Organic Plant-Killing Methods / The Old Farmer's Almanac

[Edited since posting.]

Mini Update: Posting has been light since I am inundated with several things at once right now. I will do my best during this busy time to keep up (but it may stay light for a while), continue to make improvements and move forward. As always, I appreciate your patience. I am working on a few more yard pics and you will see the progress of my son’s project as soon as he gets around to texting me the pics…I guess sending Mommy pictures of his plants is not the top priority of this 20-something young man…and I guess I should be happy about that…because that would make him a tad….weird…right?

Now to the topic at hand…why do I use the word “plant” and not the word “weed?” Because “weed” is a pejorative! So many “weeds” create pretty flowers, are good for the ecology and are medicinal. Our modern culture has forgotten what God has given us in nature. We have developed fear and distaste for nature in many ways. An “authentic life” understands that we are nature and nature is us. There is no separation. And you cannot love what you fear.

Having said all that high-minded philosophical stuff, sometimes certain plants just gotta go! When pulling out by the roots is for some reason less of an option and you don’t want to use toxic chemicals, what can you do? I am going to cheat a little and simply refer you to an Old Farmer’s Almanac article entitled, “Homemade Herbicides: 5 Natural Ways to Weed.” The 5 methods mentioned are: boiling water, fire (I have to tell you NOT to do this on the off chance that someone tries it, burns down their house and then sues me), salt, vinegar and borax. I have to say, the method I feel most comfortable with is boiling water.* Fire…we discussed that already. Salt, vinegar and borax all have the potential to have a negative impact on the soil. However, if you take care to use these methods properly, they may be good options.

I have been collecting useful articles from The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Following are a few, starting with an intro to “Gardening for Everyone,” a series of articles for beginners or those who wish to brush-up on their knowledge. I love these articles because they are short, well-outlined and to the point. Please think about subscribing to them-you can choose the types of emails you receive…

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Gardening for Everyone Grow Your Own Food with Our Step-By-Step Series

Tick Bites/Lyme Disease/Treatment

Poison Ivy: Identifying and Treating Poison Ivy Rashes

Plants that Repel Mosquitoes and Other Insects

Home Remedies for Colds

10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow at Home

* Let me just say with something like poison ivy, that has strong poisonous oils, I’m not sure the boiling water method is safe (burning it probably isn’t good either). The steam may be able to carry the oils right up into your face (I don’t know how scientific this is). I’m just very cautious about poison ivy because I had a severe case of it once. It spread all over my body and I won’t traumatize you with the details. It was one of the worst experiences of my life, and that’s saying a lot. So, I would be cautious about this method when dealing with this type of plant. I was also stung by a nest a bees once (one of my worst experiences as well)…but still, I don’t fear nature…

Nature must be respected and understood, not feared.

June: Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy Upon Us!

“My Divine Heart is so inflamed with love for mankind … that It can no longer contain within Itself the flames of Its burning charity and must spread them abroad.”

Our Lord to Saint Margaret Mary

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as we know it today, began in France after Saint Margaret Mary received several visions. Our Lord requested a devotion of reparation, the Nine First Fridays and a feast of reparation, to be held the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi. We know this feast as the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is linked to Corpus Christi because His Heart is contained within His Corpus. There is also an indulgenced novena for this feast, to be started this year, June 2nd. See Novena to the Sacred Heart. What a wonderful time it is this month, to perform one of these great treasures of the Faith! There has never been a time when it has been more needed.

The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the day after the feast of the Sacred Heart. Holy Church shows us how intimately the 2 Hearts are joined, they are celebrated together. Just as Our Lord asked Saint Margaret Mary for reparation to His Heart, Our Lady of Fatima asked for reparation to her heart, particularly in the Five First Saturdays, which mirrors the Nine First Fridays.

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“In order that favors may flow in greater abundance on all Christians, even on the whole human race, from the devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, let the faithful see to it that devotion to the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God be closely joined to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus … It is, then, entirely fitting that the Christian people — who received the divine life from Christ through Mary — after they have paid their debt of honor to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, should also offer to the most loving Heart of their Heavenly Mother the corresponding acts of piety, affection, gratitude and expiation.”

Venerable Pope Pius XII, 20th Century Pope

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June also celebrates the birth of Saint John the Baptist, Saint Barnabas and 2 other early Christian warriors, Peter and Paul (whose potential was seen initially by Barnabas). We honor 4 Doctors of the Church, including the beloved Franciscan Saint Anthony of Padua, often shown with the Christ Child in his arms (one of his companions once peered at him and saw the young Jesus with him). Here is a selection of some of June’s notable feasts….

6/3-CORPUS CHRISTI (trad)

6/4-First Friday

6/5-First Saturday

6/6-MOST HOLY BODY & BLOOD OF CHRIST (new)

6/9-St. Ephrem, Doctor, “Harp of the Holy Ghost” “Mary’s Own Singer” “Father of Hymnody”

6/11-MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS (Friday solemnity) / St. Barnabas, Early Apostle (recruited St. Paul from Tarsus, probably martyred)

6/12-IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

6/13-St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor, “Doctor of the Gospel” “Hammer of Heretics” “Ark of Both Covenants”

6/14-St. Basil the Great, Doctor, “Father of Eastern Monasticism”

6/18-St. Ephrem (trad)

6/22-St. Thomas More, Martyr

6/23-Vigil of Nativity of St. John the Baptist

6/24-Nativity of St. John the Baptist

6/26-St. (Monsignor) Josemaria Escriva, 20th Century Saint, Founder of Opus Dei

6/27-St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor, “Doctor of the Incarnation” “Seal of the Fathers”

6/28-Vigil of Sts. Peter & Paul

6/29-Sts. Peter & Paul, Apostles

6/30-First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

Notes: The titles of the Doctors of the Church are taken from The 35 Doctors of the Church. We give both old and new feasts, since people are coming from all parts of the world and all perspectives. Also, the future Church will not be divided-we must work toward unity.

Image courtesy patheos.com

Pentecost / Whitsunday

Preface from the Tridentine Mass:

It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, through Christ our Lord. Who ascending above all the heavens and sitting at Thy right hand, poured out on this day the promised Holy Spirit upon the children of adoption. Wherefore the whole world doth rejoice with overflowing joy; and the heavenly Hosts also and the angelic Powers sing together the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying:

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth! Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua! Hosanna in excelsis! Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini! Hosanna in excelsis!

From the New Marian Missal:

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, being seated on the right hand of God, sent, as He had promised, the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, who, after His ascension, continued in prayer at Jerusalem, in company with the Blessed Virgin, awaiting the performance of His promise. Let us pray in like manner with the Church: Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.”

Introit:

The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world, alleluia; and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered: and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.

Let us contemplate the above words and pray with all our hearts to the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity, as the world now begins to grant benefits to those who have received the abortion-tainted Covid vaccine (not to mention many other concerns about these vaccines)…and begins to deprive those who refuse it. Let us understand we are at war and must prepare for the fight to increase. O Come Holy Ghost, give us courage and all the wisdom and grace we need to face this situation upon us!

Remember Pentecost is an octave, a time to be joyful and continue in our prayers to the Holy Ghost. For a short meditation on the Descent of the Holy Ghost, please see “Rosary Meditations” to the right>>>

Image courtesy Discount Catholic Store, which we previously did a post on. Purchase this Holy Spirit Suncatcher here!

Gardening Pics

Blessings on this Ascension Thursday and feast of Our Lady of Fatima. O Lord ascended in glory, have mercy on us! Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

If you haven’t seen the previous post “Gardening/Landscaping Projects,” please do. This is my son’s gardening project, which is mostly un-germinated seeds (wow!) and random yard pics from the past month. We have a blank slate of a landscape now, but just showing you a few things…

“Jiffy Seed Starting Greenhouse Kit with Expanding Peat Pellets.” Say that 10x fast. My son bought this at The Home Depot and though it uses peat moss, I think it’s pretty cool. He made cryptic markings on the label sticks to keep the orientation and wrote it all out on a planting map. If you look carefully, you can see tiny blue seeds in the 2 rows to the far left. These are Ferry-Morse “Sow Easy” chives, rosemary and thyme. As explained on their website: “Sow Easy seeds are pelleted with an all-natural coating made from a mix of clay, perlite, and FDA-approved food coloring. This coating adds some bulk to small seeds and stands out in the soil, making direct sowing and accurate spacing easier than ever. However, the coating does add a few days to the germination time.” These are resting upon the soil because my son felt like putting some above and some below the soil. As always with gardening…we’ll see what happens!

Where’s all this going to be planted? My son has access to some property near his apartment, where he will be planting. Some may stay here. We will follow the progress as it goes on.

Solar Light Cross

Red Coneflower (Echinacea)

Paperwhite Bulbs

Marigolds

Cherry Blossom Tree

Pink Snow!

Red Tulip

Apricot/Pink Tulips

Queen of Night

Immature Small Pink Tulip

Poison Ivy Fence

Mature Small Pink Tulip

I just learned how to do a gallery! A few words: I adore my apricot & pink striped tulips, I also love the paperwhites-they are quite fragrant, marigolds repel mosquitoes which is a big prob in these parts, the poison ivy fence…just don’t ask.

My flamingo solar light next to my “Footprints” stone.

This is the life! Is it? Why do I always have to get philosophical?

May: Month of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary

May is jam-packed and starts off with a bang with the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. Please scroll down for our recent post on the indulgences in the “Year of Saint Joseph.” There are 2 that deal specifically with him under this title and one that refers to his feasts. Get yourself to confession and you’re all set!

There are various major feasts this month of Our Lord, Our Lady, the Holy Ghost and the Holy Trinity. We celebrate 3 Apostles and 5 Doctors of the Church, including Saint Athanasius, the earliest of the Doctors (born c 297). We recently discussed Saint Isidore the Farmer on his minor feast, but this month we have his main feast on the 15th.

May also contains both the Ember Days (of summer) and the Minor Rogation Days! These have separate origins but are very similar in character. Basically, these are traditional times of prayer and penance, associated with nature and the seasons. Trinity Sunday marks the end of Eastertide and the beginning of the Time after Pentecost, which we remain in until Advent.

And of course, May celebrates our Heavenly Mother. We have 4 major Marian feasts and a number of minor or less standard ones, not mentioned here. I will not give you a list this time of obvious ideas for Marian devotions, but pray on it and use your creativity, especially if you have young children (check this out: How to Plan a May Crowning for Kids ). Here are some wonderful products from The Catholic Company, which will serve you. As a prepper, I would be remiss if I failed to encourage you to purchase these types of products while you still can. Especially, I recommend good hardcover Catholic books and Bibles, as many as you can afford.

Here is a sampling of the feasts of May…

5/1-St. Joseph the Worker / First Saturday

5/2-St. Athanasius, Doctor, “The Father of Orthodoxy”

5/3-Sts. Philip & James the Less, Apostles, Martyrs (new)

5/4-St. Monica, Mother of St. Augustine

5/7-First Friday

5/9-St. Gregory Nazianzen, Doctor, “The Theologian” “The Christian Demosthenes”

5/10-Rogation Day / St. John of Avila, Doctor, “Apostle of Andalusia” “The Master”

5/11-Rogation Day / Sts. Philip & James the Less (trad)

5/12-Rogation Day

5/13-ASCENSION OF THE LORD (ASCENSION THURSDAY-please check your diocese for info on Holy Days of Obligation) / OUR LADY OF FATIMA / St. Robert Bellarmine, Doctor, “Prince of Apologists” “Gentle Doctor of The Controversies”

5/14-St. Matthias, Apostle who replaced Judas, Martyr

5/15-St. Isidore the Farmer

5/16-ASCENSION OF THE LORD (some dioceses)

5/22-Vigil of Pentecost

5/23-PENTECOST SUNDAY (WHITSUNDAY)

5/24-BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH

5/25-St. Bede the Venerable, Doctor, “Father of English History” (new)

5/26-Ember Wednesday after Pentecost (trad meat at one meal)

5/27-St. Bede the Venerable (trad)

5/28-Ember Friday after Pentecost

5/29-Ember Saturday after Pentecost (trad meat at one meal)

5/30-TRINITY SUNDAY / St. Joan of Arc

5/31-THE VISITATION / QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Notes: The titles of the Doctors of the Church are taken from The 35 Doctors of the Church , a wonderful book of 728 pages, well worth the price. We give both old and new feasts, since people are coming from all parts of the world and all perspectives. Also, the future Church will not be divided-we must work toward unity.

Recent Pics

Is this the most beautiful thing you have ever seen??? How sweetly Baby Jesus is holding His Mother’s chin! (I don’t know where that statue is, unfortunately.)

Image courtesy countdowntothekingdom.com

A seed purchase from www.fiberculture.co. You can make textiles with these. We talked previously about Stinging Nettle in this post and this post, when I encountered it on a hike in New Jersey and the results were…interesting.

Another purchase from jungseed.com. Press Control + to zoom in and see what I bought! (The most interesting thing is Stevia, a great alternative to sugar-it produces tiny sweet leaves.)

This is one method for organizing seeds. I got this cute box from Michael’s (you can get them dirt cheap when they are on sale and they come in all kinds of colors and designs). Just cut out a piece of cardboard and place in the middle. I organize them alphabetically and separate the flower seeds. This is part of my “Survival Seed Bank.” I will not be planting all of this in one year. PS Always make sure your seeds are Non-GMO!

Remember the Kitchen Crop Sprouter? These are broccoli sprouts-good eats! I also did beet sprouts, if you recall-they got moldy because they took too long-always learning…

Can’t even buy pizza anymore. Gotta laugh sometimes! The mind control is everywhere.

Feast of Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph, Pray For Us!

“Saint Joseph Terror of Demons” by Bernadette Carstensen

From the outset of today’s Tridentine Mass, the praise of the Foster-Father of our Redeemer:

The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus: planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God…

Beloved of God and men, whose memory is in benediction. He made him like the Saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and showed him His glory. He sanctified him in his faith and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh. For He heard him and his voice, and brought him into a cloud. And He gave him commandment before His face, and a law of life and instruction.

“What the Year of St. Joseph Means and How to Gain the Indulgences”

The above article is from Denver Catholic, and lists the 6 ways to obtain the plenary indulgence in this “Year of Saint Joseph.” There are actually 7 ways, if you include the “Consecration to Saint Joseph,” which the article also discusses. Today is the perfect day to perform one of these (you will also be required to meet the usual conditions). Keep these devotions in mind for the remainder of this Month of Saint Joseph, and as a Lenten exercise. Also, keep them in mind on the May 1st Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. What a great family activity as well-it is these things which will make our children love the Holy Catholic Faith and want to hold on to it!

Bernadette Carstensen Illustration

Video Interview

When looking for images for my posts, I always look for something that jumps out among the rest. The image above did just that. I have never seen a depiction of Saint Joseph like this before…the stern expression and the raising of his arm, as if to exclaim, “Vade Retro Satana!”…protecting the innocent Child Jesus.

It is a copyrighted image, so I have just given you a snippet of this remarkable painting. To view the entirety, please see the link above. This image is also incorporated into a separate painting, which is on the same page. Needless to say, the artist, also known as Bernadette Carstensen-Cody, possesses a rare and exquisite talent. She is a young woman from San Francisco-please also view the 12-minute video interview with her, which features many of her other works. The above painting can be purchased at her site for a reasonable fee-what an awesome Fathers Day gift and addition to your home in this “Year of Saint Joseph!”

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Nomen Christi Apostolate Prayer to Saint Joseph*

O Saint Joseph

O Saint Joseph, Guardian of Our Lord and Our Lady, intercede for us before the Divine Majesty. O holy and humble carpenter, pray for God's children in all our great need. We pray this in the Name of the Christ Child, once held in your loving arms. Amen.

Saint Joseph Novena

Glorious St. Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, Foster-Father of Jesus Christ, obtain for me a pure, humble and charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the Divine Will. Be my guide, my father and my model through life, that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary. Loving St. Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death and the special grace I now implore: (mention your request). Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I am confident that your prayers on my behalf will be graciously heard before the Throne of God.

Our Father + Hail Mary + Glory Be

(Recite for 9 consecutive days)

* I wrote this prayer several years ago and posted it on this blog. I was going for the “Hail Mary” of Saint Joseph, something that could be easily memorized. The “Name of the Christ Child” is invoked, as this ministry has a special devotion to the Holy Name (Nomen Christi). Please feel free to share this prayer with others.

Pope Saint Gregory the Great

“The Greatest of the Great”

Yesterday, March 12th, was the feast and the date of death, of Pope Saint Gregory the Great. He has been called “The Greatest of the Great,” in other words, the greatest pope who ever lived. He was the last of the most influential early doctors of the west, preceded by Saints Ambrose, Jerome and Augustine. Why is he regarded so highly by many Catholic scholars?

Saint Gregory lived from about the year 540 to 604. He was born in Rome to a noble family. The Roman Empire was now in disarray and the new capitol was Constantinople. As this pagan era was falling, Christendom began to rise, and Saint Gregory was an integral part of this. He sat on the Chair of Saint Peter for only 14 years, but this short time was extraordinarily productive, in spite of his aging and poor health.

This early medieval pope was known for his great charity…“Every day he invited 12 poor people to be guests at his table, and he was himself accustomed to pour the water with which they cleansed their hands.”

Gregorian Chant: Te Joseph Celebrent

The normative form of music for the Tridentine Mass is what we call “Gregorian Chant,” hearkening back to Saint Gregory’s papacy. There is scant information, but we know he was involved in musical education, in which chant was sung. From the book St. Gregory and the Gregorian Music, author Wyatt: “The great work of Gregory was to organize, set in order, and fix.”

The above link is an example of Gregorian chant in Latin. In this Month of Saint Joseph, this will be sung on his feast, on the 19th, at Vespers. It is also sung on the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, May 1st. It was written by Fr. Juan Escollar (d. 1700).

St. Gregory the Great and His Dove

Why is Saint Gregory often depicted with a dove? Please read the above for this amazing story and more on his bio.

For a more exhaustive look at his life, please see: Pope Saint Gregory I

Image courtesy http://communio.stblogs.org

Grow Your Own Sprouts & More / Old Farmer's Almanac Gardening Webinar & Planner

From Seed to Soup!

The Kitchen Crop 4-Tray Sprouter is a convenient way to eat fresh, free sprouts any time. I recently found the product online and am now enjoying my homegrown sprouts! According to “Healthline:”

“Sprouts are very nutritious. They may also offer a variety of health benefits, including easier digestion, improved blood sugar levels and a lower risk of heart disease. However, keep in mind that they are also associated with a risk of food poisoning. That said, for the majority of healthy people, the benefits of eating raw or lightly cooked sprouts likely outweigh the risks.”

I am not an expert, but if you handle the sprouts properly and keep the trays clean (they are fine in the dishwasher-wash them once per week, even if that requires temporarily removing the sprouts), I don’t think bacteria or mold should be an issue. Read instructions and keep out of direct sunlight.

This product is also great fun for kids and a sustainability learning experience…

I used only two trays to grow alfalfa (the kit came with those seeds) and beet sprouts. In one week, the beet seeds did not do much, but the alfalfa seeds grew to perfection…

When the sprouts are mature, rinse them in water and the hulls mostly sink to the bottom. Unused sprouts may be refrigerated.

Sprouts are great for salads, sandwiches, soups and as an elegant garnish. I added mine to a simple chicken soup. The aroma and flavor was wonderful and gave it an exotic flair-it’s an easy way to impress your friends!

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VKP Brands

This sprouter is made by “VKP Brands,” which produces many food and preparedness/sustainability products. Here is a video on this product. They also sell a “Deluxe Sprouter,” which doesn’t seem much different. You can also turn wide-mouth mason jars into sprouters with the Sprouting Jar Lid. Common sprouting seeds such as sunflower, radish, beans, broccoli and alfalfa are also available.

“VKP Brands” can help you do almost anything to food that you want…

canning, dehydrating, milling or juicing!

They also have various kitchen supplies, travel slow cookers and water distillers.

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Check out the Old Farmer’s Almanac Gardening 101 webinar next week*…I also recommend their Garden Planner, which is a year-long subscription that allows you to design your own garden and receive all kinds of incredible help and resources…well worth the money if you really will use it-both of these things will well-prepare you to grow an amazing garden this year…Spring is around the corner…get started now!

* Why bother paying $39.99 for this when I could just watch a few YouTube videos? Yes, you could watch videos and there’s a lot of great content out there, but you always have to evaluate the source. The Almanac is a trusted source and you’ll get a good overview here of the basic concepts of gardening. They also give an opportunity to ask questions.

2021 March For Life Wrap-Up

*** Text “March” to 73075 ***

You can “march” all year long by texting the word “march” to the number above. You will be given very easy (basically one click) ways to contact your legislators about pro-life issues. The messages are pre-written-there is no way for it to be easier! You will also become educated on every piece of pro-life legislation on the federal level, which this new administration will try to influence. If you prefer, there is also an email option. Do it today before they start changing our laws!

Watch 2021 March For Life

The virtual March for Life this year was exceptionally done. This was an unprecedented project, since the first March of 20,000 people in 1974, only one year after the “Roe vs Wade” decision. The president, Jeanne Mancini, and her team pulled it together and did a remarkable job. The footage is about 2 1/2 hours. The first half is a series of short, pre-recorded talks from pro-life leaders around the country. The second half contains live interviews and coverage of the March. This is a great “documentary” for young people, which can be used for catechism classes or youth groups. It is not boring at all, the time goes by effortlessly and is quite inspiring. One of the highlights was the talk given by Tim Tebow, keynote speaker of this year’s Rose Dinner Gala, athlete, humanitarian and himself a “miracle baby.”

March For Life Website

Click on the link above for news, March merchandise, “Take Action” button, donations and more.

Every faithful Catholic must fight this fight for life and against evil is his own way. Why is the world undergoing such a chastisement? Why is God allowing it? None of this will end until humanity repents and turns back to God and His Law of Love.