Ferment Workshop Report

Eveline Mueller, a nutritionist and skillfull kitchen elf, gave an outstanding demonstration on how to make fermented foods at Parsley Farm on Sunday. We learned how to make kefir, whey, sauerkraut, ginger - lemon - hibiscus soda and fruit kimchi. Eveline shared many samples, insights and techniques for how to use food as medicine, and she discussed how having a direct relationship with live food can be a basis for a healthy body and culture at large.

Sandor Katz, the author of Wild Fermentation, writes, "I have no greater healing skill to share than simple techniques for the fermentation of vegetables. Sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles will not cure every ailment, but they will contribute to overall well-being. Whether you are the healthiest person in the world, are facing a life threatening health crisis, are living with a chronic disease, or are just like everyone else, live-culture (unpasteurized) fermented foods improve digestion, absorption of nutrients (especially minerals), and immune function. Fermenting vegetables perserves them with their nutrients intact, "predigests" those nutrients into more accessible micronutrients, both vitamins and obscure micronutrients only just beginning to be identified and understood."

At the end of the workshop, the participants said they felt good. Eveline was pleased, she accomplished her mission. She made the point that when we look at and prepare food, their intrinsic qualities should excite us because that's what gets our gastric juices going. In my own ferment after the workshop, I set to work on making the ginger-lemon-hibiscus drink and spicing up my sauerkraut. Today I can report that both are stunning additions to my home cuisine. I think my next ferment will be turnips and rutabagas. We'll look forward to more workshops from Eveline Meuller at Parsley farm.

Elderberry Episode

Craig gathered 20 lbs of elderberries from Plain, Washington. These tall shrubs dangle their ripe dark blue berries in clusters making picking easy. When you see bear scat loaded with elderberry seeds in this part of the woods, it is not hard to imagine them standing on their haunches gorging on these wild nuggets. Wild berries are nutrient rich; the dark blue/purple ones are particularly good at nourishing the blood. Elderberry is loaded with Vitamin C and potassium; the immune system is protected by bioflavinoids and other proteins in the berry which destroy the ability of cold and flu viruses to infect a cell.

Processing wild food always takes time, allot of time, but the tradeoff is potency. With two huge bowls mounded with berries, I diligently separated the berries from the stem. Elderberries can be a poison to the digestive system if eaten raw so they must be cooked. I used the berries to make jam, bags of pie filling and a syrup. If one of us has a cold coming on we have a tasty arsenal ready and waiting in our pantry.

Syrups are a very delicious and flexible medicinal medium. You can put a tablespoon in plain water, soda water, warm tea, vodka, warm brandy – have a few doses throughout the day. All ages will seek it out when a cold comes on. Here is the recipe I used this year:

Recipe by: Herbs For Health, Glenbrook Farms Herbs

6 cups fresh elderberries
1/3 –1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lime juice

Wash & mash elderberries, put through a strainer or a juicer. In a quart pan, mix the elderberry juice with honey, ginger and cinnamon. Cover and simmer for 35 mins. Remove from heat and add the lime juice.

You can add 2 cups of vodka at this stage or leave it nonalcoholic for other applications. Pour in a bottle, cap and store in the refrigerator.

A Positive Sign

In early September, I was on my usual run with Golda, my dog, to Dead Horse Canyon, a serene little park in South Seattle. It has a creek running through it and two wooden bridges; it is a haven for native plants, wildlife, dog walkers and local residents. With that description you can imagine my fury when I approached the entrance and saw a huge pile of construction debris dumped in the parking lot. This was not the first pile of garbage I had seen at this spot but the magnitude of this dumping got my attention. As I approached, Del Davis, a forest steward, was setting out to consolidate the pile. I encouraged him to look for incriminating evidence in the pile. He later reported that he found four ski passes with a name on it. Our first clue.

My fury still fresh, I grabbed my camera and returned to the pile to take pictures. I returned home and immediately made a cardboard sign to post at the site after the garbage had been removed by the city. Most of the initial words came right away “DUMP YOUR SHIT HERE AND YOUR KARMA WILL DUMP ON YOU”, I consulted with former neighbor, Maurine Malone, by phone to hone the message. She wisely advised me to substitute the word shit with crap and so I did, but I really wanted to write SHIT, YOUR SHIT. Illegal dumping is right up there with animal abuse for me. What kind of mind governs the person who does illegal dumping? Do they have no regard for others or the environment? Do they not think there is a consequence to their actions? Del Davis, the forest steward, thinks that people who do illegal dumping do not know what the word karma means. Whether they know what the word means or not, I believe it is a major violation of the Tao, the reality of interaction: nature and human interaction. Harmonize with nature or pay the consequences. I wanted the person responsible for this dumping to pay.

Nine days later, I did a little detective work and found the e-mail address of the person named on the ski passes. Given his profession at a public university, I assumed he hired a contractor for remodeling and that the contractor did the dumping so I wrote him an e-mail inquiry about whether he might be able to assist in identifying who was responsible for the dumping. In the e-mail, I included a close-up photo of the pile. He wrote back immediately signaling his desire to help with the investigation and a request to involve the parks authorities. He also forwarded my e-mail to Larry Crites, the owner of the house he formerly resided in. Larry Crites was able to identify the construction debris in the photo and contacted the contractor who was responsible for hauling it. In just a matter of hours, Mr. Crites made the bold move of confronting the contractor and getting a confession out of him. Mr. Crites e-mailed me the name and phone number of the responsible party. I forwarded that information to Larry Campbell, a ranger with the Seattle Parks Department. He is now in the process of fining him $500.00. Colleen Hackett, a supervisor for the Parks Department, put in a work order and got a DON'T DUMP ON SEATTLE sign installed in record breaking time at the parking lot at Dead Horse Canyon. My little cardboard sign had been tie wrapped to the official city sign post. I felt honored.

It was a positive sign to me that citizens collaborated and made a difference. The culprit could have gotten away so easily and probably had in the past since he is a contractor that works in other parts of the city but his residence is in South Seattle. The integrity, concerns and actions of four citzens led to our man; the parks department was right in step, penalizing the offender and creating signage to prevent future dumping. Not one of us could have gotten to the bottom of this alone. We were in harmony with the Tao; each other and nature.

Our work is not done, however. All unoccupied land is vulnerable as dumping sites so citizens need to be vigilant and protective of them. I believe it is the perception that no one is watching nor cares which gives dumpers the sense that no one is affected by their actions. My proposal is to establish a collaboration with the Parks Department and an arts organization to fund local artists to make signs which give the opposite message. We are watching. We care. And so should you.

Saving Seeds

It wasn’t until I had the best tomato in my life that I considered saving seeds. I always thought seed saving was something that only very advanced and sophisticated farmers did. But, it was the Purple Cheyenne heirloom tomato from Salt Creek Farm that turned me into a seed savor. We probably grew and preserved a hundred pounds of tomatoes this year: All from the seeds of one tomato. It’s so simple too. All you do is take the tomato seeds out of your finest ripe specimen and place them in a jar, add a little water and wait a few days for the seeds to ferment. This helps to break down the outer gel casing of the tomato seed. Strain the seeds, rinse with water and let them dry on a paper plate. Package them in an envelop. Easy.

Seeds hold the essence, the whole potential in their tiny package. In Chinese medicine, we understand that jing energy, also called essence, governs the developmental growth processes in the body. It nourishes and fuels the body. It can be strengthened and preserved though diet and lifestyle just as the seeds of tomatoes can be strengthened by good growing conditions; healthy soil, adequate water and plenty of sun. Preserve essence, save seeds: You will be well nourished

Mushroom Hunting

This past weekend, our friends and guides, Liz Graham and Chris O'Connell, guided us on our yearly mushroom hunt through the old growth forests on the Olympic Peninsula. We had to cross a river twice which meant currents of freezing cold water challenged every barefoot step and rose up to my underwear (I took off my pants). We also walked in the rain for one of the days so we were as moist as any Northwest piece of moss, but like all devout mushroom hunters we were undeterred. There is a very palpable siren call that draws you into the serenity of the forest, guiding you from one beautifully poised mushroom, proud in its singularity, onto the next surprise, a patch of fruiting bodies occupying a down sloping hollow and on you go, deeper and deeper into the forest, knife in hand, bending low. One might disappear; entranced by the mushrooms, giddy from the hunt, footsteps silenced by the deep forest duff. We probably gathered 50 lbs of mostly chanterelles but some massive cauliflower mushrooms and humble hedgehog mushrooms as well. Now, the task at hand is to dry, saute and freeze, and cook up these deliciously earthy morsels.

Do not miss the 2008 Wild Mushroom Exhibit on October 11 & 12th at the Center for Urban Horticulture if you want to learn more about this most abundant member and resource in the Northwest.

Fermentation Workshop

Sunday, October 19th

1pm - 4pm

$35.00 per person

Parsley Farm

I am excited to introduce Eveline Mueller-Graf, nutritionist and avid food gleaner. She will teach a hands on workshop and address the nutritional benefits of fermented food for the digestive system. We will make kefir, whey, sauerkraut, ginger beer and a fruit kimchi. You will sample all the flavers and come home with a jar of sauerkraut and recipes. Call or e-mail Joyce to register. Space is limited.

Energy at Parsley Farm

I knew my energy was getting blocked when I would go into Puget Sound Coop and feel steamy mad at the cost of groceries. No matter how nice the checker was at the register I always felt resentful for forking over a bundle of bills for a pitiful amount of food. My internal shout was "FOOD SHOULD NOT COST THIS MUCH!". I knew my energy started to flow when I read Barbara Kingsolver's book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" and subsequently suggested to Craig that we should turn our whole lot (4500 sq. ft.) into organic food production. He immediately said, "Yes! I'll cut down the five trees in the front yard so we can farm it." Allot of energy, mostly Craig's energy, went into transforming the yard into garden beds, mini orchards and mushroom and berry growing patches, not to mention a building a chicken coop and a 1500 gallon rain catchment and irrigation system. We started the process in July of 2007 and by February of 2008, we had all our perennial trees, vines, bushes and spores planted as well as our early annual crops like sugar snaps peas, spring greens and potatoes. And, chickens too! Because our timing and soil health was on the mark, we have been eating and preserving an abundant and constant array of fruits and vegetables since last April. My energy goes into orchestrating the daily tasks of seeding and maintaining new crops as well as harvesting the plants at their prime. I made a commitment to myself to eat and preserve the fruit and vegetables when they were screaming with vitality because the forces of stagnation have delayed me in the past resulting in unused and ultimately unattractive food coming out of the garden. This is a very good discipline for me because I find that my energy flows really well when I am faced with a cornucopia of gorgeous food. As a result - my cooking is now inspired and Craig is profoundly appreciative of it; I find enormous satisfaction in every day chores; our chest freezer and cupboards are full and our garden is still churning out fall and winter crops. Craig and I feel more secure in these troubling economic times because we have invested our energy into soil: It's our gold.

How I continue to know that this is a good direction for us is that we are inspired to do more: more research, more water barrels, more growing areas, more food, more recipes. I know our energy is flowing because physical and emotional energy is available for an ever expanding list of tasks, no resistance, and every task brings some satisfaction. We constantly work on our garden and It feeds us, literally. I believe that the goal of just growing food for ourselves and the scale of our operation is what makes it successful for us. A focus on nourishment has brought me to the conclusion that quality food equals a quality life. Probably a simple, biological fact but one that has eluded me up until now.

New Chicks at Parsley Farm

Boarding Impass

On the morning that I was leaving for Fort Lauderdale, I could not print my boarding pass at home, then I could not print it at the self check in machine at the airport. Even the woman at the counter had difficulty printing it but I finally got it in my hands and passed through security and went to my gate with a bit of unease. At the gate, I looked for my boarding pass but could not find it anywhere so I asked the man with a Delta uniform if he could print me another one and at the same time I inquired about being bumped from the flight. He told me there was the possibility that I could get bumped and asked me to wait to see if the plane was overbooked. He would call out my name. I stood there with my backpacks slung over one shoulder while my mind tried to scratch out a pattern. It seemed that this was the moment that I could prove something to myself about the nature of a phenomenological universe. In my mind, there were only 2 options for how to look at this picture: I obviously was having obstacles getting the boarding pass and keeping my hands on it because I had such trouble printing it and then losing it, so if I got bumped it would indicate that I was never meant to board this plane. The other option was that If I didn't get bumped then that would mean there is actually no pattern to any of these circumstances and I just made useless and unnecessary assignments to the events that transpired; I made it up in my head. So, I’m standing there alert like a lion about to pounce on her prey because I know that in just a few minutes I am going to get an answer that I’ve been hunting down my whole life. Finally, the man at the counter called my name and informed me that they did not need my seat so I would board the plane. However, he was bumping me up to first class because I offered up my seat.

At the great risk of constructing yet another useless reality – I might suggest that the either/or scenarios I put together in my mind did not leave room for a third option, which went beyond my expectations. J.C. Cooper who wrote Yin & Yang, The Taoist Harmony of Opposites says, “All duality and polarity calls for a resolving third, which is on a plane above the opposites and acts as a catalyst, bringing about a state of equilibrium between extremes….It requires the reconciliation third to rescue the two powers from eternal tension; the interplay and interaction of the third ensures the ultimate completion. I’m not exactly sure if J.C. Cooper’s words apply to my experience, but hopefully I’ll get more chances to give test questions to the universe. If anyone reading this has any answers please clue me in by commenting.

Stroke of Insight

Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroanatomist, discusses the awareness she had while having a stroke. She also speaks to the experience of surrender and deep inner peace which is part of the circuitry of the right hemispheres of our brain. I also have noticed from working with elders who have had strokes that when forced to surrender function and former abilities from brain injury, they seem to acquire a sense of peace within themselves. Very yin yang.

Level One Yi Ren Qigong Class

This class teaches the foundational exercises for practicing Yi Ren Qigong. It sets the groundwork for cultivating receptivity to our own bodies and developing self-healing skills. In this class we learn a series of gentle and relaxing movement and breathing exercises which are designed to refresh, restore and reorganize our minds and bodies. Instructor: Joyce Greenberg,L.Ac

When: Mondays, May 5 - June 23 (8 weeks)
Time: 6:30p.m. - 7:45pm
Where: SE Seattle Senior Center
4655 S. Holly St. (corner of S. Holly and Rainier Ave. S.)

Cost: $125.00 / $85.00 seniors

To Register: call SE Seattle Senior Center: 722-0317

Spring Detox Class, Sat., May 10, 11a.m -1p.m.

Get a fresh start this spring with a detoxifying cleanse! We are fortunate to have Karen Lamphere, a whole foods nutritionist teach this class. She will discuss diets and supplements that support cleansing and detoxification. This is a great way to strengthen immunity, lose that excess winter weight, or simply feel great as you rejuvenate your body with the change in seasons. You will receive a 7 day protocol with recipes, menus and supporting therapies. Karen will serve a yummy light lunch. Location: Joyce's kitchen. Cost: $35. per person. Call Joyce to register: 760-4828 or let me know your interest by commenting here. limit 10 people.

Get a Jump on Spring

Sometimes the transition between winter and spring can be rugged. It is warming up and there is more light outside but we still feel sluggish and dull. Acupuncture can help move your Qi and detoxifying herbs like nettle, chickweed, dandelion and burdock will nourish and clean your blood.

Come in for a spring tune-up treatment and receive a complimentary 5 day supply of organic tonic and cleansing herbs.

Call Joyce at 760-4828 or comment here if you have a question.

How To Make An Herb Infusion

Let's face it: Our soils are depleted of nutrients and we don't eat enough veggies or roots. Infusions of leaves, flowers and roots are an inexpensive, gentle and real way to incorporate essential vitamins and minerals on a daily level. With Infusions we steep leaves, flowers and roots in order to extract their medicinal properties. I notice that when I consistently make infusions, I do not get colds and I wake up in the morning without the need for caffeine although oxygenating my system with exercise is always a necessity.

To make an infusion, simply boil 1 quart of water per 1/4 cup of herb (or 1 cup of water to 1 Tablespoon of herb). Pour water over the herb(s) sitting at the bottom of a jar and let steep for a minimum of 4 hours. A canning jar holds the heat well. Be sure to use a cover on your jar. I make my infusions in the evening and let the jar sit overnight. In the morning I strain the herbs and pour off the liquids into another jar or glass. I drink the infusion as a tonic throughout the day. You can heat up the infusion or drink it cold depending on what is best for your constitution. The slightly bitter flavor of some infusions are beneficial for cleansing the blood of toxins.

Why Yin and Yang Matters

Why does it matter if yin and yang is in balance? Why do all these Chinese medicine practitioners, martial artists and Taoists keep bringing up the topic? The answer is that it is part of a larger description of the general structure of the universe; its dynamics and laws. It is relevant to me because it gives me a framework to understand why it matters if I maintain internal balance or not.

Yin and yang describe polarities that are in a dynamic tension at all times. Tension because they are in a forced relationship, one cannot exist without the other and dynamic because they are in constant motion, alternating and fluxing. When yang is strong, yin must be weak and visa versa. For example, when we have fever (too much yang) we often are dehydrated (not enough yin/water); when one person is too assertive (yang) in a relationship, the other is usually too passive (yin); when the mind is too active (yang) the body often cannot rest and get sleep (yin) or when we are stuck or depressed (yin) we lack activity and resist change (yang). When there is balance then harmony is experienced in one's health and wholeness in one’s spirit and relationships. There is a kind of dynamic flow which characterizes how one navigates and moves through their day. An out of balance state brings extremes and an uncomfortable feeling of tension within oneself. Obstacles present difficulties, we polarize and react, finding opposition at every turn. Recognizing the relative balance of yin and yang in my current life and then reconciling how I may need to shift my energy so balance is re-established is something I need to do daily, hourly. With awareness and a whole lot of Qigong practice I can do it instantly and flow from one moment to the next, naturally.

Learning Languages

This is a fascinating look into how an autistic woman experiences her world. She translates for those of us who interact on a more symbolic level with language and shows us that the interaction she has with her environment on a sensory level gives her just as much meaning. Very enlightening and moving.

Make Your Own Shampoo

If you are concerned about low-grade toxic chemicals in your body care products then go to www.cosmeticdatabase.com to check out what ingredients are in your products and how hazardous they are to your health.

Looking up my shampoo and finding the results sent me on a mission to make my own shampoo. This is a recipe from the herbalist, Rosemary Gladstar, that works for my hair and actually gives it more natural body than my previous expensive shampoo promised. It is quick and inexpensive to make and lends itself to experimentation in terms of which herbs you add to the recipe. I like to put rosemary in my shampoo because it has a refreshing and stimulating scent but use those herbs that give you a positive feeling or that you can pluck straight from your garden. You can get unscented castile soap (Dr. Bronner's) or ones with peppermint and lavender. I prefer the unscented one. This recipe did not leave my hair a tangled mess after shampoo so conditioner is not necessary but I often use a rinse of infused nettle after shampooing. Some herbs can be found at your local natural food store but www.mountainroseherbs.com has a complete selection of organic herbs and spices at a reasonable price.

8 ounces distilled water
1 house herbs (see below)
3 ounces liquid castile soap
1/4 teaspoon jojoba oil
25 drops pure essential oil (optional)

1. Bring water to a boil. Add the herbs, cover, and let simmer over low heat fo 15 -20 minutes. Strain and cool.

2. Slowly add the castile soap to the tea, then mix in the jojoba oil and essential oil. Store in a plastic container with a flip-top lid in the shower or bath. Shake before using.

Herbs for Dark Hair: mix a combination of any of these herbs. sage leaf, nettles, rosemary, black walnut hull (chopped), comfrey leaf.

Herbs for Blond Hair or highlights: calendula, chamomile flower, comfrey leaf

Herbs for Dry Hair: calendula, marsh mallow root, nettle leaf

Herbs for Oily Hair: rosemary, witch hazel bark, yarrow leaf and flower

Leap into Chaos

Last weekend Craig cut down a whole hedgerow along the property line between our yard and our neighbor's yard to make way for the northwest native plants we will plant this spring. Faced with extreme exposure because now we had no visual barrier between us and our neighbors and a HUGE pile of sticks, I decided that I needed to bundle the sticks and use them as a fence. An airy visual blur of slicks would give me the privacy I had grown accustomed to.

It seemed like such a good idea - right? Well, when I was suddenly faced with sorting through that pile of sticks, I felt annoyed that they didn't just all stand up and get into order for me so I could simply tie twine around them. No, I had to pull, yank; get scrapped and cut; prune, chop and saw the tough, lean long lengths of wood. At first I thought I could create some kind of order, get the thicker sticks in the back of the bundle, but after doing battle with too many sticks so I could get my desired thick stick, I realized that I had to abandon that plan. No, what was required of me was to just jump in to the pile, start pulling out sticks randomly and then make sense of them after they were tangled free. After I let go of my plan - I was able to move swiftly and piles of sticks started forming on the ground until I had enough for a bundle. And then another bundle. And then 12 bundles. When I tied up my first bundle, it occurred to me that humans have an instinct to create order out of chaos. The I-ching is just lines, originally yarrow stalks, which offers a structure and progression for all things human. Was I making my own hexagram in every bundle I made? From my experience, when I am dealing with raw materials whether it is a pile of sticks or a lump of clay or a dream state, I find it challenging but interesting and satisfying to render and manipulate it. It's not any single idea that will begin the progression from raw material to finished form but rather the sheer intention and energy to make it so. Only by leaping into the chaos will I ever progress.