Lecture: Introduction To Edible Landscaping In The Desert! There Is An Edible For That!

Dear Folks,

I have two lectures scheduled in the East Valley.  If you already have the information you need to garden successfully with edibles in the desert, pass this on to friends and family.

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Introduction To Edible Landscaping In The Desert!  There Is An Edible
For That!


Form and Function:  Edible Landscaping is a blending of a garden which is both beautiful and functional.  Whether you like a free spirit garden or something more formal there is an edible plant for form,
fragrance, texture, and color -- and you get to eat it too. Catherine, The Herb Lady, a valley Edible Landscaping Expert will explain what is needed to achieve the garden of your dreams in this 2
hour lecture.  She will explain what snowsuits in July and Swimsuits in December means.  Why you do not need to shade plants in the summer, and what kind of watering works best and what to plant now and later.


Two Dates Available:  October 19th and November 2nd,  10 a.m. to Noon

Smiling Dog Learning Center
Gold Canyon

Fee:  $15
Register by contacting Dori Lewis:
480 -288-8749
dori@smilingdoglandscapes.com
. . .

Are you interested in growing your own stone fruit?  The peaches, apricots and apples we all love?  Do you know what a chill hour is? Chill hours vary all across the valley from as little a 200+ to 900 hours, and it makes a difference in your neighborhood as to what trees will merely bloom and what trees will actually set fruit. My booklet "What A Chill Hour? Help In Choosing Fruit Trees In The Desert Southwest" contains information and charted chill hour history for various cities in the valley.  Available as a download or print (I think the print version is pricey because of the shipping charge), if you have tried to grow and been unsuccessful or you want to start and begin with the right trees, this booklet will help.

http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/whats-a-chill-hour-help-in-choosing-fruit-trees-in-the-desert-southwest/2519906?productTrackingContext=author_spotlight_37238_

Food As Medicine - But What IS IN That Food?

Dear Folks,

Some literal food for thought (or put another way keeping your body healthier but knowing what you are putting in it).

An article from Reader's Digest on the internet points out some of the legal ways food processors "mess" with our understanding of a word or phrase.

Read here.

It really should not be that you have to be a detective to understand what a package means by 'natural flavor' - if something is coconut flavored, shouldn't you be able to connect that description with the words coconut and flavor.  According the article maybe not.  Geesh

I don't know what the average family spends on processed/packaged food vs. fresh (and that includes grains used for cooking), but I'll bet the ratios are probably reversed of what they should be e.g., should be more fresh than processed.

I strongly encourage you to look past the idea that fresh has to be expensive.  It has to be intelligently decided on.  How many meals can you get out of "X"?  What is the size of a healthy meal?  Extending a meal does not have to mean adding tons of starch.  Learn more about complimentary proteins to make better choices pairing healthy foods with each other to maximize nutrition and flavor.


Hope some of these little tid-bits help guide you to better choices.

Have a great day,



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady