Dandelion kombucha is the best kombucha flavor for spring! This second fermentation makes a bubbly probiotic drink fueled with flower power.
Dandelion kombucha is the best kombucha flavor for spring! This second fermentation makes a bubbly probiotic drink fueled with flower power.
Herbal cigarettes were a common way to take your medicine, long before cigarettes became associated with tobacco (and addiction). Learn how to choose herbs for herbal cigarettes, and enjoy this time-honored way to take your
This pine needle cough syrup is beneficial for soothing for a dry and scratchy throat and helping to tame coughs.
A simple recipe for how to make hawthorn tincture using berries and vodka. Hawthorn is a red berry that gently supports heart health, and that you can forage for in autumn. You can use the volume ingredient measurements in this folk method tincture or use the 1:2 ratio measurements in the notes below. Scale the recipe up or down to suit your needs.
This pine salve is made with infused pine oil that will moisturize and heal winter skin ailments and has aromatherapy benefits, too!
As part of our Inside Out Beauty campaign, we've produced this awesome herbal body map that relates a whole-istic host of herbs to each of the organs that they can help with and how. Dill for your Liver, Ginger for your stomach, cardamom for your kidneys!
Herbal tincture recipes allow you to take charge of your own herbal health at home. Make your own potent, shelf-stable herbal tinctures with fresh or dried plant material and high-proof alcohol using the recipes in
Homemade kvass is a traditional probiotic beverage made with leftover stale bread. It's bubbly and refreshing, the perfect drink for a hot summer day.
In the intricate dance of well-being, the lymphatic system takes center stage, orchestrating the body’s immune response and detoxification. As an herbalist, I’ve discovered a symphony of herbs that…
Homemade herbal remedies are easier than you think, and most only require a few minutes of hands-on time before you've crafted powerful herbal medicine for your families' medicine chest. Diving into making herbal remedies might
Wildflowers and wild fermentation come together to create a delicious and delightful spring-inspired cordial.
Willow bark has been used for centuries as a natural pain reliever. It contains salicin, which was later synthesized and is the active ingredient in aspirin. It's reputed to relieve pain without the stomach upset
This herbal tincture is a great remedy for headaches and some migraine headaches as well.
A delicate floral syrup of a beautiful purple color to give a summery twist to your cocktails, iced teas and coffee drinks or simply to use on top of your morning pancake or waffles.
Pine needle soda is a naturally fermented drink with foraged ingredients, also called pine needle sprite. It's light, bright, and refreshing! This recipe makes one 16 oz bottle.
Learning how to make a tincture is one of the most important parts of the herbal learning journey. Use this post to figure out the best menstruum, extraction time, and method for producing a safe, effective herbal tincture every time!
A guide to birch leaves where we'll discover everything there is to know about their properties, collecting, storage and uses.
This recipe for how to make white clover salve is an easy-to-make useful flower salve. Making salves from flowers, herbs, and other medicinal plants and weeds is a fun beneficial activity. This salve made from white clover has healing benefits for the skin.
A friend of mine spends her summer weekend trying to wipe knotweed off the face of the earth. She comes back from trips exhausted, having used everything (including fire) to try to eradicate a patch
We're making it easy to bring your studies into the kitchen with these mess-friendly, durable, and practical laminated Herbal Preparations Recipe Guides!
Herbal tinctures are easy to make and can provide so many natural benefits. Herbal tinctures are basically a concentrated herbal extract made with alcohol. Alcohol, such as vodka, is added to a fresh or dried herb to extract the active ingredients of the herb. Herbal tinctures have been used for centuries for their healing properties and there are so many you can make and use, all with their own properties.
Herbal antibiotics help fight infections, such as UTIs, and speed wound healing. Many also fight viruses, like colds and flu. They are gaining interest as treatments for antibiotic resistant bacteria.
FTC Disclosure: There are affiliate links for products I know and trust scattered throughout this article. If you click through and make any kind of purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. NOTE: This article is the first in a 12 part series about how to start using herbs
Comfrey salve is easy to make at home, using homegrown herbs or by purchasing dried comfrey. Studies show that comfrey is an effective herbal pain reliever when applied topically.
Learning how to make mullein tincture is a great way to always have a powerful respiratory herbal medicine on hand.
These inspiring spruce tip recipes will help you make the most of this ephemeral foraged food. Spruce tip syrup, pesto, ice cream & more!
Did you know magnolia flowers are edible? Learn how to forage & use them
In this post, you'll learn when to harvest roots, how to prepare them for use, and you'll even find several recipes to try. Use herbal roots for wellness!
Thyme cough syrup made with honey and lemon is a useful homemade cough remedy to have on hand for cold and flu season for dry or wet coughs.This recipe makes about 2 cups.
Get rid of splinters, slivers, stingers, and more from the skin by learning how to make a homemade herbal drawing salve with this simple recipe.
It’s finally feeing like spring here in the midwest. For me, that means it time to shake of the heaviness of winter. I spring clean my house, why not nourish my body too. One of my favorite ways to incorporate spring cleaning for my body is spring tonics
In terms of safety, it is helpful to consider where various types of herbs fall on the herb safety continuum scale of 1 to 5.
Make this refreshing nettle iced tea with foraged stinging nettles!
A classic but often overlooked herbal preparation, oxymels have been used for ages for a variety of respiratory and immune system issues including coughs, mucus, and difficulty breathing. Made from vinegar and honey, oxymels are a tasty and simple herbal preparation to make.
A healing herb known for its headache relief, this guide covers the history, benefits, uses, and how to harvest feverfew.
Elderflower tincture is a gentle herbal remedy for colds, flu, and other minor illnesses. It's easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients! Elderflowers are a beautiful part of the natural landscape,
The winter time when leaves branches bare, and the world of nature is barren, hibernating and waiting for the spring. There’s little to forage… So have you ever wondered what we herbalists do in Winter? Well, it’s true, we can still see clients and make potions from our stock of dried plants. When
If you are craving a zesty refresher with an herbal twist, this easy herbal lemonade recipe will be a great choice!
Herbal cigarettes were a common way to take your medicine, long before cigarettes became associated with tobacco (and addiction). Learn how to choose herbs for herbal cigarettes, and enjoy this time-honored way to take your
One summer evening I took a walk to a mimosa tree close to my house. It was mid June and the mimosas had just started to bloom. I chose to place my blanket on the ground right under a branch that h…
Botanical Name of Ashwagandha: Withania somnifera. The ashwagandha root is often referred to as the 'Indian ginseng' because it is used in a similar way in Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine as Panax ginseng is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The herb has been used for more than 2500 years to restore overall health and increase longevity. The Indian or Hindu common name ashwagandha (Sanskrit), translates roughly to 'the smell and strength of a horse,' referring to the plant's alleged ability to enhance sexual vigor. Ashwagandha Seedpods (Withania somnifera) - Attribution: Vinayaraj V. R What is Ashwagandha Used For? Some of
Herbal tincture recipes allow you to take charge of your own herbal health at home. Make your own potent, shelf-stable herbal tinctures with fresh or dried plant material and high-proof alcohol using the recipes in
Herbal salves can be made from a wide variety of medicinal herbs, many of which are considered common weeds. This roundup contains over 20 of my favorite recipes for herbal salves that soothe ailments as
This herbal tincture is a great remedy for headaches and some migraine headaches as well.
Spring has sprung and Japanese knotweed season is upon us here in southeastern Connecticut. We furiously gathered huge baskets of shoots that were less than 12" tall, the optimum height before the stalks start toughening up and getting woody. Most was made into fruit leather, which keeps very well once vacuum packed, several batches of jelly were made, more was stewed to keep in the freezer for making muffins and quickbreads, and some was eaten raw with cream cheese and raisins! Why yes, that IS a biodegradable straw made from last year's knotweed stalks! Robert made some tasty Japanese knotweed syrup, to which he then adds some carbonated water or canned seltzer for a fizzy, pink drink. The ascorbic acid powder is something we order from a vitamin company in bulk and add it to our syrups to keep them fresh and from crystallizing. It is basically vitamin C in powder form, adding a slightly sour taste to the syrup. Japanese Knotweed Syrup makes about 4 cups of syrup 2 1/4 c. water 3 1/2 c. sugar 2 c. chopped knotweed, leaves and tips removed 3 Tbsp. ascorbic acid powder 1. In a saucepot, heat the water to boiling and add the sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and turn off the heat. 2. Add the chopped knotweed to the hot syrup, and cover. Allow the syrup to steep for 24 hours. 3. Filter out the knotweed with a mesh sieve, and filter again through a coffee filter to remove all the debris. 4. Remove 1 cup of the pink syrup, and warm it in a small saucepot. Add the ascorbic acid powder, stirring to dissolve it. Pour this back into the rest of the syrup and stir. Store in air tight containers at room temperature for 3-6 months.
