Dragonfly on Capitol Hill

Dragonflies spend most of their lives in the larva stage (up to three years, depending on the species). The adult, winged stage only lasts a few weeks. Mating is the primary reason for their winged stage. So when you see a winged dragonfly, you know it's toward the end of its lifespan...

kombucha tea... "mother of acid"

Mycoderma (Greek for fungus skin) + Aceti (Latin for of the acid) = 

"Mycoderma Aceti" or "mother of acid"

Some say Kombucha is perfectly safe, while many say it is the "miracle" drink, while still others say it can be dangerous.  There has not much scientific analysis done on the health benefits of this tea.  But it is touted as a folk medicine, "a remedy for what ails ya".  Either way, it definitely helps sticky foods head down the food tube a whole lot easier.  Not to mention that over ice, this drink is by far the most fizzy and refreshing drink that I have ever made.  That's right, natural carbonation! 

Weather it's the organic acids, the active enzymes, the amino acids or the poly phenols, this drink makes me feel good!  Well into my fourth week of brewing this symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast into a fermented tea, I can't seem to make it fast enough.  

Below is a photograph of one of my "mother" Kombucha mushrooms.  Every time you make a batch of the tea you get another mushroom, a "baby".  If anyone would like a starter mushroom to make their own tea let me know, the refrigerator is beginning to look like a science project.

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It's best to keep a few of these mushrooms around in case the brewing mushroom, aka "the mother" becomes tired.  You can then introduce a new baby mushroom and let the mother take a breather.  They go dormant when stored in the fridge.  

I decided to get creative with my back stock of these mushrooms by drying out a few of them and making it into a chew toy for my pup, Rio.  Unfortunately, he would have none of it.

I have now decided that the compost pile would probably welcome this new addition.  The photo below is my latest Kombucha brew over ice, ready for consumption!

Most people who see the Kombucha mushroom are generally repulsed in a very primal way.  It is definitely a slimy little condensed mass of creatures.  I now tend to offer the tea without the show and tell.   

It is disputed as to where the recorded history of Kombucha began.  According to some, it was discovered in the late 19th century from the cold water lakes of Russia and the Ukraine.  However, other sources say that the history of this tea-based beverage originated in ancient China or Japan.

My 86 year old grandfather is now a convert onto the Kombucha band wagon.  He says he likes it as his lips pucker.  It seemed to energize him for the walk on the beach today!

 

A visit to Sister Sage Farm on Vashon Island

Last Saturday I headed out to Vashon Island with a good friend and talented herbalist, Crystal Stelzer of Green Blessings to take a visit to Sister Sage Farms a medicinal herb farm and home remedies company.
Upon our arrival we where greeted by a smiling Jayne Simmons, owner and grower extraordinaire at Sister Sage Farm.

Jayne  is a farmer and supplier of organic medicinal herbs to practicing herbalists, restaurants, chefs and generally anyone who has an interest in the healing plants she tends.

Through community supported agriculture, Jayne offers full and half shares of 8-10 bouquets of herbs, flowers and roots per month throughout the growing season, June through October.
Contact Jayne to inquire about the herbs she grows and how to join the CSA for the 2010 growing season.

The purpose of our trip was for Crystal who is an adjunct faculty member for the Botanical Medicine Department at Bastyr University, and Jayne to finally meet face to face and see if a collaboration could ensue.  I am happy to report that Sister Sage Farm will likely be on the Bastyr University roster for student internship possibilities.

Jayne also offers Good Food Garden , an urban gardening service to both residential and commercial clients.  She and her business partner Jenn Coe will create and maintain a beautiful vegetable garden in your yard, tend and harvest once a week, and leave you to nibble the rest of the time.  

 Jayne has a very passionate and grounding presence about her.  She is full of ideas and open to new ones.  When she is not tending to her gardens, Jayne teaches children about herbs  through Powerful Schools to K-5th graders in an after school program at Orca School.  She additionally teaches classes on basic home remedies and gardening at South Seattle Community College in West Seattle.

After a three hour tour and visit, we ended by sitting on the deck of the tea shack, a rustic out building used for both drying and protecting herbs.  The three of us continued our conversation about different plants and their uses and the practice of sustainable farming, writing grants and how to teach people to grow food.  I felt inspired by all of the potential:  The potential of self-sustainability, the connection and appreciation one gets from growing food.  The potential of the seed, the soil, the light and the water.  So simple and yet every element has to be in place for it all to work correctly.