Two Nasturtium Recipes for Summer
As spring turns to summer, gardens and farmers markets are overflowing with beautiful options. In my own garden, the nasturtiums are thriving, and I have been using them in a variety of ways. Nasturtium’s edible leaves and blossoms are high in vitamin C and exhibit antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. These benefits make nasturtiums a worthwhile…
Herbarium Project for Children
An herbarium is a collection of dried plants that botanists use for studying, identifying, and classifying plants. Making an herbarium is a great way for kids and their parents to learn about botany and the plants used in herbalism. An herbarium will help you and your child get to know what plants look like, along with…
Can Reiki Support Us? An Alternative Approach in America
The United States has become a place where people are quick to pop a pill for everything that ails them. There seems to be a pill for every imaginable (and unimaginable) ailment or ache. According to a recent Mayo Clinic study, more than 70 percent of Americans take some sort of prescription drug, with 20…
3 Old-Timey Herb Books You Can Read Online
Herbalism is seeing a revival in our times, but there is still much we can learn from herbalists who came before us. The history of herbalism goes far, far back into time with the first known reference to medicinal herbs found on clay tablets of the ancient Sumerians. Many old herbal manuscripts are preserved in libraries…
Must Haves for Your Family First Aid Kit
Every parent knows the drill – you are out on a hike or playing at the park when your child takes a tumble and is injured. Caught unprepared, you may have no easy way to clean up and comfort your child. A travel-size family first aid kit can come to the rescue when dealing with…
The Grass Isn’t Greener: Inviting Bees Into Your Yard
For bees and beekeepers, the sight of closely-cropped lawns bordered with rows of non-blooming shrubbery will never garner any votes for, “Yard of the Month.” Gone are the days when these boring patches of green are considered fashionable. Rather, we favor the yard dotted with bright, yellow dandelions and a variety of blooming native plants….
10 Elderflower Recipes and Uses
The elegant elderflower – if you’ve been noticing large, creamy blossoms on forest edges, then you’re probably seeing the flower of the elder. In this post, we are sharing an assortment of elderflower recipes to try yourself. Like us, we hope you find the flower an alluring early-summer resource! It seems appropriate that the elder is…
Harvesting and Using Elderflowers + An Elderflower Fritter Recipe
As lovely as elderberries are, elderflowers are a wonder in their own right. Familiarize yourself with the elderflower and its properties. Using elderflowers may just be the highlight of your summer! All About Elder For purposes of this article, I am referring to Sambucus nigra (European) and Sambucus canadensis (North American). An elderberry bush or…
Heal Local: 20 Essential Herbs for DIY Home Healthcare
Don’t miss our Heal Local book giveaway! See details at the end of the post! It was just a matter of time before the popularity of the local food movement expanded its influence to herbal medicine. Just like food, locally sourced herbal medicine brings something to the table – or the medicine cabinet, in this…
Natural Allergy Support: Nasal Rinses, Eyewashes & Herbal Steams
Natural allergy support is something that many of us seek, often with desperation during the spring and summer months. I had the worst allergies imaginable during both of my pregnancies—it was so bad that people would stop and stare at me, often with sympathy and sometimes with alarm. Going outside for as little as 5…
