We are in the midst of summer!  It is hot and the basil is loving it.  I have been busy with the Farmers' Market and my classes at Whiting Forest.  I went to the annual International Herb Association conference in Collinsville, Illinois and two weeks later I was in Minnesota visiting family.  Now I am back for the rest of the summer.  Midland, Michigan will be hosting the International Herb Association Conference next year at Northwood University.  We always pre-view the Herb of the Year for the next year so we can get information on ways to promote it.  So, we will be pre-viewing roses.  There will be a public education day on July 16th and Master Gardeners will get educational credit if they attend.  There will be two professional days where we will learn how to make our herb businesses better. So if you have an herb business or are thinking about starting one, this is the place for you.  We will also have two tours - one on Friday July 15th and the second on Tuesday July 19th.  More details will follow.  I will keep you posted.  August 9, 2010

I am looking forward to spring.  We have started our seedlings and have several hundred poking their heads out of the soil.  I am getting ready for a busy lecture/class schedule.  I am very methodical about each class.  I make up the handout with the recipes then I figure out my grocery list and equipment list.  When I go somewhere other than my kitchen for a class, I need to bring everything with me which requires some planning.  I am also am in mix production mode - making about 2000 mixes in preparation of class sales as well as the beginning of the Farmers' Market which begins in May.  Besides my monthly articles for the Midland Daily News, I have a publlished article in the March issue of The Herb Companion on Having a Pasta Party.  My Chocolate Ravioli recipe is on the front cover.  I am very excited about being in a National magazine.  I hope you have a chance to read it.  If you want to host a Cooking Party at my house, give me a call before the schedule fills up even more. 

We are busily getting ready for our 27th annual Holiday Open House.  As we change each room into a Holiday wonderland, we think of each of you and what you might like to use for Holiday entertaining or give as Christmas gifts.  We have come up with some great ideas to fill your needs.  We have gift boxes already made up or you can build your own with our freshly made mixes, vinegar, tea, chai or dried herbs and spices.  You can even bring your own baskets or containers and we will fill them with our goodies to your specifications.  We have something to please everyone on your list.  The days of the Open House are November 19, 20 and 21st from 10 in the morning until 6 at night.   Our address is 4613 Lund Drive.  Email us for directions ahead of time.  We hope to see you all at the Open House.  Come hungry and bring a friend and don't forget to sign up for our door prize worth over $65.00

It is mid-September.  There is a real push to harvest all the produce and herbs before the first frost.  This time of year I am concentrating on making my herbal vinegar with our fresh grown herbs.  I take my container out to the garden and fill it full of the herbs needed for that particular vinegar.  For my Mexican Vinegar I use hot peppers and cilantro, my Italian Vinegar includes basil, fennel, garlic chives, Italian parsley, marjoram, oregano, and rosemary.  My Lemon Vinegar includes many lemon scented herbs plus fresh lemon peel.  I am also making my list of how many of each of my mixes I will make to get ready for the Open House November 19, 20 & 21st.  We package over 2000 mixes plus other products so we have plenty for all of our visitors who come and walk through our home that we have taken over.  We use the Living Room and Dining Room to display gift boxes, Christmas ornaments, decorator items, potpourri and ideas for Holiday entertaining.  The Family Room has more gift ideas, our gift for the drawing, any specials we have, our teas and chai, as well as our checkout area.  The kitchen is everyones favorite for its 25 to  30 feet of food samples.  We make up our mixes for you to sample to see which ones you like best to prepare and/or give as gifts.  Our mixes make great stocking stuffers.  I hope you have marked your calendar and plan on coming.  9/13/09

It is the end of August and yesterday I smelled Fall in the air!  I am not ready for that.  There is still so much to do in the garden.  I am always sad when it comes to an end.  I have had a very busy season both at the Midland Farmers' Market and teaching classes through the Dow Gardens.  I have one class left to teach on August 26th, then I am doing a luncheon for a Red Hat group on Sept. 2.  I will probably finish at the Farmers Market Sept. 26th because the next weekend I will be at Lavender Fleece for their Fall Festival.  It will be included in "Be a Tourist in Your Town" event.  I am looking forward to that.  Our Open House will be November 19, 20 & 21.  There will be more details later.  Mark your calendar.  I just made some peach cobbler with our fresh peaches.  It smells so good.  There is nothing better than harvesting the wonderful produce that God has blessed us with.  8/23/09

This summer has been cooler than normal in my area, but inspite of that the basil is growing!  It is pesto making time so harvest your fresh basil or buy some from me so you can get your pesto ready for the winter (Check out our pesto recipe in the recipe section under basil).  I mix the pesto up completely, cheese and all and then either put it in serving size Glad Ware containers or put a square of Saran Wrap in a muffin cup, put in the pesto, gather up the sides and twist-tie the top.  I then put the tin and pesto in the freezer and when it is frozen I put all my little pouches in a zippered bag, date and label it and put it in the freezer.  This way I have it in convenient-to-use containers and it is ready for the middle of winter when no other good basil is available.  Try some pesto and let me know what you think of this method. 7/26

Officially Summer is just around the corner.  Non-officially it starts after Memorial Day.  So Happy Summer!!

We have started at the Midland Farmers’ Market.  It is great to see our customers/friends that we haven’t seen in a while.  Each week the variety of our fresh cut herbs will increase.  We feel we are about two weeks behind last year with our cool spring weather.  But we are hoping for the warm weather to come soon.  At the peak of the season we will have close to 50 different herbs we cut and sell by the bunch.  Don’t forget to check out our recipes.  We like sharing our recipes so everyone can have great tasting food.

We also like to share the fruit we grow with friends and family as well as enjoy it ourselves. The fruit trees were loaded with blossoms and we are hopeful for a bountiful harvest so there will be more to share.  

Our garden has been planted.  The basil goes in last because it turns black at 38° F so we don’t take a chance until we know it will stay warm.  Of the over 100 varieties of basil I will have about 10, close to 250 plants!  It is our best selling fresh cut herb at the market.  There are so many wonderful recipes using basil.  I like to teach people about different herbs as well.

Bay Laurel is the Herb of The Year for 2009.  It is chosen by the International Herb Association (IHA).  The Herb of The Year needs to be strong in at least two of the following three categories: culinary, medicinal and decorative.  The IHA publishes a book each year featuring the herb chosen for that year.  The book is full of tips and recipes you can use.  Following is a recipe using bay and is one of the recipes I submitted to be published in the book.

Jambalaya

When you are choosing your sausage, it is really what flavors suit you best.  Here are some suggestions.     
Hot sausage – Chaurice, Chorizo, Alpino, Capocollo, Calabrese Smoked sausage – Andouille, Kielbasa, Cervelat, Pepperoni

Serves 8

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 pound hot sausage  
1 pound smoked sausage  
2 cups ham, diced  
2 cups onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 cups uncooked rice
3 cups canned tomatoes with liquid, crushed
3 cups chicken stock, heated to steaming
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup parsley, minced

Put the olive oil in a large soup pot and heat it over medium heat.  Sauté sausage in olive oil for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add ham, green pepper and celery stirring occasionally until tender about 10 minutes.  Add bay leaves and thyme.  Stir in rice until coated in the oil.  Add tomatoes, chicken stock and garlic.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until rice is done.  Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and Tabasco.  Add green onions and parsley right before serving.