Burnell Muse of Muse 3 Farms Hibiscus Plants

Burnell Muse
Muse 3 Farm
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Burnell Muse, an agriculture and natural resource agent with the Southern University Ag Center. Every Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon you can find Burnell sitting at his booth distributing tokens for SNAP customers at the St. Helena Farmers Market. The market offers a SNAP match program, which provides $3 in free tokens for every $1 spent on eligible food like fresh produce using SNAP benefits. 

 During my visit to Muse 3 Farm, I interviewed Burnell Muse and several of his brothers. His attention was drawn to the hibiscus plants on the farm while driving around. It is estimated that there are several hundred species of flowering plants native to warm climates. From the flowers of the Hibiscus plant, a delicious tea can be made. Cold or hot tea can be served. My favorite way to start my day is with a hot cup of Hibiscus, peppermint, or ginger and turmeric tea in the morning. This is followed by a cold glass of tea with some honey throughout the day. I find it to be so refreshing and tasty. Matter of fact, it is one of my drinks for comfort. 

Hibiscus is described as having a number of medical uses. It is said to lower blood pressure. In Asia and Africa, hibiscus has been used to treat high blood pressure for centuries. Be sure to check with your primary care physician before taking this natural approach. Other health benefits of Hibiscus tea, it can be used to lower cholesterol, manage diabetes, protect the liver, aid in weight loss. Please see the links below for more information about Hibiscus Tea.

Links

www.muse3farm.com

https://facty.com/food/nutrition/health-benefits-of-hibiscus-tea/6/

Old Milk Dairies in Arcola, Louisiana

Old Milk Dairy owned by Mook Tillman 

Today I decided to turn down a road off Hwy 51, in Arcola, Louisiana. My curiosity had got the best of me and I wanted to see if I could find any old buildings and talk with anyone who was sitting on their front porch on this beautiful sunny day.

As usual I just pull up and start talking to people as if I have been knowing them all my life. I saw this man walking to his house and I pulled into his driveway and introduce myself and then I asked him about the old building down the road from him. He thought I was talking about the old milk dairy. He said I'll get in my truck and follow you back there so you can show me which building you're talking about.

After he saw the building he decided to show me several old milk dairies in the area. One was owned by an old black man by the name of Moots Tillman. Mr. Tillman was married to Louise.  The Arcola community had many milk dairies, he could recall only one being owned by and African American man. As we drove around the area he pointed out some of the larger dairy farms and horse ranches. I found the land in Arcola to be beautiful and woody. It is somewhat hilly, with tall pine trees. Most of the people who live in the community is related and they're living on land that had been in the family for several generations.

Old Milk Dairy-Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

"Some dairy farmers wasn't milking with machine at that time, they were milking by hand," said Anthony. He said that he remember some of the people who owned the dairies. "A lot of the old folks have die off and their descendants was living on the properties, "he said.

Anthony used to milked cows for a man named Bob Kirby. He said that after the cows were milked the dairy owners would set the milk containers out and the truck would come by and pick them up.  Milking cows wasn't the occupation for Anthony, so that job was short lived. I'm so happy that he shared what history he could recall about old dairy farms in Arcola. Like the history of sawmills and timber companies, milk dairies provided jobs for the local people who lived in the surrounding area. I was just as happy to see some of the old building still standing. Some of them are falling apart, but for the most part many of them are still standing.