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...
As the snow piles up and icicles grow from the eaves, tea becomes a central part of my life. Drinking a steaming, fragrant cup of last summer’s bounty in front of the woodstove on these long winter nights is a cold weather ritual that resonates...
Autumn is the season for bark harvest, one of the most fulfilling medicine making tasks. A walk through the woods on a crisp fall day followed by several hours in the sun as the days grow shorter and the world goes to sleep—it is definitely...
An earlier version of this article first 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...
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...
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...
I love this time of year: the first wildflowers' hopeful surge to sunlight before the leaves cast shade on the forest floor, the birds' joy in life and love as they chase each other around the edges of the yard in pursuit of the next...
It seems like folks have a hard time making a really good milky oats tincture. When I teach advanced tincture making, we always discuss past "failures" or at least tinctures that didn't turn out how students expected, since there is more space to learn from...
Herbal tea is the backbone of herbal medicine. It is often one of the easiest ways to get herbs into your daily life, just by having a nice cup of delicious whatever in hot water as part of your routine. [caption id="attachment_7" align="alignright" width="300"] Mullein, borage,...
This article is part of the series “Basic Recipes for Kitchen Witches,” which is in response to students’ requests for me to post recipes online. The goal of these articles is to give you the how-to-ness, the essential mechanics of creation, as a basis for...