Sage Hill Gardens – Page 25 – Sustainable Living With Healthy FOOD

Yes, My Friends, There Are Red Pumpkins!

Around the Sage Hill House, October and November means lots of pumpkins, big fat orange ones, red ones, dainty, and not so dainty, white ones, fat, skinny, perfect and totally warped ones. I never ever have enough pumpkins to satisfy my never-ending use for them. Of course the pumpkin isn’t the only autumn fruit/vegetable that is worthy of attention in the colorful scheme of this most loved part of the year.
Gourds, corn stalks, and the different array of apples, from green to yellow to red and a combination of all the previous mentioned colors, it really is the most colorful season.

We enjoy using the colorful selection as an inviting grouping on the front porch, a lovely selection of pumpkins on the farm table in the dining room is very fitting.
A few scattered around the gardens provide a little touch of color to a somewhat fading look by this time of year.

And…of course we must not forget the Jack-O-Lantern.

What would October be without that special face sitting by the door greeting everyone who passes by or comes to call.

One of my very favorite uses for the pumpkin is in the kitchen of course.

For the family meal at Thanksgiving I use a medium size “Sugar Pumpkin”…(best for cooking)as a serving bowl for our favorite stew.

The options are many, just use your imagination for the stew.

Cut the top from a medium size Sugar Pumpkin, scoop out at least half of the pulp/without leaving the shell too thin. Set aside to use in the stew.

In a large deep pan place the pumpkin in boiling water, about 1/3 of the way up on the pumpkin.
Place in a very hot oven and cook until all the water is gone or until the pumpkin is just starting to get soft.(don’t overcook)

Remove from oven, let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly.

Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper or your favorite spices.

Saute’ the firm parts of the pumpkin pulp, season according to your other ingredients. Stir all together and add to the pumpkin shell. Put it back in the oven and cook about 20 minutes, just enough to blend the flavors.

Makes a lovely centerpiece for the table and delicious too!

Enjoy this season, however you celebrate it…it is so special.

Red’s of Autumn~

Style has as many definition’s as Carter’s has liver pills…if you are over 50 you’ll understand that…or if you live in Lincoln County, TN., where Carters, a Vintage drugstore of which I am sure has liver pills!! But, I am digressing here.
Do you have a garden…does it have seasonal shrubs, trees, plants that lend said color to the landscape…if not, this is the time to correct that.
A few shrubs , trees, plants, can be worked into any landscape, regardless of size to address the different seasons.

A chair, large garden pots/art sculptures etc., can fill the void with color and texture.

Enjoy autumn, it will fade into winter in the blink of an eye.

PS: For the sake of personal “bliss” don’t forget the style that is “you!”

Stylish Gardening~

Been awhile since I wrote in this blog…after getting through this weekend…9/11/anniversary, and with full awareness of where our country is and how desperately she needs our full support…My job is to stand tall, speak the truth, take responsibility, and educate on as many levels as I can…..I refuse to allow the work of evil to depress my spirit and slow my journey….I Refuse!!
Laugh,( share the smile,) lend a hand,(with purpose) have compassion,(use it wisely) Kick political correctness to the curb,(if you haven’t already) Rise above whatever haunts us from the past….keep the lesson, (set the act free.)

***We are the answer to any problem we have***.

Stand up, be counted!

God Bless America~

Meet me in the gardens….. Stylish Gardening~

Eating In Style-with Intention~

Salad Is Really More Than “salad.”

I know you’ve seen this and probably do it…so have I from time to time.

One pours dressing on the salad and with fork in hand…follows a ritual of mixing and tossing until all ingredients are fully indulged.

Do you know…salad should set the temperature for the main course with your taste buds. It should be layered from the bottom up..

Using my lunch salad as an example here goes….

( this I learned from a world famous chef in the French Quarter, New Orleans , many years ago.

My greens were…red cabbage, kale, parsley and romaine.

Next layer( scatter…not evenly placed)

Cucumber…

Next layer (boiled eggs)

Next layer (green onion)

Next layer( tiny bits of goat cheese with raspberry coating)

A small amount of chopped turkey in the center.

Drizzled with a blend of raspberry orange olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar.

***Do Not Toss***…eat from different areas of the plate with each bite…you will get a different taste with every bite…this wakes up your taste buds to many different flavors and makes the main course much more flavorful.

Food can be a most blissful part of the day when given the attention it and we deserve.

Oh…consider this…serve chips of a gourmet kind instead of crackers…

I chose Chili-Lime, made for a lunch with “passion!”

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Bliss…with Food and Thought~

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Life is a mixture of good, bad, happy, sad, joy, sorry…..these are a given, we do not choose or redesign them across the board…and yes, I know all the ways we can manipulate our life to paint a better picture…

Bliss…ahhh, this is totally a choice, a tiny little switch that flips on and off at will…..no matter…how down, how lonely, how stressed…make blissful moments in your day and smile…if only inside…( do you know just thinking a smile boost the immune system greatly…laughing out loud sends it over the top!

Eating is a requirement. ( one I have no issues with) Bring the two together for your ‘Blissful’ moments…..Make it healthy in a common sense way, make it pretty, make it a gracious time.

In Gratitude….for gorgeous food and “You!”

Benefits of Red Cabbage~

Vitamin A

If you add a cup of chopped green cabbage to your diet, you’ll get 3 percent of your daily value of vitamin A. But if you opt for a cup of chopped red cabbage, you’ll add 19 percent of your daily value of vitamin A to your diet for. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that helps maintain your teeth, skeletal tissue, skin and mucous membranes.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a necessary vitamin that your body needs to promote new tissue growth. Your body uses vitamin C to repair wounds and to keep your bones, cartilage and teeth healthy. Both red and green cabbage are good sources of vitamin C, but you’ll get a super boost from adding red cabbage to your diet. While a cup of chopped green cabbage contains 47 percent of your daily value of vitamin C, eating a cup of chopped red cabbage will get you 84 percent of your daily value.

Iron

Vegetables aren’t the best sources of iron, but cabbage does offer a small amount of this essential mineral. Eating a cup of shredded green cabbage will add 2 percent of your daily value of iron to your diet, while a cup of shredded red cabbage contains 3 percent. Your body needs iron to keep your red blood cells functioning properly, carrying oxygen to all of your cells. If you don’t get enough iron in your diet, you could suffer from anemia, which can lead to fatigue.

Anthocyanins

Red cabbage boasts an extra nutrient not found in green cabbage. Anthocyanins are the antioxidants that give red cabbage its purple color. These flavonoids are known for their health-boosting benefits including cancer-fighting and memory improvement. Anthocyanins may contribute to healthy weight loss by helping your body release hormones that metabolize fat and suppress your appetite.

Cooking With Herbs Throughout History

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, (correct spelling for the times) 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 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.

You can find more information about our farm and our products by going here:
https://sagehillgardens.com

From Seed To Kitchen~

The number of women who were named as the principal operator of an American farm or ranch increased by nearly 30 percent between 2002 and 2007, according to the U.S. Census of Agriculture. Women composed about 14 percent of principal farm operators in 2007, and that percentage has held steady since then, according to the preliminary 2012 census released in February.

Women over 65 own nearly a third of Iowa’s farmland.

Census data from 2007 showed that women were more likely than men to operate farms with a diversity of crops, and to own a greater percentage of the land they farmed. Women farmers also tended to sell food directly to the consumer rather than to large food-processing corporations—an approach that the United Nations report has found to be important for improving food systems.

Leigh Adcock, executive director of the Women, Food and Agriculture Network, said she believes the U.S. food system will be healthier when more women farm.

In my research I was somewhat surprised to learn many women don’t own the land they farm….instead they lease long term…much of the reason is: women in many cases do not have credit options and are considered poor risk when dealing with banks and other financial institutions.

However, this does not seem to have been a major drawback in the success of the case studies in my findings.

I grew up on a farm, it wasn’t new to me when I made the decision 15 years ago to spearhead this farm project. The methods I chose to embrace were new to me, the learning curve was tricky for a short while…..the pay-off is and has been more than I ever imagined in many ways.

We are not yesterdays farmers or yesterdays farmers wives~

Think you know what a farmer looks like ?

Who Said…..

You can’t be stylish while digging in the dirt !

Smiles are always in style…and boots, don’t forget the boots. 941177_4829683980492_321861849_n 1926869_264527527041974_409595594_n

Happiness and the Heart~

We are well into the new year. As always…I am focused on sharing ‘happy’ thoughts and ideas for your reading pleasure.

Most everyone has a different idea as to what constitutes happiness…how to find it, make it, or buy it….for me, I have discovered…and research has proven in many ways, happiness is not just a surface thing….Emotional vitality: a sense of enthusiasm, hopefulness, and engagement.

Optimism: the perspective that good things will happen.

A supportive network of friends and family.

Expressing gratitude on a regular basis and doing things ( or one thing) every day you find enjoyable and relaxing…exercise and regular sleep also…these actions will make a healthy spirit…when the spirit is happy, the heart and body follows.

Please join me in a ‘ Happy’ year ahead~

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