If you heard about us at Art in Bloom, 

the MN Herb Society would like to invite you

to the following upcoming functions;

Date:      Thursday, May 23, 2013 Nursery Tour & Lunch
Place:     Nurseries in the Faribault area. 
Details:  We will carpool down, so watch the blog for upcoming details

Date:      Tuesday, May 28, 2013 from 9:30-10:30 Business Meeting
                 10:30-12:00 Arboretum Herb Garden Planting
Place:     MN Landscape Arboretum - 2nd floor class rooms of the Snyder (older) building
Details:  Planting herbs will follow the business meeting, so bring your gloves, spades, etc.  A pot luck  luncheon & plant exchange will be held following the planting. 

For additional events;  MN Herb Society 2013 Calendar of Events

The Minnesota Herb Society’s interpretation of the Friendship Blanket

Art in Bloom  April 25-28, 2013 

Hands of Friendship are also Hands of Healing.  Native Americans used many herbs in healing & in ceremonies.  The following represent the herbs we used in our arrangement and a few of the Native American uses (both traditional & modern uses are represented).  Statements about the use of these herbs are not intended to represent or imply suitability for treatment of any conditions.

Liatris (tall purple plant).  Native Americans boiled the root to use for stomach aches.  Tea was used for heart pain & bladder problems.  They also chewed cut up roots & used them for a poultice.

Sunflower – Some Native Americans planted & considered the Sunflower the 4^th sister in the 3 Sisters Garden.   They used it to remove warts & treat those who suffered from sunstroke.

Thyme – Used as an Antiseptic & to treat Bronchitis & indigestion.   Poultices were made from thyme to treat skin infections & minor wounds.   It was also used as an incense to cleanse the air.

Sage - Held sacred by Native Americans.   It’s effective purifying energies is thought to bring back balance & cleanses the body & mind of negative spririts.  Native Americans used it to create Kinnikinic, a smoking mixture to be used in sacred pipe as offering to the Spirits.  It was also used in teas to flush ones system of impurities  with it’s cleansing properties.  Additional uses were as a natural deodorant, sore throat tonic, antiseptic, healing of the scalp & hair, darkening of gray hair.  Take a sprig of sage to your new home to chase out old energies & to purify your home. 

Lavender – Used in Teas & Balms for Antiseptic, Calming & stimulates the healing process.  The fragrance of lavender is thought to impart a feeling of inner freedom.

Sweetgrass – Native Americans used sweetgrass for smudge sticks in prayer & purifying cermonies.  It is usually braided, dried, & burned – the sweet scent is said to attract good spirits.  Tea was brewed for coughs, sore throats, chafing & venereal infections.  The roots contain coumarin & sweetgrass tea my be considered a carcinogenic.  The sweetgrass in our arrangement represents the medicinal use, as well as the vast grasses of the Plains.

Pussy Willow - Native North Americans used it’s bark & roots for a pain killer & anti fever medication.  Pussy Willow is the predecessor of aspirin.

Elderberry – Elderberry is the” Herb of the Year” & are the grey twigs next to the pussy willow.  Native American used elderberries to treat rheumatism, sciatica, & coughs.  The leaves were used to sooth the effect of contact with stinging nettle.   Straight branches were used to make arrow shafts & the wood for flutes & clappers.  The Baby’s Breath represent the white elderberry flowers.

Hypericum -  Also known as St. John’s Wort.  It was used as an antidiarrheal, dematological aid, hemostat, snake bite remedy, & general strengthener.  Modern uses include treating mild depression.

Art in Bloom @ the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. We were inspired by the hands in the Friendship Blanket as the hands of friendship can also be the hands of healing. We used the Herb of the Year, elderberry this as a backdrop for our interpretation. More details to follow in a later post.

A Winter Wonderland

Oh my goodness!  Today is April 18 and the snow has been falling heavily all day.  This winter scene was taken of my backyard at 5:30 p.m. today.  Is Spring never going to arrive?

Spinach Hummus

 1 14oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
 5 oz. fresh spinach leaves
2-3 garlic cloves (or 1/2 tsp. minced garlic)
2-3 TB tahini (ground sesame paste)
2 TB lemon juice
2-3 TB Penzey's Turkish seasoning
1-2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2-3 TB olive oil

In a food processor or blender, combine the chickpeas, spinach, garlic , tahini, lemon juice, turkish seasoning, and pepper. Pulse to combine. Add olive oil and continue to pulse until it reaches the consistency you like.

Serve with vegetables, crackers or pita chips. It is great as a snack, or you can "butter" bread with it, add a slice of tomato, cheese and lettuce and you have a really healthy sandwich.

Penzeys Turkish Seasoning is a combination of salt, garlic, cumin, Tellicherry black pepper, Turkish oregano, sweet paprika, sumac, cayenne and cilantro.

Shirley Erickson didn't have the Turkish Seasoning so she substituted cumin, pepper, oregano, paprika, red pepper and cilantro.

recipe from Penzey's Spices, submitted by Shirley Erickson

A twinkle of "Spring".  I took this shot in the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, AZ.  This was one of "The Four Seasons" by Philip Haas.  He was inspired by Giuseppe Arcimboldo's (1527-1593) Italian Renaissance paintings of the four seasons, comprising SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN, & WINTER.  Here's a link to the original work Arcimboldo's "Spring"

Faith's Zucchini Salad

Here is Faith Kelley's Zucchini Salad Recipe that everyone was oohing & ahhing about
at the March meeting @ Shady Acres Herb Farm.

Faith's Zucchini Salad

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper

2 lbs. medium zucchini, trimmed

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Small wedge of Parmesan cheese

 
Whisk oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl to blend.  Set dressing aside.

Using vegetable peeler and working from top to bottom of each zucchini, slice zucchini into ribbons (about 1/16 inch thick).  Place ribbons in large bowl.  Add basil and nuts, then dressing; toss to coat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Using vegetable peeler, shave stripes from Parmesan wedge over salad. 

Enjoy!

Faith

 

On a dreary snowy April day, what could be more

refreshing than a peak at Gisela Meyer's greenhouse. 

It's a sight for some very sore eyes.  Enjoy.