Gardening 101 – Raised Beds
Back in the mid 80s, I was living in the Pacific Northwest way out in the country yet near Olympia, Washington. The beauty of the countryside inspired me to do something I had, as of yet, never attempted. I was moved to plant a garden, and I wanted raised beds.
Oh my gosh what an undertaking that was! First I had to plan my space. With 5 acres to choose from, I settled on a very small area near my house, yet far enough from the chicken coup that even flying chickens would be deterred from making the trek.
When my garden layout was established on paper, I was off to the lumber yard to buy my wood, “hardware” (that’s a fancy word for nails), and fencing materials. With my first lumber yard experience behind me (I am admittedly a city girl), the real work was about to begin. But first, I needed to talk my husband into cutting the wood, nailing the beds together in place, and finally filling them with the soil I had brought in. (I decided to introduce him to the need for a fence after he was able to admire his first round of handy work.)
Just before we started the fence, a neighbor told me of a blueberry farm that was going out of business and selling all of their plants. Of course I couldn’t let such a wonderful opportunity pass me by, the plants were dirt cheap! So once the backhoe was gone…did I mention you must have two blueberry plants so they’ll cross pollinate? Oh, and did I mention that these blueberry plants had 400 lb root balls?
Anyway, blueberry plants in place, raised beds completed and filled with soil, and fencing completed, the most fun part was calling my name. It was time to plant, weed and feed, and EAT! Gardens teach you about nature’s beauty, and her bounty. There is little I love more today than nurturing my plants, and they respond to my care with much more than I give.
When I left Washington, I moved to Oklahoma near my parent’s 190 acre cattle ranch. Every year, until he passed, my Dad and I made a big beautiful garden together. We always planted jalapenos for him and okra for me, then OF COURSE tomatoes that we both loved, corn, green beans, bell peppers, squash, and cucumbers (Mom canned pickles and jalapenos). Garden memories of my Dad is only one of many reasons I still make my garden each year, but it is admittedly, my best one.
So what does this have to do with “Health”? Well, admittedly nothing. But it was a fun article to write, I loved the stroll down memory lane. And I feel like skipping through the gardens of my mind elevates my mood and contributes to my health and happiness…give it a try!
Nutritional Benefits of Blueberries!
At 4:00 every day, Oprah brings us the-best-of-the-best, and the-latest-and-greatest in health and nutrition (and myriad other bests, latests, and greatests)…so what are those little dark-blue thingies we sometimes see her nibbling on by the handfuls? They’re BLUEBERRIES, of course. Well, maybe not “of course”, but at least “by gosh”. Praised by Dr. Oz, Dr. Weil, Dr. Saks, and physicians in nearly all developed countries, they have quickly been brought to the public eye as research discloses the major health and nutritional benefits of this tasty berry. In one study at a USDA Human Nutrition Research Center laboratory, scientists fed blueberry extractions (the equivalent of a human eating one cup of blueberries a day) to mice, then tested them in various ways. They found that the blueberry-fed mice had better performance regarding memory, exploratory behavior, and motor behavioral learning than those tested who were not fed blueberries. Other research has proven that when fed blueberries, laboratory rats experienced a slowing of age-related loss in their mental capacity. All of these findings have important implications for humans.Most of us are aware that “free radicals” can damage cell membranes and DNA through oxidative stress, and are blamed for many dysfunctions and diseases associated with aging. Scientists believe that the compound responsible for neuron protection in the brain is “anthocyanin”, which happens to be what gives blueberries their color and may be responsible for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well. Blueberries, with their antioxidant properties, are among the many colorful fruits and vegetables that test high in their ability to suppress free radicals.
With an aging population ever increasing in numbers (more than 30% of Americans will be over 65 by 2050), these findings could become increasingly important. Preliminary results in human trials show that people who ate a cup of blueberries a day perform 5 to 6% better on motor skills tests than the control groups. A number of additional substances in blueberries are thought to have health benefits. One compound present, called proanthocyanidins, is known to promote urinary tract health and reduce the risk of infection. Other substances include but are not limited to, dietary fiber, phenolics, flavonoids, fructose, vitamins, and antioxidants. It should be mentioned that antioxidants seem to play a huge role in the prevention and delay of cancer, heart disease, and aging, although studies on human beings are currently limited in number.
Nutritional Benefits Of Aronia Berries
Recently, I ran across some information on this new little berry. Some people make it into two words…Aronia Berry, and some people put it together calling it Aroniaberry. Either way, it’s not new, but it may be “new to you”. Sometimes called the Black Chokeberry, below is some information on the nutritional value of this scrumptious little treat. If you Google it, you will find that people are also loving using this plant to decorate their yards…who knew!
The Aronia Berry, or Black chokeberry as it is commonly known in horticulture circles, is a beautiful and hardy plant that is making a come-back in the US, for several reasons. These violet-black berries can be canned whole or the juice may be extracted to use in jelly and candy making, pie and cookie fillings, as well as yogurt, sorbet, and milk flavorings. In Russia, Denmark, and Eastern Europe this hardy little berry is widely used for juice and wine production due to its strong color and pungent flavor.
Native to Eastern North America, it was well known to Native Americans and early settlers but hasn’t been commercially cultivated in the United States since the early 20th century. Although It is sometimes used in landscapes for its creamy white flowers in late spring, and colorful flame red autumn foliage draped with dark berries, it is finally starting to get the recognition that it deserves for commercial food use, and special attention is being paid to the nutritional value of these little berries. Today, the main commercial sources for aronia berry juice comes from Europe, however it is grown commercially on small farms in Iowa and Oregon, and the USDA Plant Materials Program has begun testing at 11 sites in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.
Phytonutrients are the organic components of plants that are said to promote human health. As we examine the profile of aronia juice, it’s clear to see the benefits human beings stand to gain from its use. With flavonoid levels five times greater than those found in cranberries, combined with antioxidants, polyphenols, minerals, and vitamins (B2, B6, E, C, and Folic Acid), aronia berries provide benefits against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, cardiovascular ailments, circulatory problems, influenza, urinary tract infections, and kidney problems.
Sorbitol is the dominant sugar in aronia berries, an unusual profile, and they have a high level of phenolic acids, tannins, catcheins, and other active flavonoids such as quercitin, rutin, hesperidin, and procyanidin. An analyses of flavonoids in aronia berries reports a range from 2500mg to 3500 mg per 100 grams. It is one of the fruits highest in anthocyanin content, with ranges between 725mg and 1050mg per 100 grams of fresh fruit. Some of these flavonoids have been documented to reduce infection as well as the replication of viruses.
To re-cap and accentuate previous points:
Research has shown the Aroniaberry:
* May offer protection for human blood vessels
* Contains rich amounts of flavonoids, polyphenols, anthocyanins, and powerful antioxidants
* Is a strong relaxing agent of the smooth muscle found in arteries
* Plays a major role in keeping blood pressure from becoming dangerously high
* Helps prevent spasms in blood vessels
* Inhibits the development of blood clots and the early process of atherosclerosis
* Relaxes the arteries, aids in blood flow, and protects the coronary arteries from oxidant injury
* Is five to ten times more powerful than the cranberry for urinary tract health
* May inhibit colon cancer (University of Maryland)
