Home-Grown Herbs for Family Health
June 22, 2013  |  9 a.m.-12 p.m. (3 hrs)
$35  |  Class Limit: 12

Agenda
9:00 a.m.:      Introductions & Overview
9:15 a.m.:      8 Herbs for Home Use: Materia Medica
10:15 a.m.:    Break
10:30 a.m.:    8 Herbs for Home Use: Cultivation
11:30 a.m.:    Meeting the Herbs (walking garden tour)
12:00 p.m.:    Q & A and Farewells

What is this class about? Oftentimes, folks with a newfound interest in herbs find themselves wondering, "Where do I start?!" There are so many herbs to grow and so much to learn about incorporating them into your daily routine that it can be overwhelming at times. In this class, we'll cover cultivation information for 8 herbs that are easy to grow (or find growing) here in Upstate South Carolina: echinacea, thyme, lemon balm, nettle, yarrow, marshmallow, dandelion, and tulsi. We'll also talk about how these herbs can be easily applied to common household concerns such as cuts and scrapes, coughs and colds, digestive ills, stress, and nourishing overall health.

Who is this class for? All levels.

When is it? Saturday, June 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Rain date: Sunday, June 23 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

How much does it cost? $35. Class fee must be paid in advance to reserve your spot. We accept payment by check or credit card.

How do I sign up? If you'd like to register online, just click the button below! If paying by check, please email Meredith at contact@redfernfarms.com for a PDF registration form to mail with your payment.

Learn to Knit!
TBA  |  TBA (3 hrs)
$45  |  Class Limit: 6

Agenda & Course Description Coming Soon!

Wow, can I just keep this weather for the rest of the summer? It feels more like late September than late May! I really hope that y'all will be able to get outside this Memorial Day weekend and enjoy what are sure to be a few absolutely marvelous days. This kind of weather also means that there is absolutely zero chance of the market getting rained out again tomorrow!

We're in the final countdown to the CFSA Upstate Farm Tour and I'm so excited that the herbs are going to be putting on an excellent show for this year's tour. Yesterday, while I was giving some Furman students a tour I saw that the St. John's Wort has begun to bloom! These second-year plants are blooming for the first time and I've been looking forward to infusing and tincturing those beautiful yellow buds. St. John's Wort is a great nervine (good for the nervous system) and vulnerary (good for the skin), though these days it gets pigeon-holed as "that herb for depression." My primary interest lies in its ability to alleviate nerve and muscle pain when used topically, because I get into a lot of trouble of that nature! (If all goes well, it may make an appearance in a future salve...)

In addition to the St. John's Wort, the yarrow and echinacea are blooming, and the anise hyssop is gearing up for its own show. I'm bringing some bunches of the anise hyssop--a wonderful herb native to North America--to the market this week if anyone is interested in brewing up a tea that is cooling and soothing to the stomach! (Probably not a bad tea to have on hand in case anyone overindulges during a holiday barbeque...) It would also be delicious infused in a little bit of simple syrup and drizzled over ripe, local strawberries. Yum!

And speaking of herb teas...for my tulsi fans, I'll have potted plants available this week so you can grow your own! Our production plants are going in the ground next week, so it'll be a little while before I can bring fresh bunches of tulsi to market, but with a plant you can have your own consistent and prolific supply even sooner...

So let's make up for some lost time tomorrow!

Here's what we'll have at the market this week:

Fresh-Cut Herbs:
Chives, tarragon, Italian parsley, dill, spearmint, peppermint, oregano, anise hyssop, lemon balm

Baked Goods & Herbal Products:
Lavender-mint shortbread, herbed focaccia bread, "Farm Hands" herbal salve, dream pillows

Starter Plants:
Rosemary, thyme, peppermint, spearmint, lovage, garlic chives, Genovese basil, Thai basil, purple basil, tulsi, lemon balm

See you in the morning!

Meredith Mizell
Farm Manager
Red Fern Farm

I wanted to remind y'all that I'll be teaching a class at the Grain Loft in Greer this coming Tuesday, May 21st: "Herbal Sauces, Dips, and Spreads" from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. We'll cover a nice array of easy recipes that are perfect for using up the fresh-cut herbs you get at the market or have growing in your garden. There will be lots of smelling and tasting involved, so it'll be a fun way to spend a Tuesday night! This is absolutely the class for you if you find yourself overwhelmed with an abundance of fresh herbs during the summer, or if you're overwhelmed in the sense that you just aren't certain where to begin with herbs!

And of course we're just two (all too) short weeks away from the CFSA Upstate Farm Tour. (Time to print out my infamous "Farm Tour Prep List of Doom...") The tour is June 1st and 2nd from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. It's always a lot of fun, so we hope you'll join us and other sustainable farms in the Upstate as we showcase our work! You can purchase tickets online and get more information at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association website. We will also have tickets available for purchase and free farm tour directories at our booth at the market, so stop on by and pick one up.

Here's what we'll have at the market this week:

Fresh-Cut Herbs:
Chives, tarragon, Italian parsley, dill, spearmint, peppermint, oregano

Baked Goods & Herbal Products:
Lavender-mint shortbread, herbed focaccia bread, "Farm Hands" herbal salve, dream pillows

Starter Plants:
Rosemary, thyme, Italian parsley, curly parsley, peppermint, spearmint, lovage, garlic chives, Genovese basil, Thai basil, purple basil

See you in the morning!

Meredith Mizell
Farm Manager
Red Fern Farm

Finally, some warmth! (I can't believe I just said that...usually by this time of year I'm wishing for cooler weather to return.) A week has made a big difference in my mobility and I was able to get back out in the garden this week. There are a whole lot of weeds to tackle after the big rains, and a sizeable planting backlog, but I'm glad to be back in action!

As the weather continues to warm, we're starting to think about shearing. Because of the heavy lanolin content in raw fleece, we have to wait until night temperatures are pretty warm before we can schedule our shearers to come down and take care of our 75+ head flock. In cold weather the lanolin solidifies and gums up the shears, but in warm weather it's liquid and helps grease the blades during shearing for nice, even passes. Shearing day is probably the dirtiest and most exhausting day of our entire year, but the sheep sure are happy to not have to carry around all that heavy wool during the summer!

Because of the rain and cool temps, the fresh-cut herbs really are magnificent right now. We've been enjoying fresh tarragon and chives with egg salad, fresh lemon balm tea, and lots of fresh chopped parsley with spaghetti! (I really can't overstate just how fresh these herbs are.)

We will have tomato plants again this week but this will likely be their last trip to the market so if you need to snag a few more heirlooms to fill in your garden plan, now's your chance!

Here's what we'll have at the market this week:

Fresh-Cut Herbs:
Chives, tarragon, Italian parsley, dill, lemon balm, spearmint, peppermint, oregano

Baked Goods & Herbal Products:
Lavender-mint shortbread, herbed focaccia bread, "Farm Hands" herbal salve, dream pillows

Starter Plants:
Tomatoes (Green Zebra, Arkansas Traveler, Juliet, Yellow Pear, Cherokee Purple, Mortgage Lifter, Sungold, and Aunt Ginny's), rosemary, thyme, Italian parsley, curly parsley, peppermint, spearmint, Egyptian walking onions, garlic chives

Also, here are a few tidbits about upcoming events--if you have any questions, feel free to email me!

Herb Classes at the Grain Loft:
I'll be teaching a class at the Grain Loft in Greer in a few weeks: "Herbal Sauces, Dips, and Spreads" on the 21st. We'll cover a nice array of easy recipes that are perfect for using up the fresh-cut herbs you get at the market or have growing in your garden. There will be lots of smelling and tasting involved, so it'll be a fun way to spend a Tuesday night!

CFSA Upstate Farm Tour:
We will be a stop on the CFSA Upstate Farm Tour again this year! The tour is June 1st and 2nd from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. It's always a lot of fun, so we hope you'll join us and other sustainable farms in the Upstate as we showcase our work! You can purchase tickets online and get more information at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association website. We will also have tickets available for purchase and free farm tour directories at our booth at the market, so stop on by and pick one up.

See you in the morning!

Meredith Mizell
Farm Manager
Red Fern Farm

Well, this is it: the first market of the 2013 season! For those of you who are new to the list, the TD Saturday Market in downtown Greenville begins in the morning, kicking off our fifth year as a vendor. Please note that the market time has changed--it now runs 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The plant sale a few weeks ago was a rousing success, so a big "thank you!" goes to all of you who attended. We'll definitely be doing it again next year. And for those of you who missed out, we will have lots of tomato plants available at the market tomorrow as well as some culinary and medicinal herbs.

It seems we're having something of a perpetual spring and while it's certainly out of the ordinary, I've been very glad for it this past week and a half as I deal with the aftermath of a herniated disk. I was confined to bed for five days (which seemed like an eternity, especially during this part of the season) but the rain and cool temperatures helped but the brakes on just about everything but the weeds while I recovered. I'm not really 100% yet, but I was well enough today to harvest some amazing fresh-cut herbs for y'all!

The market will be held tomorrow rain or shine, so please come on out for the opening day! Hopefully the rain will wait until the afternoon and we'll have a lovely morning for shopping.

Here's what we'll have at the market this week:

Fresh-Cut Herbs:
Chives, tarragon, Italian parsley, dill, lemon balm, spearmint, peppermint, oregano

Baked Goods & Herbal Products:
Lavender-mint shortbread, herbed focaccia bread, "Farm Hands" herbal salve, dream pillows

Starter Plants:
Tomatoes (Green Zebra, Arkansas Traveler, Juliet, Yellow Pear, San Marzano, Cherokee Purple, Mortgage Lifter, Sungold, Aunt Ginny's, and Black Krim), rosemary, thyme, Italian parsley, curly parsley, peppermint, spearmint, valerian, nettles

Also, here are a few tidbits about upcoming events--if you have any questions, feel free to email me!

Herb Classes at the Grain Loft:
I'll be teaching two classes at the Grain Loft in Duncan during the month of May: "Growing Herbs in Containers" on the 11th and "Herbal Sauces, Dips, and Spreads" on the 21st. These are going to be geared towards beginners, so if you want to learn about growing and cooking with herbs but have been waiting for just the right opportunity to start, this is it!

CFSA Upstate Farm Tour:
We will be a stop on the CFSA Upstate Farm Tour again this year! The tour is June 1st and 2nd from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. It's always a lot of fun, so we hope you'll join us and other sustainable farms in the Upstate as we showcase our work! You can purchase tickets online and get more information at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association website. We will also have tickets available for purchase and free farm tour directories at our booth at the market, so stop on by and pick one up.

See you in the morning!

Meredith Mizell
Farm Manager
Red Fern Farm

A cross between a free-wheeling walking tour and a structured class, our herb walks are a fun and easy way to learn more about culinary, medicinal, and aromatic plants.

Herb walks may be scheduled for individuals, families, friends, and school or business groups between March 15th and December 15th. Walks may be scheduled for the following days/times: Sunday-Thursday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Saturdays after 2:30 p.m. Walks must be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance. Though the walks meander through well-maintained areas of the farm, we will pass over uneven terrain so be sure to wear appropriate shoes. Hats and/or sunglasses, comfortable clothes, and bug spray are recommended during the warmer months.

Culinary & Medicinal Herb Walk: Focus on culinary and medicinal herbs. For adults and children over the age of 10. This guided two-hour walk is well-suited for those who may already have some experience growing and using culinary herbs and want to take the next step. We'll observe common and uncommon culinary herbs as well as a number of common medicinal herbs, learn how to identify them, and discuss some of their uses. We will also review three common methods of herbal preparation (tea, oil, and tincture). Getting to know the plants is a hands-on process, so touching, smelling, and tasting is demonstrated and encouraged where appropriate! Guests are welcome to take photos for reference.

Cost: $10 per person; 50% deposit required for groups larger than four.
Duration: 2 hours
Contact us to schedule your Herb Walk!

Free Herb Walks

Once every season, we offer a free Herb Walk for those to whom the regular price may pose a financial hardship. These are fixed dates and times so there is no need for advance scheduling, though an RSVP is always appreciated so we have an idea of how many are coming! (As a courtesy to other attendees, please limit your party to five or fewer for the free herb walks. Ages 10 and up.) Our free herb walk dates for 2013 are:

Spring: Sunday, March 31 @ 3 p.m.
Summer: Sunday, June 30 @ 3 p.m.
Fall: Sunday, September 29 @ 3 p.m.
Winter: Sunday, December 8 @ 3 p.m.

Contact us to RSVP for a free herb walk!

Now that it's warmed up a bit things are growing like crazy in the greenhouse and garden! We're definitely in the swing of things here on the farm, and since y'all are no doubt feeling the stirrings of spring as well I wanted to let you know about some upcoming events.

First up is our Spring Plant Sale & Market Day on April 13th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.! We have SO MANY PLANTS (seriously, I'm running out of space in the greenhouse and hoop house) for y'all to choose from: lots of our amazing heirloom tomato starts; a wide variety of culinary and medicinal herbs; and squash, melon, and cucumber starts. During the sale we will also have a few tables set up with our usual market goods and a few new goodies. Old favorites like our herbed focaccia and lavender-mint shortbread will be available, along with dream pillows, salves, and my mom's newest endeavor, all-natural soaps. If you'd like to see/share the flyer for the event, visit our facebook page here (http://www.facebook.com/redfernfarm.sc). This is your chance to get a jump on the regular market season!

The weekend after the plant sale, we're offering a class called "Maximizing Your Microclimates." This is one of my favorite subjects and it's so crucial to success with culinary and medicinal herbs in your garden! (Veggies, too, if you're dealing with a shady yard.) The class will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on April 20th and the cost is $40. Check out the full description and agenda on our website (http://www.redfernfarms.com/2013-classes).

Enjoy this beautiful weather and we hope to see y'all soon!

Warmest regards,

Meredith Mizell
Farm Manager
Red Fern Farm

I still have a full plate but am resolved to get back in the habit of blogging. I write at least 750 words a day for personal purposes, so it seems a little silly to say I don't have time to blog. I'll just be sneaky about it and count the words I write here towards my total for the day! I post enough photos via Instagram on our facebook page now that I'll stick with mostly text here. That way you're more likely to get more blog posts!

Speaking of writing, if you have a chance to check out the new issue of edible Upcountry, you can find an article inside written by yours truly and photographed by the stellar Brian Kelley ("Spring Tonics," Spring 2013). He really did the herbs justice; they look vibrant and a little bit otherworldly, which is a good way to describe spring in general. I wrote about spring tonics--specifically dandelion, chickweed, and nettle which are three of my favorites. Now is definitely the time to keep an eye out for them and start including them in your diet. But do be sure that you're not harvesting these plants in a place where they've been exposed to herbicides!

Farm life has been busy since about mid-January, but the advent of March has ratcheted up the pressure exponentially. Less than two months til the market season starts...Spring is the season for frenetic activity and desperate (and hopefully joyful) growth, though, so I'm doing my best to go with the flow and enjoy myself. It's hard not to smile when I see the perennials emerging from their winter dormancy. They're full of promise and so is the season ahead.

For today, though, we have some lingering cold so we're taking the opportunity to have one of our last fires in the hearth until next winter. Maybe a frothy mug of hot chocolate is in the offing as well. I know all too soon we'll be drowning in plant starts and potting soil--the greenhouse is already chock-full of seedlings wanting and needing to be potted up--so I'll enjoy these remaining wintry nights before we go full tilt.

Well, this is it: the last market of the 2012 season. It's the date we work towards all summer, but I have to admit I was getting a little maudlin this afternoon at the thought of not seeing some of your familiar faces until next May. I might not make it to the market myself tomorrow, since someone has to be ready to run to the post office when our new baby chicks arrive in the mail (hopefully) early in the morning. If they get here early enough, though, I'm definitely going to try to get to the booth before the market wraps up. (Also, if you're headed to the CFSA Sustainable Agriculture Conference up Main St. at the Hyatt, I will definitely be there from 2:30 to 4 p.m. helping out with a cooking with local ingredients workshop, so come say hi! We'll be at some other events this fall and winter, so you never know where else I might pop up...)

This really has been a tremendous season. October 1st marked the completion of my first year full-time on the farm--going full-time on the farm was something I'd worked towards since 2007, and it's been a great start. I hope I will have decades more. We've had some great successes and a few failures, but I have learned so much this year and I feel blessed to have been able to share it with y'all. I'm very, very excited for next season, because I have so many ideas for making our existing offerings better and bringing new things to the table!

One of the biggest things I'll be working on this winter is next season's class schedule. It didn't quite work out this fall to pull some on-farm workshops together, but it is extremely high on my priority list for next year. (And a special shout-out to Teresa, whose encouragement to get some classes going has always kept it in my mind.) If you have certain topics you would like to see classes on (particularly related to growing herbs, cooking with herbs, or some introductory herbalism topics, but also regarding basic gardening/farming, fiber arts, or other things you're interested in) please do let me know! I love hearing from y'all, because you're what keeps me here on the farm in more ways than one!

For those of you who have signed up for our off-season mailing list, we'll be seeing more of each other soon! Expect an email in mid-November. I hope that some of you will also be able to come for a little on-farm holiday market we're planning in December. And for those of you who I might not see until next year at the market, I hope you will have a marvelous fall, a restful winter, and a holiday season filled with love and light.

Here's what we'll have at the market in the morning:

Fresh-Cut Herbs:
Chives, tarragon, flat-leaf parsley, sorrel, thyme, spearmint

Baked Goods & Herbal Products:
Lavender-mint shortbread, lemon-thyme cookies, herbed focaccia bread, "Farm Hands" herbal salve, dream pillows

Hope to see you in the morning!

Meredith Mizell
Farm Manager
Red Fern Farm

What a windy fall day! The weather has been so lovely this week, and the leaves are starting to fall in earnest. Hard to believe this is the penultimate week of the market!

A little bit of business first...during the off-season, we're going to be taking orders and doing some baking days (particularly around Thanksgiving and Christmas) so that those of you who are really hooked on the baked goods don't have to go six months without them! We're going to be using a separate mailing list to send out information about that after the market ends, since not everyone on this primary list is local and/or interested in the baked goods. So if you would like to be notified of these off-season opportunities, please email me and I'll include you on the secondary mailing list as well.

(We're also open to custom baking orders at any point during the off-season, so if you know exactly what you want and when you want it, just get in touch and we can hammer out the details.)

As for the market tomorrow...if you're there between 10:30 and 11:15, be sure to stop by the cooking demonstration stage in the center of the market because I'll be there! I'll be demonstrating two great fall recipes--a parsley pesto and a garlic-thyme oxymel. The first is a great way to keep making pesto even though the season for basil is over now; the second is a delicious medicinal food that can be taken for winter coughs and colds or used at any time as a tangy salad dressing. Both are super easy to make, and packed full of herbal goodness. I'll have recipe cards as well as samples of each, so come by and give them a taste! (If I have time, I may even brew up a bit of warming herbal tea...)

Here's what we'll have at the market in the morning:

Fresh-Cut Herbs:
Chives, flat-leaf parsley, sorrel, thyme, spearmint

Baked Goods & Herbal Products:
Lavender-mint shortbread, lemon-thyme cookies, herbed focaccia bread, "Farm Hands" herbal salve, dream pillows

Hope to see you in the morning!

Meredith Mizell
Farm Manager
Red Fern Farm