April 10, 2025 • 16 mins
Maria chats with herb farmer, author and gardening expert Bevin Cohen about his latest book
Herbs In Every Season: 48 Edible and Medicinal Herbs for the Kitchen, Garden, and Apothecary, which just came out! Learn about herbs you eat daily or even ones that you never tried before with recipes, plus info about their medicinal qualities!
Learn more at smallhousefarm.com.
Herbs In Every Season: 48 Edible and Medicinal Herbs for the Kitchen, Garden, and Apothecary, which just came out! Learn about herbs you eat daily or even ones that you never tried before with recipes, plus info about their medicinal qualities!
Learn more at smallhousefarm.com.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Maria's MutS and Stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
What a great idea.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
On iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to Maria's Mutts and Stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
And with me today is herb farmer and author and
gardening expert Bevin Cohen, and we're going to talk about
his I love this book, Herbs in Every Season, So Bevin,
thank you for taking the time out to talk about
your book.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
It just came out recently, correct it did.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Maria, thank you so much for having me on the show.
It did. The book came out March twenty five, so
it's very brand new.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's very brand new. Well, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I you know, I live in an apartment, but I
love to garden on my terrace in my you know,
in flower pots, and I do like to grow herbs
here and there.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
But I just found it very educational.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
I love that you have it in four parts according
to the seasons. So what made you just like what
made you decide to write the book?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Well, you know, I've written a number of books out
plants over the years, some herbs specifics, some fruits and vegetables,
all sorts of different variations of topics of plants. And
you know, I was working with Timber Pressors, my publisher,
on this book, and we were kind of just knocking
some ideas around and I thought, you know, back in
twenty twenty one, I had written a book called The
(01:17):
Artists and Herbalists, and we'd explored thirty eight different herbs
throughout the book, and I thought, Man, I would really
love to kind of revisit that and dig a little
bit deeper into the concepts that we explored in that book.
But I'd really like to do it from this seasonal lens.
You know, that's the way that you know nature on
folds is through through these seasons and these cycles. And
(01:39):
I thought, to help people understand plants and the way
that we interact with them, we need to really approach
it through these natural cycles. Actually, you know, they were
on board with the concept, and you know, we're kind
of unfolded. It's those books, but many years in the making,
most certainly, and I'm just so excited to get it
out there and to share it with folks and to
help people learn to observe these seasonal cycles of nature,
(02:03):
whether they be the seasons for the plants or the
seasons that we experience ourselves. You know, the seasons of
our lives.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
These sure, you.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Know, the as we change the plants that we need
changes as well. So we really had this opportunity to
explore that, and it was just it was such a
fun process, I'm sure, I mean.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And that's also a very unique way to do it,
because I mean we always talk about seasons of life, like, oh, well,
that person's in the fall of his life, you know,
So it just it makes sense to have a book
about herbs in the same way, because you're right, we
all live through seasons, whether it's through gardening or just
through our lives.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Do you have a favorite season?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Well, whatever season I'm in the middle of, I know
it would be hard to pick a favorite. I think
that I really enjoyed the energy of spring. Spring is
a really special time, you know, everything's kind of coming
back to life. That's very exciting as you can feel
the energy in the air. But on the same side
of that, I really appreciate the winter season, you know.
(03:01):
I love the rast and reflection. You know, all of
those seasons I think are special because of the other
seasons around them. Right. We appreciate spring because of winter, sure,
and we appreciate fall because of summer, and so I
think that that relationship between the seasons is important too.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
I think so.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
And I just I like the way you like you
said you made notes about what happens in the season,
like when the winter comes and things die, and it's
also a RESTful time.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
But I feel like it's the same for humans as
it is for gardening. Does that make sense?
Speaker 1 (03:37):
It is? Yeah, Oh absolutely, there's so many parallels. You know,
we tend to think of ourselves as like separate from
the natural worlds for some reasons, right, or that's obviously
not the case, right, Yeah, not at all. This is
just kind of a fun way to explore that. When
I teach people about plants, you know, I've been I've
been teaching people about gardening and growing and working with
plants for many years now, and at the heart of
(03:59):
the teacher is really this concept of relationships, you know,
the relationships that we have with plants, the relationships that
plants have with each other, whatever it might be. And
I think that by slowing down our busy lives to
find the time to make these observations as really integral
part of developing these relationships, and it helps us to
(04:21):
see the world around us and at the same time
ourselves in a whole new way.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
No, absolutely absolutely, And you know what I really enjoyed
about it too, is I for many, many, many years,
as I'm sure at you as well, I would prefer
to use homeopathic cures for rather than take medicine when
it comes to say, an injury, Like I learned about
arnica a million years ago from a friend of mine
(04:47):
in like a boot camp gym, you know, And I
had an injury and my friend was like, oh, go
get Arnica, which and this is years ago, which of
course I had never heard of it. And I went
to the health food store and found it, and it's
like a miracle drug, but it's not a drug. So
it's it's I love the fact that you explored and
(05:09):
let people know about all these different and all these
different remedies for things that probably like our great grandparents
did as well.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Oh absolutely. But even if we want to think about
modern medicine, many of our modern medicines originally were derived
from plants.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Sure, yeah, some of.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Them still are, and now there's maybe are like synthetically
creative now or whatever it might be. But originally all
medicine came from plants. So yeah, you're right, we did
want to explore that in the book as well. We
wanted people to see that nature and in this case,
in this book, herbs specifically can provide us for almost
all of our needs, whether it be for our health
or for our beauty. But also we explore the uses
(05:49):
of the herbs in the kitchen as well. Yes, you know, so,
it's really it's it's a lifestyle, is what. We're exploring,
a lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
With herbs, right, And as you said, it's a love
letter to Mother Nature. As you said, you.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
It's sure, sure, you know. I mean, if it wasn't
for her, we wouldn't have much would.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
No, we would not, We would not.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
So when you were I mean, and of course it's
hard to ask you this only because you're an I
feel like you are I feel like but you are
an expert when it comes to herbs and all that
they do. Was there anything as you were preparing the book,
And the answer is probably going to be no, that
you you learned that you didn't you never realized.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Oh, actually so much, okay, I learned so much working
on the book. You know, there's a lifetime of learning
to be had, and I've been working with plants for
so long now that folks do refer to me as
an expert. But oh no, there's always so much more
to learn. There are so many things to learn about plants.
So for me to write this book through this lens
of the season, I had to do exactly what I
(06:49):
was preaching Murray. I had to slow myself down and
observe not only the things around me, but observe the
way that I observed the things around me so I
could properly write about them. And it was just it
was such an eye opening experience for me to really
take the time to say, practice what I preach, right.
But I learned a lot of stuff about plants.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
You know.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Through the book, there's so many different recipes for all
of the aspects, the medicinal and the beauty in the culinary,
And it was the culinary recipes that really pushed me
outside of my comfort zone. Wow, all of these new
different foods. I wanted to do recipes that were familiar
to folks, things that they you know, they would know
techniques that they might use. But then I thought, well,
(07:30):
let's kind of really push the envelope here. Let's try
some really outside ideas, let's really explore what these plants
can do for us. So I was learning many new
things in the kitchen to working as we developed these recipes,
and it was so much fun to take a lifetime
of experience and really challenge it and say, well, you
know this much stuff, what can you do with it?
(07:52):
And really make myself try something new, which is really
another message at the heart of the book, right is
to be to be confident and brave enough to try
new things.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
So now when you tried these new recipes, uh, was
it just you tasting them? Or did you put it
out to your family too? And they had to experience
it as well?
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Everybody?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
That's funny.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
I yeah, well, you know, I get in my own
little bubble and you know, I might think something is great,
but that only goes so far. I needed to see
what other people thought about the recipes as well, you know,
So not only tasting the recipes, but then take this
recipe home and you try to make it, and the
can you follow this recipe all the way through? Is
it going to function for you? Is it easy enough
(08:35):
to follow? Did the results work out for you? You know?
So we could really test these recipes, sure on all levels.
Sure that was a really important part of it.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Of course, of course, And so I would assume that
for all the recipes that are in the book, all
of you are on the same page with say the
simplicity of it, or it worked success.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
To make it into the book, right, you're on the
same page.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
You got it? Yeah, absolutely, the recipes that I didn't.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Make the cut, you know, oh really could you?
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Is there anything that you off the top of your
head that didn't make the cut?
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Not off the top of my head. But you know,
some of the recipes as you work through them, you know,
they kind of have to maybe get tweaked to people's taste, sure, right,
like I might be a little heavy on the spice
or a little little light on the salt or whatever.
It might be, right right, And we had to find
a place where it was it was a recipe that
could be agreeable for most palettes. That's very now. We
(09:27):
can't please everybody all the time, but we wanted to
make it as universal as possible. But again with that
caveat that make this recipe, see how you feel about it,
and then feel free to change it, make it your
own experience. New things and just use this as sort
of your starting point to a whole world of adventure
that hopefully this book can unlock for you.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Yeah yeah, I mean honestly, Like, for example, my grandmother
used to make dandelions all the time when I was
a kid, and you know, growing up, dandelions were weeds.
You know, people are always so those are weeds on
your lawn. But meantime, my grandmother from Italy used to
make them and eat them all the time. And then
there they were dandelions in the spring part of your book,
(10:08):
and I was like, yay, you can eat dandelions. So
your book has actually given me the confidence. Now I'm
going to make dandelions like my grandmother used to do.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Oh my gosh, that's awesome. That's so cool, you know.
And we did want to try to talk about some
of those wild plants as well, because even like you mentioned,
you know, you have a very small space for growing.
You've got to grow things and containers or whatever. So
of course we talk about cultivated herbs and many of
which could grow a containers, but I also wanted to
talk about wild plants. So you don't have to be
a gardener, you don't have to have a space for
(10:39):
a garden, and you can still have this opportunity to
explore all of the wonders of the wild world.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Sure exactly.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
And also for along that same line, for someone who
doesn't have any of a green thumb at all, but
they go to the supermarket all the time and they're
in the area with all the spices, I think your
book might give people the courage to go outside of
their comfort zone, trying out spices that they maybe they
(11:08):
might have seen or heard about but they never really
used it. For example, Like, for example, I saw and
I use coriander a lot, and I didn't realize it's
good for bloating and gas because you had that in
your book. So for the person right right, So for
someone who is like, oh, I don't know, I never
used that before, but your book kind of gives them
the courage to, well, try something new. You might actually
(11:30):
really like it and it's going to be good for
you health reason as well. Well.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
I really hope that it does that, because that was
ultimately what I wanted, was to give people the courage
to try new things. We do talk about a lot
of different spices and foods. The folks may already even
have in the home, things like coriander, federal cinnamon green tea.
These are things that like you might likely already have
in your cupboard at home, and you don't even realize
all the potential that this plant has for you. And
(11:55):
you can get it out and you'll see it from
a whole new perspective. That's it, right, a whole new
recipe it. You know, it could be really eye opening
and you know fun. Ultimately, that's what we want to
do is have a good time. Absolutely, we want to
be healthy, we want to experience the natural world, but
we want to enjoy it and have a good time.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
No, for sure, that's exactly how I felt, because I would,
like I said, with the dandelions, and there were other
parts too that I.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Was like, oh, I'm going to make tea with that.
I never thought of that. Thanks Bevin.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
So you know, it's like it just it was very
informative but also eye opening.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
So I think that's it's a good thing.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
And even for someone say who has no interest in
gardening or doesn't have the space to do that, I
think your book in so many ways is educational for people.
So thanks for writing it.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Appreciate that well, thank you and thank you to many folks.
If we're going to say thanks, i'd like to say
thank you Timber Press of course for allowing me to
write it. And also we have to give a shout
out to our photographer, Miriam Don't. Yes, yes, she came
all the way to Michigan from Chicago, and I mean
she did such an amazing job just to capture the
(13:03):
magic and mystery of these plants in such a unique way. Yes,
I think the visually what she was able to accomplish
is a very big part of the final product, for sure.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Absolutely, No, absolutely, the photos are just they're stunning actually,
to go along with your descriptions and everything, it's just
it's perfect. It's win win between the two of you.
So I think you did an excellent job. So tell me, Bevin,
what's next for you? I mean, I know your book
just came out, but I have to ask you. I'm sure,
because I don't think you sit still. So what is
(13:34):
next on your agenda?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
You got that right. We don't have a lot of time.
Its isstill around here. We're very busy. Well, so the
book just came out, so I am actively on the
road talking about the book, doing presentations. You know, we
have a lot of educational programming that takes place in
the spring, so I'm doing a lot of traveling right
now to different places to talk about plans and then
talk about the book and that sort of thing. It's
(13:56):
also spring, so our homestead chores are just kicking off
as well, So we're getting seed started, we're getting planting.
There's so much happening right now in the moment that
it's almost difficult to look ahead right to what is
going to be happening right but we are working already
on another book project that is more seed specific, a
(14:18):
seed saving guide, So we're actually it's a very interesting
predicament that we're finding ourselves in because we have to
take photos of all of these different seeds, and what
we're trying to capture is different flower structures, different different species,
seed formations, and that sort of thing. So we're plotting, planting, designing,
and planting a garden specifically to showcase as many different
(14:42):
species of seed production as we possibly can for our
photographer that's coming for the book. Yeah, so it has
been quite an endeavor, I'm sure, but again, it's so much.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Fun, you know, exactly we've been.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Gardening here at Small House Farm. We're going on, Oh
my gosh, this may be a twelfth or thirteenth season. Wow,
nice and yeah, had to be doing something completely different
in the garden this year. It's it's invigorating, it's exciting.
Of course, it's looks like a new season of our
life exactly.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
And also it's because you love it. So it's not
like it's work for you because you love doing it.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Well, that's not bad, right.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
No, it's not. What's that old saying?
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I always tell people love what you do and do
what you love, and you're a prime example, so more
power to you.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
I think it's awesome. No, but it's true. And you
can feel that in your book.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
You know, like the way you describe things, and you're like, oh,
he just loves what he's saying. Right here, I can
tell so I love this book, So Bevin, Where can
my listeners get the book?
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Bookstores? Online? What's the best place for them? Oh?
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Most certainly. The book Herbs and Every Season is available
absolutely anywhere the books are sold. So you can get
it through bookshop, you can get in other online places.
You can get it through your bookstores. Go to your
local bookstore, ask them to bring it in if they
don't have it, and they certainly will for you, and
then if they wanted to connect with us, we have
copies of the book that we offer to our website,
which is just simply Smallhousefarm dot com.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Perfect Well, Bevin Cohen, all the best to you.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Thank you for chatting with me, good luck promoting the book,
and I think we'll talk again with your seeds project next,
So thank you.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
This sounds great, Maria, Thank you so much
It's Maria's MutS and Stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
What a great idea.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
On iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to Maria's Mutts and Stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
And with me today is herb farmer and author and
gardening expert Bevin Cohen, and we're going to talk about
his I love this book, Herbs in Every Season, So Bevin,
thank you for taking the time out to talk about
your book.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
It just came out recently, correct it did.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Maria, thank you so much for having me on the show.
It did. The book came out March twenty five, so
it's very brand new.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's very brand new. Well, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I you know, I live in an apartment, but I
love to garden on my terrace in my you know,
in flower pots, and I do like to grow herbs
here and there.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
But I just found it very educational.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
I love that you have it in four parts according
to the seasons. So what made you just like what
made you decide to write the book?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Well, you know, I've written a number of books out
plants over the years, some herbs specifics, some fruits and vegetables,
all sorts of different variations of topics of plants. And
you know, I was working with Timber Pressors, my publisher,
on this book, and we were kind of just knocking
some ideas around and I thought, you know, back in
twenty twenty one, I had written a book called The
(01:17):
Artists and Herbalists, and we'd explored thirty eight different herbs
throughout the book, and I thought, Man, I would really
love to kind of revisit that and dig a little
bit deeper into the concepts that we explored in that book.
But I'd really like to do it from this seasonal lens.
You know, that's the way that you know nature on
folds is through through these seasons and these cycles. And
(01:39):
I thought, to help people understand plants and the way
that we interact with them, we need to really approach
it through these natural cycles. Actually, you know, they were
on board with the concept, and you know, we're kind
of unfolded. It's those books, but many years in the making,
most certainly, and I'm just so excited to get it
out there and to share it with folks and to
help people learn to observe these seasonal cycles of nature,
(02:03):
whether they be the seasons for the plants or the
seasons that we experience ourselves. You know, the seasons of
our lives.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
These sure, you.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Know, the as we change the plants that we need
changes as well. So we really had this opportunity to
explore that, and it was just it was such a
fun process, I'm sure, I mean.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And that's also a very unique way to do it,
because I mean we always talk about seasons of life, like, oh, well,
that person's in the fall of his life, you know,
So it just it makes sense to have a book
about herbs in the same way, because you're right, we
all live through seasons, whether it's through gardening or just
through our lives.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Do you have a favorite season?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Well, whatever season I'm in the middle of, I know
it would be hard to pick a favorite. I think
that I really enjoyed the energy of spring. Spring is
a really special time, you know, everything's kind of coming
back to life. That's very exciting as you can feel
the energy in the air. But on the same side
of that, I really appreciate the winter season, you know.
(03:01):
I love the rast and reflection. You know, all of
those seasons I think are special because of the other
seasons around them. Right. We appreciate spring because of winter, sure,
and we appreciate fall because of summer, and so I
think that that relationship between the seasons is important too.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
I think so.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
And I just I like the way you like you
said you made notes about what happens in the season,
like when the winter comes and things die, and it's
also a RESTful time.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
But I feel like it's the same for humans as
it is for gardening. Does that make sense?
Speaker 1 (03:37):
It is? Yeah, Oh absolutely, there's so many parallels. You know,
we tend to think of ourselves as like separate from
the natural worlds for some reasons, right, or that's obviously
not the case, right, Yeah, not at all. This is
just kind of a fun way to explore that. When
I teach people about plants, you know, I've been I've
been teaching people about gardening and growing and working with
plants for many years now, and at the heart of
(03:59):
the teacher is really this concept of relationships, you know,
the relationships that we have with plants, the relationships that
plants have with each other, whatever it might be. And
I think that by slowing down our busy lives to
find the time to make these observations as really integral
part of developing these relationships, and it helps us to
(04:21):
see the world around us and at the same time
ourselves in a whole new way.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
No, absolutely absolutely, And you know what I really enjoyed
about it too, is I for many, many, many years,
as I'm sure at you as well, I would prefer
to use homeopathic cures for rather than take medicine when
it comes to say, an injury, Like I learned about
arnica a million years ago from a friend of mine
(04:47):
in like a boot camp gym, you know, And I
had an injury and my friend was like, oh, go
get Arnica, which and this is years ago, which of
course I had never heard of it. And I went
to the health food store and found it, and it's
like a miracle drug, but it's not a drug. So
it's it's I love the fact that you explored and
(05:09):
let people know about all these different and all these
different remedies for things that probably like our great grandparents
did as well.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Oh absolutely. But even if we want to think about
modern medicine, many of our modern medicines originally were derived
from plants.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Sure, yeah, some of.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Them still are, and now there's maybe are like synthetically
creative now or whatever it might be. But originally all
medicine came from plants. So yeah, you're right, we did
want to explore that in the book as well. We
wanted people to see that nature and in this case,
in this book, herbs specifically can provide us for almost
all of our needs, whether it be for our health
or for our beauty. But also we explore the uses
(05:49):
of the herbs in the kitchen as well. Yes, you know, so,
it's really it's it's a lifestyle, is what. We're exploring,
a lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
With herbs, right, And as you said, it's a love
letter to Mother Nature. As you said, you.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
It's sure, sure, you know. I mean, if it wasn't
for her, we wouldn't have much would.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
No, we would not, We would not.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
So when you were I mean, and of course it's
hard to ask you this only because you're an I
feel like you are I feel like but you are
an expert when it comes to herbs and all that
they do. Was there anything as you were preparing the book,
And the answer is probably going to be no, that
you you learned that you didn't you never realized.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Oh, actually so much, okay, I learned so much working
on the book. You know, there's a lifetime of learning
to be had, and I've been working with plants for
so long now that folks do refer to me as
an expert. But oh no, there's always so much more
to learn. There are so many things to learn about plants.
So for me to write this book through this lens
of the season, I had to do exactly what I
(06:49):
was preaching Murray. I had to slow myself down and
observe not only the things around me, but observe the
way that I observed the things around me so I
could properly write about them. And it was just it
was such an eye opening experience for me to really
take the time to say, practice what I preach, right.
But I learned a lot of stuff about plants.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
You know.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Through the book, there's so many different recipes for all
of the aspects, the medicinal and the beauty in the culinary,
And it was the culinary recipes that really pushed me
outside of my comfort zone. Wow, all of these new
different foods. I wanted to do recipes that were familiar
to folks, things that they you know, they would know
techniques that they might use. But then I thought, well,
(07:30):
let's kind of really push the envelope here. Let's try
some really outside ideas, let's really explore what these plants
can do for us. So I was learning many new
things in the kitchen to working as we developed these recipes,
and it was so much fun to take a lifetime
of experience and really challenge it and say, well, you
know this much stuff, what can you do with it?
(07:52):
And really make myself try something new, which is really
another message at the heart of the book, right is
to be to be confident and brave enough to try
new things.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
That's true.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
So now when you tried these new recipes, uh, was
it just you tasting them? Or did you put it
out to your family too? And they had to experience
it as well?
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Everybody?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
That's funny.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
I yeah, well, you know, I get in my own
little bubble and you know, I might think something is great,
but that only goes so far. I needed to see
what other people thought about the recipes as well, you know,
So not only tasting the recipes, but then take this
recipe home and you try to make it, and the
can you follow this recipe all the way through? Is
it going to function for you? Is it easy enough
(08:35):
to follow? Did the results work out for you? You know?
So we could really test these recipes, sure on all levels.
Sure that was a really important part of it.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Of course, of course, And so I would assume that
for all the recipes that are in the book, all
of you are on the same page with say the
simplicity of it, or it worked success.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
To make it into the book, right, you're on the
same page.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
You got it? Yeah, absolutely, the recipes that I didn't.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Make the cut, you know, oh really could you?
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Is there anything that you off the top of your
head that didn't make the cut?
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Not off the top of my head. But you know,
some of the recipes as you work through them, you know,
they kind of have to maybe get tweaked to people's taste, sure, right,
like I might be a little heavy on the spice
or a little little light on the salt or whatever.
It might be, right right, And we had to find
a place where it was it was a recipe that
could be agreeable for most palettes. That's very now. We
(09:27):
can't please everybody all the time, but we wanted to
make it as universal as possible. But again with that
caveat that make this recipe, see how you feel about it,
and then feel free to change it, make it your
own experience. New things and just use this as sort
of your starting point to a whole world of adventure
that hopefully this book can unlock for you.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Yeah yeah, I mean honestly, Like, for example, my grandmother
used to make dandelions all the time when I was
a kid, and you know, growing up, dandelions were weeds.
You know, people are always so those are weeds on
your lawn. But meantime, my grandmother from Italy used to
make them and eat them all the time. And then
there they were dandelions in the spring part of your book,
(10:08):
and I was like, yay, you can eat dandelions. So
your book has actually given me the confidence. Now I'm
going to make dandelions like my grandmother used to do.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Oh my gosh, that's awesome. That's so cool, you know.
And we did want to try to talk about some
of those wild plants as well, because even like you mentioned,
you know, you have a very small space for growing.
You've got to grow things and containers or whatever. So
of course we talk about cultivated herbs and many of
which could grow a containers, but I also wanted to
talk about wild plants. So you don't have to be
a gardener, you don't have to have a space for
(10:39):
a garden, and you can still have this opportunity to
explore all of the wonders of the wild world.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Sure exactly.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
And also for along that same line, for someone who
doesn't have any of a green thumb at all, but
they go to the supermarket all the time and they're
in the area with all the spices, I think your
book might give people the courage to go outside of
their comfort zone, trying out spices that they maybe they
(11:08):
might have seen or heard about but they never really
used it. For example, Like, for example, I saw and
I use coriander a lot, and I didn't realize it's
good for bloating and gas because you had that in
your book. So for the person right right, So for
someone who is like, oh, I don't know, I never
used that before, but your book kind of gives them
the courage to, well, try something new. You might actually
(11:30):
really like it and it's going to be good for
you health reason as well. Well.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
I really hope that it does that, because that was
ultimately what I wanted, was to give people the courage
to try new things. We do talk about a lot
of different spices and foods. The folks may already even
have in the home, things like coriander, federal cinnamon green tea.
These are things that like you might likely already have
in your cupboard at home, and you don't even realize
all the potential that this plant has for you. And
(11:55):
you can get it out and you'll see it from
a whole new perspective. That's it, right, a whole new
recipe it. You know, it could be really eye opening
and you know fun. Ultimately, that's what we want to
do is have a good time. Absolutely, we want to
be healthy, we want to experience the natural world, but
we want to enjoy it and have a good time.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
No, for sure, that's exactly how I felt, because I would,
like I said, with the dandelions, and there were other
parts too that I.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Was like, oh, I'm going to make tea with that.
I never thought of that. Thanks Bevin.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
So you know, it's like it just it was very
informative but also eye opening.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
So I think that's it's a good thing.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
And even for someone say who has no interest in
gardening or doesn't have the space to do that, I
think your book in so many ways is educational for people.
So thanks for writing it.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Appreciate that well, thank you and thank you to many folks.
If we're going to say thanks, i'd like to say
thank you Timber Press of course for allowing me to
write it. And also we have to give a shout
out to our photographer, Miriam Don't. Yes, yes, she came
all the way to Michigan from Chicago, and I mean
she did such an amazing job just to capture the
(13:03):
magic and mystery of these plants in such a unique way. Yes,
I think the visually what she was able to accomplish
is a very big part of the final product, for sure.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Absolutely, No, absolutely, the photos are just they're stunning actually,
to go along with your descriptions and everything, it's just
it's perfect. It's win win between the two of you.
So I think you did an excellent job. So tell me, Bevin,
what's next for you? I mean, I know your book
just came out, but I have to ask you. I'm sure,
because I don't think you sit still. So what is
(13:34):
next on your agenda?
Speaker 1 (13:35):
You got that right. We don't have a lot of time.
Its isstill around here. We're very busy. Well, so the
book just came out, so I am actively on the
road talking about the book, doing presentations. You know, we
have a lot of educational programming that takes place in
the spring, so I'm doing a lot of traveling right
now to different places to talk about plans and then
talk about the book and that sort of thing. It's
(13:56):
also spring, so our homestead chores are just kicking off
as well, So we're getting seed started, we're getting planting.
There's so much happening right now in the moment that
it's almost difficult to look ahead right to what is
going to be happening right but we are working already
on another book project that is more seed specific, a
(14:18):
seed saving guide, So we're actually it's a very interesting
predicament that we're finding ourselves in because we have to
take photos of all of these different seeds, and what
we're trying to capture is different flower structures, different different species,
seed formations, and that sort of thing. So we're plotting, planting, designing,
and planting a garden specifically to showcase as many different
(14:42):
species of seed production as we possibly can for our
photographer that's coming for the book. Yeah, so it has
been quite an endeavor, I'm sure, but again, it's so much.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Fun, you know, exactly we've been.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Gardening here at Small House Farm. We're going on, Oh
my gosh, this may be a twelfth or thirteenth season. Wow,
nice and yeah, had to be doing something completely different
in the garden this year. It's it's invigorating, it's exciting.
Of course, it's looks like a new season of our
life exactly.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
And also it's because you love it. So it's not
like it's work for you because you love doing it.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Well, that's not bad, right.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
No, it's not. What's that old saying?
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I always tell people love what you do and do
what you love, and you're a prime example, so more
power to you.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
I think it's awesome. No, but it's true. And you
can feel that in your book.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
You know, like the way you describe things, and you're like, oh,
he just loves what he's saying. Right here, I can
tell so I love this book, So Bevin, Where can
my listeners get the book?
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Bookstores? Online? What's the best place for them? Oh?
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Most certainly. The book Herbs and Every Season is available
absolutely anywhere the books are sold. So you can get
it through bookshop, you can get in other online places.
You can get it through your bookstores. Go to your
local bookstore, ask them to bring it in if they
don't have it, and they certainly will for you, and
then if they wanted to connect with us, we have
copies of the book that we offer to our website,
which is just simply Smallhousefarm dot com.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Perfect Well, Bevin Cohen, all the best to you.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Thank you for chatting with me, good luck promoting the book,
and I think we'll talk again with your seeds project next,
So thank you.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
This sounds great, Maria, Thank you so much
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