Learning about Native Appalachian Plants and Herbs

Amber by Modern Scribe Photography

Howdy, everyone...I hope Spring's been keeping you as joyfully busy as it's been keeping me! Between building the chicken coop, filling honey orders, and jumping on the trampoline, I've been keeping the growing things tended.

Oh, yes...I've been exploring and cultivating my yard like a thing possessed... since I last checked in:

~We've succeeded in moving decorative boxwoods from the only flat, sunny, well-draining spot in the front yard up to the top of a ridge to help combat the erosion there. Sarah and I got all scratched up and dirty and sweaty and happy while accomplishing that task.

~We broke up the soil in the newly cleared spot (about 4x5) and added some composted cow manure and sand, and worked it into the clay. While pulling out weeds and roots and rock, we saw more worms than I could count! They are certainly welcome guests. May they continue to grow and prosper here!

~We transplanted our tomato starts into that new place - a Cherokee Purple, a Jeune Flame, and two Oregon Spring tomato plants. We made cages for the bushy plants and stakes for the climbers. They all seem to be doing well, but the Oregon Spring tomatoes are a little slower than the Cherokee Purple and the Jeune Flame, who are flowering to beat the band.

In the House of Herbs Greenhouse by Modern Scribe Photo.

~We got a Crookneck Squash, an Old Timey Kentucky Pumpkin, and a Pickling Cucumber vine from House of Herbs here in Candler, North Carolina. They are thriving and we already have a squash starting to swell! I did the happy dance when I saw it, and ran inside to tell the whole household. They know I'm a dork and love me anyways!

~The other side of our front porch also has good drainage, and gets mostly dappled sunlight and shade due to the ornamental cherry trees that shield that side of the house.  This is where I've decided to relocate our pallet-bed...the spot where I put it initially was too sunny and wind-blown. One quadrant of the bed has some struggling spinach coming up, and one little lettuce sprout. I think they've been too warm and dry, but they may do better in their new home.

~In the second quadrant of the pallet-bed, we have some freshly transplanted Basil seedlings, and a healthy and happy Oregano plant. I've also planted a Comfrey plant that I got from House of Herbs.

~Also on the herbal front, there are some happily growing peppermint plants and soapwort plants in pots on the porch, as they are both rather invasive. I've planted a native Elderberry bush and it is thriving on the hill under the Oak tree's dappled shade, and we have a German Chamomile and White Lavender plants in full sun alongside the Chrysanthemum that I thought had died last fall, but is now starting to make quite a show.

Pisgah Waterfall by Modern Scribe Photography

~Wildcrafting: So far this spring, I've learned quite a bit about native plants of the Appalachians. I've correctly identified Trillium, Mayapple, Wild Ginger, and Umbrella tree while slipping and sliding and busting my butt climbing around the wild slopes and waterfalls of the Pisgah National Forest. I think that I also saw Solomon's Seal and Bloodroot, but I'm not 100% and will bring a book next time!

Bee, Closeup - by Modern Scribe Photography

~Even just while wandering our yard, I've identified:
Cinquefoil (Rough-fruited or Sulfur Cinquefoil, another "noxious weed" with medicinal uses. Stay Tuned for more.)
Red Clover (stay tuned for more)
Ox-eye Daisy
Dock, both Curly Leafed and otherwise
Wild Yarrow (Milfoil)
Bittersweet Nightshade
Plantain (stay tuned for more)
Japanese Honeysuckle (Invasive! I've trimmed it back quite a bit, and plan to use the flowers to flavor a wine) 
Dandelion (which is now a mead brewing)
Wild Blackberries (smells so sweet!)

So if I'm too muddy, tired, and sunbaked to blog about it as often as I did before, bear with me...I'll keep you posted as often I can!

Let's Talk About: Peppermint

Mint Honey by Modern Scribe Photography

If you want something quick and easy to grow that will spread like wildfire and provide you with a bounty of uses, might I suggest you plant a bit of mint?

Rapidly growing and even considered invasive by many, Peppermint has been part of medicinal gardens as long as we've had organized agriculture.

Menthol comes from peppermint, and it is a powerful medicinal ally! It isn't only good as a flavoring and a breath freshener, but that is how most folks are familiar with peppermint.

The wonder of mint goes way beyond candy canes. It can be used for many different things, both internally and externally:

Your Stomach

• When you've had too much to eat and you feel bloated and crampy, mint is great for releasing the extra pressure. In layman's terms, it will make you fart and burp like a human orchestra, much to the delight of giggling fools, like myself. 

• If you are prone to suffer from bad digestion, heartburn, nausea, or constipation, mint might be a suitable, gentle ally to ease your pain. I bet that you thought that the mints given out at restaurants was a subtle hint from the waitress about the oniony and garlicky food scenting your breath, didn't you?

• This is also the reason that mint jelly or mint sauce is traditionally served with lamb, as it tends to be gamey and tough. The peppermint aids in the digestion by increasing bile flow, which in turn helps to break down the meat.

Your Head

• Feeling Anxious? Panicked? Sweating under the collar and freaking out? A cup of mint tea, or even just a big sniff of mint essential oil is great for calming the mind. Breathe it in, hold your breath for four seconds, breathe out and let yourself relax.

• Stimulate your brain! Exam study sessions might stay with you longer if you have mint at hand. The crisp smell of spearmint or peppermint seems to sharpen focus and offer a sense of clarity during stressful times.

Your Hot Blood

• Mint is considered a "refrigerant" for your body...did you ever wonder why it's such a common thing to have a spring of mint in your iced tea? It doesn't just flavor your drink - it keeps you cooler in the hot summertime haze.

• This wonderful property also makes it an addition to a tea for lowering fevers. Mint also serves as a wonderful disguise for "stronger" flavors like horehound, valerian, and hops, making beneficial decoctions easier to share with those with less... um... sophisticated palates.

Your Aching Body

• Peppermint oil is used in balms and salves for it's analgesic and cooling properties. I can be both stimulating to the skin and it's blood flow, but cool any inflammation in the muscles. This makes it great for arthritis, especially when combined with camphor.

Your Home

• Since it is so strongly scented, mint is often a deterrent for mosquitoes. 

• If you forget your mint spray and get bitten, freshly crushed mint leaves or a salve can help with the itching!

• Dried, crushed mint leaves tend to be a deterrent for ants that try to invade your space. You can use tea bags as sachets in cabinets with pest problems.

I have Mint Honey available in The Pixie's Pocket shop, which is a quick and easy way to add it to tea, toast, or anything else you may fancy! If you wish to purchase dried mint, essential oils, hydrosols, or even seeds, please support your local organic retailers, or try Mountain Rose Herbs.

Busy Bees Use Flower Petals For Nest Wallpaper : NPR

Busy Bees Use Flower Petals For Nest Wallpaper : NPR

This is gorgeous! I wish my house was as lovely as this bee's nest is.

This inspires me...flower petal honey...I have hibiscus, chamomile, and a couple of others I can play with.

Pardon my recent lack of updates, folks, there's much to do about this home and beyond and sitting at the computer has been a luxury unused. Bee well, and enjoy this spring!