I have to admit, I’m a sucker for a beautiful book. And The Homesteader’s Herbal Companion does not disappoint. While beauty will certainly get me to pick up a book, the contents must be just as attractive and interesting. Author Amy K. Fewell has done a great job of delivering the whole package.
Have you noticed, while walking among pine or other evergreens, that some trees exude a sticky substance? This is resin and is produced as a healing and protective measure when a tree is wounded.
The pine resin is antimicrobial and works to protect the plant from disease. Those same components can help to fight bacteria and fungus on our bodies, as well, making pine resin a great item for your home first aid kit. Continue Reading
One of the first things a girl needs to know (ok, boys, too) when learning about herbal medicine is to make an herbal infusion. And if the girl has time on her hands, time is all she needs.
But sometimes mullein needs to be quickly infused for an earache. Or plantain for a healing balm. If you don’t have time, you need heat. Not just any heat – gentle heat. The kind of heat you get from a double boiler.Continue Reading
One of the most widely used products in skin care products is petrolatum, also known as petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly works by coating the skin and preventing moisture loss; it is not itself a moisturizer. A by-product of the oil industry, I prefer to use alternatives to petroleum jelly to soften my skin.Continue Reading
One of my favorite things ever is watching someone’s eyes light up as they are opened to a new idea. That happened recently on a walk with my niece. I just naturally started pointing out plants, as I’m inclined to do, that are edible or medicinal and I saw it happen. And she said it. “You mean they’re not just weeds?”Continue Reading
Common mullein, Verbascum thapsus, is a tall biennial that tolerates a wide range of growing conditions and is found throughout most of North America. As an herb, mullein is most commonly used to treat earaches and coughs, but has other uses as well.Continue Reading