Monthly Archives: September 2016

Harvesting Tulsi Holy basil

 in Aromatherapy / Distillation / Gardening / Healing Herbs by

Nearly every day I harvest baskets full of tulsi. Some goes on to the drying racks and some into the still. The action of harvesting is aromatherapy from the source; it transports you into a meditative state of mind.  Crisp and transforming, it is easily a replacement for the morning coffee as far as my mind is concerned, but my kapha type body needs a little more right now as the temperatures cool down and the seasons begin to change.  A ritual of herbal teas, aromatherapy and exercise (yoga or a walk in the woods) is helpful to support the body and mind at this time of transition.  I have a new blend in the webshop called Transition which is appropriate for personal or seasonal changes.

A sea of Tulsi.

A sea of Tulsi, with a very large Sweet potato tied up in the back corner.

 

Stuffing Tulsi into the 5 liter glass for distillation.

Stuffing Tulsi into the 5 liter glass for distillation.

Processing Spilanthes for great results and long term storage

 in Gardening / Healing Herbs by

Spilanthes Acmella is an amazing herb now known as Oleracea Acmella.  I have had great success growing it outdoors in Sweden and Vermont.  It needs sun, warmth and water. For the last 2 years it has held a small place in the greenhouse where it thrives.  We eat the potent leaves regularly as we work in the greenhouse and the tiny unique flower buds are a powerhouse of medicinal uses. Famous for it’s healing effects in the mouth including toothache, gum disease, blisters and sores. This year I experimented and discovered a way to preserve the flower heads that makes dosage strength easier to control and the drying process uniform without so much loss of potency you get when drying the whole heads.  I make my own tinctures mostly for use as mouthwash but now you can buy the dried herb from me to either make your own tincture or just make a tea as needed to be used as a mouth or eye wash.  Other uses of the herb include boosting the immune system and healing skin conditions.  Please feel free to research this amazing plant yourself; there are many ongoing research studies.

Spilanthes flowers in the blender

Spilanthes flowers in the blender

finely chopped Spilanthes drying.

finely chopped Spilanthes drying.