Everlasting Gardener’s

Improving Your Herb Know-How

Publisher: Joanie Lapic      Volume Number 1      Issue Number 10      Date: October, 2008
 


“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

 


IN THIS ISSUE:
~ October and November Classes
~ Get Rid of Those Bugs!
~ Herbal Highlight - ECHINACEA
~ SPECIAL - Herb Plants for Your Windowsill
~ John Clare poem

 


October Special --

25% OFF EACH HERB PLANT
OR
Buy 3, get one FREE

Culinary and medicinal Herbs can be grown indoors on your sunny windowsill or under grow lights.
Some herbs will not grow indoors, either because they want to go completely dormant in the winter, or because they just cannot adapt to indoor growing conditions (such as lower light or humidity).
But MANY herbs WILL adapt:
Chives, Bay, Tri-color or Bergarten Sage, French Lavender, Patchouli, Jasmine, Lemongrass, Parsley, Scented Geraniums, Rosemary, Mint, Chervil, Basil, and more!
You can use these windowsill-grown herbs to ~
~ give flavor & added nutrition to food
~ make fragrant teas and potpourris, and gifts
~ make easy home-made natural medicine
PLUS, I promise you’ll enjoy the wonderful smell every time you touch and tend them.
To purchase your herb plants, for this discounted price during the month of October, you must make an appointment and see Joanie at the Everlasting Gardener greenhouse and office, before the end of the business day on Friday, October 31, 2008.
But hurry, as some plants are limited in number.
To see the list of annual and perennial herb plants Joanie offers for sale from her greenhouse,
please go to: Plant List

Happy Growing!
 


Herbal Highlight:

ECHINACEA
Echinacea purpurea
“Purple Coneflower”

Many people are familiar with this cheerful, ornamental, purple daisy flower, growing to about 2 ½ feet tall in the garden.
Echinacea is native to central North America, so it prefers to grow in “prairie” conditions
such as full sun, but will thrive also in a little less than full sun. It also likes rich, sandy soil.
It can be started from seed in the Spring, or root divisions in the Fall.
Native North American Medicine Men were the first to recognize and use Echinacea to activate the body’s own ability to fight and heal itself from disease. They used the freshly squeezed leaf juices as a compress, and made Purple Coneflower into medicinal beverages.
There is no better herb than Echinacea to help the body rid itself of microbial infections. Scientific studies have confirmed that its immune boosting components increase both the number and the activity of immune cells in the body, to help fight both bacterial and viral invaders. It is also an excellent preventive of colds, flu, viruses and fungal infections.
The herb also activates the liver, lymph nodes and mucous membranes to augment the body’s overall capability to fight infection. It is also being investigated as a treatments for HIV and AIDS.
Echinacea enhances the body’s ability to overcome upper respiratory infections like coughs, sore throats, sneezing, laryngitis, tonsillitis, and sinus infections, also kidney infections, boils and septicemia. The tincture or the strong tea can be made into a mouthwash for the treatment of gingivitis and pyorrhea.

The two main active ingredients are contained in the flowers, roots and leaves, thus many Echinacea preparations are made from all of those parts. It is most often taken as an alcohol tincture, glycerin extract, lozenges, chewable tablets, decoctions or - most popularly - in capsule form, as the taste is rather earthy. You know you have a strong, effective decoction or tincture, when your tongue becomes “tingly” while taking your “medicine” (except for the capsules). The initial doses can be very high, then reduced to a normal adult dose, or smaller doses corresponding to the size of the child.
The above-ground parts are harvested during the height of the growing season, and the roots of 3 to 4 year old plants are dug in the fall, when the tops begin to die back in mid to late October, in western Pennsylvania.

Since Echinacea possesses germ-killing and wound-healing properties, applying a compress relieves swollen glands, inflammation of veins, infected cuts or skin abrasions, burns and inflamed insect bites.
Purple Coneflower combines well with just about any other herb, as a natural therapy.

(some information obtained from "Holistic Herbal" by David Hoffmann, from “The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants” by Andrew Chevallier, and from “The Complete Guide to Natural Healing”, card 8:10)

 

 


Joanie’s Courses at the Heritage School at the Succop Conservancy will resume in January, 2009.
Please check this site for information to be posted soon:


http://www.heritagefolkschool.org/course-schedules.asp
 


October and November Classes

HOW TO SIGN UP for CLASSES and EVENTS
at Everlasting Gardener
Please follow each Class’s specific instructions on deadlines and deposit amounts you need to become registered for each Class. “Events” registrations may be different from “Classes“ registrations.
To make your reservation for classes, your deposit of half the class fee must be in Joanie's mailbox on the specified date before the class starts.
And you must receive CONFIRMATION from Joanie before the class starts, so be sure to give your contact information.
You can sign up for classes, or see a list of past and future classes by visiting her website

 


HERBAL COOKING

Oct. 11, 2008
11:00 am to approx. 2:00 pm (includes lunch)

Make your breads, brunches, confections and special occasion dishes DISTINCTIVELY DELICIOUS -- by using herbs!
Includes how to ~
~ Bake Bread
~ Preserve and 'Put Up' Herbs for the Winter.
~ Cook and Bake with Herbs
~ Taking Care of Culinary Herbs Indoors

You'll take home ~
~ an herbal vinegar
~ a little tub of Pesto
~ a jar of herbal jelly
~ many RECIPES

Lunch will be: salad with herb flowers, fresh-baked herb bread, and warm, savory stew (specify if you need vegetarian). Iced/hot chocolate mint tea.
This class will be held at Everlasting Gardener classroom and gardens.
Price is $24.00 per person.
Attend with a friend and each get a $2.00 discount.
Joanie needs your registration deposit of $12.00 in her mailbox by Oct. 9.
(If you and your friend(s) are attending together, your deposit is only $11.00)
Bon apetit!
 

REFLEXOLOGY COURSE

This long-anticipated course is being offered at Everlasting Gardener.

Sat., Nov. 1, 2008, 1:00 pm to approx. 3:30 pm

Each attendee will . . . .
1. receive a Reflexology textbook
2. learn the theory and basic techniques of Foot Reflexology
3. practice Foot Reflexology on a classmate.
4. briefly explore Aromatherapy, which compliments Reflexology perfectly.

There will be foot washing and therapeutic lotions for use during class.
Also available: Aromatherapy preparations and Therapeutic lotions for your use in future Reflexology treatments.
$35 per person
So that Joanie can order your textbook and have it for you at the class, she must have your deposit of $17.00 in her mailbox by Wednesday, October 22, 2008.
See you then!
 


Get Rid of Those Bugs!

~LAVENDER Protects Your Clothes ~
Repel moths by using a few drops of Lavender essential oil on a cotton ball/pad tied with a string, hung in your closet.
A big bonus is the mood-uplifting you receive every time you open your closet door.
In addition, Lavender is useful for repelling mosquitoes, moths and flies.
Bug Repellant Mist: mix about 20 drops of Lavender with distilled water and a little alcohol (to keep the essential oil mixed into the water) and spritz around the house, near windows, and even outdoors around the patio, deck and porch.
~BAY Protects Your Food ~
Grain, rice and flour-eating bugs like weevils sometimes hatch in these foods on your cupboard shelves. Help prevent this with Bay leaves’ essential oils, which you bury in your grain and flour storage containers.
~CAYENNE Protects Your Plants ~
Indoor and outdoor herb plants shake off their potential pests with a little help from this warming herb. Recipe for an effective plant spray: Steep 1 tsp. powdered Cayenne in 2 cups lukewarm water for about 15 minutes. Strain, pour into a mister bottle and spray as needed. CAUTION - don’t touch your face while working with the herb or the herb-water. Don’t let the spray get into you eyes either.
 


Act 48 Continuing Professional Education Courses

Joanie is offering classes (at her Everlasting Gardener, 888 Tulip Drive, New Brighton, PA 15066, address) for educators' Act 48 credits.
Each of Joanie’s courses gives ONE Credit.
Most of Joanie’s Act 48 Courses are offered through the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit and the Midwestern Intermediate Unit. Teachers can register for Joanie’s courses through any Intermediate Unit, to obtain their credits.

The following course is offered through Midwestern Intermediate Unit

NATURE’S MEDICINE
October 18 and 25, 2008 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

To obtain registration forms and info, please contact:
MIU IV Continuing Education Department
724-458-6700 x 209, for Gail Myers, Program Secretary
gail_myers@miu4.k12.pa.us
OR x 238, for Lorinda Hess, Program Director
lorinda_hess@miu4.k12.pa.us

 


Act 48 Continuing Professional Education Courses

Joanie is offering classes (at her Everlasting Gardener, 888 Tulip Drive, New Brighton, PA 15066, address) for educators' Act 48 credits.
Each of Joanie’s courses gives ONE Credit.
Most of Joanie’s Act 48 Courses are offered through the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit and the Midwestern Intermediate Unit. Teachers can register for Joanie’s courses through any Intermediate Unit, to obtain their credits.

 The following Act 48 course is offered through the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit:

AROMATHERAPY: PLANT ESSENCES OF THE WORLD
Sat., Nov. 8, 2008 8:30 am - 4:00 pm and
Tues. Nov. 11 and Thurs., Nov. 13 5:30 - 8:45 pm (both evenings)

Please follow this link for registration and other details:

http://www.bviu.org/4638%5F91916121149/site/default.asp

(All of the courses are listed in alphabetical order.)

All questions or concerns should be directed to Cristine Wagner at
(724) 774-7800 ext. 3010 or via email at clw@bviu.org
 


Joanie’s Courses at the Heritage School at the Succop Conservancy will resume in January, 2009.

Please check this site for information to be posted soon:
http://www.heritagefolkschool.org/course-schedules.asp
 


And where the marjoram once, and sage and rue,
And balm and mint, with curled-leaved parsley grew,
And double marigolds and silver thyme,
And pumpkins 'neath the window used to climb;
And where I often, when a child, for hours,
Tried through the pales to get the tempting flowers;
As lady's laces, everlasting peas,
True-love lies bleeding, with the hearts at ease;
And golden rods, and tansy running high,
That o'er the pale top smiled on passer-by;
Flowers in my time which everyone would praise;
Though thrown like weeds from gardens nowadays.

John Clare (c.1800)
 


Every dollar that you spend , every healthy habit you begin NOW, building and maintaining your health with natural methods, gives you peace of mind and a happier future.

“Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths;
Guide me in Your truth and teach me…” (Ps. 25: 4,5)
 


Joanie Lapic, HERB SPECIALIST
Certified ~
~ Herbalist
~ Aromatherapist
~ Iridologist
~ Foot Reflexologist
Everlasting Gardener
888 Tulip Dr., New Brighton, PA 15066
phone:  724.846.4787
e-mail:  joanie@everlastinggardener.com
visit:  http://www.everlastinggardener.net
To find out about Nature's Sunshine, visit my website.
blog:  http://improving-your-herb-know-how-joanie.blogspot.com/


Please visit my website to learn more about Herb Plants, Aromatherapy, Iridology, Reflexology, my Classes, and favorite herb: Lavender.
     


"The Lord has brought medicines into existence from the earth,
and the sensible man will not despise them."
Eccl 38:4 (Jerusalem Bible)