Sage Against the Machine

A significant part of our Homo-Steading journey has been practicing self reliance in all forms.

When Marti contracted a spot of poison ivy earlier this Summer, she took to the woods (but first to Google) to harvest some jewelweed to apply to her itchy skin. When we have needed a little pick me up and have run out of coffee, we have sipped on Nettle tea, fresh from the woods. Using herbs for cooking and for medicine is part of our daily life and will continue to be more significant, as we plan to repurpose the vast majority of our backyard as a small speciality herb farm in the summer of 2020.

Ash is now working as an herb crafter at Kae Apothecary, one of our favorite shops on main street. Through her work she has deepened her study of herbalism and has incorporated many more herbs into our daily lives. Not only does  herbalism allow us the ability to treat common ailments from nature without the use of a doctors office or pharmacist, but it allows us the ability to share our bounty with others in need.

Here are a few easy ways to incorporate more herbs and herbal products into your daily life for an overall health boost.

-Red Clover Tincture: Fill a jar with clean Red Clover blossoms. Fill to the top with vodka. Store in a cool place for 6 weeks. Strain out plant material. Use to balance hormones and to help heal chest congestion.

-Calendula: In addition to being a bright addition to any salad or dessert, Calendula flowers can be infused into oil and turned into a salve for achey muscles. Excellent for a rub down after an Epsom salt bath.

-Beat the Blues Tea: When herbs are plentiful in the Summer months there is no need to dry them, you can step fresh herbs in hot water for a delightful and fast cup. Our favorite tea at the moment features lemon balm and sweet mint, fresh from the garden. Lemon balm is known as the sunshine herb and has been known to reduce depression and anxiety. Mint helps reduce tension and ward off headaches. They are a match made in heaven.