He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth...Psalm 104:14
Lavender
From The Herb Patch
From My Perspective
The windy month of March! I think the saying is “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” But, I happen to know that from years gone by this is not always true. Sometimes it comes in like a lamb and goes out like a lion! We finally had the snow I talked about last month, but it didn’t last long, not here where I live anyway. I wanted to go out and build a snowman, but by the time I got around to it, the snow was melting profusely. I didn’t even attempt to build one knowing it would be melted down to “nothing” by the late evening. I have to keep reminding myself that we are still in “late winter”. The daffodils are blooming and there are many new greens growing from our ground. This time of the year there seems to be a rush of everything green coming in at once. I have noticed this morning there are many “fat” robins flying around as well as blue jays, chirping loudly. Spring is on its way!
As you already know, the herb of the month is “heady” lavender. I planted lavender about three years back and have had good results with it. The first year it had to get its “feet’” in good where I planted it, so I didn’t get too many flower stems, but last year to my amazement, even after having a dry fall, there were profuse blooms on my plants. I still have lavender from last year’s harvest. I also found that lavender makes me sleepy, so when I harvest and dry it, I have to end up taking a nap! Working with this dried herb (for me) is done easier outside in the warm, fresh air. I have a tendency to have allergies with flower herbs.
Lavandula: Information taken from Everything-Lavender.Com. -The English word lavender is derived from Old French lavandre, to wash, referring to the use of infusions of the plants. It has been cultivated for so long that accurate identification is not always easy, and most of those grown in gardens are hybrids or cultivars. Lavenders flourish best in dry, well-drained, sandy or gravelly soils in full sun. All types need little or no fertilizer and good air circulation. In areas of high humidity, root rot due to fungus infection can be a problem. Organic mulches can trap moisture around the plants' bases, encouraging root rot. Gravelly materials such as crushed rocks give better results.According to folk wisdom, lavender has many uses. Infusions of lavender are believed to soothe insect bites, burns, and headaches. Bunches of lavender repel insects. In pillows, lavender seeds and flowers aid sleep and relaxation. An infusion of flower heads added to a cup of boiling water soothes and relaxes at bedtime. Lavender oil (or extract of Lavender) heals acne when used diluted 1:10 with water, rosewater, or witch hazel; it also treats skin burns and inflammatory conditions. Essential oil of lavender has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It was used in hospitals during World War I to disinfect floors and walls. These extracts are also used as fragrances for bath products.
Flower spikes are used for dried flower arrangements. The fragrant, pale purple flowers and flower buds are used in potpourris. Lavender is also used extensively as herbal filler inside sachets used to freshen linens. Dried and sealed in pouches, lavender flowers are placed among stored items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and to deter moths. Dried lavender flowers have become recently popular for wedding confetti.
Lavender Sachets
•To make them from your own lavender:
First dry the flowers by cutting them, with long stalks, as soon as they are fully open, on a dry day. Tie with raffia or string, in small bunches and hang in a warm, dry place, with the heads suspended in paper bags-to keep off dust and catch petals as they fall. When fully dry—this will take about a week, depending on humidity and air temperature—rub the petals off the heads.
•To make the sachets:
Cut circles of muslin, or any fine see-through fabric; put a small handful of dried lavender in the center, gather up to form a bundle and fasten at the neck with an elastic band. Finish with a ribbon.
Food for Thought
Milk, It Does the Body Good?A few months ago I said I would continue my discussion on osteoporosis and concerning the controversy over milk. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t like milk. Ever since I was a child I can remember having a supply of milk, either from my great Aunt Laura who lived next door to us in the country (she had dairy cows) or the milkman who brought our milk on his route. Yes, there really was a “milkman” back then! I think I like every kind of milk product there is. Sweet milk, buttermilk, chocolate milk, cheese products, ice cream...the list goes on. But, I also realize that the milk of today is a far cry from what it used to be. We used to get fresh milk (unpasteurized) that had a wonderful taste to it. That milk in its raw state has a lot of needful nutrients in it that hasn’t been cooked out. So much has been written lately about whether or not milk should be considered as a viable source of calcium, that many people have become skeptical about consuming dairy products. And a lot of this is because there has been a major change in how the cows are raised, what they’re eating, and how the milk is processed. And then, you could always drink goat’s milk!
The following information is taken from The Doctor’s Book of Food Remedies by Editors of Prevention Health Books:
Milk, a Glassful of Goodness
“Once you get the fat out, milk is a highly nutritious food, says Curtis Mettlin, Ph.D., chief of epidemiologic research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo , New York
The Best Bone-Builder
Milk is best known for its ability to help strengthen bones. There’s good reason for this. Milk is an excellent source of calcium, with 1 cup skim containing more than 300 milligrams, almost a third of the Daily Value. That’s why drinking milk is often recommended as a great strategy for preventing osteoporosis, the bone-thinning disease that affects more than 28 million people in the United States
In a study of 581 women past menopause, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that those who drank the most milk in their teens and early twenties had stronger bones than those who drank less.
The Daily Value for calcium is 1,000 milligrams. But the amount that you need depends on your age, sex, and other factors. While men between the ages of 25 and 65 and women between the ages of 25 and 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, men and women over 65 need 1,500 milligrams. Women who are postmenopausal and taking estrogen need 1,000 milligrams. Pregnant women or those who are breastfeeding need 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams a day.
A Note From Alice
Milk of cows and goats are both amply mentioned in the Bible as nutritious foods from God.
Genesis 18:8 (Abraham the friend of God)
And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
Proverbs 27:25
The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats milk for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance of thy maidens.
Cornstarch for Excess Oil
Cornstarch, or corn flour, works well to absorb excess oil from your complexion. Simply brush a small amount of cornstarch onto your skin and brush or tissue any excess off. This will help to reduce pore size and absorb excess oil. Be sure to use a very small amount so that you don’t end up with a ghostly complexion! You can also use cornstarch as a dry shampoo to absorb excess oil from your scalp. Simply sprinkle a small amount onto your scalp, massage through your hair, and brush out using a natural bristled brush.
Bentonite Clay Mask
1 Tablespoon bentonite clay 1 Tablespoon spring or filtered water
Put ingredients in the palm of one hand. Put hands together and rub, rub, rub. Apply mask to face, avoiding eye and lid areas. Relax! No talking. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. Rinse well and pat dry.
Ecclesiastes 10:18; 11:4
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
RECIPES FROM ALICE
I thought it would be a good idea to send along some helpful hints that I found while skimming through an organic recipe book.
HINTS for the COOK
•Use vegetable broth or bouillon for sautéing in place of oil.
•When browning onions or mushrooms, try using tamari sauce instead of oil or butter, if you are on a fat-free diet. The flavor is excellent.
•Add dry soup mix to cooking water before adding brown rice for a delicious flavor.
•Thicken soups, gravies, and stews with potato slices or add cubed, fresh potatoes to the pot and as it cooks, the starch will thicken the liquid.
•For greaseless gravy, pour pan drippings into a tall glass. The grease will rise to the top in minutes and can be easily removed.
•Wash
•Lay a large spoon or spatula across the top of a pot to prevent the contents from boiling over and splashing during cooking.
•Do not use aluminum cookware. Some doctors believe Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the accumulation of aluminum in the brain. Do not use coated pans. Cook with only stainless steel, iron, glass or Corningware®.
•When using herbs which are to be removed from broth after cooking, place them in a stainless steel tea ball or tie them in several layers of cheese cloth, attaching the tied ends to the pot handle.
•Fresh herbs may be chopped and frozen for future use in cooked dishes. Use frozen, no need to defrost.
•Parsley, onions, celery, and garlic go with just abut everything; keep them on hand.
•Do not burn garlic; it will spoil the taste of the whole dish.
•To avoid tears when cutting up onions, store them in the refrigerator for several hours. Chop the bottom of the bulb off last, limiting exposure to the irritating sulphur compounds.
•Lemon effectively removes garlic and onion odors from the hands.
•Submerge lemons in hot water 15 minutes before squeezing to yield twice the amount of juice.
•Freeze fresh lemon juice in ice trays and store in plastic bags as cubes to add to herb teas and in cooking, on fish and any other way that fresh lemon would be used.
HERBED CORN BREAD
Cornbread is a delicious, moist, cakelike bread that is served at Thanksgiving in recognition of the importance of the maize harvest to the American people. This herbed cornbread, made with herbs of your choice, is a delicious variation that deserves to be eaten more than once a year.
Makes 2 inch squares
¾ cup all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon baking powder
½ cup yellow cornmeal ¼ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon salt 1 large egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs
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Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Sift all the dry ingredients together into a bowl. In another bowl beat together the milk, egg, butter and herbs. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into a buttered 8 inch square tin. Bake the cornbread for 15 minutes until it is puffed and golden. Using a skewer or toothpick, check that the center is cooked. Cut into squares and serve warm with butter.
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