Overnight Hawthorn Infusion
Creating your own hawthorn herbal infusion is a great way to pack a powerful nutritious punch from this member of the rose family. By using the hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) leaf, flower, and berry in a simple but refreshing herbal infusion, you can help prepare your body for the challenges of the winter season. Late fall…
Soothing Herbal Sitz Bath for New Mothers
You can blend together botanicals celebrated for their relaxing aromas and cooling astringent properties to create a soothing herbal sitz bath. Both yarrow (Achillea millefolium) aerial parts and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) flowers have been found to aid mothers recovery from the birthing process. Their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties soothe the skin and stimulate…
Student Feature: Heather Skasick @PantryPotions
For the sixth installment of our Student Feature Series, we spoke with Heather Skasick of @PantryPotions. Heather is a budding herbalist who has felt her creative nature come to life through her herbal studies. As a new mother, Heather found that herbalism nurtured her family’s health, strengthened her confidence, and gave her a passion all…
How to Use Mugwort for Dreams, Sleep, and More
When I was camping in the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest as part of my studies at the Elderberry School of Botanical Medicine, I rolled an herbal smoking blend that I made with mugwort (Artemisia sp.) as one of the main ingredients. I shared it with the group while we were sitting around the campfire. That night,…
Our Guide to Finding the Perfect Gifts for Herbalists
Holiday shopping season is upon us! Do you have an herbalist or two to shop for this season? Or maybe you’re building your own holiday wish list? If you’re unfamiliar with herbal practices, or if your herbalist loved one seems to already have everything they could possibly need, look no further! We’ve rounded up the…
Herb Stuffing Recipe with Sage and Thyme
A lot of folks wonder how to make stuffing with sage (Salvia officinalis) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris) in a way that maximizes the herbal properties of these two related plants and enhances the proteins in their main dish. Both sage and thyme belong to the Lamiaceae, or mint family (Ware, 2018), making them complimentary flavors…
Spiced Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves
Spiced pumpkin bread offers an elevated flavor to a classic fall treat that contains nutrient-filled spices to warm the body and soul. Pumpkin is vitamin-rich, containing A, B2, C, and E vitamins, and, like the spices in this recipe, it’s a source of beta carotene (Raman, 2018). The human body converts beta carotene to vitamin…
Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Potpourri Blend
If you love the smell of freshly baked apple pie (honestly, who doesn’t?), then this Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Potpourri Blend is for you. With this delightful recipe simmering on the stovetop, your whole home will smell like a freshly baked apple pie—with only a fraction of the work! This dried blend also makes a wonderfully…
Holiday Stovetop Potpourri Recipe: The Smell of the Season
Stovetop potpourris, also known as “simmering spices,” have been used for centuries to fill homes with the comforting smells of local fruits, spices, flowers, and herbs. Unlike most store-bought candles, incense blends, and cleaning supplies, homemade stovetop potpourri is entirely natural and free of chemical additives and synthetic fragrances. This Holiday Stovetop Potpourri recipe features…
3 Stovetop Potpourri Recipes for Winter
Don’t you just love the smell of the holidays? Fresh evergreen trees, cinnamon-covered desserts, and spiced cider all mingle together during this exciting and hope-filled time of year. Unfortunately, these delightful scents are often overpowered by well-intentioned candles and cleaning supplies that are stuffed with synthetic scents. These artificial smells can be nice at first…
