For years now I have been trying to persuade folks to eat more fresh fruit and veggies.  The only thing is that to get the good ones, one almost has to grow their own now a days with all the pesticides and things. And with spring just around the corner there is no reason for folks not get to planting their own gardens.  You will be glad you did and better yet so will your body.    Here is a couple articles that got my intention and thought I would share.  I

Fruits such as blueberries, are not only healthy food choices, they may actually be able to reverse age-related memory problems. That’s the conclusion of a study by a research team from the University of Reading and the Peninsula Medical School in England.

The chemicals that give tart cherries their red color may relieve pain better than aspirin and may provide antioxidant protection comparable to commercially available supplements like vitamin E, according to Michigan State University researchers. The new findings “suggest that the consumption of cherries may have the potential to reduce cardiovascular or chronic diseases in humans (such as arthritis and gout),” write the scientists.

Also fish is a good thing to eat which a lot of us don’t do.  Think I had better take some time off this year and do a bit more.  Take A Look:Higher consumption of fish oil may lead to a significant reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer, according to a meta-analysis conducted by researchers from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

We live in the great white north but I got a hinklin that spring is headed our way. I was talking to a friend in Michigan and they were telling me the Woodchucks, Starlings and Robins were all sighted yesterday, so I would think that is something that isn’t to far off here in Port Loring. Got to tell you folks I sure am ready for spring.  Think every bone in my body is aching this year because of the cold. Nice when in our home here heating with wood as it is the best source one can have for problems like I have.  Takes the dampness right out of the old bones.  Well Talk Soon. 

Well with winter about half way through we sure have been enjoying our preserves we did up last summer. Nothing can be nicer that enjoying fresh fruit and veggies in the middle of winter.  Also nice knowing that we are eating health food too as growing them you know what’s in them or on them.  We put away lots of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, and just to many veggies to name. The wife freezes most of them but she does up a lot of tomatoes in jars.  One has to put a bit of work into a garden but the benefits out way the work.  Well thought I would say hello and hope you are all doing well in 2008, man where does the time go. Talk Soon

Well made it to town and back stopped off at the feed store while there and got two fifty lb bags so that should look after the deer we got coming around our feeder for most the winter. I don’ t feed them to much but just enough to keep them where we can see them.  Almost a full day going to town so when we get back we are ready for a coffee and relax.  Still cold here but the snow has stopped so that makes me smile.  Talk Soon

You know I got to thinking about fresh home grown onions.  For years my old Mom used to eat raw onions every day.  I never thought anything about it for years but then got to thinking.  That woman never had a cold in her life.  I would think that’s almost a miracle in itself.  She chocked it up to onion eating.  I also eat a lot of onions and think it is a real easy,  way of staying healthy.  Last year I put enough sets that gave us around 40 pounds this fall and so far we have eaten half of them, guess I will have to put in more this coming spring.  My wife puts them in everything or most everything.   Yep a lot of old time remedies worked well back when and in my eyes we would be a lot better off if we went back to them old ways.  Talk Soon

Well been busy the past few days here working in the old shop on a few gifts and things.  Got lots to do but just don’t feel like doing them and thing is I don’t have to any more if I don’t feel like it.   That’s the nice thing about semi retiring as some folks would say.  I don’t call it retiring as I don’t believe there is such a thing, as if your a man you never really stop doing things in life.  Well should take that back, the part of being a man,  as I do know plenty of women who are real hard workers and always doing something.  Even more so than the men in some cases.   At any rate I did get to cleaning out the cold room down stairs and found I had a few soft turnips, potatoes and things,  reason being I forgot to open the vent which lets in the cold air.  So lost a few,  but they didn’t go to waste,  as I put them out for the deer.  Talk Soon

You know I planted some raspberry plants two years ago. Finally got up to size, so was looking forward to some nice berries this coming summer. Well was taking out the ashes from the wood stove this morning and noticed tons of rabbit tracks. Got to looking further and seen they had been eating the raspberry bushes. On the one end they cleaned them off to the ground.  I didn’t think they even liked the things, but I was wrong.  So now not to sure what to do,  guess just keep an eye on them.  Might have to put a light out back as it might steer them in another direction.  Always something to get an old fellers mind a thinking.  Talk Soon

Now there is an interesting topic, Raw Milk.  I could talk about that all day. You know for years where I was raised on the dairy farm I drank over ten glasses of raw milk a day. I got to tell you there is nothing as tasty as cold raw milk and not only that,  it’s soooooo good for you.  Here in Canada though its been outlawed,  just another law that was brought down the tubes to protect folks,  or so that is what they would like you to believe.  Another thing is that milk of today or should say store bought milk, well I can’t drink one glass, if I do I almost bend over in pain or headin to the bathroom.  Not sure why they call it that,  years ago we called it the out-house,  that was to direct to the point I suspect.  Amazing huh my stomach loves raw milk and won’t tolerate pasteurized milk.  So if one sits down and thinks about that a bit,  it doesn’t take a scientist to tell me that I shouldn’t be drinking store bought milk.  I also think if folks went by their feelings when eating or drinking things,  that they would be a lot better off. Hard to do though in today’s world as there isn’t to much out there to eat any more that’s  pesticide free or not loaded with chemicals.  Well as I said at first,  I could go on here for ever,  but you all know what I am getting at.  Watch what you eat, read labels, ask questions and the best fix would be for us all grow and raise your own.  The more self efficient you become, the better off you will be and in doing so,  you will become so much healthier.  Talk Soon.

Well about now I suspect most folks are into their preserves and things, that they have made from their gardens last summer. I know we are and got to say they are pretty tasty. I  know a lot of folks today say, well, I just don’t have time any more to do them up.  I can buy them cheaper in the grocery store and things like that. That’s not the point in reality though, if you grow your own and do up your own preserves and things you are getting pesticide free produce. Also you know what goes into your garden so you get the full benefit of all the minerals and things. Like your own well water, the water that you get in the country from your own well is full of minerals and things that your body loves.  Same as growing your own vegetables.  It doesn’t take much space either.  So for a good healthy way of living why not get your own garden going this coming spring.  I will guarantee you will feel a lot better for it and hey as I keep on saying, you also become a little more self efficient,  in other words you stop relying on other folks and powers to be for help. Can’t beat that huh and how much is your health worth.  With out your health all the money in the world isn’t worth a plug nickel.  My old Dad used to say, being wealthy isn’t determined by how many dollars you have in your pocket. Talk Soon.

Well compared to yesterday we got a cold day.  Picked up an old light which I put out back by my bird feeder.  A friend of ours have one out by theirs and it gave us the idea. As every night they get flying squirrels that come for a meal.  I didn’t even know they lived in this neck of the woods and we live in the woods. This way we will be able to have a look see.  It also gets pretty dark on the one side of the house that faces the bush so this will light up things a wee bit. Also might be able to get a glimpse of the deer as they come through during the night.  Things like this that don’t cost anything other than an hour of hydro each night makes for an interesting life.  Got the light hooked up and brought in some firewood for the shop so pretty well set for the day. Home made chicken noodle soup is on the old cook stove so one can’t ask for anything more than that. Pretty rough life huh? Talk Soon.

Well I had a pumpkin this year that grew in spite of all the damage that I did to it. I wrote a story of this pumpkin and it will be in the North Bay Nugget come next week, I think. This pumpkin though deserved to become pies so this Fall after Halloween I put it in the cold room. Today the wife took it out and it is about to become a Pumpkin Pie. Sounds good to me. Also the seeds are lucky ones,  so kept all them for next years plantings. The neighbor,  Bee next door,  gave us a recipe for home grown pumpkin pie and a thank you goes out to her,  so will let you know what it tastes like when all said and done maybe a picture of the finished product.  Talk soon.

As I got older I found different things were starting to happen to the old body. The one thing that bothered me a wee bit was high cholesterol.  I don’t really know why I let it bug me as years ago no one even knew there was such a thing.  But new things come to be in todays world.  I also have found a lot of the doctors today send folks in for tests that aren’t even necessary,  or at least that is my way of looking at things.  If one sneezes today with a cold,  off to to the doctors they go when all they have to do is keep warm, eat right and rest.  Old Doctor a good friend of mine told me one time when I went in for a visit.  “George I can give you an antibiotic and the cold and it will last one week or so. Or I can send you home tell you to eat a bowl of chicken soup a day, rest and keep warm and the cold will last one week or so.  In other words he was telling me the cold will run it’s course and an antibiotic isn’t necessary unless you have an infection. So over the years I have done what he has said and never had a problem.  Just imagine the gas I save now a days not having to run to the doctors all the time. Thing I do today is  I  eat right and get my rest.  On the cholesterol part though I did find a way of naturally lowering mine and it was by eating crushed garlic with one or two meals a day. Not imported garlic though,  one that is grown locally or in my own garden.  I know one would say what about your breath.  I say well it’s either that or not being healthy. One way is just get your wife as in my case to have a piece of garlic too through out the day,  that will fix that problem, also good for her too.  Others, well that’s their problem.  I like to crush a clove or two and then let it set for fifteen minutes or so then eat it with my sandwich or what ever is on the menu at that time.  In six months my cholesterol was back to normal.  Amazing huh? Talk Soon

Well not a bad day here.  Decided on cleaning the shop a bit along with my shop vac.  Then since it’s such a nice day would leave  the door open to air out the place, the shop that is.  You know I have been giving this tea a bit of thought. One thing us folks in the country have to deal with is scum on our tea.   It’s nothing to do with anything being wrong with it, it’s the hard water we have.  The minerals and things tend to cause this scum.  Over the years folks have tried all kinds of things to eliminate it with out to much success.  The folks that raised me years ago had a simple remedy and thought I would share it with you.  Simple and one doesn’t need a diploma hanging on the wall to figure it out. Lemon, yep that’s it.  The acid in the lemon counter reacts with the scum and prevents it.  Simple huh?  Well I got to be honest here as I didn’t remember what the solution was till one night while I was sleeping.  I dreamed that Laura the lady of the house was putting a touch of lemon in her tea pot.  Then it all came back to me. So in the morning I got up and tried it. Took a bit to get it right as I don’t much like the lemon taste in tea. But after four or five mornings of making tea we finally got it right.  About a 1/4 tea spoon per tea pot.  Works slick and no more scum.   Talk Soon

Well I know you are probably asking or should say thinking,  that there is no cure for the common cold.  For years my old Dad and Grandfather used to use leaves and blossoms from the Linden Tree or some call the Basswood Tree,  to stop a cold or flu in its tracks.  The leaves to use aren’t the big ones that is on the tree year round,  they are the long slim pointed ones that come out when the tree is in blossom.   There is two of them that go with each bunch of blossoms, those are what you want to harvest.  It’s not hard to find a tree when it comes out in blossom,  as if you put your nose to the wind come mid summer you can smell them a mile off.  Well at least here in the North where the air is clean.  Once we find a tree my wife and I pick all we can.  We take the blossoms and the slim pointed leaves home, sometimes a bushel at a time if we are exceptionally lucky.  She then takes them out of the bushel and lays them on news paper and lets them dry for about a month or so,  each day turning them a bit.   Once dry we separate the leaves from the blossoms.  The blossoms are good to cure the cold and the leaves are used to fight a fever.  I like to mix a couple leaves with my blossoms,  as that seems to be the fix for me.  At the first sign of a cold, which is usually a punky feeling,  my wife brews me up a cup. The simplest way is to go and buy yourself a thimble that you can put loose tea in. Usually you can buy them at the dollar store or an old Country General Store like we have here in Port Loring.  She then just crushes up enough to half fill the thimble and hangs it in a glass of hot water with a touch of sugar or molasses for taste.  In about two or three minutes of dunking it in and out one just sips away on it. I should say it tastes great and what medicine today can you get that tastes great and works.   A few weeks ago I was to town and sure enough I must have picked up something. I felt a bit down a week later so the wife made me up a cup of the blossoms just before retiring to for bed.  In the morning was back to my old self again. Can’t beat that huh?  We have been  using that remedy for years now and my Grandfather and Father before that. It is widely used in Germany and Switzerland still today. Oh and I would like to say one more thing about the blossoms. If you let them go to seed you can take the seeds, grind them up in a coffee grinder and you will have the best hot chocolate ever. Talk Soon

Well weather is suppose to drop in temperatures tomorrow night, so got busy and planted my Garlic.  I got to tell you I sure love the stuff and you can’t get anything more healthier to eat.  I put in one row this year which is about twenty feet long.  I just take a couple sticks and put a piece of twine from stick to stick. Reason being so I know where they are come spring when I go to plant the rest of the garden.   Also it helps me keep a straight row. I don’t know but I got a thing about crooked rows.     Once I get the line up I just take my hoe and dig a small trench about four inches deep.  I then plant the garlic about five or six inches apart.  Once all planted I then like to take a few handfuls of cow manure and sprinkle it over the cloves just before I cover them up. Once covered up I put a bit of straw over the top or leaves depending on what I have on hand.  That’s it don’t take no effort at all. One thing to remember though, wash your hands before you have dinner, Hmm I thought my piece of cheddar cheese tasted a bit different.    I also took an old white tarp this year and wrapped it around my grape vines as I got froze back last winter. Took all summer to grow new vines so didn’t want that to happen again.  Wife likes Concord Grape Jam and if they keep freezing back one don’t get very many bunches.   I also took some old half rotten boards I had laying around the place and cut them up for kindling so all set now for starting the old stove in the shop.   Sure nice to be able to enjoy life up here in the north and do things that one wants.   Talk Soon.

Well I would think most folks have dug or picked their veggies for winter. I got mine in but this year I had a few extra red and green peppers. So what to do? Simple really,  the wife took the peppers and cut them up in small pieces.  She then set them on a cookie tray and put them in our oven. We have a Propane stove here in the country as we love to cook with a flame, also nice when the power goes out.  Just seems to be a nicer way to cook,  at least for us.   The nice thing about a gas or propane stove or wood stove is it has a pilot light or flame of some kind going at all times or maybe now a days that isn’t right as the new stoves might not have a flame any more.  Anyways, if you happen to have one of these stoves or a dry place you can put your peppers after you cut them, well then get to doing it as come winter when you want a real tasty home made soup you will have the fresh garden ingredients to put in there.  My wife dries them in the oven for a few days and then once dried she grinds them up in a coffee grinder a hand one and then puts it in brown paper bags for storage. I got to tell you nothing is more tasty come winter.  Hmm Good!  Talk soon.