Buy a Dram, Save a Farm
On November 5, Bad Human posted about saving a historic mint farm. Since I’m a big fan of homeopathic medicines and using essential oils I decided to buy some oil to help them out. I’m not going to rewrite the fantastic article about this that Bad Human wrote, please head over to their blog to read about this cause.
A little about the farm:
The Crosby Mint Farm in St. Johns, Michigan, was founded in 1912 by J.E. Crosby Sr. on two acres. The now 140-acre farm has produced chemical-free spearmint and peppermint essential oils for 96 years:
“In addition to having what appears to be the oldest surviving still in the country, the Crosby Farms operation also appears to be the oldest mint farm in continuous operation in the United States. The key word here is “continuous” – that it has cultivated and processed mint since J.E. Crosby purchased the property before World War I.” — Ephraim K. Smith, President; Heritage Productions, Inc.
So how about purchasing some mint to help save a historic mint farm. I bought a few bottles of oil that I will be using to cooking and for medicinal uses. Head on over to their site and Buy a Dram, Save a Farm.
What can you use this mint for? Here are a few uses for mint oil.
Headaches – peppermint may ease headaches and migraines. Apply a rub to temple area in circular motion and across the forehead. For migraines, wet hair and put 4-5 drops into your hand and massage into the scalp.
Sinus Problems – Peppermint is very useful in reducing sinus congestion when added to a bowl of steaming or boiling water. A rub may be applied to chest, back of neck area, and behind ears. A few drops of oil in a vaporizer at night will help ease congestion as well.
Digestive System – Peppermint oil can help relax the muscles of the digestive tract to relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. One drop of peppermint oil on a sugar cube or used in tea may help relieve intestinal cramps.
Body Muscles & Arthritis – Peppermint oil is soothing to sore muscles when added to a hot bath or massage oil. Use this to soothe arthritis pain. Mix 4-5 drops of oil into 1 ounce of lotion and/or massage carrier oil.
Feet – Applied full strength, or mixed with a carrier oil, peppermint oil may relieve swollen feet and may reduce and assist in healing blisters, cuts, or athlete’s foot by killing bacteria.
Women Only – Relieve menstrual or abdominal cramps, add 1-2 drops of peppermint oil on a sugar cube or into an 8 ounce glass of water and drink. A toothpick dipped in oil works great for tea or water. Also helps to relieve Hot Flashes!
Flu Season?
For a sore throat, sparingly dip a cotton swab into mint oil and carefully apply to the back of the tongue area.
Relieve congestion by rubbing a few drops of peppermint oil on chest & covering with warm compress.
Add a few drops of mint oil to the water of a humidifier or vaporizer to keep it smelling fresh and kill germs.
Peppermint Oil is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal!
Looks like I won’t have any trouble using up my peppermint & spearmint oils. Any of you have any great tips or recipes using mint?
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Omnivore’s survey of 100 things eaten (or not)
I’ve seen this on several blogs this week so I thought I’d join in. I’ve eaten 50 things on the list that I know of, it would probably be a lot less if I hadn’t grown up in Colombia, S.A.
I realized that I do need to try a few more European & Asian foods though, if I drank alcohol I would have been able to bold a few more, but I’m kind of a dry person, a little wine here and there and some champagne on New Year’s is about the extent of my alcoholic beverage intake.
Here’s what I want you to do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Mark any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here with the link to your blog with you answers, I would love to see what’s bolded on your list and post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results (so far there are over 1170 comments)
The Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison – almost every year my dad gets a deer for us
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos Rancheros – very popular in Colombia, love love love them!
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile – does alligator count? I think so
6. Black pudding – they have this in Colombia – NO THANKS!
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht – my mom made a big pot of this once, sadly it all went down the toilet, none of us liked it. I should try it again.
10. Baba ghanoush.
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi – I’m a big fan of almost all things Indian
15. Hot dog from a street cart -sadly yes, from a cart in Cincinnati when I was in college
16. Epoisses – I think I ate this while in Europe, but not positive, I was in high school wasn’t paying attention to the names of foods.
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream – I prefer vanilla bean.
21. Heirloom tomatoes – are there any other kind you’d want to eat?
22. Fresh wild berries – oh yes, remember these?
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans – any kind of beans are good with me, particularly frijoles antioquenos, YUM!
25. Brawn or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper – no but I would like to
27. Dulce de leche – ooooo yeah, it’s called arequipe in Colombia.
28. Oysters – nope, never will.
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas – love Wasabi
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi – never salted but the mango ones are fantastic!
34. Sauerkraut – my dad makes the best on New Year’s Day!
35. Root beer float – yep, YUCK! no melted ice cream for me please.
36. Cognac with a fat cigar – nope but my friend Jennifer can blow a killer smoke ring!
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat – no, but I would love too
42. Whole insects – MMMM, fried ants, ate these when I was a kid in Colombia, we caught them ourselves and fried them up.
43. Phaal – don’t think so but maybe, I’d love to if I haven’t!
44. Goat’s milk – yeah, didn’t love it so much.
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more – nope rather spend my money on plants (this is a gardening blog after all)!
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel – don’t think so but maybe (sometimes you don’t ask what you get on your plate).
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut – Mr Chiot’s LOVES them, we often stop when they’re, “Hot & Fresh Now!”
50. Sea urchin – see eel.
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer – LOVE IT
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal – happy to say a big NO
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini – shaken or stirred? Just saw Quantum of Solace yesterday.
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine – I prefer mine with ketsup
60. Carob chips – yep but I prefer 60% dark chocolate chips
61. S’mores – of course
62. Sweetbreads – of course, who hasn’t. My fave is a roscon, a sweet bread filled with guava.
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst – not sure, perhaps in high school while in Germany
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs – yep, taste like chicken
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake – never funnel cakes or elephant ears but churros – yes
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain – yes, both ripe and green, one of my favorite foods! I just had some yesterday (see photo above).
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette – no thanks
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini – caviar, delicious.
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost – not the real stuff, I have made whey cheese myself, does this count?
75. Roadkill – we’ll see how bad this economy gets
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie – proudly NO
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong – no but I would like to
80. Bellini
81. Tom Yum
82. Eggs Benedict – no but I’ll be making them soon
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef – nope, I prefer mine local
86. Hare – yep dad hunted these as well.
87. Goulash – Hungarian is my fave.
88. Flowers – yep, our summer salads include nasturtiums
89. Horse – not that I know of, but do we really know what is in hot dogs?
90. Criollo chocolate – maybe
91. Spam – just a taste, I prefer Buehler’s red foil hams!
92. Soft shell crab – anything from the sea is good to me
93. Rose harissa – I made regular harissa once, next time I’ll put rose in it.
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano – any kind of mole is good in my book!
96. Bagel and lox – bagel and anything is good
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake
Check out Bad Human’s list of things eaten (or not) and Cheap Like Me did it as well.
Post your list on your blog and make a comment here with your list. I’d love to see what you’ve eaten (or not).
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Let it Snow, Let it Snow
This morning we woke up to a winter wonderland here at Chiot’s Run. It sure makes the day much brighter! We loaded up Lucy in the car to take her to vet to get those staples taken out and we enjoyed listening to some great Christmas music on the way! When we got home I snapped a few quick photos of some blooms covered in snow. Soon enough there won’t be any color left in the garden.
Larkspur in snow and ice
Aptly named, Carpet of Snow Alyssum.
A few marigolds are still hanging on, although I think this will be the end of them.
Kelly over at Brooklyn’s Blog posted about the snow they got, they got even more that we did up in Northern Indiana.
Anyone else out there get any measurable snow accumulation?
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Has it Really Been 10 Years?
Mr Chiot’s and I went to Cincinnati last week for our 10 year college reunion. We met up with a few friends: Kelly & Charlie, we finally got to meet little miss Brooklyn, we also visited with Steve & Kelly and my college roommate Danielle. We had a great, although short, trip. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since we graduated. We’re getting so old.
This is a photo of my friends and I on graduation day in 1998. It’s sad we all couldn’t be there, but I’m sure we’ll be planning a get-together soon (right girls?).
Lucy had a great time while we were gone. She got to spend the weekend at Grandma’s house, which is one of her favorite places. My mom always takes good care of her, spoiling her with treats and comfy blankets to sleep on, she definitely got top of the line care (thanks mom!). She’s healing up nicely from her election day mishap and early next week she’ll be headed back to the vet to get the staples out.
She’s going to have a nasty scar on her face/nose though, but she’ll still be cute as ever. We’ll have to come up with a new nickname for her.
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An Award?
Angie from Children in the Corn 
gave me an award. I’m not really sure what to do, I think I’m supposed to pass it on to a few blogs that I like. This is a great way to find new blogs, I’ll be checking out the other blogs that Angie gave an award to.
So who will I be passing this award on to?
Grow the Changes – a friend from Canada that’s making a great statement through her sustainable lifestyle.
Princess Mombi’s Friendatorium – a friend we met through our work, her blog is a collection of things she finds interesting and stories about what’s going on in her life.
2nd Mile Productions Blog – I couldn’t not include Mr Chiots in this list could I? This is the business Mr Chiots and I started 6 years ago (this is how we met Princess Mombi). Check out some of our work, this is what I do when I’m not gardening or cooking.
Bad Human! Don’t Take Chemical from Strangers – A blog I stumbled upon a while ago. I always enjoy reading about what other normal people are doing in other parts of the country.
Brooklyn Butler’s Blog – a friend of mine from college who’s blog chronicles her life with her little Rett angel Brooklyn.
I have so many great blogs that I read, but I couldn’t list them all (not enough room on the internet). I’ll be highlighting more of them in a few posts this winter.
Anyone else have any blogs they love reading that they’d like to pass along, yours or someone elses?
