Welcome to the first of our monthly newsletters. You will find useful seasonal bits of information from right here in Southwest Michigan. In it we will share some of the lessons we have learned, local news, seasonal recipes, gardening tips, sustainable living tips and a lot more! It's blueberry time in southwest Michigan. Make sure you stop by Brookside Farms in Paw Paw and pick some today. The u-pick season is winding down, only $1.00 pound. Ready picked boxes are also available in their new market. They have the best tasting blueberries and the lowest price I have seen. Brookside Farms harvests their own blueberry honey and maple syrup in addition to many delicous bakery products and they carry a varitety of local produce. Make sure to call ahead for whats available and times. Try this Blueberry Buckle recipe.   fritzsblueberries.com Phone (269)-657-3500

Last weekend my husband Rick was stung several times by ground hornets. He had remembered that the Plantain plant was very effective in neutralizing stinging and swelling caused by the stings. Rick picked a leaf and crushed it with his hands and then put some into his mouth and began to chew it. Then he applied the chewed up Plantain to the bee stings. It took about a half hour but the welts and swelling caused by the bee stings gradually began to reside. Rick the past has had reactions to bee stings, they had gotten very swollen and red and very painful. Since he reacted so quickly and applied the Plantain leaf to the stings I think he stopped the normal adverse reaction which may have sent him to the doctor. Please do be careful if you try using Plantain, make sure that you identify it is the correct plant before using it. (If you have severe reactions you should always seek medical attention).

If your looking for a source for local sustainably raised meat then make sure you stop by the Kalamazoo Farmers' Market or the 100 Mile Market to talk with Dave Warkentien from Young Earth Farm in Decatur.

I have found that the best way to preserve fresh cut herbs is to simply treat them as fresh cut flowers. Cut the stems daily and change the water. They will last up to a week.

 

It is amazing to find all the different varieties of eggplant available at the market. Try this recipe for Baba Ghanoush you can use it as a dip for vegetables, serve with peta bread wedges or as a filling in sandwiches.   Storage of eggplant: Try to keep them about 50°. Keep unwashed until you use it, in the vegetable bin in your refrigerator. When buying eggplant make sure they are free from spots and discolorations, they should be light in weight and the skin shiny and smooth.