Dandelions - free e-book

I found this great FREE e-book about dandelions with many ways to get the benefits of dandelions.  There are recipes for vinegars, tinctures, infused oils, salves, honey, soaps and salads. Since I am surrounded by acres of dandelions - many of which decorate my lawn - I was very interested and will be trying out some of the recipes soon.  If you live nearby and need a source of un-sprayed organic yellow "weeds" come and get 'em.

http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Things-to-do-with-dandelions.pdf

Sally Fallon Morell: Nourishing Tradtions

While I have been "resting" with a cold I've had some extra time to watch some videos.  This one is particularly interesting!!  First some background on the speaker.

Sally Fallon received a Bachelors Degree in English with honours from Stanford University, and a Masters Degree in English with high honours from UCLA.  Mrs. Fallon is founding president of the Weston A. Price Foundation (www.westonaprice.org) and editor of the Foundation's quarterly magazine and author of the cook book Nourishing Traditions.

Mrs. Fallon and her colleague, Mary G. Enig, PhD., a world renowned expert on the subject of lipids and human nutrition, draw on a wealth of scientific and anthropological findings that include the importance of traditional broths as a source of minerals and as an aid to digestion, made from the bones of chicken, fish, beef and lamb; of proper preparation of grain, nuts and legumes to neutralize enzyme inhibitors and mineral-blocking substances found in all seed foods; and of ancient techniques for food preservation that enhance nutrient content while supplying beneficial digestive flora on a daily basis.

Mrs. Fallon explains the importance of returning to organic farming, pasture-fed livestock and whole traditional foods, properly prepared, if Americans are to regain their health and vitality, and return to an economy based on small scale organic production and food processing that returns added value to the independent farmer, rather than to large scale food processing conglomerates. (Thanks to Lisa for the heads-up on this great video!)

It's a challenging video. I've had her book Nourishing Traditions on my to-buy list for a long time so it may get bumped up closer to the top now.  Enjoy!

Elderberry Extract - a helpful extract for colds & flu

I'm sick. I caught a whopper of a cold somewhere in the last week and so I have been holed up mostly inside trying to find things to do that take my mind off of coughing and sneezing.

Through a sad set of circumstances I squeezed the last of the elderberry extract out of the jar on day one - there was no more to be had after that as it takes 6 weeks to make.   Elderberry extract has rave reviews on-line for it's health properties.  It's used to support your immune system so you are less likely to catch a cold in the first place and to help you get better faster when you do - I guess I won't now if that's true this year.  At the very least taking a swig of elderberry/vodka before bed should help you sleep better.

For the OH SO complicated recipe:  Take fresh or dried elderberries - I had dried ones purchased from Mountain Rose Herbs.  Place 2 cups in a large jar - I used an 8 cup size (larger than a quart but I could have used a bigger bottle of vodka) and poured a bottle of 80 proof vodka over the contents.  After waiting 6 weeks while it sits on the counter - drink by the teaspoon full.  I put it i the fridge after that but I'm don't think you need to - it just tastes better cold.  I didn't strain out the elderberries as some recipes recommend - I just assumed the longer it sat the better. Maybe fresh elderberries soaked in vodka taste good enough to eat but the dried ones are rather lacking!  For a family that doesn't drink much we managed to finish the bottle I made in December just in time for me to catch a cold.  Next time I will have to make a bigger batch.

I can't say it tastes great but it's not too bad.  It turns a beautiful shade of burgundy and it tastes a lot better than straight vodka!  I am hoping to find a elderberry bush or two to plant but I'm having trouble finding the right one.

Besides echinacea tea with honey, lots of vitamin C and garlic, fresh squeezed lemon juice and  my daily dose of "Triple Mix"  which is what DH calls a powdered juiced vegetable product that we take as a supplement - actually called Trio Max and some rest I don't have any new solutions for the Cure for the Common Cold - except to not catch it in the first place.

Usually when I know someone is brewing a cold I get out the hand sanitizer and place it in a prominent spot.  I also add a teaspoon of bleach to the dish washing water to kill any germs and spraying counters and cleaning with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide makes me feel better!

Any tips you'd like to add??  I want to make a info sheet to hang on the inside of my kitchen cupboards with all the handy tips about what to do when you catch a cold.  My daughter remembered me telling her about putting Vicks Vapour Rub on the bottom of your feet to stop the coughing...I didn't even remember reading that one!  I'll post the final results if you give me some more things to add!

Now I just have to get better so I can sneak back into the liquor store for more vodka so I can make more extract...says the girl who never even tasted vodka until last fall...