Britesea - Living the good life in rural Oregon

[Britesea]

I have never used mullein, though it grows wild here, with great abandon. The main thing I can remember reading about it is that there is no better cure for an earache than garlic and mullein oil drops. Our family is not prone to ear infections so I haven't harvested it. Maybe I should, and make either some oil or tincture, just in case?
On looking into it further, I see that it is useful against influenza and herpes viruses, so it might be a good idea to harvest some flowers this year. I noticed in another thread that there is a possibility that we'll see a reduction of C-virus infections as summer continues, and then it may come roaring back in the fall.

 

[baymule]

Do you use mullein? Reading good for lungs/bronchials. And some amount of antiviral.... I have a LOT of it, year one for most, so no flower stems yet. Will have some later in summer. So, if you do use -- how and feedback on results. I'm thinking tincture.

My grandfather told me how his mother would make a tea from mullein when he and his brother had fever. He said it was awful tasting, but they would break out in a sweat and the fever would be gone.

I dug one up on the roadside a couple of years ago. It went to seed and now I have 4 of them growing in the yard.

 

[flowerbug]

My grandfather told me how his mother would make a tea from mullein when he and his brother had fever. He said it was awful tasting, but they would break out in a sweat and the fever would be gone.

I dug one up on the roadside a couple of years ago. It went to seed and now I have 4 of them growing in the yard.

goldfinches love it and those tiny seeds get scattered all over the place. we have a healthy crop of it around that i don't have to worry about it going extinct. i can find it sprouting in about any garden.

 

[Mini Horses]

Well....the leaves are large and soft. UHHH.....just in case anyone needs a TP replacement in today's market. Also read it is healing for hemmorroids. A 2fer.

 

[Britesea]

Whereas I have heard that the leaves seem soft until you use them on your bum; then those little fine hairs can itch!

Sitting here taking a break, sipping some Tulsi Sweet Rose tea-- so good.

Anyway, we have a few days of nice weather going, although it will steadily get cooler and we are looking at snow again next week, possible. Welcome to spring in the Cascade Mountains, lol.

I spent some time yesterday and today preparing and planting my onion bed. Rake the old chip mulch off, add some manure and trace minerals, dig it in about 6 inches, smooth it, and plant. Only to discover I should have bought another bag of onion sets. I'm about 60 sets short. *sigh* I really didn't want to have to go in to town again for at least a couple of weeks. It's pretty much too late to start onions from seed now, and I don't have any seed anyway.

Tomorrow I'll be doing the same for my pea bed and fava bed. Then I'm probably good until the end of the month when I think I might be able to plant at least some of my brassicas.

The seedlings are doing very well, although some of them seem kind of leggy, in spite of the extra grow lights.

We got a new cockerel for our flock- he was free from a couple that thought they had all pullets in their order. They already had a fully mature rooster and didn't want a second one, so he came home with us. He's very pretty- a lavender barred rock they said. We kept him in a small enclosure where everyone could see everyone else, but were separate. Finally 2 nights ago, we popped him into the coop after everyone had gone to bed. The next morning let everyone out at dawn, hoping he and Cogburn hadn't fought to the death in there or anything; but everyone came out happy and healthy. Cogburn and some of the ladies were running him off at first, but then a couple of the higher echelon ladies decided they liked the cut of his jib, so by the second day they had divided up into two sub-groups. And get this- it appears that Duke Jr. is looking like he might be dominant! I dunno- he's so young, he only started crowing a couple of months ago, according the the previous owners, and his spurs are just short, blunt nubbins right now. But he's walking tall and wide.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

He's gorgeous!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Oh yeah... he's a looker, and knows it!

 

[Britesea]

DH suggested that maybe Duke Jr. is becoming dominant Cock-of-the-Walk is because our dominant hen decided he's cute and was the first to attach herself to him. Sounds reasonable.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Kind of like the Cheerleader and the Jock.

 

[farmerjan]

Brahma's are a large breed of the large fowl. They are slow maturing. They come in several colors, and have feathered legs. They have very broad skull and a small pea comb so good in colder climates. They are average layers . Dispositions are usually very calm and docile. I like the buff brahma color pattern the best but that's just me.
I liked the welsummers I had very much. Very active, good froagers, and good layers of a dark brown egg. Some have said they are flighty but mine weren't.
My favorite all around is the New Hampshire. More colorful than the Rhode Island Red, with a type I prefer, good layer, active forager and will raise chicks if they go broody. Good body to kill and mature at a decent age.

Dorkings are a little more fragile because there aren't alot of good strains around and some may be getting inbred. They are a nice breed to raise though if you can get some chicks. Different with the extra toe and make a good dense bird to kill.

There are also bantam size of the brahma's and New Hamps.