Tag: herbalism

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Formal Potager – Layout, Spring 2008

Greet Gijsberts

Rather an exciting weekend at Greet’s cottage.  I attacked the front garden Saturday morning with some stakes and string and this is what it looks like now, in early morning before the bake of the sun sets in: I can’t believe we did this in a total of about 12 hours.  I put in 8 on Saturday, 3 of which was me fussing with string, tape measure and stakes, and the remaining 5 we worked together at moving all of the cinder blocks necessary, a lot of dirt, and a bit of sod.  Yesterday we did a bit more dirt … Continue reading Formal Potager – Layout, Spring 2008

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Mulled Cider

Greet Gijsberts

Now that temps have finally dropped on the Gulf Coast (~28 F this morning), it’s time for hot drinks. My aunt Amanda brought a wonderful cider to our Christmas, and I fooled with the recipe some more.  Here’s my version, with some cost data too: Greet’s Mulled Cider Total cost (outside of household spices) ~$4/per batch for the cheap version, and $8/per batch for the real cider + liquid honey version.  Prep: 5 min.  Cook: 45 min. 4 cups water2 tsp ground allspice (you can substitute nutmeg if you’ve just used all the allspice on gingerbread)1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)Dash … Continue reading Mulled Cider

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William Morris and natural dyes

Greet Gijsberts

From the Natural Dyes list on Yahoo!Groups: Every so often I actually read the text in books I get mainly for the illustrations — this is one: *William Morris: Decor and Design* by Elizabeth Wilhide (ISBN 0-8109-3623- 2; Abrams, 1991). I hadn’t realized that he used only natural dyes for all of his interior fabrics, rugs, upholstery.. . yards and yards and hundreds of yards of printed cottons and other fabrics made of linen, wool, silk, mohair for upholstery, drapes and curtains, rugs, tapestries.. . Lightfastness was important, and the aniline dyes of the time (late 1800s) were "prone to … Continue reading William Morris and natural dyes

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Anti-fungal stuff

Greet Gijsberts

I offer these recipes in altruism, and will not engage in any further context.  TMI.  It’s all from the Yahoo SCA-Herbalist list. Keeping his feet clean and dry will help. Wearing open toe sandals without socks should help as well as wearing socks  made of natural fibers that breathe as opposed to synthetics. Here’s a recipe for a vinegar foot soak that’s anti-fungal. Soak the feet in vinegar/water solution for 20 minutes. Foot Vinegar 1-pint orgainc apple cider vinegar 1-teaspoon lavender flowers 1-teaspoon oregano Allow it to macerate for 2 weeks. Dilute this with water for the soak.    Also … Continue reading Anti-fungal stuff

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Bee boxes

Greet Gijsberts

[cross-posted on Front Step Design] I bought these bee boxes the other day. I only meant to buy two, because theoretically I believe in baby steps.  However, the universe frequently has other plans.  (See spinning, and weaving.)  They were at a junktique store, and the owner wanted them All Gone.  So I got ten bee boxes for $50.  (I would be happy to share.)  Obviously they need some work – I hope the frames are still acceptable to the bees. So, in the manner of things, information is starting to trickle in about beekeeping.  The blogosphere provided geek.farm.life’s podcasts about … Continue reading Bee boxes

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Garden Check – May 2007

Greet Gijsberts

Here’s what’s happening in the garden – though I didn’t take pictures of all my babies, stupidly.  Also missing are the new arrivals – in Tally I bought a dwarf pomegranate, a dwarf quince, and a red hardy hibiscus/rose mallow.  They go into the ground this weekend, so I’ll take their portraits in situ. This is what Virginia Creeper is meant to do.  Make tomato cages.  Well, and turn red in the fall – but it can do both.  Here’s a second version. I only need about fifty of these, which will pretty well take care of any noxious vine … Continue reading Garden Check – May 2007

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Herbalism Info Dump

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PROBLEM-SOLVERS Herbalist group on Yahoo, which dispenses advice like: Go with the primary sources, available in translation at your library, rather than secondary sources: Galen, Dioscorides, Hildegard von Bingen, Albertus Magnus, William Turner, etc.  These are the texts that Medieval herbalists and apothecaries studied.  Reading modern herb books won’t give you the same information and defininitely won’t give you the same flavor. John Gerard published his Herbal in 1593; Culpepper’s Herbal did not appear till 1660, so he’s a bit late. ~Old Marian Tisane, the quarterly newsletter of the East Kingdom Herbalists and Apothecary’s Guild. Safety with essential oils BOOKS … Continue reading Herbalism Info Dump

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Britton-Brown listings for Northern US and Canada

Greet Gijsberts

Re: my query about what was historically grown where, I got this answer.  Britton-Brown.  It’s not helpful for me, because I garden in the Florida Panhandle (latitude: Cairo), and I’m not sure how helpful it’ll continue to be for the northern US due to climate changes and ecosystem shifts, but there it is. Continue reading Britton-Brown listings for Northern US and Canada

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Strewing Herbs

Greet Gijsberts

A discussion about strewing herbs has been bouncing around the SCA-Herbalism Yahoo!Group.  This nice summary went up today. Here in Ansteorra, I have found lavender to be particularly efficacious in repelling mosquitoes and no-see-ums.  Pennyroyal* is a bit sharp on the nose, but is an excellent repellant (mostly fleas, but chiggers seem to dislike it as well).  Blended with lavender, it’s not so bad, and the two work well together, fragrance-wise. Tansy is as sharp-scented as pennyroyal, and also helps repel insects like mosquitoes.  I haven’t found an herb yet that repels flies, though. Mints will repel most creepy-crawly bugs, … Continue reading Strewing Herbs

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Veg Maps – Ancient World

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From Answers.com (Start at the easiest to find, and work down.): VEG IN THE ANCIENT WORLD (Greek physician Diocles of Carystus)beet greens, mallows, sorrel, nettle, orach, iris corms, truffles, and mushrooms (archeological remains in the Fertile Crescent)cucumbers, chards, gourds, onions, garlics, leeks, melons, chickpeas, lentils, cress, kales, and sesame—both for the seeds and for the oil. Colocynth melons, which resemble small watermelons, were grown primarily for medical applications. (Phoenician traders introduced to N. Africa and S. Spain)shallots, artichokes, saffron (Egyptian papyri and tomb paintings) The most commonly mentioned vegetables were lentils, leeks, lotus, melons, gourds, garlic, asphodel (grown for its … Continue reading Veg Maps – Ancient World