Amy's Aloes and Herbs

Aloe Vera is known for it’s healing value, especially for cooks in the kitchen! As a redhead who sunburns, I have always appreciated the magic of aloe! My aloes have been cared for on the sunny window sills of my historic house and will love living at your house too!

Desert & Tropical plants are the perfect urban companion. They are also about the simplest entertainment you can discover! They thrive in any environment and are especially happy when you forget to water them! If you do care for them in the way they like, they will surprise you with a whimsical flower, a waterfall of foliage and color, an interesting growth pattern.

**ALL OF THESE ITEMS CAN BE PREVIEWED AT OUR WEBSITE

Floral Sugars
English Victorians had the love of scented flowers, like Mint, Lavender and verbena. These kinds of flowery, fragrant herbs play well with sugar, thus the common practice of making floral sugar became popular in Victorian England. In the fall, with the harvest of my herbs, I make Lavender, Lemon Balm and Mint in Turbinado or Raw sugars floral sugars to store and to share!

Dried Culinary Herbs
Why use a teaspoon when you can use a handful? Some years in the garden I have star performers who try to take over the space. These are the ones that I dry and keep for winter. I never know which one it will be and if I have lots of one, sometimes I bring extra jars to market.

Herb Seasonings
Many years ago I took a hobby sauce class at the Culinary Institute in Napa Valley. That class inspired a lifetime of experimenting with food, especially spices and herbs.

--Herbs de Provence
I have been experimenting with this herb mixture for years and have finally mixed a blend I love. I have found that the ground version is more potent and adds unbelievable flavor to almost anything. Sometimes I bring extra jars to market.

--Pizza Spices
I love to grow hot peppers in my garden. I used to use the seeds to keep the squirrels out of my bird feeder in winter. Now I use them in a fun combination that came from a desire to jazz up a dull pizza. It is a combination of Oregano, Basil, Rosemary & dried crushed hot peppers.

Medicinal Herbs
New for 2010 -- in my gardens at our farm are many medicinal herbs. I began experimenting with medicinal herbs last year and started making a few new different kinds of herbal teas. New this year are more herbal teas made with many of the medicinal herbs I am growing: Lavender, Skullcap, Angelica, Black Cohosh, Devil's Club, Chamomile, Calendula, Lemon Balm, Feverfew, Bee Balm, Catnip, Peppermint, Sweet Woodruff.

Herbal Teas
I like to blend herbs from my garden to make teas that reduce stress and that are calming.

Chamomile
An aromatic herbal tea made from Chamomile flowers. Chamomile is known to help treat insomnia. All of my mixes start with this herb, I generally try to grow a lot of this herb. Other blends: Good Night Tea, Starr's Blend, Untangle, Chai, NEWfor 2010!!! Hocus Focus, Girls Brew, Un-Gnarley, Peaceful Place, Bitter Brew.

Aloe Body Products
Aloe has always been such a great plant for me. Recently I have expanded the lotions and creams I have been making. All of my aloe body products contain primarily aloe butter or aloe gel blended with jojoba oil, glycerin and coca butter. Each mixture helps to solve some of the issues that have come up with exposure to the sun on the farm and fair skin. Aloe Body Lotion, Aloe Soothe, Aloe Lips, Aloe Muscle Rub, Aloe Repair. I make small batches at a time and each batch is as nice as the last!

Fresh Cut Herbs
Around the first part of June, but sometimes in late May, my garden starts to offer beautiful fresh herbs ready to be cut for cooking or drying. If I have extra, I bring a few bunches to market.

**ALL OF THESE ITEMS CAN BE PREVIEWED AT OUR WEBSITE

About Us
Currently I am finishing up homeschooling a teen who is college bound. We've homeschooled for the last 12 years and now it's time for mom to do what she wants! I've always had a green thumb and have enjoyed every aspect of the small animal menageries we've had and especially all the different growing endeavors we have enjoyed. It's time to be a real farmer!

We live in a house built in the historic district of Cincinnati. We have a very small plot of garden space and large sunny windows that have for years served as greenhouses for a variety of projects. In February, we purchased 10 acres of farmland in Eastern Ohio and are introducing raspberries, asparagus and many of the medicinal herbs that I started in my urban garden to that 10 acres. The farm promises woodland mushrooms and hickory nuts as well. Stop by our website to see photos of the farm and our progress!