What's New

A guide to how I started laying the foundation for soil at Sweet Belly Farm - by layering compost, straw, leaves, hay, and decomposed bark into lasagna beds. September was almost gone and I couldn’t wait any longer to just DO something, at least start making the soil I wanted to grow herbs in during the coming summer season. 

Manuka essential oil is made by steam distillation of the leaves and twigs. It has antibiotic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine properties, among other healing benefits. This is the story of how I learned more about Manuka when I found myself backpacking among a forest of Manuka bushes in New Zealand. 

It all started when I said I wanted a pole barn or structure of some sort near my future garden to serve as a place to wash produce, dry herbs, store tools, and get out of the sun. Then, my partner Tim starts talking about timber frame structures, how sturdy they are, and how properly built and sheltered from rot, they can last for centuries.

The Ski Patrol is a hardy set of people (see the feature photo of Jim and Jim, both in their 80's and some of the most experienced set of patrollers on the mountain!) They are at the ready all day as they ski to handle any emergency that occurs, whether it be a kid who lost track of their parent, someone buried in an avalanche, or someone who hit a rock and broke their femur (really happened a few weeks ago). 

I'm really wishing I had access to a bathtub right now, as these yummy-in-my-tummy bath salts are smelling so good, and I'm thinking about a romantic valentine's day bath with candles, rose petals, (or, in this case, Calendula petals!). 

Well, Swift River Farm you are just making wonderful progress on your sustainable straw bale home! Had a great time helping out. Needless to say, S...

      Sweet Belly Farm  –-------- Salmon, ID ----- Guide to Healing Salves All salves are made from natural, pure carrier oils, sourced from et...

  Summer 2016: I Used these three ingredients to make my new “Arnica Relief” Salve with Arnica, Cottonwood Bud, and St. John’s Wort oils as well as...

This is a wonderful article by Redroot Mountain, a school of botanical medicine, that outlines exactly how I like to use herbs this time of year, w...