Our Winter Garden

We planted Kale last weekend and this morning I planted some Garlic.  I'm not sure I did it right, but we'll see in a few months.  I only planted about 7 cloves, and they were nothing special, just cloves bought from the gropcery store.  I can't wait to see how they turn out, as I'm a big fan of Garlic...

I checked out my fennel today and saw some aphids going to town on it.  I remember reading that aphids are fond of fennel, and I can see why.  I think I'll borrow the blender tonight and make those mean little suckers an herbal pesticide that they won't like sucking on quite so much.  Well, we'll see.

More Fennel Notes

1. Fennel should be planted away from Dill or Coriander for the strongest flavor and to prevent cross pollenation.
2. Mix with Sodium Bicarbonate and syrup to make grip water for gassy/colicy babies over 4 months of age.
3. Seeds should be sown in early April.
4. Magickally, fennel is used for protection, healing, purification and money.  Its corresponding planet and element are Mercury and Fire.
   

Fennel Chai Tea

Combine in a glass jar and cover tightly.
       1 Cup Cinnamon Chips
       2/3 Cup Fennel Seed
       2 Tablespoons Whole Cardamom Seeds (without husks)
       2 Tablespoons Black Peppercorns
       1 Teaspoon Whole Cloves

Boil 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup milk.  Add 2 teaspoons of spice mix.  Remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes.  Boil a second time, add 1teaspoon or 1 teabag of black tea and 1 or 2 teaspoons honey.  Steep for 5 minutes without heat.  Strain into cup and enjoy.

Fennel

I decided to start with Fennel, since I love the anise flavor of it.  It's pretty and feathery, and I'll add a picture in of ours a little later on.

1. Seed stalk rises up to eith feet and produces umbels of yellow flowers.
2. The plants die back in winter and reappear in early spring.
3. Fennel does best in fertile, moist but well drained soil and is hardy to -10 degrees Farenheit, as long as it is not in standing water.
4. To keep plants producing tender leaves, they should be cut back to the ground when they begin to flower.
5. Harvest all seeds and cut down to ground in winter for a neat appearance.
6. Fennel should be divided every three years in early spring or fall. 
7. Young fennel is tender and tastes very much like licorace, which makes it good for a child's garden.
8. As a kitchen seasoning, it's great for pork and other fatty meats and adds interest to salads.
9. The flavor of the seeds are stronger than leaves and can be nibbled straight from the garden while they are green and were used in the past to freshen breath.
10. Gray green fennel seed heads grow hot, fast and aromatic.
11. Fennel was used in ancient Rome as a weight loss aid due to it's diuretic and fat-digestion qualities.
12. Seeds are carminative, digestive, antispamodic, duiretic and taken for liver and gall bladder problems, especially stones.
13. Fennel is often used in cough drops and syrups for it's soothing mildly expectorant effect.\
14. It is also thought to be good for the eyes and eyesight.
    

A Cover Crop

We decided not to do a winter garden and instead to use a cover crop.  We bought some Mammoth Red Clover from Territorial Seed Co. and planted it in the area all the plants used to be.  I decided to get Red Clover because I read that the blossoms can be used in tons of different ways.  Syrups and cough drops for sore throat, tincture for headaches, but most importantly, and probably the first thing I would use them for is a skin lotion or ointment for Mindy to use for her Psoriasis. 

I've decided to study a different herb each weekend, starting with the one's we've actually got out on the table. 

Theives

Although many times I've looked at a garden and thought to myself that I'd love to have ___ plant in my yard, I never would have stolen one off of someones property.

Last night, someone came and stole all of the medicinal marijuana we had all spent our whole spring and summer nurturing.  We're trying to figure out who it was, and it hit James hard, especially since they came onto the property while everyone was home.  James went in the backyard, and by the light of a flashlight dug up all the dirt in the back, tilling the stems, leaves and roots into the soil.  We're thinking about a winter garden of some sort, but don't know if we should deal with the cost.

Kale

Mindy bought some Kale from Wal-Mart for James and I to plant in the yard as a little miniture winter garden.  I'm not sure how they will do, but I'm pretty confident that it won't be to bad.  And if it doesn't work out, there's always next year. 

We've got a table outside the trailer full of herbs, which at the moment seem to be doing well.  Our rosemary bloomed over the weekend and looks beautiful.  We pruned back the Pineapple Sage with the help of Chris Delk, and I hope it doesn't kill it.  That would just break my heart.  We've got the leaves in the fridge and I'll need to find a use for them before they go kaput.  We'll need to bring the herbs in soon here, but I want to let them get as much sun as possible. 

I read that rose hips are good for harvesting around now... I wonder if I could find them somewhere nearby.  I checked Mindy's rose bush, but didn't see any hips... *shrug*