4 Herbal Recipes That Are Best Made With FRESH Plant Material
In the realm of herbalism, sometimes fresh is best. There is something enchanting about the aroma of freshly picked herbs, the way their vibrant colors catch the light, and the burst of flavor and aroma they add to any herbal recipe. While dried herbs have their place, in some cases they may not be as…
8 Herbal Preparations + a Monarda Oxymel Recipe
The following excerpt outlining eight herbal preparations and a Monarda Oxymel recipe is taken from the book, Our Kindred Home by Alyson Morgan, and is reprinted with permission. Our Kindred Home takes you on a journey through the heart of cyclical, seasonal living. It’s a heartfelt collection of the recipes, rituals, and plants that Alyson’s…
How To Make Your Own Herbal Suppositories
When things start to feel out-of-balance “down there,” it’s easy to feel embarrassed or concerned. With symptoms such as vaginal discharge, odor, or itching, it can be hard to know how to work with it and find equilibrium in your ecology or tissue states. There is an herbal option! Different varieties of herbal suppositories have…
How To Stock Your Winter Home Apothecary: Herbal Allies For Colder Months
Depending on where you live, it might still feel like summer or perhaps the colder days of the year have already begun. Our work as herbalists involves tuning in to the seasons, and for those of us who garden or wildcraft, this includes paying attention to the growing cycles and when to harvest plants. Another…
Herbal Tea or Herbal Infusion: What’s the Difference?
It’s finally here: the time of year when there’s not much better than a cozy fire, a snuggly flannel, and a hot cup of herbal tea… or herbal infusion. Fall is the perfect time of year to introduce the healthful practice of enjoying an herbal tea or herbal infusion daily. Not only is this the…
How To Make An Oxymel
A classic but often overlooked herbal preparation, oxymels have been used for ages for a variety of respiratory and immune system issues including coughs, mucus, and difficulty breathing (Hippocrates, 400 B.C.E.). Made from vinegar and honey, oxymels are a tasty and simple herbal preparation to make. Keep reading to learn how to make an oxymel…
How to Make A Homemade Flower Essence
I never understood the potency of flower essences until I made one myself — carefully picking each beautiful, delicate flower from the plant, intentionally setting it in spring water, and placing the bowl under the sun in the center of my garden. It was a magical meditation as the golden rays of the sun penetrated…
This Versus That: How To Choose The Best Herbal Preparation For Your Needs
One of the most commonly asked questions new and old herbalists ask themselves is “what is the best herbal preparation to use in this situation?” With so many traditional and modern ways to prepare herbs, determining the best herbal preparation to use can feel overwhelming. In this article, we’re here to help break down some…
How to Make Herbal Ear Drops
Earaches never seem to happen at a convenient time. They often sneak up on you in the middle of the night causing pain and misery. Thankfully, having a supply of herbal ear drops on hand can help ease pain and support the body when fighting a possible infection. I should know, as I recently found…
How to Make an Herbal Syrup
The cold days of autumn and winter bring to mind cozy socks, warm cups of tea, good books, and for many herbalists, pots of simmering herbal syrup. Perhaps one of the most delicious ways to take herbs, herbal syrups are wonderful to have on hand during the colder months of the year. Enjoy learning the…
How to Make an Herbal Decoction
That simple, tasty cup of tea is only one way of extracting the many virtues of herbs into water. Other ways include the making of infusions and decoctions. Today I am going to share how to make an herbal decoction and which herbs are used for this type of herbal preparation. Infusions are used with…
Herbalism and Acute Pain
The topic of herbs and acute pain is an important one for many herbalists- family herbalists and advanced herbalists alike! After all, everyone gets aches and pains or bumps and bruises occasionally. Generally, it’s much simpler to unravel the threads that lead to acute pain than it is to address chronic pain. Acute pains will…
7 Herbal Preparations For Kids
Delightful herbal preparations make using herbs pleasant and fun. Every parent knows that it can be difficult to get kids to try new things, let alone to consume something that may be less than enjoyable. We are lucky indeed that there are many wonderful herbal preparations that will leave your kiddos asking for more while…
Introduction To Herbs For Kids: A Kid’s Herbal Pharmacy
An Overview of Simple Herbal Preparations Using our gentle herbal friends is simply a lovely part of life. Herbs can be used to keep you healthy and make you strong. They can also be used to help you feel better when you are sick. Creating herbal remedies is a way to show gratitude for the herbs…
How To Make Herbal Glycerites: Tinctures Without Alcohol
Glycerites are sweet herbal tinctures which use vegetable glycerin to extract the active constituents and flavor from an herb. Herbal tinctures are typically made from alcohol, but glycerin is a good alternative for children, animals, and adults when palatability and alcohol sensitivities are primary considerations. While not as potent as alcohol-based tinctures, glycerites are still…
How To Make a Homemade Salve
In the Online Intermediate Herbal Course, we study plant energetics and their actions. Many of us in the herbal community share a passion for seeking out natural homemade remedies. We are not only studying plant’s actions individually but also how to create vehicles for these herbs to work together with the body. These vehicles have…
