The 7th Annual Red Earth: The Mountain West Women's Herbal Gathering, September 15-17th, at 13 Moons Ranch in Carbondale, Colorado.
A gathering of women to celebrate connection with the plants and each other. Featuring workshops, sacred ritual, community, and more.
https://www.
Longs Peak Highlands Festival, September 8 -10, Estes Park. Jousting, bagpipes, Celtic music, food, and more. http://www.scotfest.com/
Boulder Fall Fest -September 22 – 24, Food, music, microbrews, and market on Pearl Street Mall.
https://boulderdowntown.com/
Denver Octoberfest, September 22-24, and September 29 – October 1. Games, food, and music on Larimer Street. thedenveroktoberfest
Mountain Harvest Festival, September 22-24, Paonia. Music, food, arts and crafts, and farm tours. www.
Pueblo Chili and Frijoles Festival – September 22-24, Live entertainment, street vendors, cooking competitions, and chilis galore! https://pueblochilefestival.
Free Days
Museum of Nature and Science – Wednesday, September 6, 5-9 PM. Monday, September 18, 9-5
Denver Art Museum – Saturday, September 9
Four Mile Historic Park – Friday, September 22, 9-5
See https://scfd.org/find-
As the garden overflows with produce consider freezing, canning, and drying for future use. Be sure to harvest all of your tender veggies and herbs before the first frost which usually happens this month.
There are several great books out there on the subject. Go to the library, check a few out and then order the ones you like at your local bookstore or Better World Books, an Amazon alternative. Your county extension office also has free information and recipes for all kinds of food preservation.
If you have planted perennial herbs or flowers in any of your pots now is the time to transplant them into the garden so they have a chance to get settled before cold temps arrive. You can add some pansies or mums to the pots for a shot of color.
Check out the garden centers for the best variety of fall bulbs. I love watching the daffodils, crocus, tulips, and hyacinth emerge from winter’s sleep next spring
It’s time to get your herbs cut and dried for your winter pantry and gift giving. Harvest plants in the cooler part of the day. Most aerial parts can be clipped, bound with a rubber band, labeled, and hung upside down to dry. When dry, store in glass jars and label with the name and the date. Store in a cool, dry place. Basil, parsley, and cilantro are best made into a paste with olive oil and frozen in individual clumps on a parchment lined baking sheet. Peel off when frozen and store in the freezer.
Mushrooms are having quite a moment right now and are being touted as a great ingredient for everything from immune and cardiovascular health to improved brain function. Mushrooms have been used for centuries as food and medicine.
Lion's mane, also known officially as Hericium erinaceus, is an edible fungus that is delicious and also helps protect the digestive, liver, and brain functions. You can find it at upscale grocers, farmers markets, or local growers. It can also be foraged in the wild but it is essential that you have correctly identified it as there are many mushroom varieties that can make you extremely ill or kill you.
I recommend Christopher Hobbs’s excellent book, Medicinal Mushrooms – The Essential Guide, to learn more about all the physical and mental benefits of medicinal mushrooms. Fantastic Fungi on Netflix is another great intro to the magical world of mushrooms with gorgeous cinematography.
I have started taking a teaspoon of Mushroom Harvest’s 14 Mushroom Blend Powder, recommended by Hobbs, in my latte coffee every morning and have to say I have noticed a difference in my energy levels. Watch for all the trendy mixes coming out, a lot of them contain far more mixer than actual mushroom.
"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference has never tried to fall asleep with a mosquito in the room.”
— The Dalai Lama"