Wild Lettuce

So in my last post, I told you about my farm job.  

Y'ALL...

I come home most days, jump in the shower,

 take 4 Motrin, 2 Aleve, crank the heating pad to the "lava" setting and crash for several hours.

  

I am old.

I am out of shape.

I am basically falling apart.

Doug had been doing some research on medicinal herbs and came across wild lettuce.  

Now, that's WILD lettuce...NOT the devil's lettuce!

  Anyway, it turns out that it is an incredible natural pain reliever.  Doug bought a bottle of capsules of the dried herb and I've been taking them daily.  

I take them in conjunction with an OTC pain reliver and only at night and I have to admit that it does what it says!  It relaxes me and makes me a little sleepy.  On the nights I forget take it, I usually wake up several times due to pain.  I liked the effects so much that I purchased a package of seeds from Strictly Medicinal Seeds and grew out five plants this past fall.

There are about 50 varieties of wild lettuce and from what I've read, they all have about the same medicinal qualities.  I recently harvested the plants and dried them.  I think I'll make a tincture to last me through the winter and then re-sow the plants in the spring.

For me, it's a great substitution 

for so much OTC medication,

and I know my liver will thank me for that!

Check out some info on Wild Lettuce HERE.

The Perks of a Second Job!

So how does a girl go from having no job for a year to having TWO?

I'm not quite sure, but if I figure it out I'll tell you.

It turns out the job at our local college is VERY part time....more like PRN.  PRN is "nurse-speak" for "as needed", and they really don't need me that much.  Also, it's winter break and there is simply nothing available for me until the new year.  So when I get a call from a local farm for help with their gardening, I jumped at the chance!

The job is at a homestead/farm just a few miles from me.  It has lovely gardens, lots of farm animals, and two of the kindest folks you'll ever meet who call it home.  My days are spent weeding, planting, watching the ducks on the pond, and listening to the birds.  My strength isn't what is used to be, but I'm working on that!  And there I DO get my part time hours, and at Christmas time, it is much appreciated.

One of the residents of this lovely little farm is this Jersey cow.  She is very gentle and her owner has provided a "cow share" to some local families for her milk.  Now, we're no stranger to raw milk!  It literally cured John Paul of terrible eczema when he was a child, but to actually be able to milk a cow myself?  I never thought I'd have the chance!  But here I am with the opportunity to milk her twice a week until the new year.

I have a feeling she is going to be my new best friend and I can't wait to make cheese and butter with her gift of milk...and fresh steamed cream for my morning coffee.  

THAT'S the kind of benefits package I can get behind!

So say a prayer for good weather, and strength for my back and messed up foot.  God has yet again provided us a source of income with the added bonus of tending to His creation.

Check out:  The Medina Farm

Now if I could just muster up the strength to tend my own garden!