DRYING BASIL-THE HOPS ARE READY-BOOKS I AM READING

GREETINGS

It’s another beautiful morning here on the farm.  The moon was spectacular last night.

 

 We are expecting rain for tonight and tomorrow. which will be good for the gardens.

DRYING BASIL

The basil is in dehydrator and the smell permeates through the house.  I will have to do at least 3 more batches before I have enough for the winter.  I will get onto drying the dill after the hops.  

I have sage, parsley and cilantro to do too 

THE HOPS ARE READY

I can’t believe that it’s already time to pick the hops.  I picked a pan full last night and will dry them today.  I plan to get another pail full before it rains.  Then I will get started making the Hops Dream Pillows.  I love making them and they sold well last year.    I will be selling hops in a bag for people to make their own pillows and this year I am going to sell them on the vine as a swag.  3 vines at least 3 feet long.  I have seen this done in England.  In fact for many years a hops farm has advertised Hops in a Box.   I will try it.  I have a swag of hops over my bed.

MAINE FARM

I picked up this book on Amazon some time ago.  It’s an older book and I got it for under a dollar and it was new, plus shipping of course.  I had been going through some old magazines, Countryside to be exact and read a review about this book.  It’s by Stanley Joseph and Lynn Karlin. I am taking my time reading it and enjoying all the wonderful pictures.  If I could pick anywhere in the U.S. to live it would be Maine.  I love the ocean and lakes and the people.  They have a wonderful Organic Farmers group and are very encouraging to women farmers.

Joseph and Lynn bought a house belonging to Helen and Scott Nearing.  They wrote the best-selling book Living The Good Life.  This book takes one through the timeless rhythms of a year on a farm that produces many things, blueberries, willow wine and the list goes on and on.  I am really enjoying this book.

Many thanks for taking the time to read my blog and I hope you have a lovely day.  Carole

 

CATS – DRYING CATNIP-FREEZING BASIL AND OLIVE OIL

Hello,

LAST FAIRY ROSES

CATS

Just a couple of things about Florida.  We stayed in a hotel in Port Orange and in the parking lot near some shrubs were bowls.  We were wondering why they were there.  Yesterday morning we were getting in the car to go to the airport and there were some kitties heading towards the full bowls.  Some wonderful people in the area are taking good care of those little waifs.  I salute them.

PRANIC HEALING

My Mother’s surgeon and I were talking while she was working on Mom.  She had come up with a better idea to finish Moms surgery.  She said one of her instructors in med school told her “always make a plan but be willing to change the plan for a better outcome”  What good advise.  Sometimes we just can’t give up the plan even though we know that it isn’t the best way.  This is something I will remember.  At the end of the surgery she preformed Pranic Healing on my Moms wound.  I had never heard of this but it’s very interesting.  She said that the patients that she had done the healing on had better recovery, less pain and quick healing.  It’s very interesting and I am going to look into it.

DRYING CATNIP

The whole house smells of catnip drying.  Tonight we are supposed to get a hard frost so I picked the catnip, basil and spearmint.  I still have a few more herbs to pick.

FRESH BASIL IN THE WINTER

I picked up the latest issue of Organic Gardening for the trip.  It was full of wonderful articles, but my favorite was preserving herbs.   I did basil today.  2 cups of washed basil to 1/2 cup of olive oil.  Process in a blender, (you could easily do this all by hand)  pulsing to make sure all the leaves are chopped.  Package in 1 quart ziplock bag and flatten the bag.   Freeze.  It’s good for 6 months. Add this to soups, sauces whatever, it will give you a fresh from the garden taste all winter long.   It was so easy to do that I plan to do it with other herbs next year, dill, parsley and oregano come to mind.  This will be entered into the Garden Book .

                                                                                                                      Many thanks for reading my blog and I hope you have a wonderful day.  Carole