Sage
When one hears the word “sage,” they may think of an old, bearded man sitting atop a mountain, or in front of a fireplace in a robe with a long, white beard. This is the stereotype of a sage, but there is much more to the role than meets the eye. A sage is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. They are the wisest of men, and their advice is sought by kings and queens.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world and has learned from his experiences.
A sage is a man of great knowledge. He is someone who has dedicated his life to learning. He is a teacher, a philosopher, and a counselor. A sage is someone who is wise beyond his years. He is someone who has seen the world
The Journey of a Sage From the Farm to Your Dinner Plate
If you’ve ever popped a piece of fresh sage into your mouth and experienced its impeccably fragrant taste, you can variously appreciate the journey it has gone through before it reached your plate. From the moment the sapling is first planted in the field to the moment its harvested, dried, prepared, and transported to your local grocery store, the path of a single sprig of sage continues to be then readied for consumption. Considering the incredible journey involved in bringing this herb to the dinner table, it is easy to understand why it has long been one of the most effectively used and highly appreciated culinary ingredients.
The Process of Planting
Before a seed of sage can be harvested, it must first be properly planted in a garden or field. The ideal planting timeframe occurs in the late Spring, just after the coldest months of the year have concluded. The soil is then readied for the sowing of the seed in the traditional way – by digging its bed deep and evenly, loosening the dirt, and adding a few inches of compost to enrich the nutrient content. In places wherein climates vary significantly, a cloche (a framed, lidded glass vessel) is utilized to warm up the growing environment and avoid frost injury.
Seeds of Sage are then brought into the ground, either through sowing from the hand or via seed drill equipments. Usually, the amount of seed needed varies depending on how large the farm is and how much of the herb is sought to be harvested. As sage is not the easiest herb to raise, they should be grown with much attention, given their tendency to suffer from both diseases and pests such as aphids or spider mites.
The Growing and Cultivating
After being properly sown, the seed proceeds to germinate, sprouting and pushing it’s primary two leaves, which represent the first stage of vegetative growth. It is important to note that the plant will require ample water and sunlight, hence, hydration and organic mulching are necessary in order for the sapling to develop properly. If left untreated, the farm can suffer from disease and other whatnot, resulting in a decrease of productivity and cost-effectiveness.
Upon becoming slightly larger, the seedlings need more and more space in order to manage optimally. With this in mind, the farm should have sufficient room apart from each other. In some cases, even wooden pole trellises may be connected up nearby the sprouts in order to permit them to reach for more sunlight. To avoid weed growth, farmers are encouraged to keep their fields as clean as possible, some choosing to even remove whole clumps of soil that prove to be too messy.
The Harvesting
Usually, when sage reaches a little above an inch or two in height, the far should be considered ready for harvesting. At this stage, farmers will assess the level of ripeness of the leaves, using their experience to recognize when the herb is ready to be cut. In some modern farming methods, machines are employed to automate and quicken the process, while in many other traditional settings, the removal of mature herbs is still conducted by hand. Cutting of the herb needs to be done as close to the ground as possible to prevent any future damage or harm.
Soon after, the herb is usually placed in cardboard boxes for the necessity of efficient transport. Finally, the sage should be sent to the local packing station where its appropriateness is thoroughly examined and rated according to those of qualities set by the country’s official standards of produce excellence.
The Packing and Transport
Post-harvesting, the sage is then shipped via truck to its districtized warehouse, in which several categories of herbs are stored and organized, allowing for easy inventory and categorization. After sorting comes the packaging – a process which involves the utilization of these standardized cardboard crates, toiling some degree of respite and protection against jostling and further harm during transport.
It is during the packaging procedure that most farms decide to ship the sage in its dry form. In the event that companies are seeking to sell the herb uncooked, they may opt to package it fresh instead, taking care to treat it with appropriate fungicide and insecticide drenches in order to preserve its fresh taste and firmness.
Finally, the boxes will be transferred to the back of a truck, then driven off towards the seller, with care being taken to ensure that all of the sage remains secure and undamaged during the voyage.
The Preparation
At the seller’s facility, the sage is once more inspected and sorted so that any defects are identified and discarded. Once it is properly checked, the herb is usually stored for a few days so that it can become extra dry and brittle – a state that allows for easy grinding and packaging into its end product form.
Usually, producers will establish specific portions for their buyers, generally depending on their preference in terms of measurement pieces. For instance, in the case of many people who wish to have ground sage for making sauces, the sage will be cut into smaller pieces, then ground into powder or flakes in order to make it easier to incorporate the desired flavors.
Lastly, the sage is collected and carefully packed in packages so as to preserve its flavor and fragrance, before being securely sent out to food stores.
The Selling and Consumption
The final stage in the journey of sage is when it reaches the consumer. After having traveled for miles, the essence and flavor of the herbs is brought to the dinner table. All it takes is for the consumer to take the sage from the bag and add it to their dishes – a meal can be instantly brightened by the enchanting aroma and taste of this powerful herb.
Conclusion
As easy as it is to pick up a bag of sage while at the grocery store, its long trek from the farm to the dinner table is much more intricate than initially assumed. From its formation to harvesting and then to preparation, the processes that sustain in the journey of sage is subtleties and ultimately an embodiment of the incredible lengths that humans must go through in order to enjoy succulent flavors and aromas. Thus, the next time you encounter a bag of sage in the store, remember the intricate and beautiful journey it has gone through in order to make its way to your plate.
| Vitamin A | 0.295 mg | |
| Beta-Carotene | 0.003485 grams | |
| Vitamin E | 0.00748 grams | |
| Vitamin K | 0.0017145 grams | |
| Vitamin C | 0.0324 grams | |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.75 mg | |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.34 mg | |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.00572 grams | |
| Vitamin B4 | 0.0436 grams | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.00269 grams | |
| Vitamin B9 | 0.274 mg |
| Calcium | 1.652 grams |
Daily Value 1.3 g
|
| Iron | 0.02812 grams |
Daily Value 0.018 g
|
| Magnesium | 0.428 grams |
Daily Value 0.4 g
|
| Phosphorus | 0.091 grams |
Daily Value 1.25 g
|
| Potassium | 1.07 grams |
Daily Value 4.7 g
|
| Sodium | 0.011 grams |
Daily Value 2.3 g
|
| Zinc | 0.0047 grams |
Daily Value 0.011 g
|
| Copper | 0.76 mg |
Daily Value 0.9 mg
|
| Manganese | 0.00313 grams |
Daily Value 0.0023 g
|
| Selenium | 0.0037 mg |
Daily Value 0.055 mg
|
| Total Sugars | 1.7 grams |
per 100g
|
| Caprylic acid (8:0) | 0.71 grams |
|
| Capric acid (10:0) | 0.76 grams |
|
| Lauric acid (12:0) | 0.3 grams |
|
| Myristic acid (14:0) | 0.72 grams |
|
| Palmitic acid (16:0) | 3.15 grams |
|
| Stearic acid (18:0) | 1.25 grams |
|
| Total Saturated fatty acids: | 6.89 g | |
| Oleic acid (18:1) | 1.75 grams |
|
| Palmitoleic acid (16:1) | 0.12 grams |
|
| Total Monounsaturated fatty acids: | 1.87 g | |
| Linolenic acid (18:3) | 1.23 grams |
|
| Linoleic acid (18:2) | 0.53 grams |
|
| Total Polyunsaturated fatty acids: | 1.76 g | |
| Phytosterols | 0.24 grams |
|
| Total Sterols: | 0.24 g | |
