Doomsday Vault Opens

In the far northern reaches of the Norwegian arctic in an area called Svalbard the world is entrusting the preservation of stock seeds of its major food crops. If you’ve ever wondered how the world might recover from an Armageddon type of catastrophe this is part of it. Hopefully we will not suffer the effects of nuclear war, political turmoil or climatic upheaval, but if we do there will be over 6.5 million different cultivars of crops properly stored that can be retrieved from the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. In today’s move towards genetically engineered crops there may also come a time when genetic diversity decreases to the point where these stored seeds can be a mainstay.

The vault officially opened today with stockpiling of a variety of grains and legumes weighing in at 11 tons and representing 92 different crops. Stockpiling will continue for several years with crop seed being supplied by plant breeding facilities most located at universities. It is impressive to see world governments coming together to work on such a project.

The vault is maintained by the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT). The GCDT was established through a partnership between the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research as an independent organization to ensure conservation and availability of crop diversity. Genetic diversity is an important scientific concept especially when it comes to crops. Diversity ensures that there are a diversity of crops adapted to a variety of growing conditions. I only hope that the vault also contains a variety of herbs because in the case of “doomsday” these will be of utmost importance. But we should also all make sure that we are saving seeds from crops such as herbs that are of importance to us as well. If doomsday does come our lives will depend upon herbal medicines. You can read more about the vault here:
http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080226/full/news.2008.623.html

An Herb Magazine

This time of year gardeners like me can get pretty anxious waiting for spring to arrive. Here in the Rocky Mountain state spring can be very elusive; one day its warm the next day we could get 3 feet of snow. Besides perusing seed catalogues I suggest you download a sample copy of The Essential Herbal magazine. This is not one of those glossy, fluff filled magazines written by writers who like herbs, rather it is written by herb enthusiasts who like to write. You can be assured that the articles are written by herbies for other herbies and that the suggestions are tried and true not something pulled out of a hat. I count the editor, Tina Sams as a friend and she is someone overflowing with good ideas. This magazine sample is sure to keep you busy until planting time with good ideas, recipes and even a crossword puzzle. Heck, if you like it you can even order a subscription to it to keep you with ideas all year round. And if you're lucky, you might even read an article I wrote.
You can download your free sample here:
http://www.essentialherbal.com/March%20April%202007.pdf

On another note, Tina has collected a group of us herb enthusiasts to blog on a common blog. You can check it out at http://merryblogsters.blogspot.com/.

Valentine's Day Sugar Herb Hearts

Need a Last Minute Gift for your Valentine? I had heard about sugar hearts being sold at tea houses and wanted to try it myself. What I found is that it is an elegant way to use herbs for flavor. For the first hearts I made I added ground rose hips in an attempt to give the hearts a pink color. That didn’t work so I added cinnamon and clove as well. They are more brown than pink, but very yummy. I also made lavender hearts, viola hearts and rose petal hearts. The rose petal are my favorite, but next time I might cut down on the amount of red rose petals to give a more pastel color. Here is how to make them:

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dried herbs

Put these together in a blender for several seconds. Remove and put in a shallow bowl. Add a scant 1 tablespoon of water and mix well. It should not be wet but rather just damp. That dampness will hold the sugar together. Note that the color will darken slightly with water. Press the dampened sugar into molds and let set overnight. I used plastic tray of heart molds intended for candy making. Turn the molds upside down and tap the hearts out. Use hearts as a decorative way to serve sugar with your tea or give them as candy treats which is what my family will get for Valentine’s Day.

Herb Society Tea Party

I can’t think of a better way to spend a blustery Sunday in February than with fellow herbies at our annual Herb Society of AmericaRocky Mountain Unit)tea party. This year’s theme was Mardis Gras.The pot luck dishes included gumbo, pecan pie bars, spicy spinach balls and of course King Cake with a tiny plastic baby hidden in inside for someone to find. My contribution was Vegetarian Jambalaya (see recipe below). A commemorative herb tea was designed to mark the occasion.

This year’s tea was held at the Denver Botanical Gardens as it often is. Attendees came dressed for the occasion wearing purple, blue and green and dawning feathered masks. In addition to the feathered masks a demonstration on fresh facial masks was given by Tonja Reichley of MoonDance Botanicals and we all went home with a sample of chocolate rose face mask to try in the privacy of our home! Our Herb Society group meets once a month at theDenver Botanical Gardens for a business meeting and an herbal presentation. I believe our next presentation will be on chocolate (one of my favorite herbs)! Do stop by.

Vegetarian Jambalaya (adapted from: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/Jambalaya.htm)

Saute:

1 chopped onion

3 cloves minced garlic

2 ribs chopped celery

1 chopped green bell pepper

1 chopped red bell pepper

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Add:

2 cups brown rice

6 cups vegetable broth

Cook for 15 minutes

Add:

2 sliced zuchinnis

1 large can chopped tomatoes

2 cups sliced vegetarian sausages (Morning Star links)

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp cayenne pepper (more to taste)

3 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sage

1 tsp dried marjoram

Cook 20 more minutes or until rice is done. Eat up and enjoy!

I struck gold when I checked the laying boxes in the chicken coop this week and found several eggs! Our flock of seven birds hasn’t given us eggs for a few months. Although chickens will typically slow down during the winter months due to decreasing daylight, ours have never completely stopped in previous years. For some reason they just haven’t seemed too happy after moving to our farm this year. Perhaps it’s the raptors flying overhead or the coyotes that come out at night, I don’t know. But hopefully they are out of their slump and we have gotten 8 eggs in the past 3 days. We have a variety of types of chickens, some laying brown eggs and some laying bluish green eggs. Some we bought as baby chicks and some we bought as adult layers. We don’t have any white egg layers so I will probably buy some at Easter so that we can color them.

Chickens are an interesting and entertaining lot and a small backyard flock is certainly something to consider. We first got chickens 7 years ago when we lived in the suburbs. After that several of my neighbors got them because they realized how fun they were and how good fresh eggs taste. Chicken manure is a good fertilizer for the garden and is high in nitrogen. Eggs are a good source of protein and a good gift for friends and neighbors just for being there. Chickens don’t like to be alone so if you get chickens get 2 or 3. You can set up a small run for them next to your garage. Do protect them though as they are prey to many animals including raccoons, foxes, coyotes, hawks, even neighborhood dogs.

There is a documentary I saw on TV once called “The Natural History of the Chicken”. This is a funny and serious look at the joy of chickens. Part of the movie focuses on a hen that wanted badly to be a mother. If you have chickens you will love this movie, if you don’t, it will make you want them.

Today is my brother’s birthday; Happy Birthday Corey!

Cranberries for Health and Taste

If you haven’t already, read my short news article in “The Herb Companion” this month; “Cranberry Juice Soothes Stomachs.” Cranberries, as well as other fruits including blueberries, bilberry, black currant and chokeberry contain polyphenol compounds known as proanthocyanidins. These proanthocyanidins are beneficial flavonoids that help maintain collagen and elastin; important proteins found in skin. They are also anti-stick agents for bacteria. This property has previously been documented as being responsible for inhibiting urinary tract infections and has now been found to inhibit stomach infections due to Helicobacter pylori bacteria.

Before a bacterial infection can occur, the bacterial cells must adhere or stick to the epithelial surface of the urinary tract. Bacteria are able to do this through a specific molecule on its cell wall called adhesin. These molecules bind to a specific receptor on the surface of the epithelial cell of the body which is usually a type of carbohydrate. Once bound to this mucosal surface, replication of the bacteria begins and the infection grows. By interfering with that interaction, infection can be greatly reduced.

Treating urinary infections early while they are still in the lower urinary tract is important because they tend to move up the urinary tract towards the kidney. Obviously a kidney infection is much worse than an infection in the urethra. So, if you get those first tell tale signs of an infection in the urethra, such as itching or slight pain on urination start drinking cranberry juice immediately to prevent its movement up the urinary tract. Oftentimes the success of herbal or food medicine is in getting to it right away.
However, if there are signs that the infection is worsening; cloudy urine, back, side or groin pain, fever, urine retention or frequent urination with pain, seek medical help for antibiotic treatment as kidney infection are serious.

Here is my Mom’s cranberry relish recipe that she made every Thanksgiving and Christmas and now I make (but do continue to have cranberry relish after the Holidays!).

1 orange, grated whole
¾ cup sugar
½ cup water
3 cups fresh cranberries
½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
2-3 whole cloves

Put everything in a pan and boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. If you want a thicker relish, simmer longer to decrease water. Cool and refrigerate for flavors to mix.

Purple Mountains Majesty (Above the Fruited Plain)

I want to share with you the magnificent site that I see everyday from my yard and my windows; a source of strength and power for me. I live on the Great Plains just before the mountains rise, surrounded by farm and ranch land. The mountains you see here are Long’s Peak and Mount Meeker together called the Twin Peaks. They are some of the tallest mountains in Colorado making them strong symbols for orientation. Although Native Americans probably used Long’s peak to collect eagle feathers, the first recorded ascent of Longs Peak was by John Wesley Powell in 1868.

Looking at these majestic mountains everyday feeds my spirit and gives me inspiration. I find it important to have a landscape that I feel connected with and is a constant reminder of what is sacred. These mountains were once the home of the Ute Tribe who found their guardian spirit there. Many Native Americans found that these highest of places were also spiritually powerful, so much so that they could pose a danger to those who are not shamans. These mountains were used for vision quests many years ago.

Many Mountain views in Colorado are in endangered by development. Landscape in this state in the form of mountain views, prairie grasslands and agriculture are important to tourists and residents as well, making conservation an important issue.

Two important conservation programs are being used in my area. The county itself owns 24,000 acres that it preserves for farm and ranch land. Private farmers and ranchers can lease this land out for agricultural purposes. The property across the street from me is 160 acres of county owned land leased by my neighbor to grow alfalfa. Another program is

Conservation easements by which land owner can receive a tax benefit by setting aside a portion of their land for conservation purposes that include agriculture, wildlife habitat or scenic open space. A significant piece of land behind my property is set aside for this purpose. It is our hope that these programs will serve their purpose and preserve Colorado landscapes.

Here is an article from the Economist about how land is being preserved in Colorado:

http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8636287

Here is an article about mountains of Rocky Mountain National Park:

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/romo/mcbeth/oral_history.pdf

Use of My Christmas Tree

The Holidays are over and the tree is now setting on the patio and the decorations are almost all boxed up. I will be using the tree for a number of things. The branches will be cut off and some of them will be put around my rosemary plant. I have done this for the past several years and have been lucky enough to have my rosemary survive the past several cold winters. This rosemary, however, was just transplanted here this summer from our previous house and it has already been quite cold here so I hope its not too late. Some of the branches will also go around the roses. I’ve already taken some of the pine needles and some of the smallest branches to put in a jar with alcohol to make a tincture. Although I typically make tinctures for medicinal purposes I haven’t done much in the way of making tinctures for aromatic purposes. I got this idea from Anya at Anya’s Garden (anyasgarden.com) and hope to try tincturing a few other aromatics this winter including orange peel. Most of the remaining branches and needles will become snacks for my two angora goats. I gave them some of the branches that we trimmed off to get the tree into the base and they really seemed to enjoy eating them so I’m sure they will be happy about it. The main trunk of the Christmas tree will be cut into firewood to be used in summer campfires.

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by to say hi from Marie’s site. I appreciate the encouragement! Although I have many ideas in my head about what to write, finding the time to sit down and do it is not always easy, especially when I learn about all the other fun blogs to read!

It's Still Christmas

Don’t be too quick to put away those Christmas decorations. Christmas Day represents the first of the 12 days of Christmas, ending Jan 6 with Three Kings Day or the Epiphany. The three kings brought the Christ child the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Traditions for this day include blessing the doorways with water and inscribing the initials of the three kings (C+M+B for Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) over the doorways.

I am always interested in the symbolism and use of foods and herbs in ritual. The gifts that the wise men or Magi brought to the Christ child have meaning; gold to represent his role as king, frankincense to represent his divinity, and myrrh to represent his humanity. Frankincense (Boswellia) and myrrh (Commiphora) refer to a resin from their respective trees. Both Frankincense and Myrrh resins are used as an incense that when burned will carry prayers to heaven. Frankincense is still used at Catholic masses for special occasions. Although we think of the gold brought by the wise men as the precious metal, gold could have other meanings. Some say it is symbolic of alchemy – a transition from the physical world to the spiritual world. I have also heard it suggested that gold referred to a specific type of frankincense that was more valuable. Perhaps celebrate Three Kings Day or the Epiphany by placing a small amount of these resins in your fire to scent your home. You could also burn herbs such as sage or rosemary to purify your home.

Other herbs that are used to celebrate the Christmas season include rosemary, costmary bay laurel, bedstraw, mistletoe and myrtle. The herbs bedstraw, chamomile, horehound, thym and sweet woodruff are said to have been mixed with the manger grass that Jesus slept in. You could mix these herbs to make a nice potpourri.

Its not too late to consider an herbal craft to commemorate the Christmas season. Even something as simple as putting sticks of clove into an orange or an apple is an enjoyable project for children or adults! A warm herbal bath is a way of purification and a way to say goodbye to the old and hello to the new. Try using oregano and marjoram to help with aches and pains you may be feeling this season.

But the important thing is to keep caroling and enjoy the Christmas decoration now. Its nice to have this time to relax and enjoy the Christmas season after the hustle and bustle of preparations has ended. So if you didn’t have time to bake the Christmas cookies you wanted to before Christmas, go ahead and do it now, its still Christmas.

Gingerbread Recipe

Its been unseasonably cold here in Colorado so what better way to warm one up than by eating gingerbread by the fire. I made small loaves of gingerbread to give my neighbors for Christmas (but shhh, don’t tell them yet). Gingerbread is packed with spices too keep you warm and to regulate blood sugar. Here is the recipe I used; it has been adapted from our local newspaper.

Gingerbread Cake

1 ½ cups flour (can mix white and whole wheat)

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons powdered ginger

2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Pinch cayenne pepper

½ cup cold butter (or slightly less), cut into small pieces

1 egg

3 tablespoons molasses

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

Combine flour, sugar, and spices in a large mixing bowl. Slice butter into the flour mixture and mix with a pastry blender until crumbly. Scoop out ¼ cup and set aside to sprinkle on top later.

Stir egg and molasses into flour mixture. Combine buttermilk, baking soda and salt, then add to flour mixture stirring well

Pour batter into a greased 9-inch square pan; sprinkle reserved flour/butter mixture evenly over the top.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Keep Warm

Merry Christmas

Herbs for Winter Health

During the winter months more of us tend to get upper respiratory tract infections such as colds and flu. There are ways to decrease your risk of becoming ill as well as to feel better if you do get sick. Even though antibiotics are often prescribed for winter illnesses, they are rarely the answer and they do not treat viral infections. With colds and flu we are often seeking relief from congestion and pain, as well as something to sooth the throat. Let's look at some herbs with those properties and how to use them.
Decongestant Herbs
One way to loosen and expel mucus is by inhaling vapors. When you feel congested try putting a pan of water on the stovetop at a light simmer. Add pieces of sage, thyme, rosemary or oregano to the water. Many of these common culinary herbs have healing properties. In fact, thyme has a long history of treating bronchitis and other upper respiratory tract infections (see Thyma-flu below). Inhale the steam frequently throughout the day to relieve congestion. Eucalyptus essential oil is also a strong decongestant. Put a few drops of this essential oil on the surface of the simmering water to release the vapors (see Eucalyptus essential oil below).
Congestion can also be relieved by drinking teas. Sometimes just a hot beverage is enough to help sooth, but teas of thyme or peppermint can also help loosen mucus. Make sure to inhale the steam as you are holding the cup. You can also use a balm on your chest both for pain and congestion that contains essential oils of eucalyptus, camphor, menthol, sage and peppermint (see Herbal Vapors below). Also hold this up to your nose to inhale.
Pain Relieving Herbs
For pain such as muscle aches associated with a cold try soaking in a hot bath with a muslin bag filled with herbs. Useful herbs here would include oregano, marjoram, lavender, mint or sage (see bath teas below). After soaking in the herbal bath, drink a tea from ginger and lemon. Pain can also prevent one from getting a good night sleep. A few drops of lavender essential oil sprinkled on your pillow or an herbal dream pillow tucked into your pillow case can help you relax to get more sleep (see Lavender Essential Oil and Dream Pillow below).
Throat Soothing Herbs
Herbs that sooth the throat typically have mucilage or slippery substances in them. They include slippery elm, horehound and licorice. You can often find lozenges that contain these herbs or make yourself a cup of hot tea from them. Honey also can sooth a throat and goes well with tea. During the summer try infusing honey with thyme so that you can use it during the winter in teas or on toast.
Preventing a Cold
A typical cold lasts 7 days to two weeks and adults get about 2-4 colds per year (more in children). We don't develop immunity to the cold because there are more than 100 different viruses that cause this. You can limit your risk of catching a cold by improving your immune system. Stress weakens the immune system and can lead to illnesses. Daily exercise such as walking can help control stress. Also try teas made from herbs such as catnip, chamomile, hops, lavender and lemon balm.
Immune building herbs you can use include garlic and whole foods including fruits and vegetables. Phytochemicals such as flavonoids and sterols act as antioxidants that can modulate the immune system as well as provide a host of other benefits including decreasing inflammation. Garlic not only stimulates the immune system but acts as an antibacterial and antiviral. My favorite way of using garlic is to rub a clove over toast.
Keep Cold Germs from Spreading
The single most important thing you can do to decrease your risk of getting a cold and to decrease its spread is to wash your hands. Use of antibiotic soap is not necessary and may contribute to antibiotic resistant superbugs, but it is necessary to wash correctly. This means use warm water and soap, rub your hands for 15-30 seconds, rinse and dry with a clean towel. Humming a song while washing can help with estimating the time. Try "Ring Around the Rosey", its lyrics have to do with the plague which can be a good reminder of the importance of clean hands. The availability of clean water and soap has done more to prevent disease than antibiotics or vaccines ever have or will.

If someone in your household has a cold or flu you may want to pay special attention to cleaning surfaces in the house. For instance, light switches, doorknobs and counters should be regularly wiped to clean them of infectious agents. This can be done with soap and water or you can use disinfecting essential oils such as tea tree oil and thyme (see St. Blaise Spray below).
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Sagescript Products for Winter Health
Thyma-flu: this make your own tincture is a mixture of antiviral and immune stimulating herbs. Add your own alcohol, steep for 2 weeks and keep on hand all winter to treat a variety of upper respiratory tract infections. Contains Echinacea, elderberries, thyme, peppermint and horehound. $4.25 makes 4 ounces of tincture when alcohol is added.

Eucalyptus essential oil: pure eucalyptus essential oil available in 0.5 oz size, $3.25.

Herbal Vapors: New this year! A chest balm containing menthol and essential oils of eucalyptus, camphor, sage and peppermint, $5.00 /2 oz.
Bath teas: we have a variety of bath teas available at any time. Inquire about availability. $3.95/4bags

Herb Teas: we hope to soon have a variety of herbal teas to choose from including those for a sore throat and to help you relax.

Lavender Essential Oil: pure lavender essential oil in 0.5 oz size, $5.75.

Dream Pillow: Large tea bag containing sleep promoting herbs for you to put in your pillow case. As your head rests the scent of herbs is released. $2.00/2 bags

St. Blaise Aromatherapy Spray: A room spray to spray on doorknobs, light switches and surfaces to decrease the spread of germs. Contains essential oils. $7.00/2oz.

Winter Health Care Essential package contains Thyma-flu, Herbal Vapors and St. Blaise all for $15.25.

Contact me by email for ordering information. cindy@sagescript.com
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If you or someone you know is visiting Longmont, CO stop at the Francis Street Arts store, 1139 Francis Street. There you can find crafts by local artisans, including Sagescript Institute.
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First Snow

It’s a beautiful wintry day here in Colorado with our first big snow of the season which measures about 7 inches. We booted up and went cross country skiing across our pastures. We let the goats out – yes, goats, we just got 2 angora goats, and they followed us across the field running just like dogs! Not what I expected of goats.

We moved here to our property just this summer so every season brings new things.

In my semi-greenhouse I have saved over some of my plants as well as a few for my neighbor; thyme, geraniums, rosemary and petunias which are now in bloom! I just planted a tray of lettuce and hope to be eating it soon. In the next several weeks I will be deciding which herbs and plants I will need this summer and get some of them started in the greenhouse. A survey of the property this summer turned up some interesting plants; many bush cherries which I believe are Nanking cherries, an elderberry which didn’t produce many berries this summer but now that I know it’s there it will get a lot more water this coming summer, a few plum trees, asparagus, rhubarb and some raspberries. Not much was here in the way of herbs but I was able to transplant some from my old residence including lemon balm, rue, oregano, salad burnett, thyme, costmary, Artemisia and prunella to name a few.

My blog here will be about my new farm lifestyle and all that it entails. We grow herbs here and sell herbal products. We also have a few animals. I want to be able to not only farm sustainably, but to live sustainably also. Sometimes this is a hard thing to do with busy lives and children so compromises will be made. The important thing I think is to be conscientious and consider the options. Sometimes the right choice is not made, but there is always something to be learned.

Cindy

www.sagescript.com