May 13, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Last week this column discussed the winter rye, cover crop project on the root cellar hill. Winter rye is an annual grass that grows on poor soils and is green all winter. The plants exude compounds from the massive root system, which suppresses weed seed germination and the thick top growth shades the ground, inhibiting other plant growth. Right now, the rye has set seed. The caveat is using correct timing to prevent the seeds from ripening so that the rye does not become another weed problem. The tops will be left on the hill as mulch, to continue to suppress weeds. The roots will die and remain in the soil to prevent erosion and to add tilth. After accessing the sheer bulk of growth of the grass, we decided not to use a string trimmer to mow it down. This would have created a terrible mess. Instead, the rye was bent down neatly and covered with a thick layer of wheat straw. So far, the project looks good and the wheat straw seems to be working to stop the rye from finishing its life cycle.
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May 6, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
The root cellar, inside the Craft Village at the Ozark Folk Center State Park was built into a hillside above what is now the Shannon Cabin during the summer of 1984. River sand was used to cover the cellar, creating a slope on both sides for planting a part of the new Heritage Herb Garden. Unfortunately, the sand contained the roots of bindweed and vetch, along with seeds of most every weed that grows in Arkansas. The annual weeds have been more or less controlled by a combination of hand weeding and the application of mulch.
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
National Herb Day will be celebrated during the Heritage Herb Spring Extravaganza this Saturday, May 4, 2013. Jennifer Blankenship, chairman of the Committee of 100’s Herb Garden Committee, and other members of the Committee will be serving refreshments flavored with Elderberry, Herb of the Year 2013™ including Elderberry Thumb Print Cookies and Elderberry Punch. These ladies will entertain at the Herb Cabin in the Craft Village.
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
This week the Heritage Herb Garden is featuring feverfew,
Tanacetum parthenium. This herb hails from the Balkan peninsula originally and has naturalized throughout Europe, North America and South America. It has been used for treating headaches for over two thousand years, according to Steven Foster, writing for the American Botanical Council’s Botanical Series,
Feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium, and at his website, http://stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/feverfew1.html
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April 16, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
On Sunday I took a hike out into my woods to look for morel mushrooms. I found one. I might have harvested many more had I not been startled by a “spreading adder” snake,
Heterodon platirhinos that I almost tread upon. I knew it was a spreading adder because of the way it reared up, acting all fierce, looking like a cobra until I did the Arkansas two-step, backwards. I then perched on a boulder to see what my dogs and cat would do when they caught sight of it. I think my cat smelled it first because, though she was many yards away, she suddenly growled and raised her fur, doubling her size. My dogs were oblivious for several minutes until Snoop finally heard it rustle the leaves. He came to attention, snarled and barked but did not approach the snake. The cat snuck up on the reptile and stood guard over it until everyone finally lost interest and went separate ways.
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April 8, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Last week, the Ozark Folk Center’s Medicinal Herb Fieldtrip and Workshop happened. Rosemary Gladstar traveled from her home on Sage Mountain in East Barre, Vermont and arrived at the Bill and Hillary International Airport in Little Rock at 9:50 p.m. Susan Belsinger and I met her plane. We came prepared with good food from the Whole Foods Store in Little Rock knowing that she would need sustenance after flying all day. We talked together non-stop on the two and one-half hour drive from the airport to the Cabins at Dry Creek.
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March 18, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Some folks are born teachers; I believe Sasha Daucus is one of these. Sasha will be leading fieldtrips and the program Herbal Imagination during the Medicinal Herb Fieldtrip and Workshop at the Ozark Folk Center State Park on April 5 and 6, 2013. Call 870-269-3851 or see the schedule and registration at http://www.ozarkfolkcenter.com/events/?isofc=1&id=1431.
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Hawthorn or mayhaw are common names of a group of small shrubs or trees of the Crataegus genus. The roots, leaves, flowers and fruit have been used medicinally in all temperate climates of the world. The fruits are used by country people to make jams and jellies and candies and also for making beverages, from teas to fermented spirits.
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February 26, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Steven Foster is an international figure in the world of herbs who will be teaching during the Ozark Folk Center’s Herbal Fieldtrip and Medicinal Herb Workshop on April 5 and 6, 2013. His credentials are lengthy and may be found on his Web site,
www.stevenfoster.com. Instead of listing his works, professional affiliations and places and events where he has appeared, I would rather tell you about the guy who took me to the Ozark National Forest during the summer of 1985. During my apprenticeship, he, as one of four teachers, opened my mind and senses to the rich diversity of beneficial plants in this region, setting me on this journey equipped with proper tools.
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February 19, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Rosemary Gladstar is an apropos name for the renowned, bright, herbal star coming to the Ozark Folk Center State Park on April 5 and 6 for the annual Herbal Fieldtrip and Medicinal Herb Workshop. Rosemary is a petite woman in size, however she is a powerhouse at spreading the herbal word, gentle yet determined, generous and loving, with an infectious laugh, she makes learning fun and exciting; she inspires all whom she meets.
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February 12, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
The annual Arkansas Flower and Garden Show, February 22 through 24, 2013 will take place at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. This event marks the beginning of the new growing season for the Ozark Folk Center’s Heritage Herb Garden. The theme this year is “Home Grown Goodness”.
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February 5, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
This Saturday, February 9, 2013, the Annual Seed Swap will take place in the Bois D’arc Center between 1:00 p.m. and 4 p.m. With this in mind, Kathleen Connole sorted our treasure trove of seeds. Each packet contains potential that will only be realized if the seeds inside are planted.
Each species of plant has mechanisms for delaying germination of the seed until it is dispersed from the parent plant. Discovering the mechanism(s) is the key to germinating any viable seed you wish to grow. Dr. Norman C. Deno conducted years of experimentation on 2500 plant species. He published his results in Seed Germination Theory and Practice with two supplements. His work changed my mode of seed sowing from one based on gardener's faith to one based on informed action. Dr. Deno’s work can be downloaded at http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/41278/PDF.
The Heritage Herb Gardens at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
It is time to consider greens, the thrice-blessed food. Greens taste good when they are well-prepared, offer great nutrition and move through you for healthy digestion. Enjoy eating greens while your body is nourished with fiber, calcium, chlorophyll, iron, vitamins A, C and E. They contain lutein and zeaxanthin that protects our aging eyes from macular degeneration.
The seeds can be ordered now to sow during March and April. Anyone with a cold frame could be harvesting their own vitamin-packed and tender collards, kale and mustard all winter. These plants are very hardy and tasty during cold weather, in fact, starches in the leaves turn to sugar when temperatures fall below freezing.
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January 7, 2013
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
On February 9, 2013, the 5
th Annual Ozark Seed Swap will take place in the Bois D’arc Conference Center at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. This event is collaboration between the park and the University of Central Arkansas at Conway.
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The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
This is the time of year to reflect on blessings and to acknowledge abundance. Take, for instance, the perfect design that is place for plants that provide food for us and animals; give us shade, fuel and shelter life-giving oxygen to the atmosphere. Over the winter, the soil is freezing and thawing, making nutrients available for next spring’s growth. Above ground, most plants, especially trees, have shed their leaves, revealing a view of distant vistas and allowing the eye to see the lay of the land. The fallen leaves become food for pill bugs, slugs and earthworms. These macro organisms, along with microscopic fungi and bacteria, are breaking the tissues of the leaves down. In this way, the elements that were taken up by the plants are given back to the soil, to nourish future plant growth. The plants feed the soil and the soil feeds the plants, then the plants feed us. Nature is abundant in blessings, even in winter.
December 11, 2012
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
The garden will be going through major changes this winter. There are many fully grown, woody specimens to transplant in preparation for the new pathways planned for the top level of the Craft Village. In the pathway plan, a deciduous holly, given to the garden by the late Elizabeth Warner, will be sacrificed for a better entrance view of the Craft Village. It is too large to move, even with specialized equipment. I have a special attachment to this holly because, not only was it an expensive gift from one of the most dedicated persons to the Heritage Herb Garden, it is stunning. The canopy is covered with red berries throughout the winter. In March, flocks of yellow cedar waxwings will congregate in the tree for about a day and consume every one of the fleshy fruits.
December 4, 2012
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Weeds are plants that are not wanted where they are growing. A gardener cultivates nature to realize a vision within the garden boundary. Fighting weeds is inevitable.
Plants have specific life cycles and will, given healthy growth factors such as soil, light, temperature and water, live out their destinies unless we intervene. Annuals germinate from seed, grow leaves and stems, bloom, set ripe seed and then die in one season. Biennials germinate from seed, grow deep roots and lush vegetation during the first season and then, during the second season, produce flowers and set ripe seed before dying. Perennials may be born from seed or reproduce by vegetative means. They live for years and may also flower and disperse ripe seed every season. Understanding how plants procreate and spread and then taking action to prevent the encroachment of perennial stems and the dispersal of ripe seed is an important key to winning, eventually.
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
The Ozark Folk Center Craft Village has completed the 2012 season. The gardeners are now making ready for major changes to the gardens and pathways on the upper level of the village. All of the herbs that have been growing for years in the raised rock beds across from the Smoke House must be moved immediately to make way for new paths, sitting walls and gardens that will be built during the winter.
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October 22, 2012
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
A good rule that I learned from gardener and herbalist, Billy Joe Tatum is “transplant during the months that have
‘Rs’.” Here is the reason for the ‘R
’ rule. Starting in Septembe
r then moving on through Ma
rch, seasonal precipitation increases and the temperatures are cooler than in summer. Successful transplanting depends on the gardener’s ability to prevent the plant from drying out during and after the move and, of course, being sure that enough roots remain on the plant for reestablishment.
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October 16, 2012
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Suddenly, it is autumn, with vacillating temperatures, children back in school and the landscape ablaze in preparation for winter rest. These factors play together to the benefit of germs that attack the upper respiratory system, be they bacteria or virus. It has always been so; human bodies catch colds, especially when it gets cold outside.
Harvest Festival, at the Ozark Folk Center, showcases the seasonal activities of Ozark folks getting ready for winter. Food storage was of major importance, being that, during our time period, before the advent of rural electrification, an automobile in every driveway and a convenience store on every block, if you didn’t dehydrate, store roots in a cellar and can, you could starve! Making sure that plant remedies were put up and handy was just as important as having foodstuffs.
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September 24, 2012
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
On October 5 and 6, 2012, the Ozark Folk Center’s Heritage Herb Garden is excited to have Holly Shimizu presenting at the Herb Harvest Fall Festival. Ms. Shimizu hosted The Victory Garden for 12 years and returns to the show frequently. She is a horticultural visionary, serving as the Executive Director of the U.S. Botanic Garden and was formerly the Managing Director of the famous Lewis Ginter Garden in Richmond, Virginia. Furthermore, Holly Shimizu is a real gardener, and a warm human being who is delighted to be visiting the Ozarks. Friday, October 5, her topic is “Fragrance in the Garden”. Why is fragrance in the garden so underappreciated when it is our most powerful sense? Smell can take us to many places of our childhood; can influence what we eat, and even who we choose to love. This program will focus on many aspects of fragrant plants—the why and types of fragrances and the most essential plants to include in your fragrant garden. On Saturday, she will help interpret the garden connection between the Ozarks and North Africa. Surprisingly, some of our favorite garden plants have made their way here from North Africa. Home to horticultural riches including boxwood, grapes, almonds, Atlas cedars , butcher’s broom, cardoon and more, we will explore these outstanding plants, their uses and value, as well as the kinds of gardens where they would be grown in North Africa and here in the U.S.. Come meet Holly Shimizu and be inspired with enthusiasm for the world of plants.
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September 17, 2012
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.Cumin, Cuminum cyminum, is a spice that will be tasted during the Sumptuous Herb Harvest Supper on October 4 and Herb Harvest Fall Festival on Saturday, October 5. It is an ingredient in the Dukkah Dipping Sauce for the Serenity Farm sourdough and pita bread and of course, the Beets with Cumin, Garlic, Olive Oil and Mint to be served at the big dinner. Susan Belsinger is researching the herbs and spices of North Africa for her demonstration, Aromatic Condiments, Herb & Spice Blends of the Souq and reports that cumin is essential to North African cuisine, used in all the countries of the Maghreb as well as Egypt.
The plant is native to the Mediterranean region, particularly North Africa and, also, Central Asia. It is now cultivated in India, Turkey and China and is internationally used in many ethnic dishes. It is mentioned in the New and Old Testament. In ancient Greece, it was given its own container on the dining table, like salt and pepper are today.
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September 10, 2012
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.Coriander, the ripe, spicy seed of the herb we commonly call cilantro, has the Latin binomial, Coriandrum sativum. It is native to southwest Asia and, to my great delight and surprise, North Africa! The Herb Society of America’s Ozark Unit, our prestigious teachers and the Heritage Herb Gardeners are studying the herbal connection between North Africa and the Ozarks in preparation for the Sumptuous Herb Harvest Supper, October 4 and the Herb Harvest Fall Festival, October 5 and 6. The schedule and registration is posted at www.ozarkfolkcenter.com on the Herb Page.
The Heritage Herb Garden at the Ozark Folk Center graces the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and helps us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Rose is Herb of the Year 2012. It is used in remedies, cosmetics, dyes, food, religion and romance throughout the world. According to Maude Grieves, in A Modern Herbal, cultivated roses probably originated in ancient times in Northern Persia, on the Caspian Sea or Faristan, on the Gulf of Persia. Then, as with so many beneficial plants, rooted specimens and dried petals, the extracted oil and nutritious fruits became trade commodities. Merchants moved and are still transporting these fragrant products over land and sea and will connect the Ozarks with North Africa on October 4, during the Sumptuous Herb Harvest Supper and October 5 and 6 during the Herb Harvest Fall Festival.
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August 27, 2012
The Heritage Herb Gardens at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
Elder is Herb of the Year 2013. It is used in remedies, beverages and food throughout its native range. The use of elder,
Sambucus species links the Ozarks with North Africa, specifically Tunisia and Egypt. The herbal lore, gardening and cuisine of North Africa is the focus of the Sumptuous Herb Harvest Supper and Herb Harvest Fall Festival which will take place at the Ozark Folk Center on October 4 and October 5 and 6, 2012. The schedule and registration is posted at
www.ozarkfolkcenter.com on the herb page. The Sumptuous Herb Harvest Supper is almost full. If you want to attend, please call 870-269-3851 without delay.
Read MoreAugust 20, 2012
The Heritage Herb Gardens at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.Last week Yarb Tales began a discussion about Elder,
Sambucus nigra, which is Herb of the Year 2013. It has uses as medicine and food throughout its native range and beyond. It is but one of the plants that link the Ozarks with North Africa, which is the focus of the Sumptuous Herb Harvest Supper and Herb Harvest Fall Festival which will take place at the Ozark Folk Center on October 4 and October 5 and 6, 2012. The schedule is posted at
www.ozarkfolkcenter.com on the herb page. Yarb Tales will draw parallels between the herbs and spices North Africa and the Ozarks during the next several weeks.
The Heritage Herb Gardens at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
The Herb Harvest Fall Festival schedule is now posted at
www.ozarkfolkcenter.com on the herb page. This event, showcasing North Africa, completes the study of herbs, foods, medicines and folkways of the Mediterranean region.
The Ozark Folk Center interprets the time period of the Ozarks between 1840 and 1920 in the Craft Village and before 1940 in music. Plant resources caused explorers and conquerors to cross oceans and deserts and were even more necessary to settlements in the past as they are now. The study of herbs connects us to our roots, our present well-being and our future. Though Ozark settlers of European decent were mainly Scots-Irish, English and Italians, the herb and spice trade and cultural exchanges between these peoples had been going on for a long time before European settlements began in the Ozarks. Imagine how wonderful it would have been to sail to the New World from Europe, only to find a useful and beloved shrub of the hedgerows growing wild in America.
Read More August 6, 2012
The Heritage Herb Gardens at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
The Herb Harvest Fall Festival schedule is now posted at www.ozarkfolkcenter.com on the herb page. This event, showcasing North Africa, completes the study of herbs, foods, medicines and folkways of the Mediterranean region.
The Ozark Folk Center interprets the time period of the Ozarks between 1840 and 1940. This time in Ozark history brings to mind isolated settlers living in hand-hewn log cabins in the hills. These folks survived by raising hogs, corn, turnips, cabbage, potatoes, sweet potatoes and sorghum and helped to fill hungry bellies by hunting game, wild greens and native fruit. Spice bush (
Lindera benzoin) and dittany (
Culila origanoides) were the native plants that may have been used for seasoning while the exotic herbs, sage (
Salvia officinalis) and cayenne (
Capsicum annuum) were grown, by some, for seasoning pork sausage.
Read MoreJuly 30, 2012
The Heritage Herb Gardens at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
This summer beats all I’ve ever seen. Nonetheless, the most productive times of day are dawn and dusk. Watering and spraying activities are best done when sunrays are absent from the equation. Water droplets act as tiny magnifying glasses that concentrate photons on plant tissues. This burns leaves. Irrigate during these periods of the day because water evaporates faster from hot soil.
Here in the Heritage Herb Gardens we are giving individual care to our container plants. They can become hosts to mealy bugs, aphids, white flies, leafhoppers, grasshoppers and slugs if we are not actively interacting with the plants.
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July 23, 2012
The Heritage Herb Gardens at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.The Kitchen Garden, an island in the middle of the circular drive between the Skillet Restaurant and the Administration Building, is a garden containing successful volunteers. These are useful plants that reseed themselves from year to year and only need to be managed, because they can be described as having rampant growth.
This past week, much of the flat-leaf, Italian parsley seed was harvested from biennial plants in their second year. After cutting the seed heads into a large paper sack, the mother plants were pulled because their purpose had been served and the space they occupied is now needed. First- year volunteer parsley was abundant, more than all the restaurants in town could use. The lush growth blocked the flow of air throughout the garden, and blurred the lines between growing beds and pathways, as well as a sense of definition in the beds dedicated to hardy perennial Mediterranean herbs. The latter herbs object to pushy neighbors such as parsley and arugula and might actually die of fungal diseases if they are overcrowded without enough air circulation.
The Heritage Herb Gardens at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas, and help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.
This mean, hot dry spell is taking its toll on all living creatures. Irrigation is top priority for any plants worth saving. It is best to water in the early morning or after 4 p.m. When sun shines through water droplets on the surface of plant leaves, the photons of light are concentrated like a magnifying glass. This burns the very leaves you are trying to save.
This past week, the garden has been dry, a perfect condition for harvesting important herbal crops. Many kinds of seeds, everlasting flower heads and pods and Alliums have come in.
This week I am yet again thankful to Elizabeth Warner and Billy Joe Tatum for planting a Vitex agnus-castus in the original herb garden at the Ozark Folk Center. This huge shrub is also called chaste tree, monk’s pepper and summer lilac.
Thyme comes in varied forms and aromas. Garden thyme, Thymus vulgaris, releases a spicy essential oil when the leaves are bruised. This oil contains thymol, a highly antiseptic, anti-spasmotic, antifungal and anthelmintic (vermifuge or de-wormer) chemical. It gives the gardener pleasantly clean, scented air in which to work.