A batch of pumpkin pretzels I made. Just the right touch of pumpkin with spices. Went beautiful with a sweet/hot mustard with juniper berries. #themistymushroom #bread #pretzels #breadmaking #homesteading

Libytheana carinenta hosts on Hackberry trees, a keystone species that supports countless insects. By including keystone species, native wildflowers, shrubs, trees and grasses we support the gorgeous creatures in our ecosystems.

Libytheana carinenta hosts on Hackberry trees, a keystone species that supports countless insects. By including keystone species, native wildflowers, shrubs, trees and grasses we support the gorgeous creatures in our ecosystems.

Really excited to see an American Snout butterfly for the first time in our garden. Look at that SNOOT! Snootie cutie!

Snoot.

#themistymushroom #nativeplants #pollinatorgarden #ProtectPollinators #butterflies #butterflies_lovers

American Basswood trees have seeds that when roasted can serve as a raw dark chocolate flavor substitute. Smell of roasted is very coffee, and I am interested in flavor. #themistymushroom #forage #foraging #nativeplants #self-sufficiency

Rose/Swamp Milkweed in bloom! #themistymushroom #nativeplants #flowers

Lovely Monarch butterfly female laying eggs on my Showy Milkweed! #themistymushroom #butterflies #monarchbutterflies #nativeplants

Wild Indigo I picked up a while ago from a straight native grower. It is a natural hybrid created from a cross pollinated plant between the Blue and White indigo. #themistymushroom #nativeplants #flowers

This cutie wouldn't let me go. First toad of the season I have seen! #themistymushroom #toads

Virginia spiderwort sending out first blooms! #themistymushroom #nativeplants #growyourownfood

Got to see the endangered Lakeside Daisy in bloom! Castalia Ohio. #themistymushroom #endangered #conservation #nativeplants #flowers #patriotsprotect #ohio

Spotted an Eastern Comma butterfly (Polygonia comma) today going for our plum blooms. They rarely drink nectar and prefer sap and rotting fruit, but this one must have just woken up from hibernation. #themistymushroom #butterflies

My Toadshade Triliums are coming back! Trillium cuneatum is my favorite out of Ohio's native trilium species. #themistymushroom #nativeplants #springflowers #trilium

Sunchokes for dinner! Sustainable farming. #nativeplants #sustainable #growyourownfood #themistymushroom #gardening

Virginia Bluebells, cultivated from seed last year and delighted to see sprouts.

Tall Yellow Hyssop, grown from seed last year.

Tall Anemone, grown from seed last year.

Jacob's Ladder grown from seed last year.

Have had some cold days where I haven't had much drive to work outside, but it is a blessing to see many native plants coming up that I grew from seed last year. #themistymushroom #nativeplants #nativeplantnursery

Started a sweet potato in early February, and it is finally sending out slips. These slips are used to propagate new plants. Got a few more I started this week and looking forward to growing these this year! #themistymushroom #gardening #vegetables #zone6b #growyourownfood #sweetpotatoes

Transplanted beets, carrots, kale, onions, and a couple pak choi to test out my raised bed covers this week. Temps will go below freezing, so seeing how they fair. #themistymushroom #zone6b #gardening #vegetables #raisedbeds

The polyethylene was a decent price, and I was able to tape both sides like a tube and pull over. The red stripe is a stick on zipper. So far this has held up to the wind.

Here is a peek of the garlic in the covered bed. The ground is void of snow, and the shoots are about an inch and a half tall.

I was able to dig my fingers into at least an inch of soil; showing that it was warmer by use of the cover.

Here is the uncovered raised bed showing a layer of snow on the surface. The soil was frozen still, and I wasn't able to break the surface in spots that were melted. The garlic is growing but not as tall.

Update on using a cover during February for my raised bed. It works! More info in the photos.

#themistymushroom #raisedbeds #growyourownfood #gardening #zone6b #raisedgardenbeds #vegetablegardens

Dogbane aka Indian Hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) and Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium). Dogbane is very easy to find in the wild, often growing in disturbed areas and spreads by rhizome. It often is mistaken for a milkweed due to the similarities of leaf, stalk, and flower. Dogbane also will milk sap when crushed like milkweed. Dogbane grows more as a messy shrub and does not have hairy stems. (learnyourland.com has a good video on identification) Rattlesnake Master is more common in prairies and often not seen in the wild due to loss of habitat. It has leathery leaves with spikes along them that seems out of place in Ohio and more as a desert species. The flowering stalks are 4-5ft in height. Both plants are harvested usually in late fall, using Dogbane stalks and Rattlesnake Master leaves. They are processed by crushing and separation of the fibers. (fibershed.org discusses land management of dogbane) Dogbane fiber is similar to flax with long continuous fibers and require less processing compared to hemp. (The Urban Aboriginal on youtube has a good video on spinning fibers) Rattlesnake Master leaves are stripped and soaked before working. I grow both of these plants and can readily give away dogbane root shoots by late May if interested in cultivation or closeft inspection and familiarity. Dogbane is toxic to dogs and livestock, but most animals leave it alone. Rattlesnake Master is one I will be cultivating to sell, but also have it on site for inspection & building familiarity. Both species are deeply important for our ecosystem; supplying pollinators, attracting beneficial insects, being host plants for moths, and having intricate relationships with other native plants. Dogbane is easy to farm, where more harvested does better for the plant long term. I highly recommend the following site to view woodland indigenous textiles with the style and methods used. http://www.woodlandindianedu.com/textileandfiberarts.html

Shoes made from Rattlesnake Master, from Tennessee

Potawotomi bag from dogbane fiber

Dogbane

Natural foraged fibers. In Ohio there are two plants that were commonly used by indigenous for their usage in cordage, nets, bags, and clothing...

#themistymushroom #nativeplants #nativeplantnursery #sustainableliving #sustainablefarming #workwiththeland #fiber #naturalfibers #indigenouspeople

Smoked shallots on bacon with a homemade keto biscuit. Topped with cream cheese and smoked salt. Wonderful decadence. #themistymushroom #keto #cooking #smoked #food

Red Osier Dogwood is an easy to landscape and propagate shrub. Gorgeous in the winter! #themistymushroom #nativeplants #grownative #pollinators #pollinatorgarden

Going to test out a cover for my raised bed to try and plant earlier. I will test the soil temperature and compare it to a non covered bed. If this holds and works, I will make more.

#themistymushroom #garden #growyourownfood #raisedbed #vegetablegardening #coldframe

Carrot seedlings trucking along. #themistymushroom #seedlings #growyourownfood #carrots #homesteading

Finally finished this painting for my son. It is of the god Frey. I do 1 painting per child per year. #themistymushroom #painting #oilpainting #Norse #Frey #pagan

Roselle is a shrub that can grow 6ft in height. Not winter hearty, it is an annual here in Ohio but can be brought inside to winter with appropriate conditions. "Nutritional and medical importance of Hibiscus sabradiffa Roselle, the safe medicinal plant,4 having various medically important compounds called phytochemicalsis well known for delicacy and also for its nutritional and medicinal properties.14 The application of the plant in managing different medical problems including cancer, inflammatory diseases, different cardiovascular problems has been well investigated by different scholars in different settings.15 Domestic applications Even though, the uses of different parts of Roselle are many and varied both in food and in traditional medicine, all parts of Roselle including seeds, leaves, fruits and roots are used as a food in different parts of the world. Fleshy red calyxes of Roselle are commonly used for the production of soft drinks and tonic without alcohol like wine, juice, jam, jelly, syrupand also dried and brewed into tea and spice. These are rich in carotene, riboflavin, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, niacin, calcium, iron and vitamin C. The young leaves and tender stems of Roselle are consumed raw as green vegetable. The Roselle seeds are good source of protein, fat, total sugars and are widely used in the diet in many African countries." https://medcraveonline.com/JNHFE/nutritional-and-health-importance-of-hibiscus-sabdariffa-a-review-and-indication-for-research-needsnbsp.html

Ready for another change of scenery. Hibiscus sabdariffa aka Roselle has been cultivated in many places for the edible leaves & cranberry tasting pods used for drinks....click photo for more info #gardening #growyourownfood #themistymushroom #hibiscus #roselle

[1/3] Charging forth from Samhain, the Cailleach; the primordial goddess of winter begins her rule over the land. The final harvest is with her, and whoever gathers late must pay homage daily to the old woman or suffer from poor gains in the next. She is a giant, a sharp crone of mystery and magic; whose movements on the earth shaped and formed mountains and lakes. Using her staff, she freezes the ground. Her cleaned plaid cloak blankets us with snow. As she walks, the deer are herded and often hidden from hunters. It is on today that we look to the weather, to foretell what the future holds. If the wind is kind, the storms gone, and the temperature fair; then the Cailleach is out gathering wood, to prepare for a longer winter. If the winds howl, and the weather be foul; then the Cailleach is occupied and her winter reign will end soon when she runs out of firewood. This is the time that sheep become pregnant, that their udders begin to fill with milk; Imbolc, meaning “in the belly” represents this time where the harshness of winter and the promise of new life meets in the middle. ...continued on next image

[2/3] Here is where my story begins. It is winter, and by ship under the protection of Manannan Mac Lir, we travel along the Plain of Honey (Mag Mell), to the paradise island of Tír na nÓg where the Fair Folk, the Tuatha de Danann live. There, sleeping against a log is Aengus Óg the youthful and very handsome son of the great god Dagda (Dagda, who was wisest and most important of the Tuatha de Danann, the Fairy Folk). Aengus’ mother, the winter hag Cailleach (Beira) was currently ruling in the land of men with harsh winds and snow. Comfortable in paradise, Aengus; the god of poetic inspiration, love, and youth, has a dream. In his dream, he stands near a large mountain when a beautiful song travels to his ears; he has never heard a song so poetic and moving. Hiking closer, he sees a beautiful woman with golden hair singing while doing chores. He is completely enraptured by her, but pulled from his dream by a dragonfly landing on his nose, he wakes up with a start and is driven to find this mysterious woman and make her his wife. The February weather in the land of men was unforgiving, so to travel safely Aengus borrowed 3 days from August, and rode out on his finest horse in search of the maiden; unaware that it was his own mother who had imprisoned her. That woman was Brigid, a powerful goddess of poetry, healing, and smithing; ruling the elements of fire and water. The Cailleach feared that if her son Aengus and Brigid were to marry, that her reign of winter would cease to exist forever. Unknowing of her son’s quest, The Cailleach took advantage of the fine weather and sent Brigid out to collect more firewood. It was her singing that once again drew Aengus to find her. Rushing to her and professing his love, Brigid fell for Aengus at first sight. ...continues on next image.

[3/3] Brigid wanted to elope with Aengus, but the magic that bound her to the mountain was strong…but their love was stronger. It was this power that broke the chains that bound her, and the two fled from the mountain. Brigid’s shabby clothing became clean and bright, silver sparkles of light all over, her hair adorned by flowers from both spring and summer; grass and flowers began to grow where she traveled. During their wedding feast, the furious Cailleach shows up and chases after them riding on her shaggy black goat, sending wave after wave of terrible storms to slow them down…but this pursuit takes its toll. Growing older and weaker, the Cailleach has to return to her home in the mountain and rest within the Well of Youth. Casting aside her hammer, she goes to sleep as the Queen and King of Summer begin their reign on May Day/Beltane. So today, we encourage Brigid to come out from the mountain and find Aengus so that we may be blessed by her gifts. We light fire and use that fire to bless candles to use in the year, tie “clooties” in the trees above water sources, grass crosses are woven and left out to be blessed this night and then hung on houses to protect, a bed is made for her to encourage her presence in the home, and even leaving birch branches to symbolize the magic wand she uses to spark spring life is added.

Bonfires, spring cleaning, weather predictions, lighting candles, & tieing cloth strips on trees? Imbolc is this Saturday & a time for many things. Learn about the Celtic holiday by reading my story in the images below. #themistymushroom #imbolc #spring #celtic #pagan #holidays

You can make your own seed tape for the garden in the winter months, which makes it so much easier to plant without wasting seeds. 2 ply old napkins opened up, apply a flour paste glue, seeds, then close the napkin and let dry. #themistymushroom #seeds #gardening #homesteading #growyourownfood

10 jars of spicy Salsa Verde are done! This is mixed with grilled tomatillos, yellow pear cherry tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, small peppers, touch of lemon juice, and smoked salt. Delicious! #themistymushroom #canning #homesteading #canuary #wecandoit #growyourownfood

Started a 15 gallon batch of elderberry wine! One of my goals for January is clearing out our freezers; had 3 giant bags of berries to cook, press, and sift. #themistymushroom #wine #winemaking #brewing #elderberry #homesteaders #homesteading #wecandoit

Peach tree guild. Permaculture layouts include Chicory, Cosmos, Red Clover, Comfrey, cultivated strawberries, and Garlic. None are these plants are native to the Midwest. Not downsizing medicinal value.

Native plants do multiple jobs/roles in an ecosystem. The Peach Tree Guild revised shows a multitude of species that work together to improve the soil, bring pollinators and beneficial bugs, suppress weeds, medicinal value, and food for us and wildlife.

Permaculture layouts predominantly utilize non-native and often problematic/invasive species that aren't as beneficial as native ones. Here is a Peach Tree Guild with Revision. #themistymushroom #permaculture #gardening #treeguilds #conservation #livewiththeland #patriotsprotect

Solider Beetles are amazing! Love seeing them throughout the year on my plants. #nativeplants #pollinators #conservation #workwithnature #bugs #themistymushroom

Doc's North Florida Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is already sprouting after 2 days! Obtained from True Love Seeds.

"This special Roselle and has heavier calyxes than Thai Roselle."
#themistymushroom #seeds #seedlings #gardening