Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Give a Woman an Herb Garden ~ Herbal Syrup ~ Lemon Balm

The Good Lord gave me a dry day, so I went straight to the herb garden.  The vegetable garden was still too wetI know the weeds are bad, but sharing a photo anyway.  I have to re-set the natural stones around it every spring, but I really don't mind it.  The bed on the other side (top) of the sidewalk is a flower bed.  I still have sage in some of it.


I finally dug up the lemon balm, and put it into a pot this year.  I planted it directly in the herb garden over 8 years ago when I had no clue what I was doing.  I'll probably be digging it up for the next 20-some years.


And of course, my new pot could not keep all of it, so the rest went inside.  And of course, this took me "off course" with my work, and I got side tracked.  The herb garden stayed looking that way, while I went inside.


First, I filled my 9 tray dehydrator with lemon balm leaves.  It was somewhat therapeutic pulling all those leaves off. They smelled so wonderful.
    

Then, I made my first herbal syrup.  I think this was the first time, ha ha!  I used water, organic sugar and lemon balm (fresh).  I tasted it after it cooled.  It's amazing!

I actually made two batches.  One to use now, and one for the freezer.  It can be used in cakes (not that I need it), to sweeten teas, and used over fruit or biscuits.  You can find the recipe at Grit online.

I guess the Good Lord doesn't want me in the vegetable garden just yet, so I am working in my herb garden when the "Rain Gods" allow.  

Which isn't today.  

Rain arrived again late night and it appears it will continue (off and on) today.

I'll be making a gallon jug of iced tea to use that syrup in today.  Hm. Every time it rains, I keep thinking I really should clean the rest of the garage out. 


6 comments:

Sam I Am...... said...

Yep, I did the same thing with lemon balm and you can't get rid of it! What a great use for it though and I have lots. The only saving grace is that it is in a cemented off area where it can't go any farther! LOL! Thanks for the info...finally I'll have a bigger and better use for it.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sam I Am, I use lemon balm in my cold and hot teas. Delicious.

Mama Pea said...

No matter what we want to (really!) do of a day, if the weather makes that impossible, there is always a long list of other things that CAN be done. You say you kinda got side-tracked, but I think you make very good use of every minute of your day!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Aw, thanks Mama Pea. You are right. There is always a long list of things to get done.

Nancy In Boise said...

I recently ripped out all of my lemon balm and tossed it into the compost. Pretty invasive stuff, but smalls great!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Little Homestead in Boise, I love the smell of it too.