Doreen B. from Danbury, CT is June’s art contest winner

You just won June’s art contest!

Doreen B. from Danbury, CT  is June’s art contest winner 

Your prize is on its way.

Congratulations from

Home Farm Herbery LLC

https://homefarmherbery.com/

You just won May’s Art Contest!

You just won May’s Art Contest!

Georgianna B. from Floresville, TX. is May’s art contest winner 

Your prize is on its way.

Congratulations from

Home Farm Herbery LLC

https://homefarmherbery.com/

Some Good Reasons to Plant Comfrey©

Some Good Reasons to Plant Comfrey©

By Arlene Wright-Correll

Many years ago a good friend of mine brought me some Comfrey clippings for my herbery.  Comfrey is a large, perennial plant that keeps on coming back every year.

Comfrey (Symphytum officianale) is an attractive and useful plant, with large, hairy leaves and bell shaped purplish flowers. Native to Europe and temperate parts of Asia, it is in the same family as borage and forget me not.

Comfrey can be grown almost anywhere and in most types of soil, but is happiest with some shade. Comfrey is a fast-growing plant, producing huge amounts of leaf during the growing season, and hence is very nitrogen hungry so you can put animal manure on it.

Organic gardeners and herbalists love this plant.   Mature comfrey plants can be harvested up to four or five times a year. They are ready for cutting when about 24 inches high and depending on seasonal conditions, this is usually in mid-Spring.  Comfrey should be harvested by using shears, a sickle, or a scythe to cut the plant about 2 inches above the ground, taking care handling it because the leaves and stems are covered in hairs that can irritate the skin. It is advisable to wear gloves when handling comfrey.

The leaves and roots have been used medicinally for thousands of years, dating as far back as Roman times, and the plant is used as a fertilizer by organic gardeners. The following are just some of the reasons why comfrey is sometimes referred to as a “wonder” plant.

Comfrey has a high allantoin content, which increases cell production, helping wounds to heal rapidly and Comfrey poultices, salves and creams are recommended by herbalists for healing bruises, sprains, fractures, pulled muscles and torn ligaments.

Comfrey leaves can be used in the garden by placing them around your plants as mulch. As Comfrey decomposes it can be cultivated into the soil. Comfrey is a fantastic compost activator. It enriches compost, as well as encouraging it to heat up.

Comfrey contains mucilage, which coats and soothes irritated tissues.

 Comfrey has more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) than most commercial fertilizers available.

You can order the best comfrey seeds at this link now.  https://homefarmherbery.com/shop?olsPage=products%2Fcomfrey-seeds

Tread the earthy lightly and in the meantime may the Creative Force be with you.

Arlene at Home Farm Herbery.

https://homefarmherbery.com/

4 Great recipes for Chia Seeds©

4 Great recipes for Chia Seeds©

By Arlene Wright-Correll

1. Fast and Easy Chia Muffins

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ground chia seeds 

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sweet potato puree

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

Directions

Mix together wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.

Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Scoop into muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350˚F.

2. Oatmeal Berry Bars with Chia Seeds

Oatmeal cookies meet berry cobbler and chia seeds. Using freezer chia jam these bars could pass as dessert or a snack.

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

Oat Bar:

1½ cups whole oats

½ cup flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp chia seeds 

4 Tbsp warm water, mixed

½ cup + 2 Tbsp butter, melted

¼ cup pure maple syrup

2 Tbsp milk

3. Chia Seed Freezer Jam:

3 cups fresh your favorite berries

2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup, to taste

2 tbsp chia seeds 

Instructions:

Oat Bars

Mix the chia egg in a small blow and set it aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole oats, flours, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.

In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, maple syrup, milk, and chia egg.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well, using your hands if necessary.

Set aside ½ cup of the oat dough for the topping.

Pour the oat mixture into a square pan and press down with your fingers to form the base.

Use a pastry roller to smooth out if desired.

Pour the berry chia seed jam mixture on top and smooth with a knife.

Drop the reserved ½ cup oat mixture in small bits on top.

Bake the bars at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

Allow the bars to fully cool for at least 30-40 minutes before gently removing them from the pan.

Slice and store the bars in a container in the fridge to keep them firm.

4. RECIPE FOR CHIA FRESCA

Ingredients:

1 glass of lemonade

1 tsp Chia Seeds 

Directions:

Combine chia seeds and lemonade. Shake or stir. Allow to sit for 10 minutes until chia seeds swell. Enjoy this delicious and healthy chia fresca.

Chia fresca can also be made by soaking the chia seeds for 10 minutes separately in a glass of water. Then combine the chia seed gel with any flavored water or juice for exciting new flavors of chia fresca.

Tread the earthy lightly and in the meantime may the Creative Force be with you.

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery

https://homefarmherbery.com/

You just won April’s Art Contest!

You just won April’s Art Contest!

Christina G. from Floresville, TX. is April’s art contest winner 

Your prize is on its way.

Congratulations from

Home Farm Herbery LLC

https://homefarmherbery.com/

How to Make Spicy Thai Stir Fry©

How to Make Spicy Thai Stir Fry©

By Arlene Wright-Correll

You worked all day and you come home and now have to cook.  Or you are an empty "nester" like me and really don’t do much cooking any more.

I have been using a wok for over 40 years now and I find it not only great but easy and fast to use.  However, in the event you do not have a wok then just use a deep sided frying pan.

Either way this great, easy to make, 15 minute dish is wonderful whether you are cooking for 4 or for 1.  I don’t mind making it for 4 because I can either freeze some of it to thaw out another day and add to my lettuce later or I just reheat the leftovers.

Light, spicy and full of flavor. This is a very easy dish to prepare and only took about 15 minutes to get it on the table. At Home Farm Herbery I really liked using the lettuce because it gave a nice freshness and cool crisp taste to what might otherwise been the usual rice.

Some times I use bigger pieces of lettuce and make a lettuce wrap with the meat.

I use 2-3 Tablespoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (30,000-35,000 SHU)

*Let me make a big NOTE here.  The secret of easy cooking is to have all the ingredients cut/chopped/diced/poured out prior to starting the cooking.

It's all about "mise en place", which is French for "together in place". Always have all of your ingredients available and ready to go before you start cooking. For some recipes where the dish is cooked very quickly, such as stir fry or Chicken Picatta, you should have all of your ingredients cut and ready to go in advance before you start to cook. For other dishes such as soup which cooks longer, you can save time by doing the prep work as you cook versus having everything cut and ready to go in advance.

This dish is a good source of protein, Vitamin K, Vitamin B12 and Zinc but it is also high in sodium.

Ingredients:

1 pound flank steak

2 – 3 tsp Dried RedChili Pepper Flakes 

1/4 cup SpicyThai Seasoning  

1/4 cup Minced Onion

2 tablespoons + a pinch of canola oil (for the chile paste)

1/2 small bell pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 cup water (more if needed in Step 6)

Green lettuce leaves

Directions:

Slice beef into 1/4 inch strips 2-3 inches long.

Grind chilies, Spicy Thai Seasoning and Minced Onion into a coarse paste adding a pinch of oil. 

Heat wok or deep side skillet and the oil and swish it around the wok.

Add chile paste and stir until lightly browned.

Add beef and bell pepper and stir not overcooking.

Add fish sauce, sugar and water and stir (you will have about 1/2 to 3/4 cup sauce) more water if needed).

In serving bowl place lettuce leaves to cover bottom and place mixture on top.

Serves 4

May the Creative Force be with you

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery LLC

Rue is a Good Herb Perennial for Zone 5-9©

Rue is a Good Herb Perennial for Zone 5-9©

By Arlene Wright-Correll

Recently we received this email question, “I was wondering if you know anything about the plant Rue and can I plant it here?”

Rue is an herb and it is a perennial plant that you can grow in zones 5 though 9. So we planted some in our Kentucky gardens here at Home Farm Herbery a long time ago and we sell the heirloom seeds worldwide and ship them free. Rue seeds are found here.

Rue has a long history of use as a domestic remedy, being especially valued for its strengthening action on the eyes. The plant contains flavonoids (notably rutin) that reduce capillary fragility, which might explain the plants reputation as an eye strengthener. Some caution is advised in its use internally, however, since in large doses it is toxic and it can also cause miscarriages. The whole herb is abortifacient, anthelmintic, antidote, antispasmodic, carminative, emetic, emmenagogue, expectorant, haemostatic, ophthalmic, rubefacient, strongly stimulant, mildly stomachic and uterotonic.

The tops of fresh shoots are the most active medicinally, they should be gathered before the plant flowers and can be used fresh or dried. An infusion is used in the treatment of hysterical affections, coughs, flatulence etc. The juice of the plant has been used in treating earaches and chewing a leaf or two is said to quickly bring relief from giddiness, nervous headaches, palpitations etc. An alkaloid found in the plant is abortifacient, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic. A homeopathic remedy is obtained from the fresh herb, harvested in early summer shortly before flowering begins. This is used in the treatment of a variety of complaints including eye strain, headache and sprains. Known Medicinal Properties

Some important facts about Rue are it is used as an Abortifacient; Anthelmintic; Antidote; Anti-inflammatory; Antispasmodic; Carminative; Emetic; Emmenagogue; Expectorant; Haemostatic; Homeopathy; Ophthalmic; Rubefacient; Stimulant; Stomachic.

WARNING LABEL: Home Farm Herbery cannot take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of seeds and/or plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a seed and/or plant for medicinal purposes.

“Tread the earth lightly …and may the Creative Force always be with you.

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery

https://homefarmherbery.com/