doTERRA GIVEAWAY and Real Food Friday!

Are you looking for REAL food recipes?  Do you know what classifies as REAL food?
Every Thursday @ 7pm EST, Mary's Kitchen and several other amazing bloggers host REAL Food Friday (link-up).  

In case you missed "What is Real Food" here's a recap...

I know "Real" food may not seem like as much fun as the sugary, chemically, DIY recipes out there on the internet.  This is why REAL Food Friday is so unique.  This is the place to share your unprocessed, gmo-free, locally grown and/or fair trade posts.  We are trying to make a difference 1 recipe at a time!

If your post includes items like *margarine, *granulated sugar, *food dye, packaged baking mixed with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (betty crocker, duncan hines, pillsbury) then it WILL be deleted.  These are garbage ingredients.  Sorry...Not real food.

Are you growing your own veggies this year?

We'd like to hear from YOU!  Please feel free to share your organic, non-GMO gardening posts @ Real Food Friday! 
Check out my 2014 Planting Guide and APRIL Seed Planting Guide

Join us tonight for the link-up...And now for our GIVEAWAY!

My name is Janine Thompson, dōTERRA wellness advocate and blogger at My Lamp is Full. I am excited to offer an amazing treasure, a gift from the earth. One of the most popular oils in our house is dōTERRA Deep Blue! It was all my husband requested for Christmas. It is a treasure for sore muscles, sprains and bruises, and joint pain. To help you ease your pain, both in your muscles and in your budget, I am offering a free Deep Blue rub and 5 ml Deep Blue oil, a value of $81.67. For my worst pain, I like to put a drop of the oil, followed by a dab of the cream. Ahh, beautiful deep relief.



 dōTERRA is committed to bringing you the highest quality essential oils. It is the largest essential oils company in the world and for good reason. The quality surpasses all others. All oils are sourced indigenously where local farmers lovingly grow the very best plants and distill with care. Each individual batch undergoes extensive testing and if it doesn't come back free from pesticides, synthetics and impurities, it does not get bottled!

You don't have to wait to get a great deal on these therapeutic grade essential oils, sign up today for a wholesale account (click join on the top right corner) to get 25% off retail and earn free product. Or become a wellness advocate yourself and share with others to get dōTERRA for free.

Good luck! Can't wait to share this Deep Blue with one of you!!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyLampIsFull

Google+: https://plus.google.com/118218230818766955885

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/oilsokc/

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Tuesdays with a Twist #51

Good Morning and Welcome to another No Rules Party!
Yesterday I shared our APRIL Seed Planting Guide for the US
to give you an idea of what to plant in your area.

Anise Hyssop is a bee-friendly, medicinal and culinary herb

 AND Sunday I shared more about DIY Tinctures and Herbal Remedies

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We're your hosts 

Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen
Joyce @ It's Your Life! 
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Back again for March is Debra @ MsMoozy's Open House

Features!
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! 
There were so many last week it was difficult to choose!
 
My Features this Week are:

A Breakfast Trick from True Love and Homegrown

Living a Life UnProcessed from My Lamp is Full

Water Storage Tank from Making Our Sustainable Life

5 Reasons to Use Organic Heirloom Seeds from Organic4Greenlivings

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>

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday 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!

APRIL Seed Planting Guide for the US by Region

Did you hear?  It's officially SPRING!!!  

Time to get out and Plant those Heirloom Seeds!

Mary's Heirloom Seeds Newsletter APRIL Seed Planting Guide Quick Links Seeds of the Month Supplies Beans and Corn Heirloom Seeds Heirloom GREENS   Heirloom Peppers Heirloom Tomatoes Specialty Heirlooms HERBS Organic Wildflowers Seed Combo Packs NEW!!   SORREL  LEMONGRASS Chinese 5-Color Peppers Burgundy Okra Golden Beets Romanesco Italia Broccoli Mary's Tincture Shop Plant a Bee-Friendly Garden with Organic   Wildflower Seeds! SPRING is here!  Below are suggestions for seed-starting in APRIL by region for the US.  You might be Seed Starting Indoors if it's still cold outside. These are only suggestions.  We'd love to hear from YOU! APRIL Seed Starting by Region GULF COAST  Sow Outdoors: Arugula, Beans, Beets, Corn, Lettuce, Kale Melon, Okra, Peas, Peppers, Radish, Squash, Tomatoes, Turnips and Watermelon.  Transplant Eggplant, Cucumber, Peppers, Squash and Tomatoes HERBS and Wildflowers! SOUTHWEST   Sow Outdoors: Beans, Carrots, Corn, Melons, Okra, Peas, Peppers, Radish, Scallions, Spinach, Squash (summer) and Watermelon.  Transplant: Cucumbers, Eggplant,Peppers and Tomatoes. Herbs: Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon and Thyme.  Don't forget the Wildflowers! PACIFIC NORTHWEST Sow Indoors/Outdoors:  Artichoke, Asparagus, Beats, Beans, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Kale, Leek, Lettuce, Melons, Onion, Peas, Radicchio, Scallions, Spinach, Tomatoes and HERBS!   SOUTHERN INTERIOR  Arugula, Beans, Beets, Carrots, Chard, Corn, Cucumber,  Endive, Lettuce, Melon, Okra, Pak Choy, Parsnips, Peas, Radish, Sorrel, Spinach, Turnips and Watermelon Transplant: Asparagus, Broccoli, Eggplant, Leeks, Peppers and Tomatoes Herbs: Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley, Sage, Thyme and Wildflowers! CENTRAL MIDWEST  Sow Indoors: Eggplant, Peppers and Tomatoes. Indoor Herbs: Basil, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage and Thyme. Sow Outdoors: Arugula, Beets, Carrots, Chard, Endive, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Pak Choy, Parsnips, Peas, Radish, Raddiccio, Radish, Scallion, Sorrel, Spinach and Turnips. Indoor Herbs: Basil. Outdoor herbs: Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley, Sage, Tarragon and Thyme. NORTH CENTRAL ROCKIES Sow Indoors: Celery, Chard, Eggplant, Endive, Leek, Lettuce, Peppers, Radicchio, Scallion, and Tomato. Sow Outdoors: Beans, Beets, Carrots, Endive, Kale, Lettuce, Peas, Scallions, Spinach and Turnips. Herbs: Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon and Thyme. MID-ATLANTIC  Sow Indoors: Celery, Eggplant, Peppers and Tomatoes.  Sow Outdoors: Arugula, Beets, Carrots, Chard, Endive, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Pak Choy, Parsnips, Peas, Radish, Raddiccio, Radish, Scallion, Sorrel, Spinach and Turnips. Indoor Herbs: Basil. Outdoor herbs: Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley, Sage, Tarragon and Thyme. MARITIME CANADA & NEW ENGLAND Sow Indoors: Celery, Chard, Leeks, Peppers and Tomato. Sow Outdoors: Beets, Carrots, Chard, Endive, Kale, Lettuce, Pak Choy, Peas, Radish, Rutabaga, Scallions, Sorrel, Spinach and Turnips. Indoor Herbs:  Basil, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon and Thyme. Outdoor Herbs: Cilantro, Chives and Parsley  HELPFUL LINKS:  2014 Planting Guide Using Diatomaceous Earth for Organic Pest Control Top 10 Crops with Companion Plants Recycling in Your Garden and More All of the seeds listed are open-pollinated, non-gmo and non-hybrid,non-patented, untreated, heirloom seeds. Mary has signed the Safe Seed pledge.   Seed Orders placed Monday-Thursday are shipped within 24 hours, except for holidays.  Free Shipping on all Heirloom Seeds within the US!   There you have it!!!  What are YOU planting in APRIL? -Mary                                      Mary's Heirloom Seeds Find us at the Yellow Green Farmer's Market Saturdays and Sundays from 8am-4pm

NEW DIY Herbal Tincture Kits and Recipes

It's official...we just added 2 NEW DIY Tincture Kits @ Mary's Heirloom Seeds.  Next week we'll add a third for a grand total of 11...Woohooo for Healthier alternatives!!!

So WHAT is a tincture?  Read on...

Mary's Heirloom Seeds Newsletter DIY Herbal Home Remedies In This Issue Chamomile Tincture What is a Tincture Cayenne Tincture Quick Links   Mary's Tincture Shop Buy HERB Seeds About Us Growing From Seed 2014 Planting Guide Health benefits of:  Brahmi (bacopa) Basil   MUGWORT Eleuthero Root Rosemary Calendula Make Your Own! DIY Tincture Kits DIY Chamomile Tincture Kit DIY Allergy Tincture Kit Mary's Heirloom Seeds Saturday and Sunday @ the Yellow Green Farmer's Market 8am-4pm in Booth #281 Have you given any thought to making your own herbal home remedies?  Do you already make your own?  Below are examples of my own homemade Tinctures.  DIY Tincture kits are now available @ Mary's Tincture Shop "Kits" purchased Monday-Thursday ship within 48 hours via USPS Priority Mail.  Tincture kits include:  1 - 32 ounce Glass Jar with lid, 1 - 2 ounce Amber Bottle with dropper top,  2 customizable labels, 1 ounce of Organic Herbs (additional herbs available) and Detailed Instructions DIY Chamomile Tincture From Back to the Basics: Chamomile is an herb that comes from a flowering plant from the daisy family. Both the fresh and dried flowers of chamomile have been used to create teas for centuries to cure a number of health problems. The active ingredient in chamomile essential oil is known as bisabolol, which has a number of anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties. What are the Benefits of Chamomile? Chamomile can be used topically or orally to treat a number of everyday ailments, such as: Insomnia and other sleep disorders Anxiety and Panic Attacks Muscle twitches Wounds, burns, and scrapes Skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, chickenpox, and diaper rash Stomach problems such as menstrual cramps, stomach flu, and ulcers.    Continue Reading  What is a Tincture? An herbal tincture is simply an herbal extract.  Herbal remedies have been used throughout history to treat illnesses and ailments without "modern medicine" and pharmacueticals.  Tinctures are easy to make, home remedies.  If properly prepared and stored, your tincture will last indefinitely. What is Menstruum?  Menstruum is generally vodka, when making a true herbal tincture. Vinegar or Vegetable Glycerin can be used (instead of alcohol) but is less effective at leaching out the medicinal components of the plant. DIY Cayenne Tincture   *NEW* Cayenne Pepper is a nightshade vegetable.  While adding a little (or a lot) of hot and spicy to any dish, cayenne pepper can also be very therapeutic.  Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin which can open up your sinuses, fight inflammation, cardiovascular support, helps with ulcers, boosts immune system and metabolism. THIS is what got my attention:  "Cayenne pepper's bright red color signals its high content of beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A. Just two teaspoons of cayenne pepper provide 47% of the daily value for vitamin A. Often called the anti-infection vitamin, vitamin A is essential for healthy epithelial tissues including the mucous membranes that line the nasal passages, lungs, intestinal tract and urinary tract and serve as the body's first line of defense against invading pathogens."        Continue Reading  What do you think?  Are you ready to get started? You can read about my tincture results HERE and HERE.   If you have additional questions please ask. We are happy to continue to provide growing knowledge for you and your family. Sincerely,  Mary                                    Mary's Heirloom Seeds

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Growing Beets from Seed to Harvest

Beets can germinate in soil temperatures as low as 50 degrees, making them ideal for the early spring and fall vegetable gardens. Beets don’t care for overly acidic soil, so gardeners should perform a soil test before planting to ensure that the pH is between 6.2 and 6.8. If the soil is too acidic, add lime until the pH is properly adjusted.

Table beet (also known as garden beet, blood turnip or red beet) is a popular garden vegetable throughout the United States. Beet tops are an excellent source of vitamin A and the roots are a good source of vitamin C. The tops are cooked or served fresh as greens and the roots may be pickled for salads or cooked whole, then sliced or diced. Beet juice is a basic ingredient of Russian borscht. The garden beet is closely related to Swiss chard, sugar beet and mangel.

Chioggio Beets

When To Plant

Beets are fairly frost hardy and can be planted in the garden 30 days before the frost-free date for your area. Although beets grow well during warm weather, the seedlings are established more easily under cool, moist conditions. Start successive plantings at 3 to 4 week intervals until midsummer for a continuous supply of fresh, tender, young beets. Irrigation assures germination and establishment of the later plantings.

Spacing & Depth

The beet "seed" is actually a cluster of seeds in a dried fruit. Several seedlings may grow from each fruit. Plant seeds about 1/2 inch deep and one inch apart.

Allow 12 to 18 inches between rows. Poor stands are often the result of planting too deeply or the soil's crusting after a heavy rain. The seedlings may emerge over a relatively long period of time, making a stand of different sizes and ages of seedlings. Some gardeners find that placing a board over the row after planting preserves the soil moisture and eliminates crusting from hard rains. The board must be removed as soon as the first seedling starts to emerge.

Hand thinning is almost always necessary. The seedlings should be thinned to 1 to 3 inches apart. If thinning is delayed until the plants are 3 inches tall, those removed may be cooked greens, similar to spinach. Some cooks leave the small root (usually about the size of a marble) attached to the greens.

Though it is seldom done, beets actually may be transplanted. Some care must be taken to get the roots oriented vertically so that the beets can develop properly.

Golden Beets

Care

Frequent shallow cultivation is important because beets compete poorly with weeds, especially when small. Because beets have extremely shallow roots, hand weeding and early, frequent and shallow cultivation are the most effective methods of controlling weeds in the rows. Deep cultivation after the weeds are large damages the beet roots. Like most root crops, beets need a fertile soil (especially high in potassium) for vigorous growth. Keep your beet plants uniformly supplied with moisture for best performance.

Harvesting

Beets can be harvested whenever they grow to the desired size. About 60 days are required for beets to reach 1 1/2 inches in diameter, the size often used for cooking, pickling or canning as whole beets. Beets enlarge rapidly to 3 inches with adequate moisture and space. With most varieties, beets larger than 3 inches may become tough and fibrous. Beets may be stored in a polyethylene bag in a refrigerator for several weeks. Beets also may be stored in outdoor pits if the beets are dug before the ground freezes in the fall. Cut off the tops of the beets one inch above the roots. Beets store best at 32°F and 95 percent humidity. Do not allow them to freeze.

Detroit Dark Red Beets

Selection & Storage

Beets can be harvested at any stage of development, from the thinning to the fully mature stage at about 2 inches in diameter. The "thinnings" are beets that have been pulled from the ground prematurely to make room for others when rows are overcrowded. Thinnings can be eaten raw, tops included, in salads or roasted. Beets are high in natural sugar and roasting brings out the natural sweetness.

Beets vary in color and shape based on variety. The most common is the deep maroon globe-shaped beet. There is an Italian variety which has pink and white rings upon slicing. The golden globe is globe-shaped and orange in color then it turns golden yellow when cooked. Another variety is white and still another is pink.

When harvesting beets, separate the green tops from the roots leaving an inch of stem on the beet. Beets larger than 3 inches in diameter are often fibrous and woody. Beet greens are packed with nutritional value but must be prepared separately. Upon storage the greens will quickly draw the moisture from the root greatly reducing flavor and the beets will become shriveled. Leave one inch stem and the taproot intact to retain moisture and nutrients. After separating, beets store well for about a week in the refrigerator. Use beets while they are still firm and fresh.

Companion Plants for Beets

Good for adding minerals to the soil. The leaves are composed of 25% magnesium making them a valuable addition to the compost pile if you don't care to eat them. Beets are also beneficial to beans with the exception of runner beans. Runner or pole beans and beets stunt each other's growth. Companions for beets are lettuce, onions and brassicas. Beets and kohlrabi grow perfectly together. Beets are helped by garlic and mints. Garlic improves growth and flavor. Rather than planting invasive mints around beets use your mint clippings as a mulch.

Recipes for Fresh Beets

Lemon Herb Roasted Beets

Simple Beet Salad

Honey Roasted Beets

Garlicky Beet Delight

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Weed The People - The Movie

There has been a lot of talk about legalizing marijuana and medical marijuana.  I have my own opinions on legalization but before I get into MY opinions...let's hear from the experts...



Once you have watched the movie...I'd love to hear your feedback.
If you have time to watch "reality tv" then you have time to watch this REAL reality.  Thank you!

Tuesdays with a Twist #50 is LIVE!!!

Good Morning and Welcome to another No Rules Party!

Last week I share a BIG announcement of NEW heirloom seed varieties!  Did you happen to see the new Broccoli?

Romanesco Italia Broccoli

The true and popular Italian heirloom with spiraling, apple-green heads that are so superbly flavored.
Romanesco broccoli heads are really densely packed clusters of lime green flower buds that develop in the center of a leafy rosette. This variety is widely grown in northern Italy.

We also have a GIVEAWAY that ends in 2 days!  Hurry and Enter!

<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're your hosts 

Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen
Joyce @ It's Your Life! 
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Back again for March is Debra @ MsMoozy's Open House

Features!
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:

Homestead Honey Cornbread from The (mis)Adventures of a Born Again Farm Girl

Cheesy, Spinach, Ham and Potato Frittata from BeBetsy

DIY Mason Jar Art from Mila's Little Things

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>

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday 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!