The Mint Needle

Throughout the centuries, sage has been known as a wondrous & spiritual herb.  Used for it's healing, cleansing, & aromatic qualities, everything about this plant is amazing. Packed with Vitamin A, it's known to be good for your teeth, bones, & skin. Steep it as a tea to ease tension & anxiety. Or...use it as a gargle for sore throats. Either way, you'll reap the benefits of this great herb that comes from the mint family.   Pick your sage in the morning or afternoon, but never during the midday heat. Give it a good shake to loosen any bugs. Tie with a thread or twine & hang upside down in a place that has good air circulation. Don't over cramp & bunch them too much. The moisture of being squished together will give a perfect environment to turn your sage moldy. I know some people like to wash their herbs, but I don't (for sage) unless I use it raw.  Two reasons, my sage grows where no animals have access to it & unless...

In the years that we've gardened, we never had a turn out quite like this one. Today's post is all about our tomatoes and the lesson we learned in planting them. Here's the story: The first year after we got married, my husband & dad built a beautiful, huge garden that came complete with an arched entrance, raised beds & a tall white fence to keep out animals. I planted roses around the front and blackberries along the sides. But, summer after summer our crops struggled. We had a harvest, just a very small one for the size of the garden (24' by 24'). Our tomatoes suffered every year with wilted leaves and a very sour taste. I just couldn't understand. All I really wanted were tomatoes. I didn't know what we were doing wrong. The soil was tested & it wasn't bad at all. But without hesitation, we continued to add lime, sand, manure & plant tone to see if it would help. The outcome still wasn't good. T...