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Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on November 10, 2011 at 5:53am

Some good information on outdoor root cellars and what will work well from Mother Earth News

http://www.motherearthnews.com/do-it-yourself/root-cellars-zm0z11zk...

 

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on September 2, 2011 at 4:58pm

An inspiring story.

A Year in the Round -- A few things I've learned

8/9/2011 3:21:14 PM

By Natalie Morris

Tags: a tipi, a good dog, and a guard horse, Natalie Morris

1. Living in a tipi is pretty neat, but it's really nothing special. Though it may not be for everyone, everyone can do it. Imagine living in a single room without TV or internet, with a hole in the ceiling, and in a ghetto. But instead of people outside hustling all night, it's opossums and owls. Once you jump those hurdles, it's pretty much the same. 

2. There will be spiders.

3. Shake your bedstuffs vigorously EVERY night before bed (see number 2).

4. Aside from your drinking water, I've found that you (and two dogs) can very easily live on one gallon of water per day. That includes brushing your teeth, doing a little dishes, a little water for cooking, and a quick shower. If you have smaller amounts of hair than the nest atop my head, or take fewer showers, you can live on much less.

5. Probably don't get a puppy as you're moving into the tipi (see Twig the Terrible). But a mature, sensible dog is an absolutely indispensable companion. They will combat loneliness, be your alarm, and may play homeland security later. 

 

6. One tea light candle goes a long way. I've spent many an evening under the light of one tea light candle; reading, doodling, and just hanging out. Your eyes adjust surprisingly well when taken out from under artificial lighting.

7. Get to know your neighbors; the wildlife and the people. Know the difference between a raccoon sound and an Eastern screech owl sound. Know what snakes and spiders in your area are poisonous, and how do deal with them. Memorize the way to your nearest neighbor's place so well that you could get there at a flat run in the darkest dark.

8. You will become intuitive in your sleep. Where before you wouldn't rouse if a freight train derailed in your living room, you will jolt awake if you feel an insect (or arthropod!!) buzz across your foot. Lucky (or maybe not) for me, the horses graze next to my tipi all night. When they spook or snort, I hear it. Jeez louize, I can actually feel it! Last night Folly spooked an opossum away from the tipi (I know her hoofbeats in comparison with the other two horses). That was pretty sweet. 

9. That being said, you will sleep very well. The diurnal beings we are, our bodies naturally want to go to sleep soon after dark and wake with the sun. If taken away from electronic distractions, that's just what it will do. I don't even have an alarm any more.

 

10. Depending on where you are located, a gun isn't a bad idea. At the very least, have pepper spray and a big knife.

11. You'll begin looking at the sky, and weather in general, in a totally different manner. You become more sensitive to the breeze, to clouds, and to pressure.

12. When you live without electricity, listening to music becomes a special treat. Homemade music is a priceless luxury, and it should always be that way.

13. If you do this or something like it on your own, you will get lonely. It's a force you're gonna have to deal with in your own way. Learning to just hang out with yourself is hard, but it's possible. I'm still figuring it out.

14. Living in a tipi sure as hell isn't the "simple life" everybody keeps talking about; either I'm doing it wrong or somebody started a rumor...!

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/a-year-in-the-...

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on August 15, 2011 at 4:01pm

Snakes can be a good thing besides being food they can control the rodent population....

Snake Identification Key to Rodent Control

 

Image Gallery This black rat snake will help keep the rodent numbers down around the farm. University of Georgia

As you quickly learn growing up on a farm, particularly next to a rock quarry as I did, not all snakes are poisonous. And, even the poisonous species are not completely bad; they often, like their nonvenomous counterparts, serve the welcomed purpose of controlling rodent populations.

The first nonvenomous species that comes to mind, which my brothers and I saw the most, is the black snake; we probably saw the black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta). Black snakes chiefly prey on rats and mice, but they are also known to feed on chipmunks, other snakes, squirrels, birds and bird eggs. They are a constrictor, so they suffocate their prey before eating it. These snakes can be long, sometimes as lengthy as 8 feet. Black snakes are excellent climbers and largely arboreal.

Bullsnakes are another variety that we found around our farm. They will prey on other snakes, especially the young, but they primarily go after mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels and birds. They can be up to 8 feet long, and when threatened, a bullsnake will try to flatten its head into a more triangular, rattlesnake-like shape and beat its tail against surrounding foliage to make an imitative rattle. It is often this threatening tactic that is often a bullsnake’s undoing, since many people mistake it for a rattler and kill it. Bullsnakes have at least some immunity to poisonous species.

Another of the nonpoisonous snakes is the ribbon snake. This member of the garter snake genus is docile and commonly found as a pet. Their diet consists of worms, slugs, minnows, insects and small mice. They are relatively small, with size ranging from 1½ feet to 3 feet in length.

The milk snake is a member of the king snake family, and another of the nonpoisonous snakes that removes rodents around the barnyard. One myth is that the milk snake sucks milk out of cow udders, but this is just that, a myth. Milk snakes are not anatomically equipped for such a venture. The myth comes from their propensity to hang around barns, and therefore milk cows, because barns are usually cooler in temperature and harbor numerous rodents. Milk snakes feed mainly on rats, mice, squirrels, beavers, eggs, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Milk snakes, like some other snakes that aren’t poisonous, eat other snakes and have at least some immunity to poisonous snakes like the rattler.

Lastly, racer snakes are a breed of snake that captured my imagination at a young age. My mother often told the story about how, when she was young, a blue racer chased her across the yard from a field where my grandpa was bush-hogging, if my memory serves. Racers have a top speed of about 4 miles per hour, or an adult human’s brisk walk. When approached by a predator, the racer will flee to a burrow, rock crevice or thick vegetation.

Adults are uniformly black, blue, brown or greenish on top, and white, yellow or dark gray below. They range in length from 3 to 7 feet and eat large insects, frogs, lizards, other snakes, small rodents and birds.

These reptiles can eliminate rodent population problems from our farmland, so before you fetch the shovel or hoe the next time you see a snake, discern – from a short distance – the type and whether or not it’s a poisonous snake. As long as it won’t harm you or your pets, think about letting it go. The rodents around your property might not be as numerous in the future.

Read more: http://www.grit.com/Wildlife/Snake-Identification-Key-to-Rodent-Con...

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on August 15, 2011 at 3:56pm

Alot of people will be considering eating the rodents that will be rampant in city streets but for the survival farms that have been set up, rodents can become a real problem.  Something else we need to stuff our brains with...ugh

Rodent control on the farm:

Rodent Pest Control on the Farm

Planning and strategy are keys to keeping vermin away.

Steve Edwards
September/October 2009

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Enlarge Image Image Gallery Grain bins are a favorite feasting place for pesky mice and rats. iStockphoto.com/Robert Hunt

With the onset of fall, summer's bounty gives way to an urgent need among animals to seek food and shelter for the coming winter. Rats and mice are on the move. And to the wandering rodent, your farm looks like a deluxe hotel. Proximity of a food source and nesting grounds are prime considerations for rodents about to take up residence. Buildings, feed bins, woodpiles, junk heaps and stacked trash are all highly attractive to rodents. When it comes to providing habitat for these varmints, the farmer is often her own worst enemy.

Rats and mice have been a nuisance to humankind since the beginning of time. The infamous bubonic plague, the Black Death, was caused by fleas that bit infected rats and then passed the disease on to humans. From time to time, nations experience a virtual swarm of rodents that destroy foodstuffs and crops. On U.S. farms, losses from these vermin are measured in hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Fortunately, with some basic precautions, rodents can be controlled. 

Have a strategy

A good rodent-control strategy is a simple three-step process. First, deny them food and shelter; second, employ an ongoing control program; and third, encourage all area farms and rural households to institute similar rodent control measures. Since rodents can reproduce exponentially, everyone's help is needed.

Let’s start with habitat denial. Rodents survive and multiple largely through human negligence. Sloppiness comes with a price ... and it can be high. It is estimated that on poultry farms alone, rodents can consume $250 worth of feed for every 100 hens housed per year. They damage structures and wiring, cause fires, spread disease and can prey on baby animals.

Some important steps to eliminate a harborage for rats and mice are:

● Don’t have open and unsanitary dumps on the farm. Bury or burn trash, offal and garbage.

● Stack lumber and building supplies 1 foot off the ground. Never stack wood next to buildings.

● Store feed in metal or plastic containers when possible. Clean up spilled feed as soon as possible.

● Avoid on-farm junk piles and storing old machinery or equipment. These make good rodent homes.

● Rat-proof buildings by using concrete floors and foundations. Use hardware cloth to screen windows, vents, pipes and drains. Check buildings for holes and make necessary repairs. This denies access to rodents and discourages their residency. 

Reduce populations

The second part of a good rodent control program involves reducing existing populations by trapping, predation and poisoning.

 

Rodents can be easily trapped. Rats and mice follow natural runways. Finding these areas is critical for trap placement. Selection of attractive bait is also important. Rodents go for fish, oatmeal, bacon and sweets. Select a trap location inaccessible to children, livestock, pets and non-target species. Various types of traps can be used, from conventional types to sticky paper. Trap selection should be based on individual and safety considerations.

One of the best ways to control rodent populations is by good old-fashioned predation. The barn cat is an excellent choice. Cats are natural mousers. They should feed almost exclusively on varmints, which sharpens their hunting skills and makes them more effective rodent killers. Snakes, hawks and owls are also natural rodent predators. If you own large livestock, you should have nothing to fear from these animals. Smaller livestock, however, may have to be protected from natural predators. Then, let the predators go to work and hunt and kill the varmints. That's what nature intended.

If, as a last resort, a poisoning program is used to control rodents, it should be used carefully and with great caution. Careful consideration must be given to children, pets, livestock and non-target animals. Poisons are indiscriminate, so use them with extreme caution. Poisons should be placed in those inaccessible spots that only rats and mice will find; good locations are along runways and in their nesting areas. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions before setting out any poisons, and monitor poisoned locations daily. 

Collaboration

Lastly, to be effective, a rodent control program must be a continuous and ongoing collaboration with neighbors. No area should become a breeding ground for these pests. They spread and multiply too fast. The key is cooperation, constant effort and vigilance. Once they gain a foothold, rats and mice can be hard to eliminate. It's better to institute and practice the prevention and control techniques discussed than to wait to be overrun with vermin. Start a good rodent control program now. It's well worth the effort.

Read more: http://www.grit.com/Farm/Rodent-Pest-Control-on-the-Farm.aspx#ixzz1...

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on August 1, 2011 at 10:47pm

Dealing with Burns:

BURNS

 

 

A young man sprinkling his lawn and bushes with pesticides wanted to check the contents of the barrel to see how much pesticide remained in it.  He raised the cover and lit his lighter; the vapors inflamed and engulfed him.  He jumped from his truck, screaming.  His neighbor came out of her house with a dozen eggs, yelling: "bring me some eggs!"  She broke them, separating the whites from the yolks.  The neighbor woman helped her to apply the whites on the young man's face.  When the ambulance arrived and when the EMTs saw the young man, they asked who had done this.  Everyone pointed to the lady in charge.  They congratulated her and said: "You have saved his face."  By the end of the summer, the young man brought the lady a bouquet of roses to thank her.  His face was like a baby's skin.

 

Healing Miracle for burns:

Keep in mind this treatment of burns which is included in teaching beginner fireman this method.  First aid consists to spraying cold water on the affected area until the heat is reduced and stops burning the layers of skin.  Then, spread egg whites on the affected area.

One woman burned a large part of her hand with boiling water.  In spite of the pain, she ran cold faucet water on her hand, separated 2 egg white from the yolks, beat them slightly and dipped her hand in the solution.  The whites then dried and formed a protective layer.

She later learned that the egg white is a natural collagen and continued during at least one hour to apply layer upon layer of beaten egg white.  By afternoon she no longer felt any pain and the next day there was hardly a trace of the burn.  10 days later, no trace was left at all and her skin had regained its normal color.  The burned area was totally regenerated thanks to the collagen in the egg whites, a placenta full of vitamins.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on July 4, 2011 at 10:15pm

Medicinal Uses of Marigolds

Marigold has been highly valued by herbal healers of centuries. In most herbal reference works it is called calendula, its Latin name, so the two names are interchangeable. However, for the purpose of this article, we’re strictly speaking in reference to the calendula variety of marigold, or what are also known as “pot marigolds.”

Marigolds are found almost anywhere in the world. They grow easily, bloom reliably, and have few insect and disease problems. Marigolds are highly useful for medicinal purposes such as headaches, toothache, swelling, and strengthening the heart. They have also been used in cooking as well.

History

It is thought that marigold originated in Egypt and was first introduced to Britain and other countries by the Romans. It was one of the earliest cultivated flowers. The ancient Greeks, who used the petals for decoration, also knew of marigold’s other uses, such as coloring for food, make-up, dying fabrics, and medicinal uses. Marigolds have been grown in the gardens of Europe since the 12^th century. By the 14^th century, many had learned of its many and varied “magical powers.” One medieval author named Macer described marigold in his volume on herbs and thought that merely to look upon the blooms would improve eyesight and draw evil “humors” from the head. They are often called “pot marigolds”due to their use in cooking.

During the American Civil War and World War I, marigolds were used to prevent wounds from getting infected. The blooms were made into either a poultice or infused into oils for application to the wounds. In eastern countries garlands of the brightly colored flowers were, and still are, frequently used in festivals.

Medicinal Uses:

Only the flower heads of marigolds are used medicinally. They are well known for their wound healing and antiseptic properties, but modern herbalists have found a wide variety of uses for them, including: an alternative analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, astringent, bactericide, carminative, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, stomachic, styptic, and tonic. The petals of the marigold have been made into an infusion that is useful as an eyewash. They are also good as a natural fabric dye and for food coloring.

Taken Internally:

• Improves circulation
• Balances female reproductive systems with its estrogenic effect—for example in cases of painful or scanty menstruation
• Detoxifies the digestive system, helping to heal viral inflammations, candida, gastritis and peptic ulcers with its anti-bacterial/anti-fungal actions
• Is a safe diuretic that will aid in detoxifying the urinary tract
• Purifies the lymphatic and immune systems as it builds them up
• Helps to treat dysfunctions of the liver and gallbladder and will clear, cool, and detoxify the digestive system and relieves colitis
• Stimulates the cells that protect the body from infection
• Soothing for sore throats, toothaches, and cold sores
• Antiseptic actions will speed up recovery from measles and mumps

Externally:

Compresses soaked in marigold tea are therapeutic in many ways, including:

• Healing wounds, cuts, scrapes, lacerations, small infections of the skin, animal bites, scratches, and scars
• Stops bleeding with its astringent actions
• Anti-bacterial actions combat infection and promote healthy tissue growth
• Anti-inflammatory, reducing swelling and irritation, soothing the treated areas
• Anti-microbial
• Calendula ointment applied to varicose veins twice daily for about three weeks can improve or clear them completely
• Appling marigold ointment and/or powder to bed/pressure sores regularly can treat and may even prevent them if used before the skin breaks down that far
• Marigold ointment is a safe and effective treatment for diaper rash, and used together with fresh air, it is a wonderful solution to an age-old problem. Marigold powder has also been used as a replacement for baby powder, as its healing properties go far beyond anything that talc can do.
• Great for treating bruises
• Ideal for treating sunburn and other first degree burns
• Soothing to insect bites and stings

Marigolds In Pregnancy and Childbirth:

Pregnant women should not use internal preparations as it is believed to stimulate labor and may thus bring on delivery too early. However, it is safe to use it externally throughout pregnancy and may be especially helpful after childbirth. It has long been used to promote healing of rips to the perineum and likewise any incisions needed to allow for the baby’s entry into the world. It can be alternated with arnica treatments or used alone.

Ointment of Marigold on birthing scars has been used to reduce their visibility and using it on sore, cracked nipples due to nursing offers relief to many when gently rubbed into the area. This same ointment is useful for treating mastitis after birth or during breast-feeding. If a high fever develops after childbirth, a diluted tincture of marigold, in combination with a strong infusion, used three times daily will help reduce the fever and flu-like symptoms that may accompany it.

Shelf life of Flowers and Seeds:

Dried flowers can last 6-12 months while fresh flower heads should be used immediately for maximum potency. The seeds under normal conditions will be good 1-2 years, but stored in a cool, dark place in a tightly covered container will last much longer.

 

7 Comments to “Medicinal Uses of Marigolds”

1. I thought the common marigold (tagetes) and the calendula (pot marigold) were two different plants.
   I know the common marigold – pictured in the article – can be used to deter aphids and other bugs when used as a companion plant. The pot marigold or calendula, which looks much more like a yellow/gold daisy is used medicinally for salves.

   Are they the same? ThanksThank you for pointing that out. The wrong picture was featured and I apologize for any confusion for our readers. I have updated the article to reflect the calendula marigold.

   
   

   Thanks for the interesting and helpful article!

   I was going to point out the same thing Bellen did, but ten noticed that she beat me to it!

   The photo shows a calendula, not a marigold, although some people do mistakenly refer to calendula as marigold. Marigold is a different plant/flower, which has a very distinct and somewhat unpleasant smell calendula doesn’t have.

   Here is an article about marigold:

   http://healthandbeautywoman.com/marigold-flower-beauty-and-health/

   Your article now shows a calendula, but apart from mentioning that some people mistakenly refer to calendula as marigolds, all other references to marigold should in my opinion be deleted from your article.

   
   

3. The above article still states that Marigold and Calendula are the same thing but the comments above contradict that. Which one is true???

   Calendula is a variety of marigold. Because this flower is referred to as marigold in herbal references, it’s easily confused with the garden variety of marigold we use for insect control. I have added a sentence in the first paragraph to underscore the fact that, for the purposes of this article, we’re speaking in reference to the calendula marigold, or pot marigold as it’s also referred to. How does one get the ointment from these flowers and how to made them for healing.
   Thank you for your help.

4. emmiej1939 – to extract the healing properties into a sauve you need a medium such as extra virgin olive oil. Heat about 2-4 cups of olive oil to 200 degrees (check with a candy themometer) in a stainless cooking pot and place the DRIED pot marigold HEADS in a cheese cloth ‘sache’. Sink the cheese cloth sache into the hot oil and check the temperature frequently to maintain the 200 degrees for 1 hour. At the end of an hour, turn the heat off and allow the oil to cool for about 20 minutes. Pull the sache out of the oil using tongs and press out the oil from the cheese cloth against the inside of the pot. place on a plate to discard later. To make the mixture into a sauve you will need to add beeswax. The recipe is approx 4 Tb beeswax to 1 cup oil. Stir melted wax into oil and pour mix into a low cut bin with a good cover and allow to cool. You will want to make sure the sauve cools completely before covering to keep condensation from forming. We use baby food jars but we also made a 3-C cream using Comfry, Calendula, and Chickweed mix (about 2 cups each). So you could use less oil/beeswax. The cream we used on a baby with diaper rash and the rash DISAPPEARED after the first application. Have fun!

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on July 4, 2011 at 10:10pm

Onions And Their Healing Properties

Onions, a member of the allium family, are related to leeks shallots, garlic and scallions. Smelly though they are, they have been used for centuries for their remarkable healing properties. Asian cultures, Egyptians, Romans, and ancient Greeks revered onions. They believed these globes helped to fight infection, relieved indigestion, eased joint discomfort and many other ailments. From modern studies we know that onions have antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been found useful as a diuretic and as an effective expectorant (this would make it helpful for fighting coughs, colds and flu bugs).

Onions, like other members of the allium family, are high in flavonoids and powerful antioxidants known to prevent many diseases in the body. They are particularly high in the flavonoid quercetin, which in recent studies has been shown to prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol from attaching to the walls of our arteries and also preventing the sticking together of blood platelets and the formation of clots. A 2006 British study shows that people who eat the most quercetin-rich foods (particularly onion soup in this study) have reduced their risk of thrombosis and cardiovascular disease. Quercetin has also been used to stop tumors from growing and is often used for cancer prevention. In central Georgia, where Vidalia onions are grown, statistics show that deaths from stomach cancer is almost 50% lower than in the rest of the United States. Onions are also very rich in fructo-oligosaccharides, compounds that have been shown to stimulate growth of healthy bifidobacteria and suppress the growth of potentially harmful bacteria in the colon. This may account in part for onion’s role in preventing colon cancer.

According to the American Heart Association, onions are a natural and effective way to raise one’s HDL (good) cholesterol. Researchers have shown that by eating white or yellow onions, HDL can be raised significantly, up to 30 percent over time. University of Utah researchers have found evidence that quercetin may even reduce high blood pressure.

Onion’s many sulfur compounds are responsible, not only for their wonderful smell and irritation to eyes, but also for their powerful antimicrobial properties that effectively battle numerous bacteria, including subtilis, salmonella, and E. coli.

The Downside

The unfortunate thing is that when onions are cooked, most of the beneficial effects we get from onions are greatly reduced or even lost during the cooking process, so you should eat them raw whenever possible. Some have even suggested juicing onions and adding two to three teaspoons of honey to the juice as a way to maximize their beneficial potential. This juice, taken for a period of about three weeks, will reduce the length and severity of a cold, the flu or other virus. A good buying tip is that the smellier and stronger the onion, the more potent its healing properties are.

Other Medicinal Uses

• A compress can be applied to the skin to relieve acne, arthritis and congestion
• A natural wormer (however studies have shown onions are toxic to cats and dogs)
• Natural diuretic
• Relieves intestinal disorders (by stimulating the contraction and expansion of the intestines, onions help to remove intestinal putrefaction and excess gas)
• Indigestion
• Headaches
• Earaches
• Toothache
• Prevents tooth decay
• Laryngitis
• Colic
• Angina
• Jaundice
• Sunstroke
• Stimulating hair growth

A Simple and Effective Cough Syrup

Choose one or more of the potent onion varieties. Slice 2-3 medium onions. Place one layer of onions in a glass bowl and cover with organic sucanat or brown sugar. Continue layering onions and sucanat or brown sugar until all onions are layered. For a more powerful remedy, add ¼ cup of Manuka honey. (This is the recommendation of the source I researched. However, it’s really better to use honey from your local area beekeepers. The bees in your area are gathering pollen from YOUR environment, and this helps fight whatever allergy or irritant you’re being exposed to.)

Cover with plastic wrap and leave on kitchen counter for 24 hours, stirring occasionally to insure onions have been fully covered. Drain liquid into a glass jar after 24 hours. Take 2 tablespoons, as needed, for coughs and respiratory congestion. Refrigerate after use. Keeps up to one week in the refrigerator.

Onion Plaster for Chest Congestion

Gather three or four large onions—yellow or brown preferably. Quarter and place into the top of a steamer. While the onions are steaming, prepare a piece of cheesecloth. Open cheesecloth into a large square, or double if it is very large. You should end up with a square 10” x 10” or smaller – depending on the size of your patient.

Steam the onions until soft and allow to cool slightly. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the onions onto the cheesecloth. Fold cheesecloth over the onions. Press out remaining liquid as you fold. Fasten the bundle closed with knots or safety pins to keep the onions from falling out. Place the onion plaster on the chest of your patient. The plaster must be warm, but not warm enough to burn the skin.

Poultices

Migraines/Headaches

Sliced raw onions wrapped in cheesecloth and placed the forehead. Let sit 15-30 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times daily, as needed.

Rheumatism

Small raw onions chopped and missed with dry mustard placed in cheesecloth bundles and placed on affected joints. Let sit 15-30 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times daily, as needed.

Abscess

Baked onions wrapped in a cheesecloth bundle and placed on the affected areas. Place on the face in the area where the affected tooth/teeth are. Let sit 15-30 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times daily, as needed.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on July 4, 2011 at 10:07pm

Medicinal Uses of Chamomile

There are two plants that are known as chamomile—German Chamomile (which is the most popular) and Roman (or English) Chamomile. Though belonging to different species, they are used to treat the same conditions. Both have been used to treat frayed nerves, various digestive disorders, muscle spasms, mild infections, and a range of skin conditions.

Other names these plants go by are: chamomile, chamomile, wild chamomile, sweet chamomile, German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile, mayweed, scented mayweed, and pineapple weed.

The ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks used chamomile for many medicinal purposes thousands of years ago, and it is still used for those and other conditions today, including:

• Chest colds
• Sore throats
• Abscesses
• Gingivitis – inflammation of the gums
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Psoriasis
• Acne
• Eczema
• Minor burns
• Ulcerative Colitis – Inflammatory bowel disease
• Stomach ulcers
• Chicken pox
• Diaper rash
• Colic

Internal Use:

Chamomile flowers have widely been used for herbal tea. It is so popular that it can be found in the tea aisle of most grocery stores. Chamomile tea has been used as a mild sedative and a tonic to calm the nerves. When a child is teething, chamomile tea can be safely used for both of these purposes. It will calm him and help to keep him from being emotional while cutting his teeth. Other uses for chamomile tea are:

• Anti-inflammatory – used for arthritis, and other swellings.
• Antispasmodic – used for intestinal and menstrual cramps, relieving gas pains, and a mild, effective laxative.
• Vasodilator – used for fever, sore throats, the aches and pain of colds and flu, headaches and allergies.
• Anti anxiety tonic.

External Uses:

Chamomile flowers can be made into an infusion, which is especially good for the hair. They can be added to cosmetics as an anti-allergenic or made into an ointment for treating wounds or hemorrhoids. Dried chamomile can be used as potpourri and for herb pillows, and burned for aromatherapy. Other external uses are:

• Compresses – for swellings, sunburns, burns.
• Added to baths to relieve muscle aches, sooth tired feet, and soften skin.
• Rubbed on the skin to repel insects.
• Water plants with the tea to feed them and prevent some diseases.
• Essential oils can be used as a flavoring, in making perfume, and to combat neuralgia and eczema.
• Made into a paste, use it to treat skin irritations, infections, and burns.
• Steam therapy for treating asthma, hay fever, and sinusitis.

Treatments

Paste:

Grind dried flowers in mortar and pestle, add some water or unsweetened chamomile tea, and slowly add oatmeal as needed.

Bathing:

Place a handful of flowers in a mesh bag, hang from the faucet by its string, and run the bath water over it.

Natural Hair Highlights:

Thoroughly wet hair with unsweetened, warm chamomile tea. Wrap head with plastic wrap and cover with a bath towel. Keep head warm for 30 to 60 minutes to bring out natural highlights. Dry and style as usual. This will add golden highlights to brown hair.

Steam Therapy:

Place dried chamomile flowers into a mesh strainer over a pan of boiling water. Breathe the steam deeply to ease respiratory symptoms.

Dosages

Children:

Children under 18 should use half of the recommended adult dose.

To relieve colic use 1 – 2 ounces of unsweetened chamomile tea daily.

Adults:

• Tea: pour 1 cup boiling water over 2-3 heaping tablespoons of dried flowers, steep 10-15 minutes. Drink 3-4 times daily between meals.
• Tincture: (1:5, 45% alcohol) use 1-3 ml (100-150 drops) three times daily in a cup of hot water.
• Capsules: 300-400 mg three times daily.
• Gargle/mouthwash: make the tea above and let it cool. Gargle as often as desired. You can also make an oral rinse of 10-15 drops of chamomile extract in 100ml warm water. This may be used three times daily.

Cautions

While chamomile is considered to be a safe herb, some people may experience allergic reactions such as hay fever, sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes. It may worsen asthma symptoms, so those with asthma should not use it. Those with allergies to asters, daisies, chrysanthemums, and ragweed may also have reactions to chamomile, as they are related.

Pregnant women should take care in using chamomile. It is a uterine stimulator and can cause contractions. Drinking large amounts of chamomile tea with high concentrations of the herb may cause vomiting.

Other possible interactions include:

• Blood thinning medications – chamomile may increase risk of bleeding when taken with warfarin.
• Sedative – chamomile can increase the effects of drugs that have a sedative effect, including anticonvulsants – Dilantin and Depakote; barbituates; tranquilizers – Xanax and Valium; insomnia treatments – Ambien, Sonata, Rozerem;  antidepressants – Elavil; and alcohol.
• Herbs like kava, catnip, and valerian root.
• Other medications – because chamomile is broken down by certain enzymes in the liver, it can interact with other medications that are also broken down by the same enzymes, such as:  Saldane, statins (medications which reduce cholesterol, such as Lipitor and Xetia); birth control pills; and some antifungal drugs.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on July 4, 2011 at 10:06pm

Curative Properties of the Potato

Potatoes originated in the South American country of Peru. They were cultivated there by the Incas for over two thousand years before they were discovered by the Spanish conquistadors, who were exploring for gold and silver. Incan communities used potatoes for healing broken bones and relieving rheumatism and indigestion, and they were thought to be a major part of the Indians’ diet. When the conquistadors did not find the gold they were seeking, they starting shipping potatoes back to Spain in the 1530’s. However, potatoes were not trusted for food right away, as they are a part of a family of toxic plants called nightshades. In fact, some have commented that if potatoes were a modern find, they would be deemed unsafe for human consumption for this family relationship. It would take about 200 years for the potato to become a popular table item.

Potatoes are relatively inexpensive, grown rather easily, and have useful medicinal purposes, to boot. Since their introduction to Europe and their belated popularity, remedies from the once ignored potato have come from around the world, including Korea, Central America, England, and the United States, where the potato has been used to treat a variety of skin ailments. These treatments range from acne and warts to frostbite and burns. The National Potato Board has even recommended using peeled, shredded, and soaked potatoes as a facial mask for drying oily skin. Russian folklore has suggested that those over 40 should grate and eat a medium sized raw potato daily, before breakfast, to keep the arteries clear and increase blood flow to the heart. In some rural areas of England, those suffering from rheumatism still carry potatoes in their pockets, hoping that they will absorb some of the acid from their bodies. They are replaced every few days and the old ones thrown away.

Nutrition

Potatoes have been found to be a highly nutritious vegetable. Starch is the main component of potatoes, but they also contain small amounts of protein and alkaline salts. They are also rich in vitamin c, b-complex vitamins, and beneficial levels of the minerals iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. Many of the nutrients in potatoes are found in their skin, so more benefits have been attributed to eating them whole as opposed to peeled.

Medicinal uses

Potatoes have many constituents including a host of tannins, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The tannins have a drying action which has been linked to relieving diarrhea. They have also been used externally for burns and inflammation. In folk medicine, the use of potatoes for bone and muscle pain is partially due to their ability to hold heat for long periods of time, allowing it to penetrate deep into ones tissues. The converse is also true, as they hold cold well and are also used as a compress for treating burns and scalding.

Successful experimental treatments for gout and rheumatism have been made in recent years from the juice of raw potatoes and using the vital mineral salts found in the water of boiled potatoes. Potassium, sulfur, phosphorus, and chloride in an uncooked potato are useful for treating acne blemishes; while their enzymes and vitamin c can nourish the skin, remove unhealthy tissues and make it younger looking. Folklore claims that an uncooked potato, freshly cut and placed on a wart several times daily, will remove it. This treatment has also been recommended for removing splinters and relieving bags under the eyes.

Potatoes should be omitted from the diet of those with venereal diseases and those who are prone to aphrodisiac tendencies as they contains an alkaloid toxin (solanine) which affects the sexual organs. Solanine poison is more prevalent in potatoes too green in color. The combination of cooked meat and the afore mentioned ‘too green’ potatoes cooked intensifies this poisonous actions. Together, with the presence of uric acid crystals resulting from the poor digestion of the meat, they may cause severe irritation of the sexual organs.

Treatments

• Potato Therapy: chronic constipation, intestinal toxemia [Preeclampsia], gout, kidney stones, and dropsy have been treated with a potato diet. Beneficial results have been achieved by eating thus for several months. On the potato diet, you can prepare them in various ways; baked, steamed, and in a soup. Other vegetables which can be eaten on this diet are spinach, beet tops, turnip tops, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, and other green vegetables.
• Scurvy: Potatoes are an excellent treatment for scurvy. Use of ‘potato cream’ or mashed potatoes are common in cases of infantile scurvy.  Since the acceptance of the potato in Europe, scurvy has decreased in appearance, only showing up when the crop fails.
• Rheumatism (Arthritis): Raw potato juice is an excellent natural remedy for treating rheumatism. One or two teaspoons pressed out of mashed, raw potatoes should be taken before meals to eliminate acid conditions and relieve rheumatism. The skin of a potato is also good for relieving rheumatism, as it is very rich in vital mineral salts. The water the skins have been boiled in is a good medicine for all acid-causing digestive disorders. The peelings should be washed thoroughly and boiled for 3-5 minutes. It  should then be strained and a cup taken three to four times daily, as needed.
• Digestive System: Raw potato juice is valuable in stomach and intestinal disorders. Ulcers of the stomach are treated with the juice of pink potatoes. Potato juice has also been used to relieve gastritis. The recommended dose is half a cup two or three times daily an hour before meals. Potato starch has been given as an anti-inflammatory for gastrointestinal diseases and toxins.
• Skin Cleanser/Revitalizer: The enzymes, vitamin C, and starch found in raw potatoes can make a skin food that nourishes starved skin tissues. The alkaline properties of potato juice have an antiseptic action that leaves the skin a youthful glow. Much of the old skin is sloughed off by the acidic portion of the pulp.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on July 4, 2011 at 10:04pm

Canning Meat

Canning 203: Introduction to Meats – Poultry and Rabbit

Jul 4th, 2011 | By Esther | Category: Top Headlines | Print This Article

Canning meat is no different than any other food you process. In fact, it may even be the easiest food to can, even though it takes a longer processing time. You may be timid about canning meats, and while care should certainly be taken in the processing of any food item, meat is no more difficult than any item you’d put into the pressure canner.

The flavor and texture of the meat you can is in direct proportion to the breed of animal, the method of slaughtering, and the type of aging process employed. For instance, if you hunt your own game, you should ask your county extension agent or a reliable friend in the meat processing industry about aging and chilling your meat before canning.

Your meat should be free of excessive fat, gristle, and bruising, as these will affect the flavor of the finished product. Game that has a strong flavor should be soaked in a mild salt-water solution before canning. Be careful with poultry and pork—these meats tend to absorb salt, and it can make them unbearable to eat. If your meat has a particularly gamey taste, you can process the meat with tomato juice.

Poultry and Rabbit

Poultry that is one-to-two years of age is the best meat for canning. Again, this meat absorbs salt easily, so refrain from soaking any wild poultry (such as turkey) in a salt-water solution. Chill the meat for about six to twelve hours before processing.

You can process your chicken in a variety of ways. When my children were younger, I’d process 4-ounce jars of deboned white chicken meat. They could take these in a lunch box with some whole wheat crackers, a cheese stick, and a fruit or fruit bar of some type, and have a delicious, healthy school lunch. Larger half-pint jars can be used to can chicken for making chicken salad. You can process whole chicken pieces such as legs and thighs in a quart jar for use in dishes like chicken pot pie. It’s quick and easy to open up a jar of chicken, quickly debone it and dump it into pan, and then add the rest of the ingredients for whatever dish you want.

To can quart jars of whole chicken pieces, simply cut the chicken at the joints, leaving the bone and skin intact. Pack these raw pieces tightly into quart jars, leaving an inch of headspace. If you want, you can add a teaspoon of salt to the quart jars, but it’s not necessary to the canning process. Personally, I don’t usually try to can turkey legs, but I have processed the thighs and breast meat with no problem. For boneless chicken, pack your jars tightly with meat leaving one inch of head space, and add salt if desired. There’s no need to add liquid as the meat will produce its own broth as it processes.

Because rabbit meat is so similar to poultry, you can use the same processing methods and times for rabbit as you do for poultry.

The recommended processing times for boneless chicken or rabbit in a dial-gauge canner, either raw or hot packed, is 75 minutes for pint jars and 90 minutes for quarts. Use the following poundages depending on your altitude:

0 – 2,000 FT:           11 lbs

2,001 – 4,000 FT:   12 lbs

4,001 – 6,000 FT:   13 lbs

6,001 – 8,000 FT:   14 lbs

The recommended processing times for bone-in chicken or rabbit in a dial-gauge canner, either raw or hot packed, is 65 minutes for pints and 75 minutes for quarts. Increase your poundage for higher altitudes the same as above.

The same time for processing applies to weighted-gauge canners as stated above with dial-gauge canners. However, set your weighted gauge at 10 lbs of pressure for all altitudes up to 1,000 Ft, and 15 lbs of pressure for altitudes above 1,000 ft.

Once your jars have processed, allow your canner to cool down normally. Don’t force depressurization at all. You’ll want to allow your jars to cool down in a spot out of the way of sudden changes of temperature. Don’t sit them underneath an air conditioner register, for example. Once the jars have sealed, you’ll need to wipe them down well before putting them up.

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comments:

Can you use older blue canning jars if they are free of cracks and chips?

Reply

Yes you can use the blue jars. Just check around the mouth to make sure of no chips broken out, on any jar. Check that blue jar out! If it has a date on the jar anywhere it is worth some bucks. Un forunately none of mine do, but maybe you will be lucky. I had an old fellow in the grocery store tell me he saw a blue jar with a 35,000 dollar price tag on it. Yes I typed that number correctly.

I have been canning turkey for several years now. It has been very cheap to buy at Thanksgivng time. The canning book that I have states that poutry should be cooked before canning. I cook my turkey in my waterbath canner, let it cool a little for easier handling, (I can use the jar rack to pull the turkey up and let it drain over the canner) then pull the meat off and place in warmed jars, add “hot” water and then pressure can. I then can the broth from when I cooked the turkey, so I have stock/broth for soups thru out the year.
To answer Robins question, I will ask one, will the jars withstand pressure from a pressure canner? I would only use them in water bath, but that is what I would do.

We can Chicken……boneless, skinless breasts.

Raw pack only, cut the meat into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes, 1/8 tsp Himalayan Salt per pint.

Pressure can for 75 min at 10 lbs pressure.

The Ball Blue Book is your friend.

Never had a problem…..eats great!

i have used canned hamburger that is 3 years old and as long as the seal isn’t broken or the lid popped, it should be good. incidentally I cook my burger and rinse it in a sieve until it runs clear & all the fat is off it and can it with water and salt.

In the Mid Eighties i had some elderly friends passaway and i along with other family members cleaned out their house and they had canned food of all kinds dating from 1860 to 1930 and we popped several jars and they were still sealed so we divided them up and took them home to eat. Out of the 250+ jars i had only one was bad. If properly done i would not hesitate to eat “old” food. Modern lids and ring are not made as good now as they were then. These jars also had a quarter inch or more of parrafin on the top.

My Amish grandmother always canned meats. Her aunt lived in Wyoming and even canned bear (tastes exactly like pork, according to my mother). I never tasted the bear, but Grandma used the beef in a dish with noodles that was my favorite. I like to precook the meat when I can, simply to season and flavor it the way I prefer. Meat canned with only salt is totally acceptable, it is just bland. Canning raw meat with flavoring is uncertain. It’s hard to tell how much of an herb to put in the jar as you can’t taste it until after it’s canned. Meat can take on the flavor of a bay leaf or other herb that becomes really overpowering. Canning cooked meat means you can get exactly the flavors you want prior to putting the product in the jar. This is less important with beef than with mild meats like chicken. Experiment with various recipes, i.e. if you can 4 pints of chicken, use different spices, etc. in each. You will learn which flavors can best. My mother-in-law aways canned vegetable beef soup. My uncle went fishing in Alaska and canned the salmon. The possibilities are vast.
Don’t try to short the canning time or pressure. Go by the book. People are sometimes afraid they will end up with food poisoning from home canned meat, but ANY home canned food MUST be cooked properly or it is dangerous. You can get sick from applesauce or green beans if they aren’t canned properly. Sort of a backwards way to say “don’t be afraid to can meat. Just follow the rules”.
A comment on antique jars: many have bubbles in the glass. These may cause cracking or outright bursting in the pressure canner. It is very disappointing to do everything right, then open the canner and find a mass of food, water, and broken glass from a bad jar. And you lost the lovely green or blue jar. I use new jars, other than for jams and jellies which require little canning time.. Always, always use new lids. Lots of us remember when our grandmothers didn’t pressure can jam or jelly at all, they just sealed the jar with a layer of wax instead of a lid. And we lived through it. Go figure.

I tried my first canning of meat last Thanksgiving when turkeys were 39 cents a pound. I cut the turkeys up like a chicken and boiled just till the meat was “done”; a little over an hour. I then de-boned it and packed my quart jars with cubed meat. One 12 to 14 lb turkey did a 7 quart jar “run”. As it was cold weather, I did all the canning on a wood cookstove. I had great success and all jars sealed. One important note: fill jars after packing with broth that has the fat skimmed off. Fat can turn rancid over time in canned meat. Leave 1 inch of headspace so proper vacuum will form to seal jars. This meat is great for using in casseroles, soups, pies or other recipes. It’s a little bland tasting by itself.
My next try was when I found chuck roasts on sale. I cubed the meat and boiled till about half-done, again, about an hour. I packed jars and filled with cooking broth after skimming the fat. I canned in quarts, processing an hour and a half at 15lbs pressure as we are above 1000 ft. The result has turned out great! I’ve read ground beef is great for canning to use in chili, soups and the like. I’ll can them in pints… We are now thinking of going in with 3 other families on purchasing a steer. A quarter steer doesn’t sound so over-whelming and now that I can can a lot of the meat, only the steaks and roasts will take up freezer room. And I’m really excited about finding re-usable canning jar lids. They’re made by a company called Tattler.
So my advise, jump right in there and start canning meat! I’m really excited about this “new” side of canning that seems to have been forgotten!

I remember my mother canning meat in the oven of course this was some 65 years ago. We would butcher in the fall and hang the meat in the corn crib where it froze, then be fore it would thaw out she would can it for the summer and we would have it till fall. would not recommend canning in the oven now ,too many types of bacteria strains now. we never got sick and was so good,

We raise a steer every three years or so and a pig about every year. I have the butcher cut and wrap the good steaks and some roasts and burger off the steer. Then I have them cut up the rest in cubes about an inch in size, like stew meat. I can that cubed meat in my pressure canner. You don’t have to worry about the meat getting freezer burned and the cans last forever as long as the seal is good. I found some that I canned back in 1998 and it was just as good as the last I canned. The pig, I have the butcher smoke the hams, bacon & jowls and cut some of the good pork chops and cut and wrap them. If you don’t know about pig jowl, you are missing out on some good pig. You can sometimes find it at the store, down south mostly. I have found it sometimes here in Idaho. When we moved here when I was a kid [now lots, lots older] we couldn’t find it. We raised a pig and told the butcher to smoke the jowl and he said “What” we usually put that in the sausage. What a waste, try it, it is great. I have the butcher cube the pig meat and I can it. I also can some of the ham with the juice after I take the fat off the top. It is great to put in beans, so easy to make ham & beans quickly and you can use canned beans in a pinch. I also look for meats like boneless chicken breasts, ham, beef roast on sale and can it. You can’t beat finding ham on sale for 99 cents a pound, you can’t raise the pig for that. I raise a huge garden, raise animals and I love to can. There is nothing more satisfying as after a long day of canning to see all those beautiful jars, full of good things to eat… Mary

If the jars get too hot, the seals will start unsealing. The reason I know this is that I have a friend that cans all sorts of things like jelly, chicken etc, and sells it at the town fun days. Well they set her up on main street, she had no canopy and it was hot, her jars started popping,(unsealing) so she had to pack up and go home. As hot as it gets in Texas I would be afraid to do it. After all the work of canning you sure don’t want to have it all spoil..

We live in Texas, and we can meat all the time. We raw pack it and add our flavorings to the jar as we pack it. We store our jarred canned goods in an old farm house that doesn’t have heating or cooling. We haven’t had any problems. We really enjoy the convience of having the meat already cooked, and it comes out very tender. It is fun to experiment to find which spices and seasonings work best with th different meats!

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