Foraged Food Recipes Archives (2024)

About two months ago, I announced that my newest book The Homegrown Herbal Apothecary would be published this March. The warm excitement that I received from everyone washed over me like a wave. A tender reminder that my love of herbs and words touched you all.But it was radio silence on my website. Not a single book had been reserved from my site. It appeared that books were being reserved on large retail sites, but not from me. So while I try not to measure my achievements monetarily — it stung.And then a something greater than a fear of failure hit. A fear of success. I didn’t look into why not a single book had sold from my site for weeks. Maybe I needed to be humbled.But something gnawed at me… the reception to my book launch had been so warm… so with the help of a much more technically savvy friend we uncovered a fatal flaw in my book launch. In the wee hours between testing my “store” pages and the official announcement an update occurred with a massive coding conflict that rendered my store pages invisible. So as the hilarious relationship saying goes “it’s not you, it’s me.”So with no further ado, let me RE-ANNOUNCE that The Homegrown Herbal Apothecary publishes March 5th!!! Just a couple days away. AND signed copies are available for purchase on my website (link in bio)! As spring draws nears, it is time to start sowing the healing seeds and create a medicinal landscape. Will you join me in the garden where we can plant healing herbs and grow an apothecary?Art by @hannastattoos Published by @pagestreetpublishing https://nittygrittylife.com/introducing-the-homegrown-herbal-apothecary/#herbalist #herbalmedicine #garden #healinggarden #herbbook #medicinalherbs

1 day ago

As I stay tucked safely in my warm house, I can’t help but think of how this time last year I was putting the final touches on the first draft of The Homegrown Herbal Apothecary. Perhaps it is being pretty much iced in at the moment that makes me think of the importance of self reliance. While this book is dedicated to gardening medicinal herbs, the larger concept is about bring health and healing HOME. I find comfort when my apothecary is stocked full of remedies to soothe discomforts and ease one’s mind, body, and spirit. To know fixing up earache or a sore throat is not a trip to the pharmacy, but just a trip to the cupboard. And when these remedies are grown and made in my own home — I feel that much more confident in my herbal medicine making!You can reserve your copy by clicking the link in my bio, where you can navigate to the Homegrown book page (links to major retailers OR preorder a signed copy directly from me). I can’t believe that my @pagestreetpublishing publishing date is only about six weeks away! How time flies!#herbalmedicine #medicinalherbs #medicinallandscaping #herbbook #gardenbook

2 months ago

My mind is wandering to seeds, sowing, gardening, harvesting, and wandering shady forests on warm summer days.But my reality is inches of frozen ice and snow, a frozen sink drain below the house, and being house bound for the time being. So while my mind wanders, I’ll bake.A spiral of semi-brioche sourdough swirled with brown sugar and cinnamon, basted with the syrup and glazed… This will do for now.#baker #sourdough #icestorm #breakfast

2 months ago

2023… is one for the books. I’m not exactly sure what book that is, but I am ready for a new chapter.The little one (not so little anymore) and I just spent an evening with watercolors in front of the fire. A peaceful way to bid farewell to a challenging year. She has an artist’s soul and studies with determination. She’s leans into texture and subtly. Hers is a study of earth tones, a wall, a potted plant, and vines… She’s 11. I am a writer, and not an artist of the visual medium. I chose poppies. Wild and chaotic. I haven’t picked up a paint brush since grade school. Nothing magical to say tonight, except find some peace in the quiet times.

2 months ago

First of all I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support yesterday regarding the announcement of my new book. You have no idea how many times I was moved to tears… truly and from the bottom of my heart, thank you… 💚❤️💚Since the weather outside is frightful (wet, icky and cold), and there is not much to do in the garden right now — I’ve been baking…This chestnut babka is… delightful. 😘Tap link in bio for recipe.

2 months ago

The moment “she” arrived, I cried silent, happy tears…Today is the winter solstice for the northern hemisphere. The shortest, darkest day of the year. A time when most of us are longing for warmth and light.Writing this book was my “light.”I have made some vague references to “life changes” that pulled me away from writing and being regularly present in this space over the last year or so… One of these changes was the ending of my marriage and moving away from my beloved farm. Frankly, leaving the 20 acres of woods and fields, animals and plants left me in a bit of an identity crisis. Big time “imposter syndrome.” Who was I to teach people about plants and healing when I was barely taking care of myself?In 2022 I bought a house in town with my oldest daughter and her husband… Embarked on a bit of a multigenerational living situation. After settling in, I felt a bit of that creative spark igniting inside of me. I no longer lived on an acreage in the country, but I was, in fact, living as most of my readers do — in a neighborhood, on a suburban lot. So the question came to me… Could I turn my landscape into a healing garden? Yes I can, and you can too.Thanks to my friends at @pagestreetpublishing The Homegrown Herbal Apothecary was born. This book was written with my whole heart and soul while adapting to a new life. This book helped me reclaim ME.So here I am today to reveal my spark again on this darkest day of the year. I want to invite you to grow a healing garden. No matter if you have only containers on your patio or a sprawling acreage, you can grow medicinal plants right where you live. My book contains 120 herbal profiles complete with traditional medicinal uses, how to grow and harvest these botanicals, master remedy recipes to build your confidence in the apothecary, and just enough herbalism and gardening science and “magic” to inspire home gardeners and herbalists to heal where we live.The Homegrown Herbal Apothecary publishes March 5 and is currently in “pre-order.” To reserve your copy today, click the link on my bio or any online book retailer.#herbalmedicine #medicinalgarden #healinglandscape #author #garden #herbs

2 months ago

Sometimes I get to travel and the flora and fauna of a place captures my heart.A born and raised PNW girl, I know the dense canopy of fir forests, and alder and maple lined river banks… tangled with vines and so thick with growth that it is difficult to see the proverbial forest for the trees. Something about the Midwest meadows of wildflowers and the cacophony of crickets, cicadas, birds and beetles speaks to me in ways I never expected. I am so used to the shadows and mountains, that the wild open plains and meadows feel foreign. And beautiful.I suppose it is easy to romanticize a place that feels unfamiliar, but seeing the washes of solidago left feral makes my herbalist heart happy.#goldenrod #solidago #herbs #herbalism #nativeplants #wildflowers

6 months ago

Garden lessons for those “productivity minded” folks…I had a discussion with a dear friend regarding productivity today. She and I both tend to focus on creating, producing, working to what some would say is extreme. Maybe it comes from a sense that our only value is in what we put out into the world… maybe it’s that we don’t always feel safe enough, at least metaphorically speaking, to relax… I don’t entirely know… I know that sometimes it sucks and sometimes I am tired beyond comprehension.After ten hours of work today, I decided to take a mental health break to harvest one barrel of potatoes (some would say this is still some form of working). I tipped the barrel over and dug through the dirt, only to harvest a couple pounds of potatoes. I felt a pang of disappointment.But then I reminded myself… these started as three mushy, sprouting garbage potatoes destined for the compost. The planting, planning, and care added to my summer joy. So effing what if this was not the most “productive” barrel of potatoes I have ever grown. It brought me joy in its care and it will bring my family joy at dinner. So my lesson to myself today is that it doesn’t have to be productive to be joyful. And maybe I needed a handful of humble potatoes to remind me.#potatoes #gardening #gardenlessons #gardenmeditation

6 months ago

Mamas don’t let your fuchsia hanging baskets dry up and become compost…Or however that song goes.I am a sucker for those big, overflowing, resplendent hanging baskets of fuchsia every spring. This year I have managed to keep mine lush and full all summer long. Last year, not so much. I had one hanging on by a thread by fall. So I cut it back to nubbins and planted it in the shade of my massive yew. I was excited to see foliage emerge a few months ago, and even more pleased when blooms started to appear.So treat your fuchsias as a perennial and pop those beauties out of the baskets come fall. Tuck them into a shady spot and I promise that you will be delighted next spring!Not everything I garden is meant for edible or medicinal purposes. I think there is plenty of healing that takes place with only botanicals, dirt, a little water, and hope.#garden #fuchsia #shadegarden #perenials #hangingbaskets

7 months ago