-0.7 m of space must be left between rows and 0.3 m between plants. Lower varieties of tomato start to yield a good harvest earlier.

Firstly, let’s make wells in the soil and pour some water in them. Once the water is absorbed you should start planting. Tomato seedlings can be planted slightly deeper than they used to be grown before (it is important not to bury the leaves with soil). Overgrown tomato seedlings should be planted horizontally. Within 4-5 days after planting tomatoes, attach a string to wires that are attached to the top of the greenhouse. After, tomatoes must be rotated around the string at least twice a week. Once the plants are tied up, you should mellow their soil frequently but not deeper than 2-3 cm.

Side shoots should be trimmed off when they are no longer than 4-5 cm. If you start trimming too late, the yield will be not only poorer, but also delayed.
Tall varieties form a single mast. In order for plants to grow and mature faster you should nip off the top above sixth or seventh bunch, leaving 2-3 leaves above the last raceme. To get a greater yield from limited growth tomato varieties, we can shape them either with two peaks or a single-pole. But you should prolong the height of the plant for the upper-leaf lateral sprout to be able to grow freely.

Tomatoes should be watered rarely but abundantly especially on the first half of the day. The temperature of water must not be colder than 20 ° C. Avoid pouring water over leaves. After watering is done, ventilate the greenhouse. Tomatoes are not afraid of draughts, so ventilate intensely. Intense ventilation creates better conditions for tomato flowers to pollinate. Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants and do not require the help of insects. However, if you slightly shake the wires tomatoes are attached to twice a week, you will increase the chance of plants getting impregnated. The best hours to do this procedure are from 11a.m. to 2p.m.

Once the first bunch of fruit starts to ripen, pick off the leaves that touch the ground. In order for tomatoes to be growing normally one plant should have 15-20 leaves on it. Profusely leafy tomato varieties should be stripped off of the lower leaves because it creates better ventilation for the plant. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t pick off more than 2-3 leaves per week. In low-leafed varieties of plants only yellow and diseased leaves should be picked off.

If necessary, put some extra fertilizer. The soil should be watered before fertilization. Different phases of tomato development require different fertilizers. From the beginning of the growth until the establishment of fruit on the first ring beam, tomatoes require less nitrogen fertilizer and more phosphorus fertilizers. Once the fruit starts to grow it needs more nitrogen, and once it starts to ripen – more potassium fertilizers. When putting extra amounts of fertilizer, you must take into account the current climate conditions (weather and soil temperature, lighting, etc.). It has been established that once the soil temperature rises from 12 to 18 ° C, tomatoes tend to absorb phosphorus 8 times better. On misty days when lacking light, tomatoes require fertilization with more potassium. The increased amount of potassium fertilizer during the ripening period results in better growth and improvement in taste.
When adding extra fertilizer, its concentration can be up to 0.5% (50 grams to 10 1 water). Except for nitrogen fertilizer which must not exceed 0.2% (20 g in 10 1) in concentration.
If the root system of a plant is weak, you will achieve better results with fertilizing through leaves. In this case, the concentration of the solution for spraying young plants must be 0.15-0.2% (15-20 g per 10 1). For spraying grown-ups use the solution of 0.25 – 0.30% (25-30 g per 10 1) concentration. Tomatoes should be sprayed with the fertilizer solution on a gloomy day, preferably on the first half of the day so that leaves manage to dry off before the evening. Fruit should not stay on the plant for a long time. Instead, it should be picked off as soon as it begins to ripen and left to finish ripening indoors. Fruit must be picked off 2-3 times a week.
Diseased fruit should be collected and carried away from the greenhouse.

http://www.mygardencare.com/vegetables/the-fight-against-vegetable-diseases-and-pests/

The fight against vegetable diseases and pests
post Category: Vegetables post Author: Garden

The fight against vegetable diseases and pests

Various disease and pests may cause a great damage for the vegetable. In addition to bacterial, fungal and viral diseases in vegetables there exists a great variety of physiological diseases too. Physiological diseases are those, which appear due to poorly balanced fertilizer, adverse weather conditions as well as plenty other reasons. For example, tomato fruits start to develop cracks in them (according to the fluctuations of humidity or temperature), either tops of cucumbers a lack of nitrogen) or stems (lack of potassium) start to taper. The majority of bacterial, fungal and viral diseases are spread through seed. Therefore, in order to prevent the spread of those diseases preventive measures against them should be taken. Those of particular importance are:

Maintenance of crop rotation, providing the same or related vegetables are not grown in the same place years in a row.
Deep tillage to destroy some of the wintering insects and fungal pathogens.
Systematic weeding, as some weeds distribute to the spread of infectious diseases.
Neat composting of plant residues by removing them from the garden area or incinerating.
Timely disposal of sick plants.

Those tomatoes which are grown outside usually suffer from plague. To protect them from plague you should spray them several times with 1% Bordeaux liquid. The first time tomatoes should be sprayed is right after the planting of their seedlings. Later, you should continue spraying every 10 – 14 days. Around 8 days before the fruit picking (once the fruit starts to sallow) you should stop spraying them. In total, you should spray tomatoes 4 times. Be sure to wash the fruit before eating. Bordeaux liquid is suitable for the treatment of pseudo-mildew in onions, cucumber anthracnose, scab and gummy stem blight. All these vegetables should be sprayed with Bordeaux as soon as the symptoms of the disease appear.
Weak plants tend to suffer from diseases more frequently, so it is very important to fertilize them with optimum rate of fertilizer. After being treated with nitrogen fertilizer vegetables become less resistant to all sorts of disease.

In cucumber, the most damaging disease is mildew. To prevent from this disease, cucumbers should be watered with the solutions of potassium fertilizer frequently as well as sprayed with copper sulfate solution (5 g of copper sulfate in 10 1 water). You can use the same-concentration solution of potassium permanganate instead of copper sulfate. If you notice that cucumbers start to develop signs of mildew, cut the more infected leaves and throw them away from the garden. After, the plants should be sprayed with 0.05% copper sulphate solution, adding a further 50 g of colloidal sulfur.

Light greenish and watery spots on cucumber leaves are usually a sign of cucumber bacteriosis. They later become square in their shape. Round and sunken spots usually appear on cucumber fruit. To treat bacteriosis, you should dissolve 20 g of pyrophosphates, 7 g of urea, 20 g of potassium chloride, 2 g of manganese oxide and 4 g of copper sulphate in 10 liters of water. After you water cucumbers with this solution, the disease will stop. The diseased fruit should be removed.

When it comes to pests, the greatest damage they cause for cabbages and onions. Cabbages are attacked by the cabbage fly while onions suffer from the bulb fly. Larvae of those flies feed on the roots of plants. Cabbage fly larvae can be destroyed by watering cabbage sprouts with 0.2% carbonate phosphate solution for 2-3 times. Bulb fly larvae can be destroyed by watering onions with the leach of wood ash (500 g of ash poured with 10 1 of hot water). If you do not have wood ashes, sprinkle some turf and naphthalene mixture around the seedlings. Chemical industry produces large amounts of chemicals to fight diseases and pests of vegetable. Chemicals are widely used in horticultural farms without taking to account their toxicity. If you have no certain methods to identify the amount of toxins in vegetables, you should keep off using toxic pesticides in the small production of vegetables.

Many cultural and wild plants contain insecticide (insect-killing) properties, so the broth or extracts from them can be used to destroy some of the vegetable pests. The blight and young caterpillars can be exterminated by the broth of tomato leaves, haulm, yarrow, chamomile infusions. To exterminate the blight you may as well use the infusions of onion shells, dandelion and water sorrel or garlic extract.

Tomato broth. For its production you should use trimmed sprouts. At the end of tomato vegetation period their tops are picked off. For the making of broth you can use either those, or residues of terraneous plant parts and roots. Take 4 kg of raw weight or 2 kg of dried stems and leaves, pour them with 10 1 of water and boil for 30 minutes under low fire. After boiling you should leave the broth to infuse for next 4 hours. Before spraying the broth should be watered-down 2-3 times.
Haulm extract. 1.5 to 2 kg of green haulm or 0.6 – 0.8 kg of dried haulm is poured with10 liters of warm water and kept from 3 to 4 hours.

Yarrow infusion. 800 grams of yarrow ground component is crushed, poured with 10 1 of boiling water and maintained from 1.5 to 2 days.
Chamomile infusion. 15 to 20 g of crushed flowers are poured with 10 1 of heated water and kept for 12 hours. The water must be 60 – 70 °C hot.
Shell onion dressing. 200 g of dry onion shell poured over 10 1 of warm water and kept from 4 to 5 days.
Dandelion infusion. Blossom, leaves and roots are suitable for the making of infusion. 300 to 500 g of raw material is taken and then finely crushed. Poured with 10 1 of warm water and stored for 2 – 3 hours.
Water sorrel infusion. Both leaves and roots are suitable for making an extract. 300 grams of roots or 400 grams of roots and leaves are crushed, poured over with 10 1 of warm water and stored for 2 – 5 hours.

Garlic extract. 0.5 kg of garlic bulbs are poured with 5 1 of water, then racked off. After, the action is repeated again. Shaken and strained liquid is then diluted with some water to add an extent to the amount of liquor which would result in a total of 10 liters of excerpts. This extract, when stored in well stoppered bottles may be kept for longer. For the purpose of spraying you should take 300 g of extract and dilute it with 10 1 of water.

When preparing any liquor or infusion, after you are done infusing them you should filter them. Then, pour liquors into bottles or jars, and keep the waste. When blended into the compost pile, it can put off vegetable pests and destroy some of their caterpillars and larvae.
The plants which were mentioned above are not toxic and can not cause any harm to humans. Some individuals, though, may break out in allergic reactions. Without the particular knowledge of your organism and how it may react to the usage of some plants, safety measures should be taken. After the work is done you should wash your hands, face and those patches of skin that came in contact with plants.

It is considered to start using various plants as a mean of protection against vegetable diseases and pests in the future. Even though their effectiveness in fighting diseases and pests is not fully investigated yet. Many of plants can be distinguished having insecticide properties, but few of them such as tobacco or wormwood are very bitter, therefore they may impair the taste of some vegetables. While others are poisonous (e.g., Datura), and thus must be discarded.
Some insects can be beneficial too and should be protected. The best known beneficial insect is a ladybird which helps to protect our vegetables from blight.

The electric Red Dragon - a new type of composter

Six months ago, we sceptics reluctantly agreed to test out a plug-in composter from
Korea at the Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden.

We’d already had a bad experience
with one electric bin and were quite sure that this one would act badly too.

We put in the required mix of sawdust and microbes supplied with the bin, added
some water and plugged the attractive machine into the wall. Then periodically we
put in food waste brought from home.

$1 million Strategic Research Grant to Vancouver’s Think&EatGreen@School Project

An interdisciplinary research team from the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and
the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia has led the formation
of a food and environment related research project recently awarded a $1 million
Strategic Research Grant for Community-University Research Alliance for Canadian
Environmental Issues from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of
Canada (SSHRCC). This project involving Vancouver schools hopes to enrich school
students’ experiences connecting food, health and environment and to assist schools
to have a lighter impact on the environment.

CNN’s Anderson Cooper reports on a rooftop school garden in Newark, New Jersey

St. Philip’s Academy students are trading in their uniforms for aprons to cook in
Newark’s first teaching kitchen. Our EcoSPACES program (”St. Philip’s Academy Cultivates
Environment Sustainability”) continues to grow in ways that promise to inspire and
engage students. The teaching kitchen, our newest addition, encourages students
to explore the origins of the food they consume and understand the role of locally
grown produce on environmental sustainability. Each month, students prepare ingredients
from their rooftop garden plots, transform them into meals and, finally, eat what
they started from seed.

Radio - Two sides speak about an ordinance to foster urban agriculture.

KCUR’s Sylvia Maria Gross recently visited a home farm in southwest Kansas City.

Bad Seed Farm has become ground zero for the debate over urban agriculture. And
real estate agent Stacey Johnson-Cosby, with the Center Planning and Development
Council, weighs in with concerns about the proposed ordinance.

Dirt on your suit never looked so good - The Urban Farming Movement

Sarah Rich, a former editor at Dwell and the co-founder of the Foodprint Project,
will be leading a discussion about urban farming at the Commonwealth Club on May
12, 2010. The event will feature panelists Novella Carpenter, author of Farm City,
Jason Mark, the co-manager of Alemany Farm, Christopher Burley, founder of the Hayes
Valley Farm and David Gavrich, founder of City Grazing. The event begins at 6 p.m.
and tickets are $20 ($7 for students).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All stories here:
City Farmer News [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103375798524&s=1304&e=00168lFriXdRDmEKtHsPLmUPWLhYB46e7YlzvVx_rwBEhDY1tXCn96jB09prfZHAZgZbbxLI1ntFpFqWv0qXHj5TfZJe5tKBlY_Ln_PYmCIbSV_JTCgQ-x2HA==]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture

[They also sell old variety Apple trees]

http://www.herbsandapples.com/herbalist/

All Things Herbal

This eclectic page of herbal insight will continue to evolve. Kind of like our favorite public radio program, with both relevant research and favorite teachings about plants and healing. Check back often to find out more about the herbs we grow and gather, as well as empowering articles about natural healing and nourishing foods.
All Things Herbal Articles

* The Garlic Connection
* Herbal Verve
* Thoughts on Standardization
* Goldthread
* Medicine of the People
* Osha, the Next Generation
* From the Patient’s Point of View
* Nancy’s Individual Health Profile (including a downloadable form)
* Holistic Health on the Web

Living in these Viral Times

Viruses! They are the cause of many imbalances: colds, influenza, herpes, shingles, warts, cold sores . . . heck, even our computers get viruses. Many an herbalist understands the basics of promoting general health and immunity. We’re zeroing in specifically on practices that can help prevent viral diseases or shorten their duration in these days of fear about a coming pandemic.
content Lemon Balm soothes our souls and is a clinically-proven antiviral herb.
Lemon Balm soothes our souls and is a clinically-proven antiviral herb.
Calendula Flower — Healing Preparations: click for herbal remedies from Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs (photo: Michael Phillips)
check out our herbal remedies in Nancy’s Apothecary

An array of readily-available herbs are known for their anti-viral activity, such as lemon balm, elderberry, and spilanthes. Plants have long been exposed to viral invasions. Accordingly, successful species evolved by producing antiviral and immune stimulant properties and compounds. Many of the chemicals used by a plant to protect itself from viral infections also have antiviral activity in other species. Lucky for us! Using antiviral herbs in combination with good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle can help us prevent and reduce the severity of viral attacks.

Antiviral herbs primarily work in two ways:

* They stimulate the immune system to produce more immune cells and immune chemicals.
* They disrupt the replication cycle so the virus cannot survive.

We are putting out the call to all herbal folk to direct our attention to good research, solid folklore, and especially profound scientific understanding of how each antiviral herb works specifically against viruses. Our intention is to share this information in workshops and a self-published handbook to be written next winter. Please contact Nancy or contact Michael with anything you think we should know about as we proceed to continue living in these viral times.
content
Michael and Gracie going to pick healing herbs for Heartsong Farm Earth Medicine Shares — photo: Geoff Forester.
Michael and Gracie going to pick healing herbs for Earth Medicine Shares.

All Things Herbal Books

* The Herbalist’s Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines by Nancy and Michael Phillips — in stock now!
* Planting the Future: Saving our Medicinal Herbs edited by Rosemary Gladstar & Pamela Hirsch

All Herbal Things

* Healing Herbs (fresh & dried medicinal herbs)
* Nancy’s Apothecary (herbal preparations)
* Organic Garlic (select hardneck varieties)
* Earth Medicine Share

content Have you watched for fairies lately in your gardens? Real magic happens when you open your spirit to All Things Herbal. (photo: Robert Chartier)
Have you watched for fairies lately in your gardens? Real magic happens when you open your spirit to All Things Herbal. (photo: Robert Chartier)
Plants Greener Than Green

Michael traveled down under for a year in the early eighties. One day he took a municipal bus out of Christchurch, New Zealand, to the end of the line, heading to Arthur’s Pass towards the glorious southern Alps. The Maori driver, a man nearing retirement age, turned to him — no one else was left on the bus at this point — and said, “I had this dream. A Greek-looking temple faced me. The broad steps led up to a pair of doors upon which were written the words Love and Respect. Like a complete code for living our lives, don’t you think? I opened the door and saw not the inside of a building but a fabulous garden landscape. I saw people, all happy people, wearing white togas. One figure stood out from the rest. All the others basked in this presence of love. Then I noticed that everyone, when they ate, partook of a leafy plant, a plant greener than green. That seemed to nourish the people completely.”

Then the bus driver focused his eyes deep into Michael’s: “Perhaps that’s why you are here, to find this plant that is greener than green.”

Heady stuff for a youth headed for the hills to be sure. Discovering a plant greener than green that offers such spiritual and physical nourishment seems more a community task. Twenty years later Michael’s coming to an understanding how this man’s dream meshes with his own quixotic path. The underlying spirit of the plant world awaits us on a much deeper level than we’ve ever expected. We’re intuiting a right direction as we open our hearts to the full circle of Creation. Our work with the healing plants themselves is what’s greener than green.
The Herbalist’s Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines by Nancy and Michael Phillips — click for book summary
The Herbalist’s Way: The Art and Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines

leftie
Apple Bark and Hyperacidity/Heartburn

When an apple grower gets hold of an apple remedy for a particular affliction of his own -– and one commonly shared in middle age – then look out! It turns out that the bark of the apple tree possesses astringent properties that make it useful for treating hyperacidity and heartburn. This information comes from Appalachian herbalist Tommie Bass, who used a tea or syrup from the bark to settle the stomach. We in turn learned more from Jim McDonald in Michigan: “Apple bark is an ideal remedy in treating this malady, as it not only acts as an antacid, but its astringency also restores strength and tone to the sphincter that separates the harsh stomach acids from the esophagus, thereby acting in a curative, as well as palliative, manner.”
Jenn brings in a basket of skullcap from the lower field while apprenticing at Heartsong Farm. (photo by Michael Phillips)
Jenn brings in a basket of skullcap from the lower field while apprenticing at Heartsong Farm.

For excerpts (with beautiful illustrations by Robin Wimbiscus) from our latest book, visit our online edition of The Herbalist’s Way (click for book contents).

Join our Herbal Healing Network

Stay informed about issues important to herbalists and the happenings here at Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs by signing up to be a part of this emailing list. We’ll write only on occasion, as you can imagine how busy life on an herb farm gets to be throughout the growing season.

http://www.homestead.org/Poultry/VictoraVarga/GuineaFowl.htm

Guinea Fowl:

Something Different in the Garden

by Victoria Varga

Photo by Sabry Mason

An exotic and perhaps odd-looking breed of poultry, the Guinea Fowl, is fast becoming not just the friend of the poultry farmer, but a friend of the avid gardener as well. These solid colored birds, weighing in at no more than 4 ½ pounds apiece, hail from the Sub-Saharan regions of West Africa. The domestic, modern stock has originated from the wild breed of Guinea Fowl (‘nuneda meagris’), found as far south as the Eastern Cape Horn Regions of W. Africa. These domesticated fowl are found now in every region of the world.

These unusual birds are quite interesting in that their increasing role on the farm has taken on many purposes in today’s diversified livestock community. In addition to egg- laying and breeding stock production, one of the foremost uses for these animals today is for pest and rodent control. Guinea fowl, both male and female, are particularly adept at rooting out vermin such as mice and rats, and are even known to chase down and kill snakes. As well as keeping pests out of their environment, Guinea Fowl have been incredibly successful at ridding forested properties/farms of many types of bugs, particularly the deadly Deer Tick, which can carry Lyme Disease resulting in paralysis and death amongst other forms of livestock. This purpose in particular, has given the Guinea Fowl a widespread and excellent reputation, allowing the breed to rise above its former meat production-only function. Although raised for meat and considered a delicacy in Europe, the Guinea Fowl seems to, through their display of intelligence and multifunction, have risen above the stature of ‘meat-bird’.

These normally docile but alert birds have a surprisingly acute awareness of predators within their habitats, and will alert the farmer to any henhouse intrusion, day or night. A distinct and rather operatic call will be sounded upon any strange intrusion. Many Guinea Fowl breeders will attest to their “watchdogs’” ability of being able to distinguish between family members and strange and unfamiliar faces.

Guinea Fowl have been used for both pest control and as farm ‘watchdogs’ for decades now, and one of their relatively newer uses has been to the gardener and small crop grower. Guinea Fowl have proven most successful in organically controlling pests by eating most bugs in the garden, while leaving the green foliage virtually untouched. This has garnered the Guinea Fowl not just the praise and welcome of the farmer, but that of the gardener as well. Slugs, bugs, and other thugs are their specialty and Guinea Fowl have demonstrated once again, their versatility and ability to earn a reputation of wonderful uses.

Guinea Fowl can be kept either free-ranged, or free-run in the company of other poultry. They will usually group together if more than one of them are kept, even in a henhouse/run situation. Females often select their mate and then remain steadfast companions until death or separation. Males tend to be more vocal than females, making a sound that is described as the world “buckwheat”. Both the male and female are very similar in stature, and distinction. The only difference lies in the male possessing a slightly larger red appendage on his head; at first sight, males and females are difficult to distinguish apart from one another.

Guinea Fowl today come in a variety of colors, and Guinea Fowl breeders and enthusiasts are always breeding and looking for the newest genetic colorations. Their plumage is almost solid in color, with fine dappling of white or cream specks. Variations in overall color range from browns, blues, violets, creams, whites, grays and charcoals.

Chicks are called “keets” and can be hatched as with other fowl, by a reliable incubator, by Bantam mothe,r or a sitting hen of another variety. Their eggs are small, like the Bantam variety, and are hatched out in the standard 28-day cycle akin to other chickens. The suggested grower feed for the little keets is a medicated Pheasant/Turkey starter, and precautionary care with regard to warmth, drafts, and a dry environment as with other young birds is imperative. Keets display themselves as very alert and hardy and seem to develop independence much more quickly than other chicks.

If you are interested in keeping something a bit different in the coop, & would like to eradicate the possibility of ticks and other harmful pests in the farmyard or garden, perhaps a pair of Guinea Fowl would be a successful addition to your own spread. Guinea Fowl will certainly be a conversational addition to any farm, and with their many successful uses around a country acreage, should result in being a hard-working member of the farm operation team.

Birds that eat ticks are worth owning any day.

They hide their nests, but if you find the nest and keep the fresh eggs collected, they are fine for cooking and eating.

I happen to love the Guinea Hen, my Grandmother had them in Texas.

We had them in Wellton, the males take care of the chicks and what a production of it they make, all the uncles help and it is a ‘swarm ‘ of them when several hens have hatched.

They set up routes and you can set your watch by them, for they are rarely off the expected times to eat the bugs from one day to the next.

Yes, you can eat the meat, LOL, I didn’t.

If the young keets are not free with the parents, then feed them buttermilk, Mary taught me this trick, it is as simple as withholding the water and offering cultured buttermilk to them, as they need the extra protein.

granny

http://www.manytracks.com/Homesteading/herbtea.htm

Make Your Own

Herb Teas

Chamomile and Calendula

How-to ~ Ideas ~ Inspiration
From more than thirty years having a good time living a sustainable life
in the northwoods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Over the years I’ve experimented with various dried things for enjoyable herb teas and have come up with some good tasting basic brews that are easy to make and satisfying to sip. They make great gifts, too.

Drying herbs and plants for tea is easy, fun, and inexpensive. Most of herb teas I use are made from dried leaves or dried flower petals. If it’s edible and can be dried it is open to consideration whether garden grown or gathered wild. Of course, I trust you will not gather anything you can’t positively identify as edible. (Not sure? Information on edible herbs is plentiful and should not be difficult to track down).

Leaves and flowers are gathered when they are at their peak, mainly mid summer. Morning harvest is best after the evening moisture has dried but before the sun heats things up. I gather a basketful, or maybe small bowl full if it is flowers, and bring them inside to dry.

Some plants are harvested stem and all, tied together and hung in an out of the way place to dry, usually in the back of the house. Others, particularly leaves, are spread on a screen to dry. We have a rack that holds a set of screens and it is full of drying herbs from mid-summer to some time in the fall when they are well dried and I have time to put them away. Flowers are spread on a saucer or plate until dry.

I have also filled a clean pillowcase with a plant and hung that up, or loosely piled stems and leaves in a basket. By summer’s end we have drying herbs all over the place, for teas as well as for cooking and medicine.

If you’re new to growing, drying and using your own herbs be aware that they’re often much stronger than store bought ones. So go lightly when first adding to food and teas, increasing to taste.

Here are some of my favorite teas. I tend toward the simple.

Comfrey leaves make a good base tea. The taste is similar to regular tea and is good by itself. I sometimes add dried flowers (calendula, borage, rose, violet family) to the comfrey. Their flavor is subtle but maybe it’s more for aesthetics anyway. I use a glass jar to make my tea in and the dried flower petals are pretty!

Another flavor can be had by adding dried orange peel, cloves and allspice - Homestead Constant Comment tea, and no packaging!

Along a different line, raspberry or strawberry leaves make a mild tea or base for a mixture. With a few chamomile flowers and some dried strawberries it’s a very nice, calm tea. Pretty, too. Use a light touch with the chamomile flowers and don’t steep for too long - home grown flowers can get inedibly strong if overbrewed.

To dry strawberries I use our late, everbearing crop (since the woodstove is going many days then so they can be dried easily). Slice them onto a pottery plate and set by the heat. When they’ve started drying, peel them up and turn over. (If you wait too long you have to kind of chisel them off.) Then turn them now and then until dried. Can’t say as they’re “pretty” in the tea but the flavor is sure nice. You can also dry them in the solar dryer too of course (and if you have enough they’re great eaten plain for a snack).

Fireweed leaves make another great base tea. They grow wild in our area and I harvest some each fall for that purpose (though as the ecosystem around us naturally changes I’m finding much less of that plant).

Two of my standard teas are mint and lemon balm. They are both easy to grow (though mint spreads something terrific so either keep it contained or think carefully where you plant it) and they both make good tea. I might include a few clover blossoms or rose hips when I have them. My teas tend to be simple combinations but yours certainly don’t have to be.

Your tea pot also can be as fancy or as practical as you enjoy. Mine is simply a jar with a handmade wooden lid (being woodworkers, our lives are full of wooden items and not a bit of shavings and sawdust, too!). The cuff of a worn-out wool sock makes a comfortable and easy cozy. I put some dried herbs or tea mixture in the jar, maybe a tablespoon worth, cover generously with recently boiling water, set the lid on and let steep for a short time. How long is a matter of taste and is best discovered by the maker. Most teas are quite tolerant of flexible time and distracted makers. When ready, I pour through a simple tea strainer into my current favorite hand crafted mug. The wet tea is dumped back in the jar to be used again, and maybe a third time depending on how strong the herbs are and how long I had let it steep. When it runs out of flavor it continues on by being tapped into the compost bucket. A nice long life for a bit of leaf.

You may want to add some honey which seems to enhance some teas, but not too much or you might overwhelm the delicate flavor . However, if you are making a medicinal tea such as yarrow a generous dollop of honey might be quite appreciated, and it adds its own health supporting properties as well.

Making your own herb tea is fun and wonderfully simple. You can stay with a few basics such as plain mint or chamomile, or go crazy experimenting with infinite combinations. So plan to dry, mix, and brew your own. Then settle down in your favorite spot with a wonderful view or reading material and your mug full of your latest aromatic sipping brew — and join the nonexclusive, open to all, herb tea affectionado club!

* * * * * *

* Should you want to use all or part of one of our articles in a non-profit publication, website or blog we simply ask that you give proper credit and link (such as “article by Sue Robishaw/Steve Schmeck from www.ManyTracks.com”), and we’d enjoy knowing where it is used. Thanks!

http://www.manytracks.com/Homesteading/cookies.htm

Cookies are an integral part of most folks’ lives and ours is no exception. But I prefer a treat with some muscle - slightly sweet but not too, hearty without being impossible to chew, healthy, with soul - a reliable cookie that can be eaten in the car and double as dinner when there just isn’t time. Below is my tried and true venerable Homestead Cookie recipe which has stood the test of several decades (the recipe, not one of the cookie’s themselves). And another treat that is different enough to be a surprise and good enough to be a special treat. Have fun!

ManyTracks Homestead Cookies

Please note, this is a true homestead cookie - measuring is optional, variations and experimentation commonplace, substitutions assumed, variety expected. You can hardly go wrong unless you burn them to a crisp. And yes, I’ve done that - if they’re really charred they go in the compost bin, otherwise Steve likes them slightly burned (I don’t). The vagaries of our woodburning cookstove and my attention (or lack of) means I usually end up with some “Steve cookies” even when I try not to. Works out for both of us.

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey or brown sugar (more or less depending on taste)
1 cup water, milk, or juice
2 1/2 cups whole grain flour (white flour will probably do though I’ve never tried it)
3 cups rolled oats (old fashioned organic rolled oats are worth it for better flavor)

Optional Additions - put in or leave out as your pantry or desires dictate

1 to 2 cups dried fruit (we like raisins)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds or chopped nuts
1 or 2 eggs (when we had chickens I used eggs but haven’t in years)
Peanut or other nut butter
Spices such as cinnamon or vanilla or dried ginger (try a teaspoon to start with)
Fruit sauce or cooked squash in place of the water (makes a chewier, moister cookie)

Mix all the ingredients together except the rolled oats
adding flour until you have a thick pudding-like consistency
Let set for a bit for the whole grain flour to soften and, if wheat, develop the gluten
Mix in the rolled oats. Add more flour if needed.
Place teaspoonfuls onto an oiled or floured cookie sheet
Flatten with a wet fork
Bake in a medium oven until just done.

If you overcook they can get quite hard after cooling depending on the ingredients used. But they are great traveling food; no worry about these guys crumbling apart.

ManyTracks Applesauce Cookie

This cookie comes out firm but chewy (unless you cook them to the almost burned stage which is how Steve likes them). These also hold together well but aren’t quite as long lasting and sturdy as the Homestead Cookie above so they’re not quite as good for putting in your pocket for a later snack, especially if you’re prone to forgetting that you did that.

1 quart apple or other fruit sauce or cooked squash
1/2 cup oil (it can also be made without oil if you haven’t any)
2/3 cup honey or maple syrup or brown sugar
3 cups whole grain flour

Mix together all ingredients
Let set a bit to soften and bind the flour (some gluten flour helps hold things together)
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an oiled cookie sheet
(this is not as tough a dough as the previous cookie)
Flatten thin with a wet fork
Bake in a medium oven until just lightly browned around the edges
Cool flat on a rack

Enjoy eating.

* * * * * * * *

Cheesemaking

Goat’s Milk
o

Whole Milk Ricotta
o

Queso Blanco
o Cottage Cheese
o Easy Ricotta Cheese
Uses junket rennet tablet
o Making Mesophilic Culture
o Making Thermophilic Culture
o Ricotta made from whey
o Mozzarella Cheese

Goat’s Milk

Goat Milk Recipes
by Jackie Clay at Backwoods Home Magazine. Simple recipes for yogurt and ice cream.

Main Dishes

http://www.homesteadinginfo.com/recipes/index.html

Fermented Honey Crackers
from Sally Fallon’s article Fermented Honey

[A must read article]
http://www.westonaprice.org/Food-Features/Fermented-Honey.html

1/2 cup plain whole yoghurt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, preferably cultured
2 1/2 cups freshly ground wheat, spelt or kamut flour
1/4 cup fermented honey
1 teaspoon sea salt
unbleached white flour to prevent sticking

Leave butter at room temperature to soften. Mix yoghurt, butter, honey and salt together with an electric mixer. Gradually add the freshly ground flour. Form dough into a ball, place in a bowl and cover with a towel. Leave at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
Rub a 9-inch by 13-inch Pyrex pan with butter and dust with white flour. Dust your hands with white flour to prevent sticking and then press the dough into the pan. Score with a knife so the dough will separately easily into rectangular “crackers.” Dehydrate by placing in an oven set at 150 degrees until the crackers dry out completely—this will take a day or two. Break into crackers and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Makes about 30 crackers.

http://www.homesteadinginfo.com/recipes/honey_crackers.html

I did not know what Fermented Honey was so asked google:

http://www.google.com/search?q=fermented+honey&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

1.
Fermented Honey
Sally Fallon discusses the origin and health benefits of fermented honey. Recipes are included.
www.westonaprice.org/Fermented-Honey.html - Cached - Similar
2.
Mead - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It may be produced by fermentation of honey with grain mash; ..... As long as the primary substance fermented is still honey, the drink is still mead. ...
History - Etymology - Distribution - Varieties
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mead - Cached - Similar
3.
Really Raw Honey: Fermented Really Raw Honey
Fermented honey is the Nectar and Ambrosia of the Greek gods and the basic ingredient of Mead, a beverage enjoyed since antiquity. ...
www.reallyrawhoney.com/.../merchant.mvc?Screen... - Cached - Similar
4.
how to home brew mead (fermented honey} part one

Rated 4.3 out of 5.0

- 6 min - Aug 27, 2007
a how to video on home brewing mead
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlroqUMiyE4 - more videos »
Get more video results
5.
Does honey go rancid, or ferment? [Archive] - Homesteading Today
11 posts - 7 authors - Last post: Jul 19, 2005
It has layers of crystallized honey, and layers of fluid honey. It smells very... strongly. Almost like it’s fermented, kind of an alcoholic ...
www.homesteadingtoday.com › ... › Beekeeping - Cached - Similar
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6.
Small Scale Beekeeping
It quickly leads to fermented honey and dissatisfied customers. Adding sugar water does not cause a problem with fermentation provided the sugar ...
www.apiculture.com/articles/us/small.../hive_products.htm - Cached
7.
Making Simple Fermented Beverages
Honey has a lot of what yeast needs, but is somewhat resistant to being fermented by itself. A pure honey solution will ferment, but it can take three ...
www.homebrew.net/ferment/ - Cached - Similar
8.
Honey Crop
Pure honey will last a long time. It does darken with age however. The two characteristics of honey we would like to discuss are 1) Fermentation of honey ...
www.gobeekeeping.com/lesson%20seven.htm - Cached - Similar
9.
Honey and Spoilage
A by product of the yeast is alcohol - the honey ferments. If the correct yeast is present (and naturally occurring yeast is not such) is produces a drink ...
www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01338.htm - Cached - Similar
10.
Fermenting honey? - Bees and Beekeeping Forum - GardenWeb
6 posts - 5 authors
My guess is you took the honey from the comb/hive too soon. The water content was too high resulting in a souring or fermenting condition. ...
forums.gardenweb.com/forums/.../msg0711572810499.html - Cached - Similar
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http://www.westonaprice.org/Food-Features/The-Antioxidant-Herbs.html

The Antioxidant Herbs

Health Topics - Food Features
Written by Linda Joyce Forristal, CTA, MTA

In the Kitchen with Mother Linda

Used for millennia to add flavor to our foods, culinary herbs are healthy seasonings in the kitchen as well as natural and abundant sources of healing chemicals.

They’re robust, tangy and pungent. They’re perfect for soups and stews, accents on pizza and in cheese dips and even desserts. And now we learn they are good for us, too. What a bonus! US Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists recently carried out a scientific study on twenty-seven culinary and twelve medicinal herbs. The study revealed that many popular herbs are a great source of natural antioxidants, compounds that play an important role in neutralizing free radicals. In fact, the total phenolic contents of many herbs in the study were higher than those reported for berries, fruits and vegetables. Although we might have to eat more herbs to get the equivalent total amount of antioxidants consumed in fruits and vegetables, supplementing an otherwise balanced diet with herbs may be beneficial to our health.

Some of your favorite herbs might be on this list. In decreasing order of antioxidant activity, they include several oreganos and their cousin hardy sweet marjoram, rose geranium, sweet bay, dill, thyme, rosemary and sage.

The culinary herbs with the highest antioxidant activities are the oreganos, which belong in the mint family (Lamiaceae). In fact, this study showed that their extremely high phenolic content and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (or ORAC) make their total antioxidant activities higher than tocopherol (found in vitamin E).

Though there is some taxonomic confusion about oreganos, by far the most widely available variety is Origanum vulgare spp. hirtum, or Greek mountain oregano. This is the European oregano of commerce, what the Greeks call rhigani. Greek mountain oregano, with an ORAC of 64.71, is known for its pepper-flavored leaves that add a magnificent punch to pizza, spaghetti sauce and classic Greek cuisine like dolmas—flavorful tidbits of meat, rice, and spices rolled up in grape leaves. It is an asset, in fact, a staple, in any proper garden. Since it is a woody perennial, it will overwinter in many climates. My Greek mountain oregano has its own revered planter in my backyard and provides me the security of knowing I’m getting the real thing. (I won’t dwell on how I first planted an ornamental oregano and wondered why it didn’t have the wonderful aroma I’d heard about!)

It is their aroma that sets the oreganos apart. In fact, several herbal sources and experts recommend that it’s better to view oregano as a class instead of any one species as a flavor. Indeed, the main commonality, the one thing that makes any plant an oregano, is the flavor and scent that come from the essential oil carvacrol, a simple phenol they contain in varying amounts. What capsaicin is to peppers, carvacrol is to oregano; it imparts the savory, pungent, warming sensation to the tongue. Carvacrol is not specific to oreganos and can also be found in monarda and sweet marjoram. In addition to carvacrol, high levels of rosmarinic acid contribute to the oreganos’ antioxidant capacities.

Origanum x majoricum, commonly known as both hardy sweet marjoram and Italian oregano, has a slightly higher antioxidant activity than Greek mountain oregano (with an ORAC of 71.64). The x between the two scientific names indicates that it’s a cross between Origanum vulgare and Origanum majorana, or sweet marjoram. Because it’s a cross, Italian oregano tastes sweet and savory at the same time and is thus a versatile herb that can be used to season meats, eggs, soups and vegetables.

European bay (ORAC 31.70) is the leaf of the tree Laurus nobilis and is in the same family of plants as cinnamon, cassia, sassafras and avocado. (Just for the record, California bay is a different, more pungent species.) Run your finger down the stem of the leaf to release the odor—a mixture of balsam, vanilla, nutmeg, and a touch of citrus. Susan Belsinger, a nationally known herb specialist, uses bay in desserts, flavoring herbed syrups or puddings and custards. She drops the leaves in the pot at the beginning and removes them before serving.

Winter savory, Satureja montana (ORAC 26.34), was used in Roman times for meat dishes. While its cousin, summer savory, is an annual, winter savory is a woody perennial. Consider adding this culinary herb to your own garden. The Saturejas generally are used throughout the world for beans—either fresh, like green or wax beans, or with dried beans of any kind. They also go nicely with cheese. Belsinger uses savory for corn relish, fritters of corn or potato and savory-peach butter.

Dill, Anethum graveolens (ORAC 29.12), is a tender annual member of the carrot family. Native to Asia, it has become naturalized in most of Europe and North America. Its seeds are used to flavor dill pickles, but its feathery leaves go fantastically with fish, potatoes and yogurt (see recipe for Tarator). Dried dill is somewhat acceptable, but fresh is the best. The next-best form is frozen dill. Just chop fresh dill, put it in a Ziploc freezer bag, pop it in the freezer, and it will be available whenever you need it.

Garden thyme, Thymus vulgaris (ORAC 19.49), ranks next in antioxidant behavior. The principal culinary thymes are a narrow-leafed cultivar called French thyme, which has a stronger flavor and is preferred in France; and a broad-leafed cultivar called English thyme. Thyme is great for tomato sauces and mushroom sauces. In wintertime, Belsinger makes a compote of pears, apples and prunes, spiced with thyme in red wine.

Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis (ORAC 19.15), is one of my favorite herbs for the kitchen. It is a common wild plant native to the hillsides and cliffs of the Mediterranean, whose very name means “dew of the sea.” Rosemary’s pinelike scent is perfect for roasted meats and potatoes. Sally Fallon uses rosemary to make a spicy walnut appetizer. You will not be able to eat just one, nor even one handful, of these tangy morsels: they are addictive. Rosmanol, the active antioxidant in rosemary, has more antioxidant activity than tocopherol.

Garden sage, Salvia officinalis (ORAC 13.28), is a culinary salvia with a strong, camphorlike smell. Americans are familiar with sage as the spice that gives an incredible aroma to turkey stuffing. Our ancestors may not have known about the antioxidant properties of sage, but they nevertheless put it to good use in sausage as a preservative. Sage is also a popular ingredient in mouthwash. There are many kinds of sages. In addition to sausage and stuffing, try sage with winter squash or other root vegetables.

So don’t hesitate. Now is the perfect time to add these herbs to your repertoire of flavorings. I recommend that you grow as many of them as possible in your own kitchen garden. Although you will have to replant the annuals like dill and winter savory each year, the oreganos, rosemary and sage are perennials in many climates and since they are naturally pest-resistant due to their high phenol content, they will thrive with little attention.
Stuffed Grape Leaves

This dish is native to many Balkan and Mediterranean countries, where they are called sarmi and dolmas, respectively. Serve it with yogurt on the side, and let your family and guests spoon it over the meaty morsels to act as a tart countertaste. The grape leaves come pickled in jars, available at middle eastern markets.

* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
* 2-4 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 cup uncooked rice
* 1 pound ground beef
* 2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
* 2 tablespoons dried winter savory
* 1 tablespoons fresh Greek oregano, finely chopped
* 1-2 teaspoons salt
* pickled grape leaves

Sauté onion and garlic in a little oil until the onion is just turning translucent; add rice and more oil if needed. Fry rice for about 5 minutes, during which time the rice will absorb flavors and oil. Add beef and fry until it is brown and water has evaporated. Remove from the heat; add paprika, savory, oregano and salt.

Stir well and cool.

Place grape leaves on a flat surface. Cut off protruding stems. Place a heaping tablespoon of the meat/rice filling near the stem area; fold over the sides of the leaf and then roll up the leaf to make a cylinder. Place individual sarma side by side in a well-greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Completely cover the sarmi with water. Bake at 350ºF, uncovered, for approximately 40 minutes, or until the rice is done. Serves 6-8.
Tarator

Increase your antioxidant intake with this delicious cold yogurt-cucumber soup from Bulgaria. It makes a refreshing warm-weather meal. The consistency can be varied by the amount of water added. Used by permission from Bulgarian Rhapsody: The Best of Balkan Cuisine.

* 1-2 cloves garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon oil
* 1 medium cucumber, grated
* 2 cups yogurt
* 1-2 cups water
* 1/2-3/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Crush garlic with salt; then add oil and mix well. Peel cucumber, slice along natural divisions, and de-seed. Grate and add to garlic mixture; mix well. Stir the yogurt in its container and then pour over garlic/cucumber mixture. Add water if desired and stir into the mixture. Add dill and walnuts to taste. Serves 2-4.
Rosemary Walnuts

Be sure to plan for the advance preparation of the walnuts in this recipe. Recipe from Nourishing Traditions; used by permission of Sally Fallon.

* 4 cups walnut halves
* 2 teaspoons sea salt
* filtered water to cover
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/4 cup dried rosemary
* 2 teaspoons sea salt
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix walnuts with salt and cover with water; leave in a warm place for at least 7-8 hours. Drain in a colander. Spread out walnuts on a stainless steel or parchment-lined baking sheet and place in a warm oven (no more than 150-170ºF) for 12 to 24 hours; turning occasionally until completely dry and crisp. Cool and store in an airtight container until you are ready to use.

To prepare the walnuts, melt butter with rosemary, salt, and cayenne pepper. Toss the walnuts, spread on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Additional reading:

1. Alice Arndt, Seasoning Savvy, Haworth Herbal Press, Binghamton, New York, 1999.
2. Susan Belsinger, Herbs in the Kitchen, Interweave Press, Loveland, Colorado, 1993.
3. Thomas DeBaggio and Arthur O. Tucker, The Big Book of Herbs, Interweave Press, Loveland, Colorado, 2000.
4. Arthur Tucker, “Will the Real Oregano Please Stand Up?” The Herbal Companion, February/March 1992.
5. Wei Zheng and Shiow Wang, “Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Compounds in Selected Herbs,” Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, 2001, 49.

Antioxidants and Phenols Defined

According to Shiow Y. Wang, a scientist at the USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, “antioxidant activity measures the ability of foods, blood plasma, and just about any substance to subdue oxygen free radicals.” Over the years, antioxidants have become synonymous with good health. They are a class of compounds thought to prevent certain types of chemical damage caused by an excess of free radicals, charged molecules that are generated by a variety of sources including pesticides, smoking, and exhaust fumes. Some scientists believe that destroying free radicals may help fight cancer, heart disease, and stroke. “More succinctly,” says Shiow, “antioxidant activity is a measure of the ability of a food sample to disarm oxidizing compounds, which our bodies naturally generate as a byproduct of metabolism.”

Shiow says the term “phenol” or “phenol compound” embraces a wide range of substances that possess an aromatic carbon ring bearing an OH group, or hydroxyl substituent, including their functional derivatives. Among the natural phenolic compounds, of which several hundreds are known, the flavonoids and their relatives form the largest group, but phenolic quinones, lignans, xanthones, depsidones, and other groups, exist in considerable numbers as well as many simple monocyclic phenols. Hence, the total number of phenols in a given sample of food is referred to as its “phenolic content.”
The Hunt for Mexican Oregano

Unfortunately, Poliomintha longiflora, with an ORAC rating of 92.18, the highest antioxidant activity rating in the USDA study, is not commercially available in the United States. If you want to experience the benefits of this herb, you will have to track it down through the nursery trade for planting in your own garden. Additionally, according to Arthur O. Tucker, an expert on herbs and essential oils at Delaware State University, P. longiflora is more accurately classified as P.bustamanta. The sample of P. longiflora used in this study was collected from the culinary garden at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. where it was labeled Mexican oregano.

To make things even more confusing, the species most commonly identified and sold as Mexican oregano is not Poliomintha longiflora at all, but Lippia graveolens. The Poliominthas are subshrubs which grow about three feet tall and are only native to the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. By contrast, Lippia graveolens ranges in height from 3/1/2 to nine feet and is native to Texas and Mexico. In Mexico, it is sometimes called “Oregano cimarron.”

Ann Wilder, CEO and owner of Vann’s Spices in Baltimore, sells Mexican oregano from Lippia graveolens. Hence, a spice labeled Mexican oregano in your local supermarket is probably not the high-antioxidant Poliomintha-type oregano in this study. The study cited did not address the antioxidant activity of Lippia graveolens, but since sources say it contains up to 48 percent carvacrol, it probably does have a fairly high antioxidant activity. In Mexico, L. graveolens is put to much of the same uses as Origanum vulgare is here; it is the mainstay ingredient of cortido, a fermented condiment often served with fatty foods.

This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Summer 2003.

About the Author

Linda Joyce ForristalLinda Forristal, CCP, MTA, is the author of Ode to Sucanat (1993) and Bulgarian Rhapsody (1998). Visit her website at www.motherlindas.com.

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