Redland Evening Herb Society Online

Media Contact:  Lilian Bohorquez
LBOHORQ@miamidade.gov
305-755-7931

Fruit & Spice Park to Offer Classes on the Use of Herbs in Aromatherapy

(MIAMI) —Miami-Dade Parks is offering a series of classes on the various uses and benefits of herbs in aromatherapy from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Fruit & Spice Park, 24801 SW 187 Avenue in Homestead beginning Thursday January 26, 2006.

The first class offers an introduction to the history and modern uses of herbs in aromatherapy. Other classes feature the use of aromatherapy in alternative preventive medicine, a hands-on lab for blending techniques and the benefits of herbal teas. 


WHO:        Miami-Dade Parks’ Fruit & Spice Park

WHAT:    Introduction to Aromatherapy and Herbs

WHERE:    Fruit & Spice Park
              24801 SW 187 Avenue
              Homestead, Florida 33031
              305-247-5727

WHEN:     January, 26: Introduction to Aromatherapy. Fee $25.
              February, 15: Aromatherapy as Preventive Medicine.  Fee: $35.
              March, 15: Aromatherapy Blending Lab.  Fee: $55.
              April, 12: Aromatherapy as Preventive Medicine (In Spanish.) $35.
            May, 17: Aromatherapy Blending Lab (In Spanish.) $55.                        
              June, 21: Herbal Teas for Your Health.  Fee: $25.

For more information and class registration, call 305-247-5727.

The information obtained in these classes is not to be construed as medical recommendation. Class participants are encouraged to confirm the information given in these classes with other reliable sources and to direct any questions concerning personal health care to licensed physicians or other appropriate health care professionals.
The Fruit & Spice Park, operated by Miami-Dade County Parks, grows more than 500 varieties of sub-tropical fruits, herbs, spices, vegetables and nuts from around the world on 32 lush acres in the agricultural Redlands. The Park offers daily botanical tours, fruit tastings and naturalist-led workshops.

Posted by REHS_Newsletter at 02:34 PM | Permalink

This month’s speaker:
Jay Foster
Body Chemistry Associates

Mr. Foster is a Licensed Nutrition Counselor and Certified Clinical Nutritionist. He founded Body Chemistry Associates, Inc. in 1982, consulting with individuals and physicians. He also hosts a radio program on 1040 AM. This month, Mr. Foster will be conducting a two-part lecture. Part One is “Proven Herbal Solutions for Common Health Problems,” and Part Two is “Natural Control of Cholesterol and Triglycerides.” A question and answer session will follow his presentation.

Herb of the Month:
Pomegranate

A Look Ahead:
February 1, 2006:
Jane Hsu, REHS member, will demonstrate Chinese cooking.
Herb of the Month: Shallot

March 1, 2006:
Mary Ann Poor will discuss “The Village Pharmacy—The Neem Tree.”
Herb of the Month: Neem

Meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm in the Fruit & Spice Park Auditorium. All members and guests are welcome! Our Tasting Table, Raffle Ticket Drawing, and Door Prize Drawing follow each speaker.

Monthly Society Project:
Come garden with us! Meet in the Park at 10am on the Saturday following each monthly meeting. You get free park admittance and free herbs to take home.

Posted by REHS_Newsletter at 10:24 PM | Permalink

Redland Evening Herb Society
c/o Fruit & Spice Park
24810 S.W. 187 Avenue
Homestead, FL 33031

January Herb of the Month: Pomegranate

Suggestions, submissions, comments?
Send them to Tracy Bossinger
E-mail: inariargenteus@gmail.com

Deadline is the 20th of the month.
Reminder: The date on your
newsletter address label is your
membership expiration date.

Posted by REHS_Newsletter at 10:17 PM | Permalink

"I would lead you and take you to my mother's house, she who has taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates."
- Song of Solomon 8:2

This is a Bible verse...the pomegranates are a euphemism for a woman's breasts. Rather than providing milk from her breasts for a nursing baby, the Beloved’s breasts would provide the sensual delight of “spiced wine” and “nectar” for her lover.

The Song of Solomon is a book of the Bible about the sexual love relationship between a husband and wife: Holy Sex.
Ancient cultures considered pomegranates to be symbols of fertility, and in some Eastern cultures, theeeds are used in wedding ceremonies much as rice is in the West. Pomegranate flower essence therapy is recommended for women who are trying to conceive.

Sources:
Allende, Isabel. Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses. Harpercollins
Publishers, New York, NY. 1998
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/21/137.cfm

Posted by REHS_Newsletter at 10:08 PM | Permalink

12 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 small jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded and minced
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
2 Tbls fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
Cranberries and/or cilantro sprigs for garnish

Rinse, drain, and pick over cranberries, (discard all that are soft or bruised). Place in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped, not mushy. Place in bowl; mix together with onions, jalapenos, sugar, cilantro
leaves, ginger, and lemon juice.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours so flavors develop (salsa will be too tart to begin with). On a serving plate, place cream cheese; cover with dip. Garnish, if desired, and serve with crackers.
Source:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Appetizers/CranberrySalsa.htm

Posted by REHS_Newsletter at 09:00 PM | Permalink

The herb beds at the Fruit and Spice Park are looking very lovely. Rose Roberts reports that the garden is one of the least hurricane-damaged areas in the park after our very active storm season.

Enclosed in a partially walled space with tree ‘fences’ on the remaining edges, there are two distinct areas to the garden.

The first is a series of square, raised beds where vegetables are usually grown. This takes up about a third of the allotted space.

The remaining two-thirds are composed of a symmetrical arrangement of stepped raised beds planted with a variety of herbs and spices.

In the center of the layout are four water-filled beds with both plants and fish in them. The bees were happily harvesting from the blooming lilies, and there is apparently a water bird who likes to stalk the fish.

The bees also enjoyed the blooming basil plants in the upper tiers, and a hummingbird buzzed through to sample other flowers, too.

Want to see your garden here? Let us know at the newsletter!

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New society officers were selected during the December meeting and feast. Thank you to the outgoing officers of 2005, most of whom have new duties this year. There is still a need for two members at large to attend meetings of the board of directors.

2006 REHS Officers
President: Miguel A. Cisneros-Abreu
Vice President Membership: Leah Sherman
Vice President Programming: Jim O’Hare
Treasurer: Leila Barnes
Secretary: Jane Hsu
Newsletter Editor: Tracy Bossinger
REHS/Fruit & Spice Park Liaisons: Arturo Gonzalez and Rose Roberts

Posted by REHS_Newsletter at 10:58 PM | Permalink

Description: Pomegranates are fruit of a
large shrubby tree that generally grows
between 12-16 feet. Leaves are glossy,
leathery and lance shaped. The flowers
resemble a hibiscus blossom. Fruits are
covered with a tough skin in red or deep
pink. Inside, the fruit is divided by membranes
enclosing multiple sacs of juicy
pulp and single, edible seeds.
Cultivation: Native to Iran and northern
India, pomegranates prefer dry climates
with hot summers and cool winters.
They have been acclimated around the
Mediterranean, and introduced to California
by Spanish settlers. They can be
raised from seeds, but cuttings are the
preferred method.

Craft uses: Fruits can be stacked fresh
in a bowl for a decorative effect. Some
specialty florists offer them freeze dried,
which can also be stacked, strung onto
garlands, or used in floral arrangements.
Medicinal: Much recent publicity has
surrounded the antioxidants found in
pomegranates. Studies show that antioxidants
are helpful in cardiovascular
health, age-related conditions, and in
prevention of cancer.

Culinary: Pomegranates can be juiced,
or the juice sacs (also called seeds) can
be eaten out of hand or sprinkled over
various dishes. Bartenders will recognize
them as grenadine, which is made
from sweet fruits. The juice and dried
seeds of sour varieties are an ingredient
in Middle Eastern dishes.

Congratulations to the New REHS Officers!
New society officers were selected during the
December meeting and feast. Thank you to
the outgoing officers of 2005, most of whom
have new duties this year.
There is still a need for two members at large
to attend meetings of the board of directors.
2006 REHS Officers
President:

Posted by REHS_Newsletter at 10:56 PM | Permalink

December’s meeting was marked with officer elections and a gift exchange table. We must not forget our annual Holiday Feast, the REHS social event of the year! It was kicked off by a chorus of “Jingle Bells” to get everyone in the holiday spirit.

Thank you to all who contributed to the Holiday Feast. The list is, unfortunately, incomplete. There were many more wonderful treats.
Tina Pavel – Koa Mun Kai,
Delphine Kendzia – German Red Cabbage,
Jim O’Hare – Smoked Salmon,
Laurie Houran – Crescent Cookies,
Gladys Sutton – Corn, Mushrooms & Chervil,
Jane Hsu – Pumpkin Persimmon Cobbler,
Palak Paneer,
Eliat Schmalbach – Carrot Cake,
Leila Barnes – Broccoli Souffle, Three Cheese platter, water, sparkling cider,
Cheri & Keri O’Neal – Tofu Sweet Potato Pie,
Tracy Bossinger – Almond Spritz Cookies,
Leah Sherman – Nantucket Cranberry Pie, Cranberry Salsa with Cream Cheese & crackers (recipe follows)

Thanks go out as well to those who made the gift exchange such a fun feature of the December meeting. All members are invited (but not required) to bring a contribution to the monthly tasting table. For those not inclined toward the culinary arts, paper plates, plasticware and beverages are also very welcome.

Donations are also encouraged for the raffle table. Tickets are on sale at the raffle table during each meeting, and are fifty cents each.
Ticket proceeds benefit the Society.

Posted by REHS_Newsletter at 09:51 PM | Permalink

My 2006 mission as your new VP in charge of Membership is to grow our group in a direction comfortable for all. As a current member, You are the best source of like-minded members. As you encounter intelligent, passionate people who enjoy expanding their knowledge of everything herbal and sharing with others their enthusiasm, invite them to a future meeting. You can also request that Tracy Bossinger, our newsletter editor, mail them a newsletter. Tracy can be emailed at inariargenteus@
gmail.com Other ideas for raising the consciousness of what a unique and valuable organization we have include:
-Publication of a 2006 roster of membership
-Members to be “Walmart Greeters” at our meetings when new faces appear.
-More recognition of those members who contribute tirelessly towards the success of our organization.
-Bumper sticker/decal or window sticker with an REHS Logo for each dues paying member.
-Your ideas for “growing our garden” of terrific and involved members are also appreciated. You can e-mail your ideas to: shermlea@aol.com
-Volunteers are needed for a Fruit & Spice Park/REHS cookbook committee. To sign up, see Miguel!

Posted by REHS_Newsletter at 06:06 PM | Permalink

Pomegranates, with their ancient history of cultivation, have also gained a place in folklore. They have strong associations with female fertility and abundance of harvests. Poetic writings from ancient Egypt highlight the seductiveness and beauty of the fruit and tree, seen above. Pomegranates are even mentioned in the Bible.

Probably the best known story involving pomegranates is the Greek myth of Persephone, who was the daughter of Demeter, goddess of nature and the harvest. When Pluto, god of the Underworld, fell in love with and abducted Persephone, Demeter neglected the earth, causing worldwide famine. Zeus was forced to mediate Persephone’s return, but with a catch: she could not have eaten any food during her stay with Pluto. Unfortunately, she had become so famished that she had eaten six seeds from a pomegranate. Zeus declared that she would spend one month in the Underworld for each seed eaten, and she could return to the surface for the remainder of the year. Her absence for those six months explains the seasons of fall and winter, when Demeter returns to her grieving.

Resources:
http://www.soupsong.com/fpomegra.html
http://www.birthkeeper.com/Pomegranate-Medicine.html

“I, the most beautiful of fruits, Am present in all weathers, all
seasons As the lover stays with the beloved.”

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