Biodynamic Farming & Gardening
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 Seed preservation. Why is this important?
 If anyone has ever questioned the necessity of our company's commitment to preserving our organic seeds, responsible,
and overall dedication to maintaining the genetic integrity of the
plants that have been around for centuries...take a look at this.....
It's
bad enough when the pharmaceutical companies want to claim ownership of
medicinal herbs and their properties, but it now appears that the seed
companies are laying claim to Mother Nature's goods as well. That's the
bad news. The worse news? They are genetically engineering the seeds
they now "own" -- and jeopardizing the genetic integrity of the
original seed as well as the future of these plants.
If it were
not for responsible farmers committed to organic principles and the preservation of the plants and food our ancestors have enjoyed for
thousands of years, these very things could very conceivably become a
thing of the past.
 Monopoly
may be a fun board game, but when it comes to industry, it's a very
disturbing trend, especially when you're talking about seeds for food
crops. But this is just the direction that we're heading where you have
big companies buy up smaller seed companies, decreasing the choices
available for farmers. For years, soybean farmers in the U.S. have been
complaining that Monsanto so dominates the market that they can only
get their genetically engineered Roundup Ready variety. An equally
serious problem is that it allows companies dominating the market to
raise their prices on farmers unencumbered.
For the full story, see the ETC group's article.
For questions about organic or Biodynamic® farming, e-mail us at info@owharvest.com for personal input from
our resident organic and Biodynamic® farmer, Randy Buresh.
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Fall is in the air! As the suns moves to the south, the days get
shorter, and the shadows get longer. It is a very good time of year on
the farm. The fall colors set in, the cool mornings become the norm, and
it's all a sign for the plants to begin preparing to sleep for the
winter.
 This
is the time of year when the energy goes back into the roots of the
plants. We have started harvesting our root crops. Astragalus was first
to harvest. After Dr. Andrew Weil recommended taking Astragalus, big orders started to come in. Good
thing we were ready! We harvested close to 1000 lbs -- and it's already
encapsulated and out the door.
We have also harvested fresh
organic Goldenseal for our organic alcohol extracts, and have replanted
the many little starts found on the rootlets. Next will be Echinacea
purpurea root, then Valerian, followed by Dandelion. And last, but
certainly not least, will be our beautiful crop or Ashwagandha. We will
wait until the last minute to harvest the Ashwagandha, allowing as much
time as possible for the roots to develop.
Our root harvest
will take us into late October or mid November. At that time it will be
raining and cold. Time to finish cleaning the seed for next year's
planting.
 It's been a very good year here on the farm. Now that we are certified Biodynamic®, it feels even better.
Biodynamic® farming is a reflection of the farmer and the people working on the farm, and nothing says it better than this picture.
Another
season is just around the corner, so while the plants might be
sleeping, no one else is sleeping around here! It's as busy a time as
almost any other -- harvesting the last of the crops and preparing for
the winter and following planting season.
As for the bees...we
have now removed the honey from our bee hives and will soon have lots
of fresh honey to share. Most bees are not so busy at this time of
year, but we have several fields of Calendula that we are letting go to
seed and the bees are still very busy working on those flowers. Nothing
like Calendula honey!
[Click here] for previous posts.
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October 2009
AF Children's Echinacea 1oz - (Cherry, Orange, Raspberry Flavors)
AF Children's Echinacea Goldenseal 1oz - (Orange Flavor)
Children's Ear Drops 1oz
AF Premium Echinacea 1oz - (Orange, Raspberry, Unflavored)
AF Echinacea Goldenseal 1oz - (Orange Flavor)
Astragalus, Organic 90ct
Black Cohosh, Organic 90ct
Chaste Tree, Organic 90ct
Echinacea, Vitamin C & Zinc 90ct
Echinacea Goldenseal 90ct
Echinacea Goldenseal Vit. C 90ct
Fenugreek, Organic 90ct
Green Tea, Organic 90ct
Menopause Support, Organic 90ct
Rhodiola 1oz
More details>
November 2009
AF Echinacea Goldenseal 1oz - (Orange Flavor)
Echinacea, Organic 90ct
Ginkgo, Organic 90ct
Gymnema 60ct
Hawthorn, Organic 90ct
Milk Thistle, Organic 90ct
Olive Leaf 90ct
St. John's Wort 90ct
Turmeric 60ct
Wintertime Support 1oz & 2oz
More details> |
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Welcome to Our Newsletter!
October 2009
Welcome to The Herb Patch -- the official newsletter of Oregon's Wild
Harvest. This is the 12th publication of The Herb Patch.
If there's a topic you'd like to see us cover, please let us know. This
newsletter is for you, our customer. Drop us a line with a comment,
idea, or question at questions@owharvest.com.
To your good health,
Randy Buresh
Founder, Oregon's Wild Harvest |
We were featured on the Martha Stewart Show!
 Sept. 16, 2009 - Thank you to Dr. Andrew Weil for
supporting Organic Astragalus, grown and manufactured by Oregon's Wild
Harvest!
Watch the clip here!
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Wintertime Colds and Flu
With cold and flu season around the
corner, now is the time to start building and strengthening our
immune systems, so that our bodies can be ready for the invasion of
germs.
 Astragalus is a good choice for this
very goal. Astragalus is a traditional adaptogen and tonic herb that
is safe and effective for long-term use. This is called deep immune activation,
in that it improves the production of generic cells that grow and
mature into red cells and many white blood cells. These generic cells
are found in the bone marrow, primarily in the large bones of our
bodies such as the femur, pelvic girdle and sternum.
Immune strengthening is important so
that the body will have a healthy supply of white blood cells if it
becomes infected with a virus and or bacteria.
Dr. Andrew Weil recently recommended
the herbal supplement Astragalus for use during cold and flu season. (September 16, 2009 on the Martha Stewart Show). Dr. Weil featured OWH's Astragalus,
which is organic and grown on our certified organic and Biodynamic®
farm.
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More About Holy Basil
 Holy Basil. "Incomparable One."
The "Queen of Herbs." "The
Elixir of Life."
It's known by many names, for many reasons.
Possibly more than any other herb, Holy Basil has
a long tradition of use in Ayurvedic medicine.
It is also a very well-known sacred plant of India.
Used for thousands of
years for its many health benefits, Holy Basil is now being considered one of the new adaptogens.
In India,
it is believed that Tulsi supports meditation and has the power to transform
souls. It is also used by Ayurvedic
practitioners for many health ailments, especially with regard to increasing
vitality and slowing the aging process.
Oregon's Wild Harvest has Holy Basil in tea and capsules. As an
adaptogen, Holy Basil supports the body's response to stress, and like all
adaptogens, appears to be able to correct internal imbalances and restore
homeostasis. |
Black Cohosh, Organic
 Freshly harvested organic American Black Cohosh root is the basis of
this formula which provides the whole range of components that have
been used traditionally. Modern research shows that no single
ingredient, or group of ingredients, has proven to be responsible for
the beneficial activity of Black Cohosh, so it is likely due to the
full array of components. A study showed that efficacy of black cohosh
in menopausal symptoms is dependent upon at least three different
active constituents with a synergistic action. More details>
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Chaste Tree (Vitex), Organic
 Chaste Tree is grown in Mediterranean countries and central Asia.
Its dried fruit has a pepper-like aroma and flavor, and has been used
in many traditional preparations to support female reproductive
hormones. The Ancient Greeks reported Chaste Tree helpful in supporting
female hormonal balance. The Greek physician Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.)
wrote, "If blood flows from the womb, let the woman drink dark wine in
which the leaves of the Chaste Tree have been steeped."
Chaste
Tree is now the subject of several clinical trials. Preliminary results
are supporting traditional use. In Germany, Chaste Tree is considered a
safe, effective, and economical and is accepted by, and widely used by
gynecologists. More details> |
Echinacea, Organic
 This certified organic blend of the two most popular echinacea species: The Certified Organic Echinacea purpurea and organic Echinacea angustifolia
are carefully grown on our organic farm. The herbs are harvested at
their most potent and processed to retain the beneficial constituents.
Since
the era of the Eclectics, herbalists have known that all good quality
Echinacea products cause a mild tingling sensation in the mouth. This
is now known to be due to the alkylamides which are recognized for
their biological effect on the immune system. More details>
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Our contest is still running!
 Become a fan of Oregon's Wild Harvest on our Facebook page, and enter yourself to win a prize, by telling us your favorite OWH product!
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Remedies & Recipes Using Bulk Herbs
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Oregon's Wild Harvest offers a great variety of bulk herbs in ¼ lb and
1lb bags. In this
issue we will share some remedies that are appropriate for the fall/winter
season. All our remedies are tried and
tested by Jo Roberts, our Research
Director, who never stops concocting remedies.
Chicken Soup
Herbal Tea for Wintertime Ailments
Herbal Eczema Lotion
Head to Tail Baby Remedies
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