New Winter Farmers' Market in Plattsburgh

Thanks to Checkerhills Farm on Boynton Ave. we have a winter farmers' market in their store (the old Agway store). The vendors are taking turns manning the market so we are able to offer our products for the complete store hours M-F 9-7, Sat. 9-4, Sun. 10-4. So far we have 10 vendors.

Underwood Herbs has wild herb teas, wild fruit jellies, balsam pillows, wild catnip toys, essentail oils and more!
Outside the store we have fresh balsam wreaths decorated with real berries, dried flowers and cones with our Balsam Story card with ideas on how to recycle your wreath from pillows to tea!

To Order -

E-mail underwoodherbs@gmail.com or call 518 563-4777 and ask for Jane.
UNDERWOOD HERBS
UNIQUE TASTES & SCENTS FROM THE ADIRONDACKS
SINCE 1978

Nov. 1, 2009

Hi everyone!

It was a busy summer as I did four farmers' markets a week in Plattsburgh, Keene, Tupper Lake and Paul Smith's College. I met the nicest people at the farmers' markets and in the wild foods and wild mushroom classes I taught.

Let's keep in touch! E-mail me about what classes you would like next year and the neighborhood you would go to and attend. Remember if you get a small group together I will find a place for us to take a plant and mushroom walk and talk if you do not have one.

My winter schedule is on the g-calendar. A few craft shows are listed

but something very exciting is a new winter farmers' market has opened in Plattsburgh at Checkerhills Farm in the old Agway building at the corner of Boyton Ave. and Veterans Lane. The vendors are taking turns manning the farmers' market so we can be open 7 days a week just like the Checkerhills Farm store. They have been kind enough to give us store space to get started until another room is insulated and ready for even more vendors.

This is our first day and we have available a nice variety. See calendar description for details.

Interested in fresh balsam wreaths made locally with real berries, pinecones and dried flowers? I will have them at my booth starting Nov.5th. Special orders can be made and picked up or I can ship wreaths for you.

Spring jelly making

Most would not think jelly making is a major activity in May. One of my best selling jellies is violet blossom and fortunately we have lots of violets. It takes one pint of packed blossoms for a batch of jelly and I have made 10 batches so far. In the fridge I have another pint jar of flowers waiting for me. These flowers will keep nicely in a closed glass jar for a number of days. So if it is going to rain for the next few days you can gather your flowerpicking friends and pick violets when they are dry. There are worse ways to spend a lovely spring day. Then make jelly on the rainy days.

When you get tired of violets switch to picking dandelion blossoms. I squeeze and roll the base of the flower so the yellow petals are easily removed for jelly. This gives you a golden color and better flavor jelly.

I tried Lilac jelly but the color of the flowers and the scent do not hold up well with the jelling process. For a better natural color I would try adding some violet flowers.

Not into jelly? This is morel month and they have been plentiful since the beginning of the month due to a few extremely warm days in April.

Those hot days made for a short ostrich fiddlehead fern season earlier in the month now I am collecting the braken fiddleheads which are my favorite.

Wild Adirondack Teas workshop May 24th

Sundays in the Park
Ever wonder what is safe to eat if lost in the woods?
Ever wonder which berries are edible?

And what’s up with those strange mushrooms?
Let professional herbalist and wild foods expert Jane Desotelle lead you down the path to the wonders of mushrooms, herbs, fruits, and wild vegetables. Each workshop will be a combination of a showing of her own slides, a hands-on field trip where you can learn how to identify and ethically collect, and a chance to sample her wild herb teas and wild fruit jellies. Copies of her favorite reference books will be available for sale.
All programs will take place at the Adirondack Mountain Club’s Heart Lake Program Center and Loj near Lake Placid. Program cost with a delicious hearty, home cooked dinner included is $40 for members and $45 for non-members. Please call the ADK Loj at 523-3441 to register. Maximum of 12 participants.
Wild Teas of the Adirondacks May 24th at ADK Loj
4:30 till 8:30 with an hour for dinner
Owner of Underwood Herbs, Jane Desotelle, started her business collecting wild herb teas from the Adirondack region over 30 years ago. Learn the basics of collecting, preserving, and making herbal teas.

Jan. 22, 2009

I survived another wreath season. Thanks to all who ordered wreaths and other items. I appreaciate your support!

The big project now is recycling balsam Christmas trees . Thanks to my son and his truck we have 50 balsam trees from the Plattsburgh area to save needles from. These dried needles will go into bags and pillows for you to enjoy for many years. A large assortment of one of a kind balsam pillows will be available at the farmers' markets this year with some great fabrics.

While watching our new president and all the celebrations on TV, I decorated velvet balsam pillows with colorful beads, thread, and buttons.
I was inspired to be creative and try new things.

Another project I have tackled is organizing my thousands of photos into power point presentations. Topics I am presently finishing up are Wild Mushrooms and Wild Edible Fruits. Next will be Wild Herbal Teas. I will list when and where they will be offered on my g calendar as dates are set.

It's November already and I have prepared for balsam wreath making. We are collecting cones, hand tieing bows, collecting wild high-bush cranberries for decoration, and have started making wreaths. What a great smelling job! This year I will have free pick-up in Plattsburgh. Just call 518 563-4777 to order the wreath you want and I will have it ready for you.
November 22, I will be selling at the Jack Frost Craft Show in Malone from 10-4 at the Congreg ational Church right on Rt. 11.
November 23, I will be selling in Saranac Lake at the North Country Community College Craft Show from 10-3.
Have happy holidays! Jane