Birdhouses from Birdhouse Gourds only available in shop while they last. photo by Emily Rozema The 10,000 Year History of the Birdhouse GourdThe birdhouse gourd may look like a squash plant growing in the garden, but it is actually part of a very old relationship between people, plants and birds. Its botanical name is Lagenaria siceraria. You may also know it as a bottle gourd, calabash or hard shelled gourd. And people have been growing and using them for thousands of years. One of Our Oldest Useful PlantsUnlike pumpkins and squash that were mainly grown for food, bottle gourds were valuable because of how they dried. The outer shell becomes remarkably hard and lightweight. Once the inside is cleaned out, the gourd becomes a natural container. Long before plastic bottles, metal buckets or even pottery were common, people could grow their own containers. Bottle gourds have been made into bowls, cups, bottles, dippers, storage containers, fishing floats, musical instruments and eventually birdhouses. Archaeological evidence shows just how old this relationship is. Researchers studying a rock shelter in Honduras found bottle gourd remains dating back roughly 11,000 years. The gourds appear to have been used as watertight containers and possibly for cooking and drinking. That makes the bottle gourd one of the oldest plants humans intentionally used and cultivated for something other than simply eating it. A Plant That Travelled the WorldThe bottle gourd originated in Africa, but somehow managed to spread through tropical areas around the world thousands of years ago. Part of the reason may be its incredible ability to float. Experiments have found that dried gourds can spend months floating in salt water and still contain viable seeds. Genetic research published in 2014 found that ancient American bottle gourds were closely related to African gourds and suggested their ancestors may have floated naturally across the Atlantic before people began cultivating them in the Americas. A gourd falls into the water in Africa, floats across an ocean and eventually helps establish a plant population on another continent. Researchers are still piecing together exactly how bottle gourds travelled around the world, but we know people were using them in the Americas thousands of years before European contact. So When Did a Gourd Become a Birdhouse?That is where the Purple Martin enters the story. Purple Martins are cavity nesting birds. They do not carve out their own nesting holes. Instead, they look for an existing cavity where they can build their nest. Long before Europeans arrived in North America, Indigenous peoples were hanging hollowed gourds that Purple Martins began using as nesting sites. Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon both document this early tradition of providing gourds for the birds. There were practical reasons for wanting the birds nearby. Purple Martins eat flying insects, and their loud alarm calls could also alert people when animals approached. Some historical accounts suggest gourds were intentionally placed around settlements and food storage areas because of this relationship. In eastern North America today, Purple Martins nest almost entirely in human provided housing, including wooden martin houses and artificial or natural gourds. In western parts of their range, they are still more likely to use natural cavities. The Tradition ContinuedEuropean settlers continued the practice of putting up homes for Purple Martins, and martin houses became a familiar sight around farms, inns and country homes. By 1831, naturalist John James Audubon wrote about seeing martin boxes at country taverns. He even joked that the nicer the martin house was, the better the tavern was likely to be. Over time elaborate wooden martin houses became popular, but the simple dried gourd never disappeared. From Garden to BirdhouseThe birdhouse gourds we grow today are the same species that humans have found useful for thousands of years. They grow on enormous vines and produce a green fruit with a rounded bottom and narrower neck. Once mature, the gourd is allowed to dry until its shell becomes hard. This takes the entire winter season. A hole can then be cut into the side, the dried material and seeds removed, and the shell turned into a completely natural birdhouse. There is something pretty amazing about growing a plant in your garden knowing that people were growing variations of the very same plant thousands of years ago. We value the relationship between humans and birds that we get to continue today.  photo of finished Birdhouse Gourd with Turnip the cat and Tomato the cat at Mingle Hill Farm & Apothecary Shop ~ photo by Emily Rozema
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Now Is the Time to Preserve Your Herbs for WinterIf you have herbs in your garden, now is the time to start thinking about winter. Harvest what you think you will need for the colder months and dry it now while the plants are fresh and full of flavour. It is best to harvest in the heat of the afternoon to have the highest amount of beneficial oils. However anytime of day is still good.  📷 by Emily Rozema We try to use our dried herbs within one year of harvest. Dried herbs do not suddenly go bad after a year, but their flavour, aroma and quality diminish over time. This is one of the reasons our Mingle Hill spice blends and loose leaf teas are so potent and flavourful. We grow and harvest our herbs here on the farm and use them within one year.  📷 by Emily Rozema With many grocery store spices, you simply don't know when the plant was actually harvested. In Canada, shelf stable foods that last longer than 90 days generally do not require a best before date. That means the jar may tell you very little about the actual age of the herbs or spices inside. How to Dry Your Own Herbs Drying herbs at home is incredibly simple. Gather your herbs into small bundles and place an elastic around the stems. Take a paperclip, open it up and use it as a little hook to hang the bundle upside down. Hang your herbs in a cool, dry, dark place with good airflow. A spot in your kitchen or large pantry away from a sunny window can work well. Sunlight can break down the colour, aroma and quality of dried herbs, so keeping them away from direct light is important. Most bundles will take around two weeks to fully dry, depending on the herb, humidity and size of the bundle. The most important part is making sure they are completely dry before putting them into a jar. Any moisture left in the plant can encourage mold. If you aren't quite sure they are dry enough, you can finish them in a dehydrator on a low setting. A dehydrator is also a great way to speed up the entire process. Once completely dry, remove the leaves from the stems and store them in a clean glass jar in your spice cupboard, away from heat and sunlight. Then enjoy your own homegrown herbs all winter. Use them individually for cooking, make herbal tea, or start experimenting and create your own custom spice blends.  📷 by Emily Rozema Homegrown dried herbs and homemade spice blends make brilliant Christmas gifts. A little glass jar, a handwritten label and herbs you grew yourself. Simple, useful and actually made by you. There is something pretty satisfying about opening a jar in January and smelling the herbs you grew in your own garden the summer before.  📷 by Emily Rozema
This year, we discovered five enormous green hornworms happily eating our pepper plants. A single hornworm can eat an impressive amount of foliage, so they are not always welcomed by gardeners. Instead of killing them, we moved ours away from the vegetable garden and placed them near the pond. There, they could become food for the birds or, if they were mature enough, burrow into the soil and begin their transformation. Hornworms found on peppers are usually tomato or tobacco hornworms. Both feed on plants in the nightshade family, including tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplants. When fully grown, they leave the plant and burrow into the soil, where they become pupae before emerging as large moths.  What Does a Hornworm Become? A tomato hornworm transforms into a five spotted hawkmoth, while a tobacco hornworm becomes a Carolina sphinx moth. Both belong to the sphinx moth family. They are large, strong flying moths with long wings and thick bodies. Adults hover in front of flowers and use a long, tube shaped mouthpart to drink nectar. As they move between flowers, they can carry pollen and become valuable evening and nighttime pollinators. You can sometimes tell the caterpillars apart by their markings. Tomato hornworms have white V shaped markings and a dark horn. Tobacco hornworms have straight diagonal lines and usually a reddish horn.  Is a Sphinx Moth the Same as a Hummingbird Moth? This is where it becomes confusing. Sphinx moths are sometimes called hawkmoths or hummingbird moths because they can hover over flowers and even fly backwards. Their rapid wings and long feeding tube make them look surprisingly similar to a tiny hummingbird. However, the moth most people recognize as a hummingbird moth is the hummingbird clearwing moth. It is a different species within the same large sphinx moth family. The hummingbird clearwing is smaller, often active during the day and has transparent wings with a fuzzy green and reddish body. The moths that develop from tomato and tobacco hornworms are generally larger, grey or brown, with solid wings, and are most active around dusk or after dark. A Garden Pest or Part of the Ecosystem? As caterpillars, hornworms can quickly damage vegetable plants. As adults, they become remarkable moths that visit flowers and help move pollen through the garden. They are also part of the farm’s food chain. Hornworms provide food for birds and beneficial insects, while the adult moths become food for bats and other nighttime animals. We certainly did not want five hungry hornworms finishing our pepper plants, but we also did not feel that they needed to be destroyed. Moving them gave nature the opportunity to decide what happened next. Sometimes the creature eating your garden today may become one of its pollinators tomorrow.   Lavender Harvest and Autumn Preparation for strong winter survival August means another lavender harvest at Mingle Hill Farm. This time, we are harvesting Lavandula × intermedia, also known as lavandin or French lavender. This is the large lavender plant you may recognize in your garden by its long flower stems and strong fragrance. We grow our French lavender mainly for essential oil. The timing of the harvest is very important. We wait until the plants have passed their peak bloom, the flowers are beginning to fade and the bees are no longer visiting as often. We harvest before the plants begin producing seed. Harvesting too early or too late can affect both the amount and quality of the essential oil. Ontario growing guidance recommends harvesting lavender for essential oil after peak flowering. Harvesting English Lavender Our English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, was harvested near the end of June. English lavender is harvested much earlier, just as the first flowers begin to open. This helps preserve its beautiful colour, gentle flavour and calming aroma. It is the lavender we prefer for our teas and culinary products. The best harvest time always depends on how the lavender will be used. Lavender for fresh bundles, dried flowers and culinary products is generally harvested near the beginning of bloom. Lavender grown for essential oil is left on the plant longer. When to Trim Lavender in Ontario Mid August is also an important time for lavender care. After the flowers have been harvested, we trim our plants into tidy, rounded mounds. Annual trimming helps keep lavender compact and prevents the plants from becoming overly woody or splitting open in the centre. Follow the flower stems down to where they rise above the leafy part of the plant. Trim the green growth into a rounded shape, removing approximately one third of this year’s growth. Always leave healthy green leaves on the plant. Never cut deeply into the bare, woody base. Old lavender wood may not produce new growth, and cutting too far down can permanently damage or kill the plant. English lavender is generally more tolerant of pruning and cold Ontario winters than French lavender or lavandin. French lavender should be trimmed more carefully, with plenty of green growth left behind. Pruning shortly after harvest gives the plants time to recover before winter arrives. Avoid waiting until late fall, as late pruning can increase the risk of winter damage in Ontario. A little attention in August helps prepare your lavender for the cold months ahead and encourages healthier, fuller plants next summer. Happy Lavender Growing!   Photo by Emily Ingredients
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According to the tale, the fable of the Pussy Willow goes; a mother cat was crying on the bank of a river, as her kittens had fallen in while chasing butterflies and were drowning. The willow trees along the riverbank wanted to help, so they dipped their branches into the water to save the kittens, allowing them to cling to the limbs. The kittens were saved, but they left their soft, furry fur behind on the branches. Since then, willow branches sprout tiny, kitten, fur-like buds every spring in memory of this rescue. As the old poem goes; A Polish legend tells the tale, of tiny kittens, ohs o frail. Along the river's edge they chased. Whith butterflies, they played and raced. They came too close to the river's side, and thus, fell in. Their mother cried. What could she do but weep and moan? Her babies fate were yet unknown. The willow, but the river, knew just what it was that the must do; They swept their graceful branches down Into the waters, all around. To reach the kittens was their goal; A rescue mission, hears and soul. The kittens grasped the branches tight. The willows saved them from their plight. Each springtime since, the story goes, Willow branches now wear clothes. Tiny fur like buds are sprung where little kittens had once clung. And that's the legend, so they claim, How Pussy Willows got their name!  Other Willow Folklore
The Quiet Power of Willow Bark: From Ancient Medicine to Modern Herbal CareWillow trees grow across much of the world, from Europe and North America to northern Asia and parts of Africa. For thousands of years people have turned to this quiet tree for relief from pain and fever. Nearly 2,000 years ago the Greek physician Dioscorides recommended “willow leaves, mashed with a little pepper and drunk with wine” for lower back pain. During the Middle Ages, willow bark continued to be used throughout Europe to reduce fever and ease aches. In 1899 the Bayer Company in Germany introduced a drug based on a synthetic compound similar to the active ingredient found in willow bark. That product eventually became one of the most recognized medicines in the world… aspirin. Like aspirin, willow bark is a proven pain reliever, though it works more slowly and tends to last longer in the body. Traditionally it has been used for fever, colds, headaches, minor infections, and rheumatic aches. On the farm, willow bark has found its way into several of our products including our Rosemary Hair Oil, Peppermint Hair Oil, White Fir Beard Oil, and our Easelixer ~ Create your own Elixer. Willow contains a natural compound called salicin that gently exfoliates the scalp, helping remove dead skin, balance excess oil, and reduce dandruff. Its anti inflammatory plant compounds soothe irritation and help create a healthier environment where strong hair can grow. You will also find willow bark in our Easelixer blend, a plant that herbal traditions have long turned to when the body needs a little extra support. Each spring we harvest the young willow shoots at the same time the maple sap begins to run. The days rise above freezing while the nights still dip below zero. During this brief window the sap moves through the trees as they awaken from winter’s sleep. This is when the bark is richest and most potent, and when we gather what we need for the oils and elixirs we craft through the year.  Our registered White Willow tree at Mingle Hill Farm, one of the largest in Canada.
 Recently, headlines began circulating about Starbucks facing a lawsuit alleging chemical residues in decaffeinated coffee.
Whether the claims are ultimately proven in court or not, the conversation has reopened something many people don’t realize: Decaf coffee has long been one of the most chemically processed everyday foods. And strangely enough… learning that years ago is what first sent us down the rabbit hole that eventually became our farm today. Before We Grew Herbs, We Drank Coffee Without Question There was a time when we didn’t think much about food processing. Coffee was coffee and Tea was tea. Then my husband Randy needed to switch to decaffeinated coffee. We then asked the question, how do they remove the caffeine from the bean? Why Decaf Coffee Is Back in the News The recent lawsuit filed in the United States alleges that testing detected trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in certain decaffeinated Starbucks coffees. Starbucks has stated that its products meet safety standards, and the case has not been decided. But regardless of the legal outcome, the discussion has reminded many consumers of something largely forgotten: Some traditional decaffeination methods rely on chemical solvents. For us, learning this years ago was a turning point. How Conventional Decaf Coffee Is Often Made Coffee beans naturally contain caffeine. To create decaf coffee, processors must remove it from green (unroasted) beans. One widely used method involves solvents such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate, which selectively bind to caffeine molecules. In simplified terms: • Beans are steamed to open their structure • A solvent extracts caffeine • Beans are rinsed and dried • Coffee is roasted as usual Regulations limit residual amounts allowed in finished coffee, and manufacturers maintain that products remain within approved safety limits. But discovering this process was the first time many of us realized: Food could be technically safe… yet still heavily processed. That realization changed how we began looking at everything we consumed. The Swiss Water Method: Coffee Without Chemical Solvents Then we discovered the Swiss Water Process, a decaffeination method developed in Switzerland and now refined here in Canada. Instead of solvents, this method uses: • water • temperature • time • carbon filtration The process works by gently dissolving caffeine into water and filtering it out while preserving flavour compounds. No chemical solvents are introduced. It felt understandable. Transparent. Almost traditional. And that mattered to us. The Beginning of Our “Crunchy” Era Looking back, decaf coffee was one of the first foods that made us pause and ask deeper questions. If caffeine could be removed this way… What about Teas? Skin care ingredients? Spice mixes? We started reading labels differently. Growing more ourselves. Learning how drying, extracting, and preserving plants actually worked. That curiosity eventually grew into fields of herbs, drying rooms, and products made as simply as possible. Modern food systems are complex, and many industrial processes exist for efficiency and consistency. The Starbucks lawsuit may or may not change anything legally. But conversations like this remind us that consumers increasingly want to understand how their food is made, not just what it contains. Sometimes One Question Changes Everything People often ask how we became so committed to growing and making things ourselves. The truth is unexpectedly simple. We asked one question about a morning cup of coffee. And once you start asking questions about what’s in your cup, you begin asking them about everything else... your food, your skin care, your home, and your health. Sometimes becoming “crunchy” isn’t a trend. It’s just curiosity… followed by learning. And occasionally, it starts with decaf. Recently, headlines began circulating about Starbucks facing a lawsuit alleging chemical residues in decaffeinated coffee.Whether the claims are ultimately proven in court or not, the conversation has reopened something many people don’t realize:
Decaf coffee has long been one of the most chemically processed everyday foods. And strangely enough… learning that years ago is what first sent us down the rabbit hole that eventually became our farm today. Before We Grew Herbs, We Drank Coffee Without Question There was a time when we didn’t think much about food processing. Coffee was coffee. Tea was tea. If it was sold in stores, surely someone had already checked everything. Then someone in our household needed to switch to decaffeinated coffee. We assumed it simply meant a naturally gentler bean. Instead, we discovered something surprising. Caffeine doesn’t just disappear from coffee, It has to be removed. And how that removal happens varies dramatically. Why Decaf Coffee Is Back in the News The recent lawsuit filed in the United States alleges that testing detected trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in certain decaffeinated Starbucks coffees. Starbucks has stated that its products meet safety standards, and the case has not been decided. But regardless of the legal outcome, the discussion has reminded many consumers of something largely forgotten: Some traditional decaffeination methods rely on chemical solvents. For us, learning this years ago was a turning point. Not because of panic. Because of curiosity. How Conventional Decaf Coffee Is Often Made Coffee beans naturally contain caffeine. To create decaf coffee, processors must remove it from green (unroasted) beans. One widely used method involves solvents such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate, which selectively bind to caffeine molecules. In simplified terms: • Beans are steamed to open their structure • A solvent extracts caffeine • Beans are rinsed and dried • Coffee is roasted as usual Regulations limit residual amounts allowed in finished coffee, and manufacturers maintain that products remain within approved safety limits. But discovering this process was the first time many of us realized: Food could be technically safe… yet still heavily processed. That realization changed how we began looking at everything we consumed. The Swiss Water Method: Coffee Without Chemical Solvents Then we discovered the Swiss Water Process, a decaffeination method developed in Switzerland and now refined here in Canada. Instead of solvents, this method uses: • water • temperature • time • carbon filtration The process works by gently dissolving caffeine into water and filtering it out while preserving flavour compounds. No chemical solvents are introduced. It felt understandable. Transparent. Almost traditional. And that mattered to us. The Beginning of Our “Crunchy” Era Looking back, decaf coffee was one of the first foods that made us pause and ask deeper questions. If caffeine could be removed this way; What about herbs? Oils? Teas? Skin care ingredients? We started reading labels differently. Growing more ourselves. Learning how drying, extracting, and preserving plants actually worked. That curiosity eventually grew into fields of herbs, drying rooms, and products made as simply as possible. Our farm philosophy didn’t begin with lavender or rosemary. It began with coffee. It’s about understanding modern food systems are complex, and many industrial processes exist for efficiency and consistency. The Starbucks lawsuit may or may not change anything legally. But conversations like this remind us that consumers increasingly want to understand how their food is made, not just what it contains. We asked one question about a morning cup of coffee. And once you start asking questions about what’s in your cup, you begin asking them about everything else. Sometimes becoming “crunchy” isn’t a trend. It’s just curiosity, followed by learning. And occasionally, it starts with decaf. Wild Roses, Scurvy Sailors, And How Their Legacy Lives On In Our Rosehip Oil And Rose Clay Mask12/9/2025 Across the prairies, forests and coastlines of North America, native wild roses grew long before European ships appeared on the horizon. These roses, such as Rosa carolina, Rosa virginiana, Rosa nutkana and Rosa woodsii, were not bred for beauty. They were shaped by wind, winter and time. Their true treasure was not the flower at all. It was the bright red rosehip left behind once the petals fell. Indigenous communities understood the importance of these fruits. Through long winters, rosehips were dried, brewed into teas, turned into syrups and added to food as a source of strength. Rosehips are naturally rich in vitamin C. They hold one of the highest concentrations found in any wild plant across the continent. For generations this small fruit supported wellness and resilience when fresh food was scarce. When sailors arrived during the age of exploration, they faced a deadly problem. Months at sea meant no fresh food, which led to scurvy. Indigenous knowledge offered a solution. Sailors learned to use dried rosehips from North American shores to create teas that supported their health during long voyages. Rosehips were light to carry and remained nutrient rich even after drying. As a result, they became a simple and reliable protection at sea. This quiet plant became part of maritime history and a bridge between cultures. The wisdom of how to use rosehips travelled across the Atlantic just as the ships did.  Roses at Mingle Hill Farm Today the same fruit continues to offer nourishment for the skin. At Mingle Hill we use organically grown and carefully processed rosehips to create our Rosehip Oil. It is packed with antioxidants and naturally occurring vitamin C that supports a healthy glow and helps the skin feel soothed and renewed. Our Rose Clay Mask is blended with rosehip powder to brighten, calm and refresh the complexion. These products honour the long history of this plant. They carry forward knowledge that has supported people for centuries.
A humble wild rose once protected sailors on an open sea. It still protects us today through gentle skincare that comes directly from the land.  Long before essential oils were bottled in tidy amber glass, Europe was wrapped in the shadow of the plague. Markets stood silent, church bells tolled endlessly, and the air itself was said to carry danger. People hung sprigs of rosemary in their windows, burned bundles of herbs at their doorways, and trusted the old wisdom that plants could guard the home when nothing else could. In the port cities of France, a curious rumour began to spread; one that sounded impossible enough to be true. A band of thieves, cloaked and nimble, were slipping into the homes of the sick… yet they stayed healthy. They moved through air that terrified even the bravest physicians, gathering valuables with no fear of the deadly mist that clung to every surface. When the thieves were finally caught, the authorities demanded their secret. Was it magic? A charm? A pact with something unholy? The truth, according to folklore, was much simpler, and far more interesting. These men had once been spice traders, long accustomed to handling pungent, powerful botanicals from distant lands. They carried cloves in their pockets, rubbed cinnamon on their boots, tucked sprigs of rosemary into their scarves, and steeped citrus peels with eucalyptus-like herbs in vinegar. Their clothing was so saturated with the aroma of warm spices and sharp greenery that they believed it built a protective wall between themselves and the sickness lingering in the air. Whether it was superstition, herbal intuition, or a blend of both, the story spread like wildfire. People whispered about the “Four Thieves” who defied the plague using nothing more than the ancient power of plants. Apothecaries began making their own versions, each claiming to have uncovered the true recipe. Housewives simmered cloves and rosemary on the hearth. Travellers dabbed their gloves with scented oils before entering crowded markets. Even physicians adopted fragrant satchels of herbs to hang around their necks. Centuries later, the exact truth of the story has blurred as all good folklore does. But the heart of the tale remains: At a time when the world felt heavy with fear, people reached for plants. They trusted what grew from the earth. And a simple blend of herbs became a symbol of protection, resilience, and hope. Today’s “Thieves Oil” is inspired by that legend; a warm, spicy, comforting echo of a story that has travelled through time. It reminds us that folklore endures because people needed it, believed in it, and passed it down like a treasured recipe.  Thieves Oil – Classic Recipe (Essential Oil Blend)
A traditional immune-supporting blend inspired by centuries-old herbal lore. Ingredients (Essential Oils)
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AUTHORMeet Emily Rozema: The Heart Behind Mingle Hill Farm CATEGORIES
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