CatysCreations

07/24/2025

Looking for ways to beat the heat this summer? Homemade floral body powder can go a long way to keep you feeling fresh and dry. Many body powders contain ingredients that can be harmful. It's so simple to make your own at home with ingredients that you can feel good about!

07/21/2025

Last week my daughter and I picked blueberries from a local farm. There's absolutely nothing better than eating food in the season that it grows!

Making the most of this Harvest by freezing some and making other goodies like these blueberry scones which we'll devour on an upcoming camping trip.

Try other savory blueberry goodies, such as
- blueberry ketchup
- blueberry syrup
- blueberry vinegar, or
- blueberry basil lemonade

07/16/2025

Available today! Put words to longing, heartache and the human condition.
https://www.amazon.com/Tides-Past-Life-Poetry-Prose/dp/B0FHBNTXJN

07/08/2025

Gardens are now harvesting summer squash and zucchini (among other veggies). They just LOVE the heat!
Try one of these easy summer recipes to use up your squash or zucchini. I've personally made all three and have gotten even the pickiest eaters in the "under 18" crowd to try and like these.
I especially like that the Zucchini apple salad and zucchini noodles with peanut sauce are no-cook recipes, making them even more attractive for summer!

07/03/2025

Yes, I was in the garden this week.

Yes, it was humid AF and I was sweating like crazy. On these days I

- limit my time
- do some work in the sun and some in the shade
- have plenty of electrolite replacing fluids on hand
- carry a towel (i usually soak through a hat pretty quickly but that's an option too)

Sweating is good and necessary. But many of us have become accustomed to existing in a climate controlled environment. It's ok to be hot and uncomfortable for a little while. I got to hear birds and bees and went home knowing I was producing food.

Sweating regulates your body temp, keeps you cool, brings toxins to the surface and supports a healthy immune system.

Just be aware of signs for heat exhaustion:
-hot, dry, red skin
-fever greater than 101°
-dizziness
-nausea
-sudden fatigue
-headache

06/30/2025

TOMORROW! come join me before we take a summer break. We'll discuss the importance of getting enough fiber and make a few recipes using radishes.

Radishes grow quickly & easily and come in hundreds of varieties. They are also plentiful at local farm stands and markets in spring and fall, but folks often think radishes are only good for salads and they wind up last used, overlooked or forgotton.

Radishes are a great way to add moisture and fiber to loads of dishes from stir fry to meat loaf!

Use the QR code or the link in bio to RSVP.

06/29/2025

Find Out About Fiber

Griffin Center for Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen will host a free program on cooking with radishes and how a high fiber diet can help fight chronic disease. Elevating the Lowly Radish & The Health Benefits of Fiber will be Tues., July 1 at 5 p.m. at The Griffin Center for Healthy Living at Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road, Oxford.

Dr. Deepali Jain, a Griffin Faculty Physicians general surgeon who specializes in treating gallbladder dysfunction, all parts of the digestive tract, and in endocrine health, will discuss the benefits of fiber for gut health and digestion. Former Executive Director of Massaro Farm and sustainable nutrition expert Caty Poole will also show how versatile radishes can be by using them to prepare a stress-free summer salad and sheet pan tilapia and roasted vegetables.

Registration is required. Visit www.griffinhealth.org/events-calendar/elevating-the-lowly-radish to sign up.

06/23/2025

Being a beekeeper has it's ups and downs. It is equally fascinating and frustrating! This past weekend I was pleasantly surprised by the health of hives in the Massaro Farm apiary, after some tough late winter losses.

This past winter there were large losses of honey bee colonies across the U.S., the largest since we saw Colony Collapse Disorder in the early 2000s. USDA researchers released early results indicating these losses were largely due to diseases carried by varroa mite (deformed wing virus and acute bee paralysis virus). Early results are also indicating resistance to Amitraz, one of the leading mite treatments.

The takeaway is that an integrated pest management plan is essential to colony health, vs simply one method of treatment. Stay tuned for more info as analysis continues. And in the meantime, plant lots of pollinator friendly habitat in your yard and refrain from chemical lawn treatments!

06/17/2025

Gotta love our local farms!

Week two of CSA is looking gorgeous! It includes lots of greens, strawberries, the very first cucumbers, rhubarb, and more!

If you are not a CSA member, it’s not too late to sign up (link in our bio)! Or you can purchase our veggies at our farmstand on Saturdays or at the Q House market on Wednesdays.

05/27/2025

Friends, today's workshop on the power of protein is sold out! If you were interested in this class please DM me and I will see about scheduling a second one to accommodate those who couldn't make it into today's class.