As I've recently stated, I don't care to get sick, but prefer for us to stay well.  During my recent research the validity of the elderberry has been impossible to dispute.  While I've used alot of elder flowers in the past, I've not used the berries.

This is my variation on a theme that I hope will help us to be well thru this winter's cold and flu season with minimal fuss and muss.

Bee Well

2 cups dried elderberries

1 quart of boiling water

 juice of 2 lemons (or cheat like I did with 1/4 cup of bottled lemon juice)

1 cup raw honey

1 cup apple cider vinegar (I used Bragg's)

(optional) 1/4 cup of echinacea tincture (mine was in an alcohol base)

Cover the elderberries in the boiling water and allow to soak overnight, or at least around 12 hours.  I covered mine with a towel while they soaked.  I also prefer glass or stoneware-type bowls, not plastic or metal.

The next day pour the berries and the soaking water into a pan and simmer them on the stovetop for 30 minutes.

After simmering, pour the berries and water into the blender and puree' them.  I had to do this in a couple of batches as my blender holds just over a quart.  I blended them at the highest speed for a couple of minutes so that they were really as liquified as I could get them.

Return to saucepan or bowl and add in lemon, honey, apple cider vinegar, and any tinctures you want to include.  Stir really well, and pour into storage containers.  I like to use dark glass bottles, but canning jars are always handy.  Keep stored in the refrigerator.  I would think this recipe would last for 4-6 months in the fridge... the lemon and vinegar should help preserve it to a degree, but keep an eye out for mold,  discoloration, or general funk....

Personally, my kids really don't enjoy this, but Marc and I thought it was kind of yummy.  We've been taking a spoonful each day to ward off any germs as we've been around alot of people with flu and colds lately.  If we were to get sick, I'd probably bump the dose to every 3-6 hours, but then again, hopefully we won't have to worry about this.

I realize that I've posted this recipe somewhere in the past, but even I have a hard time wading thru all the muck that this blog has become.  I simply don't know what to do about it actually.

This morning Shawn and Jett helped me make another batch of my stress relief tea that was referenced in yesterday's post.  My recipe was already out, so I figured that I'd say how I mix mine....

Stress Relief Tea....

1c jasmine green tea

1/2 cup peppermint

1/2 cup licorice root

1/4 red raspberry leaf

1/4 cup siberian ginseng

1/4 cup ginkgo

1/8 cup st johns wort

1/8 cup stevia

If you have this recipe from me and it is different, that is just how I do things.  Depending on what I feel I need at the time, I will alter recipes, and use the measures as a guideline and not as a rule.

Shawn has always wanted to join her mama in blending herbs and creating teas and tinctures, but Jett has never shown alot of interest in the past.  He does do a bit, small and wee, of gardening, and maybe that's what encouraged him to start experiementing today.

I gave him a choice of several herbs, that are safe in most amounts, to pick from.  After sniffing, tasting, and asking what their uses were this is his bedtime blend....

Jett's Bedtime Tea

1 part chamomile

1 part catnip

2 parts peppermint

3 parts lemon balm

2 leaves from a passion flower

I don't often buy herb books anymore as it seems I own more than I should, and most info can be either repetitive among books or found online.  I did finally decide, after previewing it from the library, to invest in Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Harrod Buhner. 

There has been so much talk, too much IMO, on health care lately.  I honestly think that alot of it is fake... just like wresting, and is an attempt to take emphasis off the real issues we should be facing.  I don't usually go there, but today I will briefly....

I think that Americans in generally are too easily led and deceived.  I don't think the issue is government/socialized medicine (because even though so many people are against this, we are already there).  We take issue with government care, but for some reason, the insurance companies seem to be our friends? 

I don't believe that insurance is necessarily a bad thing, but then again, I don't think that it is necessarily the good thing that it has all of a sudden become.  Instead of the government, we are selling out our health to corporations, and I don't believe that this is any better.  (I'm off the soapbox now).

My choice is to take charge of the health of our family.  Please notice I said health, not illness.  Our family chooses to invest time and energy in learning about how to maintain health thru nutrition and natural remedies.  We do get the occasional cough or cold, but usually not for long. 

I think that is what sets Herbal Antibiotic apart from some of the other herb books that I have seen.  It looks specifically at maintaining health and treating illness with herbs, giving formulas and how to's as well.  This book isn't necessarily a beginner's herb book, but it does give an interesting lesson on antibiotic use and drug resistance.

Some of the herbs recommended are fairly new to me, as my focus has generally been on children's health with milder herbs, or on specific issues we have dealt with.  My scope is usually to use a few herbs and get to know them well.  As I learn about those, I start to add others to my list. 

I guess my point is to encourage everyone to take charge of their own health, and not rely on what you are being sold.  This all really seems to come down to money, and that's not what life or health should be about. 

I've been driving around alot lately and one thing I've been noticing this year are alot of bushes along the roadside covered with white flowers.  These happen to be elders, the ones that produce elderberries and elder flowers.  Maybe it's all the rain we've had this year, but I've never noticed quite so many before...

This year the yarrow in the backyard has also taken off... it seems that the less care you give it and the worse the soil, the better it grows.

Elder and yarrow... This got me thinking that now is a good time to think about getting ready for fall and winter. 

One of my favorite remedies is the Children's Composition.  This formula contains equal parts of peppermint, yarrow, and elderflowers.  This herbal combination is a great one to start with if you've never made your own herbal preparations.  If you don't feel comfortable with identifying herbs, these are all easy found at stores with bulk herbs.
I use this formula whenever sniffles start up, tummy aches appear, or whenever someone says that they don't feel well.  This is a good formula for your common cold and flu.

I've made it as a tincture using fresh and also dried herbs in both alcohol and glycerin. Generally it's best to have the herbs to all be either fresh or to all be dried, but elderflowers are the exception.  They are pretty delicate and fragile so when gathering your own it is best to dry them immediately. 

For kids I have found that a mixture of the glycerin and vodka tinctures makes a good mixture that is effective and tolerable.  You can also make an infusion of the herbs in the form of a tea. 

Most all of the parts of the elder can be used medicinally, but the bark, leaves and roots are generally considered to be unsafe as they are very potent.  Even elderberries should be used sparingly, but the flowers are considered safe for use with no limit on doses.  The actions of elder flowers include diaphoretic, anti-catarrhal, anti-spasmodic, febrifuge, aperient, and anti-inflammatory  meaning that they are good for fevers and infections along with the symptoms that go with them.

The above ground parts of the yarrow plant can be used medicinally; who wouldn't love to drink a brew of such pretty flowers.  It is best to gather in full flower in the summer, but I have to admit that our warm-ish winters keep this plant green all year, and I have gone and snipped at it when needed during this time.

Yarrow is an amazing plant with many uses.  It usually ends up in most salves that I make, and also in most teas as well as it is just so good for you.  I use it with colds, but it also good for any bleeding issues as well.   It is a diaphoretic, hypotensive, astringent, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, anti-microbial, anti-viral, bitter, hepatic, vulnerary, and emmenagogue.

Peppermint has long been used as a tonic for digestive issues, but this plant has so many more uses.  Most mints look alot alike, but they also have similar propeties so if you have spearmint growing in your yard feel free to use it as you would peppermint.  Peppermint's properties include it being useful in colds and flu, due to its anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, anti-emetic, anti-microbial, analgesic, and stimulant properties.

Again, you can use these herbs safely in almost unlimited amounts, please use common sense, and gauge how your patient is reacting.  Teas are simple with either dried or fresh herbs, or you could choose to make a tincture.  I was going to link to how to make specific tinctures at this point, but I don't believe that I've ever posted this before.  I guess I know what I need to do next....

I am easily distracted, I have to admit.  It doesn't take much to make my mind wander, and conversations are difficult as I tend to be a couple of degrees off of where things usually are.  The bad thing is that age has made it worse.  The good thing is that my distractions tend to mostly be people, and there are so many new people that I am meeting who I find fascinating.... This has to be one of the best things about life... meeting and understanding people. 

I don't think that I've ever received a request for a specific topic here, but recently was asked for info on tea by one of the above said fascinating people I've recently gotten to know.  At first I thought that she was interested in how to make the actual tea, which my response was to just throw some herbs together...

Since I seldom seem to get anything initially anymore as my mind constantly wanders, she explained that she wanted to know more about how to make a good cup of tea...

I felt a bit bad about this as I've been such a slave to coffee lately and have abandoned my leaves for beans...  Maybe this would be a good time to revisit and rekindle the relationship that tea and I used to had, and also a chance to dust off the camera and show you how I do it...

I'm not going into the kinds of teas, or the benefits of them, other than to say that most all of the teas I use tend to have a base of organic green tea that I tend to buy by the pound from Frontier.  I do have access to a wholesale account and it's pretty affordable in this manner.  They are also a great supplier of herbs, and if I'm not picking it myself this is where I get them.  The Bulk Herb Store is also another great supplier, and Shoshanna has some wonderful blends that I tend to look at when I'm making my own recipes.

I am from the south and I grew up drinking the vile, sickeningly-sweet drink known as iced tea as my main drink in life... I then got addicted to the wonderful blend known as Market Spice tea in Seattle.  I think it is probably still my most favorite tea, but I've grown too cheap to buy it regularly any more.  Now I tend to stick to my herb blends so that I get more bang for my buck... rather than just enjoying a good cup of tea, I want some other benefits as well...

Tea is basically plant material infused in hot water.  There are several ways to do this, but they do tend to be the same in overall theory. 

To heat water I like to use a tea kettle, mine is electric, but stovetop is always an option.   I like the electric kettle because it brings the water just to boiling and then cuts off.  You don't want the water to really boil as that will change the taste and quality of the tea.  You want the initial boiling and then turn it off.  You can also do a minute in the microwave if you have to as well; this is not preferred or great, but I won't say that it isn't done at times in my house. 

I don't tend to buy tea bags as I make my own teas, and I think that often the most inferior of teas are put into bags.  When you buy loose tea you really see what you are getting.

To infuse the tea you need to put it in the hot water.  Options for this include buying your own tea bags (I don't do this), using a tea ball, using a specially made tea cup (usually from import stores), or just dumping the tea in the water.

No method seems better or worse than the others... some are just bigger messes and leave more debris in your finished tea.  It comes down to what you can live with.

Tea balls are the easiest, in my opinion, just don't overload them.  Generally I look to fill up one side of the ball loosely with tea.  You want the water to be able to circulate well.  Tea balls are also very easy to clean up and don't tend to spill out into your tea.

The import tea cups usually have a tea compartement that is lifted out.  Depending upon the size of the holes or slits the tea can end up with leaves all in it that require you to either drink the leaves or strain them out.  I am also concerned that alot of these pieces are ceramic and from China (but that's another entry altogether) so I avoid their use.

Dumping loose leaves in the water sounds good, but you have to strain them out, and alot of the time they sink to the bottom and don't circulate well.

Another option, for those who want to buy another kitchen piece, is a percolator.  I have a stovetop version that you put in water and tea and then heat according to the directions.  It is simple, easy and the tea tends to come out very clean and free of leaves.  The only issue is that you allow it to perk only 3-4 minutes at most and you have to pay attention to it or it will be over-done, and with green tea this means bitter.

I do usually percolate my daily type teas that I want to make several cups, and use a tea ball when we are making single servings that are usually medicinal in nature.

Once you add tea with water you want to allow it to steep.  I cover it with an index card usually, but any kind of lid would work.  That's the nice thing about the import-style tea cup... it's an all-in-one set up, it's just unfortunate that there's no telling what it was glazed with.

I steep mine for 3-4 minutes.  Green teas can be a bit bitter when oversteeped.  Remove your tea ball at this time or strain the tea if needed.  You can add sweeteners at this time if you desire, but I personally tend to use a bit of dried stevia in my daily blends and this is usually enough.

The tea cup in the back is the import tea cup... you can see some leaves still left.

The left cup is the one that held the tea ball, and it seems to have the least amount of tea debris in it.

THe middle is the tea that was just dumped in and strained out.  Alot of debris is left.

The right cup is the pecolator tea. It didn't have alot of leaves in it either.

As far as tasting them all... the three that came from water in the kettle were pretty similar.  The percolator tea was a bit more complex as I could taste alot of the secondary herbs that were in the blend I used today.  It bordered on a bit more bitter, but I believe this was related to the other herbs and not the perc time.  Also... never use any coffee pot/percolator for tea that has been used for coffee.  It will be too overpowered by the coffee and your tea will taste horrible.

The colors on the above tea were pretty identical in  person... I think that the light affected the picture.

So... please enjoy a cup of tea and all the good things that can be found in it.

It's been a while since I did one of my hokey tutorials, and I felt the burning need to do one.....

The main reason for this salve is the wonderful hormonal changes that being middle-aged can bring....  It is actually Dr Schultes' formula for hormonal regulation for women, but with a twist....

I've been reading up on some older herbalist practices along with newer research on salves.  It would seem that these topical ointments may have better absorption into the body than herbs in the forms of tictures or teas.  The main issue, in my opinion, is which method extracts the herbs the best into the oil?

The formula I used is heavy on the roots, and I've made a Wild Yam salve in the past that seems pretty good to me, so I thought that I'd give it a try with this one....

................................................................................

Women's Formula

4 Tbsp Wild Yam root

4 Tbsp Chaste Berries

4 Tbsp Angelica Root

2 Tbsp Hops

2 Tbsp Damiana

Enough olive oil to cover and beeswax to firm.

Essential Oils... I used Tea Tree and Rosemary as this is a pretty strong smelling blend of herbs.  I also add Grapefruit seed extract.  (5 drops of each per 2 oz of salve)

1.  Combine the Wild Yam, Chaste berries, and Angelica root in a mason jar.  Boil some water for tea and pour, gently over the herbs to just barely moisten them.  Allow them to sit for about 30 minutes.  Put the whole jar into a crockpot on top of a folded towel (I use a cotton pot holder).  Put some water in the crockpot so that the herb jar is in a water bath of sorts.  It doesn't have to be high up the jar, just don't have it too hot so that the oil in the herbs boils, and try not to let the water run dry.

2.  Cover the herb mixture with the olive oil.  Keep in your crock pot overnight, making sure the water doesn't run dry.

3.  The next day add the Hops and Damiana... stir it around and top off the oil if needed.  Allow this to stay in the crockpot for at least another 2 or 3 days.

Your herbs will be dark and used up looking.

4.  Strain the oil from the herbs.

5.  Add beeswax to the oil and allow it to melt over a double boiler.

6.  Put your drops of essential oils and grapefruit seed extract (a preservative) into the jar/jars you intend to use. 

7.  Pour the liquid salve into the jars very carefully.  Allow to cool over several hours.

I like to add an herb or two to my arsenal of remedies each season so that I continue to learn and grow.  There are always old favorites, but occasionally a new one comes on the scene.

This fall I have been reading about Elecampane (Inula helenium).  I initially noticed this herb as a part of Rosemary Gladstar's recommendations for bronchial infections and her children's lung and chest congestion formula in her Family Herbal book.  So I decided to get some to have on hand for this winter.

I figured that I would use it on the kids or my mother if they came down with anything this season.  Little did I know that I would be my own guinea pig.  I've had a horrible time the past 2 weeks with what I have diagnosed as bronchitis.  I had tried a few other remedies when I remembered my elecampane.  It is very bitter, but I drank it as a tea.  Before I finished my first cup I could feel my lungs expanding without irritation. 

This sunny, yellow flowered plant is actually supposed to be easy to grow, and may be an addition to my garden this next spring.  I probably won't use it medicinally if I can help it as the roots are the ideal part to use.

It can be infused and drank as a tea or tinctured to cover the bitter taste.

Recently, I made a tea for a friend with some specific health issues.  She was mainly looking for liver and uterine support, but I thought that this blend might be of value for me as well. 

It's actually a pretty tasty tea, that is a nice afternoon drink with the green tea option, or a nice bedtime one if chamomile is used....

2 parts Chamomile or green tea (jasmine green tea is also a good choice)

1.5 parts Red Raspberry leaf

1 part Burdock root

1 part Nettle leaf

1 part Horsetail/shavegrass

1 part Licorice root

1 part Vitex (chasteberries)

0.5 parts Lady's Mantle

0.5 parts Ginger root

0.5 parts Wild Yam

I decided to clean up some of my plants and gardening areas in my backyard, and in the process decided to move some things around.

I had planted some goldenrod last year, and things always seem to get bigger than I plan on so we move them around time after time. 

So why have I planted goldenrod?  Have I gone completely nuts?  Isn't there enough growing wild on the road-side for everyone to enjoy?

I, for one, like it... I think that it beautiful at a time of year when other plants are spent and done for the season.  They are pretty hardy and also very drought-tolerant.

Goldenrod, Solidago canadanesis, has also been used medicinally since the middle ages for wounds and kidney issues.  The leaves and flowers have also been used in treating fever, colds, respiratory issues including hayfever, and bleeding wounds.  It is most popularly used now to assist the function of the kidneys by increasing perfusion to this organ.  The leaves are best picked in spring and early summer for teas, but the flowers may also be picked this time of year and tinctured.

I did cut mine back so that I could move it, but what better than to bring it up on the porch in a vase and enjoy it for a few more days....

I am tired of summer at this point, and I am trying to anticipate winter thru the current heat.

 I was doing a light inventory, so to speak, of my current herbs, and  I decided to go ahead and prepare some teas for this winter.

We aren't typically sick, but we do experience our share of sore throats and the like.  The Princess also enjoys making her own blends. So this is what we made....

Sore Throat Tea (from a Rosemary Gladstar recipe)

2 parts licorice root

1 part cinnamon chips

1 part echinacea

1 part marshmallow root

1/4 part dried ginger chips

The Princess's Chamomile Tea

1 part chamomile

1 part lemon balm

1 part lemon grass

1 part catnip

................................................................

I do keep a pretty decent stock of dried herbs that I rotate thru... I try and prefer to keep them in glass jars, but it is not always possible.  Many stay in the containers in which they come for a while.

Yesterday we went to the garden to do some weeding and picking..... as we are also doing a big project at home that involves woodwork (more to come on this) I knew I was going to be nasty most of the day and didn't want to put on my decent pair of normal pants which consists of a pair of capri pants....  So I wore a pair of shorts to the garden.

Wearing shorts is no big deal, but my problem is that bugs love me.... I have a pretty consistent ring of bug bites in various stages of healing around both of my lower calves from where I get bitten every week in the garden....

This morning I fortunately remembered that I had made Vinegar of the 4 Thieves this past winter.  I diluted it and rubbed it over my arms and legs....

While I did stink, Bob said he thought that the garbage needed to be taken out, I did not have ONE BUG bite me... and this included working in the garage at home afterwards....

You can read an article at the above link on the history of this remedy.  I followed the recipe at No Greater Joy by Debi Pearl pretty much as written except I cut it in half and didn't can mine as I plan on using it up this summer....

Vinegar of the 4 Thieves (Half version)

1 quarts of apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoons lavender

1 tablespoons rosemary

1 tablespoons sage

1 tablespoons wormwood

1 tablespoons rue

1 tablespoons mint (I used peppermint)

1 tablespoons fresh, chopped garlic

You basically make it like a tincture adding all the ingredients EXCEPT the garlic in a large glass jar.  Allow it to sit for 2 weeks shaking it a couple of times a day.  Strain out the herbs leaving the vinegar.  Add the garlic and replace the lid letting it soak for another 3 days.  Strain out the garlic and store in a cool, dark place or can using a water bath.  Remember to date and label your final storage jar.....

The nature hike went well this morning in Georgia...  NW Georgia this time of year is really close to perfection...

Before the group at large arrived, the Princess and I noted a large amount of plantain (Plantago major) growing at the site...  She quickly got to work picking as much as she could of this wonderful weed...

Now, you could use it fresh, but I prefer my plantain dried.... so how do I dry my herbs?

I am generally a lazy-kind of girl... but there is an upside to this... I would like to think that it adds to my creativity as I want the biggest bang for the time I have to put into something....  This is the way that I have found works for me... and the HOA (Home Owners Association) hasn't complained yet!

General principles.... you can dry herbs outside, but it defeats the purpose if it rains on them.... check the weather.

Don't dry them in the direct sunlight....

An attic is a good dry, dark place..... it is often recommended to hang herbs in bundles in this setting.

You can use a dehydrator or low heat oven.... but this again takes watching and I don't have a dehydrator.

What I do:

I have these really big windows on the back of my breakfast area....  They are about 6 feet by 3 feet each.

I take the screens off of 2 of the windows.

I generally like to keep the windows open, but don't with the 2 that I use.

I then take what ever herb I have for the day.... today it was plantain.  I wash the herb first (just in case a dog found it before me... to quote Debi Pearl) 

I then lay it out in a single layer on the screen....

I put the screen on my front porch... it is shaded here from direct sun  (the porch is east facing)...

I then put the other screen on top and put rocks on the sides to keep it steady...

With thin, flat herbs it only takes 1-3 days to dry depending upon the temperature...   Some pods and roots can take a bit longer... your main goal is to get all of the water out of the herbs so that they are preserved...

I then store the herbs in glass mason jars until I need them.  They should be good for a year or so depending upon how well you dry them....

I have found that I can't pick enough plantain it seems... so I haven't had to worry about keeping it for more than a year...

You can use dried herbs just as you would fresh.... in teas, salves, or tinctures.... the only thing you can't do is extract juice...

We enjoy a beauty treatment every now and then, and this week the Princess and I decided to do a hair treatment. 

I make my own blend of herbs that are suited to our blonde hair, but will give other options for those of you who weren't so blessed...  You can buy premade blends of herbs from The BulkHerb Store 

Some herbs are good for overall hair health and can be beneficial to most people.  Horsetail has high levels of silicon and really helps to plump the hair shaft.  Horsetail along with nettles  make my hair feel full and thick while adding to its shine.

For blonde highlights I also added chamomile flowers and yarrow.... I also added some thyme as it is good for all types of hair.

For dark hair you might consider a combo of horsetail, nettles, rosemary, thyme and sage.

Redheads can use horsetail, nettles, and marigold/calendula.

My herbs were mostly dried, cut and sifted, but I wanted them smaller.  I pulsed them in the blender until they were as powdered as I could get them.

I then put them in a pan and added lemon juice, again for blondes...use vinegar for reds and dark...

You want the mixture to be soupy.  You then heat it on the stove for about 5 minutes just under the point of boiling.  Let it cool a bit and add 2 eggs....

Stir the mixture well and then put onto dry hair...I squeeze the liquid into the hair to wet the hair.

After the hair is covered, cover the head with plastic bags.  You are wanting to seal in the heat along with containing the mess.  Cover the bag with a warm towel and allow it to sit for 45 minutes.

Next you need to rinse your hair.  This is a big mess.... We actually did our initial rinse outside in the back yard with the hose.  We then came in a rinsed well in the sink/garbage disposal.  Don't wash your hair until the next day and just let it air dry.

BEFORE

AFTER

Addendum....This is a highlighting/beauty treatment, but it does helps to fill in the hair shaft and strengthens the hair...   These herbs are also good for a bit of bounce in my normally thin, stringy hair...

It is not a deep cleanse for the hair.... I may have to come up with something, though...

The "after" picture of me is not that different from the first one... but I have several products in my blow-dried hair for the "before" one, and my hair was naturally air dried without products in the "after" one.
I try to use it before I get my color done as it makes it healthier IMO....

For those who know me, and those who don't, you might realize that I tend to easily get a bit over-zealous in my views at times.... I tend to go to extremes easily whether it be good or bad.  One area that I know I do this with is my take on herbs... If I'm going to go natural, I'm going to go all of the way, not just part way. 

This is obviously a very stupid thing for me to do... it doesn't require thought on any level and is not really a valid thing to do as it isn't for the best of my family.  It has unfortunately been seen in my tinctures.

Up until now I have only made tinctures with alcohol, mainly vodka.  The only change in this was when a friend gave me a bottle of Everclear and I tinctured it.  I had never drank Everclear and there were a few drops left in the bottle so I turned it up and chugged what was left.  I do drink alcohol on occasion, but didn't realize that Everclear was the equivalent of radioactive waste..... Let me just say that it burned my lips where the bottle touched and burned allllllll the way down to my stomach. 

 I had long forgotten the cold and flu tincture I made from this until I gave a dose to the Princess and she made a  horrible face and started screaming about the burn.  I took a few drops myself and realized, this was the Everclear. 
When we need this tincture we take the drops and put them in a mug, pour boiling water over the top, and add a bit of honey for the kids to take it....  This way the alcohol was evaporated and my kids weren't too sad.

So.... what are the other options?

This past week I made my first glycerin tincture.   I combined all of the herbs in a mason jar and added a bit of hot/boiling water just to moisten the herbs.  I then filled the jar with glycerin.  The glycerin was from the health food store and HAS to be food grade.

I then stirred the contents and put it in the crock pot.  Essentially you want to make a water bath for the tincture to sit in.  I put a folded towel under the jar and filled the crock with water coming half-way up the side of the mason jar.  My crock pot has a keep warm setting and this works well I have found.

I kept the tincture in the crock pot for 3 days; I would stir it once or twice a day, and check and make sure that there was plenty of water in the crock.

After 3 days, I strained the herbs from the glycerin thru a piece of cheesecloth.  After squeezing as much a possible out, I poured a small amount of boiling water over the herbs to release the last bit of glycerin that they contained.

I then bottled the tincture and labelled it.  The kids both now enjoy taking their herbs!

I don't plan on giving up my alcohol tinctures altogether, but I may plan on doing more glycerin ones in the future.  I may also do some of both and then combine them (using the same herbs in each) as they both lead to the release of different herb properties from being heated (glycerin) and being macerated a longer time(alcohol).

.............................................

COLD TINCTURE

1 part Peppermint

1 part Mullein

1 part Yarrow

1/2 part Echinacea root

I am one of those people who have a hard time backing down from a challenge... call it a character flaw, but I am what I am.... 

More often than not the challenge is from myself, and this whole blog/computer thing has been nothing but a big challenge as I am not the most technologically advanced person...  My latest challenge was learning how to get a video from anywhere onto the computer... My camcorder is analog (?), but I have my handy-dandy digital camera.  Today the Princess and I tried it out....  I warn you... it is VERY rough.  I don't think were going to be accepting any EMMYs anytime soon, but then I can only get better...

You will probably need to turn off the music, maybe not, and it can be paused by clicking the II in the upper left hand side of the sound box below the album graphic (lower left hand corner of this page) The II will then become a >...

Basically, a wonderful friend sent me a copy of The Bulk Herb Store's dvd on Making Herbs Simple... one of the things that they made was a plantain tincture with apple cider vinegar.  This can be used topically for bug bites, itching and blemishes... anything you want to draw out of the skin this astringent concoction can help.

We put some dried plantain in a mason jar, added some hot, not boiling, water to moisten and reconstitute it, and then covered it all with the AC vinegar.  We'll let it sit for 2-3 weeks, shaking it daily, and then strain out the herbs.  This tincture will then be ready for use.

I have been wanting to attempt to make lipbalm, but I was slightly intimidated by the possibility of failure so I had put it off.  Well, today was my big day, and it worked well.

Now don't get confused... I know how to make the lip balm, I just wanted to put it in a tube and have it work, and it actually did....

Making lip balm is pretty much like making salves, just with more bees' wax...  I was wanting to mimic the Burt's Bees peppermint lip balm and think that I came close...

To make my balm I infused some olive oil with peppermint.  To infuse oil I put olive oil with dried peppermint in the top of a double boiler for 3 hours; then strain the spent herb from the oil.... you now have an infused oil.

I added at bit of jojoba oil to the mixture for added moisture, and then added an almost equal amount of bees' wax.  I didn't measure closely, but what I have is 2 oz olive oil, 1/2 oz jojoba oil, and 2 oz bees' wax.  I then added essential oils.  I turned the double burner off at this point since the essential oils are more affected by heat.  I added in about 10 drops of rosemary essential oil and about 20 drops or so of peppermint essential oil.  I put in 3 drops of grapefruit seed extract also as a preservative.

I then gently poured with a spoon the liquid into the tubes I had been saving.  I wish I had more tubes, but can always melt the larger containers down later on for this purpose.  I ended up with 2 lip balm tubes, 1 small pot that is 1/4 oz in size, a full 2 oz container, and half of another 2 oz container with this amount of oil.

I let is cool on the counter and in about 20 minutes I had real lip balm in a tube...  It is just the right consistency and smells great, too....

As much as I have come to enjoy my teas, I also find tinctures very useful and practical.  A tincture is a way in which you can make your own herbal medicine. 
Either dried or fresh herbs may be used with the base being either alcoholic or glycerine based.  I personally prefer vodka as the menstruum, or liquid, with 80 or 100 proof adequate.

I do use a simplers, or folk, method for making tinctures.  I don't do alot of measuring, and use tinctures primarily as a way to preserve my seasonal herbs.

This is not a step-by-step method of making tinctures, that may come later, but these are simply some of the recipes I have used with some success.

These recipes may also be taken as teas, but I would probably omit the cayenne....

**These can be used by children as well as adults, the alcohol can be easily evaporated by putting the resulting tincture drops into hot, boiling water.   I usually put the drops I want in a small mug, add water from the tea kettle along with some honey, and allow it to cool.  This seems to be the best way I have found for kids to dring them when needed.

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Cold Formula

1 part peppermint

1 part chamomile

1 part sage

1 part lemon grass

1 part yarrow

1.5 parts licorice root

.5 part of cayenne

2 parts echinacea

1 part rosehips

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Flu and Vomiting Formula

5 parts ginger

2 parts fennel seed

2 parts catnip

1 part echinaecea

1 part slippery elm

1 part licorice root

.5 part cayenne

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Salves are one of the things that I really enjoy making.  They can be powerful, yet subtle, simple to make, yet complex in their effects.  I have to give the warning that I seldom measure anything exactly unless I am baking... I use a simplers method to make salves, so the measurements here are not to be considered precise.  These are some of the formulas that I have come up with and seem to be useful...

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BooBoo Salve:I use as an alternative to neosporin, it soothes, heals, and fights bacteria with the anticeptic properties of allantoin.  Can be used on cuts, bruises, sprains and broken bones.

2 parts comfrey

1 part Echinacea purpura

1 part plantain

1 part mullein

0.5 part lavender

1 part yarrow

Coconut oil and/or olive oil

Bees' wax

Tea Tree oil (4drops/2 oz)

Grapefruit seed extract (6 drops/2oz)

Lavender essential oil (5 drops/2oz)

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Itchy Salve: good for itches, bug bites, stings, and poison ivy

2 parts plantain

1 part comfrey

1-2 parts calendula

0.5 part marshmallow root

1 part chamomile

0.5 part thyme

0.5 part rosemary

Coconut and/ or olive oil

Bees' wax

Grapefruit seed extract ((I use 6 drops per 2oz)

Eucalyptus and rosemary essential oils (I use 4 drops each per 2 oz.)

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Soothing Salve

5 parts comfrey

1 part rosemary

1 part lavender

1 part calendula

1 part plantain

1 part chickweed

1 part mullein

beeswax

Olive oil

Essential oils of rosemary, lavender and tea tree

Grapefruit seed extract

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H-salve: for Hemerrhoids

1 part white oak bark

2 parts mullein

1 part marshmallow

1 part wormwood

1 part lobelia

2 parts comfrey

0.5 part black walnut

0.5 part Queen of the Meadow/Joe-pye weed..if available

Olive oil

Bees' wax

Aloe after infused

I will post later on how to make salves.  It is really quite quick and easy to do.  The herbs may be either fresh or dried, and to make salve you only need regular kitchen equipment.   You can find out more info on the exact herbs online or in most herb books.