#as saffron is a plant found there but also is very valuable

[raspberry-gloaming]

When you really want to talk about your fix it au for a series, but not only is there no fandom for it, but the only person active on tumblr even related to it and a nonexistant fandom is the author herself.

[kashmirisaffron]

Where and How is Saffron Grown?

An exotic spice straight from the well-drained Karewa soils of Kashmir, Saffron or Kashmiri Kesar is a chef’s best friend.

Extensively used in Middle Eastern, and South Asian cuisines, this culinary brilliance packs in a delicate aroma known for uplifting the medley of flavors that makes these dishes oh so lip smacking!

But if you think that’s all what saffron is good for, we have news.

While this golden-tinged beauty is popular for its aromatic characteristic, premium quality saffron also packs in multiple healthcare benefits within itself.

From medicines to dyes and perfumes, from cosmetics to even being considered an aphrodisiac, saffron till this day is considered one of the most elite spices there ever is.

Where Saffron Grows?

They say India is a land of exotic spices that blend flavors with medicinal attributes and that’s exactly where you’ll find saffron. Known as “red gold”, this sought-after spice comes from an age-old cultivation, grown widely in the panoramic valleys of Kashmir.

The climate and soil conditions of this region are deemed ideal, with chilly winters and pleasant summers providing the perfect environment for this precious spice to grow.

In fact, Kashmir has been known for its production of saffron since ancient times, with some sources claiming that the region has been producing saffron since as early as 500 BC.

Today, this region remains the main source of Kashmiri saffron, with most of it being grown in areas around Srinagar. It is the area, the climate, and the lush green landscape of Kashmir that brings forth the uniqueness of Kashmiri saffron in terms of its hue, its flavor, and its benefits.

How is Saffron Grown?

Being a highly valuable crop that requires constant care to ensure its quality, organic saffron farming involves careful planning, dedicated labor, and careful attention to detail at the very least.

Farmers must take into account the soil type, water availability, and temperature when planting and harvesting the crop. They must also be sure to use organic fertilizers and pesticides to keep their crops free from contamination.

With these practices in place, Kashmiri farmers produce high-quality saffron that can fetch top prices on the market.

Let’s take a closer look at how saffron is grown in Kashmir and what makes it so special.

The saffron crocus flowers thrive in dry cool regions making Kashmir the perfect place to call home.

Saffron also requires well-drained and airy soil which makes tilling one of the top priorities before planting.

Usually, the corms are sowed in summer and by mid or late autumn, you can expect saffron crocus plants to bloom giving way to beautiful purple flowers.

The flowers are usually hand harvested since these are delicate plants and machine-plucking can damage either the flowers or the soil completely.

Each saffron flower usually produces 2 stigmas. On harvesting, these stigmas are plucked and dried for over 12 hours and there you have it- golden-hued, sun-bathed saffron ready to delight your taste buds.

Being a labor-intensive procedure, one can expect around 460 hours of work to grow, harvest, and dry saffron. Maybe that’s the reason why this spice is considered one of the most expensive and elite spices out there.

Is Your Saffron High Quality?

Of course, saffron quality differs in terms of color and taste owing to weather conditions, soil changes, and much more. So, how can you tell whether the saffron you’re purchasing is off potent quality or not? The trick to this is quite simple.

Over the years, the production of saffron has extended. What once used to be an exclusive spice from the valleys of Kashmir, India has now found temporary homes in places like US too. However, there will be  significant difference between the flavor and the color of these saffrons. However, do note, saffron is never cheap and if you do spot one, there’s a high chance that the product is adulterated.

Usually saffron quality checks are an external process perfected by distributors and sellers through lab approval. This typically means, if you’re getting your saffron from trusted and reliable sources in UK, you’re guaranteed to get premium quality saffron.

Places like kashmirisaffron.com has been sourcing their products straight from Kashmir to your doorstep with 100% organic quality guaranteed so that you can not just amplify your food flavoring process but also embrace the healthy goodness it brings along with itself.

[jainsuperstore]

Top 5 Indian Attar Perfumes You have to try

Attar is also called 'ittar' or "itra" is originated from the Persian word 'itr', which means "Perfume". Today, like many things that are manufactured, perfumes are produced with chemicals, however, Attars are pure and created with the natural love of the earth.

Attars are technically pure fragrance oils derived from herbs, flowers, or even barks. They are popular in the Middle East as well as South Asian countries like India but they're becoming popular in more advanced nations like the USA, UK, and Australia because they last for a long time as well as eco-friendly, and are free of alcohol.

Why Indian Attars are so Famous?

Indian Attar fragrances have become well-known around the world due to their being produced using the same process that was invented around the 400th century. The town of Kannauj is also called the 'Perfume City of India is where this ancient practice is located. Even though it's a very competitive market that has cheaper synthetic alternatives, Attars have conserved the smell emanating from the earth.

There will never be a competition between them as attars are always superior in regards to quality.

It is impossible to resist becoming a frequent user even if you use it only for a few minutes.

Most renowned Indian Attar perfumes that you must try Attars are distinguished by the ingredients used to make them. In the following, I will provide names of some of the best attars made in India which you must consider at least one time during your lifetime

01) Mitti Attar

Who doesn't enjoy the lovely smell of the earth following the monsoon's first rain? The scent of dry earth becoming wet can give you a feeling of renewal that can be captured by this special attar. It is a great option to be a daily treat due to the relaxing aroma that acts as a stress buster.

The Best Weather - Summer is the most ideal time to wear this unique perfume as it offers a cooling effect on the body.

Buy Mitti Attar Online

02) Ruh Gulab (Rose Attar)

The scent of roses is enough to induce the joy of heaven. It is derived from the Indian Rose Damascena It is among the most pleasant attars that have ever been created.

The Rose flower is a symbol of love in all cultures and is regarded in many circles as being the sweetest smell of nature. It is perfect for special occasions like weddings, family gatherings, or simply for an intimate meeting with your beloved one.

Best Weather- As a 'Cold attar, you will enjoy it in the summer, however, it can be used throughout the year particularly for those unforgettable moments.

Learn More About Rose Attar

03) Ruh Khus (Vetiver Attar)

It is made from the seeds of the plant this attar is renowned for its very rich scent. It has an earthy, woody scent and is called the "Oil of Tranquility An oil that helps help your body relax from the stress of daily life. It is among the most ancient attars in India and has not been able to lose its appeal among the regular attar lovers.

Best Weather- A year-round favorite, this attar will fit perfectly If you are looking for something that can be used to use on a regular basis and also for special occasions.

Buy Ruh Khus Attar Online

04) Saffron Attar(Kesar or Zaffran Attar)

Saffron is renowned for its being an extremely rare and valuable spice we can find on our plant. It is found in northern India especially in Kashmir Raw Saffron is expensive and consequently, its 'attar' is priced higher than the other spices on the market.

Because only a small percentage of people have the money to enjoy its luxury, Saffron Attar symbolizes an extravagant lifestyle. This is the reason why it is used in a variety of religious celebrations.

It has a spicy, floral scent. Additionally, this attar is used in aromatherapy, too. In addition, it has numerous medicinal uses too. It is advised when relaxation is the main goal.

Best Weather is described as a warm type of attar. We recommend that you utilize this attar, particularly in winter. However, it's suitable to spice up your celebrations.

Buy Saffron Attar Perfume Oil Online

05) Jasmine Attar (Kesar or Zaffran Attar)

Jasmine is among the most well-known and loved flowers on the planet and it has the same significance that its counterpart, the 'attar. It is a romantic flower that creates an atmosphere and its fresh and sweet scent is adored by females and males. As with the majority of attars, it's popular with many because of its ability to relieve stress, which can help relax and recharge your body and mind simultaneously.

Best Weather- It's ideal for virtually every circumstance It is the all-purpose attar.'

Buy Jasmine Attar Perfume Oil Online

So which Indian attar is most effective?

There's no definitive answer as each person is different and each has individual preferences and similarities. In a nutshell, you should go with Mitti and Ruh Gulab for those who want something specifically for hot climates. Saffron is the best choice for colder climates or picks between Jasmine or Vetiver to suit every season and purpose.

Attars are always an ideal alternative to synthetic scents since they're closer to nature's essence. Once you have tried attars for the first time, you'll not look back at any other choices. They will make you smell wonderful and also feel fantastic by releasing your tensions.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Herbs and Spices Day 

A day to bring tons of flavor to everyone’s plates, National Herbs and Spices Day brings out the best taste in a vast array of dishes. From the daily salt and pepper to the more exotic saffron or black cardamom, herbs and spices offer the essence of seasoning to everyone’s table.

And National Herbs and Spices Day is the perfect time to celebrate!

History of National Herbs and Spices Day

People have been using herbs and spices to flavor their food probably since history has been recorded. Some of the earliest ideas guess that hunters would use leaves to wrap their meat in, and discovered quite by accident that the leaves gave the meat a certain type of flavor.

As time went on, more and more plants were discovered to be aromatic and flavorful, as well as often having other beneficial properties. Spices were discovered when the roots, leaves or other parts of plants were dried, then ground and used in cooking. Spices have also been used medicinally all throughout human history.

Ancient Egyptians are recorded to have used cinnamon, poppy and mint, while some early Chinese influences also mention the use of cinnamon (cassia), nutmeg, cloves and many other types of spices. Ancient Mesopotamian sources reveal that thyme, sesame, cardamom and coriander were important.

Throughout history, spices have been considered a valuable commodity and were even used as currency during some time periods. At one time, nutmeg was worth more than its weight in gold. Cloves were often given as bonuses to London dockworkers. And peppercorns were demanded as ransom in the 410 AD capture of Rome.

Beginning in 130 BC the “Silk Road”, was an important way for spice traders to get their wares from the East into the West, particularly between Greece and China. For more than 1500 years, this network of routes contained trading posts, thoroughfares and marketplaces strategically placed for travelers and traders.

Eventually, spice companies began to develop, bringing exotic and unique herbs and spices from far off places, first for the wealthy or royalty and then, eventually, to the common person. Today, just opening a person’s kitchen cabinet can introduce a collection of fragrant and flavorful spices and herbs that likely originated from all over the world!

Enjoying these and learning more about them is the perfect way to celebrate National Herbs and Spices Day!

National Herbs and Spices Day Timeline

2800 BC First mentions of cinnamon in Chinese writings

Native to Ceylon, what is now Sri Lanka, some mentions of cinnamon are made in the Cantonese language where it is known as “kwai”.

1500 BC Spices are used medicinally in Ancient Egypt

Papyrus documents note the use of fennel, caraway, coriander, garlic, mint, onion, poppy and peppermint in medical treatments.

1773 Spices replace black tea in America

With the political problems surrounding the Boston Tea Party, Americans begin making their tea from herbs and spices like lemon balm, sage, chamomile, spearmint, sassafras, and others.

1889 McCormick and Company is founded

This Maryland based spice company starts with door-to-door sales with storage in founder Willoughby McCormick’s basement. It will go on to become the largest spice and seasoning manufacturer in the world.

1897 Bram Stoker’s Dracula is published

With 21 different mentions of garlic, this novel brings to the forefront the legend that vampires have a deep aversion to this root herb.

How to Celebrate National Herbs and Spices Day

Observing National Herbs and Spices Day involves a tempting array of foods, whether cooking them, eating them, or both! Try out these ideas for celebrating National Herbs and Spices Day with the people you love:

Check Out a New Herb or Spice

Get healthier and more adventurous when you try out some new herb flavors instead. Some of these are rather versatile while others are very specific spices that work in certain dishes:

Turmeric. Anyone who has tried cooking dishes originating from India may have experienced turmeric. Also called curcumin, this bright golden colored spice is a relative of the ginger family that can be used to add flavor to curries, relishes, soups, pilaf, vegetables and much more.

Herbs de Provence. A blend of 5-6 different dried herbs, including rosemary, thyme, basil and more. This delectable combination of herbs brings out the full flavor of meats when used as a rub and also works well on grilled vegetables or meat dishes.

White or Pink Pepper. Most Westerners are familiar with black pepper, whether whole or ground, and use it fairly regularly in their cooking. But white pepper is a spice that is traditionally used Jewish or Asian cooking, and it changes the flavor of dishes quite significantly. Pink pepper is similar, but has a slightly sweeter flavor.

Get Healthier Using Herbs and Spices

According to a 2015 study, replacing salt with herbs and spices can cut a person’s daily intake of sodium by almost 1000 mg each day. This type of dietary reduction can help to minimize certain health issues such as high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease.

Not only does substituting herbs and spices help reduce sodium, but certain types of herbs and spices can also help to reduce inflammation and minimize damage to the cells in your body when eaten on a regular basis.

Turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, garlic, chili peppers and cumin are a few spices to get started with incorporating into a healthy diet.

Try Growing Your Own Herbs at Home

Whether outside in the garden or in some potted planters inside, growing herbs at home can be an amazing way to enjoy and celebrate National Herbs and Spices Day using fresh, homegrown items.

Some of the easiest to herbs that can be grown in the backyard or in a container garden at home include:

Basil. This versatile herb can be used in a variety of dishes, including pesto, tomato sauces and vinegars. Or it can be served fresh with tomatoes and mozzarella to make a caprese salad. Plant basil in a space that gets a lot of sun and has well-draining soil.

Mint. Useful in a variety of ways, mint is so prolific that many people like to grow it in containers to keep it from spreading and taking over the whole garden. With more than 600 different varieties, like peppermint, spearmint and chocolate mint, you’re sure to find one you’ll love to put in your iced tea or summer salads.

Parsley. This flat-leafed herb grows easily and is a delight to use for cooking soups and other dishes, as well as placing on dishes as a delightful garnish. Plus, even if it is grown outside it can easily be dried and kept to use over the winter months.

Rosemary. This one grows more like a shrub than a plant. It’s a woody evergreen that offers delightful aromas and loves to be in full sun. Rosemary is an herb that is also known to be healthy for the memory as well as being a mood booster.

Source

[kohanrishe]

how to grow saffron for profit

Saffron planting guide is a complete instruction for growing saffron that helps you to grow saffron for-profit and build your saffron business. this information is based on our experience of saffron planting in multiple saffron farms in over the world.

When we start our work, there is nobody to educate and help us to find our way and we just found our way with a lot of trial and error. every error has some cost and profit for us, but our resource was limited and we should get succeed. In the end, we went through this difficult path together, and with the knowledge of our fathers

Now, we want to break the monopoly of saffron planting knowledge and share it with you. we prepared an outline of growing saffron for you. this blueprint can give you a comprehensive view of saffron planting and be useful for you at the start of work.

This guide will say to you, how to grow saffron for profit and how to have an excellent saffron farm.

When is saffron growing time?

The best time for saffron planting is in summer. At this time saffron bulbs are in the sleep phase and ready to transfer from the initial farm to the target farm.

tip: The maximum time that saffron seeds can stay out of the soil is two weeks.

What are saffron growing conditions?

Some of saffron growing conditions are:

Temperature: -10 to +40C

climate: warm and dry

PH: 7-7.5

Soil pattern: sandy-loamy soil and well-drained

Precaution: Summer rains are harmful to saffron

The best temperature for saffron planting is the range of -10 to +40C. at low-temperature saffron bulbs, can start growth phase and in the high temperature enter to the sleep phase.

The next factor is dry weather, a saffron farm can't survive in severe wet conditions and bulbs love the dry weather.

Soil and water PH must be in the range of 7 - 7.5. also, note that the soil should not be too heavy or too light. summer rainy weather can be very harmful to saffron bulbs because high humidity and warm weather are 2 factors of corms infection with ticks and fungi.

Now, look at how a saffron farm is born and see how we produce saffron and prepare it to send to the consumer's home.

Also if you want to know more about greenhouse saffron cultivation you read relevant posts on our blog.

Saffron planting income

saffron planting incomes can be classified into 2 main methods:

saffron production

saffron bulbs propagation

In the first year of saffron planting, we plant 10 tons of saffron corms per hectares and after 7 years and during the saffron propagation process we will have about 70 tons of saffron bulbs. this is the exact mean of scale-up business. after 7 years you can take out bulbs and plant them in a new land.

The second saffron income stream is the saffron production process. you will harvest saffron for 7 years and this can be very valuable for you. if you live in the USA, you can sell your product at a high value. saffron price in the USA is very high and you can have good sell in this market.

Saffron planting guide

1. Preparing the ground for planting saffron

Preparing ground is our first step. we should consider an appropriate land for planting saffron. this land should have some features:

Do not need it for at least 7 years

Preferably away from pests

Has a medium soil texture

Do not cross the passage of people and animals

Be rich

In this method of saffron cultivation ground is very important. in this method, we plant saffron seeds in the soil only once and harvest saffron for 7 years. At this time our corms stay underground and don't get off the ground. so we should be careful about the farm and the base of our work.

Plowing the land

The best time for plowing land is in the last of fall and early of winter and if we couldn't do it at this time we can plow farm in spring or summer, but the best time is last of fall or early of winter.

We should plow land 40-50cm deep and add some base fertilizer to the ground. we usually use this program in or farms:

Rotted cow manure / 4 tons per 1000 meters

Granular potassium sulfate / 25 kg per 1000 meters

Triple superphosphate / 25 kg per 1000 meters

Sulfur with bentonite / 50 kg per 1000 meters

Then we should mix the soil and flatten it to be ready for the next step in summer.

2. Preparation of saffron bulbs

We usually plant saffron farms in the summer and saffron bulbs are the seeds we use to plant saffron. you see in the bellow picture saffron bulbs that are ready to plant.

In this step of growing saffron, we should separate the bulbs and remove extra straw around them. when the bulbs are sticking together the efficiency of the saffron farm reduce and this is the main reason for taking bulbs out of the soil after 7 years.

We plant a bulb in the ground and it starts to produce saffron every year, also it does another important process and that is propagation. each of the corms can propagate and produce 1-3 new bubs. you can buy saffron seeds for planting from local shops in your region.

3. Disinfecting

The third step is disinfecting saffron bulbs to protect them from infectious and other harmful things. You can do this process as follows:

Prepare a 100 to 200-liter tank

Buy suitable and approved fungicides and acaricides

Make a solution of fungicide and acaricide in the tank

put each 10 kg of bulbs in a basket and take into a solution for 60 seconds

4. planting saffron crocus corms

Planting saffron in the soil is the next step that is done in summer. we usually use the traditional way of saffron cultivation, in this method saffron planting machines do not have any role and just human sources do everything.

We must plant the saffron bulbs in the 20 cm down the soil. planting in more or less deep can decrease the efficiency of saffron farms or even destroy the farm. if you plant the corms in 25cm deep, probably bulbs can't arrive on the surface of the soil and their energy is spent in splitting the soil.

source: Persian Saffron; A Travelogue

We have 2 methods for saffron planting:

Cultivation by pit method

Ideal cultivation of saffron

The best and efficient method that we recommend is the ideal cultivation of saffron. in this method, we should plant 10 tons of bulbs per hectare. this density of planting has some advantages in comparison to the traditional model. some of these advantages are as follow:

Reduce farm maintenance costs

Reduce water consumption

Reduce harvesting costs

Reduce the amount of land required

and more...

5. Saffron farm irrigation

Saffron water requirement is low and we usually irrigate saffron farms just four times in the growing season of the saffron farms. the first time should be done in October. this Irrigation must be done deep and fully and just before the first autumn rain.

The second time is done after harvesting saffron with combining fertilization (ZAJ water).

The third time in January and the fourth saffron Irrigation can be ignored at the rain full time. the process of saffron irrigation have some details that you should know if you want to read complete instructions in this post; saffron irrigation

6. Saffron pests

Saffron same like other living things can be under pests attacks, these attacks lead to decrease production and sometimes leads to destroying whole the farm. some of these pests are Mice, rabbits, mites, hedgehogs, and grasses.

There is some way for preventing or fight these pests and there's no problem for us. for example, we can use common gas capsules or toxins on the market to control mice, but our priority is the organic method and in this case, we can use biologic methods that don't harm saffron.

Also, we can use multiple methods for controlling grasses and some of them are, using Physical weddings, Super Gallant herbicides, using Rotten cow manure as a fertilizer, and more...

7. Saffron harvesting

If you come to our farm in autumn, you can see saffron farms in such a condition. we should harvest saffron flowers early each day and if we have a delay in doing work, our flowers get loss their quality step by step. in hot areas harvesting starts at 4-5 am and in the cold areas starts at 8-9 am.

Saffron harvesting can do by humans or machines. of course, this process is usually done by children and mechanized machines play a lesser role. each of the workers can harvest an average of 5 kg of saffron flowers and a 1-hectare saffron farm need about 10 workers for the harvest season.

We recommend that predict the workforce before this season, in this time may you can't find skilled people and your product may miss.

8. Cleaning and drying

Same as the previous step we should do cleaning and drying fast as we can. whatever we are fast our product will be better and we can sell it better in market. each of the saffron flowers must be separated into 3 parts;

Saffron threads

Saffron petals

Saffron root

In this step, we can decide what type of saffron we want to produce and the best decision is based on an analysis of our target market. based on our research favorite saffron of Arab countries is all red saffron or NEGIN saffron, so if we want to export our saffron to Arab countries we will produce this type of saffron.

Do you know what is the favorite saffron type of Spain country? maybe it would be Pushal saffron.

After cleaning and separating saffron components we should dry them. saffron is naturally wet and if we want to store it for a long time we should reduce its humidity to 8% and this process can do by 2 methods.

Naturally and by sun

Saffron dryer machine

The first method is so long and we should wait 2-3 days for drying saffron and at this time our saffron is exposed to environmental damage. but the second is simple and our saffron will be dried in 15min and we have a marketable product.

9. Packaging and sell

This step can be done by farmers or traders and it's so important in the market. the common packaging is 0.5g, 1g, 2g, 4.5 g, and more. an important thing in packaging is attention to the rule of target country shops and target country culture.

Some tips;

You are not own all the shelves of a store and you just have a limited space

Your packaging cost should be 10-40% of product cost and if you don't follow this scale, you can't compete

Don't reduce product quality, customers are alert

Please and please don't cheat

conclusion

Sell isn't the last step of our work, but we finish this guide here. now and in the next post, we will describe all the steps in detail. We are waiting for your questions and comments.

[agritecture]

A New Way To Grow At Home: Bioreactors Try To Go Mainstream

Content Sourced from Smithsonian Magazine By Kat Eschner

In the dead of winter, fresh fruit can be expensive, with soft fruits like berries coming to the United States from Central and South America—sometimes even being flown in. But what if you could grow your own fruit right at home, getting the health benefits of impossible-to-cultivate berries or out-of-season favorites without having to eat pricy imported produce or take supplements?

That’s the question that drove Lauri Reuter and his colleagues at the state-run tech company VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland to start working on a project that totally reimagines how we think of growing food. His team is working on what they’re calling a “home bioreactor”—a countertop appliance that can, in theory, fill the same space in your life as a Nespresso machine does for coffee, but with fresh berry cells, including some from plants that would be impossible to cultivate using traditional means because of their adaptations to life in hostile places like the Arctic.

The idea got started when Reuter started working in a VTT lab that cultivates plant cell lines for industrial use in things like cosmetics and medicine. The berry cells contain chemical compounds that lotion-makers and health professionals rely on: Finnish company Lumene relies on the beneficial properties of cultivated cloudberry cells for some of its skin products, and a common cancer drug, paclitaxel, is derived from the cells of the Pacific Yew. In this application, cell culture helps produce enough of the berry and leaf cells to supply the market. 

When he found out his colleagues were working on lingonberry, strawberry and cloudberry cell cultures, he asked what they tasted like. After all, they’re effectively just the fruit of a plant, grown in a cell culture rather than on the vine or bush. His colleagues’ response? “We don’t know. You’re not supposed to eat anything in the lab,” Reuter says.

His question sparked a conversation about what it would be like to grow plant cell cultures that could be eaten in cell culture form—and eventually led him to taste the cells. Currently, plant cells are used as chemical “factories” for drugs, cosmetics and even some food flavoring and coloring. 

For example, cultured saffron has been used for both food flavor and color: the saffron-producing crocus can only be harvested for about a week each  year, mostly in Iran, and has low yield, making it the most expensive spice in the world, whereas cultured saffron can be produced all year round.  But in those applications, the chemicals are extracted from the plant cells. The idea of using them as-is had been discussed before in labs, Reuter says, “but there was always this assumption that the price would be too high, because we assumed that you would have to grow them in bioreactors in the lab.”

Reuter’s team had a new idea: what if plant cells could be grown for food by regular people working outside the lab? They started the project using some of the berry cell cultures from the lab, including the Arctic berries native to Finland.

After all, plant cells like the kind you find in the berries you eat require relatively little to grow: just minerals from the environment, water and sugar to replace what a traditional plant would make through photosynthesis. What they produce from these simple ingredients are a host of beneficial micronutrients that can be eaten in a delicious form: flavorful, brightly colored plant cells that have a texture sort of like pureed fruit, and can be added to foods like yogurt or smoothies. 

“We just kind of changed the way we thought about our cell cultures. We had been thinking about them as cell factories for pharmaceuticals,” Reuter says. “But all of a sudden we started to see them as foodstuffs.”

The team made waves when it released a prototype in late 2016 under the name CellPod. Their at-home bioreactor design is about the size of a table lamp and can produce about two cups of cell culture each week, in a self-contained plastic bag. Users insert the bag, which contains the cell starter, add water, and turn on the bioreactor. It will keep the culture at optimal conditions for growth. The cells can be added to smoothies, mixed into yogurt or eaten by themselves as supplements, Reuter says

When he finally got to try the culture, he was underwhelmed: whole plant cells have a “very mild, neutral taste,” he says. “Cells have this kind of cellulose wall around them, so they are, in a way, capsules with the good stuff in there.”  

The team has solved this problem by making what Reuter calls “cell jam,” literally crushing up the cells to release their tasty insides. At this point, the bioreactor doesn’t do that step itself, but Reuter says he’s gotten good feedback from eager members of the public who volunteered to be taste testers. He says people seem more comfortable with the idea of plant cell culture than with the idea of cultured meat—after all, the idea of growing plants at home is a familiar one.

When Niko Räty, a recent graduate from design school, was hired to design the home bioreactor, he initially thought he would be designing a small tabletop garden. Once he’d grasped what the project was, he saw the need for a design that looked familiar and accessible. Outside of home-brewed beer and home fermentation—things that rely on naturally-fermenting bacteria, rather than cells that are normally grown in a plant—bioreactors have mostly been found in laboratories. 

Räty drew on his background in furniture design to create a small pod with rounded edges that resembles a lamp. He says he wanted to make the high-tech device fit in to a kitchen, “so it wouldn’t be so scary.” He also designed it with a plant light, so that owners could grow herbs around it.

“I really hope that people get back to the center of food production,” Räty says. He designed the home bioreactor to help people feel more connected with their food. Räty envisions it at the center of a tiny in-home garden that would give people easy access to fresh-from-the-source produce. It might be like a “Spotify of food production,” where you could receive different plant cells from a subscription to grow a range of foods. As a creator, the project’s novelty excites him, but its potential for promoting good conservation practices is also important, he says.

Although this all might sound strange to somebody used to eating fruits grown on a vine or bush, from another angle it’s just a different kind of agriculture—and after all, humans have been increasing crop yield via careful plant breeding and cultivation for thousands of years. And beyond its immediate benefits of providing out-of-season foods from close-to-home, plant cell agriculture could allow us to grow highly nutritious plants that are currently impossible to cultivate for food.

Reuter says expanding the human diet is an essential part of the idea. Of the almost 400,000 species of plants, disregarding lichen and algae, human beings only eat around 3,000. Just a few of these make up most of what’s grown and consumed, known as “staple crops,” and climate change threatens their health. “We’re using a small fraction of the diversity that we could be using,” he says. 

Small-scale bioreactor technology could change that by allowing people to grow plant cells from previously difficult- or impossible-to-cultivate, but nutritious, plants. Arctic berry plants are at the top of VTT’s list: Arctic bramble, stone bramble and cloudberry cells were some of the first cultivated in the bioreactor. These plants, which are adapted to survive in hostile conditions, contain high levels of nutrients. They’re difficult to grow outside the Arctic and impossible to cultivate except in certain seasons. Many of the berries are also very small, which complicates harvesting.

The team at VTT is currently studying how the chemical properties of plant cell cultures compare to those of “traditional” plants and berries. “The cultured cells are not identical to the corresponding plants or parts of plants where they are generated from,” Reuter says. “They do produce many of the valuable complex biomolecules the plants themselves are making, but many times in different compositions.”

Of the bioreactor, University of Bath engineer Marianne Ellis says, “It’s a very good idea, in terms of the size.” Ellis, who works on bioreactor design, thinks the small scale of the VTT team’s device is more achievable than the scale that would be required for industrial production. But she also sees potential difficulties with helping home bioreactor users to create cultures, such as maintaining sterility in the bioreactor and keeping the costs of supplies low enough. 

“We really don’t have a cost estimate yet,” says Reuter. The team is aiming to make a single serving of cells cost about the same amount as a serving of conventional berries—whether that cost is buying a capsule for a home machine or buying a pre-grown serving of the cells.

Ellis and Reuter both see a middle ground: “microbrewed” plant cell cultures available at a local seller that makes something like smoothies. The final format of the bioreactor would remain roughly the same, just scaled up, Reuter says. That means the bioreactors would be larger, but still very small by industrial standards.

It’s a promising experiment in the future of food. People are excited, Reuter says, about the nutritional potential of previously unavailable berries, but also about the flavor potential. “What I think should be the purpose is not to make it taste like the actual [berry],” he says, “but make it go beyond that.”

VTT is still working on the project and hopes to find a buyer that will take it to commercial scale. In the meantime, however, they’re getting to the bottom of a difference they discovered between cultured plant cells and those grown from a plant: when Reuter finally got to taste the fruits of his labor, he found that they often didn’t taste like the plant they were cultured from. 

For example, strawberry cell jam, made from undifferentiated plant cells rather than the berry cells specifically, tastes more like a lingonberry, he says. A culture of Arctic bramble has a woody flavor, and some other cultures taste a bit like cabbage.

“We are not merely reproducing the plant in a bioreactor, but growing a very different kind of ‘berry,’” says Reuter.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BIOTECHNOLOGY FROM THE AGLANTA CONFERENCE DAY 2 KEYNOTE: VONNIE ESTES

[fortmyerleepharmacy]

Health Booster

Life Extension’s Once-Daily Health Booster contains tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E that provides potent benefits throughout the body. Tocotrienols can boost defenses against oxidative stress, promote a healthy lipid profile, protect the brain and cognition and support healthy hair growth.1,2

Five kinds of vitamin K

1. Vitamin K1

is the most common form of vitamin K, but it is tightly bound to plant cells in leafy green vegetables. Not only do many people not enjoy these vegetables, but vitamin K from these sources may be poorly absorbed.  Our formula contains 2,000 mcg of vitamin K1, the same dosage found to encourage heart health in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

2. Vitamin K2

comes in multiple forms, including MK-4, -6, -7, and -9. Although K2 is present in smaller amounts in the diet, it is better absorbed and stays in the bloodstream longer than K1 and has valuable heart and bone health benefits.

3. Menaquinone-4 (MK-4)

promotes arterial and bone health. This supplement delivers 1,500 mcg, the same dosage shown to promote healthy bone density in a clinical study.

4. Trans-menaquinone-7 (MK-7)

helps maintain bone strength and arterial flexibility.7,8 This supplement delivers 181 mcg, the same dosage studied in double-blind, placebo-controlled trials measuring bone and cardiovascular health.

MK-7 is well-absorbed and remains in the bloodstream over a sustained period of time.Once-Daily Health Booster provides a potent dose of a pure, ultra-absorbable form of MK-7, made with a bio-fermentation process.

5. Menaquinone-9 (MK-9)

promotes cardiovascular health, according to an eight-year epidemiological study in more than 16,000 women.12 This supplement provides 11 mcg of MK-6 and 43 mcg of MK-9, because these new rock stars of the vitamin K2 world are effective in very small amounts.

Innovative Phytonutrients 

Lycopene

Lycopene helps maintain cardiovascular health by supporting vascular endothelial function (the inner lining of your arterial blood vessels). Lycopene also promotes a healthy inflammatory response and helps maintain already-healthy blood pressure levels.13-15

Lycopene famously supports prostate health, helping to regulate normal cellular proliferation.16,17 Lycopene has also been shown to help support a healthy insulin response and promote longevity.

Chlorophyllin

Chlorophyllin, derived from the green plant pigment chlorophyll, has been shown to have DNA-protective properties.

MacuGuard® Carotenoid Phospholipid Blend

MacuGuard® is our innovative ocular-health formula based on a blend of lutein, trans-zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin—important nutrients that protect the delicate photoreceptor cells in the retina’s macula from light damage, promote eye health and support healthy vision.23-25

Lutein is a carotenoid that is an important part of your macular pigment. It helps protect the eyes from the effects of blue and ultraviolet light.26-28 Lutein supports macular health and defends against oxidative stress to help keep your eyes functioning over time.28-30 Saffron helps maintain visual acuity.31-33

Odds are, your multivitamin formula missed a few of these nutrients. Fill in the gaps with Once-Daily Health Booster.

[tipsycad147]

Caring With Calendula

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs:

This vibrant orange blossom pops in the garden add a burst of colour to cuisine and is a powerhouse in the medicine cabinet. Learn more about this amazing, autumn-loving species.

Brilliantly striking, calendula’s gorgeous yellow and deep-orange blossoms bring a smile to both gardener and herbalist alike. In the fall, you’ll find this plant gracing many doorways, a staple among other autumn harbingers that herald the colder weather to come. But this dazzling ornamental’s long, storied history and powerful medicine make it a must-have for the home.

Sunshine in the Yard

Visually delightful, sun-loving Calendula officinalis is also commonly called marigold, but don’t confuse it with Mexican marigold {Tagetes erecta}, which is another species entirely. A member of the Asteraceae family along with chamomile, dandelion, and Echinacea, calendula is native to southern Europe and parts of the Middle East, but now grows in temperate climates throughout the world. A short-lived perennial, it acts as an annual in both cold and hot climates. Although it’s typically cultivated, you may see calendula brightening once-tended fields as escapes from neighbouring gardens. One of the easiest medicinal plants to propagate, it thrives prolifically through its long growing season, rewarding its nurturer with scores of glorious blossoms.

Marigolds sprout early in spring, exhibiting small, light-green oval leaves, keeping their illuminated hue while growing larger and more oblong and lanceolate shaped. Two to 7 inches long, with a smooth edge and prominent midrib, they appear alternately on a hardy, slightly hairy stem. Plants grow to 2 feet tall, producing sunny yellow-orange blossoms six weeks after germinating. Spicy-scented flower heads are 4-7 cm in diameter and thick, containing both ray and disc florets, and can bloom through the first snow in many states.

Easy to grow and famously unfussy, marigolds flourishes in USDA zones 2-9. After the last cold frost, sow seeds directly into soil 12 inches apart and cover with 1/2 inch of fine soil. In warm climates, sow seeds in fall for spring blooms. Calendula enjoys full sun and well-drained soil but can grow in most soil types – as Rosemary Gladstar notes, it “does just as well pampered as ignored.” Reseeding itself abundantly, marigold spreads its growing space each year. Deadhead it regularly to encourage blossom production, harvest it when it has matured, and give the flower heads extra time to dry before storing.

Calendula Through the Centuries

With its very long history of use in food and medicine, calendula has been a staple in kitchens and cottage gardens since ancient times. Found in some of the earliest apothecary texts, calendula was a valued herb well before written history. The Romans treated scorpion bites with marigold flowers, early Ayurvedic practitioners used it for inflammation and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners found it useful in supporting healthy skin. Twelfth-century herbalists affirmed that just gazing at the golden flowers encouraged cheerfulness, and medieval physicians used marigold to heal wounds, ease toothache, treat stomach ulcers and sore eyes, support the liver, and ward off the plague. Sixteenth- and 17-century herbalists Nicholas Culpepper and John Gerard both extolled the virtues of calendula as a “comforter” of the heart and spirit, and beneficial for digestive complaints and skin irritations. A battlefield herb of the Civil War, it helped staunch bleeding and disinfect wounds, and became a prominent remedy in the American Pharmacopeia from 1880-1900, as Eclectic physicians utilised calendula for everything from mild burns to all manner of childhood illnesses and infection.

An herb of the sun, calendula opens in the morning, its face following the sun until it closes by evening, earning it the nickname “little hourglass” and helping farmers gauge time. In Germany, it was common knowledge that if marigold remained closed by 7:00 a.m., rain was approaching.

An “herb-general of all pottage,” calendula acquired the nickname “pot marigold” for its indispensable use in early kitchens. Seventeenth-century cookbook The Countrie Farme states “no broths are well made without dried marigold.” Added to winter soups, puddings, and porridge, it helped ward off seasonal illnesses. Once a substitute for saffron, calendula’s bright petals were used to colour cheese and butter through World War ll. {Today, you can find calendula flowers and leaves in salads and soups for a pop of colour and a slightly bitter, peppery taste. Use fresh flower heads to adorn festive cupcakes or scatter petals on scones.}

Associated with the sun sign Leo, calendula has served as a symbol of love, luck, protection, and remembrance. Ancient Greeks wore marigold garlands to wedding feasts, and to dream of the flower meant prosperity, success, and happy marriage. One of the original “he loves me/he loves me not” flowers, calendula often featured in love potions and charms. Its golden blooms were strewn about floors and doorways to ward away evil and scattered across a bed to bring safety through the night and encourage prophetic dreams. Carrying marigold flowers in your pocket offered protection and brought good luck. Conserves of marigold taken in the morning would protect a person from witches and enable one to see fairies.

Marigold represents sorrow – but also relief from grief, as William Shakespeare once noted, “the marigold that goes to bed with the sun, and wi’ him rises weeping.” In Victorian times a bouquet of marigolds and roses symbolised the “sweet sorrows of love,” and combined with pansies it meant “I will soothe your grief.” {Celebrations in India and the Day of the Dead in Mexico feature the Tagetes flowers, not calendula.}

A popular and fabulous flower essence, calendula centres on communication, helping one find more warmth, understanding, and compassion in discourse with others. Encouraging active, empathetic listening and reciprocity, calendula aims to decrease the use of caustic tone and words, allowing one to be open, truly hearing the deeper meaning in conversation.

Marigold Medicine

Lovely calendula’s innumerable medicinal attributes are so comprehensive, it’s a challenge to name them all. Used for centuries, it’s a well-studied plant that receives worldwide recognition as a healer. The United Kingdom has approved marigold as a topical treatment, Canada has authorised it as an active ingredient in over-the-counter herbal and homeopathic medicines, and the United States recognizes calendula as safe for use in food, cosmetics, supplements, and homeopathic remedies. Mild enough for children and the elderly, marigold is a gentle but powerfully impressive plant, battling everything from mild rashes to virulent microbes. Calendula is full of beneficial antioxidants, including beta-carotene, quercetin, rutin, lycopene, and vitamin C, along with essential fatty acids, polysaccharides, sterols, and volatile oils that contribute to its wide range of effectiveness.

For Skin: Best known for its remarkable skin healing, calendula is considered the queen of epidermis herbs, frequently found in salves, oils, lotions, and liniments. A superb vulnerary, the German Commission E approved it as a topical healing remedy for wounds and foot ulcers, and a 2014 study from the University of Kashmir “revealed significant acceleration of wound healing” as well as excellent results on contact dermatitis. Thanks to its content of allantoin, which stimulates skin cell regeneration, as well as anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, calendula can be used for diaper rash, insect bites, mild burns, dry skin {as well as eczema}, bedsores, and for preventing infection. Its antifungal action makes it useful in combating athlete’s foot, ringworm, and other fungal issues. The antiviral, astringent properties of the herb serve as a fantastic compress for conjunctivitis, blepharitis {inflammation of the eyelid}, herpes simplex virus {HSV} sores, phlebitis, and varicose veins.

For Digestion: Calendula’s antispasmodic constituents ease abdominal cramping from gas and indigestion while its bitter principle stimulates the gallbladder and digestive juices, and increases absorption of nutrients. Anti-inflammatory actions, along with marigold’s demulcent, antiseptic, and wound-healing action, have been used to prevent and remedy duodenal and peptic ulcers as well as soothe gastric irritation from forms of IBD and leaky gut, and the herb eases pharyngeal tissue in cases of gastroesophageal reflux disease {GERD}. As an astringent and antimicrobial, it helps alleviate diarrhoea along with amoebic dysentery and dysbiosis.

For the Immune System: An impressive immunomodulator, marigold supports the immune system not only with its antiviral action but as a valuable lymphagogue. Stimulating lymphatic movement and drainage throughout the body, calendula assists in filtering out bacteria and waste while rallying lymphocytes, which include T-cells and B-cells that are essential for healthy immune function. Effective for all manner of stagnant lymph congestion, such as swollen glands in viral situations, it’s also very useful for congested pelvic glands as well as ovarian and breast cysts and mastitis, which can be further remedied with a calendula compress/poultice.

As an Antifungal: Calendula makes a superb mouthwash for oral thrush and fights gut and systemic candida issues.

For Cancer: In 2018, the Integrative Cancer Therapies Journal gathered a decade of calendula studies for review and found noteworthy conclusions, including the validity of the herb’s well-known properties as an anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiseptic, and skin healer. But the studies also suggested that all parts of calendula – flower to root – have considerable antitumor properties thanks to their content of lutein, a carotenoid found in green leafy vegetables and carrots, as well as two triterpene glycosides called calendulosides. {Triterpenoids are known to exhibit anticancer action.} These had significant cytotoxic action on myriad cancer cells, including melanoma, leukemia, breast, colon, pancreatic, and lung cancer cells, impeding tumour growth, reducing tumour size, and inhibiting metastasis.

The flowers were also very effective in palliative care when used topically to prevent and treat acute radio-induced dermatitis and the pain common in breast cancer treatment- with no sign of allergic reaction. A mouthwash containing calendula flower extract also “significantly decreased the intensity of oropharyngeal mucositis” {inlfammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes} common in radiotherapy for treating head and neck cancers.

The conclusion of this enormous study found that calendula “shows promising results regarding its potential usage in cancer management, especially in cancer prevention, treatment, and palliative care.” There was also an emphasis on more intense research to identify some of its many other compounds that may further contribute to cancer management and conducting human clinical trials to confirm its internal benefits.

Contraindications: There are no known side effects of calendula, but if you take sedatives or medication for high blood pressure, check with your physician before using. Avoid calendula when trying to conceive and while pregnant/nursing. People allergic to plants in the Aster family may have a reaction.

Calendula Lymphatic Mover

A fantastic lymph mover, calendula and the herbs included in this recipe help move and drain swelling and stagnation in lymph glands throughout the body. Both red clover and cleavers have a tonic effect on the lymphatic system and assist with drainage, and cleavers also decrease inflammation. Plantain stimulates lymphatic function, and anti-inflammatory violet leaves [and flowers if you have them} are powerful lymph drainers, especially in cases of swollen breast lymph tissue.

2 parts calendula

2 parts violet leaf and flower

1 part red clover

1 part cleavers

1 part plantain

Blend herbs together. Use 1-2 teaspoons per 8 ounces of boiling water. Cover and steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain and enjoy three 8 ounce cups per day.

Simple Calendula Extract

Use this extract internally or externally for skin issues or add it to compresses and mouthwashes. While 80-proof alcohol, apple cider vinegar, and glycerin will work, 190-proof alcohol best extracts the flower head resin. Fill a jar one-half to three-quarters full with dry herbs or two-thirds to three-quarters with fresh and cover with your solvent. Put in a warm, dark place and shake daily for 4-8 weeks. Then strain, bottle, and keep in a cool, dry place. Dosage: Take 15-30 drops, three times per day.

Blossom Oil and Salve

Calendula works fine alone, but it never hurts to add other healing and soothing herbs, including anti-inflammatory lavender and rose, which hydrate dry skin and lift the spirits.

2 parts calendula flowers dried or fresh

1 part lavender blossoms

1 part rose petals

Oil of choice

Beeswax {or carnauba or candelilla}

Solar method: Fill a glass jar two-thirds full with dry flowers {if using fresh, dry-wilt for 12 hours before using}. Cover with oil and leave in a warm sunny spot for 4-6 weeks.

Double boiler: Cover herbs with oil {enough to cover by 1-inch} and heat gently {under 150-degree F} for 1-4 hours. When the oil is done, strain and reserve the oil. To make a salve, gently reheat the oil and add 1/4 cup beeswax for each cup of oil. When beeswax is melted, pour into a large glass jar or individual containers. Add lavender or rose essential oil to give your salve a medicinal and fragrant boost. Store salve in the refrigerator.

https://crookedbearcreekorganicherbs.com/2019/08/08/caring-with-calendula/

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Product

1.       Natural Products

Olives & Olive Oil

The Greek olive and its virgin oil is considered as one of the best in the world. It is the basis of the Greek and Mediterranean diet. It is a healthy product and medical researchers have proved that it is one of the reasons that Cretans live longer. Olive and olive oil is produced all over Greece.

 Honey

The production of honey is a Greek tradition that dates back to the antiquity. Greece, with its great variety of plants and flowers, produces different tastes of honey. This product is considered as one of the best in the world and the best honey can only be found in mountain villages.

 Wine

Wine was born in Greece and it is a Greek tradition since the antiquity. Wine processing was actually invented in Greece. Today, one can enjoy a great diversity of Greek wines: red, white and rose, sweet or dry. Greece also produces some famous kinds of wine like the Retsina, a white wine which has an accentuated resin taste, and the Mavrodafni, a dark red wine which reminds the Portuguese Porto. For a detailed gallery of Greek wines, see the section of Greek food and wines.

 Alcohol

Ouzo is the most famous Greek alcohol of Greece and its trademark. It is a strong alcohol with the taste of Anis which can be served straight or with water. It is accompanied with little meets (mezedes). Tsipouro reminds the Ouzo but has a stronger taste. Depending of the region, it is also called Raki.

 Vinegar

Greece has a variety of tasty natural vinegar made from wine.

 Herbs

Greece has a great variety of herbs and plants with many virtues: mountain tea, oregano, sage, chamomile, sage, basil, mint, parsley.

 Spices

Greece is also famous for the many spices used in the food: sesame (white sesame also), the cumin, the machlepi and the valuable red saffron.

 Nuts

Greece also produces a large variety of nuts: almonds, pistasamos, dry grapes, sun flowers seeds, melon seeds, hazel-nut, and peanuts.

 2. Manufactured products

Carpets and rugs

Handmade carpets and rugs have been a part of the Greek tradition for centuries. The actual main production areas of rugs can be found around the town of Tripolis, in the Peloponnese, and around the towns of Trikala and Karditsa in Thessaly. Carpets are known since the antiquity, one can even find allusions to them in the mythology. The most important centres of hand-weaving are in Lefkada Island, Anogeia and Metsovo.

Leather

Leather is a specialty in Greece. Many leather items of all qualities can be found in the country: shoes, clothes, sandals, handbags, gloves, hats and more.

 Handicrafts

Many traditional handicrafts can be found in Greece: knotted carpets, embroidered cushion covers, woodwork and much more.

 Jewellery

Jewel is a Greek tradition dated to the antiquity. Many jewellery shops, famous or not, offer a large variety of jewels: golden or silver jewellery or objects to reproductions of ancient jewellery and ornaments. Islands like Santorini Island and Mykonos Island has specialized in jewellery.

  Material

1.     Clothing material in ancient Greece

Primarily consisted of the chiton, peplos, himation, and chlamys. Ancient Greek men and women typically wore two pieces of clothing draped about the body: an undergarment and a cloak. Clothes were customarily homemade out of various lengths of rectangular linen or wool fabric with little cutting or sewing, and secured with ornamental clasps or pins, and a belt, or girdle (zone). Pieces were generally interchangeable between men and women.

 Fabrics

Ancient Greek clothing was made with silk, linen and most often, wool. The production of fabric was a long and tedious process, making ready-made clothing expensive. It was socially accepted that textile making was primarily women's responsibility, and the production of high quality textiles was regarded as an accomplishment for women of high status. Once made, the cloth was rarely cut. The seamless rectangles of fabric were draped on the body in various ways with little sewing involved.  

 2.  Sculpture material

Stone and marble

Various uncrystallized limestones were frequently used in the archaic period and here and there even in the fifth century. But white marble, in which Greece abounds, came also early into use, and its immense superiority to limestone for statuary purposes led to the abandonment of the latter. The choicest varieties of marble were the Parian and Pentelic. Both of these were exported to every part of the Greek world.

 Wood

Wood was often, if not exclusively, used for the earliest Greek temple-images, those rude xoana, of which many survived into the historical period, to be regarded with peculiar veneration. We even hear of wooden statues made in the developed period of Greek art. But this was certainly exceptional. Wood plays no part worth mentioning in the fully developed sculpture of Greece, except as it entered into the making of gold and ivory statues or of the cheaper substitutes for these.

 Food

Greek Mezedes

The mezedes (single: mezes) are appetizers, served before or with the main dishes, usually accompanied with ouzo or tsipouro. They come in small plates. It is one of the basic elements of the Greek culture to share food and wine with friends, in a joyful and unhurried environment.

 Tzatziki

Greek yogurt with finely chopped cucumber, garlic and olive oil. Ideal to eat with fresh Greek bread, fried potatoes or fried meatballs.

 Saganaki

Fried cheese. Different sorts of cheese can be found in saganaki. Excellent with a zest of lemon.

 Keftedakia

Fried meatballs of beef, garlic and bread. Excellent dish.

 Spanakopitakia Small spinach pies with crushed feta cheese.

 Tiropitakia Small cheese pies, usually made of feta or kasseri cheese.

Horta Boiled wild greens with olive oil, salt and lemon.

 Briam Mix of roast potatoes, eggplants, onions, garlic, tomato sauce and olive oil.

 Dolmadakia Grape leaves filled with rice and onions and sometimes minced beef.

 Kalamarakia Small pieces of fried squid with lemon juice.

 Htapodi Small pieces of octopus served either fried with lemon juice or boiled, with olive oil, vinegar and oregano. Feta cheese the famous Greek cheese can also be eaten alone, as a meze, with olive oil and oregano.

 Greek salades

Of course, the most famous is the Greek salad, or else Horiatiki (Village Salad), but there are also many other types of salads and dip sauces.

 Horiatiki Salata or Greek salad Also know as "Greek salad", the horiatiki is a mix of fresh tomatoes, olives, cucumber, onions, green pepper, feta cheese, olive oil and oregano.

 Melitzanosalata An eggplant puree with finely chopped garlic and olive oil. It is succulent with fresh bread.

 Taramosalata (tarama) Crushed fish eggs.

 Main dishes

Greeks have a lot of excellent main dishes and meat is their favorite ingredient.

 Moussaka This famous Greek dish has a base made of potatoes topped with eggplants onions, minced beef and bechamel creme.

 Pastitsio This is another well-known Greek dish reminding of the Italian Lasagnas. It consists of spaghetti No 2 topped with minced beef, onions, tomato sauce and bechamel sauce.

 Paidakia Grilled lamb's ribs served with lemon.

 Kokoretsi This is one of the favorite dishes of Greeks. They mostly eat it during Easter. It consists of wrapped and roasted entrails of lamb, served with lemon.

 Soups

Greek soups are succulent and Greeks usually have soups in winter.

 Kotossoupa Chicken soup usually with avgolemono (sauce made with eggs and lemon).

 Psarossoupa Fish soup with parsley, potatoes and carrots.

 Fassolada White bean soup with parsley and, sometimes, tomato sauce.

 Fakies Lentil soup with tomato sauce.

 Magiritsa Easter soup made of the inside of lamb, dill and the avgolemono sauce (egg and lemon).

 Patsa Tripe soup, considered by Greeks as a very good remedy to hangovers.

 Herbs and spices

Greece is famous for its unique herbs and spices which they use in every Greek dish to add an extra taste and delight the senses. The excellent quality of spices and herbs is due to the long sunshine periods, making the Greek flora particularly rich, producing an incredible variety of the best herbs and spices in the world.

Famous herbs of great quality and easy to find in Greece are the chamomile, the mountain tea, sage, basil, mint, parsley, tilio (lime leaves used as an infusion) and much more. Supreme Greek spices are the sesame (white sesame also), the cumin, the machlepi and the valuable red saffron.

 Greek Wines and alcohol beverages

Tsipouro / Raki

This really strong alcohol looks a bit like ouzo but with a stronger taste of anis. Greeks drink it with ice and sometimes add a bit of water. It is always accompanied with mezedes and good friends. In different parts of Greece, such as Crete, some islands and the northern Greece, people make their own home made Tsipouro, also called Raki (depending of the region) which is really strong.

 Ouzo

This is the most famous Greek alcohol beverage, the trade mark of the country. It is a strong alcohol, drinkable straight with ice or with a bit of water. It is ideal to drink with all kinds of mezedes. The best ouzo is made in Lesvos and the most famous trades are Ouzo Plomariou and Barbayanni.

 Mavrodafni

This sweet wine is made in Patras Peloponnese. It is really thick and dark (almost black) and can be compared to the Portuguese Porto. This strong wine is used for the Holy Communion in the Greek Orthodox Church.

 Retsina

The famous Retsina is a Greek white wine with a particular resin taste. This taste is due to the way of production of this wine: they put the grapes in new cask which have still the wood resin on, giving to the whine that special taste.

 Greek Wines

There is a huge diversity of Greek wines: red, white and rose, sweet or dry.

    Pattern

Various Greek Key names used to describe the Greek Key Pattern include Greek Fret, Greek Key, Labyrinth, Maze, and the Meander Pattern.

The pattern originated from Greek mythology and were symbolic of the labyrinth that imprisoned the Minotaur.

In Greek mythology the Centaur had the torso of a person combined with the body of a horse.

In a time when most people could not write or read, myths were the most effective way to pass knowledge and teach people about moral virtues, cosmology, love, death, forgiveness and everything that is present in our daily lives.

The pattern is often incorporated as a border design around a ring, bracelet surround forming a running ornamental design of repeated symmetrical figures.

In Europe, this pattern was included in the dominant style of architecture during the 18th century. The style of architecture also influenced and was reflected in the jewelry of the time.

Greek Key Pattern & Beach Stones

The Greek Key design isn't only found on jewelry. In the photograph below is a pavement in the streets of Rhodes, made from beach stones, featuring the "meander" Greek key pattern!

Hannes Grobe

 This is the work of Hannes Grobe, who kindly permitted me to reproduce this image on Antique Jewelry Investor.

 Now, what would the earth look like from space if we were to re-surface all those ugly old black tar roads with Greek Key design cobblestones, like in the streets of Rhodes. Wouldn't that look something from space!

 Curved or angular variations of the same key patterns are also in existence. Being very ancient motifs they occur in the earliest farming communities in Anatolia in the six millennium BC and were a major feature design in pottery decoration throughout Neolithic Europe.

 Designs based on spiral scrolls, circles, and meandering bands are typical of the art of the Mycenaean civilization on the Greek mainland in the middle of the second millennium BC.

 During the Georgian neoclassical movement when Europe was having a revival in classical Greece, the Greek key pattern above all others signified Greek style and taste.

 The connection with water persisted into Roman times when the motif was frequently used on mosaic floors in bath houses.

 Men's jewelry may also include the key pattern. Jewelry art historians, will know, that throughout the History of Jewelry men have been adorning their bodies with jewelry for as long as women, but for slightly different motives.

 Women’s jewelry was generally worn to enhance a woman's  beauty while  in modern times most men have  worn jewelry mainly as a status symbol, badge of rank, or for recognition of achievement. But times are changing and changing fast. This ship is slowly turning around. Gender Appropriate Jewelry?  If it floats your boat - wear it!

Popular motifs on men's contemporary jewelry include the Celtic knot patterns, Greek key designs, Arabic geometric patterns and abstract designs.

[estaninasstand]

Facts of the Month – April 2017

This past month was all about flowers and botanical facts.... The coolest one for me was the 26th

1. - Tulip bulbs were more valuable than gold in Holland in the 1600s.

2. - The very expensive spice, saffron, comes from a type of crocus flower.

3. - The largest flower in the world is the titan arums, which produce flowers 10 feet high and 3 feet wide. The flowers smell of decaying flesh and are also known as “Corpse flower”.

4. - According to a legend, Hundreds of years ago, when Vikings invaded Scotland, they were slowed by patches of wild thistle, allowing the Scots time to escape. Because of this, the wild thistle was named Scotland’s national flower.

5. - The he juice from bluebell flowers was used historically to make glue. It was even used to bind books.

“The blue bell is the sweetest flower

That waves in summer air;

Its blossoms have the mightiest power

To soothe my spirit’s care. “

The Blue Bell – Emily Bronte (First verse)

6. - Bees can ‘steal’ nectar from bluebells by biting a hole in the bottom of the bell, reaching the nectar without pollinating the flower.

7. - Dandelions might seem like weeds, but the flowers and leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and potassium. One cup of dandelion greens provides 7,000-13,000 I.U. of vitamin A.

8. - Sunflowers move throughout the day in response to the movement of the sun from east to west.

9. - Each flower of the Queen of the Night usually opens during the evening, and will typically last until dawn, after which it is spent. They a have a strong, sweet-smelling fragrance.

10. – Giant sequoia trees can weigh over 2000 tons (4 million pounds).

11. - The National Flower of Spain is the Red Carnation (or Clavel in Spanish).

12. - The green florets on broccoli stalks are actually immature flowers. If left to grow, they open into tiny yellow flowers.

13. – Eggplants are actually fruits, and classified botanically as berries.

14. - There are Eucalyptus trees in Hawaii with natural rainbow-colored barks.

15. - Chilies contain about 4 times more Vitamin C, gram for gram, than oranges.

16. - The lotus blooms in rivers and damp wetlands, but may lie dormant for years during times of drought, only to rise again with the return of water.

17. - Bamboo releases 30% more oxygen into the atmosphere and absorbs more carbon dioxide compared to other plants.

18. - Each orchid flower is bilateral symmetric, which means that it can be divided in two equal parts.

19. - Certain species of orchids are parasitic. They are not able to produce food (sugar) using the sunlight and carbon dioxide (like other plants). Instead, they obtain food from fungi that live inside their roots.

20. - Cacti can survive from 15 to 300 years, depending on the species.

21. - Cacti they have waxy substance on the surface which prevents loss of water via transpiration.

22. - Cacti are succulents but not all succulent plants are cacti.

23. - Hairy succulents collect water by trapping dew.

24. - An average strawberry has about 200 seeds. And it is the only fruit that bears its seeds on the outside.

25. - The tiniest tree in the world is Dwarf Willow, its size is about two inches (5cm. approx.) and is adapted to survive in harsh arctic and subarctic environments. Is commonly found in Greenland.

26. - Most of the flowers have patterns of lines on their petals. This act as guide for insects to move towards the glands which produce nectar. Some of the flowers display these patterns in the UV Rays they reflect. Unlike humans, the insects have ultraviolet vision. These insects see these nectar guides, whereas we only see plain-colored petals.

27. - Rice paper isn’t made from rice but from a small tree which grows in Taiwan. Its name is Tetrapanax papyrifer (Tung-tsau o Planta de papel arroz).

28. - The mushroom called Death Cap looks like a harmless mushroom but it contains poison and can kill a human being within 6 hours of eating due to kidney & liver failure.

29. - The water hyacinth is the world's fastest growing water plant & world's biggest water plant is the Amazon lily, its floating leaves grow up to 6 feet.

30. - The first certified botanical garden was founded by Pope Nicholas III at the Vatican in 1278 AD.

[estanina]

Facts of the Month – April 2017

This past month was all about flowers and botanical facts.... The coolest one for me was the 26th

1. - Tulip bulbs were more valuable than gold in Holland in the 1600s.

2. - The very expensive spice, saffron, comes from a type of crocus flower.

3. - The largest flower in the world is the titan arums, which produce flowers 10 feet high and 3 feet wide. The flowers smell of decaying flesh and are also known as “Corpse flower”.

4. - According to a legend, Hundreds of years ago, when Vikings invaded Scotland, they were slowed by patches of wild thistle, allowing the Scots time to escape. Because of this, the wild thistle was named Scotland’s national flower.

5. - The he juice from bluebell flowers was used historically to make glue. It was even used to bind books. 

“The blue bell is the sweetest flower

That waves in summer air;

Its blossoms have the mightiest power

To soothe my spirit’s care. “

The Blue Bell – Emily Bronte (First verse)

6. - Bees can ‘steal’ nectar from bluebells by biting a hole in the bottom of the bell, reaching the nectar without pollinating the flower.

7. - Dandelions might seem like weeds, but the flowers and leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and potassium. One cup of dandelion greens provides 7,000-13,000 I.U. of vitamin A.

8. - Sunflowers move throughout the day in response to the movement of the sun from east to west.

9. - Each flower of the Queen of the Night usually opens during the evening, and will typically last until dawn, after which it is spent. They a have a strong, sweet-smelling fragrance.

10. – Giant sequoia trees can weigh over 2000 tons (4 million pounds).

11. - The National Flower of Spain is the Red Carnation (or Clavel in Spanish).

12. - The green florets on broccoli stalks are actually immature flowers. If left to grow, they open into tiny yellow flowers.

13. – Eggplants are actually fruits, and classified botanically as berries.

14. - There are Eucalyptus trees in Hawaii with natural rainbow-colored barks.

15. - Chilies contain about 4 times more Vitamin C, gram for gram, than oranges.

16. - The lotus blooms in rivers and damp wetlands, but may lie dormant for years during times of drought, only to rise again with the return of water.

17. - Bamboo releases 30% more oxygen into the atmosphere and absorbs more carbon dioxide compared to other plants.

18. - Each orchid flower is bilateral symmetric, which means that it can be divided in two equal parts.

19. - Certain species of orchids are parasitic. They are not able to produce food (sugar) using the sunlight and carbon dioxide (like other plants). Instead, they obtain food from fungi that live inside their roots.

20. - Cacti can survive from 15 to 300 years, depending on the species.

21. - Cacti they have waxy substance on the surface which prevents loss of water via transpiration.

22. - Cacti are succulents but not all succulent plants are cacti.

23. - Hairy succulents collect water by trapping dew.

24. - An average strawberry has about 200 seeds. And it is the only fruit that bears its seeds on the outside.

25. - The tiniest tree in the world is Dwarf Willow, its size is about two inches (5cm. approx.) and is adapted to survive in harsh arctic and subarctic environments. Is commonly found in Greenland.

26. - Most of the flowers have patterns of lines on their petals. This act as guide for insects to move towards the glands which produce nectar. Some of the flowers display these patterns in the UV Rays they reflect. Unlike humans, the insects have ultraviolet vision. These insects see these nectar guides, whereas we only see plain-colored petals.

27. - Rice paper isn’t made from rice but from a small tree which grows in Taiwan. Its name is Tetrapanax papyrifer (Tung-tsau o Planta de papel arroz).

28. - The mushroom called Death Cap looks like a harmless mushroom but it contains poison and can kill a human being within 6 hours of eating due to kidney & liver failure.

29. - The water hyacinth is the world's fastest growing water plant & world's biggest water plant is the Amazon lily, its floating leaves grow up to 6 feet.

30. - The first certified botanical garden was founded by Pope Nicholas III at the Vatican in 1278 AD.

[imayank0007-blog]

Top Rated Attar in the World

The vast majority of the best smelling scents on the planet are commonly very costly, yet worth buying. You feel simply like an Arabian princess in the wake of wearing those extraordinary scent oils. Isn't that right?

In this way, on the off chance that you are good to go to buy one more scent oil and make an enormous assortment, here are the absolute best attar fragrances on the planet that you should know -

1. Bulgarian Rose attar

Rose's creation is time serious. Thusly, these fragrances oils are known to be the most costly oils on the planet. Practically 70% of the rose attar in the whole world is created in Bulgaria's Rose Valley. The laborers, which are for the most part ladies pick the blossoms among May and June and need to finish their employments before dawn. Each bloom is sliced exclusively before taking them to a refinery. Every single such exertion, do make the oil costly.

2. Jasmine attar

80% of ladies' scents comprise of jasmine. Be that as it may, unadulterated jasmine fragrance is extravagant. Very nearly 2,000 pounds of jasmine blossoms are required to deliver only one pound of jasmine oil. This is the reason this oil is so costly.

3. Oud attar

It is frequently viewed as a king fragrance oil, as it has been utilized by eminence and rulers in the whole world. It is one of the richest oils on the rundown and is delivered from agar trees. Reports state that lone just 2% of the trees produce fragrant oud oil, which is the reason the oil turns out to be so costly and uncommon.

4. Saffron Attar

Saffron is known for being an uncommon and valuable zest found on our plant. Found in northern India especially in Kashmir, crude Saffron is a costly thing and in this manner, its 'attar' is additionally costlier than numerous others accessible in the market.

Since just a couple of individuals can bear the cost of its pleasure, Saffron Attar represents an extravagant way of life. A similar explanation is a reason it utilized in numerous strict functions.

It has a zesty and botanical smell. Additionally, this attar is supported in fragrant healing also. Not just that, it also has numerous therapeutic applications.

5. Ruh Khus attar

Produced using the underlying foundations of the vetiver plant, this attar is known for its very rich fragrance. It has a gritty, woody smell and is otherwise called the 'Oil of Tranquility', an oil to quiet your body from the problems of regular day to day existence.

[akarskin-blog]

7 Beneficial Natural Skincare Ingredients to Seek Out

Nutrient-dense superfoods are not only great in our diets but in our skincare products as well. Optimal skin health starts from within, and when paired with powerful superfoods-based skincare products, you have an especially winning combination to let your natural beauty shine. The same ingredients that are good for our bodies are also beneficial for our faces. The following seven natural ingredients work to alleviate various skin concerns.

Goji Berry One of the most valued ingredients in Asian herbalism is the Tibetan goji berry. This superfruit is a powerful antioxidant that provides a variety of skincare benefits, including reducing the appearance of skin redness, inflammation, age spots, and fine lines. It can also help unclog pores in blemish-prone and oily skin. Sea Buckthorn Some describe sea buckthorn as the miracle berry or miracle fruit. It’s not from the sea, however, but from the mountainous and coastal lands of Asia and Europe. Sea buckthorn is naturally packed with antioxidants and is extremely rich in all four omega fatty acids (3, 6, 9, and the very rare 7). It aids in stimulating skin regeneration, reduces the appearance of inflammation after UV exposure, and protects the skin from sun damage. Saffron Most of us think of saffron as the valuable herb used in cooking. What many people may not realize is that this powerful spice also has incredible skin benefits. Saffron stem cells contain a powerful anti-inflammatory called gallic acid that helps protect the skin from free radicals. To give your skin an extra boost of radiance, look for a balance toner that contains saffron. Pineapple Skincare lovers likely have seen pineapple listed as an ingredient in some of their products, such as in a cleansing oil or face mask. Pineapples contain an enzyme with a strong anti-inflammatory that naturally exfoliates to leave your skin feeling smooth, soft, and soothed. Its exfoliating properties help address unevenly textured skin and return your glow back to you. Yucca Yucca root has gentle cleansing and soothing properties, which makes it a great natural plant ingredient in a daily clarify cleanser without causing irritation or over-drying your skin. You want your cleanser to remove buildup and dirt without stressing out your skin. Yucca also has protective properties against sun damage. Neroli Flower Complexion-firming neroli flower water can improve skin elasticity and help maintain the skin’s pH at an ideal level. Neroli flower has anti-inflammatory properties for skin-soothing relief as well. Use a toning mist with neroli flower as a key ingredient after cleansing and before applying facial oil. Mushroom Kojic acid found in mushrooms is an effective component that inhibits the enzyme responsible for hyperpigmentation. When used in combination with other natural ingredients, the tone and texture of your skin may look visibly brighter. Shitake mushrooms contain vitamin D and selenium, which may help protect your skin from environmental stressors. About Akar Skin Akar Skin’s products are formulated with over 70 plant-based superfoods and bioactives, starting with Tibetan-sourced sea buckthorn and goji berries. Akar Skin’s nutrient-dense formulas are designed to protect and nourish your skin and address your main skin concerns, such as hydration and fine lines. The brand’s products are formulated with vitamins, essential fatty acids, proteins, and minerals—all with a dedication to delivering real results. Akar Skin is committed to offering mindful, effective, clean skincare. You’ll find cleansing oil, facial oil, toner, and more on the brand’s website. Feel rejuvenated and appear refreshed with Akar Skin’s carefully formulated products. Learn more about Akar Skin’s sustainably harvested ingredients and browse products at Akarskin.com Original Source: https://bit.ly/3e4Zhb4

[fabulousflowers-sa]

Fun Facts About Flowers

Flowers beguile us with their lovely scent and striking beauty, but many flowers have hidden attributes. Flowers and plants have been used medicinally for thousands of years. Some flowers, such as the lotus, have religious or historical significance.

Many flowers may also have unusual characteristics or forms. Dive into the fascinating world of flower-lore and gain a fresh appreciation for these plants.

1. Roses are related to apples, raspberries, cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines, pears and almonds. 2. Tulip bulbs were more valuable than gold in Holland in the 1600s. 3. Ancient civilizations burned aster leaves to ward off evil spirits. 4. Tulip bulbs can be substituted for onions in a recipe. 5. Chrysanthemums are associated with funerals in Malta and are considered unlucky. 6. The very expensive spice, saffron, comes from a type of crocus flower. 7. The largest flower in the world is the titan arums, which produce flowers 10 feet high and 3 feet wide. The flowers smell of decaying flesh and are also known as corpse flowers 8. Almost 60 percent of fresh-cut flowers grown in the U.S. come from California. 9. Hundreds of years ago, when Vikings invaded Scotland, they were slowed by patches of wild thistle, allowing the Scots time to escape. Because of this, the wild thistle was named Scotland’s national flower. 10. The lotus was considered a sacred flower by ancient Egyptians and was used in burial rituals. This flower blooms in rivers and damp wetlands, but may lie dormant for years during times of drought, only to rise again with the return of water. Egyptians viewed it as a symbol of resurrection and eternal life. 11. Scientists discovered the world’s oldest flower in 2002, in northeast China. The flower, named Archaefructus sinensis, bloomed around 125 million years ago and resembles a water lily. 12. The juice from bluebell flowers was used historically to make glue. 13. Foxglove is an old English name, derived from the belief that foxes slipped their feet into the leaves of the plant to sneak up on prey. 14. Dandelions might seem like weeds, but the flowers and leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and potassium. One cup of dandelion greens provides 7,000-13,000 I.U. of vitamin A. 15. The flower buds of the marsh marigold are pickled as a substitute for capers. 16. Sunflowers move throughout the day in response to the movement of the sun from east to west. 17. Moon flowers bloom only at night, closing during the day. 18. Flowering nicotiana is related to tobacco, from which cigarettes are made. 19. Gas plants produce a clear gas on humid, warm nights. This gas is said to be ignitable with a lit match. 20. When Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, they subsisted on the roots of the Sego Lily Plant. This plant is the state flower of Utah. 21. The cornstarch-like powder known as arrowroot is derived from the plant, Marantha arundinacea, and is native to India. It was used by indigenous people to draw out the toxins from a poisoned arrow wound. Today, it is used to thicken pies and jellies. 22. Angelica was used in Europe for hundreds of years as a cure for everything from the bubonic plague to indigestion. It was thought to ward off evil spirits. 23. Blue cohosh, also known as squaw root or papoose root, was used by Native American women to ensure an easy labor and childbirth. 24. During the Middle Ages, lady’s mantle was thought to have magic healing properties. 25. When Achilles was born, his mother dipped him head first in a bath of yarrow tea, believing it had protective qualities. Yarrow is still known for healing and was used during World War I to heal soldiers’ wounds. FUN FLOWER FACTS FOR KIDS Flowers may look sweet, but some are deadly.

Carnivorous plants like the Venus Fly Trap get nutrition from eating insects. The Venus Fly Trap has thick leaves that are covered with small hairs. When an insect lands on these hairs, the leaves snap together—in less than one second. The plant produces digestive juices like those found in your stomach, which digest the bug in just a few days. In ancient times, people burned aster leaves to ward off evil spirits and serpents.

Some roses are named after celebrities. Rosie O’Donnell, Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Streisand all have roses named for them.

In the 1600s, tulips were so valued that they were worth more than gold!

Mom might tell you to eat your veggies, but did you know broccoli is technically a flower? The green florets on broccoli stalks are actually immature flowers. If left to grow, they open into tiny yellow flowers.

During Victorian times, flowers were used to communicate feelings or thoughts. For example, a pink carnation meant, “I’ll never forget you,” while a striped carnation sent the message, “No, I can’t be with you.” A purple hyacinth meant, “I’m sorry,” while a yellow one meant, “I’m jealous.”

Lavender is a beautiful purple flower that is native to the Mediterranean region. It has a clean, arresting scent that is known to relax people. Today, lavender is used in wreaths, potpourris and linen sprays. In medieval times, lavender was used to treat illnesses and ward off head lice, cholera and even the plague.

Many orchids don’t need soil to grow — they can get all the nutrients they need from the air instead!

Moonflowers bloom only at night. Their cousins, morning glories, bloom in the morning.

Flowers were popular as girls’ names in the Victorian age. Today, those names are making a comeback. Do you know anyone named Lily, Violet or Chrysanthemum? Would you like to be named after a flower? 

Sunflowers produce substances that are toxic to other plants. Other plants growing around sunflowers may slowly die. The famous painter Vincent Van Gogh was fascinated by sunflowers and completed 11 paintings of the cheery flowers.

Dandelions are usually thought of as weeds, but did you know they’re highly nutritious? The leaves and flowers are a good source of iron, vitamin A and potassium. Dandelion leaves are known to improve skin’s appearance and cleanse the liver. Saute dandelions or add them to salads — just make sure they haven’t been treated with herbicides. Drink a tea made from dried dandelion leaves.

Source - The Gardening Channel

from https://www.fabulousflowers.co.za/blogs/blog/fun-facts-about-flowers by https://www.fabulousflowers.co.za

[proffloristsus]

The Priciest Flowers in the World

Flowers are an alluring gift from nature, with their amazing aroma and natural in-depth beauty.

Although flowers are commonly very affordable, there are some that can get pricey. Let’s review some of the world’s most expensive blooms.

Image via Google (labelled for reuse)

Lily of the Valley

We all love lilies of the valley. The flower itself is highly poisonous, but poisonous or not, lily of the valley is a very meaningful flower that symbolizes humility, chastity, sweetness, purity, luck in love, and the return of happiness—no wonder it’s one used most in weddings. Kate Middleton chose these flowers for her bridal bouquet. The beauty and meaning of the lily of the valley does come with a price tag, however—this flower can run about $50 per bundle.

Image via Google (labelled for reuse)

Gloriosa

Native to Asia and South Africa, the Gloriosa flower creates a melody of colors on its tendrils. This flower and plant is also poisonous if eaten and can cause skin rashes, however there is still many that admire this bloom for its uniqueness and medicinal benefits. Gloriosa flowers can be found for $10 or more per flower.

Image via Google (labelled for reuse)

Saffron Crocus

You’re probably familiar with saffron, the valuable spice that has been used as currency in the past. The saffron crocus flower does not grow in the nature, it is cultivated and one of the most expensive flowers in the world at $12,000 per flower. The spice of this plant can cost up to $5,000 per pound.

Image via Shutterstock

Juliet Rose

The Juliet rose has such beauty and keeps with today’s woodsy bespoke style. The Juliet rose took David Austin 15 years to create, with its bewitching fragrance and fascinating appeal. It cost $5 million to develop this rose and ten stems of this rose can go for about $85.

Image via Google

Kadupul Flower

The Kadupul flower comes from Sir Lanka, and the flower its self is priceless. It is most desirable due to its aroma and blossoming. The Kadupul flower blooms at midnight and withers by morning. The Kadupul flower cannot be purchased commercially and is virtually impossible to grow, making its retail value priceless.

  Florists, are there any pricey blooms you carry, and any risks associated with them? Please share your priciest blooms sold or any feedback and questions below.

____________

Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

The Priciest Flowers in the World published first on YouTube

[mikaylacollie]

The Priciest Flowers in the World

Flowers are an alluring gift from nature, with their amazing aroma and natural in-depth beauty.

Although flowers are commonly very affordable, there are some that can get pricey. Let’s review some of the world’s most expensive blooms.

Image via Google (labelled for reuse)

Lily of the Valley

We all love lilies of the valley. The flower itself is highly poisonous, but poisonous or not, lily of the valley is a very meaningful flower that symbolizes humility, chastity, sweetness, purity, luck in love, and the return of happiness—no wonder it’s one used most in weddings. Kate Middleton chose these flowers for her bridal bouquet. The beauty and meaning of the lily of the valley does come with a price tag, however—this flower can run about $50 per bundle.

Image via Google (labelled for reuse)

Gloriosa

Native to Asia and South Africa, the Gloriosa flower creates a melody of colors on its tendrils. This flower and plant is also poisonous if eaten and can cause skin rashes, however there is still many that admire this bloom for its uniqueness and medicinal benefits. Gloriosa flowers can be found for $10 or more per flower.

Image via Google (labelled for reuse)

Saffron Crocus

You’re probably familiar with saffron, the valuable spice that has been used as currency in the past. The saffron crocus flower does not grow in the nature, it is cultivated and one of the most expensive flowers in the world at $12,000 per flower. The spice of this plant can cost up to $5,000 per pound.

Image via Shutterstock

Juliet Rose

The Juliet rose has such beauty and keeps with today’s woodsy bespoke style. The Juliet rose took David Austin 15 years to create, with its bewitching fragrance and fascinating appeal. It cost $5 million to develop this rose and ten stems of this rose can go for about $85.

Image via Google

Kadupul Flower

The Kadupul flower comes from Sir Lanka, and the flower its self is priceless. It is most desirable due to its aroma and blossoming. The Kadupul flower blooms at midnight and withers by morning. The Kadupul flower cannot be purchased commercially and is virtually impossible to grow, making its retail value priceless.

  Florists, are there any pricey blooms you carry, and any risks associated with them? Please share your priciest blooms sold or any feedback and questions below.

____________

Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

from Flower Decoration http://ift.tt/2CdPtKa