This and That

 I've been using a sample size of horsetail salve, to see if it will help with the very dry cracked skin on my hands (joys of gardening).  I did a bit of reading (like a tiny bit), and it apparently is good to help brittle fingernails too.  I do not make the salve.  I, honestly, never heard of it, until we bought some earlier this year.  So far, it's helping restore my hands and heal the very dry cracks.  

Garden planting is still on-going.  The rain has now moved later into the week, so watering newly planted seeds and plants is happening.  I obtained a few packets of organic collard seeds, and have a new plan for them this year.  I read that if they are planted next to thyme, they thrive better (we'll soon find out).

Our garlic is starting to grow scapes, and the radish plants have not even sprouted due to late planting.  The two together, make the most delicious dip.  I don't need to cut the scapes just yet, but I read they will store in the refrigerator for a good long time, so there is hope for making the dip this season. 

I recently listened to a video, where the garden grower stated that once you cut those scapes off, your garlic is done for the season.  I read that you cut them off, so your bulb grows larger, but now I'm hearing that is not the case.  Any thoughts on that?

It's that time of year I call "dip" season.  Easy dinners that require no cooking, and are also light lunches or even simply a quick, nutritious snack.  The photo above is a dip that uses 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar in the dressing and it is delicious.  I split this batch in half, and added a fresh chopped jalapeno to one half of the dip this time.

Black bean and corn dip.

Our comfrey is now blooming.  I grow it in a plant pot, and it comes back every year.  If I had a "weed" garden somewhere, it would be grown there, as it spreads quickly (medicinal plant).

I am glad I make my own comfrey salve, as we have used that this year too.  Along with plantain salve and yarrow salve.

Something I learned, but have to check resources to make sure it's correct - borage blooms (another green I would like to start growing) look almost identical to comfrey blooms, and the plant looks very similar.  You can eat the blossoms of borage and they taste like blueberries.  Hm.  I have yet to plant any borage, but it's sounds interesting.  It is one plant I am not familiar with.

Something else I learned - the roots of cleavers can be used to make a red dye.  Very interesting (Learning Herbs).  I decided to go ahead and start a tincture with cleavers, but in a smaller jar.  We love ginger root for swollen lymph nodes, but I think the tincture would be nice to have on hand this coming winter. 

I started an apple cider vinegar tincture with chickweed.  My first tincture made with vinegar.  My research recommended filling the jar 1/4 to 1/3 of dried herb.  As you can see a little herb goes a long way (using dried herb) in this type of tincture.  It will sit for 4 weeks before I strain it.

I do need to make an inventory on tinctures. I like to get those all re-stocked when the plants are growing.  I'm considering making more tinctures.  Possibly more with vinegar this year, but tinctures with apple cider vinegar will only last 1 year.  However, you can use them to cook with too.  I'm considering maybe Thai basil.  Garlic would be a good one too.  

I have a packet of Sorrel seeds, and have yet to decide where to plant them.  I really need a "weed" garden somewhere.  I have never eaten sorrel, nor planted it, nor harvested it for any reason.  I did read a bit about it, and it is invasive and a perennial plant.  Has anyone eaten sorrel?  Worth the time to plant possibly in pots for a trial run?  Benefits?  Does it freeze well when blanched?  Best way to eat it?  I'll have to do more research on this plant.  Adding it to my "rainy day" activities.

Deer are on the move lately.  They are the reason gardens are fenced around here, but deer can jump high too.   

This and That  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

This and That

 Any writers here?  Are there any free downloadable programs that are similar to what Word offers?  Other than Google docs and notepad?  Looking for one like Word, in which to use for writing, with options to save to a removeable drive as well as save to the computer.  Font options, italics, underscore, paragraph widths and all the options that Word has. Or an inexpensive program to purchase similar to Word?

Our Word program expired a few years ago, and I do not like notepad at all.  It comes in handy for a recipe, but that's about it.

Thanks to anyone who can give me recommendations.  I think I follow a few that write books, and possibly a few that keep journals (not blogs, but actual personal journals) using their computer/laptap or tablet.  

This tip may be a repeat tip.  Sorry if that is the case.  I started buying 2# bottles of Dawn on sale, and use them to refill our smaller bottle.  Saves us a lot of money, as we can, preserve, cook from scratch, and there are always dishes to wash.

I also save a few of the lids from the bottles.  They come in handy for other containers and they come in handy to replace the existing lids on the bottle we use daily.

Short post today.

Cleavers.  I'm considering making a tincture this year.  Anyone have any experience with Cleavers as a tincture?

This and That  ©  May 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Cleavers Facial Wash ~ Natural Wrinkle Remedy

When ever I read something new about a weed I harvest, I give it a try if I can.  The season for cleavers are over for us, but I wanted to share this.

I made a tea with cleavers. I just made sort of an infusion in a pint canning jar, strained it and put it in the fridge.  

Dip your washcloth into the tea and rinse your face with the tea solution at room temperature (or cold).  Cleavers at as a skin tightener, so in reality, reduces wrinkles and lifts up the skin naturally.

Some people may have a bad reaction to this facial wash, so try a small area at first.  If you use fresh cleavers in you tea (not recommended for this), you have greater chance a having a skin reaction.

I used this tea for 2 straight weeks and feel and see a difference.  I also used it cold on my face, and it felt great in the heat of summer.

If you were wondering. . .

I canned more wild violet jelly first thing after my work out, and checked the weather.  Were you wondering if our rain stopped yet?  Well I was.

We got more rain, but I had a break in the day to get outside.  Oye. It's wet out there, but after checking the asparagus and garden (for damage), I high tailed it to the flower beds.  I could spend a week out there, plus the herb garden.

I have a plan for the wettest part of my vegetable garden.  Updates to follow if it works out.

I felt like the "If you give a Mom a Muffin" but with the weeds yesterday.  One thing just led to another.

I started weeding flower beds, and found several ornamental apple trees growing in it.  I dug up two and transplanted them.  I went back to weeding, but after pulling all the cleavers, it was almost a day with the cleavers.  I filled my dehydrator with them, and had a bit leftover.

Knowing our family motto, that has been on this blog for years now, you know I try to use everything I can, and what I have (and try to waste nothing).  So....two cleaver poultices were made and put into the freezer.  They can be used to heal cuts, bites, and even sunburn (cools the inflamed skin).

...and

Wild Weeds ~ Cleavers ~ My Herbal Journey ~ Ticks

I harvested some wild growing cleavers this past week.  I have been pulling these from the flower beds for years, and had no idea they were a weed to keep.  Golly.  I learn something every year.

These are also called "sticky weed."  You may have them too.  You know, those annoying weeds that stick to everything?  Well, my lymph nodes were swollen and ginger and lemon wasn't kicking it's butt.

Weeds ~ Chickweed Tincture ~ Whiskey Butter ~ Asparagus ~ Garden Planting Starts

I have been weeding the rose bed, which may get all torn out and roses moved.  Every year one particular rose plant in one area dies.  I think they get more shade than sun, so I may have to re-think what I'll plant there for color.  Anyway, I had a good amount of chickweed, cleavers and dandelions in that bed too.

I got all of them into the dehydrator for other uses, including facial cleansers, and even got a bit of dandelion root dried.