The neem leaves are dried in the shade and then infused in coconut oil which is used in the making of the soap.
Neem is known for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-helminthic and anti-viral properties. In Aryuvedic medicine, neem has been used to treat skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis.
Neem Tree.
The jackass bitters plant is a well-known herb of Belize which is used in treating ulcers and cold-sores.
Jackass Bitters Leaves.
A perfect combination for a gentle soap with soothing properties for problem skin. It is also a wonderful “everyday” anti-bacterial coconut oil soap.
If you live in Punta Gorda or in the Toledo region of Belize, you can buy this soap at Vance Vernon Pharmacy on Front Street.
This is what the packaged soap looks like:
Neem and Jackass Bitters Soap.
If you look at the packaging closely, you will notice that it only states “Neem Face and Body Soap.” This is because we are still using our old labels…we are being eco-friendly and do not want to throw out perfectly good labels!! So, I would like to assure you, despite the use of these labels, the soap is made from neem and jackass bitters!
One of the Munchkin jobs on the farm is to collect coconuts which have fallen to the ground and sprouted. If I don’t keep up with this task, the coconuts form deeply embedded roots into the earth and it eventually gets really tough trying to dig them out of the soil.
Coconut Seedlings.
I have to admit that it isn’t one of my favourite jobs so I had been sadly neglecting it for a while!
Wheel-Barrowing Coconuts…What Fun!!
A few weeks ago, I received an order for a couple of hundred coconuts and I was very happy with this because it would kick start me into gathering the seedlings on a more frequent basis. And so I gathered the coconuts for the order (hot sweaty work) and alas, on the appointed day of pick-up, nobody arrived! I had no contact information and after a few more days of waiting, it did not look like the coconuts would be claimed. So I didn’t think more of it until a few days ago when we met an acquaintance in town who said that he would pick up the coconuts on behalf of this other guy. Well, I was so pleased to hear the news and I said enthusiastically,
” Yes, yes…come and get the coconuts. they’re ready and waiting…anytime!”
Famous last words….
Well anyone who reads our Blog on a regular basis will know that we get to bed by 8pm for our 4am early rise. Well, at 9pm that very night, we were all comfortable and snug in bed when we were rudely awoken by the constant honking of a car horn. We got up thinking that it was the inevitable call of duty and someone needed our doctoring. Gnome managed to get out of the house quicker and dashed through the rain. It was one of those nights that you see in movies with dark ominous signs of a storm brewing. There was thunder and lightning, a gusty wind blowing from the north and the pitter-patter of rain was just starting.
Definitely not a night that anyone in the right mind would be out unless it was of utmost importance…
Gnome talked to the guy at the gate and he then ran back to me as I stepped out of the house and said incredulously,
” He’s come to get the coconuts!”
All I could say was,
“What?!”
The storm was coming so there was no time to get angry or perplexed over the bizarre turn of events. The most sensible thing to do was to get the coconuts as quickly onto this guy’s truck and send him on his merry way. We managed in record time…trying to squeeze as many coconuts into the back pan of the truck alongside a wheelbarrow and shovel! Once we got back inside the house, we had to have a hot drink to calm ourselves down. After a period of silent contemplation, Gnome said,
“Do you think he is out there planting his coconuts tonight?”
At this point there was a loud clap of thunder and the rain came pelting down.
We both imagined this guy with a wheel-barrow of coconuts in the rain. What had possessed him to come at such an ungodly hour of the night and worse still, on a stormy night to collect coconuts? Was it whimsy? Boredom?
I just smiled back at Gnome,
” Tales of The Unexpected…in Belize!”
By the way We do have coconut seedlings for sale from our farm. Check out The Apothecary for pricing.
Welcome to MGNews PrimeTime Sunday, sponsored today by Casa Mascia Apothecary, Belize.
Casa Mascia: Stay Clean For The Elections!
The Magical Rodent is in the running for Mayor of Paradise Pastures. She promises a “New Hope” for the piggies in leading them to a new underground civilisation where they will purposefully breed a “Guinea Pig Super Being” to take over the world. Popular media calls her the “Mad T Mouse”; today, we are giving her a chance to speak in this MGNews exclusive interview.
The Universe’s Super Being. Trust In Me.
MGNews Reporter: Good day Miss or may I call you Magical Rodent?
Magical Rodent: My name is Maddy T but please, call me Magical Rodent.
MGNews Reporter: Are you truly a Magical Rodent?
Magical Rodent: Young man! Don’t you see my magical staff of sorcery which I hold in my hand?
Staff of Sorcery.
I am a mammal of the order Rodentia. (She bares her teeth) See…single pair of incisors in my upper and lower jaw.
MGNews Reporter: Yeeess, Ma’am I do see your teeth! (takes a few steps back). Ok, back to the questions. What are your qualifications?
Magical Rodent: Magical Rodent Level 90, Mage. Certification for “fast-track” on-line course in genetics.
MGNews Reporter: Tell us about how you plan to breed the “Universe’s Super Being” from this guinea pig community.
Magical Rodent: Decades and decades of intensive breeding with emphasis on intelligence, telepathy and telekinetics.
MGNews Reporter: That is quite a mission! Do you think that the domesticated guinea pigs can survive out there in the wild?
Magical Rodent: Grrrrr!! (She bares her teeth again).
MGNews Reporter: Thank-you Magical Rodent for this interview. Good Luck!! (He beats a hasty retreat).
Together, We Can Take Over The World!
What the Experts Say:
Dr. Munchkin (DRCOG), Medical Doctor for Paradise Pastures:
Dr. Munchkin
Differential Diagnosis: Paranoid Schizoid or Schizotypal with delusions. Possibly due to brain damage, genetic or cultural inheritance. Requires psychiatric admission.
Mr. Carlton Speeting, Film Producer:
Great idea for a Hollywood block-buster Summer film: Magical Rodent leads her people to the chosen land, breeds a “Super Rat” to lead the people back to the surface to annihilate the humans. Awesome special effects. It is a Sci Fi Biblical Epic!! Of course, the humans would win out in the end…we can’t have the rats winning. I’m so excited, I’m already thinking about Sequels 2 to 5!
Awesome Epic Across Space and Time.
Mr. Jonathon Doe, ordinary bloke on the street:
It’s worth a try, eh? If it doesn’t work out, they can always come back?
Casa Mascia Soap. The Best Just Gets Better!I Use Casa Mascia Soap…Because I’m Worth It!
Well, the Magical Rodent sure knows how to intimidate the public. Is she the chosen one to lead the piggies or is she just stark raving mad?
Will she lead the piggies to the promised land?
Piggies, is Magical Rodent the Chosen One?
Remember,we are the first to give you the News on MGNews PrimeTime Sunday. 6pm Central/Mountain Piggie Time.
Hi Everyone. This morning, poor Gnome woke up with a terrible crick in his neck. Despite this pain, he soldiered on since the weather was looking good…a bright sunny start and we were ready for a big clean up with brush-mowing and coconut palm cleaning!! All of a sudden, grey clouds gathered and blocked out the sun and we had a down-pour at 8am this morning.
And, so the place is still looking bushy:
Bushy Farm.
Gnome took solace in making some more Pet Sulphur and Lime Dip:
Boiling Sulphur and Lime together.
Gnome really likes the smell of sulphur; he says he feels cleansed and invigorated from the fumes.
We received a re-order for our new pet product which is used to treat mange, fleas, ticks and ringworm:
We have decided to recycle old beer bottles to make the product really cheap and affordable. And, so when we went to the Farm Store in Punta Gorda last week, the manager said to Gnome,
“I’d like to order some more Presidente, please!”
Mr. Brian Cho at The Farm Store.
Despite removing all the tell-tale beer stickers from the bottle, the farm store manager and workers still recognised the Presidente branded beer bottle! This is a picture of Gnome bottling the Sulphur-Lime Dip…now, also known as Presidente!
Anyway, we tried to keep busy. We harvested our lemons and put them through this cool citrus peeler, which the locals usually use for oranges.
Citrus Peeler.
I dry the peel and use it for flavouring of food such as stews, stir frys, soups and of course, limoncello Also, in the process of peeling, we can catch some essential oil from the peel…about 1ml for every 4 lemons and so to get 30mls(1oz) you need 120 lemons in total! Just goes to show the value of a tiny bottle of essential oil…the quantities of biomass never ceases to astound me!
Today we were in Punta Gorda doing our delivering, “hailing” and the usual town stuff. In Punta Gorda, everyone knows you so you have to go through the custom of “hailing.” Ignore this at your peril! Basically, you need to say “Hello, how are you?” to everyone that you know…who happens to be crossing the street, sitting in their shop, driving in their car or standing in the queue in front of you. If you can handle a bit of small talk then that is an added bonus because every-one loves to stop and chat. If you ignore anyone who knows you, you are considered an “ignorant outsider” or just plain rude. These are the unspoken rules of a small community.
We delivered our Pet Products to The Farm Store in Punta Gorda. This particular shop is owned by Mennonites (Anabaptist Christian Group who emigrated originally from Germany and now settled in Belize) and run by local Mayans who have converted into this particular faith. The Farm Store sells anything to do with farming, hardware and pet supplies, basically, anything that is useful to man or beast! We delivered the following:
Jackass Bitters and Neem Pet Soap.
This is not the same as our same-name soap for people. This one has a higher percentage of active ingredients so that it is extra strong for the treatment of fleas, ticks and mites in pets (usually dogs and cats). Gentle but effective, without the use of strong chemicals.
We also took this opportunity to launch our new pet product: Lime Sulphur Pet Dip for Mange, Fleas, Ticks and Ringworm.
Lime Sulphur Pet Dip Label.
This is the label with the instructions. We used recycled beer bottles for this product because they are the cheapest thing to use so that we could sell the product at a rock-bottom price. Gnome created a tag to go with the product with regards to the philosophy of recycling; unfortunately, the network connection to the printer wouldn’t work so we didn’t get this part printed in time. So, this tag will be on the next order:
Lime Sulphur Pet Dip Wrap.
…Gnome Philosophy stuff in small writing for anyone who cares to read Gnome humour.
We use all our stuff on our own pets; they are very healthy and have the reassuring smell of sulphur to them:
Washing Dog with Sulphur Dip.Clean Cat.
This is a picture of the very friendly bossie of the Farm Store. He is a lovely young man:
Mr. Brian Cho at The Farm Store.
So, you can now get our pet stuff at the Farm Store in Punta Gorda. The products will be posted up in the Apothecary soon for those of you living outside Toledo or outside of Belize.
We made another round of soaps today; this time they are the White Pitahaya Soaps which are facial soaps for acne and oily-prone skin. The seeds are rich in nourishing oils; prior to making the soap, we lightly crush the seed and infuse them in coconut oil to allow diffusion of oils. The coconut oil is then used to make the soap.
Pitahaya is also called Pitaya (also, dragon fruit) and is of the Hylocereus sp. They can come in different colours namely red, white and yellow. They are highly esteemed in Belize, Central America and in Asian countries. The seeds, in our soaps, are obtained from the local variety which has a red flesh. Our soaps are called “White Pitahaya” because they are white in colour, not because the seeds are obtained from the white variety.
Here are some pictures:
White Pitahaya Soaps.
These soaps are unscented so that they can be used for sensitive skin. They have a natural, subtle coconut smell to them and they produce a lovely creamy lather. The seeds are also mildly exfoliating.
White Pitahaya Soap.
Check out The Apothecary for our full range of coconut oil soaps. Also, if you live in Punta Gorda, you can find the White Pitahaya soap at Vance Vernon Pharmacy on Front Street.
Hello Everyone!! We have been making soap…yes, it is raining again so we have decided to do a soap marathon. The Neem soap is back by popular demand and this time we have added jackass bitters to the formula. The neem leaves are dried in the shade and then infused in coconut oil which is used in the making of the soap.
Neem is known for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-helminthic and anti-viral properties. In Aryuvedic medicine, neem has been used to treat skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis.
Neem Tree on our Farm.
The jackass bitters plant is a well-known herb of Belize which is used in treating ulcers and cold-sores.
Jackass Bitters Leaves.
A perfect combination for a gentle soap with soothing properties for problem skin. It is also a wonderful “everyday” anti-bacterial coconut oil soap. We will put it in The Apothecary once the soaps are cured and ready! Here are some pictures to entice you.
Stacks of Neem and Jackass Bitters Soaps.Neem and Jackass Bitters Soap.
I would like to dedicate this blog post to Joanna Randolph, of Botanica Belize. She will be taking part in The International Belize Yoga Event this Saturday the 21st of June. It is hosted by the Embassy of India and will be held at Ramada Princess Hotel, Belize City starting at 7am. The purpose of this event is to make people aware of the many health benefits of Yoga.
Joanna will be taking the Botanica Belize products which have been made in collaboration with Casa Mascia Apothecary. Here are some pictures shot on location in the bush!
Aryuvedic Products.Pitta, Kapha and Vata Blended Essential Oils.
Good Luck Joanna and we hope that the Yoga Event is a success!!
The Mayan Passion Fruit (Ketchi name is Kun Batz) is still in season. It is a vine which voluntarily grows around cultivated trees and it can also exist in the rainforest of Belize.
Kun Batz Green Fruit.
They have beautiful flowers so can they also be grown as an ornamental:
Kun Batz Flowers.
The fruit can be eaten green like a vegetable (like cho-cho or zucchini).
Green Kun Batz Steamed.Kun Batz in Miso Soup.
If you let it ripen, you can eat the fruit pulp like a passion fruit.
Ripe Kun Batz.
The seeds and the pulp are edible and can be eaten alone or mixed with yoghurt or ice-cream. Today, I sifted out the seeds to get the pulp and the juice:
Kun Batz Seeds and Pulp.
I used a total of eight fruit and towards the end, added a cup of water to the remaining seeds to try to extract the last of the pulp. I was able to make a quart of juice from this method. When I tasted it I felt that it was sweet enough that no sugar was required. Compare this with normal passion fruit which is quite acidic which requires sweetening in order to enhance the taste. This is Kun Batz juice with a sprig of mint:
Kun Batz Juice.
The Kun Batz juice is divine!! The taste of the juice is a combination of pineapple, banana and canteloupe melon with mild exotic hints of passion fruit. It is unique in that it has a mildly sour taste but it is sweet enough that no sugar is needed.
I have a whole lot of fresh seeds to sell so check out The Apothecary. To my knowledge, nobody is cultivating this bush fruit so if you are into rare and exotic plants, then this a definitely one to add to the list!
Planting Instructions:
Passiflora seeds have a hard shell so pr-treat the seeds before planting; Soak the seeds for 24-48 hours in warm to the touch water, just prior to planting. Once pretreated, plant seeds 1/2-1″ deep in moist, sterile soil. Keep soil temperature consistent at about 70-85F. Cool soils will significantly delay seed germination time.
Estimated germination time under optimal conditions: 6 weeks to 6 months.
Plant spacing for this vine is 10 feet (3 metres) apart and can grow to about 20 feet tall. Will start fruiting in about 12 months.
Hello Everyone!! We just got back from the Chocolate Festival in Punta Gorda, Toledo. There were crowds of people, so much activity and chocolate stuff everywhere.
This is a picture of our table:
Cacao Fest 2015.
This is a picture of another booth selling cocoa powder and various assorted chocolate themed stuff:
Cacao Display.
There was a lot of noise with a combination of Garifuna drumming and “Punta” music. Here are some drumming pictures:
Garifuna Drumming.More Drumming.
This is food from the Cotton Tree Lodge Booth; they were serving food in cacao pods:
Food Served In Cacao Pods.
Overall, it was a good event and there was a lot of interest in our products especially with the Chocolate Artisan Soaps. A surprise winner was actually the Clay Artisan Soaps scented with sandalwood; they went like hot-cakes…we did not realise that so many other people shared our passion for this spicy scent. Oh, and I sold my first bottle of “I Can’t Believe It’s Not DB’s.” We are not taking over the world with our products…but we are pleased that some people recognise the time and energy that we put into our stuff.
Hello Everyone!! Our Neem and Jackass Bitters Soap is now ready and available for purchase in The Apothecary.
This is what the packaged soap looks like:
