Home Library

In this age of online information gathering, it seems the local library and the home library are a thing of the past.

I encourage you to begin building your home library if you haven't already.  Hard copy books that you can read and reference if say you were out of electricity and water and needed to know how to collect water in the "wild".  Or if you find yourself in a power outage due to a storm etc. and need to know how to cook something outside using the sun.

So many variables.

I have a home library with a wide variety of non-fiction books.  Many are no longer in print. Some you can still purchase from online retailers (are brick and mortar bookstores even still a thing?). Stick around to the end of this post and I'll give you a list of some of my favorites.

Going out and purchasing an entire "library" of books would be outrageously impossible and cost prohibitive for most of us.  I suggest checking used bookstores, yard/tag/garage sales. Public libraries often have a "friends of the library" book sale to raise funds as well as liquidate books they cannot use. Put out the word to friends and relatives what you might be looking for.  Who knows, they may have it on their shelf, in their basement or attic!

Like many things...sometimes the hunt is the fun part!  Make it like a scavenger hunt. Keep a list of titles you might be hunting for in your purse or pocket. It will take time.  Enjoy the process.

What are my must have topics in my home library?

• Holy Bible
• Cookbooks
• Gardening books
• Herb books -how to grow and use in cooking as well as medicinally 
• Canning/Food Preservation books -water bath, pressure, dehydrating, fermenting
• Regional/local maps of trails/paths/camping/hiking/foraging
• Basic Sewing

There are many others.  What else can you think of that might be important to have on hand?

I'll list some titles I love below.  

Some are out of print but where I can find a link I'll add that for you.  

Foxfire - 12 vol set Foxfire set this out of print set is a treasure trove of creative self-sufficiency. 

You can find volumes at yard sells, online etc.

The Encyclopedia of Country Living - various editions available online and at used bookstores. TECL

A trusted guide for a sustainable self-sufficient lifestyle.

Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening - Rodale's Organic Gardening  authoritative guide for gardening

Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine - Herbal Medicine  key herbs with uses for remedies of common ailments

Some others that might be nice to have:

Native American Herbalist's Bible 

The Lost Herbal Medicine Bible

Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing 

Camping and Survival

Outdoor Cookery

The Complete Food Preservation Guide

There are just so many to choose from! Get out there and search and I can't wait to see what treasures you come up with for your home library.

Happy hunting,

Lynn

Medicine Cabinet in the Garden

 Taking a slight detour from our pantry stocking to talk about the garden.

GARDEN can mean many things.  Flowers, vegetables, fruits, herbs. 

It can look vastly different depending on interest, space, experience etc too.  Acres of meticulous hoed rows, raised beds, tower planters, a pot on a deck, a jar on a window sill.

I like a mix of all the things in my garden.  Flowers intermingled with the tomatoes.  Herbs growing alongside the squash.

I've started a dedicated herb garden since moving here last year but have not reached the level I had after 15 years gardening in the previous location. I've really been meaning to incorporate more medicinal herbs into my plot but just haven't gotten around to it.

And then it happened.

My back.  UGH! It decided it needed a respite from my hunching over in our crawlspace helping to diagnose HVAC leaks. From filling dirt into the sink holes in my yard/garden areas caused by the torrential rain. 

It wanted rest...and it made sure that is ALL I could do!

And that's when I remembered that medicinal herb garden I've been wanting to do and haven't yet. Something for muscle relaxation and pain would have been a nice alternative to OTC meds.

{SIGH}

What is it they say about being prepared??? Or hindsight? Or birds in the bush or hand?  Whatever it is. My PLAN to have a functional medicinal garden didn't help me in my time of need, now did it?

Time to remedy that! {No pun intended...well, ok, maybe a little.}

I've pulled out my 2024 Strictly Medicinal Seeds catalog. I am starting a list.  My list is divided into categories such as digestive, pain, sleep, hormones etc. I can then add the cultivars that are suitable for my growing zone/climate.  I will share what I pick but keep in mind that your growing zone is probably not the same as my 3b at 4000+ ft above sea level in a high desert.  Use it as a guide on ideas to look for that meet your specific needs.

Also keep in mind that herbs can be both culinary and medicinal at the same time.  Many cross over.

Here's a key to my lists below:

• C = culinary
• M = medicinal
• CM = both culinary/medicinal

Herbs currently in my garden:

• Rosemary -CM  Adds savory flavor to dishes; traditionally used to help alleviate muscle pain, improve memory, boost the immune and circulatory system, and promote hair growth.

• Thyme -CM said to be antibacterial, anti-cancer, good for respiratory and circulatory issues, good for improved eyesight and hair growth.

• Sage - CM Brings that unmistakable taste to the Thanksgiving table as a traditional flavoring in the dressing/stuffing.  I love to use sage tea for sore throats.  It's also stated to be high in Vit K, good for inflammation and relief of many of the symptoms of mid-life female changes.

• Chives CM
• Basil  CM
• Holy Basil  M
• Oregano  CM
• Echinacea M
• Spearmint  CM

This year I am adding:

• Wild Bergamot (bee balm)  M
• Lemon Balm  CM
• Peppermint  CM
• Mullein  M
• Hops  CM
• Horseradish  CM
• Moringa  M

All of these can be preserved for use in a variety of ways.  Some will be tinctured, some dried, some used fresh.  We'll go over those in a later post.

Right now I challenge you to dig out your seed catalogs or visit them online and pick 2-3 herbs that can be used both for culinary and medicinal purposes. And order them or find them at your local seed dealer.

Make a plan where you are going to plant them...in the ground, in a raised bed, in a pot on the porch...wherever.  And when your season rolls around to plant (check the packet for that info) put those babies in the dirt and let the medicinal garden begin!

Branch out. Broaden your horizons.  Learn something.

Joy filled days to you.

Lynn

Blasts From the Past

 Ever wonder where you can find all of our old posts?  We have been at this blogging thing for a minute.  Sunflower Girl Farm (my favorite flower) was the original name when we were back in GA.  After moving to Wyoming, I felt the need for a bit of a change.  And Flour on My Apron was birthed.  It's still the same goofy me.  Still centers around our being "home instead" folks.  It's still all written by a real human being...with real struggles, real successes and real feelings.

So, if you'd like to check out some oldies but goodies...

Check them out right here!

Sunflower Girl Farm

And here...

Sunflower Girl Farm II

oh...and here too...

Sunflower Farm