Today's Harvest

I just love growing my own food, 

knowing how it was raised and using it fresh. 

We could have harvested some kale, herbs and other things but this was all I was willing to work with right away.

Supper tonight will be Beef & Brocolli (our own grass-fed beef), lunch tomorrow will be a yummy Salmon, Asparagus Quinoa Salad.  Tonight we'll make some Strawberry Ice Cream with our Fresh Goat Milk. The spinach will likely be used in some Green Smoothies and/or a Frittata for Breakfast!

Need some recipes?  I'll send them along soon!

Love to have some fresh fruits and veggies like these?  BUY LOCAL!  If you are local to us (within 100 miles) then contact us to purchase some great organically grown, GMO free food!  CONTACT US

Asparagus Soup for One

2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup diced onion (can use green onions)
1/4 tsp shredded fresh ginger
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 1/4 cup chopped asparagus (abt 6 oz)
1 cup home-made chicken stock
pinch dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh, chopped parsley
1/2 cup Coconut Milk (or other milk product)
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Saute onion in butter over med-low heat for 4 min, add ginger and garlic, saute 2 more minutes. Add asparagus, stock, rosemary, and parsley. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Blend carefully in blender until smooth. Add back to pan with milk, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Enjoy!

Homemade Lemonade

4 cups of very warm water
2 cups of room temperature water
1/3 cup of honey + 2 tablespoons
6 organic lemons + 1 for garnish
fresh sprigs of local organic mint
lots of ice (about 2 cups)

To heat the water, I like to put 4 cups of water in a kettle and place on burner till very hot and starting to steam. Pour the very warm water into heat proof container. Add in the honey. Stir to combine then add in the room temperature water.

Squeeze the juice out of the 6 lemons. Place a strainer over the opening of the water-honey mixture and pour in the lemon juice.

Add in the ice and the mint. Chill in the refrigerator. Before serving, cut the last lemon into slices and place in the jug. The sliced lemons and the mint leaves are beautiful garnishes for this delicious beverage.

Asparagus Recipes

The asparagus is especially nice this year even though we are fighting some beetles (naturally). Hope everyone who has purchased some is enjoying it as much a we are. Here are some great asparagus recipes:



Click here for 5 easy asparagus recipes or try our favorite below.

Sesame Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a roasting pan, toss with oil; season with salt.
Roast 10 minutes, turning the asparagus halfway through.

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a roasting pan, toss with oil; season with salt. Roast 10 minutes,
turning the asparagus halfway through.
2. Add sesame seeds, and roast until the asparagus is lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes more.

NOTE:  I will sometime add parmesan cheese on top during the last 5 minutes in addition to the sesame seed or instead of them.  ENJOY!

Clean Out That Freezer!

This years crops are going to be ready soon to go inside that freezer for winter storage.  I hate to tell you folks, but a freezer is not suppose to be storing food for several years.  NOPE!  You are only suppose to use it for getting you through until the next crop comes in.

This is the perfect time of the year to gear your menu plan around just what is inside that freezer.  One handy tool is to keep a inventory sheet of everything you put into that freezer and when you did.  This will give you an idea how much you really need to store for this next season.

As you can see my freezer actually needs defrosted before I can even make a list of what I'm going to be cooking but you get the idea.  I've actually NOT been a good steward of what God has so graciously given. I will do better this next year.

Horehound

Horehound has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years. The most common application of horehound is as a cough suppressant or cold medicine; as such, it can be found in Ricola cough drops. If you have your own supply of horehound leaves, you can make a cold remedy at home. A tea made from horehounds leaves can treat coughs and colds and stimulate the appetite. Or the leaves can be used to make a salve to treat wounds and minor skin irritations.


Medicinal use: Horehound is mainly considered to be useful as an expectorant and antitussive herb. It can also be employed as a mild laxative and gastric tonic. It has long been used as cough suppressant and as a very helpful remedy against common cold symptoms. It is also very famous as a herbal medicine used for acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma, chest, nasal and sinus congestion, coughs and chest complaints, respiratory infections and sore throat. It is also very useful in treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, diabetes, bowel, gallbladder and uterine disorders. Horehound is beneficial as a gastric tonic, useful in cases of loss of appetite and flatulence. Used externally, it can be an efficient wound cleanser, and can help in cases of both temporary and persistent skin disorders. 
Safety: Some herbs could interact with certain medication. Therefore, it is highly advisable to consult your doctor/herbalist before consumption of any herb.

Tips & Warnings
Horehound is not recommended for use in children or pregnant, nursing or menstruating women. As few as 5 cups of horehound tea daily can cause an irregular heartbeat.  Horehound is in the mint family. If you have mint allergies, you may also be allergic to horehound.
Horehound Side Effects: Horehound should not be used by pregnant women, nursing mothers, very young children or the elderly.

Homemade Horehound Cough Drops

To make horehound drops use 1 cup horehound infusion, made as directed above, to 2 cups white sugar. Put the sugar in a small but deep saucepan and stir in 1/8 teaspoon cream of tarter, then add the infusion. Stir until sugar has dissolved, then cook over low heat until it reaches just 290 degrees on a candy thermometer, or until a drop in cold water will become a hard glassy ball. Pour on a buttered plate and score into cough drop sizes when it has half hardened. When cool, break apart and keep in cool place until used.

Making Horehound Cough Syrup

1/4 cup of horehound (fresh) or 1/8 cup of dried horehound leaves.

2 cups of honey

1 cup of hot water

1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Pour the water into a pot and bringing it to a boil. Next toss in the horehound leaves and remove your pot from stove, allowing everything to steep for approximately 15 minutes. Strain the leaves and then add the honey to the water, mixing it very well. You can then bottle the cough syrup for later use. Feel free to add more or less honey to adjust the thickness and sweetness of the syrup.

Horehound Tea

Ingredients

• 1 C. fresh leaves or 1/4 C. dried
• 1 quart water
• 2 Tbs. honey
• 1 fresh lemon
• 1 Tsp Anise Seed (opt but gives a great flavor)

Directions

Place the herbs into a pan, add water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain the tea, pressing the herbs as you strain. Add the honey and the juice of the lemon. You may add more honey if you wish. Sip it warm. 2-3 cups per day as needed. You can also add a little bit of fresh ginger in place of the anise seed. 

WE ARE GREEN! Our herbs are naturally grown from division or cuttings from our gardens. No chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers are ever used.

The statements regarding the use and/or historical use of our naturally grown herbs have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Check with your physician, naturopath, homeopath or herbalist for answers to questions about your health & the use of herbs. 

Lemon Balm Information with RECIPES

Lemon Balm has SO many uses!  

Use fresh leaves in salads and as a garnish for fish and other dishes. When candied, the leaves make attractive cake decorations. Chopped leaves can be added to egg, fish and chicken dishes and sprinkled over fresh vegetables. Goes well with corn, broccoli, asparagus, lamb, shellfish, ground black pepper, olives and beans. Add the leaves to cooked dishes in the last few minutes. They can also be added to summer drinks and fruit salads, soups, sauces, and ice cream, and make a good substitute for lemon peel in recipes. An ingredient of Benedictine and Chartreuse. The flower tips and young leaves are floated in wine or fruit cups as a flavoring and garnish. Substitute for lemon rind in jam making, and add to marmalades. Makes a delicious tea, alone or added to ordinary tea.

It helps relieve anxiety attacks, palpitations with nausea, mild insomnia and phobias, and when used as a sedative it is good for children. It combines well with peppermint to stimulate circulation, and can also be used for colds and flu and is most effective in the early stages of a cold. The tea is used to treat headaches and tiredness, mild depression, laryngitis, colic and dizziness, and is reputed to enhance the memory. It calms a nervous stomach, controls high blood pressure, relieves menstrual cramps, promotes menstruation and treats insomnia. Fresh juice is used to treat goitre and Grave's Disease. It is especially suitable for children, and makes a good substitute for chamomile. A crushed fresh leaf applied to insect bites eases discomfort. As a poultice it treats sores and tumours. In ointment, it is good for cold sores.

Early Spring Greens Available!

We are finally loosing the cold weather and it may turn into spring yet!  We are suppose to get another frost this weekend and then we'll go ahead and plant the tender plants, hoping for the best.

Currently available in limited quantities:

Arugula

Asparagus

Spinach

Green Onions/Scallions

Bok Choi

Spearmint

Oregano

Thyme

Sage

Onion & Garlic Chives

There are blossoms on the Pear and Cherry Trees.  We planted more Apple Trees and a new Pear Tree yesterday plus some new Raspberries and Black Currants.  The Strawberries are also blooming.  We planted green beans yesterday and put some herb and Eggplant plants in the ground.  Waiting to go into the ground:  Roma, Cherokee Purple and Black Cherry tomatoes, 8 varities of peppers, loads of herbs, cucumbers and summer squash.  In the next two weeks ALL the beds will be filled.  WHEW!  As crops come out, a new crop goes in.  Melons will be planted between the rows of Potatoes so that when the potatoes come out the Melons will take over.