Glorious Garden, Savory Summer

     Today is one of those summer days that you just want to soak into your body and save for the dark days of winter. The weather is clear and breezy with sun galore, perfect for all your outdoor ventures. It's also the time of year when the garden is bursting with goodness. The powerful fresh herbs make masterpieces of a simple dinner, the tomatoes slowly ripen on the vine, and lettuces and peas still make an appearance with sweetness if you're lucky. And, as they say, it's puttin' up time. Canning, freezing, drying, and storing these jewels so they can reappear in cold weather's simmering sauces, soups, and baked delights. I always need to remind myself that despite appearances, those days will come again and the bounty will cease.

Bees are our friends!

    After an uncharacteristically crisp run this morning, I went out to the garden to do a little harvesting. Lavender for cookies and ice cream; basil, sage, and thyme for chicken, fish, and sauces; comfrey tea for composting and medicinals; mixed mints for tea, desserts, and beverages; lettuces for my salad today.

     There are three ways I'm saving my herbs. For things that will simmer or bake, I can freeze the accompanying herbs in ice cube trays to be tossed in for the cooking process. Same for some of the mints that wouldn't work well dried (as in beverages). Others will be dried hanging in lovely little bundles (lavender and mints for hot tea). The large spiny comfrey leaves are dried on low in the microwave, then crumbled into an airtight container.

     Speaking of comfrey, I learned today that it is pretty amazing. Contrary to what I originally thought, you probably shouldn't drink it or take it internally due to high levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can damage the liver. But! It's a great fertilizer when blended with water due to high potassium and nitrogen levels. This particular crop was gifted upon me by my gardening guru - a little old Mennonite lady named Verna. She goes on walks around the neighborhood and often stops to talk and share her wisdom. She believes that everything that comes out of the garden should go back into the garden and is fond of using weeds as mulch. I stuffed a bunch of the leaves into my single smoothie blender to liquify with water and poured the lot on my tomato plants. Let the magic happen. It's also been used for 3,000 years as an external medicine to heal skin issues especially. Add it to your bath, use it in a poultice, have at it.

Comfrey "tea"

     And more importantly, get outside today!