I love picking, drying and

[maudelynn]

using herbs from the garden in Regency style!
I have made several tinctures and tonics using Regency methods, which really
is based on Medieval methods and cookery!

Does anyone else like to dabble in herb crafts?

[The Major]

I keep a small heirloom kitchen garden with several of the more common cooking herbs. Mostly I grow period varieties of veggies. The largest crop I grow is beans, the funnest is tomatoes because of how funky they look.

The herbs are used fresh as needed when in season, and the rest dried for later use.

[maudelynn]

themajor said:

I keep a small heirloom kitchen garden with several of the more common cooking herbs. Mostly I grow period varieties of veggies. The largest crop I grow is beans, the funnest is tomatoes because of how funky they look.

The herbs are used fresh as needed when in season, and the rest dried for later use.

Ooh, period veggies? I have never been able to quite remember when each crop came to each
region. I have stuck to what is in the cookbooks of the day, but still, I am sure there is more!

[The Major]

Wherever people went, they took their crop and kitchen seed with them. I mostly focus on the strain/type of each. Such as the beans I grow are Scarlet Runner pole beans. Introduced on the U.S. seed market ~1800 (although they had been grown in Europe since the 1600's). My pumpkins are a variety that Native Americans were growing at least in the 1600's. And so on. It's kind of fun if you like gardening.

[maudelynn]

I adore gardening! It is nearly time to prepare for planting here! Are there any books you like
on the subject?

[The Major]

I have a couple books that I like, unfortunately they're at home and I'm at the office. I'll try to remember to look up the ones I like and post titles for you.

[Mme de Beaufort]

I'm only my 4th year in my home here on the moist-mountain; and so I've been focusing on building my perennial garden. The soil is very sandy up where I live, and low on organics... so it's been a challenge, and I won't mention the bus-sized slugs that truck around eating up my hostas.

An herb garden is my next project. I'm going to do a large container garden, and maybe plant rosemary as a shrub; hopefully the deer will not find it to be just the kind of fragrant buffet they were hoping I'd plant. Maybe this year, if I can get DH to build me the container I want.

I also have seven chesnut trees that need planting somewhere. They're still babies, only three feet tall, but they're fast growers. They are lively remnants of a chesnut feast from this Christmas; they decided they didn't want to be roasted and to grow roots instead. They like acidic soil, so they'll do well here, but there are already massive douglas firs all around.

Ah well. I'll figure something out.

I love gardening. I wish the snow would melt and I could get started!

[maudelynn]

Oh I understand!
Here, in Seattle, we live above the sound on a hill called "Spring Hill"
The soil is sandy but we are full west and get heaps of sun, when it shines.

Are you between Seattle and Portland?

[The Major]

admin said:

I wish the snow would melt and I could get started!

Me too!

[Mme de Beaufort]

I'm in the Mt. Hood foothills... Welches.

[The Major]

Here's a couple books that I find most helpful. Taylor's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables by Benjamin Watson. It's packed full of information. And the other isn't one book, but a series of small books - A Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin. I have a number of them such as Natural & Herbal Family Remedies, Cooking With Dried Beans, Using Beneficial Insects, Growing Herbs, etc, etc. I have some other books, but they are still in new condition whereas these I listed are getting worn out if that tells you which are better. Hope this helps.

[maudelynn]

themajor said:

Here's a couple books that I find most helpful. Taylor's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables by Benjamin Watson. It's packed full of information. And the other isn't one book, but a series of small books - A Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin. I have a number of them such as Natural & Herbal Family Remedies, Cooking With Dried Beans, Using Beneficial Insects, Growing Herbs, etc, etc. I have some other books, but they are still in new condition whereas these I listed are getting worn out if that tells you which are better. Hope this helps.

Thank you!! Yay! More books!!! Barnes and Noble will eventually cancel my membership since I use it so often, I am sure of it!

[MyLadyDedlock]

Feb 19, 2008 16:09:43 GMT -5 Mme de Beaufort said:

I'm only my 4th year in my home here on the moist-mountain; and so I've been focusing on building my perennial garden. The soil is very sandy up where I live, and low on organics... so it's been a challenge, and I won't mention the bus-sized slugs that truck around eating up my hostas.

I totally understand about the slugs - apparently they have a huge affinity for hostas - but fortunately they come back (the hostas, that is) unfortunately the slugs come back!

[Lady Davina Cynster]

I myself dabble in herbs. I have a sort of apothecary in my kitchen. I also make my own perfumes and beauty products. I find it soothes my mind knowing where everything has come from, knowing what's in the items, and knowing that they are safe.