In his book, TREES:A WOODLAND NOTEBOOK, the Right Honorable Sir Herbert Maxwell says:The name “willow” speaks to us of a time when our Anglo-Saxon forbears dwelt in wattled houses. They spoke of the tree aswelig and also as widig (whence our “withy”), the root-meaning being pliancy. Another old English name for the tree was “sallow,” which in the north has been shortened… Continue Reading…
Historically, the radish was almost as important in the leech’s repertoire as it was in the kitchen. According to Dioscorides, it is useful as a laxative, a diuretic and an emetic.There is some discussion as to whether the ancient Egyptians employed it. Some say that they paid their workers a wage of radishes, garlic and onions, deliberately supplying the workers building… Continue Reading…
RadishRaphanus SativusThe cultivation of the radish hasn’t changed greatly over the last several centuries although medieval cooks made more thorough use of it than most of us do. Since the radish prefers colder temperatures to germinate in, it’s one of the first fresh vegetables available in the spring. Start them as soon as the soil is workable (you can start them… Continue Reading…
