SS cafe

[baymule]

On second cup, about to get dressed and start the day. Going to have a neighbor boy help today. BJ is in charge oh pulling goat weed from the backyard and pasture 2. I’ll be whacking on ragweed and lambs quarters in the garden. And want to machete chop poke plants in the horse lot

 

[Britesea]

today is apparently the day for me to gather and process all my herbs. I have a tincture of white horehound started, got some dill seed to package up, and some dill weed to dry and then package. I picked a bunch of catnip and tarragon for my friends. Filled a shopping bag up half with marjoram and half with peppermint for drying, and a couple of big handfuls of chives to freeze for winter omelets. I still need to harvest some sage, and cut some of the comfrey to make comfrey tea. Next, I need to plant a flat of some sort of legumes so I can check whether the straw I have has toxic herbicides in it (soak the straw in water and then use the water on the seedlings; if the leaves end up looking wonky, probably shouldn't use it in the garden). Probably should check the manure some friends gave me too, since he feeds them commercial hay.

 

[Alaskan]

today is apparently the day for me to gather and process all my herbs. I have a tincture of white horehound started, got some dill seed to package up, and some dill weed to dry and then package. I picked a bunch of catnip and tarragon for my friends. Filled a shopping bag up half with marjoram and half with peppermint for drying, and a couple of big handfuls of chives to freeze for winter omelets. I still need to harvest some sage, and cut some of the comfrey to make comfrey tea. Next, I need to plant a flat of some sort of legumes so I can check whether the straw I have has toxic herbicides in it (soak the straw in water and then use the water on the seedlings; if the leaves end up looking wonky, probably shouldn't use it in the garden). Probably should check the manure some friends gave me too, since he feeds them commercial hay.

Tell us how the experiment goes.

Sounds interesting.

What do you do with the horehound?

 

[Britesea]

@Alaskan I will use some of it to make cough syrup if needed this winter. The rest of it can be used in tonic bitters, or tea, it helps with digestion, and diabetes. It also is supposed to help relax and dilate bronchial tubes during bronchitis. I make tincture because it lasts almost indefinitely as opposed to the dried herb or an oil infusion.

 

[Alaskan]

@Alaskan I will use some of it to make cough syrup if needed this winter. The rest of it can be used in tonic bitters, or tea, it helps with digestion, and diabetes. It also is supposed to help relax and dilate bronchial tubes during bronchitis. I make tincture because it lasts almost indefinitely as opposed to the dried herb or an oil infusion.

Huh... good to know.

My grandmother always kept a patch.

But I hear "horehound" and I always think "horehound candy"

 

[Hinotori]

Well horehound candy is basically the original cough drop.

 

[Hinotori]

Today I learned how to slide the nails of 3 fingers against the glass of a jar and into the lid then pull up. Breaks the seal easily and doesn't damage the lid at all.

I've always had hard nails and keep them trimmed fairly short. Mom was boggled over the idea of being able to do that. Won't work on the tuna. Those really stick down and I always end up bending the lids taking them off.

 

[Britesea]

I use a church key (the wide end) VERY gently, just until I hear the hissing of the broken seal. At the most, I sometimes have to roll that spot along the counter to push the edge back into alignment. Been doing this for years, and re-using the lids for vacuum sealing my freeze dried stuff.

 

[Hinotori]

That's what I usually use. Mom uses a knife under it to not dent the lid.

Oh. For commercial canned jars, get a jar key. Same basic concept. Breaks the seal so can open some of the tough lids without struggle.

I taught Mom and Dad the trick to open bottles last time I was there. Mom had something she'd been trying to get open for months and even my younger brothers couldn't open it. She handed to me, said "no one's been able to get it open", and turned around for something. I'd turned it upside-down, smacked it good a few times to break the seal, and had it open before she turned back. I got "How'd you do that?!" So explained then she made me go explain to Dad as well.

 

[Alaskan]

Ok... place is quiet, super, super quiet.


Where did everyone go?