Even though homesteaders tend to be really good at working hard, most of us need to get better at relaxing and pampering ourselves sometimes. That's exactly what The Herb Lover's Spa Book provides -- information and recipes for naturally pampering ourselves. Author Sue Goetz has put together a beautiful and informative book filled with stunning photographs and simple recipes. … [Read more...]
A beginner’s guide to medicinal herbs
Within hours of starting to read Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide, I had started a tincture and an infusion. It is one of my favorite herbal books for beginners, and I'm not alone in that opinion. It is one of the classics. The book starts with basic info about herbs, then includes a chapter on how to make herbal remedies. She has complete instructions … [Read more...]
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange giveaway
Located in Mineral, Virginia, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange is a 72-acre farm and cooperatively run business which sells more than 800 varieties of open-pollinated, organic, and heirloom vegetable, herb, flower, grain, and cover crop seeds. Most of their seeds are grown by a network of over 50 small farms across the United States. You can learn about some of their seed … [Read more...]
Planting a medicinal herb garden
I’ve spent the day curled up with my favorite seed catalogs and dreaming about my gardens. Every year between Groundhog Day and the first day of planting in the spring I struggle to find activities that allow me to feel close to green growing things. This year has been particularly maddening with the early spring teasing us to get outdoors, tempting us to do more than is wise … [Read more...]
Clear Creek Seeds giveaway
The seed giveaways continue with a giveaway today from Clear Creek Seeds! Started in 2010, Clear Creek Seeds is a family-owned business which offers non-GMO, open-pollinated, non-treated heirloom vegetable, flower, and herb seeds. They have signed the "Safe Seed Pledge" indicating that they do not knowingly purchase or sell genetically engineered seeds. In addition to … [Read more...]
Renee’s Garden Seed Giveaway
We’re excited to continue our series of seed giveaways with a giveaway from Renee’s Garden! They offer vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, including heirlooms, hybrids, open-pollinated varieties, and Certified Organic seeds. Renee's Garden also sells Scatter Garden seeds including cover crops and flowers for pollinators, custom packets for special events, and gifts for … [Read more...]
How to make herbal tinctures in 6 steps
I grew up in a gardening family. This meant that I learned a lot about taking care of my body while standing on a stool in the kitchen. Both my parents and my grandparents knew a lot about how to use fresh produce to whip up a long list of delicious dishes. They also knew how to preserve the summer taste and nutrition for those long winter days. “Putting up” fruits and … [Read more...]
Excerpt from Heal Local: 20 Essential Herbs
The Importance of Local I believe we should all have the ability to walk into our backyard and pick what is needed for any minor home emergency. Western medicine and natural therapies have become polarized un-necessarily. It can be inappropriate to give away our power entirely in either direction. In the case of our current society’s infatuation with Western medicine, many … [Read more...]
Conversation with author Dawn Combs
Today we're chatting with Dawn Combs, author of Heal Local: 20 Essential Herbs for Do-it-Yourself Home Healthcare. How did you get interested in medicinal herbs? I have been fascinated with ethnobotany since college. I was sitting in a lecture in college about how a plant can decide from one day to the next to pull a different nutrient from the soil in response to an … [Read more...]
Book review of Heal Local: 20 Essential Herbs
New Society Publishers initially contacted me a few months ago and asked if I would be interested in reading a pre-publication galley for Heal Local: 20 Essential Herbs for Do-it-Yourself Home Healthcare, and if I liked it, write up a short blurb that could be used to promote the book. As soon as I saw the concept and the table of contents, I knew this was the book for which … [Read more...]
