Bring Magic to the Garden with Fireflies

The onset of summer brings on many magical delights. Longer days, delightful nights, gardens and beaches and mountains, and adventure. And bugs. There are some bugs that truly bug us, but there are others that absolutely delight - like fireflies!

Fireflies are amazing little creatures. These beetles are a welcome pleasure since seeing them is a sign that summer is truly upon us. Unfortunately, they are on the decline. Losing these little fairies of the season is not only sad for the child in all of us, but it is sad for the environment as well. There are, however, a number of things you can do to keep the magic glowing in your yard.

1) Turn off the lights. Fireflies signal their mates by flashing their perfect little lights. Ambient light from houses, streetlights, garden lights, etc., make it hard for the guys and gals to see each other. From twilight to just after dark, resist the urge to pop on the lights and you might just have a chance to see the light show of love.

2) Don't over mow, at least not that low. The firefly enjoys hanging out in the grass during the day. And eggs and larvae are born and grow in the ground. They prefer longer grass, so resist the urge to keep the lawn trimmed as tight as a crew cut. At the very least allow for some longer grasses to grow in some areas of your lawn to give the lightening bugs somewhere to live.

3) Let the slugs ... be slugs. Although most adult fireflies eat nectar and pollen, the larvae are carnivores and enjoy snaking on slugs, grubs, snails and even aphids. So the little glow worms (yep, the larvae sometimes glow) are actually natural pesticides for the garden.

4) Speaking of pests, Avoid pesticides and fertilizers. Commercial pesticides don't discriminate and affect a broad range of insects - including the good ones like fireflies. Chemical fertilizers can also cause issue since some of the constituents are the same as the pesticides. Try to use natural fertilizers like compost, and look for natural remedies like companion planting to deter bad bugs.

5) Leave the natural litter. Well, not litter. But the fallen leaves and wood piles kind of litter. Larvae love rotting woods and leaves, like the kind found on the forest floor. Having some of these around will give them a cozy home to grow in.

6) Plant what they like. Your yard will look great too! Native trees and pines are good homes to local fireflies, they love the shade and protection. Fireflies tend to like moist areas, especially wet meadows, forest edges, farm fields, and wild bog, marsh, stream and lake edges. Adult fireflies eat nectar and pollen, so plant natives would be extremely enticing to our flashing friends.

7) Don't put them in a jar. At least not for a long time. A short time for better observation would be OK, but a longer time might kill them. With their numbers dwindling it's best to spot them while they flit about. In fact if you like an evening firefly watch, you can join the Museum of Science Firefly Watch. Help keep track of the firefly population and maybe help save them!

Fireflies bring out the magic of a fresh new summer. Help keep that magic going by taking care to encourage the fairies to light up the night.

Beeting the Summer Heat

I'm lucky enough to have a number of wonderful local farms not to far from where I live. One of my favorites, Giamarese Farm, has a CSA and we're happy to be members. The last couple of shares

have had a wonderful selection of rich, sweet, beets. I LOVE beets.

With this abundance, I decided to boil our last couple of batches. Then I freeze some, mash some, finish it up by roasting them, or pickling them. But there was all this lovely water that I thought, "There has to be something I can do with this."

Figured something out that's VERY yummy.

I took the water and strained it out well. I made a wonderfully fruity blend of ice tea with limes, pineapple, cherries, raspberries, and rooibos tea. (Sorry there's not more detail, this was very much a little of this and little of that recipe). I sweetened it with just a little honey and added the beet water. Delicious, refreshing - and healthy!

Beets are nutritious little jewels. They are rich in Vitamin B, C, magnesium, folate, lutien, copper, and more. And low in calories! Although the water isn't quite as powerful, it still carries some of those health benefits.

My suggestion - play with your food. Think about what else you can do with the juice or water. I may try it again by adding some beet water to rice, or maybe as part of a stock. So many options that I never thought of before.

Hey - I wonder if it would work making a sherbet. Hmmmm. Maybe next time!

Celebrating Summer at the Rutgers Gardens Open House & Wine Tasting Festival

If you've never been to the hidden gem that is 

Rutgers Gardens, this weekend is the time to do it! We'll be there with goods that will make you feel good on the inside and on the outside. Come by and visit.

The Magic of Firefly Summer Nights

It's been a long time since I was a little girl catching fireflies in the summer. Yet seeing them sparkling on a warm summer night still holds all of that magic and wonder for me..

I always know when summer has truly arrived when the first twinkles appear at twilight. They're dancing like little fairies

Despite my love of summer and fireflies, there are a number of things I never knew about them until recently.

• It remains a bit of a mystery as to why the western US states don't have the wonder of lightening bugs. There are some species that don't actually glow, and they can be found in sections of the west. There are also some parts of Utah that have glowing lightening bugs. It's nice to know there are still mysteries around.

• Fireflies have been having habitat problems, just as many wild creatures have. They live, breed, lay their eggs, and are born in the same area. Pave over that area and no more fireflies around. They don't relocate. That's sad.

• To help our nightlights to keep on glowing, let your grass grow a little longer. Have trees and dense shrubs around your property. They also like leaf piles and rotty wood around. Add water features to your yard - even a bird bath will do. Keep your outdoor lighting to a minimum. And most importantly - do not use chemicals and pesticides that will kill all the larvae. 

• There's a program where you can certify your backyard as a Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. Pretty cool. I may have to do this myself. You can also sign up to participate in a Firefly Watch to help scientists learn more about the evening lightshows.

•  There's a place in Tennessee where there are annual Firefly Watches. Thousands of fireflies flicker in synchronicity. This is going on my dream trip list.

• This is cool and sad at the same time. Fireflies have dedicated light organs that are located under their abdomens. The insects take in oxygen and, inside special cells, combine it with a substance called luciferin to produce light with almost no heat.  But also, luciferin is used in many medical research projects. It is used used as markers to detect blood clots and tuberculosis cells, as well as other research. Luckily, there is a synthetic luciferin available, although some place still harvest fireflies for the chemical.

• That twinkling glow is created by the most perfect light source. 100% of the energy in the chemical reaction is used for light. No heat is created.

I like to think of fireflies as the harbingers of summer. They are the singers of the warm days, the fairies that light the path. They are a part of the magic of nature, 

Beating the Steaminess with Lemons and Cucumbers

I might have said this before, but I'm a soda drinker. I know, it's bad for me. When they take blood it makes that pop top "pptt shshshsh" sound. I'm trying to be better. Especially in the steamy, humid, New Jersey summer. In weather like this, hydration is so important. And as much as I love my diet beverage, it doesn't cut it.

My favorite way to get refreshed in the summer is a cool as a cucumber infused water blend. So easy, so quick and so good for you.

There are lots of recipes for this spa style water out there. Below is my favorite.

Cucumber Water 
1 large lemon  
1 goodly sized cucumber
1 knuckle of ginger

Thinly slice the lemon. I like to use a mandolin so the slices are nice and thin.
Thinly slice the cucumber the same way.
Finely chop the ginger. If you like a more gingery kick, grate the the ginger.
Throw everything into a pitcher, about quart sized. Fill the pitcher with water.
This tastes best if you let in sit overnight.
I'll refill the pitcher 2 or 3 times before I'll ditch the lemon and such and make a new batch.

You can always make a few adjustments to suit your tastes. Every now and then I'll add some sliced strawberries, some mashed blueberries, some diced watermelon, or a dash of crushed mint leaves.

You'd be surprised how wonderful this tastes, and how cooling. Really makes you understand the phrase Cool as a Cucumber.

Have you ever made something like this? What's your favorite blend?

It's Beach Plum Time!

I do love summer. The heat and sunshine, beaches and gardens, the feeling of freedom. And, as much as I love Halloween, I hate to see the summer go. But there remains one more marker of summer, one last great and fabulous blast. It's the ....

Sunday, September 8th, join us and dozens of other outstanding vendors for the Beach Plum

Festival. Island Beach State Park, just past Seaside Heights, is bursting with these natural shore loving fruits. Besides shopping at such fine crafter's as Celtic Chairde Creations, Carolyn's Crystal Creations, Blind Bob's Pottery, Herbertsville Honey and others, you'll be able to go on Kayak tours, Beach Plum picking adventures, learn about the bay and history of the park, and maybe see some of the osprey or foxes that call the park home.

The festival runs from 9 am to 4 pm. Enjoy some activities, listen to the music, have a sit on the

beach, and explore one of the most beautiful areas of the Jersey Shore.

We'll give you 10% off your purchase of $20.00 or more at our booth that day.

 Just mention this post.

Come on by and let's give summer a proper, fun, and beach plumy send off!

Sharing the Love ... of Catnip

In our newsletter I talked about some of the many benefits of Catnip – that perennial herbal favorite of cats. But they aren't the only ones that love this perennial herb. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a member of the mint family. It's sometimes called catmint.

This pretty and prolific herb is filled with vitamins and minerals: Chromium, Iron, Manganese, Potassium, Selenium, with Calcium, Magnesium,Phosphorus, Riboflavin (B2), Vitamin A and some Folate (B9), Niacin (B3), Silicon, Sodium, Sulfur,Thiamine (B1), Vitamins B5, B6, B12, C, and Zinc.

One of the wonderful things about catnip (among the many others) is that it is safe to use for all ages – children and adults. It can be used as infusions, teas, compresses, tinctures and just about anything!

If you are using this for people, I would recommend that you use fresh catnip or dried herbs from a reliable herbal source. Do not make a tea for yourself or your children with the catnip you buy for your kitties. That may be old or cut with something that won't hurt the fluff balls, but might not be great for you.

Here are a few of my favorite uses for catnip.

Cozy ZZZ's
This tea is lovely to sip before bedtime. Calming and soothing for digestion, your sleep will be cozy as a kitty curled up on a pillow.
1 teaspoon catnip
½ teaspoon chamomile
½ teaspoon lemon balm
pinch of peppermint
a little licorice root or honey
Pour 2 cups of water over the herbs. Let steep for 5 to 10 minutes than strain. Sip while warm.

Tummy Tamer Tea
½ to 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds. Very soothing.
1 teaspoon catnip
A little grated ginger
Steep in 2 cups boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes then strain. I like adding a spoon of honey as well.

Fussy Baby Tea
½ to 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds. Very soothing.
1 teaspoon catnip
Steep for 5 minutes in 3 to 4 cups of boiling water. Let cool absolutely completely. I would give this to my children when they were very little and had fussy tummies.

• Chew on a few fresh catnip leaves if you have a mild toothache. It'll help!
  

• Make a poultice or compress with catnip flowers and leaves. Works wonderfully for hot rashes.
  

• If mosquitoes are irking you this year, catnip essential oil has been shown to be more effective than DEET. That's why we add it to our new Bugger Off Spray. (Right now it's only available at fairs, but look for it on our websitehttp://www.chairde.com/ soon.)

I will freely admit that, if you live in a household with a cat that likes catnip (there are cats that don't like it the much), it can be challenging making a tea or poultice for people use. Releasing the fragrance of the herb is what attracts our feline friends. I usually put a little sprinkle on the floor for them. Makes things go a little easier.


This is presented as educational and information only. As with anything, be extremely cautious if you have allergies. Check with a doctor if you have medical conditions. Do your own research before trying any herbal remedies.

Beach and the Gardens - Two Great Events Coming Up

Those Dog Days may be bringing on the heat, but we're having a cool time at all the fairs and festivals. Next up - the beach:

 The following weekend - the garden:

Crafts and Arts by The Sea in Ocean Grove

Oh you wacky New Jersey weather. You try to keep us from our weekend fun - but you will not succeed. Especially this Saturday! Join us at the Ocean Grove Giant Craft Fair! Artists and crafters from across the state will be there. You can shop for gifts, treasures, or a little something for yourself. And doing so you'll be helping small businesses run by people like your friends, relatives and neighbors.

Stop by and visit Celtic Chairde Creations along the central path on the ocean side. We'll have some new products you'll just love.
 

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Join us at the Beach Plum Festival this Sunday!

It's one of the first events we book every year. We hope you'll join us at this wonderful, fun and educational event to close out the summer.

Annual Beach Plum Festival

 Sunday, September 9, 2012

9 am to 4 pm

Island Beach State Park

Just past Seaside Heights, NJ

There's so much to do:

Beach Plum Picking

Beach Plum Ice Cream

Kayak tours

Educational displays

Raffles

Food

Music

The Beach

Crafters.... and us!

And if you're looking for something to do on Saturday, stop by the Smithville Art Walk to see the works of my amazingly talented other daughter, Maggie Moran.

It's going to be a great weekend! Hope to see you at the Beach... Plum Festival that is.

Celebrate the Heart of Summer in the Garden....................................... Rutgers Gardens that is

Colorful flowers, butterfly's, shade trees, wine tasting, yoga demonstrations, food, shopping and tours. What a marvelous way to celebrate the heart of the summer season.

We hope you'll join us this Saturday, July 28th at the Rutgers Gardens Annual Open House and Wine Tasting.

Admission is $5 per person. Children under 17 are free, as are Rutgers Garden members. To partake in the wine tasting is an additional $10. 

Personally, I can't wait for the Yoga Demonstration from Inner Light Yoga Center, and the Aromatherapy for Your Senses seminar by Gwenn Fried. The tours are always so informative and there are plenty of experts around to help solve some of your pesky garden problems. 

Cindy and I will be spending time at our booth as well! We'll have lots of Gardeners Salve and Dó Gréine Sunburn Spray on hand, and maybe even a few new surprises.

Mention this Rutgers Garden Blog post and we'll take 10% off your order of $5 or more.

Which Witch in the season of the Witch?

Soon we will be coming upon the season of the Witch. I don’t mean Halloween and “cast a spell” type of Witch (although that is coming and that’s a separate story). I mean season of the Witch … Hazel. Specifically Hamamelis virgniana, the plant that blossoms in late autumn and winter and has such fantastic healing properties.

Witch Hazel is native to the eastern part of the United States and Canada. It has several common names, including popping hazel, long boughs, spotted alder and winterbloom. It was widely used by Native American’s for a number of purposes. They used it for medicine. And because the branches were flexible yet strong, they used it to make their bows. Plants were brought over to Europe in the early 1700’s. In Middle English “wyche” meant pliable or flexible. Hazel – because the tree was similar to hazelnut. Over time it became Witch Hazel. Nothing spooky about that.

The shrub or tree can grow to be 12 to 15 feet tall. The leaves are a lovely red before they fall off for the winter. Here’s where Witch Hazel’s magic begins. After the leaves fall off, beautiful, bright yellow blossom appear in the early to late fall. At the same time, the fruit from last year’s blossoms ripens and makes an audible pop. No wonder the tree is considered to have mystical properties.

Native American Indians utilized Witch Hazel for a variety of medicines, applying decoctions and poultices on cuts, burns, bug bites, bruises, and sore and stiff joints, muscles and backs. Teas were used to help staunch internal bleeding and treat colds, sore throats and other ailments.

Another part of Witch Hazels magic is found in its strength as an astringent and anti inflammatory, as well as anti-itch properties. These enable Witch Hazel to help stop internal and external bleeding. It's a wonderful asset to skin care where it helps ease and prevent acne, tighten and tone up the skin, and help damaged blood vessels under the skin.

Witch Hazel hydrosol is also very effective in treating hemorrhoid’s and varicose veins. It’s a main ingredient in products like Preparation H Pads, Tucks, and others. The tannins and astringency help tighten the distended veins and add a protective structure to help the veins return to a more pliable, normal structure.

Witch Hazel just does so darn much. And you probably have a bottle of it in a bathroom cabinet. The Witch Hazel you find in your cabinet is most likely made from the leaves and young twigs, which are then distilled. The bark is used to make different tinctures and ointments.

I’ve always been a fan of Witch Hazel. I’ve used it straight as skin toner and in hair rinses. I’ve mixed it with different herbs for liniments and bruise treatments.

We use it in a number of our products, including our Face Toner; Dó Gréine Spray for sunburns, rashes and bug bites; Méla Tae Night Moon and Lemon Bright Hair rinses; and in one of our new skin care products (news on that one soon).

As the season of the Witch approaches, I’ll be keeping my eyes open for ghosts, goblins, flying brooms and magical winter blossoms of bright yellow, because Hazel is one of my favorite witches.

How do you like to use witch hazel?

Back To The Beach - the Beach Plum Festival that is!

This is probably one of the best events we attend each year. The event takes place at the
#1 bathing pavilion in gorgeous Island Beach State Park.

14th Annual Beach Plum Festival
Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 9am- 4pm
Island Beach State Park Seaside Heights, NJ
There is park admission of $5 per car.

There will be

• A craft show and sale
• Kayak tours, nature hikes
• Beach plum picking and jelly making demonstrations
• Fly tying & casting demonstrations
• Many environmental organizations
• Children's games & activities
• Food
• Live entertainment
• And Lots more

Summer is winding down - but it's the best time to enjoy the beach and the beauty of nature. Stop by and visit with us. Mention this post - and you'll receive a free gift!

Celebrate September at the Jazz It Up Wine Festival

It's been a tough, windy, soggy week. But Labor Day weekend is here and it's time to get out and celebrate! Join us at the States Largest Wine Festival!

Saturday and Sunday, September 3 & 4, 2011
Noon to 5 pm
(raindate Monday September 5)

Admission is $25 and includes a glass for wine tasting. With over 20 vineyards in attendance - that could take you quite a while! If you are not tasting or are under 21 - it's free! Shop among the crafters and shops, check out the history of Allaire Village, dig the jazz music, and kick back!

Remember, summer isn't really over yet. So take advantage and bring a lawn chair. Stop by our booth and chat for a while. Mention this post and we'll give you a gift!

So celebrate September and enjoy the lingering summer with us. We're jazzed - hope you are too!