wisdom
Apple
Submitted by kitchenwitch on Sat, 01/05/2008 - 21:56.Malus domestica
Apples are among the most common fruits eaten in the US and Europe. They grow just about anywhere. There are many varieties; most are small to medium sized tree.
For most varieties, you must plant two trees for pollination. Most trees will not produce fruit their first year and some may not produce much fruit until their third or fourth year. Dwarf varieties generally fruit quicker. Excessive pruning will cause plants to take longer to fruit.
Pick your applesi when they are ripe. Apples must be picked by hand to avoid damage (don't shake the tree) though windfall apples (on the ground) can be gathered, the bad parts cut off, and the apples cooked that same day. Undamaged apples store very well in a cool spot provided they are kept clean and dry. Apples can be made into applesauce or apple butter and canned or baked in pies and frozen. They can also be dried. Just slice them thin and lay them out to dry in the sun, or use a food dehydrator.
Apple leaves can be plucked any time and dried like any other herb.
Gather apple blossoms when they bloom in the spring and dry by your preferred method.
Gather branches for wands and wreaths after a storm.
Apples grow wild in most of Europe. They have a very long history and are revered by many people. They are mentioned in old Saxon manuscripts and twenty two varieties were mentioned by Pliny. Now there are more than two thousand cultivated varieties.
Once upon a time, in parts of Britain, people wassailed their orchard trees on Christmas Eve to ensure their abundant fruiting the next year. The farmer and his family and helpers would go out to the orchard with cakes and cider and throw cider over the trees and place the cakes in their branches. They’d drink to the health of the trees, saying something like this-
Here’s to thee old apple tree
Whence thou may’st bud
And whence thou may’st bud
Hats full! and Caps full!
Bushel- bushel bags full!
And my pockets full too!
Huzzah!
This is said to have evolved from customs involving sacrifices to Pomona.
In the Edda, an old Scandinavian Saga, Iduna kept applesi that the Gods would eat to ensure their eternal youth. In Greek folklore, the Hesperides guard apple trees that will provide the same gift to those who eat of them. Although the Bible never actually says so, many people believe that the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was an apple.
The Trojan war was started when the Goddess Eris threw an apple into the midst of a party of Goddesses, saying that it was for ‘the fairest’.
The sacred Isle of Avalon is also known as the Isle of Apples.
Apples are believed to be the preferred food of the dead in many faiths and make great offerings.
Dried applesi and branches can be used to make fragrant wreaths and other decorations. To dry the apples, just slice them thin and lay them out to dry in the sun. Branches can be braided into a wreath like any other wreath.
Apples are sacred to many Goddesses including Aphrodite, Iduna, Freya, Pomona, Eris and through various folklore, Apples are associated with love, fidelity, fertility, marriage, beauty, vanity,wisdom, the soul, the afterlife and immortality. Apples are arguably the most magical and symbology laden of fruits.
Apple is feminine in nature and ruled by Taurus, Friday, and Venus.
If you slice an apple widthwise, you can see a five-pointed star. They are often used cut this way to decorate alters during harvest rituals.
Apple blossoms can be used in love and healing incense.
To ensure fidelity, give an apple to your lover as a gift. You eat one half, the lover the other.
Apples are a symbol of immortality and are given as an offering to the dead on Samhain.
Pour apple cider on the ground in your garden before you plant to give the earth life.
Apple wood is used to make wands.
If you peel an apple all in one piece and throw the peel over your shoulder, it will fall in the shape of your future mate's initials.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. (seriously).
Apples are high and fiber and can be used to treat constipation. Granny Smith applesi are great for this, eaten before bedtime. Stewed apples may be used as a gentle, but fast-acting laxitive.
They contain malic and tartaric acids which help neutralize the chemicals associated with gout.
The pectin in fresh apples can help treat heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels.
Apples are a great snack when you are having a low blood sugar moment.
Crushed apple leaves can be placed on a fresh wound to prevent infection.
The unsweetened juice will reduce acidity in the stomach, aid in digestion and help sour stomach.
The act of eating a whole apple (not sliced and peeled) cleans the teeth and freshens the breath. It helps remove plaque and push back the gums to remove deposits.
The bacteria that causes typhoid fever die in apple juice, so water of questionable wholesomeness can be mixed with cider or apple juice. (Of course, boiling is always best!)
For all feverish conditions; slice an apple and place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer till the apple is soft. Strain and chill. Serve cold.
Apples are great raw and in pies, breads, apple sauce and apple butter. They are also good baked or candied. High in pectin, they are often used with other fruit to help jellies jell.
Apples are very easy to digest, the entire process taking only about 80 minutes. The sugars pass quickly into the bloodstream which makes it a good snack for those low blood sugar moments.
Apples have properties that make them good companions for other food. Cabbage relatives are known for containing chemicals that agrivate gout, apples contain chemicals that neutralize these and so apples are a good companion for cabbage. Also, apples help digest fats making them good companions for fatty meats, such as pork and duck. They are complimented well by warm (fire and sun corresponding) herbs such as ginger, cinnamon and allspice.
Keep applesi in the fruit bowl or in the fridge at all times for a quick and easy snack to munch on at the computer, on the way out the door, or grab and put in a purse or backpack for later. If there are any left at the end of the week, bake them up in a pie or make apples & dumplings or serve them fried with red onions as a side dish with potato pancakes, cabbagei or pork chops. Apples are extremely versatile.
Solomon's Seal
Submitted by DawnBlack on Sat, 12/29/2007 - 13:40.Polygonatum biflorum
Solomon's Seal is a lovely woodland perennial with native varieties in North America, Asia and Europe. It can grow up to two feet tall.
Solomon's Seal prefers a light soil, a good mulch and a shady location. It can be grown by division or by seed. It will return year after year and spread itself. It is a lovely, delicate addition to a shade garden.
Some areas list Solomon's Seal as an invasive weed.
Solomon's Seal is named for King Solomon of Hebrew lore who was granted great wisdom by the Hebrew God and had a special seal that aided him in his magical workings, allowing him to command demons without coming to harm.
According to herbal lore, King Solomon himself placed his seal upon this plant when he recognized its great value. Those with imagination can see the seal on the root stock in the circular scars left by the stem after it dies back.
Solomon's Seal has also been traditional used to "seal" wounds.
You can estimate the plant's age by examining the rhizome. Each year the stem leaves on scar, or "seal" on the rhizome. Counting these will give you an idea of how long your plant has been alive.
Although this plant is not currently listed as endangered, the usual warnings about responsible wildcrafting apply. Because this plant is so easy to grow in a shady garden bed, wildcrafting is usually not necessary.
Gather the rhisomes in the fall and lay on a screen to dry in a warm, dry location with good circulation free from humidity and sunlight. Once dry, store in a cool location away from light.
Solomon's Seal aids one in making difficult decisions and accepting and seeking change. Helps in spellwork to aid changing/breaking habits and helps in smooth transitions for changes beyond our control. It is also used in love potions to amplify commitment between partners and to "seal" a spelli or a sacred oath or promise.
An infusioni of Solomon's Seal, or insense made of Solomon's Seal root can both be used to drive away negative vibrations and malicious spirits. It can also be used to summon helpful spirits and elementals.
The root can be carried as an amuleti to ward off malicious spirits and to increase wisdom.
Solomon's Seal is appropriate for use during Autumn Equinox rituals.
The fresh root, pounded and applied topically helps fade bruising. (I have not tried this on a hicky, but it might work for that too.) A decoction can also be used as a facial rinse to help fade blemishes or for poison ivy and similar skin problems.
An infusioni can be used for profuse menstruation and internal bleeding, indigestion and other stomach and digestive complaints including ulcers, bowel problems and hemmorhoids. It is also said to speed the healing of broken bones. Used as a mouthwash, it is said to help strengthen gums.
Solomon's Seal root tea is a good tonic acting on the kidneys, heart and sexual organs as well as soothing the digestive system.
Oil infused with Solomon's Seal root is good to keep on hand for first aid treatment of sprains, strains and broken or bruised bones. (Not to replace, but to enhance traditional medical intervention.) Solomon's Seal root tea or tincture aids in the repair of broken bones and may be drunk after a doctor has set the break. It is also great for torn ligaments, disolcations and other issues with joints.
Young shoots harvested in early spring can be prepared and eaten like asparagus.
The roots should be boiled with three changes of water before being roasted and eaten.
Alli parts of the adult plant, especially the berries are poisonous and should not be consumed.
Solomon's Seal seem innocuous, but parts of it are poisonous. Seek out a personal consultating with a skilled herbalist before using internally for food or medicine.
