Posts Tagged ‘gardening’
|What to plant in your garden
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010
Many of the practitioners at Nature Cures Clinic maintain a vibrant garden in their backyards, to foster good health. Since we’re focusing on organic gardening and organic food this month, Dr. Hilary Costello has compiled a list of essentials for starting your own garden.
If you’re interested in starting a garden, but don’t know what to plant, this list might give you some ideas:
Culinary Herbs (also medicinal):
Rosemary (boosts circulation, memory, and brain function)
Basil (great fresh in salads or sauteed, perfect green addition to any meal, rich in vitamins and minerals)
Garlic (immune support)
Sage (drying, respiratory support)
Thyme (drying, respiratory support)
Mint (calms digestive discomfort)
Medicinal Herbs:
Aloe (cooling & healing for skin issues, GI health)
Comfrey (poultice for skin issues)
Lemon balm (antiviral)
Valerian( attracts butterflies and beneficial insects)
Echinacea (immune support)
Vegetables/Fruits
Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, marionberries, etc.)
Apple tree
Fig tree
Onions, garlic, leeks, scallion
Parsley, cilantro, basil
Tomatoes!!!
* Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, Swiss chard, cabbage, beet greens, lettuce* — super easy for all levels of gardeners
Peppers (sweet and hot)
Eggplant
Also, check out Dr. Costello’s Spring Garden Tour video on the Nature Cures Clinic site.
Tags: culinary herbs, Dr. Hilary Costello, gardening, medicinal herbs, organic
Posted in Articles by our Doctors, Dr. Hilary Costello | Comments Off
Community-Supported Agriculture: What is it?
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
By Dr. JJ Pursell
Nature Cures Clinic physician
Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Community Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Typically, members or “share-holders” of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer’s salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, typically a big beautiful box of fresh seasonal harvest to take home and enjoy.
Some Advantages for consumers:
- Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
- Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
- Find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm – even veggies they’ve never been known to eat
- Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown
Tags: CSA, fruits and vegetables, gardening
Posted in Articles by our Doctors, Dr JJ PursellXX, Dr. Hilary Costello | Comments Off
Food For Thought
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
by Dr. Rose Paisley
Nature Cures Clinic physician
My daughter Lola’s elementary school has been working towards building an edible garden. The goal is to bring the classroom outdoors, bring beauty to the campus, and eventually bring the harvest into the school lunch program. Through the process of preparing soil, planting seeds, watering, weeding, and harvesting, the students will be able to take a life-skills approach to math, reading and science. I am thrilled, grateful for my community, and very inspired.
Lola and I have been discussing the garden quite a bit, even more so lately because of a contest. The kids and their parents have been asked to come up with a name for the garden, and to design the gate. We decided on “Food for Thought.” We thought that was pretty clever. Together we drew some sketches of the food for thought concept. While we worked we talked about the importance of good food and food as medicine. I explained, for the hundredth time, that proper nutrition is essential for brain development, that it can dictate mood and behavior and support cognition, and that fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables are the source of the vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, fiber, and carbohydrates that we need to grow. After a while we found ourselves smiling at a silhouette of two heads facing one another. The heads were filled with kids playing, learning, and gardening, all surrounded with a myriad of colorful fruits, veggies and flowers.
Tags: fruits and vegetables, gardening
Posted in Articles by our Doctors, Dr. Rose Paisley | 3 Comments »