What is Sustainable Seed & Why We Care

By Paris Wolfe, Blogmaster, The Herb Society of America

 

Theo Bill, V.P., Sustainable Seed Co

 

Waiting for my big toe to heal from joint replacement, I spent a little (maybe, a lot) of time armchair gardening. That’s how I stumbled on the Sustainable Seed Company.

 

The family-owned company offers more than 1,875 varieties of organic and heirloom seeds, including 10 types of basil.I’m ordering the complete basil collection, but only a few of the 300 varieties of tomatoes.

I chose Sustainable Seed Company after quizzing Theo Bill, Vice President, about the meaning of “organic” seeds. It sounds responsible, but what does it really mean? In his words …

What is “organic” seed?
“Organic seed” technically means untreated or organic seeds that were planted, grown and harvested in an organically approved system.  That means no GMOs, no overt pesticide or herbicide usage, and adherence to other National Organic Program rules.  The “Spirit” of organic seed though is much broader – it covers the health of the soil, pollinators, water conservation, runoff issues, and more.

How is organic seed different?
Organic seed is grown in an organic method, so it becomes accustomed to organic growing
conditions. Conventional seed, for example, is often grown using a great deal of herbicides and pesticides.  Organic plants don’t use the same kinds of chemicals and have to be hand-weeded or out-compete the weeds to thrive.  They receive more natural fertilizer (often manures or natural minerals instead of anhydrous ammonia or other conventional fertilizer).

Unfortunately, more intensive manual labor and higher input costs, result in higher production costs. That means organic seed often costs more.  However, you are buying a higher quality seed which is more weed-resistant and less reliant on herbicides and pesticides.

Why is organic seed better?
That depends on how you want to grow your plants, and what kind of inputs (including weeding) you’ll be using.

What are the most popular herb seeds sold by Sustainable Seed Co.?
Lavender would be our most popular followed by basil and rosemary.

What herb grows best from seed? What herb is the toughest to start from seed?
The easiest would be cilantro. The most difficult is probably rosemary.

What tips would you give for growing herbs from seed?
For Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme, lavender, etc.) add clean sand to the soil mix for better drainage.

Thank you, Mr. Bill.

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From Sustainable Seed Co. — Discovering “new” heirloom seeds is one of our passions, and we would love to hear from anyone who is growing heirloom seeds that have been passed down for generations. We hope to preserve this part of history and believe that, with the continuing encroachment from large producers of hybrid and GMO seeds, companies like ours, along with our customers, may be a crucial link to saving the future of food.

 

Stayin’ Alive: Rosemary Weathers Ohio Winter

By Paris Wolfe, Blogmaster, The Herb Society of America

Rosemary gets leggy in winter. From Blogmaster Paris Wolfe

Last spring, Mitch Allen cheated.

The Cleveland-area publisher bought a 20-inch tall rosemary bush. Its established size confirmed a multi-year head start in a nursery. And created a highlight in his herb collection.

If you’re from Northeast Ohio, you know it’s nearly impossible to start small and build big with this Mediterranean native. Like many a gardener, rosemary has an aversion to cold, dark, snowy winters. Did I say “dark?”

And so, ambitious herb gardeners are forced to cheat. A little. Like Mitch, they bring the woody perennial inside for winter.

“It’s still alive, but about half the stalks are turning grey,” he says of his specimen. “The other half looks pretty good.”

Mitch has plenty of company.

“Overwintering rosemary is one of our most asked questions, especially here in Cleveland,” says Karen Kennedy, HSA education coordinator.

She advises growers to provide a sunny location and keep the soil moist but not wet.

The biggest challenge is lack of sun. That can lead to leggy growth. I recommend pruning that when the plant is transitioned outside in the spring.  Of course, you can continue to cook with the herb even if it is leggy.  

Another challenge in cold climates can be forced-air heating. Plants dry out quickly in warm environs with low humidity, particularly plants that are pot-bound from the growing season. The solution: Water judiciously and mist often.

The final significant challenge is insects. To prevent them inspect often and rinse foliage under running water periodically to dislodge eggs and populations of spider mites and white flies.  Mealybugs are best removed with cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol. 

During the winter, Mitch plans to keep his plant alive and buy his culinary rosemary at the market.

HSA Adding Asheville Lodging

Register for Annual Meeting ON OR AFTER Feb. 9

Four speakers highlight the agenda for the The Herb Society of America Annual Meeting  on April 29, 2016, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Members recently received a reminder postcard.  Registration begins FEBRUARY 9^th.

Follow the above link AFTER that day to sign up.

Armchair Gardening Season Begins

By Paris Wolfe, Blogmaster, The Herb Society of America

Saturday morning over fried eggs and rye toast at Mary’s Diner, my boyfriend texted me a link to Rodale Organic Life’s “Grow Healthy Plants from Seedlings Every Time.” Yes, he texted me the link though we were in the same booth. (Sheesh. The manners we learn from our kids.)

Fueled by a faux-Fiestaware mug of black coffee and his tall diet Coke, we talked about using a seedling tray and heat mat($15 on Amazon.com) to jumpstart Spring. We were greedy about what we might ripen in early July. He wants Rutgers’ tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes. And more tomatoes. I want to try slow-bolting cilantro and myriad chile peppers.

The sooner we sow, the sooner we reap. Right?

Thirty-two minutes later, I’m in the corner of his milk-chocolate-brown leather sectional with my feet tucked under me. His laptop is balanced on a muted-yellow, square pillow atop my legs. I’m keyboarding my Northeast Ohio address into seed catalog subscription forms. I realize the catalog industry uses mega-tons of paper, but I’m too old to go exclusively digital. I want to dog ear pages and circle “wants” in saturated Sharpie colors. I want to carry the catalog to my pillow and reread until sleep fuses my eyelids. And so, I justify my decision.

By the way, Herb Society of America members should keep in mind that they get a 10% discount from Richters Herb & Vegetable Catalogue and 15% from The Grower’s Exchange. And, many mail order growers offer early-bird discounts through January. Check out web sites for your favorite company.

While I’m waiting for colorful, slick paper catalogs to be mixed with my bills and sale flyers, I’ll settle for shopping online. I already want 10 types of basil, among them Thai, cinnamon, lemon, and lime. I’m uncertain what I’ll use them for, but I visualize various pestos and noodle dishes from around the globe.

Armchair gardening season is here. And, I’m ready.

Preparing a Punny Planting Plan

By Paris Wolfe, Blogmaster, The Herb Society of America

I am a thrift shopping junkie. And, it’s part of my gardening life.

At a garage sale last spring, I grabbed 6-inch concrete angel from a paved driveway before the woman next to me could claim it. At the end of an estate sale in late fall, I gave up $40 for a curved cement bench that no one wanted. Both were deals. Both were accidental.

For 2016, I have a plan. In fact, I have plenty of punny planting plans.

I’m putting kitchen herbs in kitchenware.

Mint pouring from a vintage aluminum teakettle. Lavender standing in a shiny, tin flour sifter. Thyme draping from a tall metal coffee server. Parsley and oregano crowded into a weathered aluminum pasta pot garnished with a wooden spoon.

It’s not a novel idea. Just check out Adam Caplin’s “Planted Junk” from 2001. It’s one of several available garden junk books inspiring my summer fantasies.

“Junk pots—often beautiful in themselves – can be planted to enhance the overall garden look,” writes Caplin.

Exactly. But, it requires forethought to do it well. That’s why I’m starting now. I need time to find the right size, shape, color AND price.

I’m challenging myself to find containers that cost less than $5, are rustically attractive and have outlived their kitchen use.

Why? Because junk shouldn’t cost too much. And, it’s a shame to trash perfectly good kitchenware … at least that’s what my Catholic guilt pings me.

With that in mind, I’m haunting Goodwill and Salvation Army stores, thrift shops and antique retailers. And, I can’t wait for garage sale season. That won’t happen until Spring in Northeast Ohio.

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TIP: Check out http://www.shopgoodwill.com for kitchenware you can repurpose. My recent search for “tea kettle” was rich with possibilities.

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Visualizing this twist on a kitchen garden gives this gardener something to do when not looking through seed catalogs. Stay tuned for my progress. And, please share your own.

 

 

 

Hot Stuff: Chile Pepper, Herb of January and 2016

By Paris Wolfe, Blogmaster, Herb Society of America

The chile pepper is hot.

It’s January 2016 Herb of the Month for The Herb Society of America AND 2016 Herb of the Year for  the International Herb Association.

I’ve been herb gardening since 1990 and never would have considered the chile to be an herb. Piper Zettel, assistant to the curator of the National Herb Garden, says I’m mistaken. And, I’m OK with that.

“Chile peppers are considered an herb because they’re used to enrich human lives,” she says. “Herbs are plants used to enrich lives in ways that are not strictly edible or ornamental. Chile peppers are used medicinally and industrially.”

Thus, an herb.

“There are more than 30 species and probably a couple 100 different varieties,” she notes. “The National Herb Garden plans to grow 100 varieties to celebrate the herb.”

Chile peppers may be one of the most global of herbs. Consider their use across cultures – starting in South America thousands of years ago and traveling around the world during the last 500. Today, Americans are fascinated by the chile-pepper-spiked foods such as  hot wings, hot sauces, chili,  infused vodka, flavored cocktails.

I recently had a jalapeno-cucumber mojito. The heat of the pepper with the cool of the cucumber created a balance that was delish.

Food fascination aside, chile peppers are being studied for medicinal uses.

A February 2015 news article in The Scientist notes:

“Initially causing a burning hot sensation, the compound [capsaicin] is used as a topical pain medication because, when applied regularly, results in numbness to local tissue. Despite being widely used, researchers have previously not known how capsaicin exerts its pain-killing effects.”

While medicinal uses may be significant, some folks use them to torture themselves and, perhaps, unsuspecting exes.

Fear holding you back? Search “Hot Pepper” on YouTube to watch capsaicin masochists in action..  Apparently, you’ll find popular videos reaching millions of viewers. One chilehead has gathered more than 34 million – yes, million — views.

While the hottest pepper of  2016 hasn’t yet been determined, the hottest pepper in 2015 was the Carolina Reaper, checking in at more than 2.2 million Scoville units.

For the initiated, the Scoville scale measures ‘hotness’ of a chile pepper or anything made from chile peppers. Developed in 1912, it’s named after founder William Scoville.

Pure capsaicin – which determines the hotness of peppers – is 15 to 16 MILLION Scoville units. No pepper has gotten even close. And, that may be a good thing.

Several sources agree the 10 hottest peppers are

1	Carolina Reaper	1,200,000 ~ 2,100,00
2	Moruga Scorpion	1,200,000 ~ 2,009,231
3	Choclate 7 Pot	1,169,000 ~ 1,850,000
4	Trinidad Scorpion	1,029,000 ~ 1,390,000
5	Naga Jolokia “Ghost Pepper”	1,020,000 ~ 1,578,000
6	Naga Gibralta	900,000 ~ 1,086,844
7	Naga Viper	800,000 ~ 1,382,118
8	Infinity	800,000 ~ 1,067,286
9	Dorset Naga	800,000 ~ 970,000
10	Naga Morich	770,000 ~ 1,034,910

For the record, the jalapeno checks in between 2,500 and  8,000 Scoville units. That’s hot enough for me.

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Get Fast Facts and recipes from HSA. Or share yours in the comments below.

 

Book Interview: A Garden to Dye For

By Paris Wolfe, Blogmaster, The Herb Society of America

 Author Chris McLaughlin shows readers how to use botanicals to dye fiber and fabric in her book A Garden to Dye For (St. Lynn’s Press, 2014, $17.95). Her palette includes the obvious and the obscure. Indigo and madder root are well documented. But, did you know the properties of pokeberry, mint, bee balm, purple basil, marjoram, tansy? Check out Chris’s book and learn to coax color from nature.

 The book itself is small enough to tuck into a purse for reading on long journeys or in busy waiting rooms. And, it’s full of garden layouts and step-by-step instructions illustrated by lush pictures.

We recently caught up with Chris for an interview about her all-natural, organic options for dying fiber and fabric.

How did you get interested in using plants for dye?

As a lifetime gardener I was aware that some plants could be used as natural dyes, but for years the only project I had ever used them for was Easter Eggs. Once I become involved with hand-spinning fiber, I rediscovered botanical dyes — this time using natural fibers such as mohair, silk, and cotton.

How do you use dyeing in your life?

I mostly use botanicals to dye the yarns that I handspin. One of my favorite uses is to make artisan silk scarves and play silks for young children.

 What’s your favorite color? Your favorite herb?  

I don’t truly have a favorite color nor herb. However, it’s really exciting to watch the purples come out of the lichen dye pot. Also marigolds are usually within reach for almost everybody and so easy to use. That’s my go-to much of the time. I was surprised to find how much I love the walnut dye. It’s the richest brown ever.

 What results have you had? 

 My results are often consistent with what I set out to achieve. However, if they are not, then I consider it a learning moment. I also experiment with botanical materials collected at different times of the years to see what results come from them. I’ve never had so much fun with experimentation.

 Will people fail and move on? Can they fix things? 

If you’re trying to achieve a specific color and it turns out differently than you’ve heard it “should” then you might have to adjust the pH of the bath by adding something alkaline such as baking soda or acidic such as vinegar. So, in that sense, it can be fixed it altered.

If I have dyed something already and can’t alter the dyebath, then I simply make a new one or dye over it.

What should everyone remember to do?

Have patience. Many times people assume that their dyebath has failed” to produce a certain color. When the truth us that if they have more patience and slow down, it often shows up.

 What pointers/tips would you offer dyers?

The best piece of advice I can offer is to try dyeing with several plant materials and various textiles. I find that cotton has the hardest time taking natural dyes and that can be discouraging if that is the first (and only) thing that you try dyeing. If you want results immediately, go for wool or silk the first time around.

Also, if you are getting various natural dye “recipes” — try all of them. See what works for you and what you enjoy best. And don’t forget to write everything down! You think you’ll remember what you used to achieve a certain color…but you honestly won’t.

Add Biltmore to Annual Meeting Plans

All photos courtesy of The Biltmore Company

 

By Paris Wolfe, Blogmaster, The Herb Society of America

When you plan for this year’s Herb Society of America Annual Meeting  on April 29, 2016, schedule extra time in Asheville, North Carolina. One of the most significant attractions is the 8,000-acre Biltmore Estate.

House tours are self-guided and take 1.5 to two hours. Tickets include a free visit to the property’s winery. You can purchase add-ons such as audio, guided tour, rooftop tour and more.

Tours of the estate gardens – 2.5 miles of manicured paths — may be more delightful for Herb Society members. Acres of formal and informal gardens were designed by America’s foremost landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted. From the beauty of the Italian Garden to the breathtaking trees in America’s first managed forest, Biltmore’s lush landscape is a living tribute to Olmsted’s genius.

As a century-old model for forest conservation (and, more recently, for sustainability, thanks to nine acres of solar panels), Biltmore continues to honor Vanderbilt’s legacy of environmental protection.

While the property lacks a formal herb garden for visitors to wander, it has a utilitarian kitchen garden for use in the Biltmore’s six, sit-down restaurants. By the end of April, most of the kitchen garden fields will still be at rest.  The only sprouting things will be a couple thousand broccoli plants. The greenhouse, however, will be in full production with microgreens, flowers, lettuce, and herbs.

Field to Table Manager Eli Herman answered a few questions for HSA …

Q. Is there a dedicated herb garden? Kitchen garden? 

A. We don’t have an herb/kitchen garden any more but we do have our Field to Table Production Garden. FTT focuses on larger plantings and less diversity than a kitchen garden.

Q. How big is the garden? 

A.Our current planting is about 2 acres and one 30- by 80-foot greenhouse.

Q. What herbs/produce are grown? 

A. Some of the crops we grow are blackberries, butternut squash, broccoli, tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, and sweet potatoes. We also have a small greenhouse where we grow microgreens, edible flowers and are developing hydroponic production for lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and chives.

Q. What are the crops used for?

A. Everything grown in FTT is used in one of the six restaurants on the estate.  Our goal is to have something available to every restaurant year round. The chefs determine where they will feature the products

Q. Can the visit the food gardens?  

A. USDA and USFDA food safety guidelines forbid visits by the general public.

 

Curl Up with Herb-Inspired Fiction

By Paris Wolfe, Blogmaster, Herb Society of America

I’ve swept away the last sugar cookie crumb and crushed cardboard packaging for recycling. My Christmas holidays are finished and a Valentine’s heart wreath adorns my front door. Now what?

It’s time to cozy into the corner of the brown leather sofa, flip on the gas fireplace and escape into fiction. Herb Society of America Librarian Chris Wilkinson has compiled a list of herb-related fiction that spans the decades. Many titles will be available through your local libraries or booksellers. Or members can borrow them from The Herb Society of America library.

Not long ago, Chris added three books to the library that were written by Brian Eastman of the British TV series “Rosemary and Thyme.”  These mysteries, shown on PBS, follow the activities of Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme. The duo operate a gardening consultancy called Rosemary and Thyme. In addition to tackling garden problems, they become amateur sleuths. The TV series ran for three seasons. While the books are available from HSA’s library, the shows can be found on videos at amazon.com and other websites.

HSA has available the Brother Cadfael Chronicles, a series of 20 books about a medieval monk who is an herbalist. They were written between 1977 and 1994 by the linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter under the name “Ellis Peters.”

Chris is a fan of the China Bayles mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert who was once an honorary HSA president. The fictional China Bayles is a former attorney who gets tired of the rat race and moves to a small Texas town where she buys a house and opens an herb shop. The first book was written in 1992 with the most recent published in 2015.

“I also like Edith Maxwell’s Local Foods mysteries about organic farmer Cam Flaherty, who owns a farm share-program. The series is set in New England where Maxwell lives,” says Chris.

Then, there’s the Spice Shop series by Leslie Budewitz. Chris recently met Leslie at a mystery writers’ conference and plan to add the author’s books to her Kindle.

I could easily curl into the comfy couch until Spring Equinox. And, even then have more books on my list. Now, where to start?

Contact Chris for a copy of the fiction list.