Ashwood Farmhouse

Poison Ivy and Its Cure

We’ve all encountered this itchy weed and there are some nifty sayings meant to help in identification.

Leaves of three? Let it be!
Hairy Vine, no friend of mine!
red leaflets in spring is a dangerous thing.

I’ve spent many years eradicating poison ivy from the property; not talking about spraying but actually digging up the roots! So when I discovered this HUGE plant growing into an old apple tree, I just kind of Uncle’d. I cut the stalk close to the base and will, at some point, dawn my long sleevedness and dig this up!

So, you’ve misjudged and are now itchy. I’ve read somewhere that where poison ivy grows, it’s a cure is close by. There are two plants that help to dry up this itchy rash; jewelweed and broomsedge. Jewelweed is seasonal while broomsedge is year-round.

Growing up, if we managed to wander into Mr. Itchy, Mom would brew up some broomsedge tea for us to apply to the blisters to dry them up very quickly. I’ll add a word of caution; because this is super drying (astringent), don’t apply it everywhere as your skin will feel very tight.

Broomsedge is a grass that one sees growing in fields and vacant lots. You really only need one plant, roots and all. Mom didn’t use measurements for this, so there is a lot of eye-balling involved.

Dig up just enough of the plant to get the roots then shake off as much of the dirt as you can – no need to wash the roots. Be sure to thank the earth and the plant!
Place the plant, roots to tip, into a saucepan and cover with water and bring to a boil.
Once the boil has been reached, turn off and let steep until the water is room temperature.
Remove the plant and compost or return to the earth.
Strain the remaining tea for any leftover bits/dirt/gravel.
Place tea in the fridge and apply with a clean cotton ball/pad.
When finished, pour any leftover tea into the ground.

You are welcome! =)

Did your Mom or Granny have an old time cure she would use to help you through the itch? If so, please share.

Live well.

I Am Your Witness

I had a long time client pass away suddenly and this past weekend we drove three hours one way to attend his funeral. While waiting in line to pay our respects to his widow, I was reminded of a phrase I’d read years ago:

“We need a witness to our lives. There’s a billion people on the planet, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you’re promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things, all of it, all of the time, every day. You’re saying ‘Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will be your witness’.”
From the movie Shall We Dance

We each go through our lives, trying to make it ‘BIG’ as independent people and that’s just not how it works. We are meant to help each other and to not only witness but to participate in each other’s lives. I now understand why, when one mate dies, the other follows not long after. They have lost their witness and we, as a people, have lost our ability to help others through a crisis.

When out this week, be present in every moment; don’t worry about what’s coming next, be present now. Be a witness.

Knitting For Dishes

Knitting and crochet have been part of my life for a long time and making items that can be used in the home is paramount. One of my favorite patterns is a simply knit dish cloth.

How To Get A Fresh Egg To Peel Beautifully!

Those of you with chickens and those of you who buy fresh eggs from those with chickens already know that fresh eggs do not peel well. I think I can help.

Rhubarb Yum Yum

I was gifted with two rhubarb plants a few years ago and, until this year, has gone relatively unused. A crime, I know. Now these lovelies are ready to feed and nourish and I have just the recipes to share:

How to make apple cider vinegar

. . .while processing these golden green orbs into applesauce, I realized that the peel/core palooza could be made into apple cider vinegar.

Rendering Lard

First of all, let’s dispel with some false information. Lard is not a saturated fat; it is a monounsaturated fat and one of the best dietary sources of Vitamin D while containing no trans-fats.

Welcome

Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, The Ashwood Farmhouse is a private residence located in picturesque Bath County, Virginia. In the 40’s and 50’s, the previous owners would house area visitors that came to golf, ski, take to the waters, or as ‘lowlanders’ trying to escape the heat of the city. The only advertisement was word of mouth and a single sign on the porch that read “Guests”.

Through Airbnb, we have continued this tradition by offering a unique experience: live with a local family while visiting the Hot and Warm Springs communities.

Come experience the joy of simple living, relaxing on the front porch, and watching the grass grow.