Fishing Creek Herb Guild
 
Blueberries are often referred to as a "superfood" because of its numerous health benefits.
Cumin (October - Herb of the Month) is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family. The cumin plant grows 1–1.6 ft tall and is harvested by hand.
Cactus arrangement pic taken by Karen Musitano at this year's Philadelphia Flower Show. The theme of the show was Hawaii.
Isn't this awesome??? (idea pinned from Pinterest)
A bowling ball glued all over with pennies, with the tag line “looks cool and keeps slugs away” (idea pinned from Pinterest)
“Tea pot planters for my Alice garden”—a row of tea post hung at the top of a wooden fence filled with flowers. (idea pinned from Pinterest)

IS YOUR INTEREST PIQUED by PINTEREST?


Joanne Hock is having fun with the internet site, “Pinterest." On this site, users can “pin” photographs and other info that interest them from other users or outside sources. What fun to see, share, and add.


On one of the searches on the site..“How does your garden grow?” viewers have "pinned"  some of the photos described below. 

               

ENJOY!  

IS YOUR INTEREST PIQUED by PINTEREST?

Joanne Hock printed out a number of “pages” of small thumbnail size pictures from the internet site, “Pinterest”, where users can “pin” photographs and other info that interest them for other users to see, share, and add.

On one of the headings “How does your garden grow?” viewers have photographs of:

                --“Pallet Planter”-using a wooden pallet turned vertically, with the slats filled with succulents.

                --A bowling ball glued all over with pennies, with the tag line “looks cool and keeps slugs away”

                --“Tea pot planters for my Alice garden”—a row of tea post hung at the top of a wooden fence

filled with flowers.

                --“Tin can lid and fork labels”--a fork in the ground with a round tin can lid in its tines with the name of the plant inscribed on its rounded surface.

                --“Lemon plant pot”—start a seedling in a hollowed out lemon half, then plant the whole thing.

[We’ve seen this before with an egg shell, but this adds something new!]

Look for pictures of these described garden crafty things on the Fishing Creek Herb Guild website.

ENJOY!

 

IS YOUR INTEREST PIQUED by PINTEREST?

Joanne Hock printed out a number of “pages” of small thumbnail size pictures from the internet site, “Pinterest”, where users can “pin” photographs and other info that interest them for other users to see, share, and add.

On one of the headings “How does your garden grow?” viewers have photographs of:

                --“Pallet Planter”-using a wooden pallet turned vertically, with the slats filled with succulents.

                --A bowling ball glued all over with pennies, with the tag line “looks cool and keeps slugs away”

                --“Tea pot planters for my Alice garden”—a row of tea post hung at the top of a wooden fence

filled with flowers.

                --“Tin can lid and fork labels”--a fork in the ground with a round tin can lid in its tines with the name of the plant inscribed on its rounded surface.

                --“Lemon plant pot”—start a seedling in a hollowed out lemon half, then plant the whole thing.

[We’ve seen this before with an egg shell, but this adds something new!]

Look for pictures of these described garden crafty things on the Fishing Creek Herb Guild website.

ENJOY!
“Lemon Plant Pot”—start a seedling in a hollowed out lemon half, then plant the whole thing. (idea pinned from Pinterest)
“Pallet Planter”-using a wooden pallet turned vertically, with the slats filled with succulents. (idea pinned from Pinterest)
What a clever idea.....use a shoe rack for a hanging planter. (idea pinned from Pinterest)
Indoor Herb Gardens can be fun!

Which herbs to grow indoors?
Growing herbs indoors proves to be highly beneficial when you grow the herbs that have multiple uses.  Following are some of the most popular herbs for indoor herb gardening:

Sage is a versatile herb for a kitchen herb garden. It is a commonly used herb in savory meat or poultry dishes, and is also used medicinally, as a tea for sore throats and colds.

Chives are a must have for a kitchen herb garden as they can be eaten at almost every meal. Chives are easy to grow, you just need to cut them back often, to keep from toppling over.

Thyme is another powerful cooking and healing herb.The more you trim the thyme leaves, the more tasty leaves you will be rewarded with. Thyme is great for both savory dishes and in a tea for colds and flu.

Sweet Marjoram is a delicious herb that can be used in most dishes, and also in the place of oregano.

Parsley is an often underestimated herb through its primary use as a food garnish due to its attractive deep green color and decorative curly leaves. Parsley is also a potent antioxidant that prevents damage to cells, and contains Vitamin A and C, amongst many nutrients. It is also highly effective as a breath and palate cleanser.

French Tarragon lends itself well to any dairy or egg dish and gives a savory taste to those winter comfort foods

And finally, for a lovely container filled with fragrant herbs, you could consider Rose Scented Geranium and Lemon Balm. As the name implies the Rose Scented Geranium has a delicious rose fragrance, but there are more scents to choose from, such as a variety of Citrus Scented Geraniums (which is a known mosquito repellent) or the Peppermint Scented Geranium. Apart from its fresh smell, Lemon Balm also reduces stress and anxiety, promotes sleep, improves appetite, and eases pain and discomfort associated with digestion.

Now the only thing left to do is watch, enjoy and allow time for your indoor herbs to grow used to their new conditions. Once you see growth you can start using you herbs. Cut and use your herbs often to encourage them to grow full and lush. 
Stack and grow herbs indoors.

Ever wondered when to buy or not buy organic???

Dr. Andrew Weil and the Environmental Working Group (EWG), agree that we should care about the use of pesticides on our foods. The EWG points out that there is a growing consensus in the scientific community that even small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse effects on health, especially during fetal development and childhood. The EWG has posted a piece of research named: "A Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce", which is based on nearly 96,000 pesticide tests performed on produce and collected by federal agencies between 2000 and 2008.
From that report......

Of the 50 different fruits and vegetable categories tested, the following "Clean 15" foods had the lowest pesticide load and are the 15 conventionally grown crops and are the safest to consumer when
 NOT grown organically :
  • Onions
  • Avocados
  • Sweet Corn
  • Pineapples
  • Mangoes
  • Sweet Peas
  • Asparagus
  • Kiwi
  • Cabbage
  • Eggplant
  • Cantaloupe (domestic)
  • Watermelon
  • Grapefruit
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Honeydew Melon

Of the 50 different fruits and vegetable categories tested, the following "Dirty Dozen" foods had the highest pesticide load, making them the most important to
BUY organic versions - or to grow them organically yourself:

  • Celery
  • Peaches
  • Strawberries
  • Apples
  • Blueberries (Domestic)
  • Nectarines
  • Sweet Bell Peppers
  • Spinach
  • Collared Greens/Kale
  • Cherries
  • Potatoes
  • Grapes (Imported)



WEBSITES TO TICKLE YOUR FANCIES

From Deb Baigis….3 great garden websites:
A Way to Garden
Mary Janes Farm
Garden Design Magazine
 
From John Shott….a great live webcam of bald eagles up close and personal at
www.briloon.org/watching-wildlife/eagle-cam.php

HONEYBEES STILL IN DANGER…how you can help?
Brenda Aucker announced that the honeybee colony collapse syndrome has not been solved and bees used to pollinate crops and make honey remain in serious danger. Pesticides continue to be one of the main culprits. She urged members to sign the following petition; (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 corps 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


Free Horticultural Hotline
Did you know that the Columbia County Cooperative Extension office offers a Horticultural Hotline staffed by trained Penn State Master Gardeners? Hours are Mondays 1:00 - 4:30, Wednesdays 9:00 - 12:00, and Thursdays from 9:00 - 11:00. Please call 784-6660 ext. 18 with your questions. You may be asked to bring a specimen to the office at 702 Sawmill Road, Suite 102, Bloomsburg.
"Wall of Lettuce".....photo taken at this year's Philadelphia Flower show by Karen Musitano.