Gardening · Herbalism · Homesteading · Urban Homesteading

Visiting The Ranson Community Gardens

The other day, I was in Ranson, West Virginia, and remembered the Ranson Community Gardens, and we poked around to find them. It is behind the local community center, on the edge of town. This past week they had hosted an open house for the new Herb Garden they had put in, but I'll be… Continue reading Visiting The Ranson Community Gardens

DIY · Gardening · Herbalism · Urban Homesteading · Wildcrafting

Preserving Chamomile For Tea

Last week, I popped into the food co-op closest to us and browsed the bulk-dried herbs and spices. As I walked by, I saw a jar of Chamomile and gasped—$29.99 a pound! The bulk bins are often sourced from Frontier Co-op, a very ethical and real cooperative. For example, you can buy their products in… Continue reading Preserving Chamomile For Tea

Gardening · Herbalism · Homesteading · Urban Homesteading

How To Grow And Make Paprika

Paprika is a spice that isn't used enough these days. In the mid-century decades, it was the go-to garnishment for your meals. Deviled Eggs without a sprinkle of the orange-red delight? What kind of heathen are you? Of course, back in the 1930s to 70s, it was cutting edge to use paprika. Food wasn't quite… Continue reading How To Grow And Make Paprika

Gardening · Herbalism · Homesteading · Urban Homesteading

My Favorite Herbs For Grow Zone 8b

On our homestead, we are herb-friendly. In a legal state, that sounds like pro-cannabis, but what I mean is we grow many herb plants. Both medicinal and culinary, nearly all herbs are pollinator-friendly as well. Grow zone 8b allows us to grow both annual (yearly) and perennial (comes back yearly) easily. There aren't many varieties… Continue reading My Favorite Herbs For Grow Zone 8b

Gardening · Herbalism · Homesteading · Urban Homesteading

Building Herbal Gardens

When building a garden, planting herbs is one of the most important things you can do in it. Besides offering immense flavor and medicinal uses, many herbs are pollinator-friendly. If you want a higher production rate of produce in your garden, you must encourage pollinators to visit. Growing herb plants for the flowers is a… Continue reading Building Herbal Gardens