The plant produces steviol glycoside which makes it sweet.
Grow stevia plants in your garden to produce a natural sweetener with no calories. To get more bang for my buck from my garden, I plant varieties that are expensive to buy at the supermarket. Stevia qualifies as a contender for garden space using that criteria. With no calories and no reported side effects stevia is an important herb for every home gardener because of the natural, calorie-free sweetness found in its leaves.
Stevia is a tender perennial that loves the warm sun and dies back in a freeze. In my Rocky Mountain climate I start seeds inside 7-9 weeks before I transplant outside. Germination takes 10-20 days at 68-70 degrees. The seeds should be sprinkled on the soil surface and lightly covered with a planting soil without fertilizer.
Germinating Seeds
Stevia seeds are extremely fine and difficult to
sprout. This year I got five plants to
sprout out of 10 seeds. I started the
seeds under grow lights in a flat made from a deli tray that had a clear
plastic domed cover in order to keep the seedlings hydrated and protected from
temperature fluctuations.
After all danger of frost has passed and the ground has warmed up, I transplant outside. It’s June 6 and my stevia seedlings are still hardening off on the front porch as we had snowfall on May 21st this year. I moved them to a plant stand in the shelter of the east-facing front porch the end of May to acclimate to outside temperature fluctuations. We have very cool nights this close to the mountains.
Cultivation Tips
Stevia likes full sun and well-drained soil. It does not tolerate extreme climate changes. Plant your stevia so that it has about 18 inches of room to call its own. It prefers loose, loamy, well-drained soil. It will grow 1 to 3 feet in height, depending on the length of your growing season. In warmer climes stevia can grow into a two-foot shrub. Mulch to prevent the plant from drying out on hot summer days.
Stevia doesn’t like soggy soil, so make sure that it has
good drainage, or the roots could rot. A sure sign of rot is wilting from which
the plant doesn’t recover after watering. Fortunately, few insects bother
stevia plants. Use a low nitrogen fertilizer when feeding
stevia. Tip-prune to encourage
bushiness. Harvest before flowering occurs in late summer and dry upside down
in bunches. Cool temperatures intensify
the plant’s sweetness, so harvest late in the season but before frost. Plants mature in 55 days.
Cloning Stevia Plants
In order to capitalize on plants that sprout, I take cuttings from the growing plants. To make a cutting, choose a branch with at least two leaf nodes and cut the branch from plant with a sharp knife or single edge razor. Strip the branch of all but the top four leaves and place stem in a small planting container firming the growing medium around the cutting. Space the cuttings about two inches apart in the container. Moisten the soil and put the container in a gallon zip lock bag. If the bag has too much condensation while the plants are rooting, just open the zip lock and let the moisture evaporate before resealing. By using cuttings, you can overwinter stevia and multiply your stevia planting with these clones from your seedling plants. In cold areas, bring plants in and place under 14 hours of fluorescent lighting hung three inches above the plants.
How to Process Stevia Plants
Use the fresh leaves during the growing season to sweeten
tea. The sweetness in the leaves is approximately one-fourth as concentrated as
the white, powdered stevia sold at the store. Leaves are 30 times sweeter than
sugar. A single plant yields up to a 1/2 lb. of dried leaf. All parts of the
plant are sweet, but pick the herb’s short-stemmed leaves for fresh use. Leaves
can be sun-dried, powdered and stored in an airtight container for future use.
Sweeten your morning tea with powdered stevia leaves.
When sweetening with powdered leaves, use about 1/8 teaspoon
of dried stevia to equal the sweetness of 1 teaspoon of sugar. A general rule
of thumb is that 2 tablespoons of stevia powder equals 1 cup of sugar. Remember, while stevia will withstand the
heat of cooking, it will not caramelize like sugar or feed yeast for breads,
For winter use, dry the stevia by cutting the plant,
securing the branches with a rubber band, and hanging them upside down in a
sunny window until dry. Strip the leaves
from the plant and process the dried leaves in a blender or food processor
until powdery.
How to Make Stevia Extract
Start with clean stevia leaves,
either fresh or dried. I rinse off my fresh leaves and give them a spin in the
salad spinner.
Chop the stevia leaves. Place the
chopped leaves in a glass jar, and then pour in enough vodka to cover the
leaves.
Label the jar and put in a cool spot out of direct sunlight for two days, shaking or mixing gently a few times per day.
Don’t let it sit longer to try and
get a stronger flavor. Longer steeping can increase bitterness. Don’t include
stems so you have more material. They don’t contain much steviol glycoside,
which is what makes the stevia sweet.
After two days, strain the leaves
through a coffee filter or other fine material. Take the raw extract and
cook it gently over low heat until it is reduced by half. Do not boil it, or it
will burn and taste nasty. Store in a dropper
bottle, if available, or any small jar for future use.
I planted Avalanche snow peas, or, as they are sometimes called, edible pea pods, as soon as I could work the ground which this year was March 27thjust six days into Spring. It was a beautiful Spring day of 67 degrees on the eastern plains of Colorado with a spectacular Rocky Mountain backdrop. True to their name, the peas have been snowed on three times, so far. The last snow was on May 20, with a 4- inch heavy, wet snowfall after two weeks of 70 degree weather. That’s a Rocky Mountain Spring for you! Undeterred, they sprouted within 10-12 days and flourished in the cool, damp weather of early spring.
From Seeds
Between snows
In the Jung seed catalogue they were described as: sweet. crisp, deep green snow peas. The
semi-leafless (afila-type) is rare in snow peas, but an advantage as these 30
inch plants are self-supporting and pods are easy to see for picking. Double pods are set at every node (The
main difference between node and internode is that the node is the point of
attachment of leaves to the stem whereas the internode is the distance between
two consecutive nodes. Node and internode are two structural parts found in the
stem. The stem is one of the two structural parts of a vascular plant, the
other part being the root).
I am already seeing visions of little pea pods in my stir
fry recipes. One of my favorite early
spring recipes with pea pods is Asparagus Tortellini Salad which I serve as a
side dish or light supper with fresh fruit and cheese. This is a simple recipe that incorporates
those lovely spring veggies.
Recipe
Tortellini Asparagus
Salad with Peas
Ingredients:
Asparagus, medium bunch (12-15 stalks) cut into one inch pieces
1 cup edible pea pods or frozen peas
1 eight ounce package of tortellini cheese-filled pasta
4 oz. goat (feta) cheese
1/3 cup cream, milk or evaporated milk
1 Tablespoon butter
Chopped parsley or chives for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Add tortellini to boiling water in a large saucepan. Cook for recommended time.
Add chopped asparagus and peas to the tortellini the last two minutes of cooking.
Pour the pasta, asparagus and peas into a strainer and plate in a bowl or on a platter.
While the pasta is cooking, make the cream sauce.
In a small saucepan over a low heat crumble the feta (goat) cheese into the butter and milk. Whisk till the cheese dissolves into the creamy mixture.
Pour the cheese sauce over the plated pasta salad.
Garnish with parsley or chives as desired.
Serve immediately. If there are any leftovers, place in refrigerator. This salad is also good cold or reheated in microwave.
Fresh asparagus from the garden is one of the first crops of Spring.
One year when I was homeschooling my granddaughter in the 9th grade, we planted asparagus from seed in January to see if we could get asparagus more economically than paying for asparagus roots. The kitchen windowsill was crowded with 25 seedling starts. We decided to order 25 Jersey Giant roots as we wanted to see which might perform the best over the years, our seedlings or the nursery roots.
One of the few perennial vegetable crops, asparagus comes back year after year, producing pounds of succulent spears for 15 to 20 years or more. In fact, when it comes to productivity, asparagus is difficult to top. A modest planting of 25 all-male crowns (dormant roots) will yield up to 20 pounds of edible spears per year. We were aiming for 50 plants as it was recommended that 25 plants would provide a year’s supply of asparagus for one person, and we were a two-person household that enjoy asparagus.
Asparagus plants (Asparagus officinalis) are unusual because they’re dioecious, which means some plants are male while others are female. Although both male and female asparagus plants can produce flowers, only the female plant produces fruit, which are small red berries that you’ll see clinging to asparagus ferns in the summer. Potentially you’ll harvest up to three times as many asparagus spears from male plants compared to females, an advantage that becomes especially apparent after the second or third year the plants are in your garden.
Choosing Crowns
In addition to our homegrown seedlings, we ordered 25 one-year-old, healthy, dormant plants, called crowns, available from reputable growers. The 25 Jersey Giant plants we grew from seed is a cultivars that produces only male plants. Since these all male cultivars were developed by Rutgers University in New Jersey, “Jersey” is usually part of the variety’s name.
These hybrids also tend to be more tolerant of warmer regions than older varieties, which usually grow in U.S. Department hardiness zones 4 through 8. For example, the cultivar “Jersey Giant” grows in USDA zones 3 through 10, while “Jersey Supreme” grows in USDA zones 2 through 9. The cultivar “Jersey Knight” is a vigorous cultivar that’s a good choice for humid areas, because it’s resistant to fungal disorders. It also does well in heavy, clay soils and grows in USDA zones 4 through 8.
Other Benefits
Male asparagus plants also tend to start producing spears earlier in spring than female plants, another benefit of an all-male plot. Asparagus plants are perennials that usually live about 20 years, but male plants tend to live longer that female plants, probably because they expend less energy and use less stored nutrients during their life span.
Because male plants don’t produce fruits, an all-male plot won’t become filled with “volunteer” seedlings from dropped fruits. These seedlings tend to be inferior to carefully bred cultivars and also compete with adult plants for nutrients.
Creating a Bed
Chives, iris, tarragon and Egyptian onions surround the asparagus bed in a living moat.
My granddaughter and I used a cinder block edging to enclose our asparagus bed which over the years has been a wonderful container planter garden surrounding the asparagus bed. Over the years I’ve plantedmint, tarragon, basil, peppers, roma tomatoes, Aunt Molly’s ground cherries, petunias, nasturtiums, four o’clocks, iris, lavender, violas and other small plant varieties in the two wells created by the cinder block when turned on its side and filled with soil. The cinder blocks keep the other plants from invading the asparagus bed and create a living moat to complement the asparagus ferns after the spring harvest.
DIG YOUR BED
We dug down into the bed about 8 inches and covered the area with a mat of newspapers before planting the crowns. The newspapers create a weed barrier to discourage invasion of noxious weeds and will decompose over time.
Asparagus likes to be well fed so add compost or your chosen fertilizer to the prepared bed and work it into the trench-like rows where you will be placing and planting your crowns.
Place the crowns 6 to 8 inches deep. The actual “crown” – the knotty mass where all the roots join together – is planted face up. This is where the asparagus spears will emerge from, pushing their way up through the ground for harvest. To plant the crowns, spread the roots of the crowns out on the bottom of the trench. Space plants about 12 to 15 inches apart, so they will have room to grow. Then fill the trenches with the soil dug out of the new bed.
The asparagus seedlings were easier to plant as we just transplanted them in their grow pots into the bed. Over the years mulch, compost, fertilizer, leaves, and straw will add to the depth of the asparagus bed and be contained by the cinder blocks.
Water
The most necessary step for nearly all gardening projects: watering! When first planting your asparagus crowns, give them a good, deep watering immediately after planting, and water more sporadically throughout the first season as needed (especially during dry periods and in hot, arid regions). Keep the water up to your bed during the growing season and pick daily as asparagus becomes fibrous if left to grow bigger.
Harvest
Stalks look good? Then it’s time to pick them – an easy task. I use a sharp kitchen knife and cut the spear at ground level. The best time to pick asparagus is during the morning and first half of the day. On warmer days, you’ll see stalks getting taller and taller by the hour – so you’ll want to get them while they’re the optimum length, with bud tips still closed!
The next day and throughout the rest of the season (ideally spring until mid-June, or summer solstice at the latest), keep an eye on your bed every morning for stalks.
I store the asparagus like I would flowers. After cutting I put them in a vase, glass or pitcher with a little water in the bottom for the asparagus to slurp and put them in the refrigerator until I cook them.
Mulch
After watering, it’s a wise choice to mulch over your patch or row with a thick layer of organic matter – straw works best here. This adds a little extra nutrition, protection through cold weather, moisture retention, and reduction of weeds for less competition (and bigger spears). I mulch with lawn clippings when I mow. Keep watering your bed during the growing season and pick daily as it becomes fibrous if left to grow bigger.
Soil Amending
When fronds have not gotten too tall or crowded yet in their site, side dressing plants with compost or natural fertilizer will ensure that your plants get the adequate energy they’ll need to produce more delicious stalks next year – maybe even bigger ones!
Winter is Coming
Asparagus gone to fern and beginning to turn yellow in Autumn.
When the ferns start to die off and turn yellow in autumn, cut them back to just above ground level. Cutting back green foliage can damage and shock the plant, rendering it less productive. Cover the plants with a good layer of compost for the winter. I used vermipost (worm poo) to feed my asparagus bed, The autumn leaves make a great mulch for the asparagus’ winter quilt,
The asparagus wasn’t ready to eat the year that we planted it, but the next year we had several asparagus dishes. Ten years later we are enjoying an abundance of asparagus. For our taste we have a sufficient supply for the year. It is easy to freeze. Just wash, cut into 2-3 inch pieces, fill a sandwich bag, and put in the freezer.
My husband’s family homesteaded in eastern Colorado. No one has lived on the homestead since the 1960’s, but we still find asparagus ferns from Grandma’s kitchen garden when we visit the farm. I look forward to asparagus harvests for years to come.
This book has come just in time for me. As a long time gardener, I have an established rhubarb patch along with an asparagus bed. Come spring I’m swamped with these vegetables. This book has some interesting recipes for both of these veggies and I’ll be trying them very soon.
Pests and Diseases
While a hardy, hassle-free perennial, asparagus does suffer from some pests and diseases. While some of these only cause minor damage and not too much stress, it’s important all the same to check up on any potential issues from time to time.
A decimated asparagus patch will take a lot more time, work, and patience to restore to its former glory (sometimes even requiring fresh crown plantings) compared to the efforts required to ensure good pest management!
Pests
Asparagus Beetle
These are usually orange or orange-red and black, sometimes spotted, and they consume asparagus tips and ferns while laying eggs as well.
They can be removed with sprays (preferably organic), or introduction of a high population of natural predators (like some wasp species and lady beetles).
Asparagus Miner
A small black fly that damages stems especially, giving them red, unappetizing markings.
Removal and suppression are helped by early removal of foliage in winter – as well as burning to reduce any carry-over larval population into next spring. Sprays (preferably organic) are available as well.
Japanese Beetle
Iridescent-green or coppery-brown, these scarab-like beetles destroy above-ground foliage.
These can be kept away from your crops with preferably organic sprays, pheromone traps, or the introduction of natural predators (for example by attracting birds, or letting chickens run through the mature patch).
DISEASES
Fusarium Rot
A fungus that afflicts root, crowns, and lower stems, it creates unattractive, damaging patches of red on stalks, yellows above-ground foliage, and reduces yields.
As this happens to stressed plants, preventive measures are the only key to avoiding the problem: ensuring adequate watering, reducing pests, avoiding crown damage, and avoiding close rotation with previous crowns are all necessary practices.
Purple Spot
Purple spots on stalks and brown damage to ferns are the result of another fungal culprit.
Preferably organic sprays may help with spread. To prevent it, remove died-back foliage as early as possible, especially through burning.
Rust
This effects the foliage only and appears as a change of color to yellow and brown, leading to foliage loss.
Burning and early removal of foliage is a great preventative, as well as ensuring that crowns are planted with ample space for maximum airflow, to reduce the spread of disease after removal of infected plants.
Fusarium Wilt
Fusarium wilt is a common vascular wilt fungal disease. Fusarium wilt affects many plant types, but tomato gardeners know this deadly, soil-borne disease especially well. Also known as stem rot, it moves into plants through their roots. From there, it clogs the plant’s passageways, blocking the flow of water, nutrients and vital juices until a plant wilts and eventually dies.
Its first signs are yellowing and wilting on one side of the plant – a leaf, single shoot, branch, or several branches. Yellowing and wilting move up the plant as the fungus spreads. Interior of main stem (when split) shows discolored streaks from plugged water-conducting tissue. Over time, many plants succumb and die, while others just perform poorly and produce few flowers or fruit.
Because of the contagious and tenacious nature of the fungus, control of fusarium should start with a few evasive procedures. Preventing the fungal wilt is preferable to most fusarium wilt treatments.
Once fusarium wilt infects a plant, there is no effective treatment. Remove and dispose of affected plants immediately; don’t compost this garden refuse. Whenever possible, remove and replace fusarium-infected garden soil. If fusarium wilt hits your garden, don’t plant the same or related plant types in that area for at least four years. Depending on your climate, it may be possible to control fusarium wilt by “solarizing” your soil. This involves covering it with plastic so it reaches very high temperatures over a long period.
What’s
the most dangerous creature on earth? Without question the answer is: the
mosquito. Mosquitoes and the diseases they spread have been responsible for
killing more people than all the wars in history.
Mosquitoes are carriers for some of humanity’s most deadly illnesses, and they are publicenemy#1 in the fight against global infectious disease. Mosquito-borne diseases cause millions of deaths worldwide every year with a disproportionate effect on children and the elderly in developing countries.
With Spring’s arrival, outdoor activities increase, and the inevitable swarm of blood-sucking mosquitoes storm our cottages and castles. My husband is one of those individuals that are “sweet meat” to Summer’s invading hordes.
Last summer I used a natural mixture that seemed to decrease the mosquito element in our environs. I sprayed this concoction on my husband, around windows and doors, on our patio and front porch, and around the backyard fire pit area with the good result of few or no mosquito population. If the spray just kept mosquitoes at bay, it would be enough, but the repellent has the added benefit of being non-toxic to people, plants and animals.
DIY Mosquito Repellent
Recipe:
1 big bottle blue mouthwash
3 cups Epsom Salts
3 stale beers
Mix ingredients and put in a spray bottle to spray anywhere you sit outside. Good for 80days!
Preventing Mosquito Attacks
Avoid perfumes: Mosquitoes sense body chemicals, such as the
lactic acid in perspiration.
Wear light clothing: A
mosquito looks for the movement of dark objects.
Stay inside during early morning and at dusk: During the heat of the day, most mosquitoes rest in a cool place and wait for the evenings, although they may still bite if disturbed.D
Use mosquito repellent spray: Mosquitoes detect carbon dioxide exhaled by their hosts many feet away and zero-in on people and other animals they seek to bite. Since we can’t quit breathing, spray the pests away!
Other practices to reduce infestation
include:
Empty standing water every week: Mosquitoes hatch from eggs laid in places that are or will be filled with water. They cannot develop in running water and water that is present less than a week.
Prevent water from accumulating in containers including tree holes, ditches, sewage and septic system water, catch basins (storm drains), non-chlorinated swimming and wading pools, decorative ponds, bird baths, flower pots, buckets, clogged gutters, abandoned tires, and water-retaining junk and debris of all sorts.
Empty water out of them on a weekly basis.
Disease Transmission
Only female mosquitoes bite, because a blood meal is usually
required for egg laying. All male mosquitoes, and the females of a few species,
do not bite. They feed on nectar and other plant juices instead of blood.
Once a female mosquito finds you, it lands, inserts its proboscis
and probes for blood vessels beneath the skin. When it finds one, it injects
saliva into the wound. The saliva contains an anticoagulant that ensures a
steady, smooth flow of blood. Unfortunately, the mosquito’s saliva also may
contain pathogens such as malaria parasites or encephalitis virus. This is how
mosquitoes transmit disease.M
Malaria
Mosquitoes transmitting malaria kill 2 million to 3 million people and infect another 200 million or more every year. Tens of millions more are killed and debilitated by a host of other mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria, filariasis, yellow fever, dengue and encephalitis.
Mosquito-Borne Encephalitis Diseases
Mosquitoes pick up the virus usually from an infected bird and transmit the disease to other animals, such as birds, horses or humans. Horses and humans are generally thought of as “dead-end” hosts because they do not produce enough virus to infect mosquitoes. Thus, dead-end hosts are not involved in the spread of disease.
West Nile Disease
In recent years, the West Nile virus has been the most common disease transmitted by insects and their relatives, including mosquitoes, other biting flies and ticks. West Nile virus arrived in the United States in 1999, inside an infected mosquito or bird.
West Nile virus is transmitted predominantly by Culex mosquitoes. Culex are medium-sized mosquitoes including the house mosquitoes that develop in urban areas, and the western encephalitis mosquito more commonly found in rural areas Adult Culex mosquitoes do not fly far from where they develop as larvae. And unlike other mosquitoes that die with the coming of the first hard frost in autumn, the house mosquito can “over-winter” in protected places like sewers, crawlspaces and basements.
Like all encephalitis producing viruses, West Nile virus survives in birds and/or mammals, using them as reservoirs. Most birds and mammals survive infection, while the mosquitoes that bite them can ingest the virus and infect other animals they bite, including humans.
Are you a watchman for your family, city, or nation?
Why bother with Prayer?
In this world of worsening nightly news, it is easy to be overcome with a sense of helplessness in the light of such gigantic world problems. However, the Bible tells us that the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. If we truly believed that whatsoever we ask in prayer believing, we would attain, we would never leave our knees.
The importance of the Watch of the Lord, or of watching in prayer, is very important to the plans and order of God. Jesus commanded us to “watch” with Him in several gospel accounts, particularly in the time called “the last days.” He described how we should respond when we see earthquakes, famines, wars and rumors of wars, and so on.
Discern Deception
The spiritual enemies of a prayer warrior are subtle. They come to deceive with intimidation, unbelief, anxiety, and helplessness in the face of seemingly insurmountable problems when intercessors set themselves to pray.
Matthew 24 :“Watch out that no one deceive you” (verse 4); “See to it that you are not alarmed” (verse 6); “Stand firm to the end” (verse 13); “Keep watch” (verse 42).
In Mark 13: “Watch out that no one deceives you” (verse 5); “Do not be alarmed” (verse 7); “Be on your guard” (verse 9); “Do not worry” (verse 11); “Stand firm” (verse 13); “Be on your guard” (verse 23); “Be on your guard. Be alert” (verse 33); “Keep watch” (verse 35); “Watch out” (verse 37).
And in Luke 21: “Watch out that you are not deceived” (verse 8); “Do not be frightened” (verse 9); “Stand firm” (verse 19); “Stand up and lift up your heads” (verse 28); “Be careful” (verse 34).; “Be always on the watch and pray” (verse 36).
Keys of the Kingdom
Keys open locked doors. Injustice, poverty, disease, and calamity imprison lives. But Jesus gave us the keys of the kingdom, and they have to do with prayer:
Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst (Matthew 18:19-20).
Jesus wants groups of two or three people to gather in His name and ask in symphony or harmony. (The Greek word translated “agree” is sumphoneo, or “harmonious.”) This is the heart of the “watch of the Lord.”
We are to watch for the good things and good messengers God sends to His people. We are to watch for the gifted ones and the coming of the Lord’s Presence. We are to alert the people to roll out the welcome mat, saying, “Come, come, come, come! Angels of healing, you are welcome here. Spirit of the Lord, You are welcome here. Gifts of the Spirit, you are welcome here. Spirit of conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment come; you are welcome here. Come, come, come, come!” We are to roll out the red carpet in the name and the blood of Jesus, and say, “Come!”
Be encouraged with this study of the words in red.
Created in His Image
Prayer moves the hands of God. Even as He spoke the universe into creation, God created us in His image. Our spoken words and prayers carry the power of creation within them. As intercessors and God’s watchmen on the walls of our families, cities and nations, we are called to watch over our assignments to see approaching danger and warn those endangered. (2Kings 9:17,18)
We are to watch not only for the enemy’s activity but also for the Lord’s plans. If we watch for the enemy and announce his activity, we can avert the thief’s plans to steal, kill and destroy. As Jesus states in Matt. 24:43, “But know this, if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” Today, more than ever, it is imperative that intercessors watch and pray, seek the Lord’s direction, and pray, “His will be done in the earth as it is in heaven.”
Eight Watches of the Lord
Studying God’s word reveals a model for prayer that is divided into eight watches covering 24 hours. Based on God’s creation, the days are counted from evening to evening as a day. “God called the Light Day, and the darkness He called Night, so the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Gen. 1:5) Accordingly, the Israelites ordered their prayer times beginning with the First (Evening) Watch from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. which is a time of quiet reflection.
Evening Watch
Prayer is a two-way communication. Be sure to listen.
Jesus used the evening watch to go aside and pray. (Matt. 14:15-23) In the early church, this watch at sundown was a time of corporate prayer (Vespers) where candles were lit, Psalms sung, thanksgiving offered, prayers said, and blessings invoked. After the business of the day, it is a time to release anxieties to the Lord before sleep. During this watch, ask God to give you clear directions for the day ahead and about His call on your life.
Second Watch
The Second Watch is from 9:00 p.m. to midnight. Ps. 119:62 says, “At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous judgments.” It was at the midnight hour that God struck down the first-born of Egypt, and, consequently, His people were released from captivity and set free to worship Him.
This watch is a time when God deals with the enemies that are trying to keep us from entering into His perfect plan for our lives. In the natural, this time is characterized by deep darkness. In the spiritual realm, the Second Watch is when diabolical assignments and sabotage are set in motion as supernatural creatures, including witches and demons and practices like black magic, collaborate to effect change and transformation for the evil one.
It is important for intercessors at this watch to give thanks for the protection of the shadow of God’s wing and pray for a visitation from the Lord. “Let God arise and His enemies be scattered.”
Third Watch
The Third Watch from midnight to 3:00 a.m. is a period of much spiritual activity. It was the hour that caught Peter denying his Lord. Often we are awakened during this time with dreams God has given to us. God uses dreams and visions to bring instruction and counsel to us as we sleep and reveals areas where we need to concentrate our prayers and intercession. “In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instructions.” (Job 33:15)
It is a time to pray to fortify yourself against doubt and unbelief and even the direction of your path. Be vigilant during this time and watch for God’s revelation for breakthrough for His plans and purposes for your life and territory.
Fourth Watch
The Fourth Watch is the morning watch from 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. The spirit realm takes every word uttered from man as a command and mandate. Command your morning! Consecrate all the work for the day and pray for protection for God’s people throughout the day. “You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. You will also declare a thing and it will be established for you: so light will shine on your ways.” (Job 22:27-28)
Firth Watch
The Fifth Watch is from 6am – 9am. To watch is to set yourself to see what God will say to you. (Hab. 2:1) Practicing hearing the voice of God is essential to all the watches. One intercessor shared this insight, “I find the main focus of a watch is found this way: the Word and an event in time intersect. That’s it! That is the target. It is like the scope on a gun. The point of the vertical Word and the horizontal time intersect (whether it is a sound, an event, a song). That point is the starting point of the watch.”
Sixth Watch
Daytime prayer watches include The Six Watch from 9:00 a.m. to noon. It is generally accepted that this time period marked both Christ’s sentencing by Pilate and crucifixion, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Israelites also observed this period as a time for corporate prayer. It was at this daily time of prayer and instruction at the temple that Peter and John were attending when they healed the lame man at the Gate Beautiful. (Acts 2: 1-8)
The watchman guards and watches for the word of the Lord to be fulfilled. Pray for God’s redemptive purposes in your life and region and watch how He answers your prayer during this time.
Seventh Watch
The Seventh Watch from noon to 3:00 p.m. at mid-day gives an hour of rest and a time to seek the Lord. Historically, we find Christ on the cross atoning for our sins. Redemption and restoration for mankind manifest through God’s Son. Peter received the vision of the clean and unclean animals which heralded the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s redemptive plan. It was during this watch that Daniel always went home to pray and consequently was thrown into a den of lions. Daniel was delivered from the lions’ den, and Daniel’s accusers became the lions’ dinner instead.
Eighth Watch
The Eighth Watch of the day from 3:00-6:00 p.m. sees the close of the business day. It gives an opportunity for prayer. The Lord tells us to pray without ceasing. The Bible records a pattern and plan for daily prayer that marshals his army’s forces. Beloved, it’s time to watch and pray.
My kombucha jar wears a doily to hide the SCOBY for my husband’s sensibilities.
Kombucha has been appreciated by humankind for a very long
time and has become a continuous treat at our home. Its origins are lost, but kombucha probably
originated in China over 2000 years ago.
Kombucha is a fermented tea which means that its production involves the
breakdown of sugars by bacteria and yeast.
This fermentation process is similar to brewing wine and beer and making
sourdough bread.
Probiotics Function
Fermentation enhances the preservation of foods. Eating fermented foods can also boost the number of beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, found in your gut. These bacteria line your digestive tract and support your immune system, as they absorb nutrients and fight infection and illness. Since 80 percent of your immune system is located in your gut, and the digestive system is the second largest part of your neurological system, it’s no surprise that the gut is considered the “second brain.” The bacteria that live inside our intestines break down our food. But they also modulate things like our blood sugar and even our immune system.
Probiotics have been associated with a variety of health benefits, including improved digestion, better immunity and even increased weight loss. Although more research is needed, animal and test-tube studies have found that kombucha could help protect the liver, decrease blood sugar and reduce levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Two thousand years of human consumption would indicate kombucha’s merit and enjoyment.
I find the process of making fermented food fascinating. My first foray into wine-making opened up the invisible world or wild yeast which I explored in an earlier blog post Hunting Wild Yeast & Other Game. That exploration led me to hunting the kombucha SCOBY.
What is a SCOBY?
SCOBY is the acronym for {Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast). A scoby is the living home for the bacteria and yeast that transform sweet tea into tangy, fizzy kombucha, It looks like a thick, rubbery and cloudy mass that aids the fermentation process of kombucha. Kombucha is made by adding a SCOBY to green or black tea with sugar added for the SCOBY to feed on. The mixture is then allowed to ferment for 5-7 days. In the fermentation process the tea becomes effervescent as the SCOBY consumes most of the sugar during the fermentation process. There is very little sugar left in the recipe after fermentation. Kombucha has a minimal alcoholic content of about .5%. Pregnant women should consult with a health professional about consumption of this probiotic drink.
Requirements for Success
Tea, sugar, water & a SCOBY create kombucha
I use a continuous brew kombucha method to ensure that I always have a supply for daily consumption and to reduce the time spent replenishing our family supply. The only equipment needed is a 2-2 ½ gallon glass container with a tap for dispensing the kombucha. I found a glass dispenser at Walmart for $14.99. Avoid ceramic containers as they will release lead into the kombucha due to its acidic nature.
Besides the container the only other necessities are a
SCOBY, black or green tea, sugar and distilled or filtered water. Tap water contains chlorine and other
additives that will kill the SCOBY, so it is essential to use filtered or
distilled water when brewing kombucha.
If you don’t have a friend who is brewing kombucha who will supply a
SCOBY, they are available on Amazon for about $9.99 which is how I acquired
mine. You can create a SCOBY from
scratch, but in the interest of time I ordered mine on-line.
When brewing kombucha, cleanliness is essential. As in canning, cleaning and sterilizing both equipment,
your hands and workspace is necessary to keep harmful bacteria from invading
the tea. My dishwasher and antibacterial
soap for my hands and counters have supplied the necessary cleaning procedure. If your SCOBY develops mold, dispose of it
and start over. Contaminated kombucha
can develop salmonella!
Recipe and Process
Ingredients:
6-8 green or black tea bags (or 2 Tablespoons loose tea)
1 cup organic raw sugar or honey (I have used raw honey effectively, but sugar is more cost effective.)
1 kombucha SCOBY
(I repeat the tea process three or four times the
first time I fill my continuous brew container.
Only one SCOBY is required for the entire dispenser.)
Directions:
Place tea bags in 8 cup jar and add the boiling water;
Allow the tea to steep until cool.
Take out tea bags.
Dissolve sugar in tea.
Add 4 cups cold water.
Pour tea into drink dispenser.
Add SCOBY to cooled tea with a cup of starter kombucha tea. High temperatures will kill the yeast in the SCOBY, so temperatures less than 105 degrees are needed for a SCOBY culture to live.
Cover the mouth of the dispenser with a dishtowel, coffee filter or muslin. I use an over-sized hair tie to secure a coffee filter over my drink dispenser. Do not use cheesecloth as fruit flies love kombucha and will find their way into the kombucha for a party. Do not use a lid as kombucha requires oxygen for fermentation.
Set the drink dispenser in a warm place where it will not be
disturbed and let it ferment for 5-7 days.
Little bubbles will form showing that fermentation is taking place.
Begin tasting the kombucha after 5-7 days until the flavor suits your taste. The longer it brews, the more acidic it becomes. I like mine on the sweeter side and bottle it sooner rather than later. I use recycled wine bottles for bottling the kombucha before putting it in the refrigerator to stop fermentation and to extend its shelf life.
Health Benefits
If you already eat a whole foods-based diet, drinking
kombucha regularly is a great addition that can help you maintain peak immune
health, which trickles down into an impressive number of benefits for your overall
health. Kombucha usually contains a bit
of caffeine (since it’s made with tea), but the amount is small when compared
to coffee, tea, soda and other popular caffeinated beverages. Typically, about
one-third of the tea’s caffeine remains after it’s been fermented, which is
about 10 to 25 milligrams per serving for black tea.
You can also add fresh fruit to flavor kombucha. Flavors are limited only by one’s imagination. If you add flavoring, consider that when storing the it. For example, fresh fruits will go bad in the kombucha long before the drink. I use fruit concentrates from Piping Rock to flavor my brew and increase health benefits of the drink. Just a small amount of concentrate in the bottle flavors and enhances the kombucha.
Blueberry juice concentrate has many health benefits. Blueberries get their blue color from anthocyanins that are a type of white blood cell that fights inflammation. Research suggests the anthocyanins in blueberries can be as effective as medicine at lowering blood pressure in healthy adults. So, we’re seeing that blueberries not only fight the root cause of diabetes (inflammation), but also boost our gut’s “good bugs” and combat insulin resistance. Kombucha made from green tea is likely to be even more beneficial, as green tea itself has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels.
Elderberry syrup may benefit respiratory health; they have been used to support healthy lungs in folk wellness practices. Elderberries support the cardiovascular system as well, and are believed to influence blood lipid levels and arterial flexibility. Blueberry and elderberry concentrate make healthy additions.
SCOBY Growth & Reproduction
To keep your continuous brew kombucha going, add more sweetened
tea as you drink it down. The SCOBY will
continue to feed on the fresh sweetened tea and transform into a refreshing
probiotic drink. The mother SCOBY will
add layers to its culture with each addition of fresh tea infusion. The mother’s life will deteriorate after
about a month. At this point it is simple
to remove the SCOBY (remember—clean hands and utensils) and peel the older SCOBY
from the newly minted SCOBY. It is very
easy to peel the layers apart but very tough to cut. I found that out through experience. Cutting does not hurt the SCOBY, but it is
tough to slice vertically,
As the SCOBY grows each month, it is a simple procedure to save baby scobies peeled from the mother in a SCOBY hotel. Store the baby SCOBY in a bit of already-made kombucha in a glass jar while not using it so you have it on hand to start a new batch when you want it, or give it as a gift for friends wanting to start kombucha production. It will be “active” for several weeks when it’s stored in some kombucha at room temperature on a counter top or in a pantry. I have also added old scobies to my compost pile to activate composting. Other enthusiasts have fed old scobies to the chickens.
One of my favorite things is homemade bread fresh from the
oven and slathered with butter. After 50
years of daily meal preparations, I have some recipes that deliver enjoyment and
satisfaction “over the moon.” My
mother-in-law shared this recipe with me 40 years ago or more. It’s what one would term “a keeper,”
This recipe requires no kneading which makes it simple and easy to stir together. I use a large Tupperware bowl with a seal-able lid to mix the ingredients because the dough is refrigerated for three hours or overnight before baking. Alternately, a cook could use a dishtowel or plastic wrap to cover the bowl while it is refrigerated.
No Refined Sugar
One of the best features of the recipe is that it requires no refined sugar. Molasses is a sweetener that is formed as a byproduct of the sugar-making process. Molasses is a thick syrup made during the sugar-making process. It comes from crushed sugar cane or sugar beets. Unlike refined sugar, molasses also contains some vitamins and minerals including Vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese and selenium.
After baking the bread in the oven, one should let the bread rest in the pan as it will continue to bake (just like cookies) and firm up the texture. Personally, I have never been able to resist the magnetism of hot, fresh-baked bread of any variety.
Best Pan
I bake my raisin bread in an angel food cake pan because the texture of this bread is dense, and I have found over the years that a large artisan loaf has difficulty cooking the center of the loaf without charring the outer edges of the bread. The angel food cake pan solves that problem due to its center funnel. An angel food cake pan delivers consistent texture and doneness throughout the loaf without scorching the outer edges.
This recipe makes a large loaf of bread. When our children were at home, the raisin bread vanished in a twinkle. Since I cook for two now, I freeze half the loaf for a later day. This bread would also serve as a delectable basis for French toast or bread pudding. It’s great to share at get-togethers, teas or brunch buffets
Recipe
No-Knead Raisin Bread
Ingredients:
5 cups flour
1 cup quick oats
2 packages yeast (original not rapid rise)
1 Tablespoon salt
2 cups water
½ cup light molasses
1/3 cup shortening or oil
2 eggs
2 cups seedless raisins
Directions:
In a large bowl combine 3 cups flour, oats, yeast and salt.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat 2 cups water, molasses, and oil or shortening until warm. You should be able to test the temperature with your finger. It should be only slightly above body temperature. If the liquid is too hot (above 135 Fahrenheit), it will kill the yeast.
With mixer at medium speed, slowly pour the warmed liquid into the dry ingredients.
Beat 2 minutes.
With spoon stir in eggs, raisins, and remaining 2 cups of flour.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
To Bake:
Grease or spray an angel food cake pan.
Spoon raisin bread dough into pan and smooth to even height.
Let dough rise in a warm spot until double in size (about 1 hour),
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for about 70 minutes. Bread will sound hollow when thumped when it’s done.
May you enjoy this recipe for the next 40 years as I have for the past 40. Blessings to you and yours.
My son gave me a crepe pan for Christmas which was his subtle way of inducing more crepes from my kitchen. The specialized pan made it easy to create uniformly thin crepes perfectly.
My family loves crepes. We often eat them as a light supper or
festive luncheon. My son recently brought home a recipe that makes a scrumptious
breakfast especially for kids with sleep-over guests.
At our family get-together luncheon crepes were requested. Our son brought bananas and Nutella to the occasion for each of us to try. Oh my!!! I was hooked from the moment the hazelnut chocolate spread bananas hit my taste buds. Besides being delicious the crepes had healthy aspects as well.
Bananas are rich in antioxidants and several nutrients. A medium-sized banana has about 105 calories. Bananas hold very little protein and almost no fat.
Bananas are rich in potassium and fiber. They may help prevent asthma, cancer, high blood pressure,diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and digestive problems. One medium-sized banana contains 422 milligrams of potassium.
Potassium also helps
muscles to contract and nerve cells to respond. It keeps the heart beating
regularly and can reduce the effect of sodium on blood pressure.
Potassium may reduce
the risk of kidney stones forming as people age. In turn, healthy kidneys make
sure that the right amount of potassium is kept in the body.
I want to share our family’s delicious delight with crepes, so here’s the easiest crepe recipe you’ll ever find.
Basic Crepes
Ingredients:
3 eggs
6 Tablespoons flour
3 Tablespoons softened butter
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a blender and mix.
Let sit for 20 minutes.
Spray crepe pan with cooking spray and heat pan over medium-high heat.
When water drop sizzles on heated pan, pour a small amount of crepe batter in center of pan and swirl to cover pan with a thin layer of the batter.
When bubbles appear on the top surface of the crepe, flip the crepe and quickly toast the other side. (Due to the hot pan and a thin crepe, this happens very quickly.)
Place crepe on a plate and continue cooking individual crepes.
Place paper towel between each crepe to keep them from sticking together
Filling:
Banana
Nutella
Slice a banana on an open crepe and drizzle with Nutella. Fold the crepe over the filling and enjoy!
This crepe recipe makes 5-6 crepes. It’s easy to double for more!
The Bible is a bloody book. We are told “the life is in the blood”
(Lev. 17:11). Throughout the Bible the blood of men and animal sacrifices are
spilled for war and redemption. The purposes of God and man clash with
incessant violence and bloody results. There’s blood on men’s hands, and blood
on the horns of the altar. There’s blood on the ground, and blood on the
lintels and door posts. Blood is everywhere, from Genesis to Revelation. Why is
that?
Life and death. Those are the reasons. God gave man life. Man
chose death over life by choosing sin over obedience. (Romans 5:12) God is
just, requiring payment for every life that has become forfeit through sin. And
that life is found in the blood. So God gave the law, and by His mercy He
accepted the blood of animals rather than the blood of man. (Heb. 9:22;13:11)
But the sin nature was stronger than the intent of the law. No matter how many
sacrifices were made, the heart of man was as rebellious as ever. (Heb. 10:4)
We know the story. God knew the law would never be enough. He knew
the sacrifices would never be enough. He knew it from the beginning. The law
was just a step in His ultimate plan, stating plainly what He considers right
and wrong, removing all excuses (Rom. 7:7). Have you ever heard the
conversation: “Why does he do that?” “It just seems to be in his blood.” What
does that mean?
Here’s an interesting bit of information from ”The Life Is In
the Blood,” by Martin R. DeHaan, M.D.
“In the
human body there are many different kinds of tissues. We define them as muscle,
nerve, fat, gland, bone connective tissues, etc. All these tissues have one
thing in common, they are fixed cells, microscopically small and having a
specific and limited function. Unlike these fixed tissues, the blood is fluid
and mobile, that is, it is not limited to one part of the body but is free to
move throughout the entire body and touch every other fixed cell as it supplies
it with nourishment and carries off waste products and the ashes of cell
activity which we call metabolism.”
We need a
transfusion.
What does the blood carry along? Bits and pieces of dead cells
from all over our bodies are carried along as waste. And in the waste and white
blood cells of blood is DNA, which is produced in the nuclei and carries that
cell’s traits, in fact all our traits. Science continues to discover more and
more about the traits carried by DNA. They are discovering that man’s blood is
tainted with sinful tendencies and earthly diseases. Every cell is touched with
this contamination. In short, we need a transfusion.
But if all of humanity’s blood is tainted, how could we ever find
blood healthy enough to make us whole? God had to bring Holy Blood into the
earth. So the blood of humanity was mixed with the Blood of a holy God in the
Son—Jesus, Yeshua, the Messiah. (Gal. 4:3-5) But how is this blood mixed with
ours? And how could doing this pay the price for the death of every man’s soul?
First of all by sacrificing the perfect Blood. (Romans 5:17, Heb. 9:12, 14) In
heaven, the perfect Blood of Christ is eternal. (2 Cor. 3:6, Matt. 26:28, Rom.
5:9, Eph. 2:13) It cannot truly die as the blood of animals and people.
Jesus’ blood acts as a living, healing, eternal payment and cure
for our sins. (Heb13:20). The blood of Christ satisfies the earthly demands of
the law and the heavenly justice of God. (Rev. 5:10) It’s the perfect solution.
Of course it is. It’s God. Our Loving Heavenly Father sent the perfect blood
donor to earth to infuse us with life.
The Blood of the Vine.
John 15:4-5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you
abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in
him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Here is a concept which is metaphorically both simple and complex.
Do plants even have blood? Many scientists say yes, and though it certainly
differs from our blood in many ways, in some ways it is the same. And plants
also have a circulatory system to distribute that blood to every part from
roots to leaves.
Instead of veins and arteries, plants have xylem and phloem, cells
attached end to end to form tubes for transporting necessary nutrients up and
down the plant. Just like in people, if you cut part of a plant off, it dies.
Plants cannot live without that vital link to the core of the plant anymore
than any of our body parts could live apart from the body itself.
What did the Lord mean when He said to “abide”? To abide is
“to remain as one, not to become another or different.” We are called to become
and remain as inseparable from the Lord as the branches of the vine, or the
appendages of our bodies.
What is this substance which is so essential to our spiritual
existence that we cannot survive without it?
It is apparent we are not speaking of a literal, physical
transfusion. So what essential, life-sustaining substance is the Lord referring
to?
Blood. The Blood of our Savior is the living catalyst by which we
become a branch of the heavenly Vine. Only by His blood circulating through us
can we be compatible with the Vine, and able to receive the life-sustaining
flow of the Spirit into our being.
John 14:15-17 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you
forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it
neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells [same Greek
word, abide] with you and will be in you.
The blood of aliens—Transfused into Glory.
As a homeschooling mom, when introducing the Periodic Table of
Elements, I would tell my sons, “Here is a list of all the known elements
which make up everything in the physical universe. However, there is an element
not listed here. It is not included because it is not a physical element. But
it is all-important, because it is what God is made of. It is called Spirit.
God is Spirit (John 4:24)…”
Without God’s Spirit in us, we will never be able to effectively
serve or worship Him. And the only way we can be transfused and transformed by
Spirit is by the Blood. When we are received into the Vine by the blood, and
receive the life-flow of Spirit in us, we become new creatures, bearing fruit
to His glory.
The Blood is the life-giving transfusion, available to us by Holy
Spirit’s total invasion of our being. The life is in the Blood. New creatures,
brought back from the brink of death by a transfusion of life. Now we can
choose not just life, but life eternal! How great is our God!
Welcome to Country Parson's Wife, I'm Dr. Mary Ellen, author, teacher and wife of a country pastor for 50 years. My blog is dedicated to a lifestyle built on faith, family, simplicity and self-sufficiency that enhances the health, peace, beauty and industry of our homes and gardens.
My prayer is that you be encouraged and propelled into the abundant life God has prepared for you.
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