Heat, Trees & Bees

Today they have predicted the high will be 108. It’s noon now and our thermometers averaged 104.  One of them said 109. I don’t really mind the heat so much, it’s the lack of rain.

We’ve gone back to having to haul water down to the orchard again. I fear we started to late for some of it tho. The pawpaws look gone and most of the berry bushes have lost all their leaves. Some of the hazelnuts are all brown but a couple that we planted in the shade still look good. The pecan trees still have plenty of wick and I think they’ll make it through.

It’s quite a site to drive along and see all the brown. Fields that would usually be lush and so green.

I’m sad to say it but I’m glad I haven’t gotten a horse. The goats, who eat much more variety, are hard enough to feed right now. Finding places for them to eat isn’t hard but finding places that they won’t kill what I don’t want them to eat is very hard. One wiped out a large patch of pleurisy root I was saving to harvest and another ate over half the bee balm I need. Both were my fault, not double checking to be sure they couldn’t reach them. In one case I was so intent on being sure they couldn’t reach the blueberry bushes that I tied on right next to a red currant, which is now gone.

We need to work on making a good usable area for them to browse on the wooded side but until now there’s always been plenty for them to eat in the pond field. The pond field is just brown now, except for my patch of wild lettuce and sorrel, which I water, and the Indian currant, which no one eats.

Even with the heat and no rain we’re still able to find food for the goats and rabbits, and we still have wild foods and medicines. That’s a great boon to be sure and I’m very thankful.

Another wonderful thing was to see honey bees. Only 3 of them but it’s a very good thing. One was on a tomato leaf and crawled off onto my finger, I got a good look at it and have no doubt it was a honey bee  : )

It’s 2:22 and I’m back in from working down in the Sister Grove. Everything here gets a name eventually and I’ve started calling the place we’re working on for my sister the Sister Grove. We took willow and Clover down to eat there and left them in good spots. We’ll have to go back down in about 30 minutes and check their waters and untangle them. If there’s one tiny stub of something at the farthest reach they will struggle to get to it and wrap around it 30 times. It’s a goat thing.

I’m adding small herb articles to SimplySelfSufficient.org

I made a lettuce and cheese sandwich for lunch and the cheese was actually melted when I ate it.

Time to finish things up before it gets to hot  : )   According to weather underground the weather station outside of Mnt home Arkansas recorded 116 deg F earlier and they are expecting it to get to 121 today.

It feels about 10 degrees cooler in just the shade and I’m keeping the cottage at 82 deg inside the main.

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Burdock

All parts are very useful and very healing. 

** Keep in mind, when using burdock internally that it acts as a mild to moderate laxative and diuretic and that it lowers blood sugar.

Leaves – harvest before flowering – used for stomach upset, improve digestion, mild laxative, diuretic

Seeds – harvest when ripe in late summer to early fall – used for inflammation, fever, mild antibacterial,  diuretic, lowers blood sugar

Roots – harvest in late fall – used for cancer treatment (Essiac Ojibwa Tea), cleansing and detox, moderate laxative,  mild antibacterial, treat arthritis, diuretic, topically for wounds, eczema and infection