Flowers' Wellness Center

Hey Folks! I am excited to tell you that I will be launching my Flower's Wellness Center this Fall/Winter. What does this mean?


Flowers' Wellness Center mission is to educate the public on Holistic Nutrition, Real Food, Organic Growing and more to inspire Healthy and Happy Living! I will be providing workshops, How-To videos, Retreats and more to share information and resources that connect you to your Food, your Body and your Right to Be Well!


Please stay tuned...


Much Much More coming Soon!

What I Learned during my SWIHA Externship

For those of you who don't know, SWIHA stands for Southwest Institute of Healing Arts and it is the school I am currently attending. My focus is in Urban Farming and Holistic Nutrition. As part of the course, I had to learn how to put into practice some of the knowledge and techniques I've acquired through the program. It has been fun, challenging at times, and very supportive not only to helping me integrate the material but also helping me build skills for sharing my wealth of knowledge!


Some of the things I learned through the Externship:


How to grow bountiful Organic Raspberries!
How to Build a Compost Bin
Why is Composting Good for Me and The Earth
How to Build a Worm Bin (Vermicompost) and Why I'd want to
Plant Identification including Pacific Native Edibles
Identifying Edible Flowers
How to create a video with pics to share knowledge
How to promote my self and my business


I am very grateful for this experience as it has helped me gain more confidence in sharing what I know. It also has pushed me to organize knowledge in a way that is presentable via online (through videos and blogging). I really enjoyed all of the projects I undertook. I had a challenging time documenting what I was doing due to technical challenges but it all worked out in the end and it made me see how useful current technology is (iphones/internet) for sharing.


I look forward to sharing more information through Youtube and blogging along my journey in Permaculture, Organic Gardening, etc. The more we all know about growing food (and finding it in the woods) the better!

Plant Identification

SWIHA Externship: 2.5 hours


One of my favorite things to do when friends come to my home is to take them around and share my garden and land, pointing out the native edibles and medicinal plants that many don't realize are safe to consume. I also like sharing my garden with other gardener/farmer folks because I always learn something new! There's nothing more humbling than showing an experienced gardener your crops and having them say "wow, I've never seen a tomato plant grown like that" because the pruning was, well, a little uneducated.


SO, I decided to create a video sharing some of the Herbs, Native Medicinal/Edibles and a few of my fruit/vegetable crops. Some of them have added info that I felt you'd want to know. As time goes on, I'll be making videos that identify specific plants including key identification features,  their properties and potential look-alikes. Thank you so much for checking out my video and I hope you are inspired to GROW!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AbY6JRS5XQ&feature=youtu.be

Making A Worm Bin is Easy!

SWIHA Externship: 5 Hrs. Total  (2 hrs. Research, 1 hr. Building Bin, 2 Hrs. Video)




Building a Worm Bin has been on my list of things to do for our home. We have a Regular Compost Bin in the garden but I would like to have the Worms help build nutrient dense soil to amend my greenhouse, herbs and houseplants as needed. We have a 36 ft. greenhouse that is always looking for extra nutrients and I'm so happy to say I now have a Worm Bin!


Here's a quick video on How To Make a Worm Bin with tips on keeping your worms happy and alive! I collected my worms from a huge pile of mushroom compost. Enjoy.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGE3SZLHfnQ&list=UUEr2kYeb_ganVeWkj-cH00A

More on Edible Flowers

SWIHA Externship: 2 Hrs.


I've been enjoying the flowers popping up in my garden throughout the spring and summer! I have come to realize how many amazing edible flowers I have available right in my back yard. So here is a video for you to enjoy with flowers I've found in my yard plus a list of flowers for you to explore yourself! Be sure to do your research on how to eat each particular flower. Some can only be eaten cooked, some can only be eaten as buds... you get the picture!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UscZenX_cCc&list=UUEr2kYeb_ganVeWkj-cH00A&feature=share

Growing Edible Flowers, Who Knew?!

SWIHA Externship: 3 hrs.




I've enjoyed peppery nasturtiums before and even made aromatic lavender cookies (which were delicious!) after being inspired by a friend. But this year I decided I wanted to add more flowers to my garden, namely edible flowers. Upon doing some research, I was blown away and very excited to begin my task of adding more flower food crops to my landscape! I was even more happy to find out that many edible flowers on my new list are already in my garden. I guess my laziness to pull the arugula out and let it flower was actually my subconscious mind leading me to another food discovery!


Here's the list of flowers in my garden including the ones I planted after finding out they were edible!
- Arugula, Chives, Calendula, Dandelion, Comfrey, Dill, Lavender, Nasturtium, Oregano, Sugar Snap Pea, Pink Rose, Gladiola, Violet, Echinacea, Day Lillies, Thyme, Red Clover


I also found some wild native plants on our land that carry edible flowers:
 - Wild Rose  - Siberian Miners Lettuce  - Wild violet   - Tigerlilly  - Thimbleberry   - Wild Strawberry  - Chickweed  - Fireweed   - Oxeye Daisy   - St. John's Wort




List of Edible Flowers
- Arugula     - Borage     -Calendula     - Dandelion     -Squash     -Chamomile     - Chives
- Broccoli     -Bee Balm     - Comfrey     - Dill     -Gladiolas     -Hollyhock     -Lavender
-Pink & Purple Mallow     - Nasturtiums     -Oregano     -Oxalis     -Oxeye Daisy    
-Sugar Snap Pea     -Evening Primrose     -Pink & White Rose     -Sage Bergamot     -St John's Wort
- Sweet Rocket     -Thistle     -Violet     -Echinacea     -Marigold     -Chicory      - Bachelors Buttons
-Dahlia     -Garlic     -Orchid     -Snap Dragon     -Day Lillies     - Red Clover     -Coriander
- Cornflower      -Fennel      -Fuchsia     - Geranium     - Jasmine     - Phlox    - Impatiens     - Thyme  




Before consuming flowers off the awesome list I have constructed,  please follow these safety tips for flower consumption that I got from another blog.

Eating Flowers Safely

So. As lovely as eating flowers can be, it can also be a little … deadly! Not to scare you off or anything. Follow these tips for eating flowers safely:

• Eat flowers you know to be consumable — if you are uncertain, consult a reference book on edible flowers and plants.
• Eat flowers you have grown yourself, or know to be safe for consumption. Flowers from the florist or nursery have probably been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.
• Do not eat roadside flowers or those picked in public parks. Both may have been treated with pesticide or herbicide, and roadside flowers may be polluted by car exhaust.
• Eat only the petals, and remove pistils and stamens before eating.
• If you suffer from allergies, introduce edible flowers gradually, as they may exacerbate allergies.
• To keep flowers fresh, place them on moist paper towels and refrigerate in an airtight container. Some will last up to 10 days this way. Ice water can revitalize limp flowers. 

- http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/42-flowers-you-can-eat.html

Companion Planting for a Healthy Garden

SWIHA Externship: 4 hours

Did you know that many plants have substances in their flowers, leaves and roots that can repel insects and/or attract insects depending what you plant them with? Some of these natural chemicals can also help enhance growth, flavor and other positive growing traits.

When I first began gardening, I just planted a bunch of seeds and watered everything. I noticed that some crops did really well while others were struggling just to come out of the ground. Then I read an article on Companion Planting, a permaculture concept that intercrops plants that offer mutual benefit while avoiding mixing crops that inhibit growth or attract unwanted insects. I found that by using this simple concept, my garden began to flourish!

There are many articles and charts available online about Companion planting and if you are serious about it, I'd recommend finding one you like and printing it up so you have the chart readily available when planting. You will find, like I did, that companion planting is an important part of pest management for organic farmers and gardeners. It helps keep a balanced eco-system so that nature can do its job, thriving in diversity. When I have an issue with a crop, the first thing I do is look up the companion plants and add them to the area. I have found it offers amazing results! Of course, starting these plants together at the same time offers more benefits and protection. If you are struggling with a particular pest, you can research which plants protect against and add them to your garden bed!

Companion Plants I group together:

Lettuce, Beets, Onions

Tomatoes, Basil, Chives

Asparagus, Dill

Potatoes, Beans

Pumpkin, Turnips, Borage

Apple, Strawberry

Blueberry, Strawberry

Herbs and flowers I use to divert pests away from my crops:

Calendula

Catnip

Dill

Nasturtium

Chickweed

Plants to AVOID planting together:
Tomatoes and Potatoes
Potatoes and Sunflowers


Many culinary herbs provide benefits for the garden and attract pollinators as well. These include peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, catnip, comfrey, borage, sage, lovage and tarragon. By adding a variety of plants, your garden will build up a natural immunity through helpful insects and natural deterrents.


I have found that by growing catnip on the outside of my greenhouse, I avoid many pests every getting on my food. For those that get inside the greenhouse, nasturtiums are interspersed to lure away bugs from the food crops! (of course, there are plenty untouched nasturtiums for our own eating pleasure). I also allow chickweed to grow on the outside of my garden beds and it helps keep pests at bay. Soil health is important for keeping plants healthy also. If you are having pest problems, make sure the soil you are growing in is nutrient rich and free of chemicals.  


A Green Thumb is gained by experience. The more you grow, the more you know. And yet, there is always more to learn so allow yourself to stay open to the possibility that there is something you may not know, the knowing of which could change everything!
Happy Growing!

How to Build Soil with 4 Ingredients

SWIHA Externship: 5 hours Bin Building, Research, Blog

Every Organic Gardener knows that the key to creating ongoing, nutrient-rich soil for your plants is to effectively compost. But most of us are completely unaware of how SOIL happens! Here I will show you how to build soil by using a compost pile.
For our home, I built a wood compost bin with 2 sections. The container helps keep our dog out of it. The 2 sections helps me aerate my pile by allowing me to put my pile on one side and dry, brown material on the other for easy layering. By layering 3 to 4 parts Brown material with 1 part Green material, the pile can stay moist without getting too wet and slowing down decomposition.


4 KEY Components-


Carbon: Found in Brown material such as dead leaves, rotten branches, newspaper. Too much carbon keeps the pile from breaking down. Layering the brown material on top of green material supports nitrogen retention in the soil.

Nitrogen: Found in Green material such as fresh cut grass and food scraps, nitrogen creates nutrient dense soil for plants. Too many greens in the pile will keep the pile too wet for decomposing, not enough makes the pile too dry.
Air: Air flow helps bacteria decompose organic material.

Turning contents every 2-4 weeks supports aeration of compost, microbial action.
Water: The correct amount of water keeps the pile at a warm temp and microorganisms thriving. Too much can make it slimy and stinky. Not enough stops decomposing activity.

GOOD COMPOST INGREDIENTS:

- Yard Waste (brown and green)

- Food Waste: fruit/vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, sea shells, bones

(NO: Meat, Dairy, Processed Food, Oils/Fats)

- Newspaper (non-glossy)

Build Soil, Grow Food, Be happy!

　

Growing Chemical Free Raspberries

SWIHA Externship: 4 hours  Research and Installation


Growing Raspberries in the Pacific Northwest can be fairly easy if you understand some basics. Anytime I'm interested in growing a food crop, I do research first. My way of researching is by searching on Google "How to Grow Raspberries". I always look for the links that lead to Organic growing because these give tips on keeping plants healthy naturally while supporting the Earth.
To be honest, I have no idea the actual type of Raspberries I have. I am a big fan of receiving healthy plant starts from friends so I got both red raspberries and champagne raspberry canes from a friend's organic patch. But like Richard Bach says in his book Illusions, "We teach best what we most need to learn."  I realize I have a lot to learn about Raspberries but I know some things that I can share. First, you've got to have healthy soil. Healthy soil should be rich in color: a combination of rich organic matter that offers microorganisms for plant health. Soil also needs a good balance of clay to retain nutrients and sand so the soil can drain well. Too much sand dries out and can leach nutrients while too much clay can hold too much water and stress plants.
First, I picked a spot to place the raspberries that would benefit from full sun and neutral or slightly acidic soil. The ground had high clay content and didn't drain well so I decided to do raised beds on top of the clay.  I started with soil on our property that was a good blend of clay, sand and organic matter. But the soil wasn't dark brown, more of a medium brown. I decided to add well-decayed compost to the beds and mix it in. Because I am making raised beds, I will mulch them to help keep the ground warmer and the moisture in.
Next I found some small canes that have come up from other canes, making sure they weren't flowering as not to shock them, and carefully transplanted them into my new garden beds. I placed the canes 2 feet apart, knowing they will shoot up new canes and fill in the bed. Then I created a cover for them to help reduce deer and rabbit nibbles.
I will fertilize them with worm compost in the fall/winter and cut back dead canes to promote new growth and bigger harvest next year.  Because my raspberries are summer-bearing canes, growing the first season and producing fruit in the second, I will only cut the canes that have already produced fruit (which are easy to tell because the canes turn brown).
According to Organic Gardening.com, "In late winter, remove the smallest canes to leave three to six sturdy canes per 1 foot (30 cm) of row." This allows for healthier and more productive crop.
If your raspberries have any problems, Organic Gardening has a list of potential issues and how to address them safely. I haven't had any problems with my canes I planted last year, but if I do, I will immediately research it and use organic methods for healing the problem. One way to avoid pests and other problems is to START with Healthy soil and use Companion Planting which consists of planting crops that support healthy raspberries. These crops include Garlic and Tansy. Crops to Avoid planting next to Raspberries are Blackberries and Potatoes as they can introduce disease.
Having 4 kids, I have not seen a big enough crop to harvest for later use! But if you get so lucky, harvest berries in the morning when they are dry. Then carefully place them in the fridge or freezer, depending on what you want to do with them.
My plan is to ultimately expand my crop, then build a chicken coop, then fence in the crop so that the chicken run will include the raspberry beds. I have seen this done and it create an ongoing symbiotic relationship between the chickens and the berries!
If you choose to grow Raspberries, do some research, find some healthy chemical-free canes and have fun! Growing food can be informative and healing. I'm learning as I go and I know you can too!


Resources:


http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/growing-raspberries?page=0,1
http://www.almanac.com/plant/raspberries
http://www.unclelukes.com/companion-planting/companion-planting-chart

Not all of us Grow where We're Planted

　

Misty Flowers wasn't born a flower, she became one as she grew. Raised in the suburbs of Redding CA, she was drawn to the healing power of herbs after spending many years consumed with food related health conditions and not finding relief in allopathic medicine. Her life led her to a community in the Pacific Northwest of Washington where she was trained to be a Reiki Master and BodyTalk Practitioner. After spending several years working with clients on finding balance in their lives through energy medicine, she realized that she could support a deeper and more long-lasting change by integrating the earthy elements of Food consumption.

There was no typical program for this flower. She spent time researching programs that would offer her the education to truly help educate others in a Holistic way. Along the internet highway came SWIHA. Through SWIHA, Misty Flowers has become educated on all of the facets of food and holistic nutrition along with the education and experience of Growing Real Food. She has also received training and experience in Life Coaching so that her clients really get the positive support they need to fulfill their mission of wellness.

Flower means blessing and Misty Flowers has woven a tapestry of blessings to accomodate her ever growing passion to help others heal. Through her own journey to wellness she has become acutely aware that Healing is indeed an inside job. She recognizes that each person is responsible for their own wellness and as her experience has shown her, a little information and support goes a long way! Life can be busy, demanding and challenging and because Misty balances being a mother, student, professional musician, organic gardener, and home caretaker, she understands the importance of balance and health.

As a performer, Misty Flowers recognizes everyone's deep need for connection and to feel valued. She also recognizes the healing power of presence whether in performing or in her daily relationships. As a Holistic Practitioner, she provides her clients with the presence and compassion they need to feel recognized and builds strength to achieve goals by asking pertinent questions that lead the client to create an easy-to-follow action plan. But one cannot achieve success by action alone. Misty Flowers also connects her clients to their thoughts, helping them understand their habitual thoughts as an influence on their external lives. Through questions and journaling, she helps them discover their deepest truths and find ways to release thoughts that don't support their best self. Through visualization and affirmations, clients are led to reprogram their thinking as they see fit to accomplish their goals.

There is a saying to "Grow Where you are Planted" but Misty Flowers grew by being uprooted and replanted in more fertile soil. Because of this, she is able to support others in allowing themselves to uproot their old thinking and patterns and replant themselves in healthier, richer soil. With the right nutrients, sunshine, and positive focus, we can all flourish in the Garden of Life!

What is Real Food?

I was raised on the Standard American Diet.  Being a single mom with two children, my mother got government assistance and we were raised to eat what the government approved of.  I remember every month standing in line for that "government cheese", the big loaf of what they deemed as Cheddar (although us kids had many conversations about "something just doesn't taste right about it").  I was the dirty, shoeless kid giving food stamps for home run pies for my weekly breakfast supply.  It took me many years to notice the glares from adults who looked down upon me for using this government aid. I was just a kid.  And for our family food stamps= life with food and the more food we got for the buck, the more we could make the food supply stretch to next month.  So I grew up and eating highly processed, government funded food. It was cheap food and it was nutrient-dead food.  But we didn't question it, we gave thanks for what we got.  And my health deteriorated.
By the time I moved out of the house at 18, I had a mouth full of amalgam fillings, severe acne on my back and big discolored spots all over the warm areas of my body (Tenea Versicolor).  Both of these are symptoms of a body's toxicity and/or overgrowth of yeast.  Every time I went to the doctor, they prescribed creams for the acne and for the Tenea, recommended me covering head to toe in Selsum Blue, an anti-dandruff shampoo to kill the fungus.  Every time I did this the skin spots would fade for a month or so and come back. Later in my life I learned it must be healed from the INSIDE.
Inside our bellies lie this amazing bacteria that digests food, builds our immune system, and facilitates many hormone processes vital to health. This bacteria, or Gut Flora, flourishes with live organic matter (i.e. vegetables, fruit, probiotics like cultured milk, kombucha, kimchi).  It is compromised or weakened with things such as sugar, processed foods, antibiotics. If the gut flora is weakened, the immune system is weakened and many chemical processes for body function are compromised. This can lead to allergies, weak bones, tooth decay, and many other illnesses/disease.
Back to the food question: What is Real Food?
Real food Feeds the body. Real Food has nutrients to heal and strengthen the body. Real food also detoxifies the blood and lymph, helps the colon release waste so that the body can remain healthy. The only food that can do all of these things is Organic, Whole Food. Vegetables, Fruit, grains, Grass-fed animals, Raw and unrefined oils.  Plants are grown with nutrient rich Soil that is built by decaying matter, not chemical fertilizers. Animals eat what they naturally would eat and in an environment they would naturally live and be healthy.  Oils are cold-pressed, uncooked and unhydrogenated.  The more unprocessed food we consume, the better our bodies can digest and assimilate the nutrients. And if we want to be Healthy we must begin by taking responsibility for what we Consume. I choose to consume Real Food. And the more I do, the more I feel life force energy returning to every cell of my body!


Care to join me?
Check out Facebook Group: Watch Us Grow! Organic, Local and Non-GMO

Misty Flowers Bio

Misty Flowers is a Wellness Guide and her passion lies in helping people empower themselves to BE WELL through Discovery, Education, Implementation and Support. 

Through Life Coaching she helps people to discover Who they Are, What is Most Important to Them and how to get to their goals. Through Organic Gardening and Native Edible Plants, clients learn to reconnect to the healing power of nature and Living Food. 

Misty also offers simple and effective tools for balancing the body, mind and emotions including Reiki and BodyTalk.  The combination of these ancient therapeutic practices paired with Herbalism and Home Remedies offers her clients the tools that work best for their own wellness support.


Being raised on Welfare in a small suburb in California, Misty Flowers' has experience moving from the standard American processed food diet to a Whole Foods lifestyle. Her own exploration and education has helped her heal many imbalances in herself which gives her the expertise you need to feel supported! 

Her belief is that We are All One and every single one of us can BE WELL.
Through visualization, education and practical application, we can realign to our true nature through Nature. 

For a consultation with Misty Flowers, please contact mistyflowerswellness@gmail.com