From the Garden: Late Spring at the Wild Rose Homestead

Spring is in full swing at the Wild Rose Homestead. Here's a few scenes from the farm:

Our Rose bushes are covered in beautiful, bright blooms! We harvest just a portion of  these for our Attunement Balancing Facial Mask and Bloom Muscle Rub. The rest are left for the bees.

Our mixed flower/herb bed of poppies, mint, borage and calendula flourished every year. We also added a young apple tree that will one day offer shade.

We started the last of our veggie seeds including this beautiful Cassiopeia popcorn offered by Siskiyou Seeds. We'll be growing this in a traditional Three Sisters bed with winter squash and beans.

The greenhouse is packed full of veggies, flowers and herbs! We used the last of our excess jar boxes from Wild Rose to start sunflowers and hollyhocks.

An early June harvest of rose petals, calendula, mulberries, strawberries, cherries and red clover! Our array of veggies, fruits and herbs grow together harmoniously, improving the soil to produce more potent herbs for Wild Rose.

Wild Rose's Four Year Anniversary and Sale!

Wild Rose is celebrating our fourth year in business this weekend! Use code SPRING2015 for 20% off your entire order through the 23rd! Thank you all for supporting our small business through another amazing year!

The momentum of our fourth year in business has allowed us to greatly expand our product lines to meet customer requests. Early in the year we released three new botanical lip tints and four new unique lip balms flavors. Our carefully crafted Bloom Muscle Rub and New Moon Menstrual Massage have also quickly become new favorites among our customers. And finally, last fall we announced the arrival of five Artisanal Bath Salts in beautiful scents and colors.

Our ever popular Wild Man line was improved with trial size sampler packs, a full line of Beard Creams in new scents plus limited edition seasonal Beard Conditioners for our festive fans. We also attended the first ever Southern Oregon Battle of the Beards - what a blast!

This year we were able to continue our tradition of giving back by making donations to Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Wildlife Images, Black Mesa Indigenous Support, Peaceful Uprising and Units'ot'en Camp. We couldn't support the vital work of these amazing groups without our loyal customers. Thank you all for investing in a sustainable future!

Most importantly, we're continuing to settle in at our little homestead. This year we have big plans to grow as many botanicals as possible for Wild Rose. For 2015, we believe we can grow all of our own Calendula and Yarrow. We're also looking to grow a large portion of our own roses and cayenne peppers. The longer we are here, the more we will be able to grow for Wild Rose. This will help us in our long-term goal of sustainability for both homestead and business.

We are ever grateful for the opportunity to provide our botanical skin care line to such an amazing customer base. Thank you all for yet another record-breaking year! Here's to many more good things to come!

The Summer Garden at Wild Rose

Summer is here in Southern Oregon and our permaculture gardens are exploding with fresh food and herbs! We grow all of our own Calendula and Yarrow in our annual veggie gardens because they are wonderful allies for our food crops. They attract beneficial insects, improve flavor and keep the soil healthy. 

This is a first year garden on our new homestead. We established this garden using the lasagna gardening method with the help of a couple loads of rich, USDA organic compost. Our compost is from Southern Oregon Compost, a local company that reclaims local waste and transform it into black gold.

Calendula is perfect paired with tomatoes. Our tomatoes aren't quite ripe, but we are sure to have an epic crop this year!

We also practice bio-intensive gardening which combines beneficial crops into the same bed to best utilize space and increase yields. Here, our early kale plants are using space not yet taken up by our young squash. Lettuce also fills unused space as the squash grows.

When establishing our garden, we left this large wild Yarrow patch intact. I was surprised to see it bloom in hues of pink - a color only found in ornamental and high elevation varieties. This beautiful bunch will provide us with Yarrow for many years to come!

Product Spotlight: Gingermint Muscle Rub

When I started making herbals salves and balms back in 2006, a Cayenne-based muscle rub was one of my first creations. While several ingredients have ultimately changed to improve consistency and effectiveness, the herbal backbone of Gingermint Muscle Rub has remained: Cayenne, Burdock and Gingko.

Cayenne is one of nature's most effective circulatory stimulants, making it a staple for an invigorating muscle rub. Any hot-sauce lover knows that the burn of Cayenne gets the blood pumping. When applied to sore muscles and joints, this means quick relief for stiffness and inflammation that you can feel.

While Cayenne has an immediately noticeable affect, Burdock works deep within the body to purify the blood and stimulate lymphatic movement. Combining these two herbs creates lasting relief.

Cayenne and Burdock are enhanced by Gingko Biloba, an antioxidant-rich leaf that improves circulation in the skin specifically. This helps increase this balm's range of effectiveness while gently decreasing inflammation. Interestingly, Gingko is the oldest living species on earth. The leaf contains unique compounds not found in any other plant. Surely we have much to gain by incorporating this ancient herb into our routines.

These herbs are steeped in highly absorbent Organic Coconut Oil for a smooth balm with a non-greasy feel. We use a bit of Pacific Northwest Beeswax for a stiffer consistency, and a dab of Organic Rosehip Seed Oil to nourish the skin. Just before pouring, this balm's signature ingredients are added: Cooling Oregon-Grown Peppermint and invigorating Ginger Root essential oils. Gingermint's aroma is spicy, cool and subtly sweet. Sure to please those looking for a strong, naturally aromatic muscle rub!

This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Know Your Ingredients: Rosemary Extract

An herbal extract is only as good as the ingredients used - which is why we make our herbal extracts from scratch! We start with a locally-distilled Organic Cane Alcohol and use only organic herbs, often grown in our own permaculture gardens.

Our Rosemary Extract is made in this way - using the finest organic herbs and alcohol for an incredibly potent and powerful herbal extract. Rosemary Extract is a key ingredient for our popular Wild Man Beard Wash for its hair-strengthening and conditioning abilities.

Workshop Tour: Wild Rose's New Home

Over the past four months, we've transformed a small outbuilding into a fully-stocked herbal laboratory for crafting, bottling, labeling and shipping all of Wild Rose's products.

The shop has two sections: one for production and one for labeling and shipping. Nestled between one of our mixed herb gardens and our food forest, some of the botanicals used in Wild Rose products grow just a few yards from the building.

We're incredibly fortunate to have found a space for Wild Rose that is so beautifully incorporated into our permaculture gardens. This allows us to not only limit waste and excessive resource consumption, but also helps us craft incredibly fresh and potent herbal extracts for our formulas. We're excited to spend many years in our new space!

Growing Calendula for You and Your Garden

If you're looking to add herbs to your garden and your pantry, Calendula is a must. Not only is it ridiculously easy to grow, it also has an array of benefits for yourself and your garden. Both Calendula officinalis (Pot Marigold) and Tagetes erecta (Mexican or Aztec Marigold) have similar traditional uses.

Calendula for You:

Heals and soothes just about any skin abrasion, rash, cut, burn, infection or cosmetic problem like varicose veins. Internally, Calendula tea or tincture treats cuts inside the mouth, sore throats and even stomach ulcers! The petals look beautiful tossed with salad greens. Calendula is a known antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial herb. It's definitely in my top ten favorite herbs because it is so gentle, yet so effective. Calendula is an invaluable aid for keeping your skin healthy.

My Intensive Care Healing Salve draws part of it's power from Calendula-infused oil (recipe will be shared in a future Calendula harvest post).

Calendula for Your Garden:

Pot Marigold is a classic companion plant. Its scent will drive away pests, including Mexican Bean Beatles, Aphids, Tomato Hornworms and other nasties. Calendula helps everything, really, so don't hesitate to throw it around the garden. Tagetes erecta is known to protect plants from nematodes specifically.

How to Grow Calendula

Step 1: Pick a Spot

I chose a spot near my front door where the grass was overgrown.

Calendula is a prolific self-seeding annual growing from 1'- 3' tall. It's not picky (tolerates poor soil) and grows easily in partial shade, full sun, even patio pots (container gardeners, listen up!).

It can be planted pretty early in Spring, depending on where you live. Ideal germination temp is 59 - 68 degrees (F). They wont survive a hard frost, but are easy to cover when young. Calendula transplants well, so if in doubt you can always start yours indoors. I probably could have planted mine earlier here in Southern Oregon, but with the first blooms arriving in 40 to 50 days, there's really no need to stress.

Step 2: Soil/Container Prep

You don't need to do much to make Calendula happy. Loosen up the soil (6"-12" if you can) by jamming your shovel in the Earth and tilting it up just a bit. I like to get dirty, so I usually end up sifting through all the dirt by hand. Break up any clumps and remove rocks. If your soil texture isn't ideal, you can mix in some store-bought topsoil. The more work you do here the better for your plants, but Calendula will forgive your laziness. Set aside some sifted soil, enough to cover your planting area 1/4" deep.

Container gardeners will want to line the bottom of the pots with some small rocks or gravel for drainage. If you give Calendula a nice big 5 gallon bucket, she'll reward you with lots of blooms. But any container will do, really. If the plant looks crowded as it grows, transplant!

Soil sifted and ready to wet. I set the grass aside to die, I'll use it as mulch later on.

Step 3: Plant it!

Once your soil is sifted and smooth, thoroughly wet the entire area. Then, sprinkle your Calendula seeds across the top and cover with the sifted soil you set aside. Calendula needs a 1/4" covering, just enough to keep dark. Gently pat down your dirt and moisten your top layer with a spray bottle or watering can. Try to avoid traumatic watering as this will uncover your seeds and they may not sprout.

Step 4: Take Care

Seeds germinate in about ten days. I'm more of a hap-hazard gardener, throwing several herbs together in a patch and "letting the seeds fall where they may." I like my gardens to resemble wild spaces, with a mish-mash of edibles, medicinals and pretty things all growing together. If you'd like more order in your garden, feel free to remove any weeds and when your plants are 2" tall, thin so that there is 6"-12" between each plant. You'll be enjoying your first blooms in just 40-50 days!

I mixed my Calendula with Yarrow, Borage and a beneficial bee flower blend.

Calendula is the perfect herb for beginners and children, but it's also a staple among veteran gardeners as well. It's hard to go wrong with this beautiful and useful flower, so throw all caution (and seeds) to the wind. Check back here soon because before your plants are blooming, we'll have a harvest post complete with recipes for classic Calendula.

Container Gardening Cheap and Simple

A huge heriloom tomoato from one of my plants grown in a 5-gallon bucket!
I dream of having the perfect garden.Stone paths, ponds and raised beds all overgrown with medicinal herbs, edible perennials and tasty annuals. My future garden will look like it's been there for years, arguably forever, in a  cyclical state of decay and renewal. I'll know it like the back of my hand, probably because my hands will be forever buried in dirt and mulch until my garden is just what I want it to be.
But I'm not there yet. I've spent the past two years working hard and saving to buy my first house (and garden space). I love gardening so much, I couldn't let the limitations imposed by city living and landlords stop me from having fresh tomatoes and herbs. The house I was renting had a small enclosed deck, perfect for a mish-mash of veggies and flowers. Here I gardened for two Summers. Here's how I did it cheap and simple:

My first-year container garden (Dog shown for scale).
The first hurdle in container gardeningis finding affordable containers. Ceramic planters are expensive, heavy and breakable, a less-than-ideal combination. Wood is a great choice if you'll be in one spot for a while, but plastic is easiest and most affordable. There's no need to pay for overpriced plastic planters if you aren't worried about looks. Five gallon buckets are perfect for tomatoes and peppers of all kinds. I got mine brand new for $3 each. Plus they have a built-in handle! For drainage, I heated up a butter knife over a candle and cut little squares along the bottom and lower sides. If you have a drill handy, you can also drill a bunch of drainage holes. Drainage is a must for container plants, so make sure there are plenty of holes on the bottom of your pots. For bigger plants like squash and mini herb gardens I picked up some round 20-gallon tubs for $6 each. These have nice rope handles on either side for dragging your plants around. Another option is plastic storage bins. You can often find these for a couple dollars at thrift stores (especially when they're missing the lids!).

Drainage holes cut with a hot butter knife.
Next, you need to find a good spot to keep your plants. Most veggies need full sun, at least 6 hours a day. Depending on your bioregion, you may need to protect your plants from the cold or heat to extend your season (which is easier when you can move your veggies around). If you have a shady patio, choose plants that prefer less sun. If you want to start plants indoors, choose a sunny south-facing window. The nice thing about container gardeningis it doesn't require a whole lot of time or planning, so feel free to experiment. Even if you don't get many veggies you'll at least have another house or patio plant.

This is what I moved from my old house. Mostly herbs and Green Onions!
Here's a quick list of easy-to-grow container veggies:
Peas
Radishes
Lettuce
Kale
Carrots
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Green Onions
Summer Squash and Zucchini
It's super important to fertilize your potted plants regularly since their roots only have access to the dirt they're sitting in. My preferred method is making "compost tea" in an empty milk jug. Simply put a couple handfuls of fertilizer/manure in your jug, add water and set it in the sun for one day. Use this just like any liquid fertilizer.
And don't stop at veggies! Herbs are a wonderfully low-stress way to learn about gardening. Most are prolific and don't need to fruit before using them. Many herbs can be grown in small containers near a sunny kitchen window. I even took on growing Echinacea (which takes two years to mature before harvest) in a container last year. I brought it with when I moved and am anxiously awaiting its purple blooms.
 
Second-year baby Echinacea!
If you are low on space, time, experience or ambition, container gardening is a perfect outlet for your need to get your hands in the dirt.

Also posted on www.cookingmycsa.com