Backyard Diva

Herb and Small Scale Farming Magazine Recommendations

Here are a few magazine recommendations for anyone into gardening, small scale farming or herbs. I have subscribed to most of the magazines, at some point during the past few years. My magazine subscriptions are limited to just a few magazines per year, so I usually rotate my subscriptions around each year.

I have written articles in the past for Back Home and The Herb Quarterly.

Back Home

• 6 issue per year
• Focuses on do-it-yourself information on sustainable, self reliant living, including growing and cooking with herbs.
• www.backhomemagazine.com

Hobby Farms

• 6 issues per year
• A magazine for rural enthusiasts; small farm equipment, livestock, crops
• Published by Bow Tie, Inc.
• www.hobbyfarms.com

Hobby Farm Home

• 6 issues per year
• Highlights farmhouse activities such as cooking, crafting and pet care
• Published by Bow Tie, Inc.
• www.hobbyfarms.com/hobby-farm-home.aspx

Mother Earth News

• 6 issues per year
• Focuses on herbs, gardening, small scale farming, organic foods, country living, renewable energy
• Published by Ogden Publications
• www.motherearthnews.com

Organic Gardening

• 12 issues per year
• Organic gardening, cooking, small scale farming
• Published by Rodale, Inc.
• www.organicgardening.com
  

The Herb Companion

• 6 issues per year
• Focuses on gardening and cooking with herbs
• Published by Ogden Publications
• www.herbcompanion.com

The Herb Quarterly

• 4 issues per year
• Focuses on growing herbs, cooking with herbs, medicinal herbs, folklore of herbs
• Published by EGW Publishing Company
• www.herbquarterly.com

Urban Farm

• 4 issues per year
• Focuses on sustainable city living, local food movement, urban farming
• Available at newsstands only, not available by subscription
• Published by Fancy Publications

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Backyard Diva

Aromatherapy & Natural Beauty Books

Books of Interest
Here are a few books in my personal library that I refer to quite often when researching natural beauty treatments and all-natural cosmetics.

1. Bardey, Catherine. Secrets of the Spas. New York, NY: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 1999.
2. Hurley, Phillip. Herbal Alchemy. Wheelock, VT: Maithuna Publications, 2001. Original edition published 1977 by Lotus Publications.
3. Lawless, Julia. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. Great Britain: Element Books, 1995.
4. Palmer, Catherine. Down-to-Earth Beauty. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1981.
5. Tisserand, Robert B. The Art of Aromatherapy. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1977.
6. Worwood, Valeria Ann. The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy. San Rafael, CA: New World Library, 1991.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Backyard Diva's Articles in Llewellyn Publications

I am a freelance writer and have had a few articles published in past editions of Llewellyn's yearly almanacs and other publications. Here is a list of those articles, and which year they were published.

Llewellyn's 2004 Herbal Almanac

• The Story of the Edible Herbal Flower - pp 83-100
• Medieval and Renaissance Strewing Herbs - pp 233-246
  

Llewellyn's 2005 Herbal Almanac

• Monastic Herb Gardens - pp 9-22
• Herbal Thanksgiving Celebration - pp 99-114

Llewellyn's 2006 Herbal Almanac

• Red Herbs of Chinese Medicine - pp 133-144

Llewellyn's 2007 Herbal Almanac

• Thanks for the Memories - pp 145-154
  

Llewellyn's 2007 Magical Almanac

• Magic Wands & Wizards Staffs
  

Llewellyn's 2007 Witches Datebook

• Making Magical Inks
  

Llewellyn's 2008 Herbal Almanac

• Organic Gardening Practices - pp 49-58
• Breakfast & Brunch Delights - pp 89-98
• The Herbal Alchemist - pp 251-260
  

Llewellyn's 2008 Witches Calendar

• Common Scents

Future Publishing Project

I am thinking of rewriting and/or expanding all of these articles and publishing them as a book and/or e-book. I'll have to put together a book proposal when I get a chance, and see if Llewellyn is interested in publishing it, or I just might go the self-publishing route. I'll keep you updated on my progress with this project.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA Backyard Diva

First Five Years of The Essential Herbal Magazine

Tina Sams, editor of The Essential Herbal magazine, has compiled the first five years of the magazine into a new book. Under the Sun; The First Five Years, has just been publishing by the Sibling Group. The paperback book is 224 pages long and includes black & white photographs and illustrations to accompany some of the articles.

Your very own Backyard Diva, AKA Lynn Smythe, has two of her articles reprinted in this book. My “Magic in the Kitchen” article appears on pages 35-37 and includes 3 recipes for herb infused goodies. The recipes include Cinnamon Almond Drops, Salmon Fiesta with Basil & Thyme and Vegetable Latkes with Garlic Chives. My other article, “Herbal Picnic Basket”, appears on pages 50-52 and includes 11 delicious recipes to serve at your next picnic.

My Chive Dip recipe is reprinted here with permission.

Chive Dip by Lynn Smythe

This dip is a wonderful accompaniment to fresh, raw vegetables such as carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and radishes.

Ingredients for the Chive Dip

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup fresh chives - snipped with scissors
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage - minced
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

Directions for the Chive Dip

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well.
2. Place in a small storage container with a tight fitting lid.
3. Let chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before using to allow all the flavors to meld together.

Here’s information on the book from the Essential Herbal website:

We are in the 7th year of publication here at The Essential Herbal Magazine. The first several years were filled with wonderful stuff, but the audience was very limited. Most of those issues sold out long ago. So we took the 15 spring and summer issues from those 5 years (Mar/Apr, May/June, and July/Aug), and put them together into a truly fabulous book. Over 200 pages, sized 8.5 x 11, filled with all the things readers have come to expect from The Essential Herbal. Internal pages are black and white, and the book is paperback bound.

We reworked some of the early stuff, combined things into reasonable chapters - like “The Stillroom”, “The Kitchen”, “Just Weeds”, and “Herbal First Aid”, and added a few surprises. There are articles on gardening, favorite backyard remedies, wild eats, and tons of crafting ideas.If you are a beginner, you need this book. If you’ve been an herbie for a while, you’ll love this book!

Price: $24.95. Order online from the Essential Herbal .

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Backyard Diva

Four Season Harvest

Yesterday I wrote about Eliot Coleman’s book The New Organic Grower. Today I’m writing about another one of Eliot’s book that is in my personal library - Four Season Harvest.

Four Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables From Your Home Garden All Year Long, was originally published in 1992. A revised and expanded edition was published in 1999 by Chelsea Green Publishing Company. I have a copy of the paperback book, which is 234 pages long. Four Season Harvest contains many b/w illustrations by Kathy Bray, and  color photographs taken by Eliot’s wife, Barbara Damrosch.

I currently live in a USDA gardening zone 10 in SE Florida, so I can pretty much garden year round. There is a bit of a problem with high heat and humidity during the summer months, but heat loving crops such as peppers, okra and certain herbs can still be grown in the summer. I am doing research for having a four-season garden when we finally relocate to western North Carolina. We have 4 1/2 acres of land in an area which is a USDA zone 7. I would like to be able to grow salad greens, and other items, during the winter months.

Four Season Harvest discusses micro-climates, cold frames, high tunnels, greenhouses, root cellars and other items which can be used by the home gardener to help extend their growing season into the winter months. It also discusses how certain crops, such as carrots, parsley and onions, can be left in the ground, and with a little protection, be harvested throughout the winter.

I can’t think of a better review of the book, than to quote a few words from Eliot himself, taken from his introduction to the book:

“The surprise of our winter garden is how simple it is. Winter vegetables will thrive in any winter climate with a little protection from wind and weather. No heating, or high-tech systems are necessary. The keys to success are a new attitude and new crops.”

I highly recommend this book for anyone that is interested in growing their own herbs and vegetables.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Backyard Diva

The New Organic Grower

I am a big fan of organic gardening, that’s how I grow all my herbs, vegetables and butterfly plants. My husband always threatens to go out and buy a big jug of Roundup, to spray all over the yard to kill the weeds. I don’t mind a few weeds, as long as I know that anything I pick from my yard is safe to eat. Leave the stinking chemicals for someone else.

I am also a big fan of Eliot Coleman. Eliot, along with his wife Barbara Damrosch, used to host the TV show, Gardening Naturally, on the Learning Channel. Eliot, with over 30 years of organic gardening experience, is the author of 3 books, and has contributed chapters to many other gardening books.

I own a copy of Eliot’s book The New Organic Grower; A Master Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener. The book, which was first published in 1989, was revised and expanded in 1995. The New Organic Grower, at 340 pages long, contains TONS of fantastic information on all aspects of organic gardening. Although parts of the book go into a bit too much detail for the average home gardener, there is still quite a bit of information that can be incorporated into your own organic garden.

I found the chapters on crop rotation, green manures, direct seeding and season extension to be particularly helpful. If I ever decided to start a small farm, the chapters on part-time help, marketing strategy and livestock will certainly be of interest. Don’t laugh, I have contemplated having a small farm for many years. We own 4 1/2 acres of virgin land in western North Carolina. A couple of goats to keep the weeds at bay, a couple of chickens for fresh eggs, a couple of guinea hens for pest control, maybe a donkey to be the guard dog/farm mascot - who knows!?!

I highly recommend getting a copy of The New Organic Grower for your own bookshelf. I also own a copy of Eliot’s book Four Season Harvest, which I will review in a future post to the Herb Gardens site.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Backyard Diva

All New Square Foot Gardening

Mel Bartholomew’s All New Square Foot Gardening; Grow More in Less Space, is one of my all time favorite gardening books. Whether you are into growing herbs, flowers, vegetables, or a combination of all three, you should definitely check out this book. Visit Mel’s website to find out more about the square foot gardening method, or to order one of his publications.

I owned a copy of Mel’s first book, Square Foot Gardening, that was written in 1981. That book was totally falling apart, so I was happy to see he totaly revised and republished the book in 2005 as All New Square Foot Gardening. I bought the book after being a fan of Mel’s TV show for many years. Square Foot Gardening appeared on PBS from 1982 to 1986 and on the Discovery Network from 1989 to 1991.

ABOVE: A photo of the garden at my last house, which used the square foot gardening method. The garden was so densely planted, you couldn’t tell it utilized the square foot method.

Square foot gardening methods can be utilized by anyone, no mater what size their garden is. This method of gardening is all about maximizing your gardening space to get the most yield, with the smallest space and the least amount of effort. At my previous house in the neighborhood I currently live in, I tore up the entire front yard, had my husband install raised beds, and planted everything using the square foot gardening method. That house was certified as a Florida Yards & Neighborhood, thanks in part to my use of the square foot gardening methods.

The basic principals of square foot gardening are:

• efficient plant spacing
• never walk on soil
• soil improvement
• stop planting so much
• grow vertical
• optimal garden placement
• raised beds
• optimal garden size (smaller is better)

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Backyard Diva

Native American Herbal Books

On June 15, I blogged about Native American Moons.

A couple of the members of one of the other pagan groups I belong to were asking about recommendations on herbs books. I decided to start a new discussion for each category of herb book I have in my personal library along with adding the titles that I own in that category.

Comments from readers can be added for additional titles of books that you have read and would like to recommend to the members of Backyard Diva.

I'll be starting additional posts for herb book titles in the following categories: herb magic, herb gardening, herb cooking, medicinal herbs, etc...

NATIVE AMERICAN HERB BOOKS
1. The Cherokee Herbal; Native Plant Medicine from the Four Directions by J. T. Garrett.

2. Indian Herbalogy of North America; The Definitive Guide to Native Medicinal Plants and Their Uses by Alma R. Hutchens.

3. Spirit Healing; How to Make Your Life Work by Mary Dean Atwood.

4. Healing Secrets of the Native Americans; Herbs, Remedies and Practices that Restore the Body, Refresh the Mind and Rebuild the Spirit by Porter Shimer.

5. American Indian Healing Arts; Herbs, Rituals & Remedies for Every Season of Life by E. Barrie Kavasch and Karen Baar.

Take care,
The Backyard Diva

Earth Mother Books

Two of my favorite books, Earth Mother Herbal and Earth Mother Magic, were both published by Fair Winds Press.

Earth Mother Herbal; Remedies, Recipes, Lotions and Potions from Mother Nature's Healing Plants by Shatoiya De La Tour. Paperback, 221 pages, published by Fair Winds Press, 2002.

Chapters include: Earth Mother's Path, Earth Mother's Pantry, Making Earth Mother Medicines, Earth Mother's Kitchen, Earth Mother's Garden, and Earth Mother's Treasure of 40 herbs. This is a good basic book for anyone interested in basic herbalism and herbal folklore.

Earth Mother Magic; Ancient Spells for Modern Belles by Judika Illes. Paperback, 220 pages, published by Fair Winds Press, 2001.

This book is divided into three sections: Magic 101, Other Powers; Your Magic Allies and Spells. From the back cover: "drawing upon the vast lore of traditional earth knowledge, combined with a working practitioner's modern, functional advice, Earth Mother Magic shows you how to draw everything, from more money to that old boyfriend, back into your life." The spells included in this book have a heavy emphasis on Hoodoo and Wiccan traditions.

Both books include a resource section, recommended reading list and comprehensive index. Judika Illes has gone on to write a series of huge, encyclopedia books for Thorsons Element including The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and The Element Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells.

Take care,
The Backyard Diva