Sage Hill Gardens – Page 23 – Sustainable Living With Healthy FOOD

Herb Gardens In Small Spaces~

Herb Gardens in Small Places~

~
Small spaces can bring a bounty of herbs and vegetables.So…if you are thinking you don’t have room to grow herbs or your own garden…think again…outside the box.

Most edible plants do very well in somewhat crowded surroundings.

In a small 4X8(or smaller)raised bed you can have a tomato plant or two, a basil plant, a chive, a dill, a thyme and maybe even a sage or oregano plant.

The key is keeping the bed clean and free of weeds and training your plants to grow up and not out.

Tomatoes can be caged or made to grow up a heavy string trellis.

Basil and other herb plants have to be pinched back and trained to grow tall and not bushy.

Chives will spread from the root, so to keep them at a desired size just dig and divide the clumps two or three times during the growing season.
If you don’t have extra yard space to transplant them to, use a large container such as #2 wash tub or any sturdy outside pot.

Chives make lovely little potted gifts for those times when just a little note of appreciation is welcomed.

This is the time to be working your compost, either making your own or just mixing the best of what you can find in garden centers.

A great mineral to add to your compost or garden soils is “Azomite” a natural product of volcanic ash. Check with your local agricultural office about where you can find this product in your area. It can be ordered from a company in Utah, but, unless you need a large amount is very expensive to purchase this way.

To a most successful year of gardening~

March Madness~

March Madness-In The Gardens-at Sage Hill Farms

March is that month that gives and then takes away.

I’m speaking of the weather of course. It gives beautiful sunny days and tempts us to go digging in the gardens only to welcome us overnight to the coldest day of the year.

What’s a gardener to do to keep from going mad….well, just put the brakes on and go with the flow. On those warm and sunny days, walk through your gardens and get acquainted with every little nook and cranny. Dig a few inches into the soil and meet the little guys that keep your soil rich and workable. ( earthworms) without these your soil will be hard and compacted.

Look for places that are inviting to toads and lizards, what? You don’t have any!
Toads and lizzies are a must in the garden, they eat all manner of not so welcomed guest. You can make little homes for them by building a stack of rocks or broken bricks around a large flower pot-drain saucer. Keep the saucer filled with water and the toads and lizzies will thank you by working hard to rid your garden of unwanted pest.

Most every garden has a resident snake, you may not see it often, but know that it is there. Depending on where you live, make a point of knowing the kinds of snakes you can expect to see. There are good ones and bad ones…knowing the difference can be very important to your health and the health of the snake. Some say the only good snake is a dead snake. While I don’t subscribe to that thinking, I also don’t go out of my way to make friends with any snake.

What stage is your compost pile this month?

You should have a bin full that has been working during the winter and ready for spring planting. Composting is the most valuable asset to your soil, right up there with the earthworms, in fact the worms turn your soil into natural compost.

Now, for those days that are dark, rainy and cold.
Curl up in your favorite spot with a good garden book and a cup of warm and nourishing tea from Sage Hill Farms.
Many flavors to pick from and if you want your own blend, just ask and I’ll see what I can do.

Make March a Mighty month in your garden!

Herbal Truths…Timeless~

Throughout history people from every culture have been using herbs to season and flavor food.

In the 17th century, John Parkinson, the famous English herbalist at the Court of King James I-wrote these words, “dried summer savory leaves ground up with bread crumbs used to breade meate, be it fish or flesh, give it a quicker relish.” Meaning that it gives it a better taste.

Herbs do taste good and smell good, they are healthy and they give us so many options to experiment with. Hard and fast rules when using herbs are very few. You can make your own rules. Fresh versus dried is simply a matter of personal preference.

There are a few things to remember when cooking with herbs in order to get the best benefit of the natural oils. Fresh herbs like basil, should be torn with your fingers instead of chopped with a knife. Tearing releases more of the natural oil. Any fresh or dried herb should be added no more than 5 or 10 minutes to the end of cooking time. The longer they cook, the more taste you lose.

Another little tip: When using dried—–half the amount of fresh will do in most recipes.

Too little is better than too much! Herbs can be overpowering if not used in the proper amounts.
The blending of herbs can serve a two fold purpose, adding wonderful flavor to your dish, and allowing you to cut back or completely stop the use of salt and or fat.
Actually there is a third benefit, once you remove the salt and fat from your food, you discover the real taste . This is always a big surprise to most people.

I’m an herb farmer/user/teacher and strongly believe in the powers of herbs to support, heal, cleanse and maintain the health of our bodies, minds and spirit.

But they are like everything we do that has a real purpose, we must learn about the process
and commit to a practice of when and how to best use them.

**Yes, the spellings are correct for the times.

The Ultimate Garden Party~

Garden Party~

When March is about half gone, the sun will gradually begin to warm the days. March is the perfect month for a Garden Party…a stylish Garden Party….Something that wraps you if the day is not warm enough, something easy and flowing, something freeing, no jewelry, no fancy labels, ‘No Shoes!’

Good friends, hot tea, or coffee…or both…Lavender Tea-cakes from grandmother’s time…sprinkled with just a hint of warm raw sugar…..

No agenda, no deadline, no talking-heads…Treat your inner self to a special time…just you, the gardens, and whomever you wish to join you.

Enjoy….with those you can reach out and touch…or those whom you carry with you inside…

Wednesday Wellness~

The Power Of Greens~

Eat a few or eat a lot…you will reap great benefits either way.

Most all “experts” agree that eating lots of green vegetables and fruits will lessen our chances in a big way of avoiding heart disease and many types of cancer…maybe all.

Dark leafy greens are a direct -delivery system for vitamins, minerals, and other crucial nutrients we get only from plants.

The big key to harnessing all those nutrients is how fresh the ingredients are when eaten…if we are blessed to be gardeners/farmers, straight from the soil to the table is perfection…

If…one is dependent on the outside market , know this…all good nutrients began to fade the moment they are harvested from the mother plant….if not cooked/consumed within at least twenty four

hours…sadly, they are void of any benefits worthy of note.

So…check your area within a radius you can work with…buy as fresh as you can find…work out a deal with a farmer to buy a large amount…take that home, pre-cook and freeze…you now have the next best thing …quick frozen retains all the nutrients of fresh if frozen with a few hours of harvest.

My research finds that Swiss chard, kale, turnip greens, Purple cabbage, spinach, and romaine lettuce delivers the best nutritional punch per serving.

When combined with colorful peppers, fruits and onions…anything else can only be lagniappe ! (a little extra)

Detoxing Naturally and Without Drama~

broth18-of-61-1024x678

Read and Beware~

Recipes and formulas for “3 Day Detox” or “Instant Detox” are all too common on Pinterest, a plethora of individual and business websites dealing with health, food, and lifestyles and in magazines. These fads usually encourage drinking some type of green smoothie, downing gallons of water and eating copious amounts of lettuce. Unfortunately, these instant detox schemes can actually harm the body and they overlook the fact that detox is not an overnight phenomena.

Here’s the deal: Real, effective detox doesn’t happen overnight. It doesn’t happen in a week. Healthy detox in the body rests on a nourishing diet and stress management. We can, however, utilize additional safe and gentle methods to support our body’s detox processes. The following daily detox routines are effective and work with your body, not against it.

Toxins. They are in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the medications we take and the water we drink.

Detoxification is the body’s way of metabolizing and removing toxins. It’s a process the body does naturally, all on its own…However, the capacity of the body’s detox process is not endless.

When toxins build up in our body, we can and do get sick.

1. Drink lemon waterBeginners should start every day with a glass of lemon water; it is among THE BEST natural liver cleansing foods, which are major players in the body’s detoxification process. (It even fights fat and boosts your immune system.)

The liver is our main detox organ. Supporting healthy liver function, naturally improves the detox process. D-limonene is an antioxidant found in the rind of citrus fruits. Our liver loves d-limonene. If you are not one for eating the rinds of your lemons, no worries. You can still benefit from d-limonene by simple adding a drop or two of lemon oil to your drinking water.
~~

2. SweatPerhaps the best combination with sweating toxins out, however, is consuming niacin, or vitamin B3. Your skin will flush and you may experience some discomfort, but the niacin is, over several days and increased dosages, breaking fat cells. Guess what’s in these cells? Toxins. When the toxins are released, they’re sweated out or removed via urine or the GI tract. You’ll be that much closer to a detoxed body.

3. Food grade activated charcoal is also another
great detox agent.( I use in cases of unusual circumstance as below)

Buy a good food grade Activated Charcoal ( capsules are best) take one at night and one in the morning for a week…this is especially good if you have a cold, the flu, a major bite, food born virus, etc. Awesome Detox for the Shingles…Flushes toxins very quickly and promotes quicker healing.

Detoxing your body is something you will not regret – so start today!

When we take a detox bath, we not only boost our health and well-being, but also strengthen our immune system and prevent disease. End the day with a Detox bath… fill a tub with hot water, add some epsom salt and baking soda to neutralize the chemicals found in the water. ( one cup each) or…one cup of Apple Cider Vinegar..unfiltered is best)
~~

Cider Vinegar Bath

Apple cider vinegar is a powerful purifying and detoxifying agent. It helps pull toxins from the body and can clear blocked energy. Cider vinegar has many, many healing qualities which you can find by searching the internet.

NOTE: I always use the unfiltered cider vinegar.

2 Cups of Apple Cider Vinegar added to warm bath
Soak for 20 minutes

There are multiple websites on the benefits of apple cider vinegar. Have fun exploring.

From the above info you can pick and choose your own Detox protocol.

I will share my routine with you as an example.

~~I start my morning before coffee and breakfast with 4 to 6 ounces of warm lemon water ( I use 0rganic lemons, grind to a fine point and blended into SPRING WATER) ( or a couple drops of Essential oil of Lemon)

I eat some Raw food every day…carrots, celery, peppers, green beans/peas, cabbage, tomatoes, asparagus,etc.

( living on a farm and growing my own food makes this an easy do for me. If you shop the grocery stores for your food it must demand a little closer inspection)

I add organic Bone broth to my diet several times a week.

(easy to make…Organic whole chicken, beef, fish, wild meat…(No Pork) Must have the bone in…..Wash and place in boiling water with celery, onion, garlic, sea salt and cayenne pepper and cook on med.
heat about 30 min., lower heat to simmer and cook another 30/40 min. ( strain the veggies out or leave in…I leave in)

You can also cook the broth with no added ingredients at all….very beneficial but very bland.

I always end my day with some form of relaxing detoxing bath….

Below is needed by everyone but there are many ways to get physical exercise…

( I garden as a profession…)

( I walk 2 to 3 mile at least 3 times a week)

( I work on machines in the gym 3 or more days a week)

***Water consumption can be over-done***

1. If consuming a lot of water and not taking in the proper diet…..not a plus.

2. Never drink more water than your body weight calls for.

3. Drinking water with your meals is not a plus…flushes a lot of nutrients before they have a chance to digest/process.

I do, and I highly recommend others do…even children, take a Pro-biotic supplement daily .

Read, meditate, sing, pray, love,….live in gratitude….

A healthy body/mind/spirit…perfection! (as close as we can become in this life!)

The Olive Oil Scam~

Apparently, even 70% of olive oil sold in the U.S. stores is fake, as they have been cut with cheaper, inferior oils like canola and sunflower oil! This is similar to the 2008 practice in Italy. This meant seizure for 85 oil farms that mixed some percentage chlorophyll with sunflower and canola to the olive oil.

The oil was mixed, colored, perfumed and flavored too, and these things made the Australian government investigate their oils. The results were awful. After that, not one brand named extra virgin olive oil got the 2012 certificate of approval.

These scams made the University of California to study 124 imported brands of extra virgin olive oil and discovered that more than 70% of the samples did not pass the test.

THESE ARE THE BRANDS THAT FAILED THE TEST:

Carapelli, Mezzetta, Pompeian, Mazola, Primadonna, Colavita, SassoAntica, BadiaStar, Whole Foods, Felippo, Berio, Safeway, Coricelli, Bertolli.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE FOLLOWING BRANDS ARE TRUSTWORTHY: (so ‘they’ say)

Lucero

McEvoy Ranch Organic

Corto Olive

Omaggio

Bariani Olive Oil

California Olive Ranch

Lucini

Ottavio

Cobram Estate

Olea Estates

Kirkland Organic

HOW TO TEST OLIVE OIL:

Additionally, you can also test the olive oil you have at home. You should put the bottle in the fridge for half an hour, and if it starts to solidify, it means that the oil is pure, as it contains a large amount of monounsaturated fat.

On the other hand, if it does not solidify, it is fake. Yet, just to be sure, look for official governmental seals of approval on the label, like “Australian Extra Virgin Certified” and “California Olive Oil Council Certified Extra Virgin.”

We really hope you find this article helpful and don’t forget to share it with your friends and family. Thank You.

Dining, Food and Entertaining with Style

Bea Kunz is owner of “Sage Hill Farms” an organic herb farm located in Fayetteville,Tennessee. To learn more about Bea and her love for growing, using and teaching about herbs just follow this link.

https://sagehillgardens.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Compatibility~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just a brief summary of herbs that pair well with certain foods. This is by no means a hard and fast rule…I’ll be the first to try new blending s of taste that may seem a little out of the norm. Some work out and some don’t. But do be bold, work out your likes and dislikes,it’s all about your personal taste.

(Fruits)

Lavender, Most of the Mint family, Sweet Violet, and Thyme. Thyme can be used in almost every dish you can imagine.(with it’s delicate clove-like flavor.

(Meats and Fish)

Basil’s, Rosemary, Thyme, Marjoram, Coriander(Cilantro)
Dill, Fennel, Garlic, Sage, and Tarragon.

(Sauces, Soups, and Stews)

Basil’s, Oregano’s, Thyme’s, Horseradish, Hyssop, Lovage, Sweet Marjoram, Flat Leaf Parsley,Tarragon, and Burnet.

(Vegetables)Both cooked and Raw.

Thyme, Tarragon, Rosemary, Flat Leaf(Italian)Parsley, Garlic, Dill, Chives, Chervil, Borage, and Basil’s.

Most any of the herbs above you can work into breads and breakfast dishes that include eggs. Dill, Chives and Basil’s are super stirred into egg dishes.

Fennel adds an awesome taste to Apple pie!

And of course good healthy teas can be brewed from most any herb.
Some of my favorites are:

Sage and Apple Mint Tea.
Chamomile Tea
Rose Scented Geranium Tea
Lavender and Lemon Balm Tea
Peppermint and Thyme Tea.

And the list could go on and on….
Herbs are the most versatile ingredient you can add to your kitchen. It’s just a matter of taste.

So jump in, give it a try, I promise you’ll have great fun and your tummy and your taste buds will love you forever!

4 old-timer herbs that aren’t as well know as most culinary herbs today.

(Lovage, Chervil, Burnet, and Borage)

(Borage)- Goes back to ancient Celtic times. Soldiers drank it in wine before battle to give them courage.
It has a cucumber like flavor, the leaves and flowers can be tossed into salads and vegetables. The stems can be eaten raw like celery. It’s best used fresh, does not hold up well to drying.

(Burnet)-Was popular in Elizabethan England. Used in salads and vegetables. Sprigs can also be popped into white wine spritzers.

(Chervil)-Is of course one of the “fines herbs” very much used in French cooking. Has an anise flavor, can be used in place of parsley. Great on vegetables. When adding to a cooked dish, never cook it more than 10 min, it will turn bitter if cooked too long.

(Lovage)- Was used by Psychic’s in the Middle Ages.
Has a celery flavor but holds up better in cooking than celery. It’s wonderful in potato salad and on poultry.

BeaKunz/Sage Hill Farms

Eat Well, Be Well.

Forsythia Pruning

The best time for trimming forsythia is in the spring after the blooms fade. Pruning forsythia in late summer or fall will reduce the number of flowers in the spring since these shrubs bloom on old wood and set their flower buds soon after new growth appears.

How to Trim Forsythia…. There are a few things to remember before you begin pruning. Forsythia’s have a natural arching habit in an irregular rounded shape and forsythia pruning should allow for this natural growth. Pruning forsythia into a formal hedge will remove most of the shrubs flowering potential. In a mature forsythia shrub, cut at least one-fourth to one-third of the oldest, thickest branches close to the ground. For the very oldest and most overgrown forsythia, pruning should be brutal, cropping the entire shrub to about 4 inches from the ground. New shoots will emerge and with careful trimming, forsythia can be renewed and rejuvenated. Within two years, you’ll have a new shrub. Younger forsythia shrubs are easier to maintain with regular care. Take out the oldest branches to make room for new shoots. This also allows more light into the center of the forsythia. Trimming back any straggling growth will go a long way in neatening the look of your shrub. Spend just a few minutes each spring on forsythia pruning and your reward will be many years of spring-is-here smiles.

All that being good…it’s totally acceptable to allow this gorgeous shrub to grow in a uncontrolled fashion….My personal preference is somewhat out of bounds of neat and tidy!!

Roses-Success Secrets~

Roses-Secret Of Success~

Unless one is a pro with roses it isn’t uncommon to make a rose bed of many different kinds and then treat them all the same. This is a big mistake…roses are each individual in needs, issues, and output.

It is just as uncommon to find one particular rose with many different issues.
They each seem to have one or two weaknesses that can and often do come calling .

For example…Grandifloria’s are prone to Aphid infestation–look for tiny, green, brown, or white, soft bodied insects-usually on the backs of the leaves.

Sometimes a good spraying with the water hose will destroy these critters and if not, wash gently with a safe insecticidal soap spray…continue this spraying until they are gone.

( another, more natural way to eliminate Aphids is to make sure you have Ladybugs in your garden…they dine constantly on Aphids, and can consume thousands in a just a few hours.) Ladybugs are totally harmless to garden plants…a good bug in every way.

Floribunda’s seem to be a target for Botrytis blight…a fungal disease that appears as a gray growth on buds. Flowers that are affected will fall apart, rather than open normally.

Pick off and destroy affected blooms and spray with a fungicide in severe cases.
( A good strong compost tea will also control this blight if started early and repeated long enough.)

Hybrid Tea’s are prone to rust and Japanese beetle attacks.
Rust will appear as small brown powdery spots that spread across the leaves. They will eventually turn yellow and fall off. Remove infected leaves and destroy…never drop any infected leaves on the ground under your rose bushes, this will allow the disease to infect the soil and back into the plant. I find a mixture of 1 part white vinegar and 4 parts water will get rid of rust.

Japanese beetles are tricky…they don’t succumb to any known combative…a good hard spraying with the water hose will drive them away, kill some, and if done often enough will discourage them from hanging around.

Don’t use the bags on the market that draws them in and traps them…they love the mixture in the bags and will come from far away to dine on it-so you are just inviting more than you might have otherwise.

You can easily hand pick or knock them off, into a can of oil early in the morning or late in the day…they are sluggish at these times….they can’t get out of the oil and will die.

Do not put these in your compost…they stink and the oil will contaminate your mix.

A good point to always practice…good, clean, chemical free soil is the best guard against any disease in any garden. Bad insects, fungus,

etc., don’t like or hang out in good soil. It is the one most important step to having a garden free of problems.