Garlic (Allium sativum) It’s easy to grow, hardy, and not usually attacked by pests or diseases. In warm to mild climates it can be grown all year, unfortunately though, our Canadian winters don’t allow for such warmth and so we can trick these little cloves by planting them inside!

Start off with a Canadian grown organic head of garlic. You can choose to refrigerate your garlic for a few weeks prior to planting or placing the potted garlic in the fridge later on, whichever works best for you (I refrigerate mine prior so that the dormant period for proper growth has already occurred). Separate each clove, trying carefully not to peel the skin from each one. 

In your chosen pot filled with nutrient-rich soil, dig a small hole about 3-4 inches down for each clove and place the cloves in each hole with the pointy end facing up. Garlic does well in an acidic soil pH so if you have any leftover coffee grounds sprinkle a handful across the top to help with growth and then cover the cloves with soil. Leave in a sunny place and water every other day to avoid root rot.

Your garlic sprouts will push through usually within a few days (this is when you should store refrigerate, shortly after they sprout, if you didn't prior to planting) and will grow high green stalks which will eventually form beautiful flowers at the tippy top, however, if you want large garlic bulbs it’s best to cut off the stalks before they flower so as to ensure all of the energy goes into bulb growth. These stalks, or garlic scapes as they are more commonly known as, can be used as a garlicky addition to many culinary dishes in the meantime. 

When the leaves at the base of the stalks (I like to have at least 4-5 left at this point) have yellowed and dried, it’s harvesting time - this could take 8-10 months. From what I've seen in harvesting garlic, the number of green leaves remaining at time of harvest equal the number of intact wrappers surrounding the head. A few weeks prior to harvesting reduce the amount of water given, then dig up your bulbs.

Leave your fresh picked & washed garlic laying out in a warm, dry environment for a week or two so they develop several 'wrappers' of dry material around them. Store them in a mesh bag to keep for months, replant and/ or enjoy them right away.

Cooking with garlic

Crush or cut the garlic, then leave for 10 minutes to allow the allicin to fully develop before adding to recipes. Add the garlic about five minutes before the end of cooking - this way you apply just enough heat to convert the allicin into medically active compounds.

• Purée fresh garlic, canned garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil, pinch of salt and lemon juice all together to make quick and easy hummus dip.
• Sauté steamed spinach, garlic, pinch of salt and fresh lemon juice.
• Purée roasted garlic, cooked potatoes and olive oil together to make delicious garlic mashed potatoes. Season to taste.

Fresh garlic has many useful properties such as:

• Antibiotic (anti-bacterial) 
• Anti-viral
• Fungicide
• Blood thinner. Use it to treat high blood pressure, lower cholesterol, dissolve blood clots, help prevent heart attacks and strokes 
• Expectorant, good for bronchial and pulmonary secretions
• Immune stimulant
• Cardiovascular health. A number of studies have found that garlic reduced the accumulation of cholesterol on the vascular walls 
• Sulphur source
• Reduces platelet aggregation 
• Gastric stimulant. Helps with digestion, acts as an anti-flatulent, carminative and diaphoretic

We all laugh and we’ve all certainly laughed before. Humour is a fantastic way to lighten the absurdities, conflicts and events in our everyday lives. But, did you ever think that laughter and humour are powerful at impacting our health and our well-being? It certainly does and Science has proven it. Gelotology is the study of laughter and humour, and the effects that it has on the mind and body. Because laughter is contagious, it can increase the happiness and bonds between the people around us. Laughter also triggers physical changes within our body providing us physiological, psychological and social benefits. Numerous studies have found that laughter can help the functioning of the body and mind by strengthening the immune system, boosting energy, diminishing pain and protecting you from the damaging effects that stress has on the body. Best of all laughter and humour doesn’t cost you anything! It’s free and anyone at any age can enjoy the benefits of laughter and humour in their lives.

It’s that time of year where that color of green disappears and the yellows & golds take over. The bees are buzzing their last flights, the chipmunks and squirrels are seen hurrying along paths to store their findings, all to get ready for the long winter ahead. 

Here on the farm, as we enjoy every last bit of that warm sun before hibernating for the winter, we collect all of the seeds that our gardens provide so that we can begin the sprouting process in early spring in preparation of a brand new crop. 

This past Spring we added pie pumpkins to the many organic heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables to our gardens. We were blessed with multiple blooms throughout the Summer, yet ended up with only one single pumpkin. Living on a large open farm up on the Niagara escarpment can bring some forceful winds, which is our biggest challenge when it comes to growing produce. The winds have blown many rooted plants right up out of the ground and destroyed many a crop but this year the plants hung on for dear life, and produced only a small amount of fruit and vegetables. However, I am very grateful for this plump little pumpkin and will use it’s seeds for next years crop, with the hopes of harvesting more than just one.

We save most of the seeds from our gardens. The process is really quite simple: 

It’s time to say goodbye to Summer but the thought of Fall and Winter makes some of us shiver…brrrr.

However, as we approach the cold and flu season, it is a perfect time to be proactive and support our immune system.

If your immune function becomes compromised, or nutrient depleted, or the symptoms are serious, see your healthcare professional. Otherwise, allow your body’s natural defense systems to take place. Coughing, sneezing, congestion, watery eyes, and at times fever, are just a few common symptoms associated with colds and the flu. Although irritating, it is your body’s method of expelling irritants and fighting infections. It will also allow for your body to build a stronger immune response for future colds.

With stress-related disorders being the major reason for doctor visits, there is no question reducing stress levels should be a priority in our lives. Although short term stress is not so bad since it forces us to change and adapt, there is nothing beneficial about stress in the long term. With numerous reasons for stress, whether it be loss of control, fear of the unknown,  or certain life changes, there are endless detrimental effects. These include but are not limited to:

• Increase in stress hormones released by your body which has a downward spiral in other endocrine glands
• Increased risk in infections, diseases
• Can lead to chronic stress
• Shown to shrink the brain
• Premature aging
• Lead to osteoporosis and weight gain

Learn to listen to your body more. That could be the difference between life and death. So what are some of the things that you can do?

What we put on our skin may not seem to be as important as what we put in our mouths but the fact is, our skin is the largest organ of our body, as well as the first physical layer of protection. Considering the chemicals we put on our skin can seep into the bloodstream, bypass the liver and into our circulatory system, it has more potency than what we eat. Without the help of our liver, these harmful substances cannot be detoxified and broken down. Several harmful chemicals are found in makeup and lotions that can lead to problems such as acne, allergies, watery eyes, fatique and nausea. Long term effects of these harmful ingredients like formaldehyde (a known carcinogen) or plastic resins include: cancer, birth defects, damage to the nervous system, blood, kidneys and immune system.