Twilight dreams farm CT

09/06/2026

It's pumpkin time at the farmstand! We've started pulling our some pumpkins out of the fields and have for sale today. 🎃

09/06/2026

Interesting article about Luffa/Loofah. I did a quick check to see what other credible sources say and did find it on WebMD. Here's the Google take link below in addition to the below article. Maybe I can put my blossoms to work this year.

https://share.google/aimode/Jl94B2uJt1ufqhzMt

A flower traditionally used when breast tissue begins producing too many cells was later tested against breast cancer cells

🌿 LUFFA CYLINDRICA (SPONGE GOURD) — FLOWER ARCHITECTURE & BREAST TISSUE RESEARCH

That flower belongs to Luffa cylindrica, and the condition is called breast hyperplasia.

In hyperplasia, cells inside the breast begin multiplying beyond their normal pattern, sometimes crowding the ducts and lobules where breast tissue is organized.

And in traditional Chinese medicine, the flowers of Luffa have been used specifically for that condition.

🧪 BEHIND THE FLORAL CHEMISTRY

Inside those flowers is a surprisingly complex chemistry.

Researchers detected well over a hundred phytochemicals, including flavonoids, isoflavonoids, and coumarin-related compounds.

But what they wanted to know was what that chemistry would actually do to breast cells that refused to stop growing.

📍 LUFFA CYLINDRICA (CANCER BIOLOGY & CELLULAR SURVIVAL)

- The Mechanism: Hyperplasia and breast cancer are not the same condition. But cancer presents a more extreme problem of abnormal cell growth—cells resist normal removal controls, continue dividing, and can gain the ability to move into surrounding tissue.

- The Action: Researchers exposed hormone-responsive and aggressive triple-negative human breast cancer cells to the Luffa cylindrica flower extract. The extract suppressed the growth of both, made them less able to migrate, and began interfering with the systems cancer cells use to stay alive by triggering apoptosis and altering autophagy pathways.

🧬 FROM TRADITIONAL HYPERPLASIA TO LABORATORY ASSAYS

And while all of this was happening to the cancer cells, researchers also exposed non-cancerous breast cells to the flower extract.

Those cells were much less affected under the same laboratory conditions.

So researchers started with a flower that traditional Chinese medicine had already connected to abnormal breast-tissue growth.

Then they took that flower into the laboratory.

And there, its extract slowed breast cancer cell growth, reduced their movement, and pushed the cells toward processes designed to remove damaged cells and break down damaged material from within.

Luffa cylindrica.

09/03/2026

Praying for a warm fall to finish ripening my figs and passion fruit. Pictured is my inground Brown Turkey Fig. The Italian Honey Fig has started cranking out fruit, but unfortunately it won't ripen in time. Each year gets better for my inground figs trees here in zone 6b the NW corner of CT. Now I have an enhanced winterization and pruning plan for the new year.

09/02/2026

Today's creation is Gooseberry-Strawberry jam! This is one of my favorites.

09/02/2026

It's Strawberry Rhubarb time. All this rain has me busy making jam. I need to make more room in the freezer as I have another large bounty of berries starting to ripen.

08/28/2026

March of The Peach joins Hot & Crabby! We're closing at 3pm today and will be closed for the weekend. See you next week! 🍑

08/24/2026

Our newest and first jelly is here. Meet "Hot and Crabby" made with our own Dolgo Crabapples and Hot peppers. Perfect for a Charcuterie Board or just a little extra kick on a piece of toast, or baked into a cheese puff pastry concoction. 🌶

08/24/2026

Patty Pan squash for the win in flavor. I need to grow more of these next year.

08/23/2026

I've yet to harvest this years potatoes, they're ready later next month. I did however locate a fair amount from last year that I missed harvesting. Chef Scott is busy preparing something delicious with these Carola Organic Potatoes.

08/23/2026

This year's Dolgo Crabapple crop so far. I'm going to make Jelly with them, they're also great for hard c***r I'm told. Maybe when the other two trees start full on producing I'll try my hand at c***r.