I told someone recently that my desire to eat locally is "Not an addiction recovery program but something I can dop to bring awareness to the importance of building a strong local community and attempting to become less reliant on fossil fuels. So yes I am drinking black tea and coffee! Looking back on the past week I would say I am averaging 70%-80% locally grown food and supporting a local business whenever I can (i had a really good chicken stew at Elmers last night).


Ode to Prunus persica:

Peaches originated in China and made their way West in classical times by way of Alexander the Great and the Romans. They eventually arrived in the Americas with the Spaniards during the 16th century. Chinese legend says that peaches bestow immortality. With its large central pit, the peach is related to the other stone fruits: apricot, almond, cherry, and plum.

I am most enjoying the peaches eating several a day! It is a good year for them......the last time I enjoyed them so much was while I was pregnant....delicious. I am saving the pits to make my favorite winter tea. Have you ever made Peach Pit Tea? This recipe comes by way of one of my herbal teachers and good friends Kate Gilday of WOODLAND ESSENCE (Yes, the same place I learnt to make the Ash bark baskets.

Peach pit tea is one of my favorite home remedies to strengthen the immune & lymph systems and to help to ward off colds and flus. It is totally safe and delicious, great for children too. So start to collect and dry the pits from all those locally grown juicy peaches you eat during the summer months. (To prevent them from molding, wash the pit thoroughly in water before drying.) Here’s how you brew it. Pour 1 quart of water over 6 peach pits. Simmer for half to 1 hour. Strain out the pits & drink this naturally sweet tea. The pits can be reused 2-3 times before returning to the earth. Make sure you are using pits that do not have cracks in them as the seed can contain high levels of hydrogen cyanide, a poison that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. This toxin is readily detected by its bitter taste.

You can slice, poach, candy, dry, cook, can, or freeze peaches. To peel peaches, blanch them in boiling water for a few seconds, then plunge them into cold water until they are cool enough to handle; the skin will slip right off. Add them to yogurt, ice cream, fruit salads, tarts, or breakfast cereal. Peaches work well as the single fruit in cobblers, pies, turnovers, crepes, sorbets, soufflés, jams or jellies, marinades, and juiced. Spiced peaches make an excellent side dish with winter meals. Peaches can also be distilled in brandy and liqueurs.




I am loving this Flickr alphabet! You can play too here! click here!

I am looking forward to Apple Cider!! and still searching for local sunflower seeds!!