Plant Speak: Cottonwood Bud (Populus trichocarpa)

& filed under Farm Tales, Plant Speak.

When I moved all the way to Seattle (ha) from the Portland area, and would journey home, the first glimpse of all the giant cottonwood trees along the Columbia made my heart leap and I knew that I was close to home. Of all the botanical infused oils we have made here at our farm, nothing pleases like the smell of cottonwood. It is fascinating to me that folks from all over the country all have some deep connection with the smell and it often will take them back to a distant memory of a riverbank, a hike, going fishing, a favorite draw, and the sweet arrival of Spring.

While harvesting cottonwood buds in February, I was struck by the magnitude of these trees. They are the tallest broad leaf tree in the NW and can reach over 100 feet tall. Not only are they mammoth and the bark very rough, but I realized that just weeks before these trees were totally submerged by the rising river. These trees can be quite invasive, which is a good thing for a river bank, as they help to stabilize and improve habitat for wildlife. The largest black cottonwood in North America, pictured here, is North of Salem at Willamette Mission State Park. We have journeyed many times to see this tree and love the ride across the Willamette on the Wheatland Ferry. Read more on “Plant Speak: Cottonwood Bud (Populus trichocarpa)” »

Calendula

& filed under DIY, Farm Tales, Plant Speak.

We have had a few requests for this article on how to make your own calendula oil from one of our first newsletters.
So here it is!

The plant that comes to mind for me most as I write this is our tried and true, hardy and bountiful friend, calendula. Also known as pot marigold, this little plant produces an incredible amount of blooms throughout the year. A member of the daisy family, they come in varying hues of yellow, orange and orange with brown centers. They could have been the poster child for the 70’s. Golden and filled with light, opening and closing with the heat of the day and intensity of sunlight, the blossoms are sticky and resinous and they smell delightful-floral, citrus notes, and definitely resinous-like amber.

We pick calendula in the warmest part of the day when the sun is shining and the blossoms are completely dry. You can infuse them in olive oil right from the field like this as long as the plant material is completely dry. You can also wilt them on an old screen for a few hours or a day to ensure that they are dry. Pack the blossoms in a jar and cover completely with olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to release any air bubbles in the jar. Use a stone or some heavy object on the plant material to ensure that it stays below the surface of the oil. Put a lid on it and store in a cool, dark place. Check the jar from time to time to make check for condensation or mold, and top the contents with olive oil if needed. Decant your oil after 2-3 weeks and store in an airtight, dark glass container. This will keep for about 6 months. Use this oil for use in lip balms, your own salves or as a massage oil.

Calendula is anti-inflammatory, soothing, and softens the skin. It is also great for children. It can also be juiced and used for thrush. A tea made from fresh flowers makes a great eyewash, and the oil used as a pain-relieving ear oil.
We use calendula infused oil in many of our products. Our delicious lip balms, stretch salve, firefly sparkle lotion, gaia goo healing salve, goo-goo baby bum balm, sore muscle salves, and hemorrhoid healing salve are just a few.

Fall DIY: Fire Cider

& filed under DIY, Farm Tales.

Recently a friend turned me on to this warming, spicy elixir.  I had to share my excitement about this concoction and hope that it proves to be as beneficial to you as it is to me and my family during the winter months.  You can take this cider as a warming tonic to help keep colds at bay, or use it to literally blast your system for those who like to take a stronger approach to their wellness.  Just thinking about this stuff warms me up!

Directions:

Combine equal parts garlic, rosemary, horseradish, ginger, and burdock or dandelion root.  All of the above should be fresh if possible.  Chop herbs, garlic and roots finely and grate ginger, horseradish and combine in a mason jar.  If you like it spicy-add a hot pepper or two to your jar.

Gently warm raw apple cider vinegar until it is hot (not boiling)and pour over the herbs in your jar-leaving about an inch of vinegar on top of the plant material.  Make sure the plant material is completely covered so it doesn’t mold.  Use a spoon or a chopstick to release any air bubbles.  Cover with the lid and shake gently.  Keep your fire cider somewhere that is easily accessible like your kitchen counter or pantry and shake every day or two.  If the plant material sticks above the vinegar, use a spoon to tuck it back under the surface of the vinegar.

After about 2 weeks you can strain the plant material from the vinegar using cheese cloth or flour sack cloth towel.  Squeeze as much cider as you can out of this cloth.  Store your vinegar in dark glass or out of light if in clear glass.  If there is sediment at the bottom of your bottle you can pour the vinegar off the top into another bottle.

Enjoy!

Fall 2011 Update and Sneak Peak!

& filed under Farm Tales, Musings.

What’s New:

We live about 20 minutes from the sweet little town of McMinnville. Having no retail presence at all in Yamhill county, we decided to go make our social debut at The Public Market in McMinnville. http://mcminnvillepublicmarket.com/ This year round market blew our minds! It is in the historic granary district of town in an old restored barn. There is a community cobb oven there for pizzas to feed folks during market, but also available for fundraisers and community events. There are pottery wheels in the back if you care to give it a go. A doggie wash too, and food carts oh plenty out front. There is even a miniature horse named Bam Bam that makes her rounds inside the market and has a permanent stall out front. If you ever find yourself in McMinnville, please come and say hello, and get your weekly produce shopping done and pick up some beautiful, artisan work from many talented vendors.

New Offerings: Hand-dipped beeswax candles

New! Hand Dipped CandlesIn Dallas Oregon, about 6 miles from here we found Lori, who has been hand dipping beeswax candles for over 20 years. When asked why she started to work with beeswax, I got a hilarious story of a friend’s leg waxing experiment gone bad. Thus, a huge hunk of beeswax was just waiting for what was next. We are offering her unscented, natural “hand dips”as an 8 inch taper. It takes about 60 hand dips to make a taper candle. Made with locally sourced beeswax, and cotton wicks with hemp cores, expect these candles to burn about 1 inch per hour-depending on draft, and to infuse your home with golden honey goodness. You can find her candles under the field and fashion category on our website. We bought all we could get from her but demand is high and the beeswax yield about half of what it normally is. So with that said-get them while you can!

Sneak Peek:

Fall seems to be my time that the creative juices really flow. We are offering a variety of  new products that I am mighty excited about. We are adding a couple more gift collections for the holidays-a Bunch of Oregon Peppermint and a Bunch of Lavender Face Care. The Peppermint Collection includes our Cubeba Mint hand & foot cream, a Camamu, made from scratch, Merri-mint soap, and our popular Oregon Mint lip balm. The perfect gift for the cool tingly types in your life! The lavender collection features our delicious lavender honey face mask, lavender lip balm, and a new product-Luminous Lavender and Lemon Eye Brightening Cream. Order now for your Christmas List and save with our free shipping offer!

We will also have our Douglas Fir lip balm just for the winter months. Douglas fir smells bright-almost lemony and yet is unmistakably our NW tree. It is my favorite and I am excited to bring it back after all these years!

We also have some US made, 100% cotton, beautiful, hand dyed, hand printed textiles available.  There will be bags and scarves available in varying colors, all with a beautiful wild carrot flower print.  Available for Preorder currently, these beautiful items will arrive November 14th, view them now in our ‘Field and Fashion’ section!