Sugar Plum Fairy Liqueur
I developed Sugar Plum Fairy Liqueur after a friend shared a basket of plums with me. Her tree was producing heavily that year. We both were unsure how to preserve the harvest. After a few batches of chutney and jam, I still had a bowl of plums staring at me defiantly. I chucked them in […]
6.Herbal Cordials for the Holidays
Fall is upon us. That means it’s time to start those herbal holiday gifts—Herbal Cordials and liqueurs are a delight to receive and easy to make. Today, we’ll talk about how to make Herbal Cordials and Liqueurs and the best herbs to use.
5.An Interview with Alese “Dandy” Colehour the Herbal Fermenter
Today, we’re going to be talking with Alese Colehour, known in the herbal world as Dandy. She’s a local herbalist here in the Eugene area who runs Dandy’s Pantry, a micro-herbal practice offering locally sourced, seasonal herbals for community, including Occupy Medical.
Cider-pressing with the Undead, Part 1
Episode XIV Up until last year, I hadn’t had a good cider, hard or otherwise, since virus Z destroyed my world. Fall’s chilly mornings and crunchy, leaf-strewn lawns had always been secondary pleasures next to the joy I took in pressing cider. I still fondly remember of the tail-end of summers gathering the early apples […]
Anxiety: Natural Treatment Options
More than 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. Even those of us who don’t have clinical anxiety struggle with days when worry, anxiety, and general concerns wear us down.
Flu Fights in the Shadow of EV-D68 – Shoestring Herbalist
Autumn is here and the staff at my clinic are gearing up for a big cold and flu season. Last year we passed out gallons on elderberry syrup in 2 ounce bottles that was donated by a local herb company. This year we plan to follow the same path but with a bit more complexity. […]
4.Natural Treatment Options for Anxiety
Clinical Anxiety Disorders affect over 40 million adult Americans while only a third of them receive treatment. Anxiety affects the rest of us in some form periodically throughout life. For Anxiety sufferers, the world of plant medicines can offer relief.
An Apple A Day Survival Tale
Episode XIII You remember that old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” right? I never gave it much credence myself, until the apocalypse showed me the light. We were hiking through an area that had once been a small farmstead. Paul was struggling with the skid ahead of me along the edge […]
Add Usnea to Your Herbal Medicine Chest to Fight Infection
Usnea (Usnea hirta and others) is a common, charismatic lichen found in Cascadia as well as many other forests across the globe. Its netted, hair-like body is created through a symbiotic relationship between algae (Chlorophyta) and fungus (Ascomycota). There are many species of usnea, but the one of highest medicinal value, sometimes called Old Man’s […]
3.Protecting Boundaries with Elderberry and Flower
The elder tree and its medicine is surrounded by myth, some of which is rooted in fact and some of which is pure fantasy. In this episode we’ll talk a little about the mythic properties of elder, how it protects boundaries physically and spiritually, and then go on to cover the modern day myths perpetuated in a variety of sources online and in print.
Keeping Bugs at Bay – The Shoestring Herbalist
Summer is a buggy time. I love the ones outside. Dragonflies, bees, spiders and butterflies are eye catching beauties. I also like the ones other people disdain – ants, soldier flies, wasps and moths. Many is the time I have discovered a critter that I never noticed before and run to my bug book to […]
2.The Summer Harvest
Summer fruits are abundant, especially amidst the dog days of August and into early September. Blackberries and peaches are coming on as are plums, early apples, and pears. All these delicious fruits have medicinal properties a practical herbalist can use through out the year.