Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Kitchen
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Herb Gardens
No homestead, even on the smallest scale, is possible without a kitchen herb garden. From the
earliest known examples of single-family gardens, herbs were grown for medicinal and culinary
purposes—and often both at the same time. Even the makings for a soothing cup of tea were
grown right at home, and there's no reason not to be able to do the same on your backyard farm.
Medicinal Herbs
Herbs that are used for health and wellness have a time-honored tradition on the homestead where
self-sufficiency is a default setting. In this section I cover herbs that are grown primarily for medici-
nal uses. While many culinary herbs such as thyme and rosemary also have healthful benefits, this
section focuses on herbs that aren't typically used in the kitchen.
See Chapter 20 for information on creating herbal preparations from home-grown plant materials.
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While herbs can impart benefits for most people, there is a time to seek professional medical advice. This
section is the barest introduction to herbal medicine and is in no way intended as medical advice, only a
discussion of historical uses and current research.
Calendula ( Calendula officinalis )
This beautiful and cheerful plant has the common name pot marigold because of the marigoldlike
flowers. Easy to start from seeds, you can direct sow at the last frost date or start indoors before
transplanting. Calendula thrives with plenty of sunshine but appreciates a touch of shade in the
heat of the afternoon. It will not tolerate high heat, so harvest flowers early in the summer if your
region is prone to extreme summers.
Calendula is a hardy annual that self-seeds with ease. This habit to produce volunteer seedlings
makes it well suited to a prairie grass plot, cottage garden, or other informal growing area. Almost
any soil will do as long as it drains well.
 
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