Mama's Herb Garden

My Sunday By Melinda Olson

mama — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:02:49 PST

Spending time in the garden feels like a vacation to me. One would reasonably think, however, that in November the gardens are in hibernation mode. But while Oregon has been inundated with rain for the past few weeks and the gardens are preparing to rest, their bounty is flourishing. A thankful harvest indeed. It was a joyful [...]

One Person’s Weeds, Another Person’s Dinner

mama — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:48:54 PDT

Not everyone thinks dandelions are swell like I do. In fact, I’d wager most people consider them another lawn weed to eradicate, one determined, single-minded way or another. In truth, most medicinal herbs are common plants that are prolific and commonly considered weeds. But weeds are, by definition, just plants that grow where they are [...]

About Face

mama — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:48:25 PDT

I’ve mentioned before how extraordinarily lucky I was to spend three years outside, working in the garden to learn what would become the Earth Mama Angel Baby product line. Those three years were bliss. Each day I had nothing to focus on but which plants needed to be moved, pruned, nurtured or harvested. I learned [...]

You’re Invited: Toxin-Free Twitter Party

mama — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:46:44 PDT

Ask anybody here. The one subject that is guaranteed to hoist me up on my soap box is untruths (a very nice way of saying deliberately misleading information) in product packaging. I’m a manufacturer, but I’m also a consumer. I buy products for myself and for my family to clean, moisturize and pamper. And like everyone [...]

The Attack of the Nefarious Spider/s

mama — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:08:42 PDT

I’d like to preface the following comments by acknowledging that people’s fears are real and worthy of respectful consideration. There. That’s out of the way. Now I want to tell you about what happened last week. One of our Customer Care Mamas, let’s just call her “Trixie” to afford her some measure of anonymity, had a [...]

Bee Positive

mama — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:56:08 PDT

I’ve been pondering the apparent plight of bees the past few days. I mean more so than usual. I tried to take a picture of the lavender that is dancing under the weight of bees that zip from one blossom to the next, but photographs just don’t capture the magic. Still pictures just can’t show [...]

To Nettle

mama — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:58:14 PDT

To Nettle net·tle (ntl) n. tr.v. net·tled, net·tling, net·tles 1. To sting with or as if with a nettle. 2. To irritate; vex. If you’re planning on hiking, camping or being out in the Great Outdoors this summer, you would do well knowing how to identify our nettlesome, herbal friend, Stinging nettle, Urtica dioica. Nettles can be irritating, vexing villains, deliciously nutritious [...]

St. John’s Wort

mama — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:18:53 PDT

One of my dearest new friends recently asked me to name my favorite herbs and I had to think fast. It felt like choosing my favorite child because I love so many for their own unique gifts. St. John’s wort, or Hypericum perforatum, was one of the plants I named. Sunday was summer solstice — [...]

Remembering My Mama

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:10:49 PDT

Last weekend I found this basket when I was clearing out the cabinets in my mother’s kitchen. My dad, who was directing my efforts at the time, said “You can get rid of that.” I’m sure he didn’t realize that I had made this basket about 15 years ago when I was just beginning my foray into learning about how to use plants. I laboriously harvested and dried the cattails, dyed them with onion skins and took a basket weaving class. Yes, basket weaving 101.

About Mama

mama — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:42:35 PDT

About Mama Take one influential Botany Professor Grandma, an RN, BSN degree, one scary, overzealous hospital birth, one peaceful home birth, a love of nature’s gifts, a fascination that we can use them to take care of ourselves, an obsession with research and safety, and a passion for creating things from a beautiful garden. Mix well, [...]