Greetings! I wanted to send out a quick note that we still have space available in our Salad Dressings Workshop tomorrow morning at 11! If your schedule allows, and you want to learn some great new tips and recipes for dressings that will make your salads sparkle with new flavor, please come on by! We are also building salad dressings with health in mind - after all, that's one of the biggest reasons for making and eating salads - for healthiness! And I bet you have ingredients that will add both nutrients and balance to your dressings sitting in your fridge and cabinets just waiting to be used!

Dressing Your Salad - Creating Dressings Workshop
Friday, September 12th 2014, 11 am - 1 pm
This time of year, especially in a nice cool summer like this one has been, we harvest lots of great salad greens and sometimes need some new ideas and flavors in our dressings for spicing them up! Bottled salad dressing is one of the biggest wastes of money - they are overpriced and usually full of corn syrup, cheap oils, and chemical preservatives, not to mention that most of them are sold in dangerous plastic bottles. It is SO EASY and QUICK to make your own dynamic and health-promoting salad dressings and that what we'll do together in this workshop. You'll go home with a new set of recipes and the skills for designing your own new recipes. I believe the dressing should add nutrition and balance to the greens - the fats and proteins help the nutrients and minerals in the greens get fully absorbed and metabolized by the body. Workshop is hands on and tasting is encouraged - Cost is $36 ($39.50 online)| You can register on line using PayPal right now by clicking here, or you can email me (info@midsummerfarm.com or hit 'reply') to hold your spot and bring a check or cash with you tomorrow. Registration closes 9/9/14

I recently did some research on traditional salad styles and ran into some interesting info on salads in general. In previous centuries, salads used to be created for and eaten by the aristocracy - they were considered an extravagant food. This seemed odd to me at first, because salads can be rather inexpensive meals and can be made up of greens that are growing wildly and lettuces that are easy to grow in abundance. But I think it had more to do with the lifestyle of salad eaters in these past centuries, where the lower classes simply didn't have time to artfully pull together a bowl of salad. They were probably eating many of the same ingredients that were in the salads of the aristocracy, but they weren't doing it consciously as a fancy or specific recipe.

The salads of the upper classes got more and more extravagant and creative as all sorts of ingredients were combined and added. From this history, many combinations became classics - like the Waldorf and Niçoise and Cobb... I guess you could consider them heirloom salad combinations!

But I'm writing about this salad history because I found that I wasn't really appreciating salads recently. I found myself in a salad rut. Now I'm rethinking salads as something artful like a flower arrangement and as something elegant and a bit extravagant even if it is not expensive or time-consuming to make. Perhaps a pretty salad with a variety of fresh ingredients is one of the best things available to us in our current cultural and social-economic development! Maybe I'm being overly romantic though!

I can say from a more down-to-earth perspective that salads are healthy foods - a meal that consists of fresh raw greens and vegetables, fruits, light cool proteins, and a dressing with high quality fats and herbs and spices is one of the healthiest things a person can eat. It is refreshing and light and provides energy and a clear mind. As the weather cools down, the greens and lettuces will still grow and thrive through the fall, and it is important to eat as much as possible before winter is fully upon us. I like to think of fall salads as a pre-winter detox, provided in abundance by the cooler season.

And the other reason for this email is as a reminder that there are only a few days left to sign up for our Building a Sustainable Herbal Apothecary Course! The first day of the weekday sessions is this Tuesday, September 16th and the

first day of the weekend sessions is Saturday, September 27th 2014. You can register on my website through PayPal or send me an email (info@midsummerfarm.com or hit 'reply') to reserve your spot, and just bring a check or cash with you on Tuesday morning!

This is an intensive course! Be ready to absorb lots of useful and important herbal info! More on what will be covered and an outline of subjects/focuses for each day can be found below...

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We still have spaces available in our 5 Session Herbal Course - Building a Sustainable Herbal Apothecary!

I truly adore and depend on herbs - both growing and living with them in my life and using them in cooking and in healing medicines. I use many herbs on a daily basis for both nourishing and well-being and overall health, as well as for solutions to problems and to heal.

I find myself constantly amazed and mystified by the power and usefulness of herbs, and I cannot believe that more people don't use them as I do and as I have been using them for over 20 years!

This

Building a Sustainable Herbal Apothecary Course

is so exciting to me because I get to share how I use herbs with people, something I love doing!

I have designed this course in 5 day-long intensive sessions each with a specific focus on a major area of human health which will give us a jumping off point and a focus for each day's class. Scroll down for outline of sessions...

Each session will focus on various categories of herbs but also on using and growing herbs. You'll learn how to make teas/decoctions vs tinctures vs salves/oil infusions, and you'll learn what the differences are between them. We will also be using herbs in the kitchen!

And so once you have completed the course, you will have a thorough understanding of what herbs to turn to for general health and preventative nutrition, for healing medicines, and for well-being on a variety of levels. Your household will have this power within it - you'll have an apothecary you can turn to - whether it is in an herbal medicine cabinet or in your garden or both.

You can, after taking this course, consider yourself as a fledgling herbalist and start spreading the important and useful and effective knowledge and info to all your family and friends!

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. Autumn is a great time to plan and experiment with what herbs you will want to grow in the spring and plan for your herb garden. See full outline below...

Empower yourself and Naturalize your household with 5 Intensive All-day Classes!

Classes run from 10 am - 3 pm

Register by clicking here!

We're offering two different sessions of this course - one on weekdays and one on weekends:

Weekday (Tuesdays) Session Dates:

Tuesday, September 16th 2014 - Liver Cleansing Detoxing, Gut and Bowel Health

Tuesday, September 30th 2014 - Anti-biotics, Anti-virals, Anti-fungals, Colds and Flus, Respiratory Health

Tuesday, October 21st 2014 - External Healing - Skin Health

Tuesday, November 4th 2014 - Anti-inflammatory Herbs, Bug Bites, and Allergies

Tuesday, November 18th 2014 - Hormone Balancing, Digestion and Metabolism, Stress

Weekend (Saturdays) Session Dates:

Saturday, September 27th 2014 - Liver Cleansing Detoxing, Gut and Bowel Health

Saturday, October 18th 2014 - Antibiotics, Antivirals, Antifungals, Colds and Flus, Respiratory Health

Saturday, November 1st 2014 - External Healing - Skin Health

Saturday, November 22nd 2014 - Anti-inflammatory Herbs, Bug Bites, and Allergies

Saturday, December 13th 2014 - Hormone Balancing, Digestion and Metabolism, Stress

$485.00 per person

Price includes materials, herbs, handouts

Register by clicking here!

OUTLINE

The below outline provides a focus for each session, but much
more will be covered as the course evolves....

Session 1)

Liver Cleansing Detoxing, Gut and Bowel Health

HERB FOCUSES: Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Mucilages, Burdock, and more.

USING: Teas (water decoctions), Tincturing (alcohol-infusions)

FOOD FOCUS: Raw Food Salads, Herbal Juices

Session 2)

Antibiotics, Antivirals, Antifungals, Colds and Flus, Respiratory Health, Infections, Sore Throats

HERB FOCUSES: Garlic, Echinacea, Marshmallow, goldenseal, thymol, baical skullcap, elecampane, oregano, and more.

USING: Syrups and lozenges

FOOD FOCUS: Broths, Soups

Session 3)

External Healing - Skin Health, Cellulite, Varicose Veins, Cuts, Burns, Bruises, Dry Skin, Wrinkles, Chronic Skin Issues, Sunburn,

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, nettles, plantain, tumeric, chickweed, feverfew, meadowsweet, and mints.

USING: Variety - bringing them all together.

FOOD FOCUS: Green, Chlorophyl Rich Recipes

Session 5)

Hormone Balancing, Digestion and Metabolism, 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: Herbal Cocktails, Chickpea and Cannellini Bean and Herb recipes

Register by clicking here!

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Optimizing and Re-vitalizing your
Health this Fall! Crown of Dill

I have two other good options to offer for optimizing and re-vitalizing your health this fall:

First I'm going to start a 5 session intensive course similar to our

Building An Herbal Apothecary Course that has been such as success....

This new one will be called:

Strategies for High Vitality and Glowing Health!

It will be a 5 Session Intensive Starting this October...

I firmly believe that people in today's society are set up for failure when it comes to health. So many aspects of what is considered a 'normal' contemporary diet and lifestyle is simply not healthy and pushes people into a downward spiral where they find themselves overweight, un-energetic, exhausted, uninspired, un-passionate, depressed, with bad skin, aches and pains, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, bowel and digestive disorders, and on and on to more and more serious health issues...

But so much of all this is AVOIDABLE AND PREVENTABLE! But sometimes making the first steps is just so much harder than they seem they should be because of lack of info or wrong beliefs. It may seem simple to change your diet to a healthier one and get more exercise, but it can be harder than it seems! Willpower only plays a tiny part - so stop beating yourself up! The fact is that the majority of the current population is a victim of major hormonal imbalances created by misinformation about healthy eating. These imbalances create things like massive cravings, adrenal fatigue, cortisol flooding, inflammation, and crazy-hungriness due to lack of essential nutrients. And all these things act as blockades to creating healthy change.

The good news is that all this stuff standing in your way is easily removed and replaced with delicious wonderful food - food that balances and promotes fat burning and stress-reduction, food that is fun to prepare, food that will give your body the nutrients and emotional stability that it needs to feel energized, vigorous, and impassioned again.

This course is designed to move participants through this quagmire of misinformation and the downward spiral it has created and start moving toward optimal well-being in a fast and positive way.

Now is the time to turn things around get the vitality you are entitled to. Here's an outline of what I have planned:

~Session 1 (Wednesday, 10/8/14) - Balancing Carbs and Fats and Proteins - focus on developing a plan for you to create and choose meals and recipes. Primary foods to avoid and be wary of.

~Session 2 (Wednesday, 10/22/14) - Balancing Hormones - Addressing Cravings and Stress

~Session 3 (Wednesday, 11/5/14) - Super Foods

~Session 4 (Wednesday, 11/12/14) - Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Nutrients - What about supplements?

~Session 5 (Wednesday, 11/26/14) - Pulling it all together!

Formal class will run from 9:30 am to 12 noon. Each session will start with some healthy morning energy snacks and end with a healthy lunch that will be cooked during the class. Plan to eat and be a part of a healthy continued discussion until about 1 pm ...

For each session, Students will receive a packet of informational handouts as well as packet of recipes. We'll also spend some time with foods not to eat in each session, but mainly our focus is on building a repertoire of great stuff to indulge in and glean vitality from!

As a participant, you will be highly encouraged to put what you learned in the class to work immediately at home with your household and family and be ready to report and talk about your experiences at the next class.

Cost is $485.00 | A $30 discount for Early bird registration is due September 17th ($450.00)

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And the other way you can work with me at Midsummer Farm to optimize and vitalize is yourself is through my Health Coaching Program, which is a 12-week, one on one group of sessions which are completely personalized.

More info on how to get started can be found on my webpage - just click here! And please feel free to email me if you are interested in more details or to set up a preliminary free sit-down session with no obligation.

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Upcoming Workshops at Midsummer Farm!

You can register for a workshop by visiting our website, and either downloading and mailing in a registration form and check or through our PayPal option. You must register in advance; I will send you a confirmation email a couple days before the workshop.

Dressing Your Salad - Creating Dressings Workshop

Friday, September 12th 2014, 11 am - 1 pm
This time of year, especially in a nice cool summer like this one has been, we harvest lots of great salad greens and sometimes need some new ideas and flavors in our dressings for spicing them up! Bottled salad dressing is one of the biggest wastes of money - they are overpriced and usually full of corn syrup, cheap oils, and chemical preservatives, not to mention that most of them are sold in dangerous plastic bottles. It is SO EASY and QUICK to make your own dynamic and health-promoting salad dressings and that what we'll do together in this workshop. You'll go home with a new set of recipes and the skills for designing your own new recipes. I believe the dressing should add nutrition and balance to the greens - the fats and proteins help the nutrients and minerals in the greens get fully absorbed and metabolized by the body. Workshop is hands on and tasting is encouraged - Cost is $36 ($39.50 online)| Registration closes 9/9/14

Herbs for your Pets!
Friday, September 26th 2014, 11 am - 1 pm
Using herbs and super whole foods for resolving common issues, for the prevention and healing of diseases, and for maintaining optimal health and well-being. This workshop focuses on both cats and dogs and maybe a bit on chickens and other animals. And we'll discuss the herbs themselves as well as how ot best use them, from food supplementation to tinctures and salves. Workshop takes place in the kitchen at Midsummer Farm | Cost is $40 ($42.50 online) | Registration closes 9/23/14

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Making Homemade Dog & Cat Food Workshop

Sunday, September 28th 2014, 10 am - 12 noon
Featured in the NY Times! Check out the article here!
And in Orange Magazine! Check it out online here! (page 52)
Healthier, Economical, Delicious. Either as a supplementary meal or as your pets' regular diet, homemade food is better, safer, and easy to make. We will mix up a batch of balanced food using raw chicken as a base. We'll go over tons of options in food bases - raw vs cooked, various nutritional additions, dogs vs cats, special needs pets, and discuss the wide range of commercial diets and brands. You'll take home recipes, a clearer knowledge of the commercial pet food available, and resources for suppliers. We'll also make up a wonderful whole foods supplement that you can add to a commercial diet using higher quality ingredients and for a lot less money than the fancy brand names. Even if you're not ready to switch over completely to a homemade diet, you'll get a lot from this workshop. Workshop takes place in the farm kitchen | Cost is $48 ($52.50 online)| Registration closes 9/24/14

My Top Ten Most Effective Ways to Regain Your Vital Health and Energy! Late Summer CSA basket - under the greens!

Friday, October 3rd, 2014, 10 am to 12 pm
This 2 hour workshop is a brief but intense run down of my top ten best and most effective ways to improve your health, reduce your chances of disease, increase your energy, regain your optimal weight and body image, and increase your hormonal well being. You can use this 2 hour workshop as a great jumping off for developing a new routine of eating and living. I strongly urge anyone who takes this workshop to start immediately integrate these simple routines into their lives - don't put it off even one day! This workshop will also give you a preview of how I conduct my longer holistic health courses and personal health coaching sessions. Workshop takes place in the farm kitchen | Cost is $36 ($39.50 online)| Registration closes 9/30/14

Backyard Organic Poultry Rearing Workshop

Saturday, October 4th, 10 am - 12 noon.

For anyone who has dreamed of walking out to your own chicken coop and collecting fresh eggs for breakfast, this course will guide you through starting up your own flock and in organic and natural rearing methods. We will discuss all of our secrets to Organic chicken care that we have discovered over the years. Chickens are wonderful stewards of the earth; and kept in proper conditions, chickens are valuable assets to the garden, lawn, and compost pile. They also provide backyard joy. They are easy to take care of, are not noisy or smelly, and are an important part of the Organic garden. (Please be sure to check with your town to make sure that chickens are allowed where you live.) Cost is $36 ($39.50 online)| Registration closes 9/30/14

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Disclaimer ness

© Copyright 2014 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

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