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Healthy News and Information. As I work on turning this one acre homestead into a self-sustaining Garden of Eden, I have two requirements for every single plant I consider putting in the ground: they must be either edible or medicinal. Preferably both. Why? Because frankly I don’t have money or space to waste on frivolous landscaping. Everything from the plants to the animals must have a purpose. More and more people are beginning to see the benefit of having a garden and growing your own food, but growing your own medicine could be equally as vital to your well being. What would you do if you couldn’t get the medical supplies or help you needed for a very long time? As I plan my medicinal garden, I choose what to grow by studying different medical emergency scenarios and learning which plants I would be able to use if it ever came down to that.

One day as I was doctoring up one of my kiddos, the thought crossed my mind, “What if I couldn’t get any more of these band-aids? Wooly Lamb’s Ear. Other Medicinal Uses 1. 2. Curing Olives: Basic Brine + Salt Methods - Milkwood. Tis the season to brine olives! Or salt them, if you prefer. Whether you’ve grown them yourself or foraged them from bird-sown trees, it’s late Autumn that you want to pick and cure them. There are many ways to cure olives, but the essential thing is that you extract the glucosides from them – the chemicals that make the olives very bitter when just picked.

You can do this by curing them in water and changing it daily, or dry salt them, or salt then smoke them, or you can do it with a rather complex combination of water + brine sequences. Or, if you’re slightly time poor amongst your enthusiasm (like us), then straight-up brining is a good idea. First, procure your olives. Following a good wash, slit each olive (you can also just squish them each a bit) to break the skin, to ensure the brine can penetrate to extract the bitterness. If you do not slit your olives, they will still brine, but it may take, literally, years.

Once your olives are slitted and ready, it’s time to make up the brine. The Unlikely, Charming Designer Who Is Changing the Face of Gardening. Healthy News and Information. Eggshells As Organic Pest Control and More by NATURAL LIVING IDEAS 1. FertilizerEggshells are a great way to add calcium to your compost. Because shells have a very high surface area to volume ratio, they decompose very quickly. Alternately, you can incorporate crumbled eggshell directly into the bottoms of your planting holes in the spring.

During the winter months, distribute your shells over the plot of land where you will plant come springtime. While calcium is considered a secondary nutrient for plants, your garden will certainly appreciate the added minerals, especially if you grow tomatoes or peppers as these plants are the most easily affected by calcium-deficiency. 2. If you have problems with slugs and snails in your garden, try sprinkling coarsely-crumbled eggshells around the plants where these slimy little pests like to dine. 3. Because eggshells quickly biodegrade when introduced into soil in the garden, they also double as the perfect seed-starter pots. 4. 5. 6.

Share: How To Make Nettle Rennet For Cheesemaking. This recipe calls for stinging nettle (urtica dioica), a plant that can be found in most regions and climates. Stinging nettle is painful to touch; wear gloves and long sleeves to protect yourself from this plant’s irritating leaves when harvesting. Check books on wild foraging or edible weeds for proper plant identification.

Harvest nettle leaves before the plant has gone to seed. Once the nettle has seeded, it is unsafe to use for making rennet. Harvest nettle leaves into a clean paper sack. If fresh nettle is not available in your area, check local natural food stores. Dried nettle leaves are readily available, as they are often used for tea. How to Make NETTLE RENNET What You'll Need 2 pounds fresh stinging nettle (urtica dioica)Large pot1 Tbsp. Instructions for Making Nettle Rennet Rinse 2 pounds fresh leaves under cool, filtered water.Fill a large pot with 4 cups water. How to Use Nettle Rennet in Cheesemaking Nettle rennet can be used with any milk to make cheese. How To Make Thistle Rennet For Cheesemaking. Did you know that you can make a perfectly good rennet substitute from a weed that might be growing in your yard? This recipe uses Bull Thistle (cirsium vulgare), a purple thistle that is considered a weed in most places. Check books on wild foraging or edible weeds for proper plant identification.

Remove the thistle flower head after it has browned a little on the plant. Pick the head before it starts producing thistle down. How to Make THISTLE RENNET What You'll Need 5 Tbsp. ground Bull Thistle (cirsium vulgare)BowlWarm WaterPlastic Mesh Strainer Instructions for Making Thistle Rennet Grind dried stamens from bull thistle using a non-porous mortar and pestle. How to Use Thistle Rennet in Cheesemaking Thistle rennet should only be used for sheep or goat milk – it will make cow’s milk cheese bitter, especially if aged.Any cheese made with vegetable rennet may develop a bitter flavor if aged for a long period of time (over 2 months).

~8 Culinary Herbs for the Shade Garden~ – Reformation Acres. DISCLOSURE: Would you like to know how you can support this website? I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Using these links doesn't cost you anything, but helps me pay the blogging bills. Your support is greatly appreciated and a real blessing to me! Thank you! ♥ It’s said the best place for the kitchen herb garden is… well… right outside the kitchen. Such is the case in my new home. Or running if it’s raining. I sat on my porch swing just outside the kitchen door last year and watched in vain, day after day, for the sun to shine on that side of the home, but alas it gets about 2 hours of morning sun to the far right and an hour of sun during the evening on the left.

Does that mean that I’m without the hope of growing a culinary herb garden right outside the kitchen? Thankfully the answer is, “No!” Onion Chives Garlic Chives Cilantro Mint Lemon Balm Lovage Sage. Herbal Academy 6 Herbal Medicine Books Worth the Investment. Herbal Academy One Herb at a Time: 7 Ways to Inspire Your Herbal Studies. Healthy News and Information. By ARIANA MARISOL These 10 gardening methods will help you make the most of your space so that you can grow a large amount of food with the least amount of hassle. Tire Gardening This is a cheap and easy way to create a garden container. The steps to create this container are extremely simple: Carefully cut off the outer rim of a tire using a utility knife.

Once you’ve formed the flexible “O”, you can turn the tire tread inside-out if you desire a smoother outer rim. If stacked on top of one another, the tires become excellent containers for growing potatoes and other rooted plants because the structure provides a good amount of growth room. Used tires are also very easy to come by and can be molded into non-circular shapes. Mittlieder MethodThe Mittlieder method combines soil-based gardening with hydroponic gardening. A very high yield will be achieved regardless of the soil that you use with this method. Window Farms Straw Bale GardeningStraw (not hay!) Ruth Stout No-Work Garden Share: What happened to the self-sufficient people of the 1970s? Image copyright Seymour Family Forty years ago a new book offered city dwellers a way to escape the rat-race and go back to the land. The author of the "bible" of self-sufficiency, John Seymour, convinced thousands to change their lives.

"I have met people who said my father ruined them," says Anne Sears. Anne's father, John Seymour, was an author and idealist known as one of the fathers of self-sufficiency. His books published in the 1960s and 1970s urged readers to return to a more traditional way of life and be less reliant on the outside world. "It is going forward to a new and better sort of life, a life which is more fun than the over-specialised round of office or factory, a life that brings challenge and the use of daily initiative back to work," he wrote. Seymour had put his principles into practice and set up a farm on rented land in Suffolk, driving a horse and cart instead of a car.

Image copyright Corgi His message met a receptive audience. Image copyright Patrick Upton. 24 Little-Known Uses for Dandelions From Baking and Pain Relief to Quickly Removing Warts | Healthyfoodtipsandtricks. Apparently, those pesky yellow weeds in the garden can provide numerous benefits you have never been aware of. Dandelion has been used throughout the history in the treatments of numerous health issues, such as kidney disease, liver issues, appendicitis, and heartburn. Every single part of the dandelion, from the roots to the blossoms is edible, and it is high in minerals, like zinc, iron and potassium, and vitamins D, C, A, and B. Moreover, its consumption provides numerous benefits, such as: according to research, dandelion extract strengthens the immune function and fights off microbes.its leaves contain even more beta carotene than carrots, so they boost eye health.high in antioxidants, which prevents cancer, premature aging, and other illnesses due to oxidative stress.Animal studies provided evidence that the root and leaves regulate cholesterol.It also promotes digestion, as found at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

These are 24 amazing uses of this plant: Wart Remover Wine. Borage Fizz | Emily Han. Charms, Cures, Herbal Remedies from Ancestors of Granny Women. Irish ancestors ~ Charms, cures, herbal healing practices and beliefs from ancestors of a Granny Woman goes far back in time. The healers of Appalachia know their knowledge and wisdom has been passed down for generations in their family. Where and when did this wisdom and art of healing begin? It goes far back to ancient times, to peasants throuhout Ireland, and many other parts of the world.

In this article we will focus mainly on Ireland. Irish doctors of ancient times ~ Irish doctors, from ancient pagan times, were well-known to be highly skilled in the treatment of diseases. Their professors of medicine were so skilled they held high, influential positions in the Druid order. The physicians also practiced magic with great results. Through the centuries these medico-religious and magico-religious methods have come down to the Granny Women healers of Appalachia. Learning from nature ~ Since those early times people have learned in the same traditional and instinctive ways. Linden Flower (Tilia europea) | LONE PINE. The Linden flower, sometimes known as the Lime Blossom or Basswood, is a fragrant, deciduous member of the Malvaceae family. Linden is both a European and North American deciduous tree that can grow up to 120 feet in height, commonly found on forested mountain slopes and planted as street trees.

They have dense, shady canopies and grayish brown bark. The tree bears slightly asymmetrical leaves that are cordate (heart-shaped) with serrated margins, and small flowers bloom during the summer in yellow and brown cymes with winged bracts. Several varieties are used in herbal remedies, the most common being the Common, Large-leaf, and Littleleaf Lindens. Identification of the Linden species can prove a little difficult, as the tree hybridizes easily.

The tree can be grown easily from cuttings, but growing Linden from seed only works if the seeds are fresh in the fall, otherwise the tree is notorious for a long, slow, germination, sometimes taking as long as 18 months. Parts Used Flowers. Incompatible Plants: 20 Plants & What They Can't Grow With. Companion planting has gained great momentum amongst novice and experienced gardeners alike; especially with those who aim to grow maximum food in minimum space. Some plants like marigolds and a few other aromatic herbs are grown exclusively for the protective effect they seem to have against many garden pests, but not all vegetables appreciate their presence. When space is premium, you should choose your bedfellows carefully, so it helps to know not only the ideal companions of each plant but their enemies too. Many plants simply hate to share their space with others. A typical example is black walnut trees that do not allow anything to grow under them by producing the chemical juglone in all parts of the tree, including leaves.

This type of non-selective allelopathy is a natural mechanism to reduce competition. Some plants are very choosy about their companions. The same logic applies to cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels’ sprouts. Healthy News and Information. By BRENDA Not long ago, people had to think about how much to grow for the year. They had to plan ahead, save seeds, plant enough for their family, preserve enough, etc. It wasn’t just a hobby. It didn’t take up a 4 foot by 4 foot square in their backyard, next to the beautifully fertilized lawn. It was their yard. I loved Joel Salatin’s talk @ The Healthy Life Summit.

“Everybody is a part of agriculture whether you want to be or not.” We’re all a part of agriculture. With that in mind, recently, I have been curious about exactly how much my family eats in a year. Sunset’s Vegetable Garden Book (from 1944) The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food Want to know how much to plant per person? Artichokes1-4 plants per person Asparagus10-12 plants per person Beans, Bush10-20 plants per person Beans, Lima10-20 plants per person Beans, Pole10-20 plants per person Beets10-20 plants per person Broccoli5-10 plants per person Brussels Sprouts2-8 plants per person Cabbage3-10 plants per person Share:

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) | LONE PINE. Lemon Balm, sometimes known as Bee Balm or Melissa, is a flowering perennial herb in the Mint, or Lamiaceae family, found worldwide but native to Southern Mediterranean Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia. When crushed or bruised, the plant smells strongly of lemons. It has an angular, square stem covered in tiny hairs that can grow up to three feet in height. It’s leaves are opposite and ovate with long petioles, slightly hairy, and have scalloped margins. It should be harvested in the summer months just before the tiny blue and white bi-labiate flowers open, when the volatile oils are the most concentrated, and then shade dried. The plant is relatively rugged and can tolerate most soils with regular watering.

Parts Used Dried or fresh leaves and aerials Medicinal Uses Lemon Balm is a carminative and anti-spasmodic herb, great for digestive issues, nausea, and flatulence, and soothes the digestive tract when there is cramping or dyspepsia due to nervous tension. Like this: Chasteberry Tea - to Alleviate PMS and Menopause Symptoms - HormonesBalance.com - HormonesBalance.com. I’ve just attended an herbal workshop and was blown away with the potency of chasteberry. I therefore have to share it with you. The chaste tree is a small shrub that produces peppery-tasting fruit that has long been known for its hormone-balancing properties.

The name “chasteberry” dates back to the Greek physician Dioscorides who recommended it to help the wives of soldiers remain chaste while their husbands were in battle. For both menstruating and menopausal women (and every other woman in between) In large amounts, chasteberry can suppress sexual drive. The American Family Physician reports that in menstruating women, chasteberry has been historically used to treat uterine bleeding, painful menstruation, breast discomfort, infertility and amenorrhea (a lack of menstruation). In Germany, where many doctors prefer to prescribe plants and herbs such as chasteberry over pharmaceuticals, it has been used for “luteal phase disorders” which typically results from low progesterone levels. 1). Harvesting - Burke's Backyard. Healthy News and Information. Tall trees and Mushrooms | Life in the forest, with fungi.

Healthy News and Information. Healthy News and Information. Healthy News and Information. The Inner Lives of Chickens: 5 Things You Never Knew About Your Beloved Birds        Healthy News and Information. Healthy News and Information. Drink Thyme Tea Every Morning to Help With Fibromyalgia, Hashimoto's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Multiple Sclerosis. Drink Thyme Tea Every Morning to Help With Fibromyalgia, Hashimoto's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Multiple Sclerosis. What Aloe Vera Does In Your Body: Why Egyptians Called It The Plant Of Immortality. DIY: How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home and Why You Should | Healthy News and Information.

Activate Lemon’s Hidden Cancer and Inflammation Fighting Powers By FREEZING Them Like This : The Hearty Soul. Healthy News and Information. Healthy News and Information. How To Freeze Tomatoes: The Go-To Guide to Freezing Your Tomato Harvest. How to identify apple varieties. How To Grow Potatoes In Potato Planter Bags. Pumpkin Harvest Information – Tips For Harvesting And Storing Pumpkins. Aloe Vera And Why Egyptians Called It The “Plant Of Immortality” - My Healthy Life Vision. PPDB A to Z Index.

Stop- It's Not Just a Weed! It's One of the Most Unrecognized Health-Boosting Plants... Drying Herbs the Easy Way. Yes! You Can Eat ALOE VERA. And It's A SUPERFOOD! | Gracious Living Lifestyle Inc. Healthy News and Information. Photos du journal - Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine. Weaving Wood: Twig Towers and Wattle Fences. Susan Mara - Téléchargements mobiles. Facebook. Gardening with hands tools - A Permaculture Skills Excerpt. How To Make Rope From Grass. Preserving Tomatoes. Home production of pyrethrum. Signs addicted to gardening | OverSixty. Ways to use bicarb soda in the garden | OverSixty.

A quick guide to pruning fruit trees. Meet The (Other) Musk Brother, Who Wants To Change The World Of Food. SunCalc - sunrise, sunset, shadow length, sun position, sun phase, sun height, sun calculator, sun movement, map, sunlight phases, elevation, Photovoltaic system, Photovoltaic. Build an Automatic Chicken Food Feeder Project. DIY Quick & Easy Fruit Picker. KNOW YOUR PLANTS-plant list for CPCS 09B. Nanny’s Cabbage Companion Confirmed Caterpillar Killer By University Of Queensland | Jerry Coleby-Williams. Apple blossoms - Rosehips and Rhubarb. Alternative Gardning: Controlling Cabbage Worms. Companion Planting. Facebook. Secret Medicines From Your Garden: Plants For Healing, Spirituality, And Magic (978-1-62055-557-6) | Herbal & Plant Medicine | Inner Traditions.

Dandelion as Food. 14 Home Remedies For Bug Bites And Stings. The Seven Easiest Vegetables to Grow for Beginner Gardeners. Healthy News and Information. Healthy News and Information. Small plot farming and premium value-added produce way to go, organic farming pioneer says | The Mercury. How to Prepare Eggshells for Use in the Garden: Vinegar & Blossom End Rot - The Rusted Garden 2014. Farms Without Wildlife Don’t Produce Safer Food, Study Finds. How to Attract Beneficial Bugs. Meet the Man who Grew a Sacred Living Temple in New Zealand! Just a Weed, or an Unrecognized Health-Boosting Plant? How Syrians Saved an Ancient Seedbank From Civil War. Home Garden Soil Health Assessment - The Permaculture Research Institute.