Fabulously Edible Beet, Carrot and Radish Greens.

For years we have been cooking with beets, carrots and radishes and throwing away all those green tops. But they are not only edible, they are also very nutritious.  Recently, when I have passed by grazing fields and noted the enourmous size of cows, bulls and other grazing animals, I have marvelled at the thought that all they eat is grass and weeds. And so that led me to realize that there is more to greens than meets the eye and so... I think the next salad I make will include beet, carrot and radish tops, no more throwing away such abundant nutrition. 

I love this article written by White On Rice Couple. It has valuable information on green tops and some great recipes.

There’s a misfortune and almost tragic waste of food occurring in the vegetative world. Greens that that we tend to overlook or don’t normally deem as edible are being tossed to the side as trash or compost material. Beautiful green tops from beets are normally valued as edible, but great tops from radishes and carrots are often poorly mistaken as un-edible.

Sadly, some beet and mostly carrot and radish top greens rarely ever make it to the plate. They’re not poisonous (so long as you have no allergies) and are simply, delicious. Read More...

Yeah, How to Make Natural Dyes from Plants and other Natural Materials

Love this article from www.motherearthliving.com.

The following is an excerpt from "The Rhythm of Family" by Amanda Blake Soule with Stephen Soule.
Use Natural Dyes
Dyeing fabric and fiber with materials found in the natural world is a family favorite and a wonderful project for all ages. There are endless possibilities for color when we use the earth’s palette as our guide. We’re often surprised by what color a certain material yields when added to fabric—quite often it is so different from the original source. That’s part of the fun, so keep an open mind about your end results, and experiment with whatever you have available in your own backyard!
Natural Materials for Dyeing
Red—dandelion root, beets, rose hips, chokecherries, blackberries, hibiscus
Orange—sassafras, onion skin, carrot root, turmeric, pomegranate
Yellow—marigold, burdock, celery leaves, tea, dandelions, sunflowers
Green—spinach leaves, nettle, red onion, yarrow, foxglove, sorrel
Blue/purple—mulberries, red cabbage, hyacinth, maple tree bark
Brown—oat bark, juniper berries, tea bags, birch bark, walnut hulls

Crafting Notes
If you are dyeing yarn, open it up into a large circle while keeping it wound in its skein. Tie it loosely at several points to hold it in its skein while going through the dye process. Read More...

Grow Sprouts for Fresh Food this Winter

I love fresh food, the closer the source is from home the better. This article explains how we can grow edible sprouts in our own home.  Nutritious sprouts, yummy, low price, nutritious foods.

I love this article from www.motherearthliving.com.

As fun and satisfying as it sounds to have fresh food growing indoors in winter, the truth is that, unless you have a greenhouse or the absolute perfect window, most produce can’t grow with the limited light it would get indoors in winter. This is not the case with sprouts. Sprouts grow wonderfully indoors, and they add a burst of flavor to a wide variety of dishes.
Plus, sprouts are incredibly healthy. Contained inside a single seed is everything it needs to grow into a hearty plant. And that’s exactly why these tiny guys are such great sources of nutrients. You can certainly benefit from eating raw seeds, but soaking and sprouting them helps them begin to grow, unlocking some of those powerful compounds. It’s a great—and easy—way to release all that nutrition into a tangy, tasty treat.
In culinary terms, sprouts are typically enjoyed raw or cooked as flavorful additions to other foods, rather than eaten on their own. Sprouts fall into three broad categories: salad-, grain- and bean-type sprouts. Eating a variety of sprouts is the best way to take advantage of their complete buffet of flavors and health benefits. Many types of dishes can be improved by the addition of fresh, homegrown sprouts including scrambled eggs, salads, coleslaw, dips and spreads, salads and wraps, casseroles, soups, breads and stir-fries.

How to Sprout Seeds

First, choose a few plants to sprout and get organically grown seeds from your favorite company (try Johnny’s Selected Seeds or Sprout People). Although some types of sprouts (such as alfalfa) are more common, all the plants listed in “Seeds for Sprouting” below make good sprouts. Seeds require very little in order to sprout: mainly, to be kept moist and in contact with air. Although you can find commercial sprouting kits (including great automatic sprouters), the following simple methods fulfill the requirements. With any method, first rinse your seeds a couple of times, then soak them overnight in a clean jar of water.
Hemp bag method: Dump the soaked seeds into the bag, wet it thoroughly, then hang the bag on a hook to drain.
Jar method: Dump the soaked seeds in a glass jar. Cover the jar with fine-mesh cheesecloth or window screen, and secure it with a rubber band around the lip. Turn the jar over into a container with a wider mouth to catch dripping water.
For the freshest and best-tasting sprouts, rinse and drain the seeds (and then the sprouts) at least a few times a day. You can begin to harvest your sprouts as soon as the tails emerge, which is when they are sweetest, usually within a few days. Or let them grow an inch or two to determine when you like them best. Store in the refrigerator; they’ll stay yummy for a few days. For more growing tips and tasty recipes, read "Kitchen Counter Gardening: Try Sprouts." To learn even more, check out the useful book Sprouts: The Miracle Food by Steve Meyerowitz.

Seeds for Sprouting Read More...

Some of the great qualities of Thyme....

So glad to have found this article in the Farmers Almanac.



You already know thyme is a popular culinary spice, but did you know that this companion of parsley, sage, and rosemary also has many healing properties? Herbalists have been using thyme for centuries to cure a wide variety of ailments. Here’s a look at just a few of the ways this powerful herbal remedy can be used:
Antibacterial – A topical preparations of thyme tea natural antibacterial that can be used to gently disinfect cuts and abrasions.
Antifungal – In addition, topical preparations of thyme tea can help to combat fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, yeast infections, and ringworm.
Antioxidant – Thyme contains several known antioxidants, including polyphenols and flavonoids, just like green tea, as well as thymonin, luteolin and apigenin.
Digestive Aid – Thyme eases stomach upsets, fights intestinal parasites and promotes a healthy digestive tract.
Eye Wash – Press a cloth soaked in warm thyme tea on your eyes to cure styes and help to fight aid pink eye or conjunctivitis.
Expectorant – Thyme tea can help treat chest infections by clearing away mucus and soothing air passages.
Muscle Relaxer – Thyme can help to soothe and relax muscles cramps, including menstrual cramps.
Sedative – Thyme can help to lower cortisol levels in the body, which helps. A nightcap of thyme tea can improve the quality of sleep and ward off nightmares.

Love Honey; Mabey it's time to consider raising bees...mabey???

Lately I have become really enamoured with local honey. It started when my son who is studying at Davis was complaining of allergies, we bought some local honey and viola, cured. What a tasteful treatment.

Not to mention, during my study of how to treat his allergies with honey, I realized, that much of the honey on sale is stores, is possibly not too much more than high fructose syrup, yech.

So my eyes have opened up to the beauty of local honey and guess what, more and more, now I notice small beehives all over the place.

So I have started to local into what it takes to produce your own honey.

So glad to have found this article on care2.com.

Scientists call it the mystery of the vanishing bees; here’s how to help solve the problem.
With bumblebee populations on the decline in the United States and honeybees prone to a perplexing phenomenon called colony collapse disorder, the search for answers is on. Researchers say the pollinators’ problem could be pesticides, or a virus, or the fact that because of land development, there are fewer flowers in the world. That last one is something we can help fix, in our own gardens. Here are a few ways, including flowers to plant, to start helping the bees. For more inspiration on keeping the bees healthy, visit Bee Thinking in Oregon.
Above: Bees go after anything in bloom, but are particularly drawn to white, yellow, and blue; they see a color called “bee ultraviolet” that guides them to nectar. Lavender is intoxicating to bees (to us, as well). Lavandula angustifolia ‘Violet Intrigue’ has long-lasting blooms; $15.95 at White Flower Farm. Image via Centsational.

Above: Most beekeepers in the United States and Europe raise Apis mellifera, or western honeybees. For beginners, consider a lightweight Backyard Beehive; $339.95 at Williams-Sonona. Image via Botanic Garden. For more ideas, visit Helping Bees Survive, One Colony at a Time.


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/keeping-the-bees-alive.html#ixzz2CLHyPehg