Quince jelly for my babies lunches from this place’s ancestral shrubs, at the cusp of the dark turn of year. Food as medicine for perseverance, patience, hope, & thorny protection.
Quince for Perseverance, Patience, Hope
Keeping Tinctured Herbs Submerged
Here are some troubleshooting tips for that perennial problem: the herbs in your carefully calculated tincture won't stay under the alcohol.
Immunity Herbal Bone Broth
When I make bone broth, I add safe immunity herbs like astragalus, elderberry, reishi, ginger, garlic, thyme, sage, and rosemary, as well as seaweed and raspberry leaf for the mineral boost. I freeze the broth in big jars for the future. It will become miso, pho, tortilla soup, chicken noodle, split pea...any soup we make, … Continue reading Immunity Herbal Bone Broth
Preserving Mushroom Medicine
Medicinal mushrooms are often overlooked when we talk about solubility and the best ways to preserve things. We talk a lot about mucilage, berberine and the like, but not so much about considering solubility to make the most effective mushroom medicine. I personally think that's because a. folks get intimidated by the complexity (and weirdness) … Continue reading Preserving Mushroom Medicine
Preserving Water-Soluble Magic Beyond the Growing Season: Herbal Ice Cubes
This thing happens kind of a lot when you live in a place with significant seasons: you harvest some wonderful medicine, enough to last you a while--maybe all year--but then you have to actually do something with it while it's still good, knowing you can't get more until next year. Most people's gut reaction is … Continue reading Preserving Water-Soluble Magic Beyond the Growing Season: Herbal Ice Cubes
Formulating a Cold & Flu Tea
When all is right in the world, it’s easy to mess around with kitchen witching. That’s not the case when we can’t sleep, or the kid’s sick and screaming, or whatever the current herbal crisis happens to be. Over many years of drying herbs to infuse in honey “when I get to it” and not … Continue reading Formulating a Cold & Flu Tea
The Battle Over Fire Cider
UPDATE: FIRE CIDER IS GENERIC! HERBALISTS WIN! Fire cider is a spicy, immune-boosting infused vinegar that is traditionally taken in the winter as a cold and flu remedy. The concept is old, but the name “fire cider” was made up by herbal pioneer Rosemary Gladstar in the 1970’s, and published in a copyrighted book in … Continue reading The Battle Over Fire Cider
Echinacea Tinctures From Your Garden
This article appeared in the fall issue of Green Living Journal. It is a very basic explanation of tincture making. For a more in-depth exploration, please see the article Making Weight-to-Volume Tinctures. Throughout New England, gardeners treat themselves to the charming long-season blooms of echinacea, or purple coneflower as the ornamental cultivars are sometimes known. Folks … Continue reading Echinacea Tinctures From Your Garden
Make Your Own Herbal Allergy Syrup
Seasonal allergies can destroy an otherwise beautiful day, especially among those of us who have done a lot of travelling or have moved from one bioregion to another. Many folks turn to Benadryl in desperation, then waste the rest of what would otherwise be a lovely, productive day sacked out on the porch with a … Continue reading Make Your Own Herbal Allergy Syrup
Nettles, Burdock, & How to Make Tinctures That Actually Work and Don’t Taste Like Death
This is an excerpt of a longer article originally published in Country Grind Quarterly about spring tonics and tincture-making. Much more info here about making weight-to-volume tinctures, and some gems here on troubleshooting tinctures. If you're in Vermont, come to the tincture-making class in June! Info here. Spring is the time to start making your own herbal medicine, or get … Continue reading Nettles, Burdock, & How to Make Tinctures That Actually Work and Don’t Taste Like Death
Old Ways Herbal: Juliette Abigail Carr 