REAL FOOD FRIDAY #90

Hello and Welcome to REAL Food Friday!

I'd like to thank all of the conscious bloggers who followed the guidelines and 

shared REAL FOOD recipes and organic gardening and posts. Thank you for sharing!

Please take a moment to read the guidelines below if you are unsure about what is considered "junk food" verses "Real Food."

Did you see my #realfoodchallenge article?

JOIN ME!
If you're GROWING FOOD this year, check out my
MAY Seed Planting Guide for the US by Region

Would you like to join one of our link-ups? We have openings for 
Tuesdays with a Twist and REAL Food Friday!
Send me an email to mari_backtonature@yahoo.com

On to the PARTY!  We're your hosts
Marla @ Organic4 Greenlivings 
Heather @ Cook It Up Paleo 
Joyce @ It's Your Life 
Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen  
Please welcome our newest co-host, Danielle @ Homestead McCoy

Please take a moment and follow your co-hosts on FB, Twitter, Bloglovin and/or Pinterest.  We appreciate it! 

<a href="http://maryshealthymeals.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/REALFood1_zpsb7242283.jpg"/></a>  
If you're interested in co-hosting let us know! 

You can email Mary at mari_backtonature@yahoo.com

In case you missed "What is Real Food" here's a recap...

I know "Real" food may not seem like as much fun as the sugary, chemically, DIY recipes out there on the internet.  This is why REAL Food Friday is so unique.  This is the place to share your unprocessed, gmo-free, locally grown and/or fair trade posts. Here's a great reference from Food Myths.
 We are trying to make a difference 1 recipe at a time!

If your post includes items like *margarine, *granulated sugar, *food dye, packaged baking mixed with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (betty crocker, duncan hines, pillsbury, bisquik, general mills) then it WILL be deleted.

Time to link up your Real Food posts!  
The party runs from Thursday at 7pm EST through Monday at Noon.

Please follow your hosts and consider adding the Real Food Friday button.

HUGE SALE at Mary's Heirloom Seeds

Planting with Coconut Coir

Mary's Heirloom Seeds On behalf of Home Gardeners, both novice and seasoned vets, Food Activists, Homesteaders and Heirloom Seed Enthusiasts, We have decided to offer our Biggest SALE Ever! Over 40 Items on Sale - 3 Days Only **Seed Packs as low as $1** ORGANIC, NON-GMO ALFALFA MEAL (only $10)  BLACK BEAUTY ZUCCHINI Jumbo Pink Banana Squash JALAPENO PEPPER & ANAHEIM PEPPER Chinese 5-Color Pepper Green Zebra Tomato Mortgage Lifter Tomato Cherokee Purple Tomato Amana's Orange Tomato Japanese Daikon Radish German Giant Radish Genovese Basil Red Shiso Basil BORAGE English Lavender GREEN De BELLEVILLE SORREL Red Sorrel, Bloody Dock Golden Wax Bush Beans New Jersey Wakefield Cabbage  Nero Toscana Cabbage Rotonda Bianca Sfumata Eggplant  Arugula "Roquette"   European Mesclun Mix May Queen Lettuce SPECKLED LETTUCE Yellow of Parma Onion Little Marvel Garden Pea Calabrese Broccoli & PURPLE Sprouting Broccoli Giant Golden Pascal CELERY 1 pound Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth 2 pounds Food Grade DE 3 pounds Food Grade DE (Save $9) Love Lies Bleeding Amaranth Snowball Self Blanching Cauliflower Laurentian Rutabaga Tam Dew Honeydew Melon BLUE FLAX COSMOS FORGET-ME-NOT Lemon Bee Balm Are You ready to GROW?  Mary's Heirloom Seeds All of the seeds listed are open-pollinated, non-gmo and non-hybrid, non-patented, untreated, organic, heirloom garden seeds.   Mary has signed the Safe Seed pledge.   Most seed orders placed Monday-Thursday are shipped within 24 hours, except for holidays. *$10 Order Minimum* STAY CONNECTED:

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REAL FOOD FRIDAY #89

Hello and Welcome to REAL Food Friday!

I'd like to thank all of the conscious bloggers who followed the guidelines and 

shared REAL FOOD recipes and organic gardening and posts. Thank you for sharing!

Please take a moment to read the guidelines below if you are unsure about what is considered "junk food" verses "Real Food."

Did you see my #realfoodchallenge article?

JOIN ME!
If you're GROWING FOOD this year, check out my
MAY Seed Planting Guide for the US by Region

Would you like to join one of our link-ups? We have openings for 
Tuesdays with a Twist and REAL Food Friday!
Send me an email to mari_backtonature@yahoo.com

On to the PARTY!  We're your hosts
Marla @ Organic4 Greenlivings 
Heather @ Cook It Up Paleo 
Joyce @ It's Your Life 
Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen  
Please welcome our newest co-host, Danielle @ Homestead McCoy

Please take a moment and follow your co-hosts on FB, Twitter, Bloglovin and/or Pinterest.  We appreciate it! 

<a href="http://maryshealthymeals.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/REALFood1_zpsb7242283.jpg"/></a>  
If you're interested in co-hosting let us know! 

You can email Mary at mari_backtonature@yahoo.com

In case you missed "What is Real Food" here's a recap...

I know "Real" food may not seem like as much fun as the sugary, chemically, DIY recipes out there on the internet.  This is why REAL Food Friday is so unique.  This is the place to share your unprocessed, gmo-free, locally grown and/or fair trade posts. Here's a great reference from Food Myths.
 We are trying to make a difference 1 recipe at a time!

If your post includes items like *margarine, *granulated sugar, *food dye, packaged baking mixed with ingredients that you cannot pronounce (betty crocker, duncan hines, pillsbury, bisquik, general mills) then it WILL be deleted.

Time to link up your Real Food posts!  
The party runs from Thursday at 7pm EST through Monday at Noon.

Please follow your hosts and consider adding the Real Food Friday button.

NEW Seed Varieties added at Mary's Heirloom Seeds

We've been BUSY BEES lately!  The garden is doing well.  We're eating salads straight from the garden.  Delish!  Today was a long day spent on the computer updating Growing from Seed tutorials and now adding NEW Seeds to our site.

Bonus, I have the slow cooker going with a delicious stew.
Ingredients:
1 pound Pork Shoulder
3 cups 10 bean (beans and lentils)
1 cup rice
6-8 cups water (more if necessary)
5 tablespoons dried oregano, thyme, basil mix
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours, low for an additional 2-4 hours

So...On to the NEW STUFF!

First, I added Organic Dry Herbs including  Chamomile, Echinacea, Elderberry, GINGER and Mugwort.  All of these dry herbs are available in 1, 2 and 3 ounces and are certified organic.

Next, I added 5 NEW organic, non-gmo seed varieties!

MALABAR SPINACH

If you are looking for a different flavor from traditional spinach, then this gorgeous combination of deep green leaves set against burgundy stems and violet blooms will be perfect in your herb garden. Edible leaves grown from Malabar Spinach seeds can be used throughout summer and will flourish in heat and humidity. Young leaves of this herb plant can be cooked and added to recipes and fresh leaves make a great salad. Climbing to 10 feet or more, Malabar Spinach is a lovely vine for trellises and arbors. It is also commonly referred to as Climbing Spinach Vine, Red Vine Spinach or Creeping Spinach. The Malabar Spinach herb is one of the very few garden herbs that is a vining plant.

STEVIA SWEETLEAF

Stevia is a rewarding plant to grow in the herb garden! It is a tender perennial that is native to subtropical regions. Wild Stevia plants often grow on the edges of marches or streams. The Sweet Leaf herb plant can be successfully grown in the herb garden in most any region. It prefers a well-drained sandy loam. Raised beds ensure that the roots do not have too much moisture, and organic compost and regular watering give adequate moisture and nutrients. In colder, northern climates, grow Stevia herb plants as annuals.

The leaves are 20 to 30 times sweeter than sugar cane, but with no calories or carbohydrates. Sweetleaf Stevia could even be considered a medicinal herb because it nourishes the pancreas and does not raise blood glucose levels.

GOLDENROD

Commonly called Rigid Goldenrod or Stiff Goldenrod, this perennial is easily propagated from Solidago seeds. This Goldenrod wildflower is very versatile, native to the United States and has many uses such as roadside plantings, providing wildlife with food and habitat, naturalized settings and wild flower gardens. Solidago Goldenrod is one of the best wild flowers for late fall blooming and is very showy with large heads and flower clusters. Butterflies, hummingbirds, goldfinches, and other small birds are attracted to Solidago and feed on its nectar and flower seeds. Not only are the flowers lovely, but the leaves are also attractive all summer long turning to a rose color in fall. The Rigid Goldenrod wildflower is best grown in full sun and well-drained garden soil.

LAVENDER - SPANISH EYE

This variety is commonly called Fern Leaf Lavender or Egyptian Lavender. Use them in fresh arrangements or dry them for dried floral arrangements, potpourri, and crafts. Fernleaf Lavender herb plants are tender perennials. In USDA zones 8 and colder this variety will grow as an annual.
Spanish Eyes Lavender will provide a lovely display all summer long, but to encourage continuous blooms, deadhead the spent flowers. Do not over water Lavender herb plants. Let the soil dry out between waterings. Place Lavender plants in full sun and in well-draining soil. If your soil holds water, plant the herb plants on a mound or in a raised bed. Spanish Eyes plants should be fertilized or composted with organic material regularly.

CORN SALAD

Once considered to be rather weedy, it now has improved cultivars and is grown throughout Europe and North America for an early spring nutritious herb. Corn Salad, also called Mache, grows from a basal rosette of rounded, spoon-shaped leaves. The succulent leaves that can be 6 inches long have a nutty, sweet flavor that is excellent in tossed green salads. The Mache herb is a nutritious addition to grow in the herb garden with leaves that provide vitamins and minerals, especially iron.
Corn Salad herb plants are easy to grow and require little care. It is a cool season annual, and it bolts once temperatures are above 80F. Corn Salad plants can tolerate frost and they can winter over especially if given some mulch for protection.

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Growing Healthier, Stronger Plants Organically

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Mary's Heirloom Seeds

Quick Links   Seed Starting Supplies Organic Pest Control Organic Plant Food   Heirloom BEANS Heirloom BEETS Heirloom CABBAGE   Heirloom CARROTS Heirloom CORN  Heirloom CUCUMBERS  Heirloom FRUITS: BERRIES MELON WATERMELON Heirloom EGGPLANT   Heirloom GREENS   Heirloom ONIONS Heirloom PEAS   Heirloom PEPPERS Heirloom RADISH Heirloom SEEDS  SQUASH & PUMPKIN Heirloom TOMATOES  HERB Seeds CULINARY Herbs MEDICINAL Herbs  Organic FLOWERS  Seed Pack Combos SPROUTS DIY Tincture Kits Order Online and we SHIP! VIDEO: Seed Starting Made Simple NEW HERB Varieties Garlic Chives Valerian Join Our List INFO All of the seeds listed are open-pollinated, non-gmo and non-hybrid, non-patented,  untreated, heirloom garden seeds. Mary has signed the Safe Seed pledge.   $10 Order Minimum on all seed orders Most orders place Monday-Thursday ship within 24 hours, except for Holidays.

May 17, 2015 Recently, we've been asked more and more about how to grow healthier, stronger plants. There are many ways to naturally boost plant and soil health.  Check out our recent educational articles at Back to the Basics. Using AZOMITE and GREENSAND for healthier, stronger plants     Our featured items of the week are AZOMITE and GREENSAND Both are on sale thru Friday, May 22nd Using Azomite for Healthier Plants From Mary's Heirloom Seeds, -Give Plants the Vital Minerals They need to Thrive -Great soil additive for all plants Azomite rock dust is a naturally mined volcanic rock composed of over 70 minerals and trace elements that are essential for optimal plant health.  The rock formation in Utah from which Azomite is mined was formed when volcanic ash merged with sea water.  This mixture of volcanic ash ans sea water created a unique source of trace minerals and elements that moist soils are void of.  Just like humans, plants require many minerals to reach peak health and vigor. For gardens, spread ¼ to 2 pounds per 10 ft and spade or rake into the soil. Use 1 teaspoon or 1 cup in watering can quarterly for house plants. In feed rations, 1-2 percent (do not exceed 2 percent) of the feed mixture and mix thoroughly with feed.   Continue Reading     Using Greensand for Healthier Soil From  Mary's Heirloom Seeds, -Greensand is a mined mineral, rich in soil conditioning glauconite  -Contains Potash and other minerals from natural marine deposits  -Excellent soil conditioner  -Carrying a formulation of 0-0-0.1 Greensand turns dense, heavy clay into manageable soil. Greensand is a naturally-occurring iron-potassium silicate that can increase soil's moisture absorption by up to ten times.   There are more than 30 trace minerals and nutrients in greensand, with high concentrations of Iron (Fe), Potassium (K), Silicon (Si), Oxygen (O), Magnesium (Mg), Aluminum (Al), Sodium (Na), and Hydrogen (H). These minerals release slowly into the soil in just the proportions that plants need. Greensand must be broken down in soil and is not water soluble. As a general rule, mix 2 cups into the soil around each plant or tree. Continue Reading It has become a daily occurrence now of customers and potential customers asking about dirt.  "Do we sell organic dirt?  Do we know where to buy organic dirt?" It's official...We now offer Coconut Coir growing medium for your organic garden! HELPFUL LINKS:    Using Coconut Coir in the Garden    Indoor Seed Starting ~~~~~~~~ Growing Anise Hyssop from Seed to Harvest Growing Basil from Seed to Harvest Growing Bee Balm from Seed to Harvest Growing Calendula from Seed to Harvest  Growing Catnip from Seed to Harvest Growing Chamomile from Seed to Harvest     *NEW* Arugula "Roquette"

If you have additional questions please feel free to ask.  We usually reply to emails within a few hours. 
Thank you and have a wonderful week!

Happy Planting,

Mary

Mary's Heirloom Seeds