On this crisp autumn morning, I walk down to the pond and watch the wind whisper waves into the water. I stand in awe of the beauty, stepping slowly around the newly discovered walnut tree that is dropping its bounty, admiring the wondrous world around me. I cannot help but be grateful. Grateful that we get to experience a slice of paradise on this side of eternity.

Not every morning do I take the time to revel in the beauty and small joys of life. I get easily bogged down by the cares of the world, health, family, and other thoughts. Instead, I am learning to seek those small joys and to slowly take in each moment with prayer, “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner”. To stop, to listen, to breathe, to thank God.

September was a bit of a whirlwind month, hence why I’m writing to you about it on….October 8…. I was in California for two of the weeks while hubby worked faithfully on the farm. Once I arrived home, a hurricane came through Florida and South Carolina, kicking up very strong winds in our area. Thankfully we were okay; we just had a power outage for a few hours, as is common in these parts during winter storms due to the vast number of trees with shallow roots which grow around here in predominantly clay. Then my lovely sister- and brother-in-law and their cousins came into town for a few days where we ate copious amounts of delicious food and relaxed outside chatting on the porch.

I’ll keep this letter short since I’ll likely do another one in the month of October, but here’s what we’ve been up to on the farm.

• We got our mobile home on the property in working condition- enough to have our first renters! Stay tuned for more renovation updates.

• I made homemade apple cider vinegar out of our apple harvest scraps

• We planted our fall garden! Ephraim made an incredible raised garden bed tucked into the hillside next to our peach orchard. He made it out of cedar wood, and we had lots of help from Phil, my brother-in-law, with all the digging and filling of the garden bed.

• As for what we actually planted, we have already been seeing the sprouts of onions, carrots, kale, lettuce, chives, parsley, and rhubarb. I love watching these little plants grow; they give me so much hope.

• Ephraim built a ladder from scratch to reach the loft in the barn; he then shoveled all of our homegrown/homed-dried hay (for our future animals) into said loft with some friends of ours

• I made a plantain tincture as well as plantain salves for bug bites, etc. If you are interested in learning what that was all about, scroll on :)

• I started my venture into the world of kombucha making. More info to come on that in the future.

• We foraged Japanese autumn berries (also known as Olive berry) and I made jam out of it. It has a slightly tart flavor and is delicious when sweetened.

• North Carolina has successfully transitioned into full-on autumn. The bright yellows, oranges, and reds are MESMERIZING. 

*** Note: Ephraim does significantly more than I even have the time or space to write about on the farm. When I can I try to highlight some of the fun things he does, and he usually works outside for hours on end to bless our little home and land.

• Planting lavender and rosemary in indoor pots

• Continue watching our fall garden grow

• Trying out some new fall recipes (biscotti, cream puffs, galettes, soups and stews, and of course more sourdough bread)

• Pruning back apple and peach trees after the leaves fall

• Moving our porch ferns indoors

• Spraying our new outdoor patio furniture with clear gloss to protect for winter

• As always- mowing and maintaining the land

• Plan out renovations for mobile home

• Corn Shucking Frolic: a local event with hay rides, candle making, cider making, sorghum syrup making, and much more. Can't wait to share what I learn!

• Family visiting from out of town 

Plantain Tinctures, Salves, Oils & More

Plantain (plantago major-broadleaf and plantago lanceolata- narrow leaf) is a VERY common weed found in pretty much every lawn you can find all over the USA. Amazingly, it has many healing properties, both topically and internally. It is a good source of fiber, and contains many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

Here are just a few of its amazing qualities:

• Plantain tea for coughs and sinus problems

• Plantain tea for digestion and urinary tract infections (UTIs)

• Plantain juice to relieve stomach ulcers (plantago ovata is the source of psyllium, the common ingredient in Metamucil)

• Plantain salve for healing cuts and varicose veins

• Plantain poultice for rashes, bug bites, eczema, and psoriasis due to its anti-inflammatory properties

• Plantain body spray to relieve sunburn

• Plantain tincture for allergies and hay fever

For more info on plantain, check out my blog post so you can make your own plantain products. It’s really simple and fun!

Holistic Nutrition Counseling

For those of you who have received and/or are interested in nutritional guidance and health support, I am working 100% via telehealth until I open my physical office here in North Carolina. If you are curious about what my monthly health coaching services or one-on-one consultations entail, feel free to reach out to me at 925.315.7032 and I'd love to chat more with you about your health needs.

A Recent Holistic Nutrition Testimonial

"When I came to Lindsay (Olympia) a few months ago, I was suffering from SIBO and had many difficult symptoms, including inflammation and itching. After an elimination diet lasting about three to four months, and a planned gradual reintroduction of foods, my symptoms are largely gone, my digestion is feeling solid and strong, I’m absorbing and utilizing food better, and my energy is back. Moreover, I feel that I have a clear plan for maintaining that good condition.

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Lindsay (Olympia) is extremely knowledgeable, easy to work with, thorough, and caring. She goes above and beyond, writing and sending detailed meeting notes, often with accompanying links, contact info and recipes. I feel very well taken care of by Lindsay (Olympia), and I give her my highest recommendation.  She has a passion for getting her clients well."

- Bob, July 2022