Jill H's Blog Posts Tagged 'henderson' (36)

By Jill Henderson - Show Me Oz -

Almost a year ago now, my husband and I settled down into our latest ‘new place’. We’ve lived quite the nomadic lifestyle over the last 20 years, moving to another house, state, or even country every few years.  In…

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

One of the coolest things about being a country gardener is that I am constantly surrounded by wild things. These creatures are part and parcel of a healthy ecosystem and one of the rarest and most precious gifts that one can have. However, it goes without saying that on occasion we are…

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz

Butterflies must be one of the most beloved creatures of all time. They exist almost…

By Jill Henderson - - Show Me Oz - -

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an ancient herb from the Legume family of plants, Fabaceae.  It is sometimes called Foenugreek, bird’s foot, Greek hayseed or goat’s horn.  Not…

By Jill Henderson - Show Me Oz

The hands of time seem to spin faster during spring than during any other time of year. This May has been disconcertingly warm, which brought about the early bloom and fruiting of many trees and plants, including this Red Mulberry tree (Morus…

By Jill Henderson - Show Me Oz

Mention the word tea, and most thoughts turn to a strong hot cup of Earl Gray or a tall glass of sweet iced pekoe. But these days tea is more than black—it is green, or herbal, or something akin to hot chocolate. Regardless of how you have thought of it in the past, one thing is certain: tea is medicinal. And now, with the…

By Jill Henderson

This week’s article is the first in a new series I’m calling Notes from Turtle Ridge. This series is definitely more personal and less academic than my regular weekly column, but hopefully, just as informative and entertaining.

Turtle Ridge…

Anyone who lives in or visits the Ozarks invariably notices that we have a lot of spiders.  They’re  in our gardens, fields, meadows, pastures and woodlands; and sometimes, they’re even in our homes.  Love them or hate them, life in the Ozarks just wouldn’t be the same without  a few wispy strands of spider silk brushing across your face on a woodland walk or the…

B y Jill Henderson - - - Show Me Oz

Spring in the Ozarks wouldn’t be the same without gathering and preparing at least one pot of poke. At our house, this leafy perennial ranks right up there with other spring edibles such as asparagus. This week I was planning on writing an article on how to…

Jill Henderson --- Show Me Oz

Here in our little slice of Ozarks heaven, we are most fortunate to be granted the privilege of greeting every new day with a lyrical symphony of sound that has the ability take our breath away. Yet, there are those rare occasions when the sweet symphony becomes more like a raucous…

Jill Henderson - - Show Me Oz

With the recent passing of the vernal equinox and the end of the Great Sleep, Spring has asserted herself firmly in the Heart of the Ozarks. The rising intensity of the sun has enticed all living things to join in a brief, but joyous celebration of new beginnings that humans often associate with love. And love is…

By Jill Henderson - Show Me Oz

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Today is the Vernal Equinox, the celestial event that marks the point in time when day and night become equal in length and spring officially begins.  Of course, here in the Ozarks, spring has been well under way for several weeks now.  Even before the…

On March 1st, the community of West Plains, Missouri, held their first-ever community seed swap!  It was a fun and busy day with over 35 people in attendance.  Dubbed the Ozarks Pot Luck & Seed Swap, my dream was to bring together area gardeners to share their knowledge and experience with other gardeners and to promote the…

By Jill Henderson - Show Me Oz

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Last week we learned quite a bit about the history and uses of the deliciously edible and nutritiously dense sweet potato. With a surge in popularity among homesteaders and gourmet chefs alike, this homely root with the pumpkin-colored flesh is being grown in home gardens in quantities not seen for decades. And it’s…

Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz

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Sweet potatoes are an ancient food crop; a staple that has sustained and nourished mankind for thousands of years. Highly nutritious, sweet potatoes are the seventh most important food crop in the world. Throughout the ages these sweet, orange,…

By Jill Henderson - Show Me Oz

Swapping seeds is both fun and addictive. I remember the first time I began swapping seeds with other seed-junkies in 1999, using a then obscure method of communication known as the internet. Back then, most of the people I knew did not have or even know what email was. Finding a group of people who loved…

If you are planning on saving some of your own seeds this coming summer, the very best time to start is before a single seed goes in the ground. In fact, saving seed should begin with that catalog you’ve been perusing all winter. Seed catalogs are often filled…

By Jill Henderson

Lemon balm is one of my favorite herbs for many reasons. To start, it is by far one of the easiest herbs to grow and it’s beautiful to look at, as well. I particularly like the way lemon balm attracts beneficial insects and butterflies to my garden. Occasionally, even the hummingbirds…

Today is one of those cold blustery winter days that give me a good reason not to go outside.  Instead, I’m cuddled up to the  wood stove  dreaming about gardening.   More specifically, I’m dreaming about seeds – wonderful, open-pollinated seeds devoid of genetic modification and over-hybridization.  My seed dreams consist entirely of varieties that are either…