Oh, how wonderful to have a Saturday at home! We slept a little later than we usually do on Saturdays, which was nice. Then Jeff headed out to the garden with Bracken in the pack on his back. They watered everything, while I was in the kitchen, surrounded by blackberries, eggs, and zucchini. I ate blackberries while making breakfast. I hardboiled some eggs, so we could have them on a salad for lunch. I filled the dehydrator with zucchini. We will add them to soups throughout the winter.
After eating breakfast, we all went out and harvested.
Bracken and I went under the archway of runner bean wonderland. I love the little tendrils! (I know, I’ve written about them before, but there is something so fun about them.)
We harvested cucumbers, beans and zucchini.
I was so happy to see a few sunflowers had opened! I’ve been watching them ever-so-patiently.
More are just starting to open. I love their beauty. Jeff is excited about their seeds. He loves to eat sunflower seeds.
Then we harvested herbs and more herbs. Most of the St.John’s Wort is done blooming, but we harvested a few of the last flowers (and left some for the bees too, they love it.) We were inspired by our friend Taylor, when she told us about making oil with it.
Jeff also harvested comfrey, calendula, self-heal, plantain, doc seeds, and mullein. They are all drying now and will all be used for different things. Many will be used for the healing salve Jeff loves to make.
Oh yes, and he harvested some thyme too!
It’s been a full day. Jeff is carving in his workshop. Bracken fell asleep nursing and is all snuggled up to a content mama, who is enjoying writing to all you beautiful people and organizing pictures of new art to add to the shop.
Love all your comments.
Sonja- How wonderful that you have nettles growing there. The fresh spring shoots are the best, but you can harvest the mature plants too. I get a thick pair of leather gloves and some scissors and cut off the top part. Maybe the top two or three leaf sections, depending on the plant. You can dry it either way. We sometimes just put it on screens by the woodstove in winter or a fan in summer.
Nettles are so good for you, with lots of iron. We love to make nettles tea and put them in soup too.
Did I answer your questions?
Happy Harvesting!
Trish- How do you make your St.John’s Wort oil and comfrey oil? Our friend uses olive oil for her St.John’s Wort oil.
Love to you all!
🙂 sounds like a perfect day to me.
Sounds like a wonderful day. I love making oil infusions. I have just strained my st.John’s Wort oil and have comfrey on the go!
Taryn, your photos are so beautiful. Much love to you this beautiful day.
Taryn – can you please tell me about harvesting nettles? I have so many on my place, but have never used them. Can you use the larger, more mature plants or just the young tender leaves? Also – do you use a dehydrator or just hang them upside down to dry? Thanks.
bliss!! 🙂