Rose Hack – Shoestring Herbalist
I come from a long line of rose worshipers. My grandmother had beautiful rose bushes that bloomed in bountiful, well groomed lines. My mother’s rose bushes were fertilized, pruned and sprayed with the kind of care most women of her generation only bestow on poodles. Their roses were proud and pampered. My own roses spend […]
Colic: Herbal First Aid
Colic is the boogeyman of new parents. All caregivers fear it. Colic is not life threatening, but the thought of spending 3 to 6 months with a screaming newborn chills the blood. As a general rule, colic is very easy to detect. The colicky baby screams incessantly, turns red when crying, strains frequently as if […]
The Practical Herbalist®’s Suggested Internet Rescources
The internet offers a lot of information on herbs and homesteading. Some of it is helpful. Some of it’s not. Some of it is just downright weird. We’ve been sifting through the internet to bring you reliable and practical information. This list is subject to change at any time. If you have a suggestion, feel […]
Hawthorn Heals Zombie Apocalypse Survivors
Episode V Over the past few years, I’ve met many people I probably never would have encountered let alone befriended before the virus hit. Sadie is exactly the sort of crazy nut job I would have avoided back then. She changed my life, after saving it. It was just Harvey and I, alone and afraid, […]
Replenish After a Big Workout
After a few months of taekwondo, I noticed occasionally I’d get muscle cramps and sometimes spasms near the end of class or later in the day. Usually, the spams were an after class deal while cramps were more likely to happen in class. One of the high-ranks in my class who was a bit older […]
Herbal Sports Drink Recipe for Cold Infusion
This herbal blend makes recovering from a sweaty workout or a bout of illness easy with its natural electrolytes and other nutrients. It contains no artificial ingredients and it’s pretty inexpensive to make. For children and adults alike, it’s a tasty and natural alternative to the many sports drinks on the market today. Ingredients 1 […]
Herbal Sports Drink Recipe for Hot Infusion
This herbal blend makes recovering from a sweaty workout or a bout of illness easy with its natural electrolytes and other nutrients. It contains no artificial ingredients and it’s pretty inexpensive to make. For children and adults alike, it’s a tasty and natural alternative to the many sports drinks on the market today. Ingredients 1 […]
Diaper Rash: Herbal First Aid
Changing diapers is not a favorite part of any parent’s life but a bad case of diaper rash can turn this routine into a nightmare. A red bottom is the first sign of diaper rash. This irritation is the result of sitting too long in urine soaked diapers. It can worsen into open sores which […]
Diaper Rash Salve
Being a baby is hard work. There’s a whole lot of growing and changing in that first couple of years. Having diaper rash makes the journey from birth to childhood a painful one. This formula was designed to treat mild to moderate diaper rash. It’s not intended to be placed on weeping sores or boils. […]
Shower Stall Disinfectant Spray
We take our shower stalls for granted until it’s time to clean them. Then all the soap scum and hard water stains become glaring road maps to a challenging Saturday afternoon with a scrub brush. This work can be avoided by thinking ahead. A regular spritz with a shower spray prevents this mess from adhering […]
Warming the Chickens – The Shoestring Herbalist
The ladies hated December. They hated the snow. They hated the freezing wind. They hated the humidity that got under their feathers. When the temperature dropped below freezing, they boycotted the outside. They just sat in the coop together all fluffed up and sulking. Normally, our winter snow doesn’t hit until January. When I heard […]
Dusting the Cat – The Shoestring Herbalist
I am a crazy cat lady. I have four cats at home, and I feed a feral neighborhood stray. All of my cats are “rescue” cats. They all have complex stories and complex personalities to boot. One of my cats is astonishingly fragile. Gamera (named for the Japanese movie monster) was the kitten of a […]