Hen House Herald. Fall is in the Air! INSIDE THIS ISSUE. By Robin L. Thompson Rockbridge Chapter President

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1 Hen House Herald September 2015 Volume 2, Issue 8 Ladies Homestead Gathering-Rockbridge Chapter Facebook: Ladies Homestead Gathering of Rockbridge County (VA) lhg.rockbridge@gmail.com National Website: Next Gathering Composting and Winterizing your Garden ::: Roundtable Discussion September 17th, 6:30pm 104 Shake Rag Road, Lexington, VA INSIDE THIS ISSUE Fall is in the Air! Community Events of Interest Schedule Staying Healthy with Herbs Local Business Partners September Recipe Board of Director Positions Fall is in the Air! By Robin L. Thompson Rockbridge Chapter President As I am writing this month s entry, it is a beautiful day in late August. The air is cool with low humidity and there is just enough of a breeze to where it gently blows through the house. This summer has been HOT and it is SO NICE to have the house opened up with fresh air flowing through! As we head into this time of year, when kids go back to school and things return to a little more of a less hectic pace or at least one with more of a routine, we need to remember our gardens and outdoor spaces that need to be taken care of. For some of us it means a chance to plant our cooler vegetable crops. Now is the perfect time to plant lettuce, spinach, peas and other crops that like the cooler temps. You can even extend their season longer if you plant them in an area where you could put a cold frame over to keep out the chilly temps. During this month s Gathering we are going to discuss the various forms of composting: how to do it, what goes into it, how long it takes, and what to do with it once you have it. I am going to bring in my composting worms and my black soldier fly bin (it is empty, unfortunately!). We will also have handouts for winterizing your garden. In other words, what to do with the garden to make sure it is in the best shape for Spring. What you do now does make a difference to how well your garden is ready for spring planting. One other thing I would like to mention as we head into our second full year of gathering together is that we would like YOUR INPUT into the Gathering topics. We have a nice core group of ladies in the group now and we want to hear from you. During this next month, your board will be filling out the 2016 Gathering calendar. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT? Please call or your local board and share your ideas - we really do want to hear from you! See you at the next Gathering!

2 Page 2 Hen House Herald September 2015 Regional and Community Events of Interest Every month we will include a calendar of events that may be of interest to our ladies. If you have an upcoming event you would like to include on the schedule, please lhg.rockbridge@gmail.com and we will include it in the next newsletter. September Heritage Harvest Festival, Monticello Mother Earth News Fair, Seven Springs, PA There is a limited pass package with two weekend passes and the Mother Earth News Archive from for only $50, along with other types of packages. 17 Ladies Homestead Gathering Composting & Winterizing the Garden 19 Self Reliance Expo, 8:30am- 4pm, Augusta Expo, Fishersville, VA **free admission ($1 or a can of food) October 15 Ladies Homestead Gathering Soap- Making Discussion 17 Soap- Making Workshop LHG Fall Potluck (more information to come) November 19 Ladies Homestead Gathering December 17 Ladies Homestead Gathering Holiday Potluck and Handmade White Elephant January Ladies Homestead Gathering February 18 Ladies Homestead Gathering March 17 Ladies Homestead Gathering Where like-minded women share, grow, and encourage each other in the ways of homestead living. During our monthly Gathering we are going to begin drawings for door prizes. Every month in this newsletter, beginning this month, we will post a phrase for you to write down at the next Gathering for the monthly homesteading phrase drawing. You will need to read through the information in the newsletter to find the phrase. Once you find it, write it down with your name and submit it at the next Gathering in the Phrase Drawing.

3 Hen House Herald September 2015 Page 3 August Gathering Review ::: Staying Healthy with Herbs Medicinal herbs and books Cyndi Ball and Peggy Dyson- Cobb Peggy discussing herbs with the group On a warm August evening we gathered with fun food and friendly fellowship at Owl Moon Farm. We had a couple visitors from the National Ladies Homestead Gathering Board Cyndi Ball (President) and Trina Reynolds (Educational Director) who wanted to check in with our group to see how we were doing. Cyndi and Trina were very happy with the support and things we are doing in our area. Before the presentation we had a potluck and caught each other up on our busy summer activities. Then we headed inside for a fantastic discussion and herbal infusion tasting. Local herbalist, Peggy Dyson- Cobb, was gracious enough to present information on medicinal herbs. She brought some tasty herbal infusions for us to try, including nettle, linden, oat straw, red clover, and holy basil. Who knew Oat Straw made such a mild and sweet infusion! Peggy explained the differences between infusions, tinctures and a decoctions and described how to make them, use them and how long they last. We also discussed various types of herbs; nourishing, tonifying, stimulating and sedating, and potentially toxic, and Peggy gave us a list of common herbs and weeds. Because some herbs are limited and at risk of being overharvested, Peggy told us about the United Plant Savers, a group that monitors endangered and threatened plant populations. Check them out at A book that Peggy recommended is Herbal Antibiotics, by Stephen Harrod Buhner which describes how to make your own antibiotic remedies at home.we posted the handouts she provided in our Facebook group so have a look and download the notes! Peggy hosts herbalism workshops and we encourage you to contact her for a schedule and prices (cobbking@rockbridge.net). Our First Local LHG Business Partner! Did you know Lexington s Farm to You offers a discount to Ladies Homestead Gathering Members? Show your ID and receive 10% off your purchases at your tiny local food grocer! Giveaway Phrase: What s in Season?

4 Page 4 Hen House Herald September 2015 Special thanks to LHG Member, Emily Achin, for bringing those yummy Lemon Bars to our last Gathering and for sharing te recipe with us! Raw Lemon Bars from Everyday Detox by Megan Gilmore Ingredients Crust 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut ½ cup raw pecan halves 6 soft Medjool dates, pitted 1 Tbsp. melted coconut oil ¼ tsp. sea salt Filling ¾ cup raw cashews, soaked up to 2 hours, drained and rinsed 2/3 cup maple syrup ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ¼ cup melted coconut oil Instructions 1. Line a 9- inch square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. 2. Prepare the crust: In a large food processor fitted with an S blade, combine the coconut, pecans, dates, coconut oil, and salt and process until a uniform dough is formed. It should stick together when pressed between your fingers. Transfer the dough to the lined baking dish and use your hands to firmly press it evenly into the bottom, forming a crust. Set aside. 3. Prepare filling: Combine the cashews, maple, syrup, lemon juice, and coconut oil in a high- speed blender and blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the blender several times if necessary. Pour the filling over the crust and place the dish on a level surface in the freezer to set until firm, 4 to 6 hours. 4. Slice into bars, dust with coconut flour, and serve directly from the freezer. Note: Coconut oil lends a slight coconut flavor to these bars, so if you don t care for its taste, try using a high- quality butter instead, which also solidifies when chilled.

5 Hen House Herald September 2015 Page 5 Ladies Homestead Gathering Rockbridge Chapter ADDRESS: 120 Serenity Drive Glasgow, VA PHONE: Robin Thompson Tara Miller E- MAIL: lhg.rockbridge@gmail.com FACEBOOK: Ladies Homestead Gathering of Rockbridge County (VA) Local Board of Directors According to the bylaws of the national organization, each chapter is required to establish a board of directors. If you are interested in participating on the board, please call Robin Thompson at ( ). Current Board: President - Robin Thompson Vice President Vacant, awaiting volunteer Secretary Becky Almy Treasurer - Vacant, awaiting volunteer Education (Gathering topics, etc) Coordinator Elizabeth Kohl Service (Service projects, etc) Coordinator Vacant, awaiting volunteer Community (Hospitality, etc) Coordinator Tara Miller Fundraising Coordinator - Vacant, awaiting volunteer We re on the Web! Visit us at: Ladies Homestead Gathering Rockbridge Chapter 120 Serenity Drive Glasgow, VA 24555