Catskill Culture Club

22/09/2023

My Nettle Leaf + Raspberry Leaf Kombucha infused with hibiscus, rose-hips, Tulsi Rose + ginger is a favorite of many!

Red Raspberry Leaf Harvest Happening Ahorita!

Scientifically referred to as Rubus idaeus, this perennial caning fruit of the rose family is very familiar to most of us: red, luscious, fragrant berries that taste great out of hand, or as a sauce, ice cream or smoothie. Plus they are high in antioxidants — substances that help us stay healthy. When they are in season, I try to pick as many as I can and freeze them for year round eating.

BUT don't forget, the LEAVES make a very nutritious infusion (long steeped tea), full of minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron) and considered one of the best uterine tonics.
Red raspberry leaves are best harvested from first year canes (primocanes) and then thoroughly dried before making into a tea.

Right now is a great time to do this.
The drying of the leaves and the long steeping help to draw the minerals and other constituents out of the raspberry leaf, making for an excellent, nourishing tonic.

Red Raspberry Plant Identification page from our book Foraging & Feasting: A Field Guide and Wild Food Cookbook by Dina Falconi, illustrated by Wendy Hollender
More about our book on our site: www.foragingandfeasting.com

Do you eat / use red raspberry, and if yes, how so?

20/07/2022

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz shares the powerful ways fiber promotes optimal gut health, supports the microbiome, prevents disease, bolsters the immune system, and mo...

20/07/2022

Happy Summer, and fresh farm food to ferment! of all kinds 🧚‍♀️💚

Foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha increased the diversity of gut microbes and led to lower levels of inflammation.

22/12/2021

HAPPY SOLSTICE!
I invite you to pause during this hectic holiday season as once again the world is renewed. It is during this holiest time of year we initiate new beginnings as we go from darkness into the light, and reflect on the symbolism of the winter solstice.
It is a beautiful time to tend the sacred light in your home, your heart, family and community. Make room for light, hope and possibility.
~ Love and LIGHT! ~ Cheryl 🌝

22/04/2021

21/04/2021

So Happy so many of you are enjoying my "pine-shine super immunity' Kombucha! I am honored to be part of helping people with their health & wellness goals; both by creating wellness environments/homes which I've been doing as a holistic designer, Vitaldesignltd.com since 1997 AND by taking 'healthy interior design' to a whole new gut level by sharing my awesome kombucha, sauerkraut, chaga infused bone broth & more. I am the happy green witch on the mountain!

https://www.forestholidays.co.uk/forestipedia/10-reasons-you-should-be-drinking-pine-needle-tea/ #:~:text=Pine%20needle%20tea%20also%20contains,also%20good%20for%20sore%20throats.

10 Reasons You Should Be Drinking Pine Needle Tea By Gerry Pine needle tea has been prized for thousands of years for its many health benefits. Gerry, our Forest Ranger at the Forest of Dean, is a great fan and he wants to spread the word about this natural remedy. In the first of a series of posts....

17/03/2021

So while I bide my time waiting for spring to finally arrive, I’m trying to keep my hands & mind busy. (& body! besides hiking when able, I 💜my !) I first made pine tea which turned out great! (for next batch of kombucha), & since I made so much decided to make 🌞 🌲
..Meyers lemons from 💚🍋

While we wait for warm weather, we try a homemade soda recipe from Pascal Baudar’s new book, ‘The Wildcrafting Brewer.’

03/03/2021

I am back Upstate & back to brewing! flavors:
*Black & Green (Matcha) with grapefruit & rosemary & ginger, *Black & Green (Matcha) with cranberry & ginger,
*Nettle & Raspberry Leaf herbal with rosehips, hibiscus & ginger (I put fresh ginger in all of my brews, love the fizziness & flavor it adds). Thanks for being patient with me being away and knowing my longer brewing process results in a superior Kombucha (less alcohol & sugar).

Contact me for 🌞✨Sunshine & Happiness in a bottle 💜☺️✨~ vitaldesignltd@gmail.com

28/09/2020

https://www.greenprophet.com/2020/09/bacteria-covid-vaccine/

Bacteria can be added to fashion, as living eco-couture, those working with Eshel Ben-Jacob discovered. A team at an Israeli university find that bacteria might play a role in a vaccine against Covid-19.

08/07/2020

A common story I am told when someone first tries homemade kombucha is that they sometimes experience flushed cheeks and get a bit tingly or lightheaded. This temporary sensation, called a niacin flush, usually lasts less than ten minutes. It is triggered by the extremely bioavailable and rapidly absorbed niacin (Vitamin B3) into the bloodstream.💜

A niacin flush is beneficial for detoxification and is commonly experienced by those adopting traditional foods into their diet for the first time.

18/05/2020

Millions of Mighty Microbes!

I studied microbiology for 5 years, but a true scientist never stops learning! Here's a list of my favorite gut microbiome health books.

17/05/2020

According to Benisch and Bridges, you can grow the bacteria with a few simple ingredients in your kitchen: water, tea, sugar, and a small bacterial sample of xylinum acetobacter. That last ingredient might sound intimidating, but it’s easy to find: simply use unflavored kombucha.

At this point, it’s just a prototype, but it shows the potential of radically rethinking our materials.