BeWitchen Kitchen Herbary & Tea Garden LLC

12/26/2024

So big but so gentle he's approachable loving and possibly going to a new home to make babies ...he listens well also for having such huge huevos...hehe🤭😂🤨

12/26/2024

White face has been hanging out with us ,up here lately,he likes the Ladies 😂🤭 he's a super gentle beast for the most part.... But he can really kill some trees hopefully he goes to his new home soon. . My mom is resting with her two kitties and he's just outside the door ...😍

12/26/2024

January 4th I'll be at Kaimu market !!!🌴💚
With some of my lovelies , fresh Tea ,Tisanes and Elixirs
Fruit from my farm, burnt basque cheesecake chocolate ,ube and butterfly pea flower, Our homemade Banana pudding, Homemade organic chili and cornbread cake .... See you there and hopefully by then we have some herbs also in stock and bagged up and ready for you...

12/26/2024

We celebrate Yuletide,our Christmas was successful but we'll be celebrating until New Year's... It's a beautiful day here on the Big Island of Hawaii our lava flow has taken a break for now that doesn't mean Madame Pele is finished just taken a breather 🤭🌴

12/16/2024

New things happening on the farm
Love me some moss!!💚

11/26/2024

Sage 🌿 (Salvia officinals): The Herb of Thanksgiving...
Ever wonder why we put sage in stuffing? 🦃
Today we understand that sage is an antibacterial herb. Our ancestors also knew that to ensure food safety, it was best to add an abundance of sage to the stuffing or 'belly pudding' and rub the bird inside and out with salt before filling the cavity (where we know today bacteria is most likely to form). Scientific studies can now help us understand why many of our 'classic flavor combinations', demonstrate that our ancestors knew a great deal about preserving food, food quality and health - leading to the old adage that 'The cook is half a physician'.
Sage is also synonymous with wisdom. In fact, it might be said that many an 'old sage' gained her wisdom from the use of sage. "As far back as 1597, herbalist John Gerard wrote that sage was 'singularly good for the head and brain and quickeneth the nerves and memory.' Half a century later, Nicholas Culpeper, claimed the herb 'heals the memory, warming and quickening the senses".
The Latin name for Sage is Salvia which translates to "Life"...so add some life to your holiday foods this season with Salvia officinalis or our common perennial garden sage!
*(I also love to make cornmeal, apricot, sage cookies, and a pot of sage tea to ring in the beginning of the cold season). What is your favorite way to use sage?
Happy Thanksgiving

Sage Woodcut - Leonhart Fuchs 1501–1566

11/26/2024

Been awhile lots has happened and I'm no longer promoting my Nevada high desert farm I'm back home in Hawaii I'll be posting all new content for our 60 acres of cattle and from our Kapoho herbal farm in the Big Island of Hawaii so welcome to all new beginnings and blessings...watch us restore our Aina and make our farm great again ..

10/18/2024

09/17/2024

Goldenrod syrup is a delightful and versatile syrup that can be used to sweeten teas, drizzle over pancakes, or even mix into cocktails.

Here's how you can make it!

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh goldenrod flowers (make sure they are clean and free from insects)
2 cups water
2 cups sugar (you can use honey as a substitute for a richer flavor)
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:
Harvest and Prepare the Goldenrod:
Forage goldenrod flowers from a clean, pollution-free area. Choose bright yellow flowers that are fully open.
Gently rinse the flowers to remove any dirt or insects. Pat them dry with a clean towel.

Make the Goldenrod Infusion:
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan.
Once boiling, remove the saucepan from heat and add the goldenrod flowers to the water.

Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the flowers steep for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how strong you want the infusion to be.

After steeping, strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove the flowers. You should be left with a fragrant, golden-colored liquid.

Create the Syrup:
Return the strained goldenrod infusion to the saucepan.
Add the sugar (or honey) to the infusion and stir to combine.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved.

If you’re using lemon juice, add it to the mixture now. This will help preserve the syrup and add a slight tanginess.
Once the sugar is dissolved and the syrup has slightly thickened (this usually takes about 5-10 minutes), remove the saucepan from heat.

Bottle the Syrup:
Allow the syrup to cool slightly.
Pour the syrup into a sterilized glass bottle or jar using a funnel. Seal the bottle or jar tightly.

Storage:
Store the goldenrod syrup in the refrigerator. It should last for several weeks.

Happy foraging! 🍂🍂

09/09/2024

Transform Your Garden: Powerful Free Fertilizer Using Banana Peels and Eggshells
1. Banana Peel Fertilizer: Banana peels are rich in potassium, which is essential for fruit development.
2. Preparing Banana Peel Fertilizer:
Chop banana peels into small pieces.
Bury the pieces in the soil near the base of the plant or soak them in water for a few days to create a liquid fertilizer.
3. Applying Banana Peel Fertilizer: Use the banana peel pieces directly in the soil or pour the banana-infused water around the plants.
4. Eggshell Fertilizer: Eggshells provide calcium, which strengthens plant cell walls and promotes healthy fruit growth.
5. Preparing Eggshell Fertilizer: Crush dried eggshells into a fine powder using a blender or mortar and pestle.
6. Applying Eggshell Fertilizer: Sprinkle the eggshell powder around the base of the plants or mix it into the soil.
7. Combining Fertilizers: For best results, combine both banana peel and eggshell fertilizers to provide a balanced nutrient supply.
8. Frequency of Application: Apply these homemade fertilizers once a month during the growing season for optimal fruit production.
Enjoy a Bountiful Harvest
Use these simple homemade fertilizers to enhance the fruit-bearing capacity of your plants and enjoy a more productive garden.

09/04/2024

Quick Guide to Multiplying Your Sansevieria: From One Plant to Many

1. Tools Needed:
Gather a sharp knife or scissors, pots, and well-draining soil.

2. Leaf Cuttings Method:
Cut a healthy leaf into 3-4 inch sections.
Let the cuttings dry for a few days to callous over.
Plant the cuttings in soil, ensuring they are upright.

3. Division Method:
Remove the plant from its pot and gently separate the root clumps.
Replant the separated sections in new pots with fresh soil.

4. Watering and Care:
Water the new plants sparingly until roots are established.
Place in a bright, indirect light location for optimal growth.

5. Patience and Observation:
Be patient, as new growth may take several weeks.
Monitor for signs of new shoots and root development.

Conclusion: Enjoy Your New Plants
Follow these steps to successfully propagate and enjoy multiple Sansevieria plants.

09/04/2024

THE OLD FRIENDSHIP OF BLUEBERRIES AND SWEET FERN:

In the time before refrigeration, Ojibwe folks kept their blueberry harvest fresh by lining their birchbark storage containers with a plant called sweet fern that often grows right alongside blueberry bushes!

The leaves of sweet fern produce a compound called gallic acid,
which is a potent anti-microbial and keeps harmful bacteria like salmonella from growing on the berries.
It's name in the Ojibwe dialect
I've learned is "giba`iganiminzh" meaning "it covers the berries" because of this usage and its contribution to keeping the precious staple food of minan (blueberries) fresh!

I don't use a birchbark container but I do pop a few sprigs of sweet fern into my gathering bag when out picking and then into my tupperware when storing berries to remember and utilize the gifts of this wonderful plant!

(Sweet fern can also be used as a medicinal tea to help the intestines and colon!
And when added to a fire, the smoke will help keep away mosquitos and horse flies--in addition to smelling lovely!)

07/25/2024

I am my mother's savage daughter
The one who runs barefoot
Cursing sharp stones
I am my mother's savage daughter
I will not cut my hair
I will not lower my voice

My mother's child is a savage
She looks for her omens in the colors of stones
In the faces of cats, in the falling of feathers
In the dancing of fire
In the curve of old bones

We are all brought forth out of darkness
Into this world, through blood and through pain
And deep in our bones, the old songs are waking
So sing them with voices of thunder and rain

-Wyndreth Berginsdottir