Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Fun & Games

Hawk Feather at Barnes Creek Gully (Canandaigua, NY)
Did you know that we added a "Fun & Games" page to our website a few months ago?

We have puzzles, coloring pages, and computer wallpaper currently available. We are always adding new things to the page. Just today I added another set of computer wallpaper files for download. The set includes a variety of sizes so you can choose which wallpaper image best suits your computer screen.

This set of wallpapers are of a hawk feather I found on a hike. Hawks have always been a special animal for me and I'm sure for many of you too. I hope you enjoy!

After you check out the "Fun & Games" page, let us know what you think. Did you like it? Anything that you would like to see more of? Find the fun & games page at:


-kim

Monday, July 4, 2011

What are you picking today?

Maybe I would have found the joys of growing, harvesting, and preserving my own food myself. But perhaps not. Who's to say now? I was, however, introduced to it young by my parents. Both my parents grew up on farms so picking wild berries, having large vegetable gardens, and preserving food was just something you did. And after a death in the family, my family along with other relatives ran my grandparents' dairy farm for some number of years. My farm days started when I was in those gloriously fun neither-kid-nor-adult tween-years. I ended up spending my summers playing on the farm, helping to bring in hay, feeding ducks and geese, throwing green plums at siblings, and so many other experiences that have become very rare in our urbanized America.
Summer Berries

Summer was always a time for wild berries and luscious tomatoes still warm from the sun. Our favorite wild berries were the wild black raspberry (aka "black caps").  The black raspberries grew every where poison ivy grew and where the mosquitos were the most blood-sucking vicious - going berry-picking was always quite an experience! I knew I had to pick 2 quarts so my mom could make jam with them. Oh, and was that jam good!  If I picked more than 2 quarts (which was always the goal in my book), we could have the surplus washed, sprinkled with sugar, and drizzled over french vanilla ice cream - no finer dessert was ever devised by man!

Now I have kids of my own. I teach them to pick berries, some wild and some we grow. All the berries in the picture above we have been picking over the past week. If you don't recognize them all they are (starting at the left and going clockwise) mulberries, strawberries, black raspberries, and juneberries. They are so very tasty, all of them! The kids, my husband, and I have all been picking berries. Some just to munch, some for other purposes like the strawberry jam I made. I'll make some cherry preserves and raspberry jam soon. Mmmmm, they all taste like summer sun when the snow flies.

I urge you to grow and/or pick some food today. If you have young people in your life, share it with them. And if you don't have your own food plants like raspberries or strawberries or a vegetable garden, there are so many U-picks that you can visit for not only for the wonderful food but for the unforgettable memories.  I urge you to also try your hand at making some jam. It is the easiest of all canning to do. Occasionally you get a soft-set, but there are few other failures if you follow the instructions. It is so very easy and so very good.

If jams are not your thing, salsa is another simple thing to make with the summer bounty you can find in your own veggie garden or at the farmers' market. New to canning? If that is the case, I urge you to pick up a copy of the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. It is the quintessential book of canning and preserving. Have your kids help you pick the tomatoes or even cut the tomatoes. I helped my mom peel and cut oodles of stuff for canning and I still remember it all these many years later. They are good, fond memories that are always warm and comforting to look back on.

I've included some book links below for wild food field guides and cookbooks plus the Ball Blue Book. Check them out. May your summer be fruitful and full of memories!

-kim


       
     
     

Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving
Native Harvests: American Indian Wild Foods and Recipes
Stalking The Wild Asparagus
Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places
Enduring Harvests: Native American Foods and Festivals for Every Season
A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guide)

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Are you a good host?

Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) Caterpillar
This tuesday, June 21st at 1:16pm EDT, is the Summer Solstice. Solstices and equinoxes are special times. Just as four cardinal direction points tell us where we are physically heading across the land, the solstices and equinoxes mark the season and help us to know the direction we are taking in our yearly trip around the sun.  (See last year's summer solstice article for more on that yearly trip.)

While the sun itself and the bounty of fresh produce always evokes the picture of summer time in my mind, there is another thing that speaks equally of summer to me. It is the butterfly. Oh to be sure if you read mythology and symbolism references, they will speak of the butterfly symbolizing the soul and rebirth. I live in a land where freezing temperatures (or near enough to!) are pretty common for half the year. The butterfly seen mostly in the warm and sunny days of summer is a symbol of summer in my book.

While in the vegetable garden last night, I happened to have the opportunity to take the picture above. It is of the Black Swallowtail caterpillar. He was happily munching through my parsley patch. Do I begrudge him some parsley? Not at all! The swallowtail butterflies (I get both the black and yellow ones at my house) are far too special to see. The price of some parsley to see the adults or even the painted caterpillars is more than worth it. Besides munching parsley, these caterpillars also love other members of the carrot family. I'm sure the bounty of wild carrot here also brings them in. This butterfly, like all the others you know, have specific host plants. Host plants are the plants that are used as a site for the butterfly to lay eggs and also as a food source for the emerging caterpillar. So key to having these beautiful summer visitors is having the right host plants at your place.

So be a good host and invite the right plants to share your space with you this summer season. Butterflies are sure to follow. You can learn more about the Black Swallowtail here or about North America's butterflies (including regional checklists and host plant information for each species) here.

Happy Solstice,

-kim

Monday, May 23, 2011

People come from far and wide to visit Ganondagan

A couple of yesterday's visitors came all the way from Montana!  So nice talking with you, Jim and Carol.

~Tonia

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Come Join Us in the Gardens!

Invitation from our Gardening Committee chair, Tonia Loran-Galban:

Garden planting date has tentatively been set for Tuesday May 31st at 1:30pm meet at the garden with hoe in hand. Planting should take about 30-45 minutes, roughly. Come on over and introduce yourself. Note - Rain Date is June 1st.

If you cannot make the planting date but are interested in weeding (it is surprisingly low maintenance) please email me gardens@ganondagan.org and I will email you a map of the garden. Or if I'm on site, I will show you where to weed.

~Tonia

Update on May 31:
Dear Garden Friends- With temperatures going up to 90 to day, we thought it would be better to do the planting tomorrow morning at 7:30am.  We know this is a late change, so let us know if you can make it tomorrow! ~Tonia and Ronnie



About Gardening at Ganondagan:
It's a terrific way to get out and enjoy the sunshine, fresh air, and the feel of the rich, dark earth in your fingers. It doesn't matter if you are an experienced gardener or not, everyone is welcome to join in! Come and learn traditional Haudenosaunee ways of gardening - perhaps you will learn something for your own gardens!

Keep your eye on this blog for any changes to the planting date due to weather. Nya:weh! And see you in the gardens!

-kim

2011 Three Sisters Garden:

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Botanical Medicine Certificate Program - Medical Herbalism III

Blue Vervain

Our good friend Dr. Les Moore is teaching the next series of Medical Herbalism classes starting
on May 5. These are wonderful classes if you are interested in learning more about using plants for their medicinal qualities. They are also terrific for people wanting to know more about the plants growing in their lawns, gardens, and wild places around them. I've successfully completed the entire series of classes and an apprenticeship with Dr. Moore and I can't say enough good things about the experience!

I've also included a couple of excellent field guide links at the end of this article. Dr. Moore often uses them on his plant walks. You don't have to own them for the walks. But if you are interested in learning more on your own, you may wish to own one or more of these excellent references.

-kim




Botanical Medicine Certificate Program
Medical Herbalism
May 5, 2011 through June 2, 2011

The Medical Herbalism classes are part of a series in the Botanical Medicine Certificate program offered by Dr. Moore, ND, LAc. These classes are offered at Clifton Springs Hospital through the Integrative Medicine department, The Botanical Medicine Institute, and Classical Formulas. Each series of classes have a similar format however, they will contain different and new information. These classes are appropriate for health care providers, herbalists, and anyone interested in herbal medicine.
Club Moss

Dr. Moore teaches and oversees material that is taught by Master Herbalists. Dr. Moore has an extensive background and education in the field of botany and herbalism, both eastern and western. Dr. Moore received a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine and a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine.

You may register for the whole series or at the beginning of each class. Students may begin ANY series at ANY time with no prerequisites of the previous series. Each series is a stand-alone module. Students completing all three of the series (Parts I, II & III) will receive a certificate upon attendance verification and program completion. Class size is limited.

Tuition is $120 for the series or $25 per class. Contact Classical Formulas for registration at 315-462-0190 by Friday, April 29, 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: All classes are held on Thursdays at Clifton Springs Hospital from 6:30-8:30 pm with the exception of the herb walk on Saturday May 14, 2011, which will be held at the Ontario Pathways Trail, Phelps, NY at 9:00am.

Medical Herbalism Part III
May 5th through June 2, 2011

Course Descriptions

Class 1 – Botanical Medicine/Single Herbs – May 5, 2011
Learn about herbs to soothe gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, digestion, allergies and detoxification.

Class 2 – Herb Pairs/Drug Interaction and Gemmo Therapy – May 12, 2011
This class will focus on paired herbs that are therapeutic for specific conditions. Information on interactions that can occur between medicines and herbs will also be discussed as well as herbal dosages for children.

Marsh Marigold
Class 3 – Plant Identification/Herb Walk – May 14, 2011
This class will be a 3+ hour walk to identify plants in the surroundings area. You will learn about their habitat, history and uses. This class will meet at the Ontario County Pathways trail, Route 96, Phelps, NY. Bring water and snack, dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear.

Class 4 – Herbal Medicine Making – May 19, 2011
Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food. Healthy eating, herbal teas as well as discussing wildcrafting and tips on drying and storing herbs.

Class 5 – Herbal Formulas & Modifications – May 26, 2011
Herbs used in herbal formulas can act synergistically and can be tailored for each unique individual, even as a person or environment changes. This class will consider how formulas can be used and altered to address specific changes.

Class 6 – Herbal Therapeutics – June 2, 2011
This class will focus on spring detoxification and Pancha Karma. Pancha Karma is detoxification and bio-purification from traditional Indian Medicine.

Field Guides & Other Resources

Click on any of the images to view & purchase the book. If the images are not visible, you can click any of the links below.

Cherokee Plants: Their Uses-- A 400 Year History   A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs: Of Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guide)   Newcomb's Wildflower Guide   Wildflowers of New York in Color   The Herb Book: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to More Than 500 Herbs

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Signs of Spring

 
As the grip of Winter passes, we cheer ourselves by looking for signs of Spring. Currently on the trails at Ganondagan...

  • Coltsfoot is blooming their somewhat dandelion like flowers.
  • The skunk cabbages have moved past their very alien-looking flowers to their rather attractive, yet pungent foliage. 
  •  The willows have moved past the fuzzy soft catkins of the "pussy willow" and into the next flowering stage. (See the picture to the right.)
  •  Maples are blooming. 
  • The earliest  "spring ephemerals," like trillium, are just starting to appear.
  • And bird song fills the air!

What signs of Spring are showing at your place?


-kim