May 2012
Dear Friends,
The growing season has started here in the east and it’s always exciting to see the reemergence of plants that adorn the landscape. The lilacs are blooming early this year, as they did in 1921, the year my Mother was born. The catnip is about 8 inches high now and this pleases my kitties more than I can say. It is one of their favorite weeds. They tend to take it for granted by the end of the summer but after a long “dry” winter they are absolutely giddy to have some of the fresh stuff. The baby chicks I’m raising get so excited when I give them chickweed; they run and flutter around their cage spreading woodchips everywhere.
I don’t use herbicides on my property 1) it’s poison 2) I’m an herbalist 3) I use the weeds / herbs for food and medicine.
So I thought that you might be interested if I told you about some of the wild herbs that grow on my property and some of how I use them. Let’s drop the pretense and call them weeds.
The first weed to emerge is chickweed. It starts as soon as the snow melts and it is very high in vitamin C and minerals. Besides feeding this to your chickens, you can add it to salad for a pleasant sweet flavor or simmer it in sesame oil then strain and bottle the oil to use for psoriasis. I use it in my Blood Purifier for its high nutritional value and its exquisite ability to cleanse the blood.
Violets grow so abundantly on our property that I have at times ripped them out by the handfuls. They are calming to the nerves and have anti-fever and anti-cancer properties. I use them in my Fibro-Nervine tincture for fibromyalgia and restlessness. The purple flowers dress up salads, soups and cakes. They are totally edible and delicious too.
Dandelion gets an undeserved bad name but it is probably one of the finest herbs. The flowers are high in lecithin, which is good for memory. It makes a delicious wine too. I tried it once but it turned out too sweet for my liking so I left it in the cellar for 13 years and now it’s like an awesome brandy. The dandelion is unbeatable for detoxification; bladder infections, diabetes and more than I can even list here. I use it in my Hepa-Health tincture for liver kidneys and bladder in my Blood Purifier for diabetes and cholesterol as well as in my Fem-Fit for fibroid tumors.
Jewelweed is a stately, moisture-loving plant with exotic orange flowers. I run it through the blender with vodka and strain thoroughly so that it can be used in a pump aerosol for itchy bug bites and poison ivy. Or you can simply rub the leave on an itchy spot.
St John’s Wort shows up around July and I wish I could impart to you the sweet delightful smell that fills the property when it is fresh and also when it’s drying. Interestingly enough it is the greens, not the flowers that are so fragrant. It’s an anti-depressant of the highest order. It is in my Blissful Spirit, which I use to wean clients off of pharmaceutical anti-depressants. Some use it in place of pharmaceuticals for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), menopause, ADD, ADHD and also to quit smoking. St.John’s wort is also in my Fibro-Nervine that is used for nerve pain and calming the nervous system.
Red clover, a favorite of the honeybees, is a great cancer preventer. It’s good for the pulmonary system and is an excellent expectorant. It is a depurative, which means it purifies toxins from the body. It makes a lovely tea, especially when the flowers are fresh. I use it in my Herbal Antibiotic for its ability to cleanse the skin and prevent acne.
Last but not least is Yarrow, probably my all time favorite herb. I make a first-aid ointment called Yarrow Ointment. Simply gather enough to fill a small cast iron frying pan. Slowly melt a pound of pork lard (or coconut oil) in the pan and add the yarrow while it is still fresh. Simmer very slowly for at least an hour being careful not to break up the yarrow as it will get crisp. Pour off the oil into a jar and refrigerate. Use it for cuts, scrapes and burns, you will be surprised how quickly your wounds will heal, and with no scar!
I hope you will look at your weeds in a new light and be thankful for these free, effective, wholesome and safe methods of healing we have in our own backyards!
A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.
~Doug Larson
Love and Light, Lori
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