GOOD THYMES
Publ. of The Fishing Creek Herb Guild
MAY & JUNE 2011 Vol. 22, no.2
Thursday
May 19, 7 pm
The
Program is the Plant Auction. Everyone is asked to look in his or
her garden and dig deep and share the wealth, so to speak. All plants are welcome,
but if you have any plants from the members’ specially requested “Plants Wanted”
list, please try to donate. Also remember, the May meeting, featuring the Plant Auction, is
only open to currently paid-up 2011 Herb Guild members.
Herb Study: “Salvia Divinorum” presented by Nancy Houck
PLANT AUCTION INFORMATION
Please put your plants in any container you have
available. Label each plant with the following information:
--Plant
name
--Name
of grower
--Growing
habitat [such as shade, full sun, drought tolerant, etc]
Arrive early, please, and unload near the
church entrance.
Auction committee members will be available to
help move plants into the church. If you have time, please feel free to arrive
early and help move plants inside.
Plants will be organized by the
auction committee members while the regular business meeting is in progress.
When the plants are organized, you
will have approximately 20 minutes to place a silent bid on paper for any plant that you wish to
purchase.
Bids : Minimum
bid will be 25 cents and above that in 5 cent increments. (No pennies, please).
Place your bid by writing your name and bid on a piece of paper and attaching
it to a clothespin, which will be in the pot.
After the bidding is complete the
auction committee goes back to work to determine winning bidders. The winning bidders name and bid
will be revealed and attached to the clothespin.
If there are identical bids for
the same plant, a random selection will be made as to the winner.
Paper for bidding will be provided, but
if you choose, you may write your name on your own slips of paper in a special color. This
may be helpful in locating the your winning bidded plant.
Remember to bring a box or bag to carry all of ‘em!
All proceeds from the plant auction goes to the Fishing
Creek Herb Guild treasury and will be used for future guild expenses. It’s for
a great cause, so bid high and have fun!
“Plants Wanted” Special Request list
Poppies Bee
Balm Flat
Leaf Parsley Lavender Catmint
Shade Plants Hostas
[Unusual Varieties] Coral
Bells Mint
[All Varieties]
Primrose Dutchman’s
Pipes Clematis Lemon
Verbena
Lilacs
Ladies Bedstraw
Thursday,
June 16
Program: “Soap Making
with Holly Beagle”. Learn how to
make home-made soap from scratch. Holly will guide us through the process and
at the end of the program the soap will have to “cure” for several months until
it can be handled. All the soap made will be sold as a fundraiser for the
Barton House. No special dress is required and this is a “no muss” affair, but
you may wish to wear an apron. All materials will be provided and more details
will be announced at the May meeting.
Greeter: Mary Hopkins
Herb Study: Lavender presented by Marion Krum
Mark Your Calendars…. for these Events
May 4th and 5th---Fishing
Creek Herb Guild’s annual trip, this one is to the Philadelphia area. The full itinerary can be found further in this
newsletter.
May 12th—Herb Society of
America’s 72nd Annual Herb Sale. 10 am-1:30 pm at Historic Yellow Springs. Reservations accepted
until May 9th. For info see www.hsaphiladelphia.org or call 610-970-5264
June 20 & 21st –“Herbal
Delights”, 29th Herbal Symposium. Registration accepted until June 6th by mail.
Pennsylvania Heartland Herb Society, Reading, PA. For info and registration form see www.phhsa.homestead.com
TIPS FROM MARCH’S PROGRAM
Garlic was the herb of the
month and John Shott shared a recipe for keeping deer and other critters at bay
by making your own “Liquid Fence”.™ Combine garlic juice, eggs and milk. Let
this mixture rot; strain and use. Odiferous, but effective according to John.
Karen
Musitano suggested growing a cute spring “surprise” by planning seeds in half
of an egg shell.
WEBSITES
TO TICKLE YOUR FANCIES: From Deb Baigis….Three great garden websites: A Way to
Garden; Mary Janes Farm; Garden Design Magazine
From John
Shott… this site is a live webcam of bald eagles up close and personal in their
nests at www.briloon.org/watching-wildlife/eagle-cam.php
Remember to look for
the Fishing Creek Herb Guild at the website. This is the first time
we will be sending notices to members who wish to only read the newsletter
online. The email address for the editor will be coming from “gmail.com” to
keep this list separate. All other enquiries or information should be sent to
Janet Dalberto at her “verizon.net” email address listed on the Membership
List.
The
website has more information and details on other items which are more lengthy
or more timely than the newsletter.
HONEY BEES STILL IN DANGER…how you can
help?
Brenda
Aucker announced that the honeybee colony collapse syndrome cause has not been
solved and bees and other insects, which pollinate crops, remain in serious
danger. Pesticides seem to be one of the main culprits. She urged members to
sign the following petition letter. (You can also mail your support in an
individual letter).
NATIONAL HONEY BEE DAY
“HELP THE HONEY BEE” PETITION DRIVE
www.nationalhoneybeday.org
Mail
support for these goals to:
PennApic,
Box 141, Lewisberry PA 17339
The goal
of the petition:
1)
Gain support of the public though involvement, education,
promotion
2)
Keep the plight of the honey bee and other beneficial
insects in the public’s mind
3)
Collect enough support to encourage a meeting with
government officials and ask for continued support and considerations of
beekeeping industry problems.
We, the
undersigned, acknowledge the problems and plight that the honey bee is
enduring. Recent massive honey bee colony deaths, at levels not seen previously
in history, are signs that something is wrong in the environment. Native
pollinators, bats, frogs, butterflies and the honey bees, in particular, are
being killed off due to a host of agriculture practices. The increased use of
pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, and new classes of approved chemicals
are contributing g to the loss of honey bees. Without honey bees for pollination,
our food crops are in peril. And we seek support and change to allow honey bees
to thrive.
Name Signature Location
[town and state]
__________________________________________________________
Please
help by mailing support and urging your friends, fellow gardeners, family and
friends to support change.
RECIPE from March’s meeting
Cream Cheese Lime Jello
3-oz packages of lime jello 2
3-oz packages cream cheese
2 cups of boiling water crushed
pineapple
Blend together lime jello and cream cheese. Stir
in 2 c boiling water to dissolve jello.
Stir in the crushed pineapple. Chill
until firm.
[Editor’s note: Just like my Mom used to make!]
[
Please remember to put your name on your recipe for the cookbook!]
Herb
Guild’s Annual Trip---Philadelphia Area—Final Itinerary
Hope you’ve booked your seat for May 4th
and 5th. As of March’s meeting
there were still a few seats left according to JoAnne
Fogelman.
May 4th—Mt. Cuba Center. The
former home and family estate of Mr. And Mrs. Lammot du Pont Copeland, near
Wilmington DE. Dedicated to the study, conservation and appreciation of plants
native to the Appalachian Piedmont Region.
Winterthur. The estate of Henry Francis
du Pont is the premier museum of American decorative arts. It has a 60-acre
naturalistic garden and research library.
Staying overnight at the Holiday Inn Express, Exton, PA.
May 5th—Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens.
One of eastern PA’s great botanic gardens with native trees shrubs wildflowers
and ferns as well as rhododendrons and azaleas.
Chanticleer. Tens of thousands of bulbs
bloom in the spring, followed by orchards of flowering trees with native
wildflowers in the woods. The estate also features majestic trees and verdant
lawns.
Highlands Mansion and Gardens. A
44-acre historic site with a Georgian mansion and two-acres of formal gardens highlight early 20th century
estate gardening.
Meadowbrook Farm, a nursery, garden center and gift
shop
APRIL’S PROGRAM was “Eggs-ceptional”
We
are so glad so many of you were able to make the changed meeting on March 14th.
Because Jessica Walliser was unable to change her schedule we had an
interesting program presented by Janina “Yanka” Everett, who demonstrated and
spoke about the art of Ukrainian Easter eggs [“pysanky”]. Not only did we see
lots of samples of pysanky, but we also learned that you cannot melt wax or dye
cold eggs! And that you should definitely use eggs with the insides “blown out”
to avoid a full raw egg from exploding sometime in the future.
The
Pysanka is decorated by the batik method (wax resist). The designs are
meticulously drawn on the egg with wax. Then the egg is immersed in a dye. The
process continues with successive applications of wax and dying. Once the final
pattern and colors are achieved, the wax is removed by heating by a candle and
gently rubbing with a cloth. Then the shell is protected by four applications
of clear varnish. The eggs are fragile, but can be carefully kept for many
years.
The design and color are symbolic of different virtues and blessings.
The combinations of these symbols convey the meaning of the egg. Some of the
symbols follow:
1)Geometric—Star—Beauty,
Wisdom 3)Animals—Bees—Hard
Work
Sun—Good
Fortune Butterfly--Resurrection
Cross-
Christianity Fish--Christ
Diamonds—Knowledge Birds
at Rest--Peace
Dots—Constellation,
Star, BVM’s tears Rooster--Fertility
Endless
Lines—Eternity Deer—Wealth,
Prosperity
Ladders-Prayer Lion—Strength,
Virility
Spirals—Good
luck Bear
Paw—Strength, Stability
Triangle—Family
or Trinity Wolves
Teeth--Protection
2)
Plants—Leaves—Life, Growth 4)
Colors—White--Purity
Flower-Love,
Charity Black--Remembrance
Tree—Youth
and health Red--Love
Grapes—Good
fruits of Christian life Yellow--Spirituality
Pussy
Willow—Spring Orange—Warmth
Wheat—Bounty Blue--Health
Green—Fertility
Brown—Happiness
Purple—Strength,
Power
For more info contact Yanka at YankaPysanka@yahoo.com
or 759-2824
Additional Newsletter Material
On the Website Only!
Another
RECIPE from March’s meeting
Chicken
Tetrazzini
16
oz vermicelli broken into thirds
4
cups cooked chicken, cut into bite size
1 can cream of chicken soup
1
can cream of celery soup
1 can, 15 oz chicken broth
1
cup chopped onion
8
oz sour cream
1 c shredded Parmesan cheese
1
tablespoon Dijon mustard
2
cloves garlic chopped fine
1
tsp pepper
1
tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt.
Cook vermicelli until done. Brown chicken in
olive oil & poultry seasoning. Add other ingredients. Heat through
and then put in a buttered 9 x 13 pan. Cover with additional cheese. Bake
350 degrees covered 3 minutes, uncover & bake 10 more minutes.
BULK
FOODS
AT
WHISPERING PINES CAMPING ESTATES
Teresa Wotjon, who owns
Whispering Pines Camping Estates in Stillwater, announced that the camp store
is beginning a program for co-op purchase of bulk foods. The store opened April
15th and carries foods from Dutch Valley Foods for bulk purchases
for a $10 membership. Interest in other foods or distributors can be shared
with Teresa for future addition. Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday. See her website at info@wpce.com
or phone 570-925-6810 for more information.
GARDEN ROTOTILLER for sale
Carol Fraind
is selling an “Almost New” 6 Horsepower Craftsman Rototiller, rear tine 17”.
Please call her at 759-1130 for more information.
As Spring Approaches…
think about attracting Butterflies to your garden.
There are many programs and more
awareness of butterflies and their importance to the garden. Here are some
suggestions for helping them combat declining habitats.
“A garden of native plants represents a
return to a natural and evolving system. Encouraging a community of select
plants and insects to thrive in your garden will actually reduce the need to
apply pesticides and herbicides since nature provides its own system of checks
and balances.”
--Learn about the butterfly species in
your area and encourage them to live in your garden.
--Plant nectar foods for adults and
host plants that serve as food for caterpillars.
--Heirloom species tend to have more
nectar more scent and more appeal.
--Butterflies are extremely sensitive
to pesticides and lawn chemicals. Dandelions, clover and other “weeds” in your
lawn may actually attract more butterflies.
--Provide sunny areas for basking, such
as heat absorbing rocks, shelter from wind and wet areas (though not open
water) for puddling.
--Since some eggs, larvae and pupae
spend the winter on twigs, branches and dead leaves, cut back the garden early
in autumn to avoid discarding latent butterflies with your garden waste.
Butterfly Larval Host Plants Butterfly
Attracting Nectar Plants
Tulip poplar---Tiger Swallowtail Flower
shapes that draw the most
Paw Paw---Zebra Swallowtail attention are
those which allow a
Dogwood/Viburnum---Azures butterfly to perch while
sipping nectar
Wild Cherry----Red spotted Purple --Daisy
like Coneflower, Aster,
Spice Bush----Spicebush Swallowtail Coreopsis, Bee Balm
Violet--Fritillaries Fragrant flowers advertise
Dutchman’s Pipe---Pipevine Swallowtail nectar, but use heriloom
Milkweed---Monarch varieties.
Pearly Everlasting---Painted Lady Butterfly Bush and Lantana,
Dill/Fennel/Parsley----Black
Swallowtail although excellent nectar
Heath Aster---Pearl Crescent plants are not native.
W
hite Clover—Eastern Tail Blue .
From a Smithsonian Horticulture
Gardening Sheet.
See also www.mnh.si.edu/museum/butterfly.html
Make Your Own Herbal
Blends
Herbs
in a bunch can be made by gathering sprigs of herbs such as parsley, thyme,
& rosemary with a length of stem attached. Gather in bunch and bind tightly
with string that you can dunk and remove the bundle from soups and stews as
they simmer.
Alternatively, you can put
herbs in a reusable cotton bag, sewn or purchased, or inside a square of
cheesecloth tied at the top. Some traditional blends are:
France: Bouquet
garni: bay, parsley, thyme
Fines herbes:
chervil, chive, tarragon
Herbes de Provence:
basil, fennel, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, thyme
Mexico: Recado
rojo: allspice, annatto, black pepper, cinnamon, clove, cumin, garlic,
Mexican
oregano, salt
Northern Africa: Chermoula:
chili peppers, coriander leaves, cumin, garlic, lemon, olive
oil,
paprika, saffron
Harissa: caraway,
chili peppers, coriander, cumin, garlic
Middle East: Zatar:
sesame, sumac, zatar
India: Garam
masala: black pepper, cardamon, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, mace
Curry:
black pepper, coriander, cumin, curry leaves, fenugreek, ginger powder,
mustard
seed, red chilies, turmeric
China: Five-spice:
Cinnamon, clove, fennel seeds, star anise Szechuan peppercorns
Herbal Medicine for cuts and scrapes
Aloe [aloe vera]—You can
rub the “juice” on burns to take out the sting. It can also soothe and reduce
inflammation;
plus it’s antibacterial.
Calendula [calenula
officinalis]—anti-inflammatory, astringent, antiseptic. You can use
fresh
or dried flowers in a compress. Many homeopathic commercial remedies
like
Nelson’s or B&T creams use calendula.
Comfrey [symphytum
officinale]—Speeds healing. For a compress, wrap fresh or dried
leaves in a clean, wet cloth and apply.
Plantain [plantago spp.]—This
weed contains anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory
substances.
Mash a few leaves into a poultice and apply to a wound.
.
Not just recycle, but “upcycle”
and be gentle to the environment….
Entrepreur magazine’s April issue for
Earth Day had an article on the trend more and more companies are embracing—“upcycling”—that
is collecting recyclables and incorporating them in new products. Some
companies they list include:
Equator Coffees and Teas, who use their
coffee waste to promote sustainable farming in developing countries; Hermes
uses their leftover materials and damaged goods for a new line of accessories
and decor, Patagonia makes fleece out of plastic bottles, and TerraCycle uses
trash to make new products. So, the next time you see a museum shop or small
boutique which features purses or products made from plastic soda or juice
bags---buy “upcycle” and save the environment!
