Mullein is a great old remedy for lung congestion. It has also long been known for the oil made from the leaves which are a great remedy for earaches and removing bugs from ears also. I've used it on my dog's ears when mites or ticks decide to take up residence. Mullein is a favorite of our honey bees and so flowers are best picked in the morning before the bees are out- less competition.

Rue is a very protective herb. It has also been used traditionally similarly to Mullein for earaches. Ruta is a very oily herb once crushed.

This mushroom sprouted a few seasons ago in the edge of a shady gardened area that had previously been occupied as a goat pen. Mushrooms and goats go well together.

Our Gardens have been propagating beneficial insects throughout the years. Earthworms have helped turn silt and goat manure into rich soil. When we divide plants we always find a plethera of all sized worms and are thus also propagated into new garden plots along with the plant.

Hollyhocks grew wild in the garden for a long time before we realized their medicinal properties. We eventually read that Hollyhock tea is traditionally used to aleviate congestion and mucus. It is warming and soothing to the stomach and brewed cold is helpful for the urinary system. It has a mildly sweet and earthy flavour and looks lovely in a cup. The photo at left is freshly harvested Hollyhock and Freshly harvested Mullein Flowers ready to go on the drying screens.

These guys love our gardens at dusk and beyond. Here pictured attending some Penstemon flowers, the Hawk Moth also enjoys our datura blooms.

Echinacea is an important herb to have on hand. For us it is very useful when colds are beginning to take hold, before it strikes and our animals have experience the benefit of the whole plant as well. Look closely at the picture, zoom in and see another of our Beneficial Insects.

We have been cultivating San Pedro for more than 20 years and for the first time several years ago our cacti started to bloom. Like most things we grow they are not babied and survive in a quasi feral/domestic state creating more self reliance and resiliency in the individual. It has been very nice to watch the bud swell and erupt in petals one day. This is one of the more protective plants we keep around the house.

Our most popular herb is a fruit called Jujube or Chinese Date. This highly nutritious tonic herb is sweet, similar to an apple when fresh and later develops a date like flavour faintly nutty or figgy. Jujubes are very important to stomach soothing and blood purifying.