The one thing that I haven't done much with is putting all the knowledge to work. Don't get me wrong, I'm big on really using a ton of fresh herbs in my cooking because I know how great they are for you. I take herbal supplements that I just love. I've made some super delicious thyme honey for sore throats and coughs. I had not, however, gone all out with it.
Until now. Recently I've been reading up on what to put herbs in, what herbs to mix together to make the most of their properties, what to put them in and how long to leave them, and started to jar up a few things. By the end of the growing season, I expect to have quite a few brews going.
For now I've started these:
Wait... what the heck are those green things hovering at the top of that first jar? What the....
Tanner! Get out of there! It's not all about you every time I take out the camera, you silly!
Sheesh. Anyway, these are the tinctures that I have started with.
First up, what will be at the end of it all, my cold and flu mix.
Right now in the jar is apple cider vinegar, garlic and ginger. (Though I'm about to stick a nosey little gray cat in there as well....) I'll let that sit for a while, take out the garlic and ginger and then add fresh garlic and ginger plus a ton of fresh herbs that are good for colds and flu. I'd love to add some fresh horseradish to it, but I haven't been able to find any so far. Instead, I'll be adding a bit of cayenne in a tea bag. Mr. B. says that even if it doesn't help get rid of illness, no one else will get it, because no one will want to come near you after you drink this, lol! There's probably some truth to that.
Next up is a tincture of vodka and rosemary. Oh, how I love rosemary!
A rosemary tincture can be use for a ton of things, such as helping with nervousness and depression, helping with fungal infections and aiding in digestion. Mixed in with a bit of shampoo, it can stimulate the hair follicles and help prevent hair loss. 40 drops of tincture in a glass of water, 2x a day is said to cure what ails ya'!
Lastly (for now) I have this little beauty:
Vodka and chamomile. Great for insomnia, nerves, digestion, flatulence (I live with 3 boys, need I say more?), and it's a great cure for eczema, among other things.
And I'll be doing a few more. I'm totally in love with my jars of goodies steeping in their liquids. I have them in a nice dark cabinet and shake them every day. In a few weeks, they'll be ready to drain and try out. I can't wait!
Oh, and here's another jar I've worked on lately:
But that's a story for another day....
35 Comments:
Oh how I LOVELOVELOVE seeing this! It is my dream, you know ... "an herbalist in every home and a practitioner in every village."
Peace!
(there ... *that's* better ... I really should proof read PRIOR to posting, eh?)
tanner!
lol
i'd love to hear about how that works for eczema. a good friend of mine has that and nothing's helped.
I loved this post, Kris! I love tinkering with herbs and have several different concoctions going at my house (or at least I did before the fire!)
About 2 months ago when I burned my foot with hot oil, I used an ointment I made with plantain to help sooth the burn. It was the only thing that helped.
I look forward to reading more about her herbs and potions!
Wow how fantastic, what agreat idea esp the cold and flu remidy I suffer every year!! Talk about inspirations for next year !!
This is awesome! I've been trying to utilize my herb garden more. I'm getting better but have not hit this level yet. (You are my new herb hero!)
Would you mind suggesting a few titles from your library that might be helpful to a novice like myself? I'd surely appreciate it. Thanks!
I need to start bringing in herbs to do the same things with, but I've not decided what type of concoctions I'm making just yet.
And Tanner, thank you for being you. You gave me a much needed giggle this morning. :)
I am totally envious right now.
That post is all about what I want to do. I just don't have the resources to accomplish it right now. (I'm even thinking about stocking up on mason jars/pasta jars, etc. to get a head start for when I can do it.)
I'd love to learn more about what you have in your grimoire, if you don't mind sharing.
Blessings,
Skye
If anyone wants to lean more about herbs and herbal goodies, run, don't walk (okay, at least type fast) to Rose's (Walk in the Woods) blog. She is a HUGE inspiration to me on things like this. I grovel at her herby scented feet.
For everyone who talked about doing something like this: Just do it! Fill up a jar with herbs (if you don't grow them, maybe invest in some organic herbs from the grocery store!), then top it off with cheap vodka (you can get this really cheap - we aren't drinking it for the flavor, lol!) or vinegar (apple cider vinegar has been used for years and years as a health tonic), store and shake. Viola! You got yourself a tincture. Easy Peasy!
And Skye, I am working on putting all of my grimoire stuff into a "Google Notebook". When it's all in there, I will use google to publish it to the web (like I've done with the printable recipes) and share it with my blog readers.
As for recommending books, hmmm... I don't have any particular herbal books that I use for medicinal herbs. So much of what I have picked up have been from various blogs. If you go to google and search in "blogs" for "herbal remedies" you'll find a ton of things to read!
I love healing with herbs! I always ask myself.. what did they do before Motrin?? Most of the time the herbs work faster and don't damage one thing to fix another..
I was just getting ready to make a bit of Rosemary & White Wine.. you'll have to let us know how the Rosemary & Vodka does!
Tanner is very cute.. I love the first pic with just her eyes glowing.. ;)
FANTASTIC post!!! I have a jar fetish so I have tons of them and I have lots of herbs so I should put them together and get some tinctures going.How long are you going to let these ones set up? Ok well Im off to 'Walk in the Woods' ;)
A book I got a few years ago, that I think is pretty good is "A Herbal Drugstore" edited by White and Foster. It has common chemical remedies alongside the herbal ones, dosage suggestions and tea/tincture recipes. It's also sorted by ailment rather than the herb used.
I've had one recommended that's better than that, but I forget the name.
You've inspired me to make up my own jar of cold & flu mix. I just bought a thing of ginger Monday & at the time was wondering what to with it because it was too big for what I needed.
Seems to me you have the best remedy for anxiety and depression already. That would be Tanner the cat. No coincidence Tanner's in those photos. Add a cat to any remedy, and feel better faster.
I just LOVE the tinctures! I need to get going on reading up on some and doing some for myself. I'm so lazy.;( And I love Tanner! So cute!
Love the tinctures too! I'm just starting to dabble in the medicinal also... In the middle of creating a herb/spa cabinet for all of my goodies. Maybe its the hint of autumn that has us thinking ahead... Would love to hear what's in your grimoire also!
Blessings~ Sue
Oh my gosh! All of those look so great! I love to hear different uses for different herbs as well. Keep it up!
Haha! That darn Tanner!
I love the recipes! Keep them coming! Very curious about the last jar.
I have been studying herbal remedies too.I have started looking up tinctures for I have growing. About the horseradish, I have a TON of it would be glad to send you some if you like. Let me know!
That's great! These are really cool ideas. If I could get my herbs to, ya know, NOT die then I'd probably do more stuff with them. xD
Silly Tanner! She loves having her picture taken, huh?
Can't way until the day for the other story! Love that jar and love all your tinctures. I've just started growing herbs and trying to learn all the different uses. We have few this year but next year I plan to go wild. :)
Dang. Thought I was signed in as me. Patrick is my hubby. This is Groggy Froggy Lisa.
I have just started making tinctures myself. I love the chamomile/vodka one. My oldest has eczema so I may have to make that and see if it will help her.
I love seeing Tanner sneak in here and the. That last photo is awesome! I have used herbs in the past for bath tub soaks to relieve pain. Or in gel caps. I have yet to drink them. My Wv family are mountain folk and use lots of home brews. My kids got a dose from my day of yellow root. it was yuck. Ginseng is widly hunted and used in that stat as a cure.
all.
Hi, I see you were looking for some Horseraddish. That I have and if you have some winter savory we could do a trade? Yes!
I make a mean horseraddish Bacon dip for Halloween gatherings.
Blessed be.....Sandra Eagleheart
I intend to put up a jar of tincture myself .. a blend of mugwort and mint as its what I have growing this year. I also need to pull in some basil to puree and freeze and some sage to hang and dry
Mama Kelly
Oh that Tanner - she's a hoot! I expecially like that last pic - is she doing her Halloween cat impersonation? Spooky!
I just started an herb garden this past spring. I have 19 herbs right now. Yay!
I haven't really done anything yet except harvest some sage and eucalyptus. But I'm getting there.
It's a lot of work.
LOVE these concoctions you've made. I'm recovering my son from autism and herbs have played a big part.
It's working too. :D
)O(
boo
LOL, I love Tanner! I'll have to trade you some Kibi pictures, she gets in the way of my nice picture shots too. Let me know how your cold/flu tincture works out, I'm always looking for a good cold remedy.
I have many herbs growing as ornamentals and use them occasionally. I have no excuse. I am a botanist, know what the plants are, and should be using them more. My only issue is when I add spices I get complaints of too much "flavor." What's a mom to do?
Fun post!!
oooh! all of your stuff looks super awesome! wishing I had a garden so that I could grow more then what my meager table allows me to!
Loving little Tanner...kitties are so funny!
also very curious about that last jar, can't wait to hear what you've been up to!
I love herbs and tinctures. Thanks for sharing! Maybe one of these days I will get around to making some, myself.
first. wow again. love you.
second love the lids on your ball jars, where do you find them? i just have the metal canning ones and they always get sorta rusty after while.
third: can you recommend some of your fav books? i have tons on making medicine but looking for great growing/harvesting ones.
thanks!
ooh how lovely!!!
Ooh! I so jealous! I can't wait to settle in after our move so I can begin gettin' good an' witchy! The Vodka and Chamomile makes sense as a cure for insomnia. Very cool!
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