When Mother Nature offers her wild bounty, she doesn’t take into account we may be busy with other things, like harvesting spring produce or working to patch leaky gutters. That’s why I’m a bit late in getting this column to my editors. For the past week, along with regular chores, we’ve been outdoors, sometimes over hill and dale, foraging for wild edibles. Morels are in … Continue reading 5 Good Container Herbs for Cooking
Ron Wilson Plant of the Week – Spice Bush Mar 18, 2021 Yesterday I was walking along our old country road when I spied something very yellow, sort of fuzzy and delicate looking. It was spicebush! Wow! I have one growing in my herb garden, but have never seen them in the woods here. That’s because I wasn’t looking during the right season. And now … Continue reading Discovering Spice Bush on a Springtime Walk
Oh gosh, I had so much fun doing my first Zoom presentation for the Boone County Arboretum’s Annual Tea with Josh, Nicole, Stephanie, Donna, and Kris last night. Log onto to their site to see just how lovely and productive this community arboretum is. There may be time for you to bid at the silent auction, too. My talk was about the 4 seasons and … Continue reading Boone County Arboretum Annual Tea Recipes
Homemade herbal vinegars Today on the Sonrise Morning Show I chatted with Annie Mitchell about vinegar – yes, vinegar has ancient Biblical roots. Jesus was given “sour wine”/wine which had turned to vinegar, when he was suffering on the cross. (John 19). The range of vinegars we have today is unparalleled – from cider to clear to wine to balsamic to herbal and more. When … Continue reading Pucker Up with Vinegar
I enjoy talking withMatt Swaim and Anna Mitchell each Thursday on the Sonrise Morning Show/Sacred Heart Radio. To continue with our “waste not/want not” segments today the subject was basil. Do you grow basil? Sweet basil/Genovese basil are 2 common very delicious basils easy to grow. And if you’re growing basil, start pruning those flower heads out for a longer harvest. Use them in foods … Continue reading Freezer Pesto and Paste – Waste not, want not!
Our neighbor, Joan, told me she has wild cherry firewood for us from a tree she had cut down. We’ll sure enjoy the fragrant fires this winter. When we were kids, there was a huge wild black cherry tree in our postage stamp size of a yard. Every summer the tree produced shiny, black, tiny berries. We’d feast, spitting out inedible pits. It got me … Continue reading Bouncing Around with Cherry Bounce
As many of you know, each week I chat with Matt Swaimon the Sonrise Morning Show, Sacred Heart Radio. Today we chatted about strawberries. Not mentioned specifically in the Bible, strawberries have a history that goes back over 2000 years. In Ancient Greek and Roman times, it was a wild plant, best known for its medicinal value. In fact, the ancient Romans believed that strawberries … Continue reading It’s the Berries: Strawberries for July 4!
Photo of ginger root growing Each piece should be plump with well-developed growth buds, or eyes. I like to soak the ginger rhizome overnight to hasten the growing process. Plant the rhizomes 6 to 8 inches apart, 2 to 4 inches deep, and with the growth buds pointing upward. They can be planted whole or in smaller pieces with a couple of growing buds each. … Continue reading Grow your own Ginger!
This Mother’s Day will have special meaning for me, and maybe for you, too. It’s all about wanting to connect while still honoring the guidelines for sheltering in place. And herbs play a role here. Early in the day I’ll take some of my mother’s heirloom peppermint and plant it, as I do every year, at the cemetery by her and my dad’s graves. A … Continue reading DIY Herb Baskets for Mother’s Day
Today the subject was coriander/cilantro during my weekly chat with Matt Swaimon the Sonrise Morning Show, Sacred Heart Radio. I also shared a yummy recipe using this lovely and citrusy tasting herb. CORIANDER/CILANTRO Coriander is referenced several times in the Old Testament. Exodus 16:31 ….”And the food became known as manna – meaning “What is it? It was white like coriander seed and flat and … Continue reading Cilantro and Tex Mex Lasagna
