Healing Herbs

Spring Ice Storm with the New Moon in Aries in April 2018

April 16, 2018 in Biodiversity / Food / Gardening / Healing Herbs / Wild Harvest by Kelli

I follow a lot of different growers, herbalists and nature websites and it has been hard to see all these baskets of lovely wild greens being harvested and eaten and even flowers blooming while this is my yard – ice so thick on the bird feeder it is weighting it, activating the squirrel proof mechanism that keeps it closed. I keep chipping away at it and am putting extra out on the table.
Everyone is desperate.

The spark of spring only exists in the wood stove just now but the one in my heart is smoldering as I stand in amazement at the variety of life and am beyond thankful that I don’t have to live outside all the time. Thankful for my family, my warm bed and for my many aromatherapy blends and salves which carry me through while I wait for better weather.

Ice covering everything

Various Finches

Red Wing Blackbirds

Even the fox is hungry enough to come closer before the storm

finches

Arnica, crowded and ready to be outside.

All babies potted up now and much happier but leaves little room for anything else until Spring comes around.

I was looking forward to this sorrel I found last week but……..

And definitely some of the Nettles coming up all around

Winter Waiting

February 9, 2018 in Healing Herbs / Markets / Natural Skin Care by Kelli

Wow it is cold outside!!!
Everyone probably needs some extra moisturization for the skin, and there are lots of pure and natural ways to hydrate your skin in the depths of winter; one example is coconut oil directly on the skin. But if you need a little something more specialized I have two new products ready to go and inspired by customer requests. Both are nourishing, gentle, and essential oil free, one for the face and one for anywhere else.
Hope you enjoy!

Calendula and Marshmallow Salve, with no added essential oils – A gentle and light skin healing and moisturizing blend
Velvet Moisture Blend 10ml roll-on – This blend, containing pure organic Rosehip Seed oil, organic Argan and organic Jojoba oil leaves the skin feeling smooth and nourished

It is now time for me to start some seeds indoors and plan for the upcoming growing season, which I am very excited for. Winter is lovely, but I do really miss my work with the live plants. See you soon at the markets!

Tulsi tea

November 9, 2017 in Healing Herbs by Kelli

Sometimes all you need is is a little light and a fresh cup of tulsi tea.

Tulsi/mint tea

Marshmallow, Calendula, & Tea Tree Salve

October 12, 2017 in Gardening / Healing Herbs / Natural Skin Care / Products by Kelli

This salve is inspired by this post on marshmallow by Rosalee de la Foret.
I love marshmallow; it’s a moon herb, and helpful in so many ways. It makes the absolute best lip salves too, that will be coming up soon! It has been so wonderful to learn the different ways to utilize the healing potentials of the plants and to learn this method of infusing the properties of marshmallow into oil.

I have 3 first season Althaea officinalis plants and one is very crowded so I decided to use it. First I dug up the root, then scrubbed it clean, and shredded it. Then patience and attention, just what I need.

grated and chopped into the oil over a double burner, on low for 2 hours.

first year marshmallow root

Cooling

cleaning it up to be chopped and grated, then partially dried before infusing it into oil.

After the first hour of simmering I added 1/3 ratio of warm infused plantain and self heal into safflower oil and jojoba. At the end, I always blend my essential oils into a small amount of jojoba oil before I mix them in to the final batch. Then I test the ratios and consistency and pour into prepared jars.