 |
Season's Greetings from Midsummer Farm!
All the very best wishes for a wonderful holiday season, winter, and new year!
I was in the bright sunny greenhouse yesterday starting to set up rosemary and sage sprigs for rooting into new plants for next year. Today was too cold and dreary out there, but I had to do something in the soil, so I decided to start some more herb and perennial stratification trays. Being the chickens have slowed down in egg-laying, I have extra space in my fridge for seed trays! So here are my thoughts on how to stratify herb seeds so you can start production on your own herb plants. One of my life-goals is to encourage and hopefully inspire as many people as possible to grow their own herbs - both for cooking and for medicine - and to get people using and incorporating the herbs from their gardens into their daily lives in a natural and easy way. I think that 'naturalness' to making use of herbs is something we've lost over the last 50 years or so. By getting yourself comfortable with stratifying, you'll be able to grow a lot more of the herbs that are important to you in a very economical way. Also, for those of you who may be interested in learning and experiencing new ways to incorporate herbs into your daily life - growing them better, using them for problem solving, making them a bigger part of your diet, and regaining vital energy through them, consider taking one of my herbal intensive courses! More info can be found below...
Stratification or Cold-Conditioning of SeedsIt seems many people feel a bit overwhelmed by the idea of stratifying seeds - I've had people tell me that when they read on their seed packet that they had to stratify their seeds, they decided to just give up and not even try planting them! But stratification is just an unfamiliar word for a very normal and common sense idea. Stratification is just faking a 'winter' season, and I have found that the most effective and easy way to do this is to put the sown seed trays in the refrigerator. Really, very simple! Many herbs and perennials (particularly the ones that are hardy and/or grow naturally in this climate) need their seeds to go through a period of coldness. These seeds are smart and cautious and need to sense a certain pattern so they don't emerge at the wrong time of year. The cold is what provides the seed with an idea of the timing of the year, and so many seeds benefit from experiencing a cold period followed by a warm period to alert them that spring is here, and that they can safely and successfully germinate. (Note: Most annual seeds like vegetables and many annual herbs and flowers have what is called a "shallow dormancy" and thus do not need to sense a 'winter' to germinate.) Some seeds need a very specific number of hours of cold, but the vast majority just need a general period of coldness followed by warmth. If your seed packet isn't stating an exact amount of time that the seeds should be in the cold, a good rule of thumb is 3 weeks to 2 months. If they were outside growing naturally on their own, the seeds would experience short winters or long winters and all sorts of fluctuations depending on your location. So it is really not an exact science... Natural Stratification Many plants that are established in your garden self seed; so they drop seeds in fall, the seeds naturally stratify through the winter, and then they sprout as the weather warms up in spring. This would be the most natural stratification method. The next most natural method, would be to scatter your seeds that need stratification in a protected spot in the fall and let nature again take its course. Although it seems nice to let the seed experience the natural ebb and flow of winter, the biggest issue with doing it this way is that you will lose many, many seeds. That's why plants produce so many seeds - they know only a small percentage will actually make it through the winter. If you're buying an expensive packet of 30 or so seeds and you really are depending on those seeds to give you plants next spring, it may be too much of a gamble.  Fridge-Stratifying My favorite way to stratify seeds is using the fridge. I have a lot more control, and I can depend on the effectiveness. I plant the seeds in seed-starting soil and trays just as I would plant them if I wasn't stratifying them. The soil should be sterile seed-starting soil and should be moderately moist (not dripping). (I usually add a scoop of kelp granules or a spritz of Neptune's Harvest Seaweed Fertilizer to the soil for an extra germination-boost.) Depth Follow the packet for seed depth or a good rule-of-thumb for herbs and perennials is to plant the seed the same depth as its size. So if a seed is 1/4 inch thick, plant it 1/4 inch deep or if it is super-tiny like the majority of herbs, don't cover it at all. If you're planting very tiny seeds, sprinkle the seeds on the surface of the soil, then press the seed into the soil so it is well-nestled. I don't use my fingers for pressing seeds into soil (I find tiny seeds tend to stick to my fingers more than to the soil). Instead, I use a spray bottle of water and spritz the seeds gently into the soil. I then wrap the trays in plastic wrap to keep the soil moist and simply place in the fridge. Mark a date in your calendar when you plan to take the seeds out so you don't forget them! The seeds will not germinate in the fridge. Once you take the trays out, place them under lights at about 65-75 degrees F (typical room temperature) and wait for germination before removing the plastic wrap. With this type of seed, be aware that germination can sometimes take a while - some seeds may take over 3 months. Make sure the soil doesn't dry out during this time. Also, use plenty of seeds - don't be stingy with sowing - if you end up with too many plants - give them away to family and friends! Some people recommend stratifying seeds by placing the seeds in moist paper towels in plastic bags. You do a get a bit more control, as you can easily monitor the germination, but I find the soil-stratifying is more natural and saves time being they won't need to be taken from the toweling and planted in soil which is tricky with such tiny seedlings. I also am suspicious of chemicals in paper towels. I once had a group of seeds in a folded paper towel with a colored design on it and the seeds that were touching the colors didn't germinate... I suspect other failures in germination that I had experienced with paper towel stratification were also due to bleaches or other chemicals in the towels. (Kind of made me cautious about using paper towels regularly...)  You can also provide your seeds with a bit of the variation that they might have experienced if they were outside by moving the seed trays around your fridge. Every fridge has warmer and colder spots... sometimes I end up having to take some trays out and leave them on the counter for a day or two to make room for a big soup pot... that really is just fine to do. I've also brought them outside on calm winter days as well... And be aware of your intentions - if you're thinking negatively about your germination skills, you're doing your seeds a disservice - visualize them actively experiencing the cold and then sprouting and growing successfully - there is no such thing as a 'black thumb'! Large Stands or Groups of Herbs Although there is great appeal in collecting one or two each of a whole bunch of herbs, I do encourage you to try to grow a large bunch of the herbs you want to use the most. That way you have plenty to harvest, cook with, make tinctures from, and store. By getting yourself comfortable with stratifying, you'll be able to grow a lot more of the herbs that are important to you in a very economical way. Also, many herbs and perennials grow best and produce best when grown in a community or a large stand or grouping. You'll notice a big difference in individual plants if you compare a plant from a single or small planting with one from a large group planting. Here's a list of common and useful herbs that I find germinate better if their seeds are stratified:- valerian
- anise hyssop and all agastache
- vervain - blue (V. hastata and V. officinalis)
- good king henry
- aconitum
- mugwort and all artemisia
- motherwort
- milkweed and all asclepias
- astrantia/masterwort
- primulas (cowslips)
- boneset
- mullein
- bee balm / bergamot and all monarda
- mountain mints
- digitalis (the heirloom perennial ones; annuals and showy hybrids usually don't need it)
- yarrow and all achillea
- violets
- self-heal
- dandelion
- stinging nettle
- angelicas
- astragalus
- betony or lamb's ears
- lobelia
- horehound
- sweet cicely
- echinacea augustifolia (narrow-leafed; E. purpurea germinates fine without cold)
- many hardy lavenders and hardy sages
(Some herbs - like ginseng, goldenseal, and the cohoshes need a very specific stratification process, which is why the seeds are usually sold pre-stratified.)  Timing You can sow seeds and stratify them from November through March - I like to stagger my trays to maintain fridge-space and space under my lights. Once the seeds spend enough time in the cold, I take them out and place them under lights and eventually move them into the greenhouse and finally out to the garden... The only tricky part is timing each type of herb or perennial so you have a nice size plant for transplanting at the right time in the spring... not too early or too late! In my next newsletter, I'll share my tips for scarification, which is not at all scary despite how it may sound! We will also be scheduling our popular seed-starting workshops starting in January if you want to get some hands-on seed-starting experience.We still have spaces open in our two Intensive Herbal Courses! Below is more info on what will be covered in each and how to register....
You can also find more on our Herbal Courses or on our CSA program on our website!
Thank you and best always,
~Barbara and Mark
Midsummer Farm
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Herbalism Course: Building a Sustainable Herbal Apothecary (5-Session Course)
Late Winter / Spring 2014
In this intensive course, you'll be building your own herb-based household health plan, as well as your own herbal medicine cabinet, beauty spa, and emotional well-being resource. Along with delving into natural herbal approaches to healing and vital health, each session will also involve how to grow and maintain a plentiful and abundant herb garden as well as how to harvest, store, and make use of the herbs you grow effectively. This is also a great opportunity to plan and experiment with what herbs you will want to grow in the spring and plan for your herb garden.
Register soon! First class is January 10th!!!
Empower yourself and Naturalize your household with 5 intensive sessions!
10 am - 4 pm; Fridays and Saturdays this Spring:
- Session 1 - Friday, 1/10/14 - Liver Cleansing Detoxing, Gut and Bowel Health
- Session 2 - Saturday, 2/15/14 - Antibiotics, Antivirals, Antifungals, Colds and Flus, Respiratory Health
- Session 3 - Friday, 3/7/14 - External Healing - Skin Health
- Session 4 - Saturday, 3/22/14 - Anti-inflammatory Herbs, Bug Bites, and Allergies
- Session 5 - Saturday, 4/12/14 - Hormone Balancing, Digestion and Metabolism, Anxiety and Stress
$485.00 / person Price includes materials, herbs, handouts If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at info@midsummerfarm.com Please download and print out the form, fill it out, and send it, with your check to: Midsummer Farm, 156 East Ridge Road, Warwick, NY 10990 Or you can register through Pay Pal if you prefer (price included fees associated with online registration) on our website.
The below course outline provides a focus for each session:
Session 1) Liver Cleansing/Detoxing, Gut and Bowel Health
HERB FOCUSES: Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Mucilages, Burdock, FOS foods, and more.
USING: Teas (water decoctions), Tincturing (alcohol-infusions)
FOOD FOCUS: Raw Food Salads, Herbal Juices
Session 2) Antibiotics, Anti-virals, Anti-fungals, Colds and Flus, Respiratory and Sinus Health, Infections, Sore Throats
HERB FOCUSES: Garlic, Echinacea, Marshmallow,
The below outline provides a focus for each session, but much more will be covered as the course evolves....
Session 3) External Healing - Skin Health, Cellulite, Varicose Veins, Cuts, Burns, Bruises, Dry Skin, Wrinkles, Chronic Skin Issues, Sunburn, etc.
HERB FOCUSES: Calendula, Violet, Yarrow, Arnica, Comfrey, Self Heal, Umbelliferae family, and more.
USING: Oil-infusions, salves, lip balms, ointments, poultices.
FOOD FOCUS: Seeds, Roots, and Spices of Umbelliferae family
Session 4) Anti-inflammatory Herbs, Bug Bites, and Allergies
HERB FOCUSES: Licorice Root, Pain-killers, Anti-histamines, Nettles, Plantain, Tumeric, Chickweed, Feverfew, Chamomile, Insect Repellents, Meadowsweet, and Mints.
USING: Variety - bringing them all together.
FOOD FOCUS: Green, Chlorophyll Rich Recipes
Session 5) Hormone Balancing, Digestion and Metabolism, Addressing Anxiety and Stress
HERB FOCUSES: Nervines and Adaptogens, Oats, Kelp, Tulsi (Holy Basil), Skullcap, Lemon Balm, Motherwort, Red Clover, St. John's Wort, Blue Vervain, and Raspberry Leaf.
USING: Variety - bringing them all together.
FOOD FOCUS: Chickpea and Cannellini Bean and Herb recipes
goldenseal, thymol, baical skullcap, elecampane, oregano, and more.
USING: Syrups and lozenges
FOOD FOCUS: Broths, Soups
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Herbalism Course: 2014 Living with Herbs Season-Long Herbal Intensive Course! (12-Session Course)
~An Herbal Year at Midsummer Farm~
The focus of this course is Living with Herbs - familiarizing yourself with using them and growing them and integrating them into your daily life.
This has been in the making for over 5 years - Classes will be intensive - Covering a wide range of herbs and usages.
This is a great course for someone who wants to make the most of a current herb garden, for someone who wants to take his/her herb garden to the next level, or for someone who is starting from scratch and wants to build the ultimate herb garden. I know many people who have an instinctual drive to collect herb plants for an herb garden, but then just don't make the most out of the herbs' presence in their lives - this course addresses that - providing lots of inspiration, information and experience. This course is also great for someone who doesn't have a herb garden, but who wants to use herbs regularly.
Classes are from 10 am to 4 pm. Intensive coverage, with bits of 'downtime' during the day to socialize as well as making lunch and snacks together
12 sessions: 7 Sundays, 5 Mondays:
PART 1
Session 1: Sunday, 2/2/14
Session 2: Monday, 2/24/14
Session 3: Sunday, 3/16/14
Session 4: Sunday, 4/6/14
Session 5: Monday, 4/7/14
Session 6: Monday, 5/5/14
PART 2
Session 7: Sunday, 6/22/14
Session 8: Sunday, 7/13/14
Session 9: Sunday, 8/3/14
Session 10: Monday, 8/4/14
Session 11: Sunday, 9/14/14
Session 12: Monday, 10/13/14
Cost:
Part 1 only: $450.00 Part 2 only: $450.00 Both Parts: $845.00 Fee includes supplies, snacks, and lunches (that we will make together). If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at info@midsummerfarm.com Please download and print out the form, fill it out, and send it, with your check to: Midsummer Farm, 156 East Ridge Road, Warwick, NY 10990 Or you can register through Pay Pal if you prefer (price included fees associated with online registration) on our website. Once you register, I'll send you 2 of my favorite herbalism books - so you can start focusing right now and be inspired and ready for the first class. 
Areas to be covered: Growing herbs Seed starting and propagation Designing the garden areas and your backyard's herbal culture Companion planting / and combining herb and vegetable gardening / Herb neighborhoods Growing with essential oil content and medicinal quality in mind Biodynamic principles Permaculture and farmscaping The colonial dooryard garden and exploring other traditional and creative herb garden structures Pairing herbs, harvest-time, planting style, use, etc. En masse plantings for using herbs in bulk or selling herbs Annual, Biennial, and Perennial methods Forest and Shade plantings Natives Container Gardening Greenhouse or conservatory herbs Deepening our connections with plants Pollinators, beneficial insects, native insect habitats Techniques for weeding, planting, spacing, watering, soil development and maintenance, composting, animal partnerships, protecting the garden Selling herbs and micro-farming herb businesses Once you've taken this course, you be more than able to design, plant and harvest from a wonderful personalized herb garden.
 Using Herbs
In different formats in cooking Dried, powdered, simple syrups, fresh as flavor base as well as a bright addition to end of recipes Making herb centered dishes - pestos, green sauces, etc Baking, desserts, herbal sorbets Salads, salad dressings, vinegars Succi (Herb Juices) Beverages Harvesting and preparing with cooking in mind Storing and freezing The health benefits of eating super foods Cooking with herbs and preparing seasonal food in your herb garden is particularly poignant and fulfilling.
 Medicinal Uses:
Types of medicinal herbs - categories and families
Study of 100's of herbs from Agrimony to Yarrow
Harvesting time varies for each herb and varies for what you need to use it for
Drying / tincturing
Salves and Lip balms
Ointments
Teas- nourishing and healing
Simple syrups
Pets and farm animals
Sanctuary tonic allies
This will be organized by season for harvesting specific herbs.
I am so excited about finally offering this season-long course. It is going to feel so great being able to spend time focusing on herbs and working with a group of people who also love herbs!
To register - please send a check along with the registration form, which can be downloaded by CLICKING HERE: An Herbal Year at Midsummer Farm!
Classes will take place at Midsummer Farm in Warwick NY (156 East Ridge Road, Warwick, NY 10990) and will move about the farm during the course of each session from the greenhouse to the kitchen to the garden beds. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Our 2014 CSA program is currently open for registration and we still have some spots open!
We are offering discounts for early bird sign up! $50 off if you sign up before January 31st 2014!!
Please email us with any questions you may have! info@midsummerfarm.com |
|
|
|
| _______________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer
© Copyright 2013 Barbara Taylor-Laino, HHC / Barbara Taylor Health. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Barbara Taylor Laino is required.
This information newsletter is designed as an educational tool for better health. Recipes and information are included as examples for you learn from; they are not diagnostic or prescriptive. Everyone's health needs are different. This newsletter is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or problem. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider. The entire contents of this newsletter and the websites of Barbara Taylor Laino and Midsummer Farm are based upon the opinions of Barbara Taylor Laino, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author(s), who retains copyright as marked. The information on the www.midsummerfarm.com website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Barbara Taylor Laino. You are encouraged to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
|
Midsummer Farm Contact Info:
Barbara and Mark Laino
Midsummer Farm
156 East Ridge Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-9699
info@midsummerfarm.com
Holistic Health Counseling Contact Info:
Barbara Taylor-Laino
Barbara Taylor Health
156 East Ridge Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-9699
info@barbarataylorhealth.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
|
|
|
