Archive for the ‘Post Topics’ Category

Gathering Summary: Nutritional Value of Herbs with Linda Peterson

Friday, April 26th, 2013
Linda Peterson

Linda Peterson

by Catherine Haug, April 18, 2013

January Update: Linda has published her book: Nutrify and Detoxify: Manage Today’s Health Challenges, by Linda Peterson and published by VBW Publishing (1) and available on Amazon.

(photos by Edd Blackler)

This is just a short synopsis; you can find more detail in the complete, printable pdf file: [a link will be added here when available]. Linda had one handout, but requested I not make a digital copy for the website, as her info is copyrighted and will be included in her upcoming book. (more…)

How do buy/store your tea?

Friday, April 26th, 2013

by Catherine Haug, April 24, 2013

Tea is a very popular beverage, as it is believed to be more healthful and less caffeinated than coffee. But while that topic is debatable, how your tea is packaged and stored can make a huge difference in its healthfulness.  (more…)

What to do with beets – a nutritional powerhouse

Saturday, April 20th, 2013
Beets at market

Beets at market

by Catherine Haug, April 20, 2013

(beetroot photo from Wikimedia commons)

At our April Gathering last Wednesday, on Nutritional Value of Herbs, our presenter Linda Peterson suggested that beets – yes, that common red root with dark green leaves – are a powerhouse of nutritional value. And that inspired me to write this article.

How do you eat this colorful veggie; how do you maximize their nutritional value?

Beets have the most nutritional value when eaten raw or fermented, but cooked beets are tasty and nutritious, too, especially if not overcooked. How do you eat your beets? Send me your ideas as Kitchen Hints.

You can eat both the greens and the root. Read on for lots of ideas, and more on the nutritional value of beets. (more…)

Goslings at Woodland Park

Saturday, April 20th, 2013

by Catherine Haug, April 20, 2013

You may have seen the  photo in the Daily Interlake on April 15: Downy Newcomers, of an African goose adopting a family of Canada geese. Devvi M. has captured a series of photos of this heart-warming family, which she describes as follows:

“Babies are so sweet and this is the story of an African Goose who adopted a Canada Geese family at Woodland Park. The goose is serving as a nanny, and was very protective of the goslings….and Mom and Dad didn’t mind the extra attention. The parents were getting a little unsettled when some kids got a bit too close, so the family decided to hit the water and work their way back home.

You can view this series on Flickr: PODDER’S Baby Geese Adventure Set; used with permission.

NOTE: Devvi’s photos are protected by copyright; do not use without permission. Contact Cat for Devvi’s contact information.

 

Permaculture Food Forest in Bigfork; Bigfork Schools Next?

Friday, April 19th, 2013
Vegetated Swale

Vegetated Swale

by Catherine Haug, April 19, 2013

(image, right, from the City of Sandy, Oregon)

This week’s Bigfork Eagle features several articles about Alternative Agriculture. I just published a short post about one of them: Sprouted barley fodder for livestock feed at Flathead Lake Lodge. Another one that caught my eye is Building A Dream: Community Crossroads Memorial Garden by the Eagle’s new editor, David Reese.

I’m excited to read that Polson’s Kelly Ware is moving forward with a permaculture garden in our community, on Crossroads Church property. I hope this leads to similar work on a garden at Bigfork’s schools. (more…)

Sprouted barley fodder for livestock feed

Friday, April 19th, 2013

by Catherine Haug, April 19, 2013

Back in 2010 I posted two related articles about Shelli R’s experimentation with sprouted barley, oat and sunflower seeds as feed for her dairy goats. Although she eventually gave up on the original experiment for reasons unknown to me, she has been inspired to give it another try, as the idea and method are valid for providing fresh, healthful livestock feed. Here are the two earlier articles:

And here are two sites that provided inspiration for her to try again:

If any of our readers have experimented with this type of animal feed, or plan to experiment with it, please let me know how it goes.

Cat’s caution: Please do not use sprouted grains or other seeds to feed carnivore pets like cats and dogs. This could lead to diabetes or other illness for your beloved pet, as carnivores’ digestive and metabolic systems are designed to digest, absorb, and utilize the calories provided by meat. Their intestines are not long enough to allow proper digestion of grains, even sprouted grains.

Read on to learn about Doug Averill’s fodder experiment for his livestock, and for more helpful links on the method. (more…)