Improving Your Herb Know How210

Everlasting Gardener’s
Improving Your Herb Know-How

Publisher: Joanie Lapic Volume Number 2 Issue Number 10 Date: May 15, 2009

“Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth
. . . And to . . . Everything that has the breath of life in it I give
every green plant for food.’” Gen.1: 29,30

If you have questions about any information in these articles, or if you
need any supplies or products, please contact
Joanie Lapic, Everlasting Gardener
Phone -- 724-846-4787
e-mail -- joanie@everlastinggardener.com
Following this link to my website may also help you find what you are looking for:
http://www.everlastinggardener.net

IN THIS ISSUE:

~ Herbal Highlight

~ REMARKABLE - MAY Drawing

~ Victory Gardens - Again

~ Herbal Terms

~ Upcoming Classes

~ My Gift to You

Herbal Highlight

CHERVIL

Anthriscus cerefolium

This delicate, ferny herb has a very light parsley-anise flavor with a hint of myrrh - a quality addition to any meal. It is almost always included in the French fines herbes culinary blend.

Chervil is best grown in light shade during the ‘heat’ of the day. The soil should be light, well-drained and fertile. It’s a good idea to plant seeds every six weeks, to always have fresh chervil, since it can go to seed quickly in hot weather. It will self-seed.

It is a good indoor plant in the winter, if kept cool, and with enough humidity. If it is not possible for you to grow Chervil indoors, the leaves can be frozen or dried to preserve them for later use. You can start gathering leaves when they are about 4 inches high.

CULINARY uses: add LEAVES generously in salads, soups, sauces, vegetables, chicken, white fish, and egg dishes. When used in a cooked dish, add right at the end, to avoid flavor loss. When used in combination with other herbs, chervil enhances their flavor. You can even use the tender, cut-up stems in salads, soups and casseroles.

COSMETIC uses: Make a tea with the leaves, or chop up and add to a clay or other mask to clean out the pores and discourage wrinkles.

MEDICINAL uses: Eat the raw leaves for additional vitamin C, carotene and some minerals. Made into a tea, chervil stimulates digestion and helps with circulation disorders, liver problems and chronic catarrh (painful, inflamed upper or lower respiratory stuffiness).

(some information obtained from "The Complete Book of Herbs“, by Leslie Bremness

REMARKABLE May Drawing!

The winner of this Drawing receives an Herb Garden Plants collection!

This collection includes: Chives, Lavender, Dill, Chamomile, Rosemary, Thyme and Basil. You may substitute up to 2 Herb Plants which Joanie offers for sale. See the list:

http://everlastinggardener.net/herb_plants_for_sale_at_everlast.htm

It’s EASY to qualify for entry into this drawing.

Each entrant must ---

Be (or become) a ‘subscriber’ to Joanie’s newsletters:

AND

Become a ‘follower’ to Joanie’s Twitter:

3. Do the two above BEFORE 11:59:59 pm on May 31, 2009.

The winner will be announced on Joanie’s website and on her Twitter by June 5, 2009.

The winner is responsible for receiving the herbs, either by

Picking them up at Joanie’s greenhouse

Paying the shipping to have them sent directly to the winner.

Arranging with Joanie to have her meet you somewhere with the plants.

Plants must be received by the winner no later than June 30, 2009.

Thank you for entering this REMARKABLE Drawing!

VICTORY GARDENS -- AGAIN

What is a Victory Garden?

Let me answer that question with another . . .

What can you do that ~

~ saves gasoline and other types of energy

~ gets you outside doing healthy exercise, and

~ improves the chances that your family will eat more veggies and use more herbs?

Answer ~ grow a garden full of delicious fresh vegetables and useful, tasty herbs.

Growing your own food, flavoring and simple medicine will empower you and help you feel secure against lean times. You might want to learn the basics of ‘canning’ veggies and preserving and using Herbs. There is help for that in many different places. Joanie can assist you with Herb information. (Just ask, or attend her classes.)

A little history about Victory Gardens:

During World Wars I and II, patriotic citizens conserved resources which were needed and used overseas - in fact, they were encouraged to do so by the government. 40 million American families produced 40% of the nation’s food grown during WW II.

Now, with economic times being tight for many families, we CAN do something to help ourselves save money and overcome concerns about food safety and nutrient content.

Also, agricultural fertilizers are often derived from petroleum products, so you can be ecologically responsible (and less dependent on foreign oil) by “growing organic”, composting household waste and using Herbs as fertilizer (many are high in the minerals on which other plants thrive).

Growing sun-warmed tomatoes and snappy-fresh green beans has quite an attraction. But there is nothing like having Herbs growing along with those veggies – for great flavor, nutrition and simple homemade medicines.

For those who don’t have a patch of ground to cultivate, consider joining a community garden, or growing your Herbs and veggies in containers, or purchasing from local growers at a Farmer’s Market.

Please join Joanie for an information-packed day of PRACTICAL HERBOLOGY,

learning how to become self-sufficient using Herbs as everyday medicine and nutrients. To create peace of mind and self-sufficiency, you’ll discover how to grow them, harvest and prepare them for the good health of your family.

PRACTICAL HERBOLOGY

June 20, 2009

10:00 am to 3:00 pm

For details and reservations for this important seminar:

http://everlastinggardener.net/classes_by_joanie_lapic.htm

HERBAL TERMS

These are terms that describe what Herbs can do for you.

They may be of help to you when you read or study about herbal medicine.

This is a continuing series, which began in the

“Improving Your Herb Know-How”, March 15,’09 issue.

If you have any question about how to use the medicinal herbs,

please contact Joanie:

http://everlastinggardener.net/contact_us.htm

GALACTAGOGUE – Stimulates milk flow (try Blessed Thistle, Fennel or Fenugreek)

HEMOSTATIC – An herb that stops bleeding (Yarrow)

HEPATIC – An herb that acts on the liver to stimulates bile flow, such as Burdock, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root.

HYPNOTIC – An herb that induces sleep (e.g. Valerian)

HYPOTENSIVE – An herb that lowers blood pressure (Hawthorne Berry, Garlic)

IMMUNOMODULATOR – An herb that supports the action of the immune system (e.g. Echinacea, Garlic, Oregon Grape)

LAXATIVE – An herb that promotes fecal expulsion, such as Cascara Sagrada, whole Aloe)

(some information from “Prescription for Natural Cures”, by Balch and Stengler)

Upcoming Classes

Please visit the website for a complete listing of Joanie’s presentations.

PRACTICAL HERBOLOGY

June 20, 2009

10:00 am to 3:00 pm

For details and reservations for this important seminar:

http://everlastinggardener.net/classes_by_joanie_lapic.htm

Act 48 Continuing Professional Education Courses

Please follow the link below, for registration and other details about SUMMER COURSES through both Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit, and Midwestern I.U.,

held at Joanie’s Herb Gardens:

http://everlastinggardener.net/classes_by_joanie_lapic.htm

My Gift to You

With your purchase of 2 or more Herb plants during May,

you receive FREE either a Viola or a Forget-Me-Not plant.

Receive your gift whether you visit Joanie’s Greenhouse and Gardens to buy Herb plants

OR have your herbs sent to you.

Offer good until the end of the day, May 30, 2009 (please make your appointment - no Sunday sales).

Happy Spring!

In order to remaining calm and focused, and not succumb to panic, it is important to keep a "sound mind" in any time of emergency, panic or crisis, such as the Swine Flu.

"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind."
(2 Timothy 1:7)

Happy Memorial Day