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Useful bee balm

- Bee balm — monarda didyma (larniaceae) ~ is a member
Of. the mint family and i is grown as an annual, biennial or
"Perennial. °

The ‘flowers are brilliant scarlet and bloom in a cluster at

ie “the top of the stem. The leaves are dark green and ovate with —
- : toothed margins.

: Bee balm was first discovered by the North American In-

ie - dians: in‘ the area of New York. ‘The place is now. called
,_ Otsego, Often spelt Oswego, after the tribe which lived there

-., @fid is where author James Fenimore wrote Tales of the In-
dans. Fenimore also wrote about the area 's first white. sete

ers.

‘The Indians certainly knew how to brew bee balm tea both
_ for pleasure and medicinal purposes, The’ settlers quickly
|: caught on and took advantage of that knowledge by brewing.
~ these plants themselves. This bee balm tea is said to have been.
drunk by Indians and settlers alike at the time’ of the Boston

Tea Party. -

Settling in the Oswego area in the late 1700s, the religious
» group, the Shakers, also quickly learned about the bee balm
~ plant, its tea, culinary uses and especially its medicinal pro-
-. Berties.

‘Bee balm crossed’ the ocean in the mid 1700s when John
‘Bartram of Philadelphia introduced‘ the'seeds to England.
‘From there it travelled to ‘the continent. where it is now
- cultivated under the names of Golden. Melissa and Indian
Nettle. ;

Other names used for the plant are Oswego tea, Indian
. plume and scarlet bergamot. The other day,.alocal native
fay approached me and asked for Oswego tea and whether I
had: any in my garden, She was very excited when I said I did.

Having several plants of this kind, I. promised to share
some of the leaves with her. She was also knowledgable about
other members of the mint family such as lemon balm, spear-

7 mint and Peppermint.

Could it that the existence of mint plants was known not
just. to people in the Far East but also to North American
natives as well?

Medicinal uses
You may have to pinch your nose when swallowing cough

, Syrup or use several spoonfuls of sugar to help the medicine

: go down, but not so with bee balm tea. It g0es down very easi-
ly on its own.

Bee balm is recommended by herbalists as an n infusion for
coughs, sore throats, nausea, flatulence and menstrual
“cramps. Although these properties have not been confirmed
by scientists, logically it must have had a healing or soothing
‘effect to have been in use for centuries, long before the white
man. settled in North America.

_. Modern medicine has discovered that the oil extracted from
‘bee balm contains thymol, an antiseptic which kills fungi,
bacteria. and..parasites. No wonder pharmacologists add
‘thymol to ointments and powders to combat fungal infec-
tions! ;

Thymol is also being used to fight hookworms and other‘.

ites, However, it does have side effects in that it can, if

b iallded tO excess,. cause. vomiting, diarrhea and other unpleasant '

p Sinptons. wo ;
‘ Culinary wes
‘Bee balm can be used as a culinary herb — surprisngly, the
ist is reminiscent of citrus, a faint mingling of orange and .
lemon,

‘Mix the fresh flowers in salads and use the green leaves in ©
"most, of your cooking to enhance an otherwise bland dish.

», Fresh chopped leaves can also be used iti recipes for pork,

~ Sausages and curries. Or, where'a recipe calls for mint, add

‘bee: balm instead and you will like the combination. Use the
leaves as you would with Greek or Mexican oregano,

‘Many fruits such as apples, strawberries, tangerines and .

melons are complimented when bee balm is added.
‘And a gardening note: tomatoes like bee balm which is said
to help in their growth.

ay

1 to attend. this event, beginning

Local gets

All playing fields in the Terra ar

area schools will be fertilized monthly. This’
‘Program will run from | May through October
1991.

it's bey time again, and Kate Hassett, 13; of Thomas. Street is an
_.old hand when it comes to sales. She's sold cherries —~ from. her
» family's trees — raspberries and stawberries outside her home for
Lo three years,

What's on

at. women s
centre —

Summer. may be here but the
Women's “Resource Centre’s
program of events is not taking
a holiday.

Tomorrow. afternoon there -
will be a workshop on public
speaking. For more information
and to. pre- register, call
638-0228.

Sexism in advertising is the
topic for a July 30 open discus- ©
sion on how. the stereotyped
views of women are reinforced © |
through. television advertising
and magazines, All are welcome

at 1 p.m. and participation is
encouraged. Again, call
638-0228 to pre-register,

Another film is planned for
11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1,
this one entitled Turnaround: A
story of recovery, The film
deals with five women’s fight .
against alcoholism and drug ad--
diction.

‘Blood donors

‘Employees of All-West Glass
turned-out fullforce to donate:
blood at this year’s blood donor
clinic, held two weeks ago. The
local clinic's organizer, Lissi
Sorenson, presented them: with
an award for the best turnout —
100 per cent — for enterprises
with under 10 employees:

Winner in the over 10
employees | catagory was: ‘the
Bank of Montreal, which had a
50 oer cent turnout at the clinic.

. Donations were up’ this year
from last, with S98. people -
registered and 536. units ac-
cepted. That’s 46 units more
than last year, Sorenson said.

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DENISE MCCANN “MANAGES THE RECORDS, TAPES A AND COMPACT
DISC DEPARTMENT AT TERRACE'S SIGHT AND SOUND. AFTER 21
” YEARS IN TERRACE, DENISE STILL ENJOYS ALL OUR CITY HAS TO OF
FER. THE HOT SPRINGS.IS A FAMILY FAVORITE IN DENISE'S BOOKS!

SUPPORTED BY THE cry OR TERRACE

SOME WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS

_=zHAVE A WAY OF BRINGING

_ FAMILIES TOGETHER. °.

Terrace’s Shaun - Stevenson’.

“

«was one of 1,200 students to
creceive their degrees during last
‘month's convocation
{ceremonies at ‘the B,C. Institute

; Lor Technology,

“Stevenson's degree is in

iMarketing

“Management/ Advertising and

B ‘Sales.

ebtaee,

Brad

PNA ce

SERENE

Fane, Pel,

Reng

sera

| s ara.
| be eu ns THE

a

vad’ you Sig ine: Welcome
wa hostess is thé Tight, persan to
-help you find” Mace |i your: new
“comattinit ;

ba =

: 4PM SERS RANGERS » Furtong Bay pica shalt

’ shelter,

by Maureen Atkinson

Imaging going on a plenic-hike with tiends into some presting alpine
wildamess...George droughl tha sandwiches and trail mix. Maggle: the themes filled
with steamy herbal tea and muffins, You ware supposed to bring the frult for desert, but
instead tha banaitas, oranges and cheries remain on (he kitchen counter, What are you
going to do? Afler the initial embarrassment has worn elf, you voluntear to search for ap-
propriate substitutes thal nature will pravide,

A meadow 's a wondertul place to find edible berries like currants, strawberries and
blueberries. Plants Ike blueberries grow fow lo the ground. In well drained, Sandy soll Is
where you will find stawberties, Strawberries tend to grow In patches aver a wide area,
The leaves and stalk of a plant are identical to the domestic strain. Unfortunately, the
fruit is usually quite small compared to whal you get at the suparmarkel, but what they
lack Ih site they make up forin taste by being very swveet. ‘

Blueberries and huckleberries can ba contused, because they often grow In the sama
area and the bushes are similar In appearance. Both bushes grow to be between 3-6 -
feat and the leaves tend ta ba small and oval shaped,

{n shady, west coast rainforast satmonberries and thimbleberries re very common, .
Both turn bright red in colour and took and taste {subject to opinion) quile {ike the com-
mon raspberry, Salmonberrias ara vary luicy compared 10 himbtetenies which tend lo
be very seedy. .

One word of caullen, some wild plants, including barries, tan be polsonous,

it you wish to go bery picking, always take along a complete plant kentification
book...one with colour picturas Is. best. Always check 'with an idéntilication guide baiora
putting a wild fruit of plant in your mouth. ‘

In provincial parks berties ara protected, and visliors are not encoursged ta sample, the
wid fruits, Berries may seem Insignificant but thay, too, are part of the natural harltage
of British Columbia. Wildlife jike bears: and birds dapead on berriaa as a alot food
Source, So please " and resist the temptation to sample them,

aces) Lakelse Lake Provincial”
Parks Park Visitor. Programs.

July. 25 - 29,.
"thucsdny, diy 28.
2PM MAGIC KATURE WINDOW ; (cralt for children} Furlong Bay plonig shefter,,
TPM + BASIC ORIENTEERNA + Furlong ‘Bay ‘pionlg shelter, a.
Faday, tty 28
3PM: MATURE BINGO - - (ar children), Furlong Bay picnic shelter,”
OPM. SAFE HIKING PRESENTATION - Furlong Bay Plone shelter..
Saturday, July 27 -
3PM: BERRY DELKIOUS - Furlong Bay plone. stettur,
8 Pld - WHAT'S IN HERBAL GARDEN?

Bay picnic shelier, eae
= Sanday, Sat |

8 PM PRECELLA PARKS LANOSCAPER ¥.

Meds
8 PM. NATURE Bingo . Family edition, F

: Here are the facts. No one gets up
ont the morning thinking, “This Is a

‘reat dey tn got hurt work? In ec . aa |

even know they're doing it. Every day

| they put themselves in more danger.

taste year, 168 wer ie though