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Carolee’s July E-newsletter
Summer is passing quickly or maybe it just seems that way since the plants that normally bloom the end of August are already showing color! Hasn’t this been a strange growing season, with everything weeks ahead of schedule? The lavender is harvested and safely hanging from the rafters and I’ve begun taking hundreds of lavender cuttings. It’s one of my very favorite tasks! I’ve really enjoyed the month of July so far, and August will be even better, especially if we get some much needed rain. Every day brings a few needed tasks that are time-sensitive, like collecting seeds, dead-heading, and harvesting flowers for drying. I’ve also been drying herbs for winter cooking and teas, and making medicinal oils, salves and tinctures to restock my herbal first aid cabinet. Next, I’m starting on some herbal liqueurs! We have nearly all the up-potting finished for now, and are clearing out the greenhouse so look for those “free plants” on the cart till the end of this month.
International Herb Association Conference
I was fortunate to be able to attend the IHA conference near St. Louis this month, where I participated as a speaker on the business panel. The sessions were very educational, including LOTS of information on horseradish, the 2011 Herb of the Year. Did you know that using a little horseradish (or rosemary) with meat negates any carcinogens associated with grilling? The hotel chef did a great job of incorporating fresh herbs in our meals, and the networking was excellent. The conference also included a trip to the St. Louis Botanical Gardens and an organic vegetable farm. Next year’s conference will be in Midland, MI!
Baker’s Heirloom Seeds
Since I was already in St. Louis, I decided to travel a bit further west into Missouri to visit Baker’s Heirloom Seeds & Pioneer Village. I’ve drooled over their beautiful catalog and ordered seeds for years, and last year I met the owners at the GWA conference, so it was a treat to see their operation. The Pioneer Village is darling, filled with lots of authentic antiques & unusual shop items, as well as pen after pen of heritage breed chickens that clucked and crowed merrily. There were also pretty gardens of heirloom vegetables and flowers. My favorite pioneer store, of course, was the apothecary. It was an adorable shop filled with packets and jars of herbs for sale, and various and sundry antique “herbal” items. I wanted to just put on my bonnet and apron and start selling! Nearby is a lovely, well-labeled herb garden with red brick paths and a pretty view. Across the expanse of lawn, beyond the picket fence enclosed vegetable garden lies the enormous seed store with aisle after aisle of racks filled with colorful seed packets. Several packets had to come home with me. There is also a restaurant, but I didn’t have time to test it. If you are ever in the area, be sure to visit. They host a spring festival that attracts 7,000 visitors and over 100 gardening vendors. It’s important to support family-owned businesses, especially those that provide seeds and plants that are important and difficult to find!
Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead
Little House on the Prairie
Just ten minutes from Baker’s is the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead and museum. If you love the Little House books, as I do, and read them to your children as I did, or enjoyed the TV series this is a must-see. There are quilts that Caroline made for her daughters and Charles’ fiddle along with hundreds of other family items and photos. There is also a room devoted to Laura & Almanzo’s daughter, Rose, who was also an accomplished writer of several books.
Next door is the house that Almanzo built for Laura. It has the tiniest stairway I’ve ever seen, and several pieces of furniture that Almanzo made for their home. The original linoleum looks almost new, although hundreds of thousands of visitors have walked on it!
Several little girls dressed in pioneer dresses and bonnets were visiting the museum while we were there, trying to decide which of the many books, paper dolls, and postcards to purchase with their vacation money. And, nearby, a typical pioneer garden of herbs, vegetables, and flowers enhances the property….planted and maintained by the folks from Bakers!
Increased Food Prices & More Big Brother Coming
There are bills in both the House and the Senate to make GAP verification mandatory for every fruit and vegetable grower, large or small, in the U.S. Anyone who grows for a farmers’ market, puts a card table of excess produce at the end of the driveway, or sells a bunch of basil to a local restaurant will have to fill out the 30 page form and be inspected for water quality, sewage, handling procedures, containers, transporting equipment, restroom and hand washing facilities, etc., etc., etc., and most of all “trace-ability.” Growers must be able to identify the exact location (garden or row in the field) where each melon or ear of corn was grown if an inquiry is made. GAP verification will cost approximately $200 to $2000 per site, depending upon the distance the grower is located from an official inspector (fee is generally $90 per hour of inspection and for each hour of travel to and from the inspector’s location.) Verification will be required and fees must be paid every year.
Isn’t it sad, that at this time of emphasis on local food, when more people are growing extra food for a bit of needed added income, and small farms and orchards are struggling the government is making it ever harder. Many people will quit participating in farmers’ markets and roadside stands rather than pay the inspection fees, and those who do comply will have to pass the costs on to consumers.
I received a copy of the 30 page GAP inspection form at a recent meeting of growers. If you’d like to read it, stop by the farm.
Lewis & Clark Museum
Another educational stop during my trip to St. Louis was the museum dedicated to the explorations of Lewis and Clark located in Hartford, IL. Did you know that these fearless explorers “discovered,” collected, and recorded data for more than 170 “new” plants during their two-year journey? Thomas Jefferson also instructed them to sample the soils and record growing conditions as they traveled in the uncharted territory.
The museum is located where the explorers wintered, collected supplies, and trained the men. A replica of their post has been constructed as well as the keelboat and dugout canoes they used. Many of their writings and discoveries cover the walls and displays in the museum, and there is a well-stocked gift shop filled with books and period replicas.
The pretty little herb garden at Baker's Heirloom Seeds
And the WINNER is……..!
Last month’s question asked for your favorite garden quote or poem. The winner of the $10 gift certificate is Marnie Plunkett. The July question is: "Of all of the herb gardens you have visited, which is your favorite and why?" Not restricted to Indiana or U.S. gardens! All entries will be put "into a hat" and one entry will win a $10 gift certificate.
In the garden:
It’s time to cut off the stalks of lemon balm, unless you want it to self-seed all over the garden and paths. Put it into a sun-tea jar and make lemonade, or dry some for winter teas. It “maketh the heart merry” so don’t waste a single stem!
Weeds are making seeds now, too, so remove them to save lots of work later on.
Cut off daylily seed pods as they form. Making seeds drains lots of energy that the plant could use to make more flowers or stronger root systems. Most of the daylilies are hybrids, so the seed won’t come true to type anyway.
Be sure to feed hanging baskets, containers and window boxes. The 3-month time release fertilizer may be “used up” and regular fertilizers will have been “washed out” so they are hungry.
Basil & parsley will appreciate a light side dressing of compost or fertilizer now. Keep those basil flowers cut off…throw them in the food process to make pesto, or sprinkle them over salads.
Remember the caterpillars you see on parsley, dill, and fennel will become butterflies so don’t disturb, squash, or spray them!
Keep Japanese beetle bags emptied!
My garlic has already turned brown and the leaves have shriveled, so I’m going to harvest it this week and spread it out in the cold frame to cure.
Prune lavender just after it finishes blooming.
Cilantro seeds are beginning to ripen and fall off the stems. Gather some of them to plant next spring or to use in baking, if you wish. Those that fall to the ground will germinate to provide another crop of cilantro in early autumn.
If you have not had rain lately, be sure to water shrubs, especially blueberry bushes, flowering shrubs, trees, and perennials that you planted this spring.
Workshops
There is still time to register for the few remaining workshops this season. I will not be offering as many workshops next year, so if there are topics that interest you, it would be wise to attend them this year. Chances are, they will not be available next year.
Sat., Aug 7 “Hypertuffa Trough or Fairy House” Workshop, 1-3. Make a ‘faux’ stone
Container like the ones we sell. Dress for mess. Once you know how, you can make dozens for your garden or gifts! $25
Sun., Aug. 8 “Lotions & Potions” Workshop, 1-3p.m. Herbal lotions are fragrant and healing. Learn to make a variety of lotions for skin care, as well as the basics of magical potions in this fun-filled workshop. Dress for mess. $20
Sun., Aug. 29 “Wine Bottle Basket Weaving” Workshop, 1-3p.m. Learn basic basket weaving techniques with expert Robin McBride Scott and create a beautiful basket to hold a wine bottle. Perfect for gifts! $26
Sun., Sept. 12 “Making a Gourd Basket”, 1-3p.m. Artist LouRae Rumple will teach you to turn a large basket gourd into a basket by adding a handle and decorative touches. Be creative! You’ll learn lots more along the way! $30
Sun., Sept. 19 “Marvelous Mustard” Workshop, 1-3p.m. Learn to create spicy, delicious mustards from mustard seed, and by adding delicious herbs to basic mustard. Lots of sampling. Recipes, handouts. $18
JULY RECIPE:
Now that there are plenty of tomatoes, peppers, onions, parsley and cucumbers to pick from the garden, it’s time to make an Italian classic that I learned to love in Tuscany. Italians do not waste a bit of their wonderful home-baked breads, but since the breads do not contain preservatives, they must be eaten quickly. Panzanella uses up the last of the loaf. This recipe is a combination of several versions that I tasted there, and it’s included in my book, “Herbal Choices.”
Callie’s Panzanella
Drizzle 4 slices Italian bread with olive oil. Place under broiler and toast on each side. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, cut additional bread into cubes to make 3 c. and pour into large bowl. Sprinkle with a mixture of ¼ c. red wine and ¼ c. water (or use all water.) Stir bread so cubes are soaked evenly. Set aside.
Prepare the vegetables: 1 c. diced fresh tomatoes; ½ c. red bell pepper, diced; ½ c. green bell pepper, diced; 2 green onions, sliced thinly; 1 small cucumber, peeled and diced; ½ c. chopped fresh parsley.
Add the vegetables to the soaked bread cubes. Cut the toasted bread into 1” cubes and add to the bowl, stirring gently. Add a generous grinding of freshly ground pepper.
Make a dressing of the juice of ½ a lemon and ¼ c. olive oil. Pour over salad. Serve immediately. Makes 4 generous servings. Of course, you can add torn basil leaves, chopped garlic chives, chopped celery, or any other pickings from your garden!
*************E-coupon—Valid until Aug 15th, 2010************************
20% off any metal item from the Barn Gift Shop…does not include consignment items. Cannot be combined with other discounts.
****************E—coupon—Valid until Aug. 15th, 2010********************
20% off live potted Culinary herbs. Choose from many varieties and colors. Cannot be combined with other discounts. (Does not include the artificial potted herbs in Barn)
************************E-Coupon—Valid until Aug. 15th, 2010***************
20% off any metal item in the Country Cottage. Cannot be combined with other discounts.
That’s it for July. August will be busy, with grandchildren visiting and later a trip to Germany mid-month. Hope your summer has been filled with happy memories, and that you’ve taken time to really enjoy the flowers and herbs in your garden! Hugs, Carolee
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