Botany Beginnings: Who was Theophrastus?
Approximately 2,300 years ago, a time which we can somewhat imagine through the marble monuments still standing and the relatively few parchments that have survived, a person named Theophrastus (c. 370 BCE – c. 287 BCE) reportedly wrote 227 books about animals, trees, shrubs, fruits, and flowers. Although he wasn’t the only scientific writer at…
Comfrey Cream Recipe for Achy Joints and Muscles
Can a comfrey (Symphytum officianale) root extraction help ease aching joints and muscles? Many of those following the folk use of comfrey up to present-day think so. Additionally, there is scientific research demonstrating comfrey’s effectiveness at soothing muscle and joint pain, some of which are highlighted in this post. The warm weather has a way…
Try A Cooling Herbal Compress for Hot Summer Days
Summertime arrives and life feels easier. Crisp iced lemonade, smells of freshly mowed grass, and sounds of children splashing in the backyard pool at once evoke a mindful appreciation for the present and tug at childhood nostalgia. Spending all day in the sun at the beach or in the garden helps increase vitamin D intake…
How to Make Alcohol Intermediary Herb-Infused Oils
Have you heard the phrase, there’s more than one way to garble an herb? If so, you can certainly apply that to herbalism when it comes to making various herbal preparations. There are many variations and methods of making herbal infusions, tinctures, syrups, and yes, even herb-infused oils—there’s something for everyone’s skill level and preference. …
3 Cooling Salads for Summer
As summer days grow warmer and longer, you may find yourself reaching for cooling, refreshing foods that require less time in a hot kitchen and allow more time to enjoy the long, lazy days of summer. These inclinations speak to the innate wisdom of the body; when temperatures heat it up it is better to…
6 Herbal Cocktail Recipes for Summer
Although summer gatherings may be smaller this year, they don’t need to be any less festive! We recently screened-in our front porch, and our calendar is quickly filling with small soirees in our new, outdoor space, which allows us to follow safe social-distancing guidelines and spend time with loved ones. In my excitement to host,…
DIY Natural Citronella Candles
We have finally started to feel the warmth of summer. It was 80 degrees Fahrenheit here in the Midwest yesterday, and you can bet we spent the better half of the day outdoors. We welcomed summer with a playful game of baseball, refreshing strawberry lemonade, and s’mores roasted over a bonfire. All the while, our…
Plantain Leaf Benefits and Recipes
Since the launch of The Foraging Course, we’ve had a renewed interest in the humble, helpful herbs that grow right outside our doors. Plantain leaf (Plantago spp.) is one such wonder “weed” that’s found all over the globe. Two of the most common species, broadleaf plantain (P. major) and ribwort plantain (P. lanceolata), have followed…
Refreshing Monarda-Mint Ice Pops Recipe
As temperatures climb and spring fades into summer, you may find yourself craving a sweet and healthy treat that doesn’t require heating up the house with your oven. Fruit is always a wonderful option, but what else? Our Refreshing Monarda-Mint Ice Pops recipe, below, offers a simple and delicious dessert that your whole family is…
How and Where to Buy Herbs in Times of Upheaval
At the outset of the current global pandemic, herbalists were more grateful than ever for the revered roots in our own apothecaries. While treasuring what we already had on hand, we also took note of those less glamorous, generous green allies that grow wildly around us. We collectively found ourselves wondering where to buy herbs…
