Orlyya Farm, Dried Herbs and Spices
Midreshet Ben Gurion at Sde Boker
At the Orlyya Farm, Yoni and Orly have created a farm that emphasizes environmental preservation. In addition to the cottages that they built with regard to wind directions and the sun’s natural course during the day–passively heating and cooling the structures depending on time of year–they have put planted herbs and spices that grow well in desert conditions. Orly and Joe also harvest wild desert herbs like Sheba and Siach, which have natural medicinal properties that their Bedouin neighbors traditionally utilize.
The couple and their five children raise camels, as they experimentally grow an Argon orchard, cultivating a Moroccan desert tree in the Negev’s desert conditions. Yoni hopes to introduce Israel to Argon oil. Yoni and Orlyya are deeply committed to desert life and are living inspirationally in harmony with the desert.
The farm is named after the priest of the love goddess, Aphrodite, who represents feminine power and wisdom and who, legend has it, is buried in the ancient Nabatean city of Avdat (5 km from the farm). Av dat, itself, was founded along a commercial trading route of the ancient world with caravans carrying perfumes and spices from Yemen to the ports at Gaza.
To learn more or to reserve a cottage at Orlyya Farm , visit the Orlyya Farm website or email orlyya12@gmail.com.
Orly and Yoni’s Herbs
Za’atar
Za’atar is the Hebrew term for Hyssop. At Orlyya farm, in the high mountains of the Negev, cooking and medicinal herbs grow organically on the mountain’s slopes, between the rocks. Agricultural settlements were once scattered all around the region since the time of the Bible. The Za’atar plant is considered one of the most important plants in the Jewish community’s folk medicine. Za’atar is used to cure stomach aches, strengthen potency, soothe nausea, and alleviate colds, ear aches, coughs and head aches.
According to Yoni and Orly, the best usage is to put one flat teaspoon of za’atar leaves in a glass of boiling water, sweeten with honey and then drink. It is also possible to add the dry leaves of the hyssop to pasta sauces, or add to other dishes for flavoring.
Sage
* Orly and Yoni grow a variety of Herbs, and as our shipments progress, we plan to have them harvest different leaves to share with our members. We’re especially excited about the Lemon Geranium offerings.