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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper December 2018 Page 33
by Christine Maccabee
On The Wild Side the early 2000s, I saw long glass grow anywhere it appears. It is
encased in a small Chinese lantern-
windows and shower stall glass, by
like husk and the berry inside is
someone’s curb, with a sign saying
“TAKE”... so I took. With the help exquisite. They ripen with colder
of a skilled handyman friend, I weather, so they are not to be eaten
now have nice, long cold frames until golden in color in autumn. For
that at this very moment have me, they are nature’s vitamin pill.
“Winter Greens: A lettuce, tah tsai (an oriental, slightly Sweeeet.
I find there is nothing more
spicy green), purple mustard,
Prescription for Health” and spinach growing. I plant in a satisfying then growing your own
food, even if it is just a pot of
French-intensive gardening manner,
meaning all plants grow tightly tomatoes on the porch. However,
together due to scatter sowing, for me, the more the merrier.
Are you eating your greens this my greens and wound up in the which I believe contributes to their Gardening of all sorts gets me
winter? I ask this question because hospital. Tests revealed I was low in ability to survive even in very cold outside to listen to bird songs;
years ago in the winter, I neglected potassium and calcium. weather. Of course, when it gets watch the hummingbirds, bees,
to eat as many greens as I did Dark green leafy vegetables below thirty degrees, I cover the and butterflies on my flowers; and
during the summer. have high levels of potassium, cold frames with quilts. breathe deeply the fresh air.
During the growing season, I calcium, and vitamin A, too. I Every other day, no matter the I also believe in stretching now
could easily go out to the garden have learned that bananas have weather, I go out and selectively and then to get rid of any pain from
and get my hands full of fresh far less potassium than greens, so thin the tender plants, breaking leaning over. For me, gardening has
organic kale and collards, not I rarely eat them, except to flavor off the roots and placing them in become my prescription for health,
to forget beet greens and my my cream of wheat. At the hospital, a container to eat with dinner. I with greens as the centerpiece.
very favorite wild edible: lambs I learned that lack of potassium also have created a small hutch “Try it. You might like it,” I say
quarters. However, in the winter, can contribute to irregular heart (with the skill of a dear friend with to my grandson about eating his
store bought greens just didn’t rhythms and can lead to an engineering background), over winter greens, but he might have
make it for me, so I stopped eating imbalance of inter cellular fluids, an area of lush edible chickweed. to learn the hard way, like I did. I
creating nervous and muscular Chickweed? You ask. Yes, wild hope not.
irritability. I had all the symptoms; edible chickweed, with its smooth
sickness has a peculiar way of leaves, is wonderful with an earthy Christine is a Wildlife Habitat
Naturalist and Native Plant
educating us. flavor and delightful crunch. Specialist, who is available
Spinach is a great green, with Ground cherry is another wild for consultations. Write her at
more potassium than kale and also favorite of mine, which I allow to [email protected].
rich in iron. Over many years of
planting spinach and a few other
greens in my cold frames out back,
I eat greens well into the new year.
However, with the onset of extreme
cold, temperatures remaining in the
twenties for weeks, the plants do
stop growing, but they come back
with gusto in the early spring!
I highly recommend growing
greens in a cold frame. The frames
I have cost me nothing. Back in
