Nature.is

The Countryside - Cultivation

There are about 10,000 types of grasses worldwide. Among them are the types of graine.g., oats, barley, wheat, rice and corn. Around 10,000 years ago as the value of seed was discovered, mankind started using those plants as food. From then on they have been the mainstay of the human diet. Since the settlement of Iceland, dry hay has been used as winter feed for sheep and cattle. The grasses in the summer and the hay in the winter are converted into meat and milk that has been so important for keeping us alive.

Gardening does not have a long history in Iceland. It was only late in the 18th century that experiments were made in growing potatoes and other vegetables in this country. However in England, in the old days, farmers wouldn‘t dream of buying any vegetables, or eggs or ham for that matter farmers did gardening for themselves, also raising poultry and pigs.

The mechanization of agriculture has, however, changed the way it is carried out since it has became, by enlarge, an industry.

For a period private gardening was not “in fashion”. It was done mostly out of sight, but now gardening, even in the private household garden or on the farm, is becoming very popular again, so popular that people are even competing for feasible plots where they can grow vegetables for the household.

In Iceland, greenhouses are used for growing tasty tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables. Icelandic vegetables are usually especially tasty because of the purity of our Icelandic spring water which is amongst the best water in the world.

Information about how to plan and cultivate the kitchen garden can be found here in the section about The Kitchen Garden. Furthermore, how to use the various herbs and vegetables can be learned from Nature´s Nature-Nanny feature.

Einkunn

Sweet grass and holy grass

He who finds holy grass growing (often in big clusters) can be considered lucky. In spite of its name sweet grass is not as fragrant as holy grass. Once you have found it mark the spot and either take pictures or draw it in your notebook. After that you can visit there year after year, gather it into a bundle, dry it and place it in your favorite drawer. Thus, by doing just as your foremothers did, your clothes will be fragrant and fine smelling throughout the winter.

Einkunn

Camping

Few things are more fun than camping and enjoying nature in the company of friends. In Iceland, it is allowed to camp along main roads and on uncultivated land overnight. On private property and cultivated land, permission from the landowner/cultivator is required. If there are more than 3 tents, permission is always needed, and also if the stay exceeds 3 nights. It is usually allowed to camp along roads outside the main road system. Remember not to leave garbage, waste or traces of your stay on the camping site.

Einkunn

Angelica cough drops

Among the powers of angelica is the easing of bronchitis and other respiratory problems. It is fun and easy to make one’s own cough drops from the herb. First take the stem and cut it lengthwise, put the pieces into a glass jar and pour in as much powdered sugar as possible. Next let it sit for 2-14 days and shake once in awhile. Then remove the stems and thicken the remaining liquid with more powdered sugar. Finally you can just let it drip out or use a large syringe to squeeze the drops onto baking paper to dry.

Einkunn

A trip to the beach

The beach can be a wonderful place to spend time with your family. One thing you can do there is to search the beach, with a bucket in hand, collecting seashells, seaweed, driftwood and beautiful stones. One may also bring books about the beach along to look up the names of the things in the bucket. You may even find something you can use to create a piece of art. When the sun shines and the water is calm, you can twiddle your toes into the cool sea. Just remember to leave the beach as clean as you found it.

Einkunn