tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24576996340141393662024-03-05T06:48:38.657-08:00Wild CottageSnippets of life on the west coast of IrelandUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-45612542723976414852017-06-25T12:54:00.001-07:002017-06-25T12:55:37.547-07:00Harvesting New Potatoes in Tyres<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have been harvesting some of my potatoes grown in tyres </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(tires if you are in the USA).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The amount of spuds you see in the photo came from inside just ONE tyre !!! The top tyre. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have placed my trowel beside them to give you some idea of size and scale, and it's not a small trowel.<span class="_47e3 _5mfr" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;" title="wink emoticon"><span aria-hidden="true" class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">;)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had some with my beef stew tonight and they were heaven <span class="_47e3 _5mfr" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;" title="heart emoticon"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v9/f6c/1/16/2764.png" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: -3px;" width="16" /><span aria-hidden="true" class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;"><3</span></span></span></div>
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<br />Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-30141542757665238292015-10-03T08:47:00.000-07:002015-10-03T08:49:20.648-07:00A Recycled Somerset Garden - August 2015<h3>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Post author: My daughter Sophie from Somerset, England</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"It all started it from a garden of brambles, that is it was full of rampant blackberry bushes and other long term weeds. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We started clearing it just as I became pregnant with our first child. Home veg was the value we wanted our baby to experience and grow up with, healthy and pure. So it was a real labour of love (excuse the pun).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first year we lived here, we only just finished the vegetable patch area as we were concentrating on renovating the house itself. Everyone told me it was too late at the end of August to plant veg, but I did it anyway and loads came up !</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNHpMsrf_eXEB9xlLhX9wyZG2N-3bFowInkwjxAJZIqrItd8mom9GfXraLT-cbNqRsBuqe4rureCIdvrSIzY9j8UT-dFfAA3VTm3iKl2_6JKXYs30QAxmMu7-Hd-UQccRW0y2Z44i-fk/s1600/11903579_10153112809383157_1014674713_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNHpMsrf_eXEB9xlLhX9wyZG2N-3bFowInkwjxAJZIqrItd8mom9GfXraLT-cbNqRsBuqe4rureCIdvrSIzY9j8UT-dFfAA3VTm3iKl2_6JKXYs30QAxmMu7-Hd-UQccRW0y2Z44i-fk/s320/11903579_10153112809383157_1014674713_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our vegetable patch and the recycled greenhouse</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year, 2015, with the new baby on board the garden has become totally green ! </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I began to wean her, her first foods were from our own garden. She started with pureed carrots, and then parsnips, and so on. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We got other people involved in the garden with the sunflower competition. Once they are finished, we will keep the seeds from the flower heads, to be dried and re used for flowers next year, or for bird seed during the winter and for cooking in the kitchen. Sunflower seeds can be a great snack on their own or in a nice homemade </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">bread. Yummy !</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMem9inAuMgxaXY9cY0JawyDh9aU7jFVoLU960N8TbXcJzChZ83AZlg9YA-g1mmQaqybDww-xLfxtv8sPsMRO82PG3ZAE-YSow8boNFzArnQ8RF7Fixq075CuoCRLqTW-STHXY3IWivuE/s1600/11911805_10153112792758157_734383156_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMem9inAuMgxaXY9cY0JawyDh9aU7jFVoLU960N8TbXcJzChZ83AZlg9YA-g1mmQaqybDww-xLfxtv8sPsMRO82PG3ZAE-YSow8boNFzArnQ8RF7Fixq075CuoCRLqTW-STHXY3IWivuE/s1600/11911805_10153112792758157_734383156_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we initially cleared the old garden we saved some of the plants that were already there when we bought the house. There was a Day Lily for instance, which was beautiful when it came out this summer.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #373e4d; line-height: 15.36px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Never waste plants, they cost a lot to replace. We have a grape vine which we recycled from another house. We cut it right back when we got it first. It is now flourishing and is starting to work well in hiding a block wall at the back of the garden. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGt1oicDSVbOyjqlo4bhGMWjWNKT4k8Wd4NQ1YIBsHUUb4PwU56bWkgcI29HEndYAo4bt_iAAgYf_mXjrR0OspqViibkinLdElQMpcRewfJldnyNuIlcUuS5nCO3nbT4sRyCEBoQJn1w/s1600/11938835_10153112809508157_2124774521_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGt1oicDSVbOyjqlo4bhGMWjWNKT4k8Wd4NQ1YIBsHUUb4PwU56bWkgcI29HEndYAo4bt_iAAgYf_mXjrR0OspqViibkinLdElQMpcRewfJldnyNuIlcUuS5nCO3nbT4sRyCEBoQJn1w/s1600/11938835_10153112809508157_2124774521_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>In my next Wild Cottage guest post, I will tell you all about the recipes we use for our garden produce, how we preserve things for the winter and the yummy things we cook with it all.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Meanwhile, here are some more photos of this summer's garden (August 2015)."</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The beginnings of our herb bed</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0duhNgMZNZ8fGMU2NJoAd-1T1lygpIsVwXsvWwTUhrCpJGgtOIr_I7jQhpOxpffDmA-YNnue843cFiIf6YaG5g6LOUCPkfEIop0iR7w0T8ibGJbelogOGSK9qXhpS7TvDWQILrAbJlUU/s1600/11937982_10153112807008157_1304353206_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0duhNgMZNZ8fGMU2NJoAd-1T1lygpIsVwXsvWwTUhrCpJGgtOIr_I7jQhpOxpffDmA-YNnue843cFiIf6YaG5g6LOUCPkfEIop0iR7w0T8ibGJbelogOGSK9qXhpS7TvDWQILrAbJlUU/s1600/11937982_10153112807008157_1304353206_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The bay tree</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlKJlARd_Q7JFXCL04IxkJs-fVgdFtEjP7mrp4PMHmcvAcUSWS3LeZ1NMQ47_F8NPAO6QeJNKvawQ9z2GIETI_DKhtfgVi4KnpChJxOK_BiQT5xQE4MRXq8k5yLwrM9yCgWc6v5Mx-Vw/s1600/11880882_10153112809023157_945881580_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlKJlARd_Q7JFXCL04IxkJs-fVgdFtEjP7mrp4PMHmcvAcUSWS3LeZ1NMQ47_F8NPAO6QeJNKvawQ9z2GIETI_DKhtfgVi4KnpChJxOK_BiQT5xQE4MRXq8k5yLwrM9yCgWc6v5Mx-Vw/s320/11880882_10153112809023157_945881580_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mint in a pot to keep it contained !</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1D5DVKysYJnf4jMsBuQOn025BYTL9TmDoT1Ix83k0x8X-2Q9nH3o6X59MIhXcsamDvkFu9BYncim3RjEqRB5CKK_JggO1utOtlT5gMQME-GNM6k4FyDRnXr8Uyz9Pdq_6LKVsyAdtdA/s1600/11911896_10153112792478157_296843259_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1D5DVKysYJnf4jMsBuQOn025BYTL9TmDoT1Ix83k0x8X-2Q9nH3o6X59MIhXcsamDvkFu9BYncim3RjEqRB5CKK_JggO1utOtlT5gMQME-GNM6k4FyDRnXr8Uyz9Pdq_6LKVsyAdtdA/s1600/11911896_10153112792478157_296843259_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Runner beans grown up bamboo sticks</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2Hah9dBO4voqROS_6mTA9SjZKehJOJh_W6Ks2l6LiycG3VVfRi4BpYgnkhONRqjkSO_FmuvVdVNkPxawgK6Vbh0I_rtRSZ4rGSUP3IEmHqTtGHRHkX5NAnQiFvVfMgcsUqqpbJeNcNw/s1600/11896908_10153112796528157_1841802098_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2Hah9dBO4voqROS_6mTA9SjZKehJOJh_W6Ks2l6LiycG3VVfRi4BpYgnkhONRqjkSO_FmuvVdVNkPxawgK6Vbh0I_rtRSZ4rGSUP3IEmHqTtGHRHkX5NAnQiFvVfMgcsUqqpbJeNcNw/s1600/11896908_10153112796528157_1841802098_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our own chillies from the greenhouse</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCzHdujQujZpWbNlUUGfyvgy5XIitIFdzugfzJvOVgIPzVwVpwjaceu3IZxfANBhuPo8jR-270-jpJCLUcZfnv_jyviLwxVoa_4OyuR6A2f1XTjoI_jUv9Z9ZMOVET5wvMnI32ITQ-y8/s1600/11910868_10153112810573157_1314849907_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCzHdujQujZpWbNlUUGfyvgy5XIitIFdzugfzJvOVgIPzVwVpwjaceu3IZxfANBhuPo8jR-270-jpJCLUcZfnv_jyviLwxVoa_4OyuR6A2f1XTjoI_jUv9Z9ZMOVET5wvMnI32ITQ-y8/s320/11910868_10153112810573157_1314849907_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Red and white onions almost ready to lift</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtfCksArONmcbLJ59d19aVJVfnJc6zpFTJ8feOBnYAT_E3HRZqntFa5vVEsy27N8k767w5Jls4UsFYf-jlJsO_m_lSp6gr3Mg5wl5Bb3qW0cVTS8pe9vcnoBUrihtx1uBFT7eqx81x-4/s1600/11910991_10153112810023157_1620037612_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtfCksArONmcbLJ59d19aVJVfnJc6zpFTJ8feOBnYAT_E3HRZqntFa5vVEsy27N8k767w5Jls4UsFYf-jlJsO_m_lSp6gr3Mg5wl5Bb3qW0cVTS8pe9vcnoBUrihtx1uBFT7eqx81x-4/s320/11910991_10153112810023157_1620037612_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Some of our white onions</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7NTPL_Uge6uetO6XT5iksGjXdYs-tNmA3WFktcJQwmWq0lDmNy1ToXJHj8kuUX9saM_VWDCq71A14wTcP9eirFTx6GIzPz4lcKSpFlwaiYIeKK_HhMgepxrO4P38oJpEu9s9Zb_t_oE/s1600/11920592_10153112810168157_274935556_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7NTPL_Uge6uetO6XT5iksGjXdYs-tNmA3WFktcJQwmWq0lDmNy1ToXJHj8kuUX9saM_VWDCq71A14wTcP9eirFTx6GIzPz4lcKSpFlwaiYIeKK_HhMgepxrO4P38oJpEu9s9Zb_t_oE/s1600/11920592_10153112810168157_274935556_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Rhubarb patch !</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzWYe0yYykqX067CYCeAG_Gpg8wYQ2PFLb5jXLTPBdBdt_08qt0LtNQvVgoxxOFhvm5rqacS0h6GaT5R0BpUb4doTc12uZ2TWvBXqoddYSZGBYBbjPM-Vt79aHaAnuADeedT0n2Ra7ng/s1600/11923026_10153112798193157_1843637054_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzWYe0yYykqX067CYCeAG_Gpg8wYQ2PFLb5jXLTPBdBdt_08qt0LtNQvVgoxxOFhvm5rqacS0h6GaT5R0BpUb4doTc12uZ2TWvBXqoddYSZGBYBbjPM-Vt79aHaAnuADeedT0n2Ra7ng/s1600/11923026_10153112798193157_1843637054_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Elephant garlic - this is just one clove !</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixy5qpciphm6OvNnUf0waRG8RuU67f4aZBTX1y1yiJF23hQ3qNmKUM0-aXviwg9Qnp1VCM4rchIUcVhunMyAC1PqZ9Ztz6p5-JU4_8kpcCmDIQkIRvzm4H_eD9Fy7m3nbK6IrqeI97ic/s1600/11933085_10153112796198157_763123956_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixy5qpciphm6OvNnUf0waRG8RuU67f4aZBTX1y1yiJF23hQ3qNmKUM0-aXviwg9Qnp1VCM4rchIUcVhunMyAC1PqZ9Ztz6p5-JU4_8kpcCmDIQkIRvzm4H_eD9Fy7m3nbK6IrqeI97ic/s1600/11933085_10153112796198157_763123956_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Normal and elephant garlic</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4p1SwaX_TOecjs12mW91aOwnSAEvAdLGxazJocj-H_frYtPhgjQ_EKy9RVapiv2z0VmYKJLQoJAklOyy0fd9EMSAeTNJFN46zrmq-sdOrTvx3Em_Eke7e2n9wpWIvz9qMB2zVTl4EQdw/s1600/11923399_10153112809883157_2017424633_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4p1SwaX_TOecjs12mW91aOwnSAEvAdLGxazJocj-H_frYtPhgjQ_EKy9RVapiv2z0VmYKJLQoJAklOyy0fd9EMSAeTNJFN46zrmq-sdOrTvx3Em_Eke7e2n9wpWIvz9qMB2zVTl4EQdw/s1600/11923399_10153112809883157_2017424633_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My husband's precious fig tree</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LsqSDHSYXGw94WkRyUTQeowmyjE7_SH6og-GMpDocVgM1-i0D59HFoSi2SkZbYcg4OjS7VKGWOHQCaMFn9rSy7iol_cKChXG_DbviP4h4Wef3lEy9fboTPnbAXkY-z0648bDa-jtXk8/s1600/11938980_10153112810088157_332945379_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LsqSDHSYXGw94WkRyUTQeowmyjE7_SH6og-GMpDocVgM1-i0D59HFoSi2SkZbYcg4OjS7VKGWOHQCaMFn9rSy7iol_cKChXG_DbviP4h4Wef3lEy9fboTPnbAXkY-z0648bDa-jtXk8/s1600/11938980_10153112810088157_332945379_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lovely lettuce</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJB6OF_zjLWi2n9vhGJqIykPR5ZCLuDqHvy9tk5lNmxY15bDl2fnQ3-LSnVMuQL2lzL4FE14_C0ogf6Q1YtjO5ZdpixNIDvmzeGo6RJlgc3Ua7VRHJVh-xWNDDfuCmlTE_PxR4UyN_Xw/s1600/11948221_10153112789503157_731923258_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJB6OF_zjLWi2n9vhGJqIykPR5ZCLuDqHvy9tk5lNmxY15bDl2fnQ3-LSnVMuQL2lzL4FE14_C0ogf6Q1YtjO5ZdpixNIDvmzeGo6RJlgc3Ua7VRHJVh-xWNDDfuCmlTE_PxR4UyN_Xw/s1600/11948221_10153112789503157_731923258_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Runner beans harvested for freezing and dinner</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfqwlXEp944kbmsT8rSFLEQUZzjH2XvV-ax_9StnvrjBUOFrOjVy43Il0uBzh7mUpld1qq2OLVjwPb4gOqdEFX-ETGURleoi-jgfUSzuY5ku4-hjpMz9Nu3gfHgLkK9vapfeje058Kvs/s1600/11949620_10153112808143157_377408365_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfqwlXEp944kbmsT8rSFLEQUZzjH2XvV-ax_9StnvrjBUOFrOjVy43Il0uBzh7mUpld1qq2OLVjwPb4gOqdEFX-ETGURleoi-jgfUSzuY5ku4-hjpMz9Nu3gfHgLkK9vapfeje058Kvs/s1600/11949620_10153112808143157_377408365_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sage bush with lots of new growth</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-248038102404194002015-07-24T08:27:00.001-07:002015-08-23T04:19:35.984-07:00Homemade Greenfly Spray<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This summer I am growing a few different varieties of chillies on my home office window sill. They are coming along nicely considering it was very late when I planted the seeds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, about 75% of them are infested with greenfly (little green aphids), so I went looking online for an effective organic / natural home-made green aphid killer ! I found a couple of easy options which I will share with you here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You'll need a spray bottle to disperse the aphid death spray. Those 1 litre (half a pint in the USA approx) hand held spray bottles are great. You could always recycle one you have previously used for those household cleaning sprays, making sure that you clean it thoroughly inside or you could have a problem !</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will add my results to this post when I have made and tried each method. It should be interesting ! I would also love to hear from you if you have tried either of them, or if you have any other great natural aphid killing methods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember, that you should always spray your plants in the evening, preferably after sunset or on very dull days, or in the shade. This is because wet leaves will burn in the sunlight.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Tomato Leaf Aphid Spray</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To me, this is the perfect Greenfly Killer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The advantage of the tomato leaf spray is that <b>it does not kill the beneficial insects</b> that also inhabit your garden, just the aphids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomatoes, as well as potatoes and all other members of the Nightshade family of plants (<i>Solanaceae</i>), contain alkaloids in their leaves, which are toxic to aphids (and to humans also if ingested in sufficiently large amounts, so just in case, please keep this spray away from children and label the bottle clearly).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The alkaloid in green tomatoes, tomato leaves and their stalks is called tomatine, and is the plants natural defence system against invaders that want to eat it or harm it.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1-2 cups of green tomato leaves</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups of water</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Something to strain it through</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Method</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chop the tomato leaves into small pieces, then put them with the 2 cups of water into a container. Leave to soak overnight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next day, strain the leaves out of the liquid using the muslin cloth, squeezing all the liquid out. You can put the soggy leaves on your compost heap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add 2 more cups of water to the resulting liquid, then put it into your spray bottle, ready to use.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>23rd August 2015 Test Results</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I made up the spray as per the recipe above, and used it on my 4, very affected, chilli plants which had been indoors.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The greenfly struggled and many died. I wiped of the leaves gently with my fingers, removing the eggs (hundreds of them) as I did this.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were no greenfly for a few days, but then a few reappeared and I have had to spray again and check for eggs again. There were a few new eggs already !</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, it seems that the spray 'checks' them for a while, but doesn't kill em 100%. You may need to reapply it every few days or so to really prevent the aphids getting ahold.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This one is a bit yukky for anyone who is squeamish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pick as many of the greenly off the plants as you can, squash them to kill them, and drop them into a cup of water. Just do one type of aphid at a time, as this method will only deter the same species as you made the smoothie from.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Put the cup of water and dead greenflies into a blender and zap it into a smooth watery liquid. Pour this liquid into your spray bottle for use on the plants you wish to deter greenflies from living on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you make this smoothie with greenfly, then it will only deter greenfly.. If you have a whitefly problem also, you need to make a separate smoothie containing whiteflies to deter them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This won't harm your blender in any way, but it may not be the method for you if you are vegetarian ! Unless you have a special blender just for garden use.</span></div>
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Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-30437123378825148182015-04-28T05:41:00.000-07:002015-04-28T05:45:30.944-07:00How to Rescue Battery Chickens in Ireland<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you keep chickens for eggs ? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or maybe you would like to, but you haven't yet taken the plunge ? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whichever you are, this article is for you !</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing in this world that I particularly hate is factory farming of any kind. <b>Here in Ireland both chickens and pigs are kept in battery farming conditions</b>, indoors and often without proper light. They have almost zero space and can't even move around. And the saddest thing is that many people who live here don't even realise what goes on to produce the majority of chicken, ham, bacon and pork that they eat.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://littlehillanimalrescue.ie/" target="_blank">Littlehill Animal Rescue and Sanctuary </a>annually rescue approximately 7,000 to 8,000 </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">battery hens which are about to be slaughtered. They then distribute them across Ireland to willing new owners like you and I. Their </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">next rescue is due to take place in about 3 months</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> time, so you have plenty of time to prepare, or even build/buy that new coop for them to live in !</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTxDokC5fwwYn_iSBGnFUkYjSd_3arJynReuVy7L0n4Z-C8yf7NC-2KslrDnt37rzcaQUT2h4emSKa37T6ZIOaE3pgkqliv3g2SB3r8SISJ29sHye-V5ARsVoG_pZdzAu1wTOWzZQpO8/s1600/battery-hens-150x150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTxDokC5fwwYn_iSBGnFUkYjSd_3arJynReuVy7L0n4Z-C8yf7NC-2KslrDnt37rzcaQUT2h4emSKa37T6ZIOaE3pgkqliv3g2SB3r8SISJ29sHye-V5ARsVoG_pZdzAu1wTOWzZQpO8/s1600/battery-hens-150x150.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is how battery farmed chickens live until they are 18 months old, 6 to 8 in a cage</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The chickens are kept indoors, <b>6 to 8 in a cage, jammed in with no room to move. They can't even stretch their wings out, ever.</b> At 18 months old they are slaughtered, because their 'optimum' laying period is over. However, they will in fact lay eggs for many years to come after that, so in rescuing them you also give yourself free range happy eggs to eat.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvzZ43R-EXF5H_DO53TaRt1HWMgO9KAJe3Dk07hsC_Tk-7-CfpUc83k23jsOUyQaPCK_as1f-7T-ci95kYymcH7MAP3c7KEZO3XbImG0R69r3BJMYUoOlRWjZUEEBsZbvjHf6QZdI0oE/s1600/10881794_894730560548282_5758827469958903233_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvzZ43R-EXF5H_DO53TaRt1HWMgO9KAJe3Dk07hsC_Tk-7-CfpUc83k23jsOUyQaPCK_as1f-7T-ci95kYymcH7MAP3c7KEZO3XbImG0R69r3BJMYUoOlRWjZUEEBsZbvjHf6QZdI0oE/s1600/10881794_894730560548282_5758827469958903233_n.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will be taking at least 6, hopefully more. <b>Can you take a few maybe ?</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dWoMMpnGfpmdyn0KOW0_hgGNvIRGTd3aFMezNeeZgwfIMdez6d2GVqs6NJ2YQuRzTbTfj8HYsewAkLvT2m2mhUp64-r__6lbAhJxgYqSXIR3glY6wmaF3vlNC1GHwP7G1naihYgtWVE/s1600/Felicity-on-arrival-at-Littlehill-150x150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dWoMMpnGfpmdyn0KOW0_hgGNvIRGTd3aFMezNeeZgwfIMdez6d2GVqs6NJ2YQuRzTbTfj8HYsewAkLvT2m2mhUp64-r__6lbAhJxgYqSXIR3glY6wmaF3vlNC1GHwP7G1naihYgtWVE/s1600/Felicity-on-arrival-at-Littlehill-150x150.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Littlehill rescue hen at time of rescue</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWTsxGNfvqh3wakI4NiUXVixNkH2zZZO2UQDoxMzYBNZ6Cc8Eeo-OF3FuGMtICm_Lk9SHpffwwo7DpPjws1OSdjzt7lsdInn4XlpP-59ugEFCAF244dAWUzYWmjV9grcmvocHO0kBAOs/s1600/Felicity-now-150x150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWTsxGNfvqh3wakI4NiUXVixNkH2zZZO2UQDoxMzYBNZ6Cc8Eeo-OF3FuGMtICm_Lk9SHpffwwo7DpPjws1OSdjzt7lsdInn4XlpP-59ugEFCAF244dAWUzYWmjV9grcmvocHO0kBAOs/s1600/Felicity-now-150x150.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The same hen as above a while later after rescue !</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They fork out a massive amount of money to organise the rescue of these little, bare bodied, hens, and so charge €5 for each hen anyone takes. This purely covers their expenses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can collect as many hens as you want from various drop off points across Ireland, which are notified ahead of time on the <a href="http://littlehillanimalrescue.ie/?page_id=345" target="_blank">Littlehill web site.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the hens are rescued, they have very few feathers, are weak and not used to wind, rain or cold temperatures. So they need a safe and snug coop and run, with indoor daytime space if they need it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://littlehillanimalrescue.ie/" target="_blank">Littlehill Animal Rescue web site Click here</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Littlehill Animal Rescue also have a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/LittleHill-Animal-Rescue-Sanctuary/201575106530501" target="_blank">Facebook page HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NB: All photos are courtesy of Littlehill Animal Rescue & Sanctuary - many thanks</span></div>
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Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-83301041999850431312014-09-19T06:09:00.001-07:002014-09-19T06:09:02.317-07:00Apple & Blackberry Crumble (incl Gluten Free Option)<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We adore apple crumbles, and at this time of the year both newly fallen apples and blackberries are available and plentiful - at least they are here in Ireland.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi241K0ZkkpVNy8GlXkk6dnWmzPCprNIML-uQjHYLO5jAxaratu0p0DLphGW7SYGRclE-gafeRZyLupvuxvuGKSgoXiHFxr46C8FNa9jKK3MonaS6Hxz_aBJlrJK-MzhBjpdvB7wB4BAVY/s1600/Apple+and+blackbery+crumble+preparation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi241K0ZkkpVNy8GlXkk6dnWmzPCprNIML-uQjHYLO5jAxaratu0p0DLphGW7SYGRclE-gafeRZyLupvuxvuGKSgoXiHFxr46C8FNa9jKK3MonaS6Hxz_aBJlrJK-MzhBjpdvB7wB4BAVY/s1600/Apple+and+blackbery+crumble+preparation.jpg" height="269" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fresh apples and blackberries, prepared for a crumble</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I used apples that had fallen from our apple tree yesterday. We just have 2 apple trees, one is a very old cooking apple (the tree is at least 70 years old), and the other is a 12 year old 'Russet' (a traditional old fashioned small English eating apple, which tastes slightly nutty).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This recipe for apple crumble can be used with either gluten free flours, such as Dove Farm's gluten free plain flour, or normal wheat plain flour. I make the gluten free option, as I am gluten intolerant. Whichever type you use, the result is pretty similar, as the butter is there to bind the flour and sugar together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I added a large handful of blackberries to the sliced up apples. This not only adds a very yummy taste, but alters the colour to a gorgeous dark pink, depending on how many blackberries you use. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I also love cinnamon in the fruit part of an apple crumble - but this is easily left out if you aren't into cinnamon. I add flour to the apples as this gives the juice a slightly thicker, syrupy consistency, which is heavenly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Anyway, here is the recipe I used today - This makes a medium sized crumble which is plenty for two people, including copious seconds !</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Blackberry and Apple Crumble</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>(with both gluten free and standard flour options)</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Crumble mix:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6 ozs plain flour (or 6 ozs gluten free plain flour - I used Doves)</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4 ozs butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5 ozs caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Apple and blackberry mix:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8 medium apples</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons blackberries</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 heaped teaspoon cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 heaped tablespoon caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 flat tablespoon plain flour (or same amount of plain gluten free flour)</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">lemon juice from half a lemon</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Apple mix:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1.</b> Put the lemon juice into a large mixing bowl. Peel, core and evenly slice the apples, removing any bruised or damaged bits. As you are slicing them, put them into the lemon juice, mixing with a wooden spoon to cover them. This helps to prevent the apples going brown, as well as adding to the taste.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZNImXMoh-RKH8aMWolyBmGsH1q6_PnL4nbOt4SsAgpeHmDBnSaA5LYLEn9QFmDZeFKAXT5JU0Nd6xQdQsSITGJH4_WdIgeRa0RznSySIyqJ-6zvugWCdsJsu_-K9wwS2kOMavY5w2PU/s1600/Apples+and+blackberries+for+crumble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZNImXMoh-RKH8aMWolyBmGsH1q6_PnL4nbOt4SsAgpeHmDBnSaA5LYLEn9QFmDZeFKAXT5JU0Nd6xQdQsSITGJH4_WdIgeRa0RznSySIyqJ-6zvugWCdsJsu_-K9wwS2kOMavY5w2PU/s1600/Apples+and+blackberries+for+crumble.jpg" height="320" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooking apples and blackberries, covered in lemon juice</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2.</b> Into the bowl with the apples, add the cinnamon, sugar and flour. Mix this around, gently, until the apple slices are all covered fairly evenly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3.</b> Put the apple mixture into a high sided, ovenproof, pie dish - I use Pyrex casserole dishes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>4. </b> Sprinkle the blackberries evenly across the top of the apples. Cover the dish with a cloth, or a lid if you have it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*** Preheat the oven to 175C, which is about 350F</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Crumble mix:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>5. </b> Put the flour and butter into a large mixing bowl, making sure that the butter is in no more than 1/2 inch lumps.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>6.</b> Using your fingertips, 'rub' the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>7. </b> Mix the sugar into the crumble mix, gently.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSZH4_U_F-8G9OA8HPReACIhB9DYv8K1ktL7zPgIhYTrKzZxe7EGKwMQtISoL7DXnODYlgozEJx7aAVFNsQtZRK368MKL0toczNrcLQezaOPadOxLEBSRbVpFjxXE6_TYDXlLtf5AJXM/s1600/Gluten+free+dry+crumble+mix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSZH4_U_F-8G9OA8HPReACIhB9DYv8K1ktL7zPgIhYTrKzZxe7EGKwMQtISoL7DXnODYlgozEJx7aAVFNsQtZRK368MKL0toczNrcLQezaOPadOxLEBSRbVpFjxXE6_TYDXlLtf5AJXM/s1600/Gluten+free+dry+crumble+mix.jpg" height="320" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gluten free dry crumble mix, ready to sprinkle on top of the fruit</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Putting it together:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>8.</b> Spoon the crumble mix evenly on top of the apples which are already in the ovenproof dish.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>9.</b> Place the dish into the centre of the preheated oven. Cook for 35-45 minutes (the crumble is best when just turning a light brown, but you may prefer it darker or lighter).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>10.</b> Serve hot from the oven, with warm custard. Also great cold the next day with cream !</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This crumble recipe will also<b> freeze extremely well for up to 4 or 5 months. </b>Alternatively, you can<b> freeze the sliced apples </b>covered in lemon juice in a bag, and the washed blackberries in another bag,<b> </b>for future use.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Also, why not<b> make double the dry crumble mix, pop half into a plastic bag or container, and freeze it !! </b> Remember to label what is gluten free what what isn't !</span>Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-27534267263030425672014-09-12T17:16:00.000-07:002014-09-12T17:19:30.328-07:00Elderberry Recipes & Remedies<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are looking for various <b>Elderberry</b> recipes to experiment with, look no further than Wild Cottage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2014/08/elderberry-cordial-with-cloves-recipe-1.html" target="_blank">Elderberry & clove cordial</a> (</b>also similar recipe here<b> <a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2009/09/elderberry-cordial-recipe.html" target="_blank">Elderberry cordial</a> )</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b> <b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2009/10/blackberry-elderberry-jelly.html" target="_blank">Blackberry & elderberry jelly</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b> <b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2009/09/elderberry-wine.html" target="_blank">Elderberry wine</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b> <b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2009/09/elder-bush-some-age-old-remedies.html" target="_blank">Elder bush remedies</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b> <a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2014/09/elderberry-ginger-winter-remedy-recipe.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elderberry & ginger cold and flu remedy/cure all</span></b></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2013/11/the-magic-of-elderberries.html" target="_blank"><b>The magic of elderberries</b></a></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd love to know if you have any unusual elderberry recipes please.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am adding new recipes all the time - please visit again.</span><br />
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</span> Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-49907089315594877672014-09-08T15:32:00.003-07:002014-09-08T15:32:43.952-07:00Elderberry & Ginger Winter Remedy Recipe <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(The recipe is at the bottom of the text)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Storing quantities of this 'Elderberry & Ginger Winter Remedy' for when required, should be a staple of all natural health loving households.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Elderberries have long been known by wise old women to be an excellent natural all round medicine </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(probably a few wise old men too). This is something I was born and raised with, and still continue to practise today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I found several ideas for a medicinal version of the popular elderberry cordial, but they all contained sugar and none contained ginger. So I ended up concocting this recipe, which embodies everything I consider good for combating colds, pesky sore throats, bacterial and viral infections, as well as creating something you can take daily to help combat cholesterol, improve your vision, as a diuretic, boost your immune system, help with allergies, as an antioxidant, and much more. Elderberries are also slightly laxative in nature, and so will help regulate a sluggish bowel, in a very gentle way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In Chinese medicine they is used to treat rheumatism and bodily injuries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some studies have also begun to indicate that Elderberries have a role to play in combating cancer and some other immune diseases - the anthocyanins help to rebuild damaged cells, as well as protect them via the immune system.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a new take on the old saying about an apple a day, "A spoonful a day keeps the doctor away" (sorry apples). But this is something I have done for years throughout the winter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The compounds found in Elderberries are many, and include vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B, amino acids, tannin, rutin, carotenooids, flavonoids (anthocyanins), viburnic acid, and a lot more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Elderberry & Ginger Winter Remedy Recipe</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(The exact quantities are not important, but are more guidelines)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2 lb Elderberries - </b><i>measured when de-stalked so just the clean berries remain</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3 teacups Water</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3 teacups Honey</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Organic whole Lemon</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2 inch piece fresh root Ginger</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Directions</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1. </b> Put the clean berries into a stainless steel saucepan, add the water. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Add the juice of the lemon to the berries, and the peel also. Making sure to NOT include the 'pith', which is the bitter white layer beneath the peel/skin and before the actual lemon segments. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> It is important that the lemon is organic, as non-organic lemons have wax and other nasty chemicals on the skins.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Chop the fresh ginger root into small bits, and add them to the berry mix also.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>4.</b> Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for about 50 minutes. <i> Keep the lid on the saucepan, so as not to loose any of the precious juice by condensation and evaporation.</i> If it looks like the water is too low, add another cup.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>5. </b> Turn off the heat and mash the berries with a potato masher, until as much juice as possible is extracted from the berries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Strain the juice and mashed berries through a muslin cloth, or another suitable fine meshed fruit/wine making strainer. Return the liquid to a clean saucepan. <i>The remaining squished berries, lemon bits and ginger are great on the compost heap, given to chickens, or maybe the birds would enjoy them.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>7. </b> Add the honey to the mixture in the saucepan.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>8. </b> Turn the heat back on, slowly bringing the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. <i>Again, keep the lid on the saucepan so as not to loose any of the liquid.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>9. </b> While still hot, pour into sterilised bottles and screw the lids on immediately. Tip each bottle upside down for a couple of minutes to ensure complete sterilisation of the lids etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This will keep for at least a year, maybe more. But obviously, making fresh batches each year is best, as you will then have fresh berries each year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Please note:</b> The above recipe is recommended as an aid to good health, combating a cold, sore throats, coughs and the flu. It is in no way intended to be medical advice - if you are at all worried, see your doctor.</i></span>Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-51683255571543335482014-09-04T17:39:00.001-07:002014-09-04T17:42:48.970-07:00Seedless Blackberry Jam<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">The perfect blackberry jam - <b>seedless, no pips and smooth</b> ! </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">However, it isn't quite a jelly as you use a setting point to create a spreadable jam, rather than leaving it a bit longer and creating a jelly that sets and wobbles. If you would like to make jelly, just let it boil a bit longer until your setting point test tells you that it's at 'wobble point'.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">This is the ultimate taste of Autumn, and if you make enough of the jam, you can have it all year round.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">I adore normal blackberry jam, but I also love smooth jams, as they have that extra special, melt in the mouth sensation... Although not as good as Galaxy chocolate !</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><b>Seedless Blackberry Jam Recipe</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></strong></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Ingredients</strong><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><b><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">6 lb / 2.75 kg Blackberries</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">1/4 pint Water</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">2 Lemons</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">6 lb / 2.75 kg Sugar - roughly</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br style="background-color: white;" /></b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><b>1.</b> Put the cleaned fruit, the water, the lemon rind and lemon juice into a large jam making pan.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2. </b>Using a potato masher, mash the blackberry mix well, to extract the juice.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><b style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">3. </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"> For every pound (lb) of blackberries, use 1 lb of white sugar (0.5 kg). Put the sugar into the pan and stir in thoroughly. Leave it, well covered to keep tiny winged critters out, for a couple of hours, until the sugar has drawn the juice from the blackberries, and you have much more liquid that when you started.</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><b>4.</b> Simmer gently until the fruit is soft, not too long or it will start to boil and begin to thicken. Don't let it boil at this point. You may need to stir it to check for, and prevent, sticking and burning on the bottom of the pan. <b>Keep the pan lid</b> <b>ON</b>, to prevent any loss of your precious juice via evaporation.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>5. </b> Pour the now sweet mushy fruit mix through a small holed sieve, (or through muslin cloth for extremely smooth). Return the pip free, seed free, skin free juice to the</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> saucepan</span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (make sure it's cleaned from earlier to remove any stray seeds, insect body parts, bat wings and so on).</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><b>6.</b> Turn the heat up (but not on full) and boil rapidly until setting point is reached. (I use the cold plate in the fridge setting point method). <b>Remember to remove the pan from the heat each time you do the setting point test</b>, otherwise the test won't be accurate and you'll have a much thicker jam than you maybe intended.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><b>7.</b> Once setting point has been reached, remove from the heat and skim off any foam etc.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><b>8.</b> While the jam is still very hot, pour it into sterilised jam pots. Put the (also sterilised) lids on straight away while the jam is still very hot. This is so that, when the jam cools and contracts, it will take up less space in the jar. The shrinkage will create a vacuum at the top of the jar, between the jam and the lid. This will help to keep the jam long term, as bacteria cannot live in a vacuum (no air, nothing).</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Just remember to NOT tip the jars</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"> at all, so that you keep the vacuum below any </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">remaining air.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">This will make around <b>8 or 9 jars of jam</b>, depending on jar size. Well made jam can last for years, and<b> this should be fine for at least 2 years</b>. Jam tends to thicken with age, but the taste can improve sometimes.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">This recipe is excellent for making early Christmas presents, or a gift for a friend. It's not everyday you can use one recipe to make both blackberry jam and blackberry jelly.</span></span>Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-29061468580888784742014-09-02T05:22:00.001-07:002015-09-30T12:26:52.713-07:00Irish Soda Bread (Gluten Free & Standard) Recipe<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Around 18 months ago I decided, for medical reasons, to change to a gluten free diet. However, I was unprepared for the expense and the total lack of quality and taste in the ready made products.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Naturally, being a cooking from scratch addict, I have been making my own gluten free food, but had been struggling with finding or creating a really nice gluten free Irish soda bread recipe, that doesn't fall apart when you look at it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But miracles do happen, and yesterday I made a delicious Irish soda cake/bread, which stayed in one piece when I cut it ! It even looks real !</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFa0K7aIzQ-9P4toNgo1tndrsTqeRtIHC0FFkwmRhUQehv7wVIE9A2XfGtyLHRwMF1kTBk0671vaa9gFWTAQtKowBuoialzlFY_9wRyypfU6Hh_5qdpUjmWPItpYxxEAzbn6T163V-O4/s1600/Irish+Soda+Bread+Gluten+Free+&+Normal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFa0K7aIzQ-9P4toNgo1tndrsTqeRtIHC0FFkwmRhUQehv7wVIE9A2XfGtyLHRwMF1kTBk0671vaa9gFWTAQtKowBuoialzlFY_9wRyypfU6Hh_5qdpUjmWPItpYxxEAzbn6T163V-O4/s1600/Irish+Soda+Bread+Gluten+Free+&+Normal.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread - fresh from the oven</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Irish Soda Bread Recipe</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>includes instructions for both <b>gluten free and normal options</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(I made this bread using American 'cups', which do make for a quick and easy measuring method ! This was because I used 3 recipes from various places, to base my recipe on, all of which were in US cups)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2 cups Doves Farm gluten free plain flour (or ordinary plain flour if you are not gluten free)</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3 tblsp Butter</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1 cup Buttermilk</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2 tblsp Buttermilk - extra (exchange this for 1 med free range egg for a richer loaf)</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1/4 cup Caster sugar</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1/4 cup Xanthan gum - gluten free (omit if you aren't using gluten free flour)</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1/4 tsp Sea salt</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1 tsp Baking powder - gluten free (normal if you aren't gluten free)</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1 1/2 tsp Baking soda</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1.</b> Pre-heat the oven to 200C or 400F.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2.</b> Flour the base of a cookie sheet, or similar flat baking sheet or tray.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3. </b>Put the flour (gluten free or otherwise) in to a mixing bowl, then add the xanthan gum, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir it to mix all these dry ingredients evenly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>4. </b> Using an electric mixer with the cake beaters (not the bread/dough hooks), mix the butter and sugar together, until it is light and fluffy (probably at least a couple of mins). This can also be done by hand in a mixing bowl.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>5. </b> Gradually add the flour mixture, a bit at a time, whilst adding small amounts of buttermilk at the same time. Mix well in between the adding of the mix. Use all the flour mix and all the buttermilk, including the extra 2 tablespoons.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you would like an extra rich Irish soda bread / cake, then exchange the 2 extra tablespoons of buttermilk for a medium free range beaten egg. Add it in to the mixture the same way as the buttermilk, with the flour mix.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>6.</b> Sprinkle a small amount of extra flour onto a clean work surface.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>7.</b> Lift the bread mixture carefully from the bowl, trying to keep it in one lump or 'ball'. Place in onto the floured work surface.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>8. </b> Knead the bread just a few times, maybe 5 or 6, certainly no more. Do this very gently.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>9.</b> Shape the bread dough in to a circle shape, then pat it down gently to around 1.5 inches high (that's about 4cm).</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>10. </b> Using a floured knife, cut a cross into the top of the bread, going about half an inch deep. This allows it to 'open up' and cook in the centre evenly. And it looks cute !</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>11.</b> Place the baking sheet with the uncooked loaf into the middle of the pre heated oven. </span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>12. </b> Cook at 200C (400F) for 6 or 7 mins and then reduce the oven temperature to 175C (350F) for a further 25 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when tapped.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>13.</b> Allow to cool before slicing, otherwise the slices will crumble and break. Once cool, my loaf when sliced didn't crumble or break at all, which is a miracle for gluten free bread of any kind !</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>14. </b> The loaf I made is pictured above. It kept really well for about 2 days, at which point I had eaten it all.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And if you want to try out some other Irish traditional recipes, '<b>The Best of Irish Breads and Baking</b>'<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158980032X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=158980032X&linkCode=as2&tag=wildcott-20&linkId=RBPR4B55HWHI6SR2" target="_blank"> </a>has a lovely collection. The author, Georgina Campbell, is known here for great recipes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158980032X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=158980032X&linkCode=as2&tag=wildcott-20&linkId=RBPR4B55HWHI6SR2" target="_blank">Click here to see pages from 'The Best of Irish Breads and Baking: Traditional, Contemporary and Festive' by Georgina Campbell</a></b></span></div>
Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-54325900753833787932014-08-29T06:43:00.000-07:002014-09-04T17:42:13.861-07:00Elderberry Cordial (with Cloves) - Recipe 1<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have decided to conduct an experiment. I intend to make several different batches of Elderberry Cordial this year, using different recipe ideas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll post each recipe as I make it, and then add the 'taste test' results at the bottom of each post (as well as a summary Post when I run out of berries). I'll also add information about the preservation qualities of each recipe batch as the winter progresses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This cordial, when combined with water, is the perfect winter pick-me-up drink, and is also an excellent cold and flu preventative and remedy. It is full of vitamins, especially vitamin C, plus antioxidants and much more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One last thing - this makes a great Christmas gift, especially if part of a homemade gift box.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><strong><u>Elderberry & Clove Cordial - Recipe 1</u></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #336666;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Elderberries</strong> (cut the whole flower/berry heads from the bush )</span><br />
<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Sugar</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Cloves</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #336666;"><b>1</b>. Pick the elderberries on a dry day. Remove the berries from the stalks by 'combing' them off with a fork. </span><span style="color: #336666;">Make sure all insects and mouldy berries are discarded.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2</b>. Stew the berries in a large covered stainless steel saucepan, with just enough water to cover the berries. This will take about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, but keep covered so as not to allow the juice to evaporate.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3</b>. Strain it all through muslin, squeezing to get all the juice out.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>4</b>. To each pint of juice add 1 lb of white granulated sugar and 10 cloves.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>5</b>. Boil for 10 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>6</b>. Allow the liquid to cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #336666;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>7.</b> Bottle the cordial in sterile bottles with good quality plastic screw-on tops, making sure you distribute the cloves evenly amongst the bottles (they act as a preservative). You can use recycled drink bottles and mini wine bottles are brilliant.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666600; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The cordial can be used immediately, but will also keep well for a year or two.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>*TASTE TEST*</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;">This recipe has a really festive aroma and taste, mainly due to the cloves. The resulting drink, once watered down, is especially nice served </span><span style="color: red;">hot.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666600; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Taken with hot water it is renowned as a guard against colds, and a glass a day through winter is a wise precaution...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666600;"><br /></span>Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-64630616927454031072014-07-01T16:08:00.001-07:002014-07-01T16:11:26.665-07:00Are You Sushi For Mosquitoes ? Plantain Is The Answer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GCQOqYaN8vQ_S0H75wJgEFFoGf2INq-7dJeJLxWmgeapofFPYQ1NCcLSDBcZXlru-eh8kXCZYAXMIJyxxgFmp3FpBz906hJ4wcDlBx93PMh8-rJ818FsNFAMR4IsfXKLK9e2OjWABxk/s1600/phtplantplantain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GCQOqYaN8vQ_S0H75wJgEFFoGf2INq-7dJeJLxWmgeapofFPYQ1NCcLSDBcZXlru-eh8kXCZYAXMIJyxxgFmp3FpBz906hJ4wcDlBx93PMh8-rJ818FsNFAMR4IsfXKLK9e2OjWABxk/s1600/phtplantplantain.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plantain - <i>Plantago major</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Recently I was doing some research online regarding insect bites and nettle stings, and natural ways to relieve or stop the itching and pain associated with them. I seem to be one of those unfortunate people who are eaten alive every time I venture outside in the summer months, especially after 5pm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Post 5 o'clock is dinner time for the midges here in South Galway, and then you have those special Irish mosquitoes who are always ravenous when it's BBQ o'clock. They must lurk at the bottom of our field in the lush swamp, protected by the EC SAC laws - European Special Area of Conservation, ready to swarm up the garden as the clock strikes 5 and we are looking forward to eating a romantic dinner for two outside - lucky mosquitoes !</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you are anything like me, then you are tasty food for all biting insects. My skin obviously has that certain taste and smell that they are looking for. I am sushi for mosquitoes...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, what can you do when you find yourself sprouting red swollen lumps in places which no well brought up young lady likes to mention, which itch uncontrollably, look unladylike ugly, and are painful as well. Some insect bites contain poison which travels well beyond the site of the original bite, making things far worse. I end up wanting to rip my arm off, or foot, or somewhere unmentionable... Now you need look no further !</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I have been reading about Plantain. No, not the banana like fruit that is great sliced and deep fried, but a very plain little plant that grows across Ireland, the UK, Europe and even in North America, Asia, Australia and well beyond.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The common broad leaved plantain is a perennial weed which thrives almost anywhere. Just be sure, if you are gathering them for medicinal use, or for food, use a source away from weedkillers, pesticides, traffic and such. </span><br />
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<b>Why it is So Useful:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The chemicals in Plantain which make it so incredibly useful, are <i>aucubin</i>, an anti microbial, <i>mucilage</i>, which reduces pain etc, and <i>allantoin</i>, which stimulates cell growth and regeneration.</span><br />
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<b>Medicinal Uses:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Diuretic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Astringent</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Draws out stings and poison from bites - rub leaves onto and bind on skin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Skin healer - skin ulcers, inflammation, minor burns, sores and hot skin etc - bruise leaves and hold on skin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Leaves can stop minor bleeding when bruised and held on skin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Bruise leaves to form a poultice for above also...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Prevents infection in wounds also</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Tea made from the leaves can ease diarrhoea and soothe internal surfaces</span><br />
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<b>Food:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Full of vitamins A, C and K, as well as calcium - highly nutritious</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The young leaves can be used raw in salads or sandwiches</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Older leaves can be stewed or boiled well as a vegetable or in soups</span><br />
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<b>Odd Info:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Pliny stated that it would cure the madness of dogs...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-14111384719988433952014-05-24T22:34:00.000-07:002014-05-25T05:46:34.312-07:0010 Best Natural Cold Remedies<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is a list of my 10 favourite ways to fight off that awful cold and sore throat that is wrecking your life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was inspired to compile this post whilst lying in bed all night, unable to sleep, with a suddenly swollen rough sore throat, sinuses bunged up through my head to my popping ears (although my nose has managed so far to keep small passages open to breathe a bit), gritty watering red eyes, a wheezing chest with a mucus cough and swollen glands in my neck (obviously fighting off the germs invading me). Otherwise known as a common cold.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The following list of natural, and mostly homemade remedies, is compiled from many years of suffering, over many generations!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Firstly, and very important<b>, YOU DON'T NEED ANTIBIOTICS. </b>They are only required if you get an infection that your body can't fight off naturally, such as sinusitis or bronchitis. They will not affect your common cold, which is a VIRUS. And there are many of them.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Elderberries </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFyzKKJyL1mnmxCdjMe5K6GgGv6josJ5AFgsoE5blZ7335dap11Di5bcdxz5bb0fClMvNSwopF8br87jdkl-ISbfowtBQDHkV1BrfJDvOPfQJSJf0yZlg6cJVSoYui4zbC3gf9XLq0SU/s1600/Elderberries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFyzKKJyL1mnmxCdjMe5K6GgGv6josJ5AFgsoE5blZ7335dap11Di5bcdxz5bb0fClMvNSwopF8br87jdkl-ISbfowtBQDHkV1BrfJDvOPfQJSJf0yZlg6cJVSoYui4zbC3gf9XLq0SU/s1600/Elderberries.jpg" height="276" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">It's not just some old wives tale your Granny used to waffle on about. Nor some kind of witchy cleverness. Elderberries are in fact an easily accessible, locally growing </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Superfood</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elderberry cordial or syrup is well known as a cold prevention remedy, as well as helping to knock it for six once you are are afflicted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This recipe includes <b>cloves</b>, which are another amazing preventative and curative natural aid to combating colds and flu.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2013/11/the-magic-of-elderberries.html">http://www.wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2013/11/the-magic-of-elderberries.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Ginger</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I use an </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">old<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>ginger tea recipe</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> that I think my Great Aunt gave me, but I can't remember exactly. Needless to say I've used it forever - and it seriously works. Especially on the sore throats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The website below has exactly the same recipe and process, and it is presented very clearly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.learningherbs.com/flu_home_remedy_tea.html">http://www.learningherbs.com/flu_home_remedy_tea.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are REALLY sick and want it extra strong, just add more ginger !</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>3 Gargling with Raspberry Leaves and Salt</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have a sore throat, this is the way to go. There are various old remedies you can use to gargle your sore throat away...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gargling with salted water (use natural sea salt) moistens your throat and brings temporary relief to the symptoms. The salt will also help to kill any germs and nasty bacteria sticking to your throat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Use half a teaspoon of salt, dissolved in 8ozs of warm water. Do this 4 times a day for the best results.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To reduce that really annoying tickle, try an 'astringent' gargle. Use tea that contains tannin, that's black tea; this will tighten the membranes. Or use a thick gargle made with honey or honey and apple cider vinegar mixed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alternatively, soak 1 tablespoon of raspberry leaves (or lemon juice but its not as potent) in 2 cups of hot water, soak for at leaves 15 minutes maybe more; stir in 1 teaspoon of honey. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before gargling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>4 Drink Loads of Water</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is vital to help keep your body hydrated, especially as you may have a slight temperature while your body's immune system battles with the cold germs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It could also help keep the mucus in your nose and sinuses thinner, and therefore make it easier to remove it when you need to blow your nose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>5 Vitamin C</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There has been a fair amount of research to back up this old wives tale, and as is usually the case, our grannies and the local 'healer' knew their stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More natural ways you can add vitamin C to your body is via the food you eat. Everything from oranges, lemons and grapefruits, to peppers and chillies. Eat masses of fruit and a good variety of vegetables. If you can't eat much as you feel too ill, then make a smooth soup from a wide selection of the vegetables, or a pure juice drink by juicing a selection of fruit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nowadays the easiest way to take vitamin C is by dissolving a tablet in water and drinking the fizzing concoction that results. You need around 1000mg to 1500mg to help fight off the cold. Vitamin C does this by aiding your immune system. It can also help get rid of your cold faster.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">6 Chicken Soup</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had no idea why this works, but I just knew it did ! So I did some research...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Apparently the fumes that come off the hot soup, contain </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">cysteine</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - that's the stuff that you can or cannot smell, depending on how stuffed up your nose is - that help to release the mucus, at the same time thinning it, so aiding the process whereby your cold goes away faster. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It also helps the body to fight the virus, and contains many needed nutrients if well made.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>7 Garlic</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Crush 2 cloves of fresh garlic and put into a small glass of water - drink it fast and you won't notice the taste if you are lucky !</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are pregnant, don't use more than 1 garlic clove.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Garlic is a natural antifungal, antibiotic and is antibacterial. It is a very powerful plant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">8 Cinnamon</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cinnamon, like garlic, is an antibiotic and is antiviral - and remember a cold is caused by various viruses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stir 2 tablespoons of cinnamon power into 2 teaspoonfuls of good quality honey and a little warm water. Take half of this straight away, and the rest in a few hours. You can always make another lot after that, if you still need it. This will help to reduce your cough, help keep your temperature down and help with any congestion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>9 Yarrow Tea</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can buy yarrow tea or tea bags from your local health food store - unless of course you are lucky enough to have the wild plant handy nearby.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The tea is very bitter, so sweeten it with honey or stevia, and maybe mix it with a berry tea such as blackberry, raspberry or rosehip.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>10 Rest Yourself</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is not as obvious as it seems. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rest is important when you have the cold virus, as in order to let the body's immune system do it's thing, you need to let it rest. This helps the healing process along quicker.</span></div>
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<i>*The above article/blog post is in no way designed to take the place of medical advice. It is merely my own personal experience. If you are at all worried, or your symptoms are not going away after a week or so, you should consult a medical professional.</i></div>
Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-34272670962640979012014-05-22T20:19:00.000-07:002014-05-22T20:19:59.056-07:00Elderflower Cordial Recipe<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's that time of year again - late spring/early summer - and the Elder bushes are in bud here, half way up the west coast of Ireland. This means I have to make sure that I have all the ingredients I need to make my Elderflower cordial, ready and waiting for when the flowers finally open.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9c7kK8VkkiGFOlQ0JuUV7fjcMMjcVTRZb1BaMpzmJ3x5rvJg50hFi6DzPtd0HDTELb-437TtyGvOFVIp2TXnVMN2ERHRIclGhVT1PQ_OcIGkxX3p8O9zI07hjp7ZsT6mxA0cuLlAACk/s1600/220px-Sambucus_nigra0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9c7kK8VkkiGFOlQ0JuUV7fjcMMjcVTRZb1BaMpzmJ3x5rvJg50hFi6DzPtd0HDTELb-437TtyGvOFVIp2TXnVMN2ERHRIclGhVT1PQ_OcIGkxX3p8O9zI07hjp7ZsT6mxA0cuLlAACk/s1600/220px-Sambucus_nigra0.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>sambucus nigra</i> flowers</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elder bushes, or <i>sambucus nigra</i>, are more like a large shrub, or a small bushy tree, and when the flowers finally open it is for such a short time. This is a real shame because the blooms are truly beautiful, and so elegant. The colour of perfect pale cream wedding dresses.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEh8EqAaFyfdhoZCWvrPirK4xSNqBi-K_KtJBdAa8pAjqHlfXfJBJPgy1crQ81kg-XvTdZSnUOJ5wu-q6pfptDy4BcIT4xqt0WtCyv_y_zdOreuWUTKXFTPUNSFBq0CdDAJYfFBO6aE0/s1600/220px-Sambucus_nigra_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEh8EqAaFyfdhoZCWvrPirK4xSNqBi-K_KtJBdAa8pAjqHlfXfJBJPgy1crQ81kg-XvTdZSnUOJ5wu-q6pfptDy4BcIT4xqt0WtCyv_y_zdOreuWUTKXFTPUNSFBq0CdDAJYfFBO6aE0/s1600/220px-Sambucus_nigra_004.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>sambucus nigra</i> bush in flower</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambucus_nigra" target="_blank">Wiki page link for sambucus_nigra</a></i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Elder bush has many very well documented medicinal and food uses, which I will write about in my next couple of blog posts. But for today I wanted to share one of the recipes I use to make Elderflower Cordial, as just maybe you already have the flowers blooming in your area.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elderflower cordial is simply divine diluted with water, but sparkling water will at that extra special zip ! And for a really heavenly treat, add it neat to vermouth and a slice of lemon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you fancy vanilla ice cream, then try it with undiluted Elderflower cordial drizzled over it...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have several recipes for this cordial, and to be honest this one is probably my favourite. I'm not sure why, but it keeps well and, for me, that is very important.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to make sure the cordial lasts a long time, pour it into small plastic bottles (small Fanta or Coke bottles are perfect) and freeze it. Remember to leave at least an inch gap at the top, to allow for the cordial to expand when it freezes. Take out a bottle at a time to use, and keep it in the fridge once defrosted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Elderflower Cordial Recipe</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>(taken from the BBC Good Food website - I adapted this from the original recipe by Jane Hornby)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Ingredients</span></b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elderflower heads - </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">20 complete heads</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>White sugar - </b>5lbs 5ozs<b> </b>(2.5kg)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Organic lemons - </b>2 (if not organic, then at least unwaxed)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Citric acid - </b>3ozs (85g)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Water - </b>2.75 pints (1.5 litres) (preferably with no fluoride or chlorine)</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Instructions</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1</b> Remove most of the zest from the 2 lemons, being careful not to include any of the white pith. Then slice the lemons. Put all this to one side for a minute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2</b> Trim the flower head stalks, leaving just enough to hold the heads together. Swish them around gently in a large bowl of cold water. This is to remove any small wildlife, dust and other unwanted debris.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>3 </b> Put the water and sugar together into a large stainless steel saucepan. Simmer gently without boiling, until the sugar has all dissolved and you have a clear sugar syrup. Stir to prevent bottom sticking and to help the dissolving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>4</b> Bring the sugar syrup to boiling point now, and once boiling, take it completely off the heat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5 </b> Put the flower heads, citric acid, lemon zest and sliced lemons into the hot sugar syrup, stirring them well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>6</b> Cover the saucepan, making sure no insects or dust can get in. Leave to infuse for 24 to 36 hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>7 </b> Strain the cold mixture. One of the easiest ways to do this is to take a large colander and a clean tea towel. Line the colander with the tea towel, and place the colander over a very clean bowl. Pour or ladle the now cold mixture into the colander to drain through into the bowl. Do NOT press or squeeze the solids to try and get more liquid/cordial out, as this will simply make the cordial cloudy and may also make it slightly bitter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>8 </b> Pour the strained cordial into <b>sterilised</b> bottles; glass if being stored on a shelf or in the fridge, plastic if being stored in a freezer.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Notes</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>* You could also freeze the cordial</b> in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop them out and store in bags, taking out only what is required each time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>* It is very important that all utensils and pans etc be</b> <b>properly sterilised</b>. Failure to do this will result in fungus and other growth inside the bottles, and the cordial will be unusable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>*</b> <b>Storage</b> - in the fridge about 6 weeks, frozen up to 1 year, on a cool shelf maybe 2-4 weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>* Alternative flavouring</b> - why not add a vanilla pod to a bottle or two, for a slightly different flavour.</span></div>
Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-27645964520574530822014-05-11T09:55:00.000-07:002014-05-11T09:55:38.825-07:00Organic Homemade Weedkiller<div style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
If, like me, you are beginning to panic at the sight of all those baby unwanted plants - aka weeds - sprouting in your garden and on your drive and patio, and you refuse to use highly toxic commercial herbicides, then here is an alternative solution. The answer to all your prayers!</div>
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A natural, easy to make at home, safe to use, weedkiller.</div>
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Reasonably cheap to make, especially compared to commercial weedkillers.</div>
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And no need to worry about harming your pets!</div>
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Here are 2 recipes for your homemade weedkiller. Mix No 1 is for where you want to kill current weeds, and also to keep the ground free from weeds for as long as you can. Mix No 2 is for where you want to kill selected weeds, and want to plant in the soil immediately, and to leave surrounding plants safe and healthy.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">Note:</span> If you want this to be 100% organic, you will need to use totally organic vinegar, salt and washing up liquid.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">MIX No 1 - Total Weedkiller for Drives & Patios -<em> </em></span><em>(nothing will grow in soil for up to 2 years)</em></div>
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<li><span style="font-weight: 700;">White distilled vinegar</span> - <span style="font-weight: 700;"> 1 litre</span> (1.8 UK pints/2.1 US pints)</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 700;">Table salt</span> - <span style="font-weight: 700;"> 60 grams</span> (2.25 ounces)</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 700;">Washing up liquid - 1 squirt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 700;">Spray bottle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 700;">Saucepan</span></li>
</ul>
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Place the vinegar and salt into the saucepan and warm up. Do not bring it to the boil as there is no need. Just enough to dissolve the salt properly.</div>
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Add the washing up liquid and stir in well.</div>
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Allow to cool, then fill your spray bottle and go kill those pesky blighters !</div>
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Remember, if you are storing this mixture, to label your spray bottle clearly, or you are going to be rather upset at all your dead prize geraniums and be wondering why nothing will grow!</div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;">MIX No 2 - Weedkiller for Growing Plants Only - </span><em>(doesn't affect soil, just the plants it touches)</em></div>
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<li><strong data-mce-style="font-weight: bold;">White distilled vinegar</strong> - <strong data-mce-style="font-weight: bold;"> 1 litre</strong> (1.8 UK pints/2.1 US pints)</li>
<li><strong data-mce-style="font-weight: bold;">Washing up liquid - 1 squirt</strong></li>
<li><strong data-mce-style="font-weight: bold;">Spray bottle</strong></li>
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Mix the vinegar and washing up liquid together well.</div>
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Put into your spray bottle and if storing, label it clearly.</div>
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<li>Both mixtures need to be used on a dry, sunny day.</li>
<li>Both will kill almost all plants on contact (provided enough leaf coverage is obtained).</li>
<li>Use MIX No 2 (the no salt one) where you want to kill plants in borders, or spot weeds in lawns (be careful as it will also kill the grass), where you still want to be able to grow things in the soil.</li>
<li>MIX No 1 (with the salt in it) not only kills the plants that it contacts, but due to the salt content will also stop almost all plants growing in the soil for at least a year - so be careful to use the correct mixture in the appropriate place. Inland plants won't grow in soil with a salt content!</li>
<li>You can multiply up the mixtures for larger quantities for extensive area coverage and/or storage. But remember to label it clearly!</li>
<li>The washing up liquid helps the vinegar to adhere to the leaves, allowing it more time to work at killing the plant.</li>
<li>It is the vinegar that does the weed-killing.</li>
<li>It is the salt that stops anything growing in the soil.</li>
</ul>
<hr style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392); border: 0px; color: #2b2b2b; cursor: default; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; height: 1px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 23px;" />
<div style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;">Now go save yourself some money !!!</span></div>
Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-30172253515496410202014-04-21T05:22:00.000-07:002014-04-21T05:22:19.231-07:00Dandelion Wine Recipe<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>"Dandelion wine is fermented sunshine" </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jack Keller (world renowned homemade wine expert)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At this time of year in the northern hemisphere, there are millions of bright yellow dandelions in the hedgerows and fields, as well as in our gardens. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's an annual Dandelion fest round here. The lawns are a carpet of bright yellow. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And yes, I realise most people dig them up as weeds, or worse, weedkiller them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But there are loads of wonderful things you can do with dandelions, the most fun one being making your own homemade wine !</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's the recipe I use most for homemade Dandelion Wine. Its cheap to make, using mostly things you can easily get hold of.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When picking the flowers, remember that you only need the flower heads, and not the stems.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Note </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be very careful that you ONLY pick dandelion flowers in places away from roads (fumes from cars), and in gardens, fields or hedges that are not sprayed with pesticides or weedkillers. Or you will be drinking all that poison in your wine...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And wear rubber gloves when picking, unless you want the stem juice to stain your hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dandelion Wine Recipe</b></span><br />
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>My own adaptation from an original recipe by C J J Berry</i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
3 litres (3 qts) whole Dandelion flower heads<br />
1 kg (2 lbs 2 ozs) granulated White Sugar<br />
0.5 kg (1 lb) Demerara Sugar<br />
2 organic Lemons - organic as no wax & chemicals on them<br />
2 organic Oranges - organic as no wax & chemicals on them<br />
300 g (0.75 lb) Raisins<br />
2 Tea Bags - normal black tea (minus the bags) - this is for the tannin<br />
4.5 litres (1 gallon) Water - preferably no fluoride and non chlorinated<br />
Wine yeast and yeast nutrient (not bread yeast)<br />
<br />
IMPORTANT<br />
Everything has to be sterilised every time it is used during wine making. Otherwise the wine will be bad, cloudy and taste disgusting ! This includes wooden spoons, demijohns, airlock - everything.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Put the Dandelion flowers into a food grade while plastic bucket with a lid.</li>
<li>Boil the water and pour it over the dandelion flowers. Make sure the lid is on tight.</li>
<li>Leave to soak for 2 days. Stir once each day.</li>
<li>Using a large saucepan/stainless steel pot. Put the entire mixture from the bucket into the saucepan.</li>
<li>Add the sugars and the rind of the lemons and oranges (save the rest of the oranges in the fridge for later).</li>
<li>Lightly boil for 1 hour (with the lid on).</li>
<li>After 1 hour remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the raisins, then let it cool completely (not in the fridge).</li>
<li>When it is totally cool, add the yeast, the yeast nutrient and the juice of the oranges.</li>
<li>Transfer the contents of the saucepan into a demijohn, or a fermenting vessel, and add an airlock.</li>
<li>Allow to ferment for 2 to 3 days.</li>
<li>Strain the contents of the demijohn, then pour the resulting liquid into a different demijohn. Important - do not squeeze the pulp when straining, or else you will be adding extra particles to the wine.</li>
<li>Add an airlock and leave to ferment in a warm place, out of direct sunlight. Fermentation has finished when there are no longer any bubbles going through the airlock.</li>
<li>Rack off the wine into a clean demijohn and put in a bung to seal it.</li>
<li>Leave to mature for 1 year in a cool, dark place.</li>
<li>Bottle it !</li>
</ol>
<div>
If you want to know what a demijohn is, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demijohn" target="_blank">click HERE !</a></div>
Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0Ireland53.094024055063123 -9.008789062553.094024055063123 -9.0087890625 53.094024055063123 -9.0087890625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-1115324192421541262013-11-13T15:00:00.000-08:002013-11-13T15:06:55.751-08:00The Magic of Elderberries<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>How to Get Rid of the Flu, or Better Still Avoid it Altogether</i><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2009/09/elderberry-cordial-recipe.html" target="_blank">Elderberry & Clove Cordial Recipe click here</a></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHi-gAzQzOA7khWBXysmyK-x48W8OVqmVXjSDylLZ0njQ0vPIEEXQiX07h0768L_Mz4WmxFFQkrCqFzGQDUmHqYsXQYt1oAo_fvalfougoLeY0sSTaTSN05U0nr2EmtnvZ9ZdUKAvonw/s1600/Elderberries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHi-gAzQzOA7khWBXysmyK-x48W8OVqmVXjSDylLZ0njQ0vPIEEXQiX07h0768L_Mz4WmxFFQkrCqFzGQDUmHqYsXQYt1oAo_fvalfougoLeY0sSTaTSN05U0nr2EmtnvZ9ZdUKAvonw/s1600/Elderberries.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><br />It's
not just some old wives tale your Granny used to waffle on about. Nor
some kind of witchy cleverness. Elderberries are in fact an easily
accessible, locally growing Superfood!<br /><br />Well local if you live,
like me, in Ireland. They are also prolific in the UK, and grow across
North America and Europe. I don't know if Elder grows in Australia or
anywhere else in the world not mentioned. And there are hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties.<br /><br />Many people years ago
took a glass of <a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.ie/2009/09/elderberry-cordial-recipe.html" target="_blank">Elderberry & Clove Cordial/Syrup</a>, that they had gathered and
made themselves, every day. This kept colds and flu at bay, and if you
did contract something like this, it would only last a couple of days
and be less severe.<br /><br /><b>Quote:</b><br />"In 1992, a team of Israeli
scientists studied the effect of elderberry on flu patients. During a
flu epidemic, half of their patients were given an elderberry syrup, the
other half a placebo. The results: within 24 hours, 20% of the patients
receiving elderberry had gotten significantly better. Within two days,
75% of the elderberry group were much improved; within 3 days 90% were
completely cured.<br />Among the placebo group, only 8% of patients
improved within 24 hours and it was a full 6 days before 90% of the
patients were cured."<br /><b><i>and</i></b><br />"Studies have even shown that
elderberry worked better than prescription remedies such as Tamiflu and
Relenza. Take that, Big Pharma!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /><b>Both the above quotes are from a blog <a href="http://tennzen.blogspot.ie/2009/08/elderberry-natural-flu-fighter.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'TennZen'</a></b><a href="http://tennzen.blogspot.ie/2009/08/elderberry-natural-flu-fighter.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Elderberry Natural Flu Fighter</a></span>Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-46640035976196097012013-10-29T08:07:00.003-07:002013-10-29T08:07:58.777-07:00Why Organic ? A Scary Tale for Halloween<u><b>Chapter 1</b></u><br />
<br />
Why do I buy organic, natural products ?<br />
<br />
Well the truth is I don't all the time. Either because I can't afford the organic products or they simply aren't available where we live. I buy as much as we can afford, without overspending. We grow some organic fruit and vegetables ourselves, and have a couple of hens for eggs. I'm not happy with this. It isn't enough for me.<br />
<br />
I passionately believe that we are what we eat, drink, put on our bodies and inhale from our environment. Of course we are much more than those things, but they are a large part of the fuel and oil that we put into our bodies.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Chapter 2 </b></u><br />
<br />
For instance, something that is easy to picture. When you rub sun tan lotion onto your arms in the summer, where does the cream that you can see squeezed out from the bottle go, where do the chemicals go when they are no longer visible on your arm ? Have they floated away into space, stolen by little green monster aliens ? Is it some kind of magic potion which disappears once you stop looking at it ?<br />
<br />
Clearly the answer to both of the last two questions is a resounding no. But the answer to the first question is far more scary.<br />
<br />
Everything that you put onto your skin or rub into your hair and scalp, is absorbed through the skin and into the cells underneath. From there much will travel throughout your body; how far and how fast will vary. So if you smooth that wonderfully smelling sun tan lotion all over your body, then every part of your body will contain the chemicals contained in the lotion. All of them will have some effect on your body, some will have a tiny, harmless effect, but a deadly few will change cell structures, and damage and/or destroy chemical relationships which are what keeps your body healthy and defending itself. The damage done is infinite, only comparable to the amount of unhealthy substances you decide to put onto yourself.<br />
<br />
Your body was designed in a certain way, using chemical reactions and interactions, as well as electrical systems and much, much more. Everything that goes on it and into it will affect your physical, mental and spiritual health. Just as unbearable mental stress will eventually affect your physical body, so physical stress, in the form of chemicals that damage you invisibly inside (as well as more obvious examples like breaking your leg), will sooner or later affect your central nervous system or your immune system, maybe both, and sometimes even your mental health.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Chapter 3</b></u><br />
<br />
So when you next smooth that luxuriously creamy body lotion onto your skin, think about what's in it, and then think about where it is all going inside you, as it soaks into your cells... Even that wonderful smell coming from the lotion is made up of physical molecules. We can only smell things because there are tiny particles of chemicals, called molecules, floating towards us from the source, in this case the body lotion. They are so small that they float invisibly in the air and literally up our noses. It's a process of evaporation coming off of the lotion. Glass doesn't usually smell because nothing evaporates from it.<br />
<br />
Therefore, even when you can only smell your body lotion as you remove the cap, that in itself tells you that something alien is invading your body and being absorbed into your delicately balanced cell structure. For better or for worse...<br />
<br />
Queue Psycho music <br />
<br />
<u><b>Prologue</b></u><br />
<br />
Despite being unable to always buy organic food, there is one thing I do stick to. I only ever use organic natural beauty products, that are not tested on animals. I suppose this is easier because they are something you do not need to buy fresh every day, or even every week/month. And they are more difficult to produce here on our smallholding !<br />
<br />
Just writing this post today has made me decide to grow more food this winter, especially as I have a large polytunnel. It's reminded me that I have recently become a little complacent about what I eat, and I need to reverse that.Amanda Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13657813218151013460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-57829802648025771112010-10-18T06:46:00.000-07:002010-10-18T06:46:53.590-07:00An October Day of Gathering Free Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Kg3XTUX1aHvDBlMo85iHrl6uc3ns7I4HYYhDWF3o-r75Bx-knHERo7sY18avo5U8A_7pI60WIEwSyeC6VC_5rWuZZjN1fr_2aKjm4-R4t1t8q-gSQLHRWA_wercpcGl321SAmZrWoPxH/s1600/Blkberries+Sloes+Oct+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Kg3XTUX1aHvDBlMo85iHrl6uc3ns7I4HYYhDWF3o-r75Bx-knHERo7sY18avo5U8A_7pI60WIEwSyeC6VC_5rWuZZjN1fr_2aKjm4-R4t1t8q-gSQLHRWA_wercpcGl321SAmZrWoPxH/s320/Blkberries+Sloes+Oct+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.com/search/label/Blackberries">Blackberries</a> & sloes gathered in my fields.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana;">I freeze the <a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.com/search/label/Blackberries">blackberries</a> for adding to crumbles etc during the winter.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana;">I freeze the sloes also, and use many to make Sloe Gin. I will post my personal recipe instructions for this tomorrow.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana;">I also sometimes make <a href="http://wildcottage.blogspot.com/search/label/Sloes">Sloe Jelly</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQCGIOTqY_WmWBAR6QlNRSqH7hChfvWJ2RD76WDfKjkiZBszhAHSpLADYlWcrVJ2sOG_1UQ5069uVzqQHMeJoBDlxdEilz6EaVK5Xjw2cm3mTF6INKObKnzj8cDL5W5ftyzNNoCtpwxrX/s1600/Daisies+in+field+Oct+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQCGIOTqY_WmWBAR6QlNRSqH7hChfvWJ2RD76WDfKjkiZBszhAHSpLADYlWcrVJ2sOG_1UQ5069uVzqQHMeJoBDlxdEilz6EaVK5Xjw2cm3mTF6INKObKnzj8cDL5W5ftyzNNoCtpwxrX/s320/Daisies+in+field+Oct+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Moon daisies still flowering in mid October !</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxLOVIo5ineSBSLM8hje8JENVvVs6uqJddWAhBSylvbf6qr5drtripxKYYDnv4KPmq_SndGYG22dPVlmSrhoWstw8a0sTgiOnfUeRuhiyOsxeuSAmmJ82v0PaUu2oE3-txXylAh37LuEB/s1600/Mushrooms+1+Oct+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxLOVIo5ineSBSLM8hje8JENVvVs6uqJddWAhBSylvbf6qr5drtripxKYYDnv4KPmq_SndGYG22dPVlmSrhoWstw8a0sTgiOnfUeRuhiyOsxeuSAmmJ82v0PaUu2oE3-txXylAh37LuEB/s320/Mushrooms+1+Oct+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Mushrooms - I'm afraid I don't know what kind these are.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If anyone out there knows please let me know !</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXuoMMfSeZQ7EOwulUWV6va3T6ISML6ErLKBAEPicTSYpbtAbuSBqO3_6PRhgprSdfcSPzz8Bo1W5vztywUW29XPQ5sBANveR7GA53cjhLu_HXd-ZVJ0nXe69-COwcpEQMMI75kFm6Rph/s1600/Mushrooms+2+Oct+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXuoMMfSeZQ7EOwulUWV6va3T6ISML6ErLKBAEPicTSYpbtAbuSBqO3_6PRhgprSdfcSPzz8Bo1W5vztywUW29XPQ5sBANveR7GA53cjhLu_HXd-ZVJ0nXe69-COwcpEQMMI75kFm6Rph/s320/Mushrooms+2+Oct+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A closer photo of the same cute small mushrooms</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLC_W5RaJlhqqX8Nu9yWaneNJfy8JAQR8TtW4pRkxuCQDyX7_l7TkAkhMycyh_yWCWtzc62TElyrjQ1gaLtZOFwy1pi7zCOvVFugAiZa98kEhrGk2fXfUKMmUo97JktAntrx-ZahTB7HB4/s1600/Shaggy+Ink+Caps+Oct+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLC_W5RaJlhqqX8Nu9yWaneNJfy8JAQR8TtW4pRkxuCQDyX7_l7TkAkhMycyh_yWCWtzc62TElyrjQ1gaLtZOFwy1pi7zCOvVFugAiZa98kEhrGk2fXfUKMmUo97JktAntrx-ZahTB7HB4/s320/Shaggy+Ink+Caps+Oct+10.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> These are Shaggy Ink Caps - an edible mushroom that is very prolific around my land and the area in general.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They must be fried/eaten as soon as you pick them, otherwise you will have a pool of black gooey liquid to clear up and totally disappeared mushrooms !</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-25761892020333323352010-09-23T09:00:00.000-07:002010-09-23T09:00:42.500-07:00Soda Bread Storage<span style="color: #7f6000;">As a quick note to add to my previous post - I mostly use the unbleached cotton cloth shopping bags you can buy from many supermarkets (cheapest are in Lidl and Aldi) to cool and store all my soda bread in.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;">They are perfect in shape etc and easy to wash.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-88566733972670339272010-09-23T08:54:00.000-07:002010-09-23T08:54:17.381-07:00Irish Fruit Soda Cake (Bread)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have recently been entering a few agricultural shows with my cooking, for fun. Although when it came down to it, it was a lot of hard work to get perfect items ready for a certain time ! Bread, and most cakes, are at their best the same day that they are cooked, which means you end up trying to make perfect versions of everything within a few hours of the show and not sleeping !</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was lucky enough to win with at least 50% of my entries - so I recouped the cost of everything, as well as my petrol to the shows. It was a very interesting experience to be on the receiving end, instead of the one organising everything! I learnt a lot.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is my recipe for Fruit Soda Cake - Irish of course, what other kind is there ?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brown and white soda bread is in fact called white soda cake and brown soda cake in Ireland, not bread. Even though it is bread. This is the same for the Fruit Soda Cake, aka Fruit Soda Bread...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have noticed that most 'Irish Soda Bread' recipes on the internet, aren't in fact that, they are recipes for Fruit Soda Cake (really a bread), which is a very different beast. Many Irish Americans (and people from other countries too with Irish ancestors) give lovely stories about how the recipe was passed down to them by their great great great great granny who left Ireland many years ago - in another world. They then reel of the ingredients for Fruit Soda Cake (bread), not the real day to day brown soda cake (bread). Their great (x3) granny wouldn't have had eggs for cakes (unless they had a smallholding and some land), let alone raisins. They were extremely poor and were lucky to even get salt.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Actual Irish Soda Bread contains simply wholewheat flour, bread soda (baking soda), real buttermilk and a bit of salt. And this is all it contains to this day. The only exception would be that some people now prefer white flour to the brown four.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having said all that, todays recipe is for Irish Fruit Soda Cake (bread).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><strong>Irish Fruit Soda Cake</strong></u></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Bread)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;"><strong><u>Ingredients</u></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">1lb white plain Flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">2.5 tablespoons Caster Sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">4 tablespoons normal salted Butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">1 large egg (beaten)</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">1 & 3/4 cups of real Buttermilk</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">1 cup Raisins</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">1 teaspoon Baking or Bread Soda</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">1 teaspoon Salt</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">1. Put the flour, salt, sugar and baking soda all together into a large bowl and mix them in together well with your fingers.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial;">2. Add in the raisins, having made sure that there are no stalks etc left attached to them. Stir them in well so that they are coated with the flour mixture.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQgqGxBr__XwvcVCmT3Nn0wRvu3DjvpiL7JmpkbVmUEPGhj1wr0Wn9kwVEfizu-oZqbyPj91lBfozS4QhwT1ACRBCP2kWNcl-y67uOr_wn7ruR9f2t68bwkWaE0HQdkXenwCQc0tqdYd3/s1600/Fruit+Soda+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQgqGxBr__XwvcVCmT3Nn0wRvu3DjvpiL7JmpkbVmUEPGhj1wr0Wn9kwVEfizu-oZqbyPj91lBfozS4QhwT1ACRBCP2kWNcl-y67uOr_wn7ruR9f2t68bwkWaE0HQdkXenwCQc0tqdYd3/s320/Fruit+Soda+2.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Beat the egg in a small bowl.</span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7dCygWpa8vNQYPGSyElN_pWd2vle3SL33pgasvoBWy4kQ4GZACdOEKSChMSxMqXrjBnJGCkIGEcWV3Jxp_kiHFFRRaPZPpT1C6MesPHyWpzDlmLQt3PJEYHn2h9z4mVGTLh2QvNJYwUe/s1600/Fruit+Soda+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7dCygWpa8vNQYPGSyElN_pWd2vle3SL33pgasvoBWy4kQ4GZACdOEKSChMSxMqXrjBnJGCkIGEcWV3Jxp_kiHFFRRaPZPpT1C6MesPHyWpzDlmLQt3PJEYHn2h9z4mVGTLh2QvNJYwUe/s320/Fruit+Soda+3.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Add the buttermilk to the beaten egg and mix it together well, until blended.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, then pour the buttermilk and egg into the middle.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Using your fingers (and not a wooden spoon) in a claw like action, mix the buttermilk mix into the flour. With the claw shape with your fingers, use a circular motion from the sides of the bowl to the middle and back, continuous and circular around the bowl. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do this until the ingredients are all well blended and the mixture is quite sticky, yet one lump.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. Clean your hands.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Dust a good baking tray with flour.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. Lift the lump of dough onto the baking tray, making sure that it is a circular shape on the outside and raised a bit in the middle.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11. With a serrated knife cut a 1/2 inch deep cut across the dough in the shape of a cross.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This allows the insides of the cake (bread) to cook at the same time as the outside.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12. Bake in the middle of an oven, covered with tin foil, at 200C for 40 minutes.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyx3CEX1uybpAnwfTEbcfX6u4SywOLK1gc0zStbe5uiXmkR_arTPIPC4klL2RDJsy2Up9Cgsgxt8vHFF_nPY02WQjArAJ8OU8PRVDupjCK2nXIu2W0o1-DUa7Ar7oRehhb16dipTOK4-hJ/s1600/Fruit+Soda+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyx3CEX1uybpAnwfTEbcfX6u4SywOLK1gc0zStbe5uiXmkR_arTPIPC4klL2RDJsy2Up9Cgsgxt8vHFF_nPY02WQjArAJ8OU8PRVDupjCK2nXIu2W0o1-DUa7Ar7oRehhb16dipTOK4-hJ/s320/Fruit+Soda+4.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I used a sponge tin for this one,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as all my baking trays had scones on them at the time !</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13. When cooked the bottom will sound hollow, just like when you cook yeast bread.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14. Let the fruit soda cake/bread cool on the tray for 15 minutes. Then take it off and wrap it in a clean tea towel or a cotton towel to cool completely.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eat this while it is very fresh, with a good butter and maybe some blackcurrant jam !</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I store all my soda bread in cloth, rather than in a tin etc.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-17581152362355285532010-09-20T16:50:00.000-07:002010-09-20T16:50:38.613-07:00My Tomatoes in the Polytunnel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I took these photos of my various kinds of tomatoes yesterday, just before I picked the really ripe ones to make more of my pasta sauce (which I store in glass jars for the year).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U5W7xv9Md3cMz240L45WWbkaxJ4-Gb_2KpzBEbOu5qGWg7ggTR-sUJi8OImpt4ccK4fsA8zO82FaVH4Xu_5D_9UtwQ0uUbudgVL2Useqj5W_h6qpH6HOFY4h3eewwfm2tDEzmnMAQhQD/s1600/IMG_9578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U5W7xv9Md3cMz240L45WWbkaxJ4-Gb_2KpzBEbOu5qGWg7ggTR-sUJi8OImpt4ccK4fsA8zO82FaVH4Xu_5D_9UtwQ0uUbudgVL2Useqj5W_h6qpH6HOFY4h3eewwfm2tDEzmnMAQhQD/s320/IMG_9578.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moneymaker</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmvPqsAOkrt1c0QtqyaPT1tIm6Ur-SazyPYlzKR8st_8_0qywvi3Y-nkHSNbSxVKuUce6V96DY0QzJYwCC-SzqZUWBVrFVW1EHl7WqNp0Civw3lcglgEl4LSbH_tF7BiNtI6CyKjvma1X/s1600/IMG_9577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmvPqsAOkrt1c0QtqyaPT1tIm6Ur-SazyPYlzKR8st_8_0qywvi3Y-nkHSNbSxVKuUce6V96DY0QzJYwCC-SzqZUWBVrFVW1EHl7WqNp0Civw3lcglgEl4LSbH_tF7BiNtI6CyKjvma1X/s320/IMG_9577.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moneymaker</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zx0a_N_LtSyh8c9wsqQ25q5Rra8ddpu_7WchvXHYyevpeyZkh_vJhnwjcHQZSTEldOc0QUcqVCFez8H2r3ZzTgN4NrMrVp0p1ejkxWZXb2fyAEomxcTB0hfx0b8e1xy3NaHd9mk2qxFz/s1600/IMG_9579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zx0a_N_LtSyh8c9wsqQ25q5Rra8ddpu_7WchvXHYyevpeyZkh_vJhnwjcHQZSTEldOc0QUcqVCFez8H2r3ZzTgN4NrMrVp0p1ejkxWZXb2fyAEomxcTB0hfx0b8e1xy3NaHd9mk2qxFz/s320/IMG_9579.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roma</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgU209AoHHBRQmokwX6mry5Jf9z8vsFbc6NAhd_NwV30ImpflhyFa-r9Vb89mtjdx1L1v_cwVXb6ZHltCVt4e_vDFO4E08mYkZccCR07mfWX4_2qXSccExeZs1GwoerPyHQhQtBoUpfF9/s1600/IMG_9580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgU209AoHHBRQmokwX6mry5Jf9z8vsFbc6NAhd_NwV30ImpflhyFa-r9Vb89mtjdx1L1v_cwVXb6ZHltCVt4e_vDFO4E08mYkZccCR07mfWX4_2qXSccExeZs1GwoerPyHQhQtBoUpfF9/s320/IMG_9580.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Auld Sud</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7Uv9x6QJK12hQ-kCwGyeeq9QEkpDQy1CbWOiTmOUxt4w-PnLAcayCZYwzTyEezkRCzNfTNBkFjgb7-sp_t0h2A-OZ9b174MIKXsgEfW5ZzxvjQ6hFuwy8FLjeVkG2gEockDpIIwDMq7p/s1600/IMG_9581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7Uv9x6QJK12hQ-kCwGyeeq9QEkpDQy1CbWOiTmOUxt4w-PnLAcayCZYwzTyEezkRCzNfTNBkFjgb7-sp_t0h2A-OZ9b174MIKXsgEfW5ZzxvjQ6hFuwy8FLjeVkG2gEockDpIIwDMq7p/s320/IMG_9581.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Italian beef tomato</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(can't remember the name so I'll get it tomorrow from the plant label in the tunnel!)</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUgj8wc_xrSiWQCNTnMyOJU5GLvsnteXvzZUFgKZ1TMENhYJwNHrPRurqTkUmoTIiPiczvS87dhTFcaFMfvVS3eDaKWJZnlWKt4OBQ43twliSq1aeGJEoLWzAgo4E4vYAYikn269yKhLH/s1600/IMG_9582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUgj8wc_xrSiWQCNTnMyOJU5GLvsnteXvzZUFgKZ1TMENhYJwNHrPRurqTkUmoTIiPiczvS87dhTFcaFMfvVS3eDaKWJZnlWKt4OBQ43twliSq1aeGJEoLWzAgo4E4vYAYikn269yKhLH/s320/IMG_9582.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moneymaker</span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvf3rPh-_fcxxBJVZwyf0e4uA545Gphv0Fcdb8mD3brlswDWpqUILBrL40TH4zCNQu_nNCJ2DPuvN1uL3HHksa6Xc9uejSAZT4XfRCB_CXXSx2eWPK17AgtzM7bMw47jFw3n2a8Ydi8jCJ/s1600/IMG_9375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvf3rPh-_fcxxBJVZwyf0e4uA545Gphv0Fcdb8mD3brlswDWpqUILBrL40TH4zCNQu_nNCJ2DPuvN1uL3HHksa6Xc9uejSAZT4XfRCB_CXXSx2eWPK17AgtzM7bMw47jFw3n2a8Ydi8jCJ/s320/IMG_9375.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the top land above Carron</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAQtshL3VY_KaMZL5bu5tWsDYm5kbWREINEr16Td_pvM8XlirDRJmf9DqPTgsFDLWU-co8UO_TgjRBMKELfywknt5c7buqsYBYkjmTrYiEgxfSnpuCwmXu2pU71tLD5ntodc9Exi-nuSn/s1600/IMG_9376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAQtshL3VY_KaMZL5bu5tWsDYm5kbWREINEr16Td_pvM8XlirDRJmf9DqPTgsFDLWU-co8UO_TgjRBMKELfywknt5c7buqsYBYkjmTrYiEgxfSnpuCwmXu2pU71tLD5ntodc9Exi-nuSn/s320/IMG_9376.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHSeTDrVGCL8elZcZTthUTTgIkX5uL4E_AAhC1gBgPoMbFyJMxyKt3CW6TeP3zaQB6_Dxqesu6l5I-gzB5UHTjJ4h-_O5hCo4ea5lmW3S0dOIxshSs_5_aBAsDZERDxXjdcsJuKH8WQth/s1600/IMG_9384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHSeTDrVGCL8elZcZTthUTTgIkX5uL4E_AAhC1gBgPoMbFyJMxyKt3CW6TeP3zaQB6_Dxqesu6l5I-gzB5UHTjJ4h-_O5hCo4ea5lmW3S0dOIxshSs_5_aBAsDZERDxXjdcsJuKH8WQth/s320/IMG_9384.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To the Atlantic Ocean at Fanore, Co Clare</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2457699634014139366.post-436432100958297142010-05-23T19:20:00.000-07:002010-05-23T19:27:33.662-07:00Aquilegias - Spring 2010 My Garden Collection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TZ2dfW5Azleb23T2_zshci6wPTYMe_XCMB0KJBYGwddw_kie04d5LKGav3POUNrAZvBFnG6uVuvOtaOOKbqclfCGV3o5EXucz0Cm57M0P8Ah2Km1XBqj0kl2Kz9luGT46KVyv0Ob7aSu/s1600/latest+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TZ2dfW5Azleb23T2_zshci6wPTYMe_XCMB0KJBYGwddw_kie04d5LKGav3POUNrAZvBFnG6uVuvOtaOOKbqclfCGV3o5EXucz0Cm57M0P8Ah2Km1XBqj0kl2Kz9luGT46KVyv0Ob7aSu/s320/latest+001.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdp8BfXQmYoF8s5mFQ5LS8G_75LC1k_OT8mC5sYZrvum-bt_2Cq3Tv_X5sTH8OxE9KlixOiPc6PtkzaOhz4Sa_dFlpEtpMF_LwsLf5k7n2kMpuZPbpI19jM34XE00GBdXvrs8JvgnrXNeD/s1600/latest+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKLlEqmGjgFDjpIBF7MSwjQ9wj8JEDf24pcVL2mq40h32v614JO8YTnfzdcielL3rm4K_Xf6vfLl-2XBuxaOYVMKtV-XGmYn9w8NfdtNzktXLFiGiBz3o5xGW_GB64FJikv2XEf74sJHO/s1600/latest+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKLlEqmGjgFDjpIBF7MSwjQ9wj8JEDf24pcVL2mq40h32v614JO8YTnfzdcielL3rm4K_Xf6vfLl-2XBuxaOYVMKtV-XGmYn9w8NfdtNzktXLFiGiBz3o5xGW_GB64FJikv2XEf74sJHO/s320/latest+020.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Roisín is learning how to wind me up very fast ! Every time she ran around - she knocked the cold condesation down onto me argghh</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVy95uF_DopB-duYDAdiUVWGlSpCqSwix82w2eyGb7jwCMMy7A02cn_kFErxaldlgWkBKBGTWn9gxhtDiPuBykTNx903HE0PuSg2N9NlA12zRPFkD7M5ZFUZ-vAY1kmXSFFz3-Q7GS0RS/s1600/latest+018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVy95uF_DopB-duYDAdiUVWGlSpCqSwix82w2eyGb7jwCMMy7A02cn_kFErxaldlgWkBKBGTWn9gxhtDiPuBykTNx903HE0PuSg2N9NlA12zRPFkD7M5ZFUZ-vAY1kmXSFFz3-Q7GS0RS/s320/latest+018.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No sliding here - claws are great for mountain climbers ! Imagine what they do to my tunnel :(</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPbtekcwZi3Aub5h4uuN86rFfGAhln-pfrxuQoMi9ILlcbZrcqqsrJbALeX_5H761xWN_zTjubiJ-k7lk9KmgouwAHb_kg-nPO95ajqRzHOr4s-rJYGrEJ9AUdqdngBTPhDUlpm1MrJtJN/s1600/latest+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPbtekcwZi3Aub5h4uuN86rFfGAhln-pfrxuQoMi9ILlcbZrcqqsrJbALeX_5H761xWN_zTjubiJ-k7lk9KmgouwAHb_kg-nPO95ajqRzHOr4s-rJYGrEJ9AUdqdngBTPhDUlpm1MrJtJN/s320/latest+019.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dex watched and said nothing....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMmDpJrm1HTc9qqyhDbeognUcFCd2HoCuKAGkyR6PHOksS605tFnr58ixHzTLjEwO_CEpAQsW6W3QgLVVTU56tbe7TP_coB90uiwQOd4E6-xGUjnAf28z3QYwwFlSSl1DFOhyrQJU7b9I/s1600/latest+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMmDpJrm1HTc9qqyhDbeognUcFCd2HoCuKAGkyR6PHOksS605tFnr58ixHzTLjEwO_CEpAQsW6W3QgLVVTU56tbe7TP_coB90uiwQOd4E6-xGUjnAf28z3QYwwFlSSl1DFOhyrQJU7b9I/s320/latest+021.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHRMxrD1dqzE5cx-dzgwJNGJjRPmGdpvA62hw75M0W_QxN1JtuX9TlMYToOgSC4dP8N7PPvaEAF6PcVwkx8ILFaCmPAomCFfDnfVCo3eWStEpBhyphenhyphen_wmRPUEnOGd3DlGovZuQbDOJSXnAt/s1600/latest+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHRMxrD1dqzE5cx-dzgwJNGJjRPmGdpvA62hw75M0W_QxN1JtuX9TlMYToOgSC4dP8N7PPvaEAF6PcVwkx8ILFaCmPAomCFfDnfVCo3eWStEpBhyphenhyphen_wmRPUEnOGd3DlGovZuQbDOJSXnAt/s320/latest+022.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then - Oh such sweet revenge - She couldn't get down ! I had to lift up a bucket for her to climb into and bring her down...</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0