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The Source – All Is One ~

3 May

The source of all life, the source of all things is one – the music and vibration of all things like a symphony being played. We are part of the whole – we are within the source not external from it. Each and every living thing, everything is part of the source. You can bend it, wield it, as all things with practice. When you are connected to the higher level of source you will “just know” like a conscious thoughts shared between all things, a knowing. I was always a spiritual child, always connected forever listening and loving all things around me and to this day it has grown stronger. I feel that love growing for all of you especially those who are waking up faster and faster to the realization that something is coming… like a drummer we here the warning, telling us to hide, take refuge. You can call it God, the Holy spirit, you can call it any imaginable thing – you can reach understanding through Buddhism, Taoism, Meditation and reflection, Hinduism, or any other vehicle that brings you to higher consciousness. The source of all within the Universe. The Universal law will become clear to you, you will understand that death is nothing but a transition back to pure energy and perhaps life anew somewhere else or something else. Energy does not die, source does not die, energy is forever it just changes shape, it is mailable. Do not live in fear, live in love!

Focus on positive loving thoughts – Meditate and imagine a world and life that benefits us all – Focus on images of our planet healing – Share your positive knowledge with our children – Reach out to others your brothers and sisters all

Sending you Light and Love – Sparkle and Shine ~ You are here for a reason – make it count in the most positive way before we move to our next adventure!

Fantastic and funny Physicist Nassim Haramein presented new concepts explaining how we are all interconnected and can access infinite knowledge. SEE: http://theresonanceproject.org/

Nassim Haramein – Sacred Geometry & Unified Fields

Organic BreakFast ~ Of Champions!

21 Apr

Whatever you are growing makes a perfect breakfast! Whatever you are raising makes beautiful sausage, in turn you with your plantings and harvest can make the ultimate breakfast of champions – one you grew, nurtured and developed. Many wouldn’t think that growing your own food, raising your own livestock is “that” big of deal. When you however stop sucking off the system and depending the system to provide, and when YOU and your family become self sufficient oh that in its own right is the making of a champion feat! Organic healthy nutritious food without pesticides, GMO’s and stuffed full of sodium fluoride makes for a true organic breakfast of champions.. You are a champion to the people, to your family, and to the natural environment when you grow it yourself!

Organic Breakfast of Champions!

I love to use the leftover rice from dinner and supercharge it with natural eggs we have here on the farm, as well as a medley of vegetables! I add in some organic coconut oil and mix it over the heat and voila, rice done nice! Add a little Rosemary and cilantro as well as a pinch of sea salt and your good to go!The sausage is natural grass fed beef mixed with herbs and spices! If you don’t have your own sausage maker (Hand press is best no need to depend on electricity) – you can create any type of sausage and it is so fun to come up with recipes. Have the kids go hunt in the garden for herbs and spices! Let them name their sausage creations such as: Rosemary wieners or Bob’s spice o’licious surprise sausage – have fun with it!

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Fructus! Remember to grow, harvest, and can or freeze your own fruit! Start planting your fruit trees!

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organic_breakfast_pineapple_patch
organic_breakfast_bannanas

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Homemade Lotions, lip Balms, and Herbal Salve Recipes ~

8 Apr

As things change and move forward (Those of you who are awake will understand) it is imperative that we are able to produce home care items that we have become accustomed to. Making your homemade lotions, lip balms, and salves will be healthier for you and your family, no toxins or “malohystemoxybalm” (Made up to make a point) ingredients for your family or ours!! It is a bit scary at first, I was expecting to destroy the cooking equipment so I purchased a small double boiler and a hand blender for only lotion and salve preparations. If you are growing your own spices, have your own bees, and have aloe Vera growing as well as coconuts well these ingredients come naturally to your property so no need to purchase them. You can create your own infused oils to add to the ingredients, you can purchase the ingredients or you can start growing them (which I recommend). Experimentation is key and lose your fear, if I can do this so can you. Below I have added some recipes I am playing around with and I thought they were easy and they worked out. I am however unable to produce a “whipped” body lotion cant seem to get it to whip, so still practicing that!

Chasing your family around the farm with your salve – emphasis on saying the “L” – saLve – is fun, they might not appreciate you chasing them around trying to put salve on them but they will eventually enjoy your recipes as you get better over time. Have fun as we go through the process of change, blessings to you and your family today and in the coming days.

Homemade lotion, salve, lipbalm

Favorite Homemade Lotions, lip Balms, and Herbal Salve Recipes (Add your recipes in the comments and feel free to add a link)

Dry skin moisturizer

Makes 2 applications

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa butter, melted
  • 2 drops bergamont oil (optional)
  • 1 drop lavender oil or tea tree (optional)

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and apply to clean, dry face.

This all-natural moisturizer can be covered and kept in a cabinet, but it will solidify. For a second application, heat in microwave for 10 seconds, stir and apply to skin same as before.

For an all-over body treatment, Watt recommends exfoliating and moisturizing with this sweet body scrub.
(Source: http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/100405/how-to-treat-dry-skin-with-honey)

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Organic Homemade Lotion Basic Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup almond or olive oil (can infuse with herbs first if desired)
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup beeswax
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter
  • Optional: Essential Oils, Vanilla Extract or other natural extracts to suit your preference

Note: All ingredients and many essential oils are available here.

How to Make Lotion:

  1. Combine ingredients in a pint sized or larger glass jar. I have a mason jar that I keep just for making lotions and lotion bars, or you can even reuse a glass jar from pickles, olives or other foods.
  2. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and place over medium heat.
  3. Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water.
  4. As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt. Shake or stir occasionally to incorporate. When all ingredients are completely melted, pour into whatever jar or tin you will use for storage. Small mason jars (8 ounce) are great for this. It will not pump well in a lotion pump!
  5. Use as you would regular lotion. This has a longer shelf life than some homemade lotion recipes since all ingredients are already shelf stable and not water is added. Use within 6 months for best moisturizing benefits.

(source: http://wellnessmama.com/3765/luxurious-homemade-lotion-recipe/)

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Cocoa Butter and Vanilla Lip Balm

The honey in this recipe will act as a humectant, drawing moisture from the air, to your skin.  The combination of the cocoa butter, sweet almond oil and vanilla gives this balm a sweet and comforting scent and taste.  You should be able to find all of these ingredients in your local grocery or whole foods store.

As a precaution against spills or splashing, you may want to wear old clothing when mixing this because getting wax out of clothing is a nightmare.  It’s also very hard to get this off of a counter top, so I usually lay down some newspaper, especially on the area where I’ll be pouring the lip balm into containers.

  • 3 tbsp. pure cocoa butter
  • 1/2 c. olive oil or sweet almond oil
  • 4 tbsp. beeswax
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1 vitamin E capsule
  • 5-8 drops of pure vanilla essential oil
  1. Use a double-boiler on the stove to melt the beeswax.  If you don’t have a double-boiler (or a stove!) you can put the beeswax in a glass, microwave-safe container and heat it in the microwave slowly, taking it out and stirring every 25-35 seconds.
  2. Once the wax is melted add the room-temperature cocoa butter and sweet almond oil.  Continue to slowly heat the mixture until the cocoa butter is melted, stirring often.
  3. Add the honey and the vanilla essential oil.  Then pierce a vitamin E capsule and squeeze the contents into the mixture.
  4. Remove the mixture from the stove and pour into individual containers.  Allow your new lip balm to cool for 1-2 hours before use.

(source: http://hellogiggles.com/diy-cocoa-butter-and-vanilla-lip-balm)

Do it yourself Lotion, salve, lip balm

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What To Do With All Of Our Beeswax?

12 Mar

OK so we have plenty of pure delicious honey! (Bees by the way are easy to tend and one hive is currently splitting and we are making tons of honey!) We also have plenty of beeswax, pair that with some coconut oil and our growing medicinal herb garden and voila a recipe for salve’s! I’, a left brained technical person, not really used to working with recipes, long gone are the days of weekly spa treatments and afternoon sushi. So we are going to make these niceties ourselves! Salves can be beneficial as face cream’s, hand cream’s, medicinal salves, as well as salves for pain relief. Here are some recipes I have found online, I will post back my end result so we can all see how it turned out and which recipe we chose to work with. We can also make our own candles but I wanted to try a salve first as it looks easier to make.

Pictures of our beeswax

organic_beeswax

(Source: These recipes are from http://www.rachelssupply.com/bwax.htm)

BEESWAX RECIPES Moisturing Vitamin E Cream

4 oz. sweet almond oil
1 oz. beeswax
2 oz. water
10 drops Vitamin E oil
10 drops lavender essential oil

Melt the oil and the wax in a double boiler, Remove from heat, add water, and stir thoroughly.
Add your Vitamin E, essential oil and stir continuously until cool. This cream is very moisturizing and emollient.
It is nice for rough, dry, or chapped complexions and should help promote healthy looking skin.
After you have added the essential oil and the cream is still warm enough to pour, carefully pour it into Salve Jars or Metal Tins, we offer both below.
Antiseptic Balm ( Use instead of antiseptic ointment, this is far superior! )
Ingredients:
2 ounces Beeswax
3 ounces Sweet Almond Oil
1 ounce Jojoba Oil
20 drops Wheatgerm Oil
20 drops Myrrh Essential Oil
20 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil

( Makes enough to fill 4 each 1 ounce salve jars or 1 ounce metal tins )

A rule of thumb is 2 parts oil to one part beeswax. Simply heat the Sweet Almond and Jojoba oil in a saucepan and add Beeswax. If you want a thin consistency ( such as a cream or Vaseline ) add only a little bit of Beeswax. Want it thicker like wax? Just add more Beeswax.

Allow the base to cool down to see what the consistency is like. If it’s too thick, add more Sweet Almond oil and reheat, too thin?, add more Beeswax.

As the base is cooling add the essential oils to enhance the healing effect of the balm. These essential oils can be found in our Essential Oil List.
After you have added the essential oil and the lip balm is still warm enough to pour, carefully pour it into Salve Jars or Metal Tins, we offer both below.

Herbal Salve
Make different Herbal Salves simply by changing/mixing differnet essential oils!
Ingredients:
2 ounces Beeswax
3 ounces Sweet Almond Oil
1 ounce Jojoba Oil
1/2 oz. Canola oil
40 drops total essential oil of your preference

( Makes enough to fill 4 each 1 ounce salve jars or 1 ounce metal tins )

Simply heat the Sweet Almond, Canola oil and Jojoba oil in a saucepan and add Beeswax. If you want a thin consistency ( such as a cream or Vaseline ) add only a little bit of Beeswax. Want it thicker like wax? Just add more Beeswax.

Allow the base to cool down to see what the consistency is like. If it’s too thick, add more Sweet Almond oil and reheat, too thin?, add more Beeswax.

As the base is cooling add the essential oils to enhance the healing effect of the balm. These essential oils can be found in our Essential Oil List.
After you have added the essential oil and the lip balm is still warm enough to pour, carefully pour it into Salve Jars or Metal Tins, we offer both below.

Use Bayleaf Essential oil for relieving rheumatism.
Use Bergamot Essential oil for colds, bronchitis systems, i.e. chest rub.
Use Caraway Essential oil for antiseptic quality.
Use Cardamon Essential oil for aphrodisiac quality. Use Clary Sage Essential oil for anti-ainflammatory, aphrodisiac and scalp problems
Use Cedar Essential oil for relieving Chronic anxiety and stress.
Use Citronella Essential oil for making a insect repellent salve.
Use Eucalyptus Essential oil for chest rub, relieves congestion, eases breathing.
Use Frankincense Essential oil for asthma and other respiratory problems.
Use Gardenia Essential oil for chest rub, said to relieve flu conditions, fever, hypertension and palpitations.
Use Juniper Essential oil for emotionally cleansing effect. Calms the nerves.
Use Orange Essential oil for a lighter body lotion, said to relax, relieve sexual apprehension, and is antiseptic and antibactericidal.
Use Patchouli Essential oil for antiseptic, aphrodisiac qualities.
Use Rosemary Essential oil for relieving tired muscles.
Use Tea Tree Essential oil for Antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral qualities.
Itch Relief Salve ( Good for posion ivy, posion oak )
1 pint Sweet Olive Oil
2 ounces Beeswax
1 tablespoon Chickweed Powder
1 tablespoon Comfrey Powder

Put chickweed and comfrey powder into sweet olive oil and simmer 3 hours. Strain and add beeswax. Pour into salve jars or tins.
Coconut Butter Body Moisturizer ( Good for wind and sunburned skin )
Ingredients
2 tablespoons beeswax
2 teaspoons distilled water
4 oz. cocoa butter
4 tablespoons sweet almond
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Melt the beeswax over low heat with the water. Spoon in cocoa butter and blend. Gradually blend in oils. Pour into glass jar.
The lotion will thicken as it cools.
organic_beeswax2Vaseline Type Jelly
This makes a great vaseline type jelly.
1 ounce (weight) beeswax
1/2 cup baby oil

Melt the beeswax in a microwave or a double boiler. Stir in the baby oil.
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir until cool.
Skin Cream ( by Elaine White )
2 1/2 ounces (weight) beeswax
4 ounces (weight) lanolin
2/3 cup baby or mineral oil
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon borax (sodium borate, CP)
Fragrant oil (optional)

Melt the oil, lanolin and beeswax to 160 degrees F. Heat the borax and water in a separate container to 160 degrees F. Be sure the beeswax is melted and the borax is dissolved. Add the water mixture to the oil mixture while stirring.
When a white cream forms, stir slowly until the mixture cools to 100 degrees F. Pour the cream into small, wide-mouth jars.
Pain Releif Salve
1 tablespoon Chickweed powder
1 tablespoon Wormwood Powder
10 drops Tea Tree oil
2 pints Sweet Olive Oil
3 ounces Beeswax

Mix together chickweed, wormwood powder, add the mixed herbs to sweet olive oil and simmer 3 hours. Strain and add beeswax and Tea Tree Oil. Pour into salve containers.

HAND CREAM
2 ounces beeswax
1 cup sweet almond oil
1 cup water
10 drops essential oil (if desired, for fragrance)
Heat beeswax and sweet almond oil until the wax melts. In another container, heat water until warm. Both mixtures should be warm, but not so hot as to be uncomfortable to the touch.
Place warm water in a blender. Cover the blender, leaving open the small opening in the cover. With the blender running on high speed, slowly pour in the beeswax-oil mixture in a thin stream. When most of the oil has been added, the mixture should begin to thicken.
At this point, add the essential oil. Continue to add oil and blend until the mixture is sufficiently thickened. Turn off the blender. You should have a thick cream. Spoon into salve jars or metal tins.

Body Lotion
This is a great recipe that does not spoil easily without the aid of refrigeration. It makes about 2 cups of lotion.

1 cup of aloe vera gel
1 teaspoon of lanolin 1 teaspoon of pure vitamin E oil
1/3 cup of coconut oil
1/2 ounce of beeswax
3/4 cup of almond oil
Up to 1 and 1/2 teapoons of essential oil of your choice or more to prolong scent

Place aloe vera gel, lanolin and vitamin E oil in a blender or food processor. Place coconut oil and beeswax in a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, microwave on high for 30 second and stir. Repeat in ten second blocks until fully melted.

Stir in almond oil, reheating if necessary. Run blender at low to medium speed, then pour in melted oils in a thin stream. As the oils is blended in the cream will turn white and the blender’s motor will begin to grind. As soon as you have a mayonaise-like consistency, stop motor, add essential oils and pulse blend. do not overblend Transfer cream to glass jars while still warm because it thickens quickly.
This recipe was found in the Winter 97 issue of Handcraft Illustrated Magazine. The article was written by Amy Jenner

Sweet Lavender Ointment

4 ounces sweet olive oil
3 to 4 ounces beeswax
1 ounce cocoa butter
15 drops vitamin e oil
25 drops lavender oil

Combine the sweet olive oil, beeswax, cocoa butter and heat thoroughly in the top of a double boiler. Remove from the heat. Add the vitamin e, lavender oil and beat well. Pour into salve jars and allow the mixture to cool before covering.
Basic Lotion Bar
From an email from Patti’s Pleasures

Ingredients:
3 ounces beeswax
2 ounces cocoa butter
3 ounces sweet almond oil

Melt and mix all ingredients thoroughly. Mold into desired shape.
Rich Hand Cream

by Rosemary Gladstar in Tasha Tudor’s Heirloom Crafts
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sweet almond oil
1/3 cup coconut oil or cocoa butter
1 Teaspoon lanolin
1/2 ounce grated beeswax
Melt ingredients together over low heat and cool to room temperature. When cool, add:
2/3 cup rosewater
1/2 cup aloe vera gel
1 – 2 drops rose blend EO
5 drops Vitamin E oil
Whip all ingredients to a smooth consistency. Store in a sterile covered jar.
Solid Perfume
Ingredients:
3 parts Sweet Almond or Jojoba oil
2 parts White beeswax
1 part Cosmetic Grade Fragrance Oil, choose from our huge line of Rachel’s Cosmetic Grade Fragrance Oils
Melt all ingredients over double boiler until well mixed and integrated. Pour into containers and let cool.
LIP GLOSS
2 teaspoons beeswax
2 tablespoons, sweet almond oil or coconut oil
5 drops essential oil (such as orange, lemon, grapefruit, tangerine, coconut or mint)
2 drops vitamin E capsule
(optional: to tint, up to 1/4 teaspoon lipstick)
Melt the oil and beeswax together. Remove from heat. If coloring, stir in the lipstick. When the mixture has cooled to lukewarm, stir in essential oil and the vitamin E. Transfer to a small container.
Stir occasionally while cooling . If a thicker gloss is desired, increase the amount of beeswax. (Experiment with other additions such as baking chocolate, crushed peppermint candy, cocoa butter, vanilla bean, oil of cinnamon, oil of camphor or eucalyptus for soothing chapped lips, wheat germ oil, etc.
Add oil-based ingredients to the oil phase, and water-soluble ingredients to the water phase.) This is a great way to use up leftover or too-dark lipstick.

BEESWAX WOOD FINISH (for bare wood)
1 pound beeswax
1 pint turpentine (odorless, if you can find it)
1 pint boiled linseed oil
Melt wax. Remove wax from heat source, then stir in turpentine and oil. Before applying to bare wood, warm the mixture to achieve better penetration. Apply with a soft cloth, let dry, then buff with a wool cloth. Old coats can be removed with an organic solvent such as turpentine. This can also be used on leather. (Another wood finish can be made with 1 pound beeswax and 1 pint turpentine, omitting the linseed oil.)
BEESWAX WOOD CONDITIONER (for previously finished wood)
1 ounce beeswax
1 pint turpentine
2 cups water
1 ounce Ivory soap flakes
Shred wax into turpentine; cover and leave in a warm spot. Shake container from time to time.
Bring 2 cups water to a boil.
Add soap and stir until dissolved. Add it to the wax/turpentine, stirring briskly until an emulsion forms.

IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP: Beeswax melts at 143-148 degrees. It is pliable at 100 degrees. All waxes will ignite explosively when they reach their flash point temperature. To melt beeswax safely, place it in the top of a double boiler, or place the container of wax in a larger container of hot water. Do not melt beeswax in a microwave, as it could become hot enough to ignite. Do not cover the beeswax while melting in a container of water, as steam may condense on the inside of the cover resulting in water in the wax.

MEASURING TIP : To measure a small amount of beeswax, grate it before melting

Source: http://www.rachelssupply.com/bwax.htm

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Whiteflies ~ grrrrrrr

26 Feb

Whiteflies have invaded our greenhouse and I will tell you they are miniature vampires that suck the lifeblood out of all living things! They feed on the underside of plant leaves as well as lay thousands of larvae on the underside of leaves and they can quickly spread and destroy everything in your greenhouse. I have been using a daily neem regimen as our infestation grew fast! The neem which is all natural and not an insecticide is being sprayed on the top as well as the bottom of ALL leaves. We are leaving the soil a little dry and spraying the top of the soil with neem oil as well. Now that we have the breeding cycle curtailed we need to attend to the adult whiteflies so I am using a yellow sticky patch catch method and it is working! I will also be putting yellow painted plastic cups under all plants with vegetable oil inside of them. The whiteflies are attracted to the color yellow and will get trapped in the vegetable oil.

A Few Quick Facts and Pointers for Controlling Whitefly (Partial List Source from Colorado State University: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05587.html)

  • Greenhouse whitefly is a common pest of house plants and greenhouse plants. In summer, it can become established in the Garden, affecting vegetables and flowers.
  • It does not survive outdoors in areas of freezing winters, such as Colorado. Winter infestations may persist on indoor plants.
  • Horticultural oils and neem are two of the best controls for the immature stages. Pyrethrins and related pyrethroid insecticides are recommended for control of adults.
  • Colored sticky traps and certain biological controls can assist in whitefly control.
  • Ensure your greenhouse is screened completely to assist in controlling populations
  • Leave the spiders alone! They are perfect for trapping whiteflies and should be considered your new best friends!
  • Plants that attract beneficial insects should be planted read more here: http://www.farmerfred.com/plants_that_attract_benefi.html
  • Quarantine all new plants before bringing them into the greenhouse, watch them for a few days for whitefly outbreak
  • I am hanging my whitefly sticky yellow traps within the plants so the whitefly are easily attracted to it
  • You can make your own whitefly traps using yellow paper and rub Vaseline on them and hang them by plants!

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Free Food to Families ~ Okinawan Spinach – Gynura crepioides

24 Feb

IMG_0823OK so we are self sufficient! We are now ready to assist in supporting our local and greater communities! We have set up a donation page and are in need of two additional greenhouses to further the cause. The Okinawan Spinach cuttings are thriving and growing and I have begun handing out the amazing spinach bush cuttings to neighbors, friends, and local community. We believe we can extend this outreach to people not only in our local area but to places around the world where these amazing fast growing spinach bushes will tolerate the climate. In stead of getting roses in the mail (That don’t last very long) imagine families around the world getting Okinawan spinach bush cuttings for food for a lifetime! Well the vegetable part is handled anyway!

Check out our donation page here: http://www.gofundme.com/freefoodtofamilies Also please support the amazing Trees That Feed Foundation: http://www.treesthatfeed.org

Okinawan Spinach – Gynura crepioides

Okinawan spinach is a fast-growing, small ornamental shrub that produces large amounts of nutritious leaves for years. It requires little maintenance and is particularly valuable because it grows well under a variety of tropical conditions, including atolls. Okinawan spinach is a low, spreading shrub that forms a solid stand, reaching 3 ft (1 m) in height. Its narrow leaves are dark green on the surface and purple underneath. It has numerous small, orange, composite flowers, but viable seed is rarely produced.

Okinawan Spinach – Environmental Requirements

Okinawan spinach is native to Indonesia. It is well adapted to the hot and humid tropics, but will grow under much drier conditions than other perennial vegetables from the humid regions. Cultivation is possible outside of the hot tropics, but the rate of growth will decrease as the average temperature decreases. Okinawan spinach grows under a variety of soil conditions, from heavy clays to sandy soils. It is tolerant of the alkaline and calcarious soils often found on atolls. Full sun or partial shade is best for good growth, while heavy shade will inhibit growth.

Okinawan Spinach – Uses and Preparation

The tender leaf shoots and young leaves are the main product from this perennial vegetable. In the markets of Taiwan, the shoots are sold tied in a bundle. Okinawan spinach can also be used to give a red coloring to other foods, such as rice. The young, raw leaves and shoots have a flavor that most people find agreeable. However, the flavor of Okinawan spinach is strong and it is generally mixed with other types of green leaves. The young leaves and shoots can be eaten raw in salads, after being washed in clean water. It is often mixed with other greens. When cooked as a green vegetable by itself, it is somewhat slimy. It is best to cook it with other leafy greens. The shoots and leaves can be added to soups, stews and stir-fry dishes.

Okinawan Spinach – Nutritional Value

Everyone in the family should eat some green leaves everyday. Children, pregnant women and nursing mothers especially need the protein, vitamins and minerals found in green leaves. For many children, green leaves are the sole source of vitamin A, an essential vitamin in preventing blindness. Green leaves also contain phytochemicals, thousands of chemical tongue twisters like sulforaphane, genistein and indole-3-carbinol, that are the new frontier in cancer-prevention research. Serving a variety of green leaves will keep the whole family healthy.

Okinawan Spinach – Propagation

Okinawan spinach is propagated by cutting. To prepare cuttings, take a 10 inch (25 cm) length section of the tip or midsection of the stem. Remove all leaves and plant slanting or vertically with 1 or 2 nodes exposed. Cuttings can be planted in nursery containers or directly in the ground, and must be kept moist. Container grown cuttings will be ready for planting within 4 to 8 weeks. Good results have been obtained from direct planting where rainfall is adequate or irrigation is used. Cuttings can be spaced close together, 12 inches (30 cm) apart, to establish a solid stand in a short time. It is important to keep the cuttings weeded until they have grown together, which takes 4 to 8 weeks.

Okinawan Spinach – Establishment

Transplanting is best done at the beginning of the rainy season to ensure high survival and good growth. A thorough watering is important before planting. Containers should be carefully lifted and spiraled roots should be cut so that all roots are growing downward. The planting hole must be deep enough to allow the roots to hang down vertically. Plants can be spaced 20-40 inches (0.5 to 1.0 m) apart, or even closer if desired. Adding compost or green manure in the planting hole will provide nutrients for good establishment. Soil should be firmly packed around the plant after planting. Mulch placed around the transplant will reduce soil moisture loss and help to control weeds.

Okinawan Spinach – Management

Okinawan spinach is probably one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Once it is established, it is virtually weed free and doesn’t require much fertilization. It will grow on atolls, but growth will be slow without green manure. Green manure from woody legumes is a good source of  nutrients. Okinawan spinach is harvested weekly to stimulate growth. In Hawaii, a 160 ft (14 m) raised bed of organically-grown Okinawan spinach can produce 5-8 lbs per week, continuously. It will outgrow its boundaries very rapidly, when not harvested on a regular basis. It can be trimmed monthly to promote new, tender growth for consumption. The abundant trimmings can be used as a garden mulch or around trees.

A few plants scattered around the home will provide beauty and enough nutritious leaves and shoots for the entire family. It can be grown along walkways to suppress weeds and on steep areas to control soil erosion.

Okinawan spinach can be planted around the drip line of fruit and nut trees to provide a living ground cover. It will prevent weed growth near the tree, control soil erosion, create a suitable habitat for beneficial organisms, conserve soil moisture, and add organic matter through the decay of older leaves.

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Greenhouse + Food Grade Containers = Grow it Organic!

11 Dec

Grow it yourself and save thousands on your food bill~ Grow it yourself and eat fresh, Organic, healthy quality vegetables and fruits. If you do not have room for a greenhouse why not have your community pitch in on a spot of land and start a community program? Just imagine your community each sharing in growing and learning to store fresh food that you can have year round. Growing is super easy we found in food grade feed lot containers and water troughs. Growing this way also helps to keep the greenhouse clean and bug free as well as weed free.

Tips to Greenhouse Growing in Food Grade Containers:

1. Make sure there are small puncture holes drilled into the bottom of the food grade containers for drainage.
2. We used black cinder, you can use river rock or other natural stone about an inch along the bottom to assist in drainage
3. After adding drainage holes and drainage rock we add our soil. Using potting soil from Fox Farm as well as adding nutrients to the soil helps keep it moist and fertile.

Soil Issues: We noticed that cheaper soil often times would mold on the top, so we decided to use the following soil which appears to be much richer and our vegetables are sprouting and growing at a faster rate using this soil from Fox Farm.

Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil. “A powerful blend of Northwest sea-going fish, crab and shrimp meal, and earthworm castings create an ideal indoor/outdoor, container and greenhouse soil. Composted forest humus, peat moss, bat guano and micro-nutrients are added to create the optimum organic medium for a versatile planting environment. It is light in texture and well aerated. Great to start seeds.”

Before and After of the Greenhouse

There are no words to describe how fantastic it is to see seeds grow. Especially knowing they are NOT GMO seeds! We use no pesticides that are not organic and the fertilizer is all natural so we know we are eating healthy delicious vegetables! The photos you will see also show also some amazing results using grow bags for potatoes. The potatoes are growing using the Fox Farm ocean potting soil, a pinch of chicken manure and a tussle of straw over the top. I am continuing to add straw and a handful of dirt to each tussle of straw to keep them covered as they grow. We tries the potatoes 5 different ways in this environment and the straw seems to be doing the trick!

We are still having trouble growing onions of any variety and the white moths are eating all of the broccoli. We are devising ways to protect the brocoli and are experimenting with soil types to get onions to grow. Everything else is sprouting right up out of the soil!

 

 

 

greenhouse_before

greenhouse_after

greenhouse_growing_organic

greenhouse_gardening

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Happy Growing!!

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe ~ With a Secret Sauce

22 Oct

Oh yes, the celery essence is oozing into the butter!

I hope your stocking up on 55 gallon barrels of flour! After tasting this recipe and savoring the secret ingredient you will want to have Pot Pie in any variation every night of the week! Check out the photos of this lovely creation, we are having a recipe cook off here at the farm so the next Chicken pot pie recipe will have some currifick twists (hinting on the curry aspect here) Remember to use locally grown organic produce if you are not yet growing yourself!

Down on the farm Chicken pot Pie Recipe: (Variation of Marie Calendar’s)

Chicken pot Pie Recipe:
Farm Filling INGREDIENTS:

2 cans low-sodium chicken stock
14 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 small carrots, peeled and cubed
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon black pepper

1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups frozen peas
1 small head of broccoli, cut into small pieces
6 baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
3 handfuls Okinawan Spinach, chopped small (regular spinach or kale would also work)

Secret ingredient:
Half a bag of instant mashed potatoes, use more or less to adjust thickness

Crust
Flour 2 to 3 cups
Shortening amount to blend
Salt amount to taste
Ice Water sprinkle till desired texture

DIRECTIONS:

To make the filling: In 4-quart saucepan combine stock, chicken, carrots, celery, broccoli and onion. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add paprika, pepper and butter. Dissolve flour into whipping cream and stir into chicken mixture. Simmer 3 minutes stirring frequently until thickened. Add pea, spinach and mushrooms and set aside. If you want to thicken it up a bit use some instant mashed potatoes! ;-)

To assemble: Pour filling into bottom crust. Roll out top crust, cut slits for steam to escape. Cover filling with top crust and fold top crust under bottom crust. Seal crust and flute edge. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Gently it is rolled with flower

The mashed potato helped the filling become more “firm”

Yes it was delicious!

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NEW Duck House and Teen Chicken Coop! 6 New Baby Chicks!

23 Jun

OK folks! A wireless drill and some deck screws and a little wood and cedar siding and VOILA! I had no plan, did hardly any measuring and it might show but it was my first time building anything and it was fun and I thought it came out well! 4×6′s all the way around!! Now the teen Chicks are integrating into the flock without being attacked, they have much more room to grow before we clip their wings and add them to our harem. The 13 Muscovy duck babies now have a place to sleep as their parents nesting home was was too small! I built both of these in two days. Next time I will utilize more patience and have a plan, at least I know I can and so can you! ALSO we have 6 NEW baby chicks to our flock, they are in the chick coop with a fantastic broody hen who is now raising 8 little ones for our flock! Nature knows what she is doing!

Special thanks to TechieGramsFarmer for helping with the chicken wire and cedar board – special thanks to TechieManFarmer for showing me how to use the tools and assisting when I started screaming.. ;-)

 

 

Inside the duck house!

 

 

 

Bugs & Slugs ~ We Feast!

12 Jun

The Muscovy ducklings are parading around the property eating every bug & slug in their path. The dogs love to sit and watch them meander by. We appreciate the harmony of nature working together, however when the ducks hit up the garden area and eat our vegetables much like our now confined chicken friends, well we have to control that. So the garden has been strengthened by additional rocks and logs so the little fellas can’t get inside. All is well as they continue their journey through the pastures in the constant hunt for bugs & slugs.

 

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