Hollyhock Homestead

09/28/2026

My passions seem to be seasonal. The summer garden is winding down. The fall garden is much slower paced and hectic. Thankfully. I’ve got a cousin getting married this weekend and I’m a last minute planner who works best under pressure. I grabbed some crochet thread and the smallest hook I owned to try my hand at making a filet crochet wall hanging. Once I finish the words I’ll add a border, and then block and starch the final work before putting it in a frame. Let’s hope I can get the stitching done in the next day or so. Fingers crossed!

09/14/2026

Goldenrod is blooming right now! What a great season support friend 🫶🏻

🌼 Goldenrod (Solidago) — Don't Blame the Wrong Plant! 🌼

Every autumn, goldenrod gets blamed for seasonal allergies, but the real culprit is usually inconspicuous ragweed! Goldenrod pollen is heavy and sticky (designed for bees, not the wind), making it a wonderful traditional herb to know.

Historically, goldenrod has been valued for:

✨ Urinary tract comfort & fluid balance
✨ Soothing upper respiratory tissues during seasonal shifts
✨ Aromatic teas rich in flavonoids like quercetin
✨ Topical poultices for minor skin irritations

🍵 Traditional Tea Preparation: Steep 1–2 teaspoons of dried flowering tops in hot water for 10–15 minutes. Cover while steeping to keep those beneficial essential oils in your cup!

⚠️ As with any plant in the Asteraceae family, use caution if you have known plant allergies.

👉 Have you ever harvested goldenrod or brewed it into a tea?

🌿 Follow Tinctures,oils, salves and herbs for more traditional skills and botanical deep-dives.

07/31/2026

An in person event?!? Say less!

We’ll have herbal salves, homemade jams and jellies, fresh baked bread, hand rolled beeswax candles, dried herbs and more! Can’t wait to see you in Clarksdale!

07/21/2026

Check out our friend who makes the best soap!

Hello all, Edilia here I'm gonna be helping mom with some of the posting. we are sorry we have been out here livin life.... AKA... trying to survive.. how are you guys doing lol?

My mom and I have been going through some big life changes, and the one thing that has always been there has been, you guys and the soap. We have been making you wait too long. Again, we are sorry for that. Here is the updated soap list.

We know its slim pickens.... but guess what?! Mom ordered Hippies Dream guys!;)

All of these bars are gonna be $5 or less some as little as $3.
Please get ahold of this page or Duffy Jo Read through FB to place an order. She is also making more soap as I'm making this post so there are new flavors coming soon. Thanks so much everyone! we look forward to hearing from you. Always have a bubbly day!! 💚Edilia Read

07/11/2026

Happy Friday! Did you know that Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) is one of the top pollinator-friendly native plants in North America and known for attracting blue-winged wasps that prey on Japanese beetle grubs? The female wasps hunt for grubs in the soil to sting and paralyze them before laying eggs. As the eggs hatch, they eat the grubs, which helps to reduce their numbers naturally. I refer to Mountain Mint as the well-behaved mint since it doesn’t spread aggressively like true mint (but yes, it will spread over time so keep that in mind when choosing a spot to plant). These perennials have beautiful tubular flowers with silvery bracts that are gorgeous when growing in masses together and are always covered in pollinators. Wishing everyone many blessings and happy gardening today.💙Dickie Chick Gardening

01/22/2026

Have you decided which perennials to winter sow yet?

Winter sowing is a simple way to start native perennials outdoors and let nature handle the timing. These plants benefit from cold stratification and grow into strong, resilient seedlings come spring.

Save this list and try winter sowing with pollinator-friendly favorites like coneflower, milkweed, blazing star, goldenrod, and more—perfect for supporting bees, butterflies, and birds.