Roses

Rose Harvest:
* Tender shoots in spring
* Bark, stems & roots in Spring or Fall
* Leaves, buds & petals from late spring 'till midsummer.
* Rose Hips after Frost

A Rose by anyother Name?

Not at all. The do more than smell sweet. They can clean out toxins in your body, fight off sore throats, and runny noses, clear out your good old bronchial tubes. And if anyone suffers from upper respitory infections looks no more than to the rose to fight against the infection for you.

If that isn't enough for you how about:
* Fight the infection in the digestive tract and re-establish the normal bacterial population of the intestines. (gross but important)
* It relieves fluid retention and hastens the elimination of wastes through kidneys
* It is a wonderful remedy for dysentery, diarrhea and gastro enteritis
* It is a laxative.
* It cleanses the liver and gall bladder and promotes bile flow.
* Rose petal tea can be used to relieve uterine congestion causing pain and heavy periods. (equally as gross, but equally as important...to some)


What to do?! Tell me the secrets!

Rose Hip Jam
Ingredients:
Rose Hips
Tart Apples
Handful of rose petals (optional)
1 Thinly sliced lemon
1/2 cup water
5 cups sugar
Gather the Rose Hips before they grow soft, cut off heads and stems. Slice in half & discard the seeds and pithy flesh. Cover with water, cook 'till soft, press through a sieve. Measure the purée. To each 4 cups purée, add 1 cup peeled & finely chopped tart apple and (if desired), a handful of rose petals. Cook sliced lemon for 15 minutes. Drain the liquid into the rose hip purée. Pour into hot sterilized jars & seal with paraffin and lids.

Rose Hip Syrup
Ingredients:
4 cups Rose Hips
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
Remove stems and flower remnants from rose hips, wash hips thoroughly. Boil rose hips & water 20 minutes in covered saucepan. Strain through jelly bag to clear sediment from mixture. Return clear juice to kettle. Add sugar to the juice and boil the mixture for 5 minutes. Store in a refrigerator or jar until you use it. Keeps well as long as it remains sealed.

Rose Hip Lemonade
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup mild honey
3 teaspoons rose hips
3/4 cup lemon juice
Heat water in saucepan. Stir in honey, add rose hips, steep one hour. Strain & stir in lemon juice. Store in glass container in refrigerator. To make 1 glass, mix 1/4 cup base with 3/4 cup water. Makes 12 cups.

Rose Petal Jelly
Ingredients:
1 cup (packed) rose petals
1 cup water or apple juice
2 table spoons lemon juice
Sugar
2 drops red food colouring (optional)
1/2 bottle liquid pectin
Simmer petal, water, & lemon juice 'till petals have lost colour. Strain the liquid to remove petals. Measure strained liquid and add 3/4 as much sugar as there is liquid. To tint the juice red, add food colouring. Add liquid pectin. Boil rapidly for 1 minute, then pour into hot sterilized jars & seal with paraffin & lids. Store in a cool dark place.

Asparagus

We meet again. Quickquick before I forget what we came here for. Oh yeah asparagus. All the pictures of the plantsa are from my own garden unless I give you a heads up otherwise on it. I know its tiny, but I got it in late, and for a plant that wasn't up yesterday it is a fine example of an asparagus stalk.

Any old how I got the following information from http://www.growing-asparagus.com/ which sounds to me like a completely made up website, but they had some cool fun facts.

• The water from the steamed asparagus can be consumed along with the steamed stalks as a diuretic.


• Eating asparagus and its watery juice is good for helping dissolve uric acid deposits and is also useful for hypertension.


• Powdered seeds are helpful to cure upset stomach, and to relieve nausea.


• Water from the steamed asparagus stalks can be taken to remove skin blemishes. The skin can be cleansed with the water.


• The juice of asparagus is highly beneficial for acne or any body condition.


• Boil the decoction of the root in wine and take it internally to clear the sight. It can be used to ease a toothache as well.


• An infusion prepared from this vegetable (in doses of 30 to 60ml) is highly beneficial in the treatment of rheumatism and chronic gout.


• A food medicine for weak or enlarged hearts is prepared by a mixture of freshly expressed asparagus juice and hone. This concoction must be taken thrice daily.


• Heart patients may also benefit by eating the cooked vegetable provided the cooking is done conservatively, preferably in steamed form.


• Fresh root- 1 Tbsp or 20- 50m freshly expressed root 3 times daily.


• Dried root- 1.5 gram or 60 grains.


• Powdered seeds- 1tsp (30 grain) daily in Juice.


• Fresh stalks juiced- 1tbsp several times daily.


• Tincture- Express juice from 5 lbs fresh asparagus, simmer till reduced to 1 pint, strain and add 1 pint of 90 proof alcohol; taken in ½ top doses.


• Juice for Acne- 8 stems yields about 1/2c. Juice; mix with low sodium tomato or vegetable juice.


• Decoction for Bladder and kidney ailments- 2doz. Asparagus stalks, wash and cover with 1 quart of water, boil, simmer cool, drain. 1tbsp every 4 hrs. The asparagus root also contains substances called saponins, believed to have antibiotic properties. Test tube studies indicate that asparagus may even have cancer fighting properties.

That ends our little food for thought.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb may be raised from seed, but it is better and more usual to obtain established roots. You don't have to wait nearly as long ot get to enjoy the plants this way, but if you have time, and the patients more power to you. Seeds are sown a foot or more apart from March to April. Thin plants to 10" in autumn.


Rhubarb roots may be planted at any time of the year, but in cooler weather is better. Plant each plant 10 to 12" apart. It is best to wait for the next year's plants for harvest, or you run the terrible risk of your plants not coming back the next year.



Medicinal Uses

• Rhubarb is an astringent.


• It is specially useful in stomach troubles and looseness of the bowels. In large doses it acts as a laxative.


• Dose of powdered root, 5 to 60 grains. The dose is entirely individual, 12 grains acting on some persons, as much as 20 on others of the same age. 20 grains of the seed are equal to 30 of the root.


• A decoction of the seeds is supposed not only to ease pains in the stomach, but to strengthen it by increasing the appetite.


• A strong decoction of the root has been employed as a good wash for sores.
  

But a personal favorite is the dessert.

1 1/2 cups white sugar.

3 cups chopped rhubarb.

Whip cream.

A handful of crunched up teddy grahams.

Cook the rhubarb, and sugar together with a little bit of water until the rhubarb is tender.

Crush up teddy grahams up and stick in the bottom of a desert cup. Layer in rhubarb, and top with whip cream.

Chill and serve cold.

I'm not sure who has the rights to this tasty recipe, its just one that my mom use to make. We're a happy rhubarb family, but you really should try it if you are a happy rhubarb family too.

Cheers!