Rainbow Ranch Farms
31 Dec Fri 2010
Intentional, sustainable communities
The trend hunter offers hundreds of photos, articles, information and links from water filtration bridges to floating eco-communities
47 Sustainable Living Communities
From Ocean Societies to Climate Refugee Islands
More:EcoClustersDesignArchitectureWorldArt & Design
With a great consciousness for the wellness of our planet, plans for sustainable living communities are being developed more rapidly than ever. This cluster examines some of these eco-friendly homes and sustainable living communities. You’ll notice a great focus on ocean societies within these innovations as more architects are realizing the development potential for this underutilized real estate space.
http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/sustainable-living-communities Original article
Lavender Plants and Their Uses
http://www.suite101.com/content/lavender-a-plant-with-many-uses-a57053 Click for original article
Lavender Plants and Their Uses
From the Garden to the Kitchen, in Aromatherapy and in Crafts
Lavender plants are so versatile. Lavender buds, flowers, leaves and stems have multiple uses.
Lavender is an attractive plant that bursts into a profusion of beautiful purple-colored blooms. The flowers give off a strong, pleasing aroma when crushed. When dried, lavender retains both its color and scent, which has made it a favorite in centuries past and in modern times.
Lavender plants make a nice addition to the home garden. Low growing varieties form attractive borders; larger plants are used for wonderful, aromatic hedging. Lavender attracts butterflies, too, making it an all-round favorite with gardeners.
Lavender has definitely made a comeback. Lavender farms offer an assortment of lavender products; lavender festivals introduce people to lavender's uses in the home and on the health front. Trendy restaurants use lavender flowers to enhance the look and taste of popular dishes.
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English lavender has a sweet, exotic flavor and is the variety used most often for cooking.
- Lavender flowers make an eye-catching addition to salads
- Lavender butter or lavender sugar can be spread on toast
- Lavender honey hints of days gone by
- Lavender jelly makes a pleasing topper for bagels
- Lavender cookies and lavender ice cream are favorites
- Lavender vinegar is a nice change to the menu
- Lavender can be used along with other savory herbs, such as rosemary or basil
Lavender Tea
Soothing lavender tea is a favorite for both its flavor and its healing, stress-relieving properties.
Lavender Aromatherapy
- Lavender essential oil is used for a number of health conditions: to soothe the skin, for digestion, for headaches and insomnia, for nervousness and anxiety, for depressive feelings, and for stress relief.
- Soothing lavender essential oil can be added to water and used as an aromatic mist for areas where you spend many hours.
- Energy practitioners use lavender misting to clear negative energy and clean auras. A lavender spray mister containing lavender essential oil can be used to spritz skin and hair.
Lavender Oil
Oil is extracted from lavender plants and is used for perfume. Lavender oil can be added to bath water for a pleasing aroma. A few drops of the oil can be added to your pillow, to help with a restful night’s sleep.
Read on
- Best Lavender Plants in Garden Landscapes
- Selecting, Growing, and Using Lavender
- The Lavender Essential Oils
Lavender Toiletries
Lavender is a natural antiseptic cleanser.
- Lavender soaps are a natural way to clean and heal the skin
- Lavender shampoo is popular
- Lavender is used in hand lotions, bath oils, and bath salts
Lavender Uses Around the Home
- Lavender stems can be dried and tossed into the fireplace for a scented reminder of summer, during cold months.
- Dried lavender flowers can be hung in closets to counteract musty smells
- Lavender bags or sachets (containing lavender buds and lavender essential oil) can be added to the dryer to give clothes a wonderful scent.
- Lavender furniture polishes and air fresheners clean and refresh the home
- Scented lavender candles add light, fragrance, and ambience
Lavender Crafts
- Lavender can be made into potpourri
- Lavender can be woven around/into wreaths
- Lavender can be added to floral arrangements
- Lavender brooms make eye-catching wall decorations
Common Types of Lavender
English lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) is a good all-round plant with multiple uses.
French lavender (Lavandula Dentata) is used mainly for decorative purposes.
Spanish lavender (Lavandula Stoechus) is suitable for garden use.
Lavender is a feast for the eyes and a delight for the senses. Lavender plants offer nature’s bounty in an attractive, aromatic package.
- How to Press Flowers for Craft Projects
Jun 15, 2008 Melody Rhodes
Free Range vs Pastured
Free Range vs. Pastured: Chicken and Eggs
Thursday, March 05, 2009 11:59 AM
By Cheryl Long
Tags: pastured, grass-fed, free-range, chicken, eggs
"Free range" refers to chickens being allowed to range freely outdoors where they can eat whatever grass, weed seeds, insects and worms they choose. This results in more nutritious eggs and meat for consumers, and healthier, humane conditions for the birds. Some producers abuse this term and label their eggs as “free range” when in fact all they have done is open a door to allow their chickens to range in an outdoor area of bare dirt or concrete, with no pasture in sight.
Thus you need to confirm if your eggs or chicken comes from "true" or "pastured" or "grass-fed" free-range conditions. Also, some producers choose a modified system that involves keeping birds safe from predators by confining them in pens or inside electric fencing, and moving the pens frequently onto fresh pastures. Thus, pastured birds may be true free-range or penned, but either system is correctly referred to as “pastured.” And either system is a better choice than products that come from industrial factory farm conditions.