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Trees for Sap & Syrup
A subject came up in another thread about the use of trees other than maple for sap/syrup production. I made my own birch syrup a few years ago. We have producers of birch sap in my area and they make other things with it as well. Candies, BBQ sauce, etc. Another local company, 52 North, is doing quite well selling a…
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Lazy spring foraging in the pasture
We took a couple hours this afternoon to go through our pasture to forage. If spraying doesn't happen around our place tomorrow, we'll go out again & see what we can get. We have plenty of all of these right now because nobody is out on this piece of pasture just yet. We will be making a note of that...not until the…
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Sap Collecting Time
I just realized it's that time of year again - time to collect the maple sap/water. Well, I call it maple water as it is mostly water that is collected and then turned into syrup - if I get that far. You see, I like to drink the water straight up. Unfortunately, I've been dealing with family issues so can't really collect…
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Sapping season
It looks like we could get a full two weeks of perfect sapping weather. Our maples are Manitoba maples. Our sap to syrup ratio is 40:1. We put in almost all of our spiles today. We ran out of buckets & lids. We are trying to figure out what we might have that can be fill in collection containers. Right now we have about 20…
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Cottonwood buds
The electric company is cutting down a huge cottonwood tree in my neighbor's yard. It's just a couple of feet from MY yard, and they're working from my yard. I mourn the big tree. But I'm hoping I can harvest a bunch of cottonwood buds to make medicine. I know they'll haul off the limbs and brush but they can't get them…
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Tulip Festival
I got an email today about Baker Creek's upcoming Tulip Festival. I wish I lived close enough to make it a day trip. If you do, I'm sure it will be fantastic. It is free but you do need do buy a parking pass.…
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Edible Elm seed
This foraging chef says that these are his favorite. He tells you everything from what & when to forage to how to prepare it, including links to recipes at the bottom. I think this is something we will try, because it generally is not difficult to find elm trees in our general area.
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Kentucky Coffee Tree
I had no idea. It sounds wonderful.
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Onions: spring vs fall planting
I planted a few potato onions, a type of multiplier onion, last fall. The rest were planted a day or two ago. I'm curious about whether any of you have experimented with spring-planting vs. fall-planting of onions, and what the results were. Spring-planting is the norm, but in short-season climates like Vermont, anything…
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Seed Starting!
Has anyone started seeds yet?! I started some cabbage, lettuce, and tomatoes yesterday! So excited!
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When do you start your garden?
Yesterday, I attended one of the first in-person church services my local congregation has held since COVID lockdowns began. It was great to see old friends at Pentecost this year. After the service, I was chatting with a friend who has been gardening (together with his wife) for many years. He asked me whether I had put…
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Et Tu Apricot?
I have an apricot tree. It has bloomed and set fruit for 5 years. I have never gotten a single apricot from it. Invariably it blooms, sets fruit....and then it freezes. This year I threatened to cut it down if it doesn't produce a harvest. We didn't prune it, just left it be this spring. It had thousands of blossoms which…
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Have you ever tasted Horseradish flowers? I did and was amazed!
Have you ever eaten the horseradish flowers? I harvest horseradish roots twice a year: in early spring and in autumn. And I use leaves for fermenting cucumbers. But I have never ever tried to eat horseradish flowers. Today, as I was taking photos of different plants, I noticed how beautiful it is. I tasted it and WoW! You…
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Hop shoots. Do you cook them?
I am writing a blog on edible wild plants and a few followers asked me about hops. I know that the shoots can be cooked or stewed, but I have never tried that out. Have you? Do you have a favourite recipe? Could you share?
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Garlic mustard for salad, soups, herbal butter, pesto...
Alliaria petiolata, or garlic mustard One more plant for my salad, soups, herbal butter, pesto. The name indicates the taste - garlic mustard. And the taste indicates it’s medicinal benefits. As I eat raw plants to retain health and strengthen my immune system, this is a proper one for me. So far I have not tasted the…
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Lady’s bedstraw Galium verum
Lady’s bedstraw (Galium verum), goosegrass, cleavers (Galium aparine) The young shoots of these herbs are also added to my salad, herbal butter and curd. Some of them are a real pest to gardeners during summer time, when one has to weed them out of vegetable beds. The more one eats out in spring, the less one has to weed…
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What is the coolest rock you've ever found in the garden?
This rock took me years to chisel just right...just kidding I found it in the garden like this!!!
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Has Spring arrived?
I was enjoying seeing the bees leave their hives, a little green peaking up from the ground, the sound of birds and sunshine on my bare arms! Oh my!! And today it is freezing! Do you have Spring, freezing weather or a combo?
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Wild spring herb soup recipe
Many know green nettle soup. This is another option to obtain the power of spring herbs with the meal. “Green soup” recipe It is a traditional soup in Tirol and is prepared and eaten on fasting days and especially on a Thursday before Easter - Maundy Thursday. It is believed that herbs give strength. Spring has power of…
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What to do with used seed packets?
Make a wreath!!!
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Show 21: Spring Foraging
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Pine tree needle uses?
I had an opportunity to collect some pine needles. I have made them into a tincture but I am not sure what all I can use the tincture for. Any suggestions? T
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Cottonwood trees
What is the best variety of cottonwood tree to have on your property if you want the super sticky resinous buds to harvest for making cottonwood oil?
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Willow harvest timing & use
best time or year to use for healing and other thoughts?
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Spring is a time for detoxing (rough draft from "Health and Wellness is Not a Spectator Sport")
10 April 2020 Spring is a time for renewal/rebirth and for detoxing your body and home. Our homes, like our bodies, need to breathe and to air out. In your home, turn off your air conditioner (A/C), vacuum your vents, and open your windows and doors to allow fresh, moving air to cleanse it from its winter cocoon. If your…