hedge stuff - my liminal Medicine

This is Sam. Sam's a cat.

Hail ‘n’ welcome to February, the longest month of the year.

That’s my relationship with this month, and that’s hedge stuff. Given the year-long verve of January, that also flew by in a flash (hedge stuff), I’m wondering how many years February will take before delivering March (also hedge stuff).

The full moon of this day is in Leo, and I pull the IV of swords (hedge stuff), so I’m feeling a bit conflicted and comforted by this (more hedge stuff). As linear time rolls from one month to the next, I engage ritual that gives attention to my personal hedge work, to the liminality of/in life as I perceive it. I conjure my list of cognitive dissonances (as I say) that express the hedge for me; so-called opposites. This monthly observance has been mighty Medicine to me for years, and I draw on the wisdom and warnings that are offered from that work in the hedge.

Today the temps might get up to 21℉ which, given the temps of the past week, might feel like a bit of heatwave (hedge stuff).

I’ll be starting Rose Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) seeds today, a lovely reminder of how the seasons and “garden” work are not linear as some seem to insist. My experience knows that planting ‘n’ harvesting hold space and place year ‘round. So today I deliver these seeds to a small flat of soil, place the flat in the unheated greenhouse, and fully tuck it in a blanket of snow; below, above, and all around. Over the coming weeks (a month+) these seeds will experience “cold stratification” which the Rose Milkweed require in order to sprout (hedge stuff).

If you live where winter cold ‘n’ snow are happening and have poppy seeds, now is a nice, easy time to “plant” them. I toss them atop the snow where they experience that “cold stratification” that poppies also need, and as the snow thaws those beloved seeds descend toward the earth where they’ll eventually sprout and take root (hedge stuff, again).

Lots of hedge stuff for me today, and with it I recall the closing line of Desiderata, “With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.” (hedge stuff, indeed).

Peace.

Leaning on Spring's Sill to Summer

This morning marked our first pea harvest. I sat on the deck, in the shade of the red umbrella, shucking these darlings, then blanched them. This beloved ritual yielded two pints for the freezer, plus some extra for nibbling. They’re so good.

This morning also marked the garlic scape harvest. The lesser-ripe, tender scapes went into making Maneuljjong Muchim (Spicy Garlic Scapes), an new annual ritual that started about two years ago when I discovered the recipe. It’s sitting in the fridge to macerate ‘til supper time. This seasonal dish is so freakin’ good, and it’s only here during the garlic scape season. I’ll be savoring it like a delicious madness to hold in my brain and heart ‘til - gods willing - next year this time. And those lesser-ripe scapes will be blended into a simple pesto to preserve them in the fridge for future kitchen witchery. Our annual garlic scape pesto rarely lasts long because we use it in all the things.

Yesterday, I finally got some pinto and red beans canned. This has been on my list since the chilly days of early spring. Eight pints of pinto beans canned with onion, garlic, bay leaf, fresh oregano, and fresh epazote (though one jar is in the fridge, ‘cause it failed to seal)… and nine pints of red beans with bay leaf. This morning I washed the jars, scribbled the labels, and will label them all before setting them on the basement pantry shelves.

These efforts feel good because I’ve been struggling with merging will, motivation, and physical ‘n’ mental energy to get things done. Yet here I am, leaning on spring’s sill, sipping iced tea, gazing into summer that arrives tomorrow evening. I offer big gratitude to the waning vernal season, as it, along with beloved Gaia, supported me gently in getting most every vernal seed and seedling into the earth. And when summer arrives with the solstice, I know I’ll be entering the "official" hurry-up-and-wait-season of daily, yet gentle harvesting, preserving and assorted kitchen witchery. Summer's fire ensures that my will, motivation, and energy meld in that gentle way that early summer dictates; harvests happen on Gaia’s schedule, not mine, so I offer thanks for these recent vernal preparations as I look forward to the season of hurry-up-and-wait.

Peace. 

the infinite generosity of Gaia

Yesterday was about addressing the last of our Tromboncino winter squash. This is one of those activities that inspires my mind and heart to wander, wonder, explore. I am fascinated by how such a ordinary activity can inspire so much heartfelt consideration. Yet, as a devotee to Gaia, I often pause to reflect on my activities – large and small, ordinary and extraordinary – and how they nourish and nurture my relationship with Gaia.

2024 was the first year I grew this particular squash, and I will grow it again. Throughout the summer I harvested a gardener’s ton, small, at around 12 inches long, to use fresh, as a summer squash, in all manner of cooking. Any overabundance was sliced and dehydrated. There was one squash, hiding, as all squash tend to do, that grew larger, and this delighted me because it chose to be the one to grow to maturity to be a winter squash. I love this about this particular squash, that it's wonderful as a summer squash, when small, and equally wonderful when mature as a winter squash. The squash pictured here has been feeding us for the last past couple of months. I would just cut off what we needed in the kitchen, and leave the squash in its place in cool storage in the basement. So simple. So generous. And like so many squashes, winter and summer, so versatile and useful in so many dishes.

So yesterday I cleaned, peeled and cubed the last of this Tromboncino, and filled two quart jars. I used a pint or so in a chickpea Thai curry soup that we enjoyed for supper. The rest will be used for this ‘n’ that over the coming days. And if I feel like I'm not gonna get to it, I'll dehydrate the cubes for later use. Or maybe feed them to the chickens. But if the stars align with my motivation and physical energy, I’ll likely roast and puree it to make some biscotti.

We shall see. In the meantime…

In this moment I feel the infinite generosity of Gaia. I could go on, and likely will in my blue ink journal (my writing journal) to give this particular gratitude more attention. But in this moment, this one right here, I’ll sit a spell in the gloaming of the morning to bask in the infinite generosity of Gaia.

Thanks for indulging me.

🕊️

Putting Off Today

As you may already know, every morning I draw a tarot card for guidance. This morning I drew the V Swords. My brain first went to - what I consider to be - the conventional interpretations which perplexed me, and nothing was landing. Know what I mean? When I'm perplexed like this, I relax my brain, engage intuition to invite personal, and unconventional messages from the pure imagery.

I landed, in summary here: Chill, stay focused... and aware of the internal 'n' external discord. It's OK to give it a rest, and return to it tomorrow.

That resonated. So I put off some (exhausting) adulting planned for this morning, and will revisit it tomorrow. I also pressed the pause button on some of the The Work in which I’ve been swirling. In its stead, I harvested the ripe-n-ready garlic, even though it was damp from last evening's delicious downpour. It's drying in the greenhouse, and will make its way in a day 'r two to the curing tables in the garage. I took a shower (outdoors, ahhhh) and am chillin' in front of the fan as I type.

…today’s garlic harvest, and yesterday’s french grey shallot harvest…

I'm gonna make some Thai dipping sauce to can - outdoors - using some of the previously harvested garlic. I failed to make any last year, and I need this on my pantry shelves. And I’m thinking I need to plan making the Monarda fistulosa (bee balm) jelly now that blooms are delighting. 

The rest today, though, will be wondering and wandering toward the calming shorelines of my mind (‘n’ intuition)... where secrets yet unknown to me may be whispered.

🕊

Today I'll make Whatever Pesto... for tomorrow

"Whatever pesto" is whatever will ask to be harvested today, to be blended together with some salt and good olive oil.

It will likely be wild onion grass, chives, garlic chives, arugula, oregano trimmings, baby horseradish leaves, some young comfrey leaves, cleavers, dandelion leaves, perhaps a bit of lemon balm, and a maybe few spinach leaves. I’ll pound them with love ‘n’ appreciation in a mortar ‘n’ pestle, add some olive oil, and sea salt too taste.

I’ll be making this vernal tradition for tomorrow, because the flavors rest ‘n’ meld together under the olive oil to make an alchemy of flavor that doesn’t manifest on day one. It’s magick, and it’s delicioso!

Justice. 🕊

Galium aparine, a vernal ally

...one of my botanical sketches from days gone by... 

Here in my realm of the world, and quite possibly yours, the botanical Galium aparine is just beginning its vernal reemergence from Gaia's belly, so I'm returning to my Materia medica to share this beloved plant with you...

Allium sativum – Beloved Garlic

 

Meet Allium sativum  – Garlic 

Family: Amaryllidaceae 

This botanical family is often referred to as the Amaryllis family. It’s a bulbous plant typically with linear leaves. The flowers usually bisexual (hermaphrodite), symmetrical, arranged in umbels on the stem, and pollinated by bees and other beloved garden pollinators. The petals and sepals are undifferentiated as tepals, which may be fused at the base into a floral tube. 

 

The family, which the botanists designated in 1805, contains about 1600 species, divided into about 75 genera, 17 tribes and three subfamilies.

 

Allium is the genus of garlic, and sativum indicates the species of our hard and soft neck garlic. 

 

It’s related, as you might imagine (and I hope you do) to the onion, shallot and leek. It’s considered native to central Asia, and has a long documented history of use, over 7000 years, in the Mediterranean, Africa, Asia, and Europe. It was honored as Food and Medicine in ancient Egypt. It’s honored as a Food and Medicine my home, thank you very much.

 

As a backyard farmer, I honor Allium sativum, garlic, which is sometimes – and disrespectfully so – referred to as the stinking rose for its wild and generous nature. When my spouse ‘n’ I moved to the little patch of Mohican territory that we call home, there was garlic growing in the tiny garden. It had been “neglected” and I began tending to it… spreading out the “seed” and dividing the bulbs to replant every autumn, until modest harvests evolved to respectable harvests. The original lady of the house was named Edith, and so I call this garlic Edith’s garlic. In the last 30 years I can probably count the number of times I’ve purchased garlic for kitchen use on one hand. In 2015 I purchased garlic for planting, since the season’s yield was unusually puny. Since then, I have purchased garlic for planting to try different varieties and see which ones might adapt best to our changing climate. I’m still challenged by this.

 

Aside from the garden garlic, I have Allium sativum growing free ‘n’ wild around our little acre, in this bed and that, and I am grateful. Of course, there’s the wild Allium Canadensis and the introduced Allium tuberosum growing here and there as well.

 

Harvest: Leaves, stems, scapes, flower heads, bulbs.

Harvest the scapes (and leaves), spring to summer, as they mature sprout and curl. Harvest the bulbs, in midsummer, after aerial parts are browning and dying back. Plant the bulbs in autumn.

 

Taste: Pungent.

 

Humors: Hot and dry.

 

Actions: antibacterial, anticoagulant, antifungal, Anti-thelmintic  (combats parasitical worms), antimicrobial, antispasmodic, immunologic, cholagogue (promotes the discharge of bile), diaphoretic, hypotensive, and more.

 

Constituents: Alkaloids, amino acids, phytoestrogens, sulfur compounds, Volatile oil, and more.

 

Contraindications: Allergies, hot-n-dry constitutions, used in moderation it is considered universally safe. 

Uses: 

 

Garlic has a longstanding history as food and Medicine around the world and has been used for treating an array of ailments, and is often considered to be most valuable for its medicinal qualities when used fresh (unheated) and/or dried. I leverage the virtues of garlic fresh, dried and cooked, and honor the potential of Medicine and flavor that’s extracted in any preparation.

 

This is one of those botanicals that I use almost daily in one form or another as food and Medicine – raw, cooked, fresh and dried, infused in vinegar, honey, water.

Garlic is revered for supporting cardiovascular health. Susun Weed says “a four-year study found women who ingested 900 mg (1/4 teaspoonful) of garlic powder daily had 18 percent less arterial plaque than those taking a placebo.” She also suggests that eating a half a garlic clove a day will – noticeably – lower high blood pressure. It is also credited for preventing blood clots, reducing platelet clumping and clotting (thus reducing the chances of stroke). It’s been used to lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and is a botanical that supports the cardiovascular system in a holistic way. Susun Weed refers to garlic as “a great friend to old hearts.” Rosalee de la Foret suggests that regular use of garlic “can optimize cholesterol levels and improve cardiovascular function.”

 

So, one can see from this why garlic is beloved around the globe. Right? I know I 💕 garlic! ::nods:: 

 

It’s considered to be a highly effective anti-microbial plant, acting on bacteria, viruses, fungi, and alimentary parasites, to the point where it’s referred to as antibiotic, a term that bothers me for reasons I both understand and don’t. Having said that, I’ve used it to stave off infection, dosing fresh plant matter tincture throughout the day at first sign of heat/flame/fever. 

Guido Masé describes garlic as, “Directly antiviral, ameliorates influenza symptoms, and its pungent compounds have been found to reduce cytokine storm. 3-4 cloves daily is ideal, as close to freshly cut as possible (chop first).”

That said, garlic is a great fiery herb for colds (and other infections) which is why it’s a core ingredient in so many Fire Cider formulas. I make an infused honey syrup with garlic, which is nice to have around during cold season. I’ve tinctured it though rarely use it in that form. And I love it in Fire Cider, or any infused vinegar.

It’s also touted as a cancer preventative, and blood sugar stabilizer.

 

Topically, garlic has been traditionally used as an infused oil for earache, often with other herbs, as well as for fungal infections like athletes’ foot.

 

And so much more.

Dance with Allium sativum  – Garlic

 

There are countless ways to dance with garlic, as it is – for me – a foundational botanical that beautifully coalesces the contemporary and conventional definitions of food and Medicine. 

 

Garlic Honey

Fill a jar with fresh garlic cloves, peels on or off, sliced, chopped, minced – whatever inspires you in the moment. Cover with honey and let sit for a few days (or many months) before using. I let mine macerate in the honey for 6-8 weeks then (often) strain the honey into a bottle, and use the garlic solids in/as Food.

Take a spoonful at first sign of symptom, or any time. 

I love it in salad, veg, and meat dressings to add that sweet, savory medicinal deliciousness. 

I’ve kept strained garlic honey – at room temp – for more than two-years (before it was used up) and unstrained for about a year (for the same reason). I have no clue how long this delicious tonic stays viable. Honey is indefinitely stable, but with the addition of fresh organic matter, I imagine its shelf life may have a limit, even if it be a ferment start. But it’s so good that you’ll use it up before this even becomes a concern. 

 

Garlic Oil

I make only as much as I’ll use in a month or two. I usually keep it in cold storage to protect and extend its viability. Here’s some ideas to get you making your own…

 

Mince fresh garlic cloves, place in a pot, cover with olive oil, heat over low-to-moderate flame until the sound of sputtering is heard. Remove from heat and let cool. Repeat this a several times, being careful not to burn the garlic. Strain the oil into a jar, label and enjoy. Use the remaining garlic solids in or on food as inspired. Keep refrigerated to extend its “shelf life.”

Also, garlic oil may be made in a dehydrator, or at air-temp, as one might for any herbal infused oil for topical use – to harness the medicinal qualities credited to it in its fresh, unheated state. I’ve used this method for medicinal topical use.

 

Garlic Lemonade

 

Mince a few cloves of fresh garlic and place them in a 1-quart mason jar. Fill the jar with boiling water, cover and steep for 30 minutes. Strain the infusion to remove the garlic solids (and feed them to your dog, or chickens, or self!). To the strained liquid add the juice of one whole lemon.  Sweeten to taste with honey. Sip warm, as often as needed or desired. – adapted from Aviva Romm

 

 

Leah Penniman’s Soup Joumou

 

1 lb Kabocha squash or Caribbean pumpkin, peeled and chopped

½ pound roasted, shredded chicken or beef (optional)

8 cups water

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped

½ lb. cabbage, chopped

1 turnip, diced

2 carrots, chopped

2 leeks or scallions, chopped

1 cup sweet corn, fresh or canned

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 whole scotch bonnet pepper or other spicy pepper

¼ lb pasta (optional)

1 tbsp lime juice

2 whole cloves

1 can (12 oz) whole coconut milk

Salt, pepper, and thyme to taste

Dash of sweetener (optional)

Coat the squash/pumpkin in a bit of oil, spread out on a baking sheet, and roast in a 375 F oven until golden brown and tender (about 40 to 45 minutes). Simultaneously, in a separate pan, roast the remaining vegetables (except corn, parsley, hot pepper) in oil and a bit of salt until golden and tender.

Blend the cooked squash with coconut milk in a blender or food processor.

Mix the squash-coconut mixture with the water and bring to a low boil.

Add the roasted vegetables, as well as the corn, parsley, and hot pepper.

Add the spices, optional sweetener, and lime juice to suit your taste.

Cook for 15-20 minutes to blend the flavors.

If you are using pasta, add it when there are 10 remaining minutes of cook time. Enjoy!

Tips/Techniques: The squash and hot peppers are essential ingredients. All other ingredients can be substituted with similar vegetables that are locally available, such as kale or tomatoes for example.

 

The above is just one of countless recipes that leverages and celebrates the flavor and Medicine of garlic. 

 

Other ideas:

Garlic Dip

Garlic Infused Vinegar

Garlic Pesto

Garlic Toast

Garlic/Ginger broth 

Bottom Line: If you eat it, get some garlic in/on it.

 

 

And here’s a list for you to consider of potential ways to dance with garlic . If you’re familiar with my usual list, you’ll see it’s much shorter as I’ve removed things like tea and hard candy, as they just don’t appeal to me. Your mileage may vary. So, in your botanical dancing, should you discover something that delights you, please share your experiences and additions with us!

 

·       tincture

·       infused vinegar 

·       infused oil

·       salves/balms

·       compress 

·       poultice

·       baths, soaks, sitz baths

·       syrup

·       jelly

·       infused honey

·       capsules

·       steam

·       bath and culinary salts

·       medicinal pesto (for external application)

·       beads, pendants, talismans

·       spiritual healing - baths and healing ceremonies

·       food, food, food

·       etc.

 

resources:

Rosalee de la Forêt, Alchemy of Herbs, book and site

David Hoffman, Medical Herbalism

Guido Masé, Herbal support for Influenza

Aviva Romm, 7 Natural Cold Busters

Susun Weed, Do You Love Garlic? She Loves You!, susunweed.com/An_Article_Garlic.htm

The Benefits of Garlic for Poultry: backyardpoultrymag.com

Personal notes from multiple sources

Personal experience

Peace. 🕊