Join the Creative HomeAcre Hop!

Is it warm where you are?  Hot?  June was a hot and rainy month here in Florida.  It was very hard on our tomatoes and peppers but our Basil is HUGE

Not sure what do do with all of your basil?
Try HomeGrown Basil Lemonade, Basil Walnut Pesto or even Pesto Viniagrette.  All are delicious! 

AND while I'm sharing recipes...
Check out Simple and Healthy Protein Shake recipes made with NON-GMO protein powder!!!

In case you missed it, I have added a NEW link on the left-hand side of my blog for Berkey Water Filtration Systems.  They are amazing and I'll share more about them very soon.  You can always click the link below for more information.



And now for the party!

 A Very Warm Welcome from  The Creative HomeAcre Hop hosts!

Kathy from Creative Home Expressions

Mary from Back to the Basics and Mary’s Kitchen

Alison from Mumtopia

Manuela from A Cultivated Nest 

Andrea from Opulent Cottage 

Lisa Lynn from The Self Sufficient HomeAcre!

That means that when you link up your posts each week, they will be viewed by even more people! Each host will be sharing her own picks for Featured Bloggers. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured and increases your exposure to new readers. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured!

I would love to have you follow me on Facebook: Mary's Heirloom seeds and GMO Free Worldwide, Google+ and Bloglovin! 

Featured Posts!

 My Favorite Real Food Waffles from Homestead on a Hill

This is PERFECT!  I've been craving waffles for a while...This might be my treat this weekend!

Thanks to all of the talented bloggers who linked up last week! If you would like to be featured, be sure to link back to the hop!
Grab the button if you were featured!

Now, on to your latest creations!

• Share up to 3 of your Creative Home posts featuring photography, creative writing, home cooking, eco-friendly crafts, home decor, vintage finds, objects d’ art, fiber arts and sewing, farm girl fashion, thrifty tips, food preservation and gardening helpers, hand made ‘wholesomeness’, and good ol’ fashioned homemaking news. If you have a creative side, I’d love to see what you’ve been working on! Etsy sellers are welcome to share here too.

• Please link back to the hop in your post. If you don’t take a couple of seconds to do this, you won’t be featured. I’ve created a couple of cute buttons for you to grab, or you can use a text link in your post. Thanks for sharing the hop with others!

• Pretty please, with cherries on top, go visit as many of the other bloggers posting as you can! The whole point of a hop is to build a community of like minded bloggers who share and support each other. We all love to hear from our visitors, so please leave thoughtful and kind comments when you visit!

• You are welcome to link your archived posts here, as long as all of the content you share is your own.

• Link your posts once. Please do not link the same post you linked last week! Let’s keep it fresh and fun!

• By linking your posts here you are agreeing to let us share your post and images on social media and our blogs.

• Happy hopping!

Homemade Chamomile Tincture RESULTS

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

I am happy to be back in Florida and back into my routine.  I had an AMAZING time in California and I can't wait to get back and visit my family again.  For now, it's time to get back to work!

Organic Whole Flower Chamomile

In January this year I shared a recipe for  
Homemade Chamomile Tincture and now I want to share our experience.  It Works!!!  My husband takes approx 
1/2 teaspoon every night before he goes to bed and he sleeps better 80-90% of the time.  
This is HUGE since we have had a bit going on lately and he is pretty stressed.

Stress?  Who has stress?  We moved our Chiropractic office June 1st, Open House 2 weeks later and then I LEFT to visit Family the third week in June.  YES...I'm crazy like that!

Back to the Chamomile Tincture...Not only has the herbal remedy helped us sleep better at night, it is a natural anti-inflammatory.  My husband noticed that his joints don't hurt as much both at the gym and out.  He lifts heavy weights at the gym!  Then again, so do I but I'm a bit younger than my husband.

So...Results?  I recommend that you try the recipe!
Please read the disclaimer for ALL herbal remedies!

Not sure where to find all of the ingredients and tools?  Don't want to wait until your chamomile grows and then dries? I can help! 
We added DIY Tincture kits over at Mary's Heirloom Seeds.  The herbs included in each "kit" are NON-GMO and Organic.  DIY Tincture Kits are available in 1 or 2 ounces of dried organic herbs.

DIY Chamomile Tincture Kit

 From the Website:

"Kits" purchased Monday-Friday ship within 24 hours via Priority Mail.
Tincture kits include:
1 - 32 ounce Glass Jar with lid, 1 - 2 ounce Amber Bottle with dropper top,
1 Re-Useable Strainer, 2 customizable labels (1 large, 1 small),
1 ounce of Organic Herbs (additional herbs available) and Detailed Instructions

I love these little kits!  If you live in the South Florida area they are now available for pick-up.  NO Shipping!!!

I LOVE to Blog!

Available at Mary's Heirloom Seeds

I started this blog several years ago to just simply share health and nutrition information.  Little did I know it would turn into something MUCH bigger.  It has changed my life!

From researching food and food production I learned more about GMOs.  From there I started an online heirloom seeds company 
Mary's Heirloom Seeds. 
THEN, I figured if 1 blog was good...2 must be GREAT!  In 2012 I created Mary's Kitchen for all of my wild and crazy, simple and healthy recipes AND published my own Cookbook! 

Crazy right?  I'm not done!  
Earlier this year I signed up with a company called It Works! Global.  This has been another Life Changing Opportunity.  Seriously!  The friends I have made, the lives I have touched and the Income I've earn have changed my life.  I would love to share with YOU if you are interested!

And now for something completely different...

Google reader is going away.  It's true!  But Bloglovin is here and it's Fantastic.  Bloglovin is a great way to catch all of your favorite blogs in one place.

It's easy to use, simple to set up and LOADS of fun!!!

Follow Back to the Basics on Bloglovin!

Mary's Kitchen is also on Bloglovin!

With Google Reader going away at the end of the month, Bloglovin is a GREAT place to be!

Before I go for the day, I'd like to invite you to "like" my facebook pages.  
I WILL like you back.  Check out 

Mary on fb 

Slim Down with Mary

GMO Free Worldwide 

Have a WONDERFUL day!!! 

Tuesdays with a Twist #12 with MORE Guests

Good Morning and welcome to another fantastic party!
<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/ad9dc0c5-5f80-4ed7-a18c-c6e9fb42d156_zpsde41d9bb.jpg"/></a>
We have an exciting announcement this week!  For the next 2 parties we'll be adding NEW co-hosts while I'm out of town visiting family!

That means your post will be seen on 4 different blogs!!!

We're your co-hosts Mary @ Back to the Basics and Joyce @ It's Your Life!  
Please give a warm welcome to Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
AND
Diane @ MamalDiane

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured!
My Features this Week are:

How to Make Yogurt in the Crockpot from Everything Home with Carol

Peach Cheesecake Parfait from Alderberry Hill

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/FeaturedMorningglory_zps96ec9fee.jpg"/></a>

We all love comments!  we try to comment on each and every link. 

Please hop around and show some love!

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Saturday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!

Tuesdays with a Twist #11 with GUESTS!

Good Morning and welcome to another fantastic party!
<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/ad9dc0c5-5f80-4ed7-a18c-c6e9fb42d156_zpsde41d9bb.jpg"/></a>
We have an exciting announcement this week!  For the next 2 parties we'll be adding NEW co-hosts while I'm is out of town visiting family! That means your post will be seen on 3 different blogs!!!

We're your co-hosts 
Mary @ Back to the Basics and Joyce @ It's Your Life!  

Please give a warm welcome to Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured!
*I'm choosing LOTS of features this week since I was MIA last week!  
I told you I'd make it up to you!*
 
My Features this Week are:

GMOs: One More Reason to Eat Probiotic Foods 

from Yearning and Learning

Homemade Strawberry Vodka from Pink Recipe Box (YUM!)

Watermelon Mint Iced Tea from Family Home and Life

LOVE this idea.  So far hubby loves the HomeGrown Basil Lemonade so much I've almost stripped several old plants!

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/FeaturedMorningglory_zps96ec9fee.jpg"/></a>

We all love comments!  we try to comment on each and every link. 

Please hop around and show some love!

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Saturday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!

 

Chamomile and Pregnancy

Let me start by saying...No Mom, I'm NOT pregnant.

Last week I had a question come from Mary's Basics/Doc's Herbal Tea.  They were looking into using Chamomile during pregnancy.
Round and round the internet they came across my post about the
Health Benefits of Chamomile (a REALLY good read BTW) and
DIY Chamomile Tincture.

Organic Whole Flower Chamomile

The question was: 
"I was just wandering why you mention not using it in pregnancy?"

Here's my disclaimer from the post 
" Chamomile is contraindicated during pregnancy. Not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history."

Chamomile during pregnancy is tricky.  Herbal medicine can be tricky since no one person is the same.  Each person might react differently  to the same herbal remedy.  If you scour the internet you'll find very valid points for not using chamomile and personal stories of using the herb during pregnancy.

DIY Chamomile Tincture Kit

Here are a few links with why you should not take Chamomile while pregnant:
WebMD

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/chamomile-tea-may-not-be-safe-during-pregnancy/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/435177-is-chamomile-tea-safe-during-early-pregnancy/

On the other hand, there are plenty of people who say that Chamomile has helped them:

Babycenter 
Parenting

The thing is, I'm not pregnant and I've never been pregnant.  I do know that it is important to discuss herbs, supplements and medications with your qualified healthcare provider.  
This doesn't necessarily mean a medical doctor.  Many people go to herbalists, Osteopath and Chiropractors instead of MDs.  I do!  

The bottom line...If you're not sure, Ask a professional!  And by professional I do NOT mean a forum, your next door neighbor or someone who thinks "they know so much about so many things that they're 'practically' a professional."  We all know one of those people.

Ready to brew some Chamomile tea!

Stop by tomorrow for Tuesdays with a Twist!
 

Welcome to Another Creative HomeAcre Hop!

Happy Father's Day!  I can't wait to see my dad this week!

There has been so much going on in our little slice of paradise.  We hosted an Open House in our brand new Chiropractic Wellness Center.  It was great!  I served Purple Basil Lemonade (it came out pink)!!!

It's been pretty hot the last 3 days after several weeks of rain every day.  Literally EVERY day!  And now I'm looking forward to visiting family next week.  *While I type this...the rest of the house is asleep except for Lucy and I.  She wants more attention so she's biting my fingers and walking across my keyboard!  Lucy is the "kitten."

Before I get to the party...The 2 For 1 Heirloom Seed Special ENDS Tuesday at noon!  This is NOT announced on the website.  It is just for YOU!

Serrano Peppers!!!

And now for the party!

 A Very Warm Welcome from  The Creative HomeAcre Hop hosts!

Kathy from Creative Home Expressions

Mary from Back to the Basics and Mary’s Kitchen

Alison from Mumtopia

Manuela from A Cultivated Nest

Andrea from Opulent Cottage

Lisa Lynn from The Self Sufficient HomeAcre!

That means that when you link up your posts each week, they will be viewed by even more people! Each host will be sharing her own picks for Featured Bloggers. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured and increases your exposure to new readers. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured!

I would love to have you follow me on Facebook: Mary's and GMO Free Worldwide, Google+ and Bloglovin!

 Featured Posts!

Quinoa Love and a Fruity Quinoa Loaf from Jenn's Random Scraps

Thanks to all of the talented bloggers who linked up last week! If you would like to be featured, be sure to link back to the hop!
Grab the button if you were featured!

Now, on to your latest creations!

• Share up to 3 of your Creative Home posts featuring photography, creative writing, home cooking, eco-friendly crafts, home decor, vintage finds, objects d’ art, fiber arts and sewing, farm girl fashion, thrifty tips, food preservation and gardening helpers, hand made ‘wholesomeness’, and good ol’ fashioned homemaking news. If you have a creative side, I’d love to see what you’ve been working on! Etsy sellers are welcome to share here too.

• Please link back to the hop in your post. If you don’t take a couple of seconds to do this, you won’t be featured. I’ve created a couple of cute buttons for you to grab, or you can use a text link in your post. Thanks for sharing the hop with others!

• Pretty please, with cherries on top, go visit as many of the other bloggers posting as you can! The whole point of a hop is to build a community of like minded bloggers who share and support each other. We all love to hear from our visitors, so please leave thoughtful and kind comments when you visit!

• You are welcome to link your archived posts here, as long as all of the content you share is your own.

• Link your posts once. Please do not link the same post you linked last week! Let’s keep it fresh and fun!

• By linking your posts here you are agreeing to let us share your post and images on social media and our blogs.

• Happy hopping!

Heirloom Seed Specials: 2 For 1 Ends Tuesday!

Just a quick reminder...The 2 FOR 1 Heirloom Seed Special will END Tuesday, June 18th at noon!

Roma Tomatoes

Order ANY variety of Tomatoes and 

get a second for FREE!  

*Excludes Marglobe Tomatoes*

 Order Genovese Basil and 

get a second pack FREE!

Genovese Basil

 Jalapeno, Serrano, Cal Wonder, Anaheim Peppers 

Serrano Peppers

 and Golden Marconi Peppers are also 2 for 1!

Golden Marconi Peppers

Shipping is FREE on heirloom seeds! 

*ALL orders placed Monday-Friday ship 

within 24 hours (except for holidays)*

Mary's Heirloom Seeds will be "on vacation" from June 18-25th.

All seed orders placed during these days will be processed

in the order they were received and will ship June 26-27th. 

 

Check out the Dark Purple Opal Basil!!!

That's all for now!  Stop by tomorrow and link up for

 The Creative HomeAcre Hop!

Guest Post: How to Keep Garden Pests Away Naturally

Good Morning and HAPPY FRIDAY!!  We just recently put the word out that we are looking for 2 additional co-hosts for Tuesdays with a Twist while I am out of town.  If you're interested please send me an email with your info.  
mari_backtonature@yahoo.com

PLUS, I am looking for guests for Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen.  Interested?

Today we have Maya from Pets and Pests.  This is perfect timing since my mom was just asking me about how to keep the rabbits and other pests from eating her plants.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maintaining a nice garden is a time-consuming (yet incredibly rewarding) task. There’s watering, weeding, planting, pruning, and more, but one of the most difficult parts of gardening is keeping the garden pest-free. Maybe squirrels are always chomping your bulbs, or maybe you can’t figure out what is munching all your tomatoes. 

photo credit: gardener41

While there are many manmade chemical products you can use to rid your garden of pests, (like deer, rabbits, slugs and other invaders) nature’s got her own chemicals we can borrow. Plus, pesticides can end up doing more harm than good for your plants themselves. This article is all about keeping your garden pests away the old-fashioned way.

Slugs are one of the most persistent and irritating of garden pests. They are hard to find, yet they can irreversibly damage your plants. The first thing to do to get rid of those nasty slugs is to spread some coffee grounds around your garden. Unlike humans, slugs cannot stand coffee grounds, nor can cats or deer. The coffee grounds actually possess an added bonus because they contain nitrogen which is an essential element for all healthy gardens.

Slugs are fairly easy to handle versus bigger pests that are a huge nuisance for your garden. Naturally, putting up a fence is one way to keep those mammals out. If that is not a viable option for you, things might be a bit more complicated. However, nature has a few tricks up her sleeve to offer. 

For larger garden pests, blood meal is a great way to keep them out, and yes, it is exactly what you might be thinking it is: dried up animal blood.  Interestingly enough, the bigger pests such as deer, rabbits, and raccoons cannot stand the smell of blood, and will stay far from your plants if you use it. Additionally, blood meal is full of high amounts of nitrogen which acts as a great fertilizer. 

If blood meal really isn’t your thing, you can also try using fox or coyote urine. Put some small drops of urine all around the garden. The smell of a predator will frighten the raccoons, rabbits, deer, and squirrels. Because the predator’s “scent” lingers even after the urine dries, a little of it goes a long way. Once there is a good rain, you can reapply the urine. The other piece of good news is that a bottle should cost less than $30. 

Starting your garden, growing all your plants, and keeping them safe from pesky pests can be a challenge. Hopefully, some of these tips will enable you to keep your bulbs, fruits, and veggies all for yourself this year – unless you choose to share with friends and family!

Author Bio: Maya Rodgers is an avid gardener, amateur salsa-maker (since she grows mostly peppers and tomatoes), and spends her days as a pest control consultant for Terminix. Hopefully by the end of this summer she’ll have lots of salsa to eat and share! She can be found blogging at Pets and Pests.

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I'm sharing this great garden post HERE.