Ancient Wetlands of the Ozarks

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

One of the things I love about living the Ozarks is discovering places of exquisite natural beauty.  Over millions of years, this entire region was submerged in the warm shallow seas of the Paleozoic era before being uplifted by tectonic and volcanic forces.  This cycle repeated itself many times over the course of thousands of years, carving out the hills and hollers we call the Ozark Mountains.  Over the course of time, many of the plants and animals that once lived here became little more than geologic memories etched into stone.  Yet, a few remnants of ancient wetlands still exist within the relatively dry and rocky Ozark highlands.  They are known as Tupelo Gum Pond and Cupola Pond.

The Pies Have It!

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

As we embark on the holiday season, I’ve been thinking about all the good food to come.  So this week, I thought I would share a few of my all-time favorite pie and pie pastry recipes with you!  Enjoy!

2014 Organic Seed Growers Conference

This an organization worthy of your attention!  Click the image or visit their website here.

The biennial Organic Seed Growers Conference brings together hundreds of farmers, plant breeders, researchers, university extension, certifiers, food companies, seed production and distribution companies, and other organic stakeholders in two days of presentations, panel discussions, and networking events. There are also farm visits and short courses prior to the two-day conference.

Jill’s Herbal Diary: Natural Deodorants

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

Nearly twenty-five years ago, when I first began studying herbs and plants and delving into the natural rhythm of being human, I took lots and lots of notes.  For my entire adult life I have followed and been fascinated by plants and nature.  Learning to know their healthful nature and to pass what I have learned on to others has been one of my life’s passions.  The following is an unabridged tidbit from one of my very earliest study journals.  Enjoy, be kind, and feel free to share. ~

Wild Food Foray: Wild Grapes

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

Fall is a great time to gather the wild foods that grow abundantly here in the Ozarks.  Black walnuts, hickory nuts, persimmons, mushrooms, rosehips and wild grapes are all native to the Ozarks and many of the Southern and Midwest states.  Our latest foray resulted in a basket full of luscious wild grapes.

Wild Food: Bearded Tooth Mushrooms

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

It’s been a busy year here on Turtle Ridge.  And just when we thought all our sowing and harvesting were done, fall arrived with its bounty of wild food just begging to be gathered.  So like all creatures preparing for the Great Sleep, Dean and I have been busy squirreling away delicious and nutritious fruits, nuts, and mushrooms for our winter cache.