I'm a....

FARMER!

Technically, an herb farmer... and these are the fruits of my labor!

And when I say labor, I mean the effort put forth to go to Lowe's pick out some mint plants and shove them in some Miracle Grow potting soil, and occasionally give them some water.

Ok I just lied. I don't even water them...generally the sprinklers get them or my husband has mercy on their little plant souls and gives them a drink.

BUT, I did harvest the mint... so maybe I'm a HARVESTER!.

Cutting off bunches, tying them together with string and hanging them to dry on a pushpin stuck in the wall of my bedroom closet until they are crispy.

Pulling off the leaves and storing in a container....

until I got the urge to make some tea. I pulled out the tea maker thingy that I bought when visiting the Asian food store the other day....

...put the leaves in the center and fill with hot water and let steep.

Voila!

Yummy mint tea!

I'm a TEA BARISTA!

(is that even the right terminology? who knows?)

I had my doubts since it was my first day on the job as a tea barista with no formal training, and using tea pot that had directions written in Korean or some other Asian lettering, 

but it was yummy!

 My agricultural talents don't end with mint. I also have culantro(a prickly form of cilantro), grape tomatoes, chives and fresh basil. I love to use fresh herbs in salsa, quiche and other recipes like caprese salad.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/caprese-salad-recipe/index.html

Or as a acne treatment.:)

Basil has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial properties that work to calm redness and swelling of blemishes. Maybe it's weird, but it works!  And growing things just makes you feel good. There is something about watching a plant grow and being able to then take it and create food, or tea, or acne treatment! It feels so colonial. Like I might try to quilt, or blacksmith horseshoes next!

So take it from this gardening newbie that has a light brown thumb instead of green, start with herbs. They are easy and forgiving and you can be a farmer, too!

Or a...

BASIL-HEAD!