UK Style – Growing Micro-Salad Greens

Grin … I like it, I will use it often I’m sure. Swedish Language Council unveil it’s list of new Swedish words. Among them was a term Swedes began using in 2012. “ogooglebar” or “ungoogleable.

Source Lia Leendertz and Mark Diacono How to grow flavoursome{British Spell Oddly} micro greens

Growing micro-greens might be better suited for a Fall and Winter project. However micro-greens will be a welcome addition to your salad anytime of the year. Here are a few hints to get the most from your micro-greens.

Micro greens are just tiny seedlings of plants we usually harvest when they are fully grown. They are sown into compost and grown in light like any normal seedling, but harvested just a week or so after germination when they’ve produced their first pair of true leaves.
The plants that work best as micro greens are those with intense flavour and/or colour. Coriander, basil, fennel, radish and the oriental leaves are all great to try. {Any strong bitter green works well as a flavor accent to your salad.} Almost all herbs work equally well.

Micro-greens are delicate, not an ingredient for long, slow cooking, but more for adding at the last moment or add a little sprinkle as garnish of that special taste.

Micro-greens can be grown in your garden soil, raised beds and in larger size containers. Don’t allow your soil to become dry. Seedlings like and need a slightly moist warm soil for best germination rate. Not Wet or Cool Soil!

Coriander
There’s nothing subtle about coriander, a pungent, leafy herb which is the garnish of choice for bold and full flavoured Indian and Asian cuisines. Grown as micro greens, it delivers that punchy, aromatic, savoury flavour in even stronger bursts. It has everything we love about coriander.
Hint Use to provide a punchy garnish and flash of bright green to finish Indian and Asian dishes, or mix it into guacamole.

Fennel
Savoury, aniseed fennel, high in vitamin C, potassium and folic acid. If you grow it as a row of tiny, feathery leaves, cut before their prime, you will obviously not get the succulent bulb that forms over a summer of growth, but you will have that aniseed flavour, fast and hassle free. Fennel particularly loves white fish, so sprinkle it onto pan fried or baked fish to finish it. It’s also great sprinkled over a fruit salad or with cheese.

Fish Recipe, Coriander micro greens on baked mackerel{or the fish of the day that you and your family likes}

The fresh, strong taste of coriander micro greens works beautifully with this oily fish.
2 whole mackerel, gutted and cleaned
2 bay leaves
Dash of olive oil
Handful of coriander micro greens
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
* Lay a bay leaf along the inside of each fish and rub a little olive oil over the skin. Place on a greased baking tray and bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the skin is browned and the flesh is cooked. Sprinkle generously with the coriander micros and eat immediately with a garden fresh green salad.

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Homesteading, Living Off The Land

FYI: I do collect wild native plants for my cook pot when the kinds of plants I like to eat are in season. What I am not is a Prepper, {the worlds coming to an end} survivalist. If you want to know more on becoming a self sufficient survivalist, there are many websites and books available on this subject. I just think it makes good sense to save on my food bill where and when I can by collecting and eating local plants in season.

Wild Chicory

With the arrival of spring many areas of the U.S. can now find wild mushrooms (don’t eat wild mushrooms unless your are expert at their identification. Some varieties can ‘Kill’ You). Several different varieties of wild endive, chicory, poke weed and so on. Harvesting these plants in season can save you a great deal on your food bill.

In early summer all the way into early winter you can harvest both native grass seed and field planted cereal grain seed to be stored and consumed later by you and your family. Almost 100 percent of grass seeds are safe for human consumption, but be ‘safe’ know what your harvesting and insure it is safe for human consumption.
Research that plant in books and on the internet.
Watch the wild birds, if they are eating the seed it should be safe for you to eat them as well.
Last do the taste test. Chew up a few seeds, if they are very sour or bitter, spit them out, they may be poison.

Cereal Rye

After harvesting and thrashing, store well dried seeds in air tight containers, grind them to the consistency needed using a grain grinder(mill) or blender before use.
Course ground grains are a good addition to soups, stews and breads. Two of my favorite grains are barley in soups and stews and rye in homemade breads.

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DIY – You May Live A Much Longer Health-er Life

Source Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, author of Real Cause Real Cure said
It seems that many of ‘us’ home gardeners are no longer members of the 20 or even the 30 something generation. I have discovered that I ache in places I didn’t even know I had places a few years ago. Just last week I was afraid I was going to need to call 911 and have someone come to my garden to help me get off my knees! How frustrating that was.

Disclaimer I am not a doctor, what I have posted here was extracted from an interview with Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum.

30,000 unnecessary deaths occur each year from arthritis medications. ibuprofen or the standard arthritis medication, kills 16,500 a year from bleeding ulcer caused by those medications and may double or triple your heart attack and stroke risk.

It may better to be on medication than to be in pain, but, there are natural remedies for arthritis that are much safer. End Pain, which is a mix of willow bark and boswellia, has shown to be twice as effective as ibuprofen. Also, Curamin and boswellia were found to be more effective than Celebrex. Rather than getting side effects, the natural remedies provide side benefits, such as decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and the risk of cancer.

People that avoid the sun at all costs probably results in tens of thousands of unnecessary cancer deaths each year. Most of the deadly skin cancers, called melanomas, are not in sun exposed areas. “They’re increasing because of poor immune function, from poor sleep, poor nutrition and other factors.”

Skin cancers caused by sunshine are usually not the dangerous kinds. Instead, sunshine is critical for vitamin D, an important hormone and vitamin. Without vitamin D, individuals can have an increased risk of breast cancer, autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis and diabetes. Avoid sunburn, not sunshine.

When it comes to thyroid screening methodology doctors use today, Teitelbaum said “doctors don’t understand what ‘normal’ means.” He says it means you’re not in the highest or lowest 2 percent of the population. People whose thyroid levels are in the low-normal range, versus high-normal, have a 69 percent increased risk of dying of heart attack. People with mild, low thyroid, where many doctors say we don’t need to treat it – if you do treat it, your heart attack risk goes down by more than 30 percent.”

Patients treated for mild to low thyroid often see increased energy levels, weight loss, healthier skin and hair, among other benefits.

Just for the fun of it.
Dr. Manny Alrarez, are there any health benefits to drinking beer? Which beers are the ‘healthiest’? – Brian

Beer has several surprising health benefits. Despite beer’s bad reputation, it actually has a number of natural antioxidants and vitamins that can help prevent heart disease and even rebuild muscle. It also has one of the highest energy contents of any food or drink. Of course, this means you need to set limits, one beer gets you going, four makes you fat.

Worried about dehydration? Don’t worry. Keep in mind that beer is 93 percent water. Also, according to a Spanish study, beer may actually provide better hydration than H2O(water) alone when you’re sweating it out under the sun.

For health benefits, a dark beer is the better choice. Dark beers tend to have the most antioxidants, which help reverse cellular damage that occurs naturally in the body. A recent study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture has also found that dark beer has higher iron content compared to lighter beers.

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Whole Grain Products Are Good For You – Gluten Free Is A Poor Diet Choice

Source Why you shouldn’t go gluten-free
1 percent of the population has celiac disease and may need to reduce gluten in their diets.
Avoiding gluten in your diet can lead to health problems.

Gluten is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, rye and barley. It’s found in most breads, cereals and pastas.

A gluten-free diet won’t provide a benefit, said Katherine Tallmadge, a dietitian and the author of “Diet Simple.” What’s more, people who unnecessarily shun gluten may do so at the expense of their health, Tallmadge said. That’s because whole grains, which contain gluten, are a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals, Tallmadge said. Gluten-free products are often made with refined grains, and are low in nutrients.

If you embrace such a diet, you’ll end up “eating a lot of foods that are stripped of nutrients,” Tallmadge said. Studies show gluten-free diets can be deficient in fiber, iron, folate, niacin, thiamine, calcium, vitamin B12, phosphorus and zinc, she said.

Heather Mangieri, a nutrition consultant and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, agreed. “There’s nothing magical about eliminating gluten that results in weight loss,” Mangieri said. “Any of us that eliminates or removes cookies and candies from our diets, and replaces them with fruits and vegetables is going to feel better.”

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Spider Identification And Control – Updated repost

2013 spring and summer will soon bring out all the insects and spiders that managed to survive winter weather. Our mild winter has allowed many more adult spiders to survive this past winter and start breeding earlier than in most years.

If your are bitten by a spider, seek medial treatment as soon as possible, the longer you wait the more tissue damage is caused by the spiders venom. Try to take the spider ‘dead or alive’ to hospital with you. It is important that the medical staff know what kind of spider you were bitten by to provide you with the proper treatment.

Spiders – In U.S. gardens and even to be found in your home, there are at least 12 spiders that are Dangerous and Venomous?. It will be to your benefit to know how to identify and avoid these spiders. Their bits range from simply painful to down right dangerous to your health.

Natural no dangerous chemical spider control: The easiest way to control / eliminate spiders in and around your garden and home is to * get rid of their food supply! Spiders do not become established in areas that have no or few insects for them to eat.
* Keep leaf, brush piles and compost piles well away from your home.
* Keep fire wood out of direct contact with the soil and well away from your home.
* Turn on outdoor lighting only when ‘really’ needed and change standard bulbs for the yellow lights that do not attract insects. Lights will attract insects and insects attract spiders!
* Check and if needed replace door sweeps. Almost all spiders gain entry into your home from poorly fitted and sealed doors and windows.

Natural{sort-a} spider controls. Disclaimer Tobacco juice is a poison! It will kill ‘All’ insects that it comes in contact with. Use with Caution.

Spider Control Hints and Tips
A tip from Jerry Baker, a Master Gardener. Get a package of pipe or chewing tobacco, soak it in a gallon of boiling water until it cools. Strain the liquid into a clean container. Put a cup of tobacco juice and 1/2 cup lemon dish soap into a hose end sprayer and spray. I did this at our house two years ago and have been practically spider free since. This works on all kinds of bugs.

Helen said “Spiders have their taste buds on the tips of their legs. They also hate the taste of lemon pledge. Dust your windowsills and door frames with the pledge, both inside and out, and any areas where they accumulate. The spiders will find that they don’t want to live with you.”

Judy said “The fruit from the bois d’arc tree or also known as osage orange tree (the fruit we call horse apples) are a great repellant for spiders. But If you access to them, try quartering the apples and place one quarter in each corner of a room. The spiders just disappear. I used this when we moved into a house that had been unoccupied for a year and the spiders were in total residence. Within a week, they had all left!”

Side note, any effective treatment for spiders is also effective on scorpion’s.

Dangerous and Venomous Spider Identification Chart

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Uninvited House Guest! Or It’s ‘Almost’ Spring Time In Oklahoma!

Blue butt pigs

My daughter said that she was going by our local farmers coop feed store this morning. I was told by a local farmer that the coop feed store had some cattle range cubes that had got wet on sale for $5.00 for a 50 pounds bag. 21 percent protein range cubes normally sell for very near $15.00 for a 50 pound bag.
I told daughter1.0 to pickup a 1,000 pounds, 20 sacks, of range cubes to be fed to our 2 feeder pigs. That should last until the end of May when they will be sent off to be processed. They will 6+ months old and will be pushing 300 pounds each by the last of May or first week of June. Any left over feed will go into our new born longhorn steer and heifer calf’s feeder. And no he was not born a steer, grin … but he is a steer now!

When she returned, much to my surprise, she also had 2 bronze turkey chicks and 2 pearl guinea chicks. I was not ready for any new poultry! So after searching my shed and other places, I found an old small cage with a plastic bottom. After I washed and sterilized the cage, cleaned a spot on a bookcase for the cage, located and installed a light with a 100 watt bulb on top of said cage to keep the birds warm. At this age they need to be kept in a spot that is near 95 degrees. O-Guess what, I had no idea where I had put my chick water container or chick feeder last time I used them!

After 2 hours of searching, washing and sterilizing equipment the chicks are now safe and warn under a heat lamp on the top shelf of a bookcase. The turkeys will be ready to process and be wrapped and put in freezer for, … Grin … or BBQ pit smoker about the 4th of July.

The guineas will get a free ride! I don’t like the taste of guinea, so, they will be used as bug control in my garden.

Moral to this story is “Never allow your daughter in a farm store when the store has chicks for sale!”

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Saving American Jobs -The Environment And Americas Coal Industry

Source
Coal: the cleanest energy source there is?

Coal industry competitors (natural gas industry) and good intentioned over the top self proclaimed environmentalist have had a devastating effect on Americas Coal Industry. For near 50 years coal industry has been blamed for everything from causing the extension of dinosaurs to climate change.

It’s about time for some good news for the coal Industry and here it is.

Researchers have discovered a stunning new process that takes the energy from coal without burning it and removes virtually all of the pollution. This process removes 99 percent of the pollution from coal. Coal burning power plants produced about 1/3 of the nation’s carbon dioxide according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

OSU’s Clean Coal Research Laboratory has discovered a way to heat coal, using iron-oxide pellets for an oxygen source and containing the reaction in a small, heated chamber from which pollutants cannot escape. The only waste product is therefore water and coal ash with no greenhouse gases. As an added benefit, the metal from the iron-oxide can be recycled.

This new process could really promote our energy independence. Not only can we use America’s natural resources such as coal, but we can keep our air clean and spur the economy with jobs.

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Spring/Summer Gardening – A Stroll Down Memory Lane

Looking at some of my past postings I discovered some that you may or may not find interesting to read again, or maybe read for the first time.

The links (URL’s) are not in any preferred order. I just listed them as I stumbled upon them and though they may be of interest to Spring time gardeners.

Gardening – Food, Fun And Profit – An Honored American Tradition

Salad Greens – It’s Not What You Think!

Garden Fresh, Green, Orange, Purple, Red, Yellow Stuff

Early Spring – Late Summer Planting Is Best For Leafed Salad Greens

Garden Planting By Moon Phase

(ZeroScape) Landscape Water Conservation… Xeriscape™

Plant Your Summer Garden In March – DIY Mini-Green House

DIY – Grow Sweet Potato’s – Not Yams

Your First Vegetable Garden – Almost Fail Proof – Root Crops 101

Asparagus Not Just For The Rich And Famous or Plant once for years of fine dinning.

Brussels Sprouts – Plant, Grow, Eat – It’s Just That Simple

Broccoli – Hate It? Blame President George H.W. Bush

Leeks a gourmet vegetable

Onions – Planting To Your Dinning Table

Potato’s Are Planted – What Could Go Wrong Now?

Tomato’s – Determinate -Indeterminate – Heirloom – Hybrid With Compost On The Side

Tomato Growing – A Crash Course – Tomato’s 101

Thyme – Now Is The Time For Planting Herbs

Herbs! Some Like Hot And Dry

Herbs Make Common – A Special Gourmet Meal

Vegetables – Baby’s Challenge Adults!

DIY – Fresh Picked Berry Or Fruit Cordial

DIY – How To Poison Your Family With Supermarket Foods – It’s Fast And Easy

Tiny Farm – It’s Hummingbird Season

Wash Your Vegetable Garden For Safe And Easy Insect Control

Vermicomposting: Composting Kitchen Waste With Worms

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Organic Grown, Nutritionally No Better Than Commercially Grown Vegetables

Put your clubs, hatches, spears, pitchforks and knifes away! Don’t kill the messenger!
UK Study Finds – Organic grown vegetables ‘has no nutritional health benefits’

Please Note that this study only looked at nutritional value of Organic verses Commercially grown vegetables. This study does not mean that people should not eat organic food. What it does shows is that there is little, if any, nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced food and that there is no provable evidence of additional health benefits from eating organic food. This study is neither pro nor anti organic food and recognized there were many reasons why people choose to eat organic, including animal welfare or environmental concerns.

UK researchers said “our review indicates that there is currently no evidence to support the selection of organically over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority”. He added that better quality studies were needed.

Although the researchers said “that the differences between organic and non-organic food are not ‘important’, due to the relatively few studies, they report in their analysis that there are higher levels of beneficial nutrients in organic compared to non-organic foods.”
There is not sufficient research on the long term effects of pesticides on human health researchers added. Overall the report, which is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found no differences in most nutrients in organically or conventionally grown crops, including vitamin C, calcium, and iron.

Spreading manure

Organic Gardening for your health? or Your Backyard Stinks!
Healthy plants are better able to survive insect and disease attacks.
Manure is the key to having a healthy Organic garden. Well composted manure does not smell bad if it has any smell at all. Fresh Manure should be applied before planting and be tilled into your garden soil before planting. This will eliminate any oder and act as a soil builder for your garden plot.

You should add and till fresh manure into your garden after your last harvest. This should be done in early fall through early spring months. The fresher the manure the earlier you should get it spread and tilled into your garden. As with any fertilizer more is not always better.

Too much nitrogen in your garden soil can cause lush over size plants with little or no fruit set. To little nitrogen can cause stunted small unhealthy plants. Phosphorus is important for flower and fruit formation and potash is helpful in root development and plant hardiness. The fertilizer industry uses a number rating system for rating the percentage of nitrogen{first number}, phosphorus{second number} and potash{third number} in fertilizers. Gardens need a fertilized with a medium first number like 10, higher middle number like 15 and a low third number like 5. Fertilized rated {10-15-5} is a good selection for most gardens.

How do manures rate? I have attached a chart to help you determine what manure best fits your gardens needs.

You may also wish to read one or more of the links I have provided.
University of Florida report: http://www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AA205
Manure Matters: http://www.plantea.com/manure.htm

I might add that there is 43,265 square feet in 1 acre. A garden plot 50 feet by 100 feet is only 5,000 square feet and the recommended application rate for gardens is only about 100 pounds per acre. A little go’s a long ways!

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Salsa Verde (Green Salsa Sauce) DIY Fast And Easy

Source Roasted Tomatillo & Jalapeno Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde (Green Salsa)

I double all the ingredients which will make 2 pints of fresh Salsa Verde. I have amended the original recipe to better fill my taste for Salsa Verde sauce. My additions are high lighted in green text.

Roasted Tomatillo & Jalapeno Salsa Verde
Ingredients: Makes 1 pint
4 tomatillos 10 for 2 pints
1 small jalapeno 4 hot or mild, it’s your choice, for 2 pints
1 clove garlic 4 – 6 cloves for 2 pints
1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon for 2 pints
1/8 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon for 2 pints
Juice of 1 lime 2 or 3 for 2 pints
1 bunch cilantro 2 or 3 bunches for 2 pints
1/2 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon for 2 pints
1/2 of a strong flavored onion for 2 pints.
I serve my Salsa Verde with or on homemade Tacos, Burritos, Pinto beans, Breakfast eggs all styles, and as a dip with fresh ripe Avocado wedges and Corn chips.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 F. Place the tomatillos (skins removed and rinsed), jalapeno and garlic into a small oven-proof dish or skillet. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Roast them in the oven for about 15 minutes, turning once. Once they’ve finished roasting, place the tomatillos, garlic and jalapeno (stem removed) into a small food processor along with all the oil and liquid from the roasting dish. (You may also halve the jalapeno and remove the seeds for a more mild salsa.) Add the cilantro, cumin, lime juice and salt to the food processor, and blend the ingredients for about 30 seconds or so. Enjoy salsa right away or store in mason jars in the fridge.

Fill 2 pints jars to with in 1/2 inch of their tops.
Snugly secure lids and screw rings.
Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Allow to cool over night.
Age for 14 days or more then enjoy your Salas Verde. Keep refrigerated after opening your canned Salsa Verde.

Here is another Salsa Verde recipe that I like but not sure how well the avocado will stand up to canning. This one well may be better served fresh, hand/home made in your kitchen.

Salsa Verde
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup capers, drained
1/2 cup purple onion, chopped
Zest of one lime
Juice of one lime
1 (or more) Jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 ripe avocado
1 cup packed fresh parsley, chopped
1 + 1/2 cups packed fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:
Add all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until desired consistency is achieved. Adjust seasonings as desired.

It just doesn’t get any easier or faster than this.

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