6,23,08--rhubarb

Rhubarb is the only eatable plant I have growing around my house. If it comes to starving someday, it makes sense that I learn how to use it. Actually, it makes sense and cents to learn to use it now. I know it has a good reputation for being good for the body. Some think it prepares the stomach to taste the coming food. When it reaches the stomach its digestive effects come into full play, causing an increase of the flow of gastric juice and inducing their movement, thus favoring the processing of the contents of the stomach. Besides stimulating the secretions from the liver which convey the bile salts, it assists the intestine in regulating the absorption of fats. That is good to know. But my research leads me to believe that the really good medicine kind only grows in the Himalayas, Tibet and Mongolia, where it has been prized for centuries. And it is the roots that are medicinal. Whatever the case, our common kind seems a good thing to eat, especially in the spring. Anything eatable that is early must be a special nature gift, as a body usually craves certain vitamins after the long winter. Putting rhubarb with strawberries in a pie seems to be the most popular way to use it. Stewing it with frozen raspberries is also good. Without lots of sugar, though, it is a hard sell. I think that is why the pie recipes usually have another fruit with it so the sugar can be cut down. Using itt makes cents because it can extend the quantity of other fruits. Some would even go so far as to say "quality", too. If a neighbor has a few plants, they are very likely to share, if you express a desire to have some. A good conversation about rhubarb never hurt a relationship. That is if you don't try to force everyone to like it. One unusual use I found for rhubarb is for an effective organic insecticide for any of the leaf eating insects (cabbage caterpillars, aphids, peach and cherry slug etc). • Basically you boil up a few pounds of rhubarb leaves in a few pints of water for about 15 or 20 minutes,• allow to cool,• then strain the liquid into a suitable container.• Dissolve some soap flakes in this liquid and use it to spray against aphids.So, next time you pick some rhubarb stems to eat, you can put the leaves to good use rather than just composting them (which isn't in itself such a bad use, I guess). Send suggestions to Veda Hale Box 956 Panguitch, Utah 84759 or email vedahale@hotmail.com