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PublishedAugust 4, 2021
Video: Fort Knox Civil War weekend brings history to life
3rd Maine Infantry Company A event July 17-18 includes 1861-1865 life in and around the fort, from medical care to marches to writing — and, of course, plenty of firing of muskets and cannons.
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PublishedFebruary 8, 2013
New book of herbal remedy recipes
Stephanie Tourles of Orland is a prolific writer and engaging presenter about healthful foods and herbs. Her most recent work, "Hands-On Healing Remedies – 150 Recipes for Herbal Balms, Salves, Oils, Liniments & Other Topical Therapies" (Storey, 2012; $18.95), is a must-have for the bookshelf. Beautifully designed and printed, with delightful watercolors by Samantha Hahn throughout, the book is a treasure to hold ...
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PublishedJanuary 25, 2013
Apples for the home garden
Growing apples in the home landscape can satisfy many desires: culinary, aesthetic, historic preservation (of heirloom varieties), the satisfaction of producing something for yourself, and the chance to save a little money. Picking the right site, cultivating quality soil and selecting good varieties are keys to success, said two fruit enthusiasts who spoke at the Maine Agricultural Trades Show recently. C.J. ...
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PublishedDecember 20, 2012
Last-minute gifts for gardeners
Local is always a great way to shop, and with one weekend to go before Christmas, local is also convenient for last-minute gifts. Avena Botanicals has several boxed gift, available at ~ or by visiting Avena’s shop at 219 Mill St. in Rockport Mondays through Fridays, noon to 5 p.m. — although the shop will be closing for the holidays on Dec. 21 and reopening on Jan . 2. I put my own gift sets together for friends, ...
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PublishedDecember 14, 2012
Garden books: Some select choices for giving or receiving
Wrong size, wrong color, wrong style, wrong shape…or any other wrong you can imagine…it’s what’s wrong with shopping for holiday gifts. If the “wrongs” have got you wringing your hands and gnashing your teeth, relax. For any gardener on your list, and just in time for last-minute shopping, here are a handful of unique and simply-delightful holiday books choices (including one for the youngest gardeners on your ...
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PublishedNovember 30, 2012
Christmas trees from bygone days to future ones
It’s in the air, as well as the shops. The holiday season is already everywhere, and that means Christmas trees will soon be up and ready for trimming. Oh Tannenbaum! or Oh Christmas tree! — no matter how you sing it, the green tree that provides the centerpiece of our holiday decorating has a long and distinguished history around the globe, and was initially popularized by royalty. And oh the fragrance! Doesn’t ...
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PublishedNovember 23, 2012
The A and P of favorite herbs
So many herbs can be used medicinally that it can be difficult to narrow down the choices. Here are ten that I find especially useful. Some, such as elderberry and echinacea, can be tinctured now and given as holiday gifts. Aloe vera: Every kitchen windowsill should have a pot of this plant, to help skin heal quickly after you burn yourself on the oven racks or other kitchen equipment — although Lorie Costigan of ...
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PublishedNovember 19, 2012
Hey, Sherlock, come take a look at my houseplants
Opportunistic, sneaky little parasites — no, I am not referring to your in-laws but rather those insect pests and diseases that hitchhike indoors with potted plants that vacationed outdoors during the summer. However, oddly much like those in-laws there’s a scourge of the creeps, and many of them look a lot alike. This time of year they can darken your doorstep at the drop of a hat. It did not take long, but ...
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PublishedNovember 8, 2012
Witch hazel for landscape and health
What a treat to encounter fragrant witch hazel flowers in the autumn woods. The narrow yellow flower petals, miniature streamers, warm the landscape just before winter. Yankee Magazine featured this useful native plant, Hamamelis virginiana, in its Nov./Dec. 2008 issue ~ Hampton, Conn., is “the heart of witch hazel country,” said writer Steve Kemper. In central and eastern Connecticut, from November to April, a ...
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PublishedOctober 26, 2012
Bringing in, covering up the crops
The frost has zapped the tomatoes but the cool season crops are still going — as are a few pepper plants that I dug, potted and brought indoors to keep going until their fruits ripen. How long can those outdoor spinach, lettuce, carrot, celery, kale and chard plants go? Some, if protected, should last through winter, not really growing but not dying either during the coldest parts of December to February. Come ...
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