One hobbit’s evolving food forest garden and habitat … permaculture food forest hobbit house garden richard peikoff mrhobbit
Hobbit House Evolution
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Jun 072009
Apr 192009
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Borage Herb
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Mar 242009
Borage is an annual herb native to southwestern Europe. Because its blue flowers attract bees it is widely cultivated in bee-keeping regions, especially in England and France, but also in other parts of Europe, where it often becomes naturalized. It grows to a height of 60 cm (2 ft) and the young hairy leaves have a cucumber-like flavour.
Its use as a herb actually came about by fraud, for in the days of the Roman Empire the poor used it in place of the costly saffron, a practice that continues to this day. It deserves to be forgiven, however, for its lovely colouring, called calendulin, is used as colouring matter not only in butter and cheese but also in soups, sauces and pastries.
The fresh young leaves and entire top parts of the plant are harvested during the flowering period to be used as seasoning. Borage must always be finely chopped so the delicate hairs are not annoying. Borage is delicious by itself either cooked in butter or raw as a salad with lemon juice.
The buds, produced in succession the whole summer long, are picked daily by hand and graded according to size. The spiciest, but likewise the most expensive, are the tiny, round, hard capers called `nonpareilles’, the cheapest are the so-called `eapueines’, also known as `capottes’, which are up to six times larger. Medium-size capers are called `surfines’, ‘fines’ or `mifines’. Capers are a common seasoning of the Mediterranean peoples and widely used by them in their cooking. They may be used to flavour salads, mayonnaise and cold sauces and served with cheeses; their pungent aroma is not destroyed by cooking.
Pot marigold is native to southern Europe and the Orient and is noted for its ease of cultivation. It is an annual herb that is propagated in spring by sowing the seeds outdoors where the plants are to grow. The yellow-orange disc-shaped flowers are borne singly at the end of the stalk. The use in the kitchen. These are arranged in two or three rows and plucked when the flowers are fully open.
In the former USSR capers are prepared from the related species. C. herbacea, which grows wild chiefly in the Crimea and Transcaucasia.
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Some Useful Herbs
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Mar 242009
Organic Crops in Pots: How to Grow Your Own Fruit, Vegetables and Herbs
Aloe vera
Parts Used: Gelatinous substance in the stalks.
Properties: Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Antifungal, Biogenic Stimulator, Cholagogue, Demulcent, Emmenagogue, Emollient, Hepatic, Laxative, Purgative, Rejuvenative, Stomach Tonic, Vermifuge, Vulnerary.
Internal Uses: Arthritis, Constipation, Tuberculosis, Ulcers
Topical Uses: Acne, Amenorrhea, Boils, Burns, Dandruff, Herpes, Insect Bites, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Psoriasis, Ringworm, Scars, Sunburn, Wounds
Parents have sometimes applied Aloe gel to the finger tips of children who bite their nails in order to get them to break the habit.
Energetics: Cool, Bitter, Moist
Chemical Constituents: Aloins, anthraquinones, barbaloin, polysaccharides, salicylic acids.
Contraindications: Do not use internally during pregnancy. Using Aloe during nursing may have an overly laxative effect on the infant. Excessive use may aggravate hemorrhoids. High doses may cause vomiting. When used as a laxative, combine with other carminative herbs to prevent gripe. When used topically, it is best combined with other moisturizing ingredients to prevent drying of the skin.
Cardamom is one of the finest spices and also one of the most expensive. From Dioscorides and Pliny we know that it was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the Middle Ages people believed it had medicinal properties that would heal practically every disease.
Turmeric: Unlike saffron the pigment in turmeric is soluble in fats. It is quite harmless and is used to colour butter, margarine, cheeses and mustard. By reason of its colour as well as its strong, pronounced flavour, turmeric is one of the principal ingredients of curry-powder, Worcestershire sauce and numerous other seasonings.
It is also popular, however, in Scandinavia, where it is used to flavour sausages and salamis and meat dishes. In addition to that it may be used in pickling vegetables and marinating fish, a.5 well as in pastries and liqueurs. The plant’s leafy stems are up to 3 in (10 ft) high, the clusters of flowers (racemes) grow from the axils of bracts on stems that are much shorter.
One medieval dish called `Comminee de Poulaille’ consisted of chicken cooked in water and wine, then roasted and finely chopped together with ginger, sour fruit juice, saffron and cumin. Nowadays cumin is one of the ingredients of curry-powder. By itself it is also a popular seasoning in Indonesian cookery and is likewise commonly used in Latin America and north Africa.
Turmeric is a perennial plant resembling reeds and growing to a height of I in (3 ft). It is cultivated in China, India, the West Indies and Java. It is propagated by means of thin pieces of the rhizome called ‘fingers’ and can be harvested within ten months of planting.
Cumin grows wild in Turkestan and is raised commercially chiefly on the coast of north Africa, in Malta, Sicily, the Middle East and’ India. Even though it is also available already ground, it is best to stock it whole and grind it just before use so it does not lose its aroma.
Lavender is a good nerve restorative and also useful as an antibacterial agent.
Topical Uses: Acne, Burns, Cellulite, Cold Sores, Eczema, Edema, Fatigue, Halitosis, Headache, Infection, Insect Bites, Insect Repellent, Insect Stings, Irritability, Joint Pain, Lice, Muscle Soreness, Rheumatism, Scabies, Scars, Snakebites, Toothache, Yeast Infection
Topical Applications: Use as a mouthwash for bad breath, foot bath for fatigue, and douche for yeast infections. Essential oil is used for toothaches, cold sores, acne and sore joints. It can be rubbed on the temples to alleviate a headache. Undiluted, it is an excellent remedy to apply to burns to promote healing, prevent infection and lessen scarring. Essential oil or fresh plant can be rubbed on the body as a bug repellent. It can prevent not only mosquito bites, but also lice and scabies infestation. Essential oil can be used topically on venomous bites such as bee stings, mosquitos, black widow and brown recluse spiders, wasps and snakes.
Place a drop of Lavender essential oil on the edge of the mattress of a teething baby to calm him/her down. Soaps, sachets and bath herbs can be used for cranky children or even for adults who have had a bad day. Use Lavender as a rinse for fragrant hair, and use it in massage oil for sore muscles, edema, rheumatism and cellulite. Use as a salve for eczema. Often used as perfume.
Culinary uses: Lavender is added in small amounts to stews and soups in French cooking. An ingredient in Herbes de Provence. Add small amounts in salads, fruit dishes and breads. One can make Lavender sorbet and Lavender shortbread. Also, use in vinegars, jams and candies.
Energetics: Bitter, Cool, Dry.
Chemical Constituents: Essential oil (linalol, eucalyptol, geraniol, limonene, cineole), tannins, coumarins, flavonoids, triterpenoids.
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