Herbal Learning

[Lollykoko]

I am seeing so many wonderful videos that may be helpful to others, I thought I would start one thread to contain various sorts of plant information. Hope that at least one person gets some good out of it! If you have a favorite plant used for nutrition or healing, please share!

I had the opportunity to see Rosemary Gladstar while I was at the M.E.N. Fair and she talked about this tonic among others. Now that I have the recipe fresh in mind, I need to head to the store for some items not already in my kitchen, like horseradish root and fresh ginger.

[Lollykoko]

Elderberries are a great resource for keeping the immune system in good shape. Common wisdom says that it was the use of elderberry that helped people survive epidemics like the plague in the Middle Ages and the influenza outbreak a century ago.

Herbalism ... So easy that a child can do it! http://youtu.be/lFkQ39rOB3o

[Myrth]

I had elder berries at my last place. I love them! Not only are they great for treating cold and flu, they make a wonderful jam! They are on my must get planted list for spring at the new place.

[Myrth]

One of my favorite online research resources for all things green is the plants for a future database. It is quite good and accurate.

This is a link to St. John's wort, a wonderful healing herb that fights viral infections as well as mild to moderate depression, amongst its many uses.

This is one of the many medicinal herbs destined to be planted in my hedgerows.

[mannytheseacow]

I really like this thread. Thanks you two for sharing. I've been making different tinctures of honey for years but I have a lot to learn. I definitely want to incorporate much more herbal farming at my place this next growing season.

So what's the story with elderberries, anyway? I've seen the jelly and the wine, but I remember having them growing on our fencerow when I was a kid and mom said they were poisonous. I guess if you cook them they're ok but what about the wine and the herbal therapy? Do they need to be cooked before fermenting and does the poison go away when they're dried?

[Lollykoko]

Myrth, thank you for the information on St. Johns Wort. It looks like something I might have a chance of growing, somewhere on the property! So far I've only been doing research on the stuff that is already there. Perhaps it's time to look at new items that will work in my climate.

Manny, I have never heard that elderberries were poisonous. And it's always time for me to learn a little bit more. This article says if they aren't ripe, they can cause stomach distress.

I'm glad I went looking for information, since I hadn't seen that particular video before. At the end, he is talking about the danger of confusing water hemlock with elderberry. I know just how possible that can be, until you learn what you are looking at. When I first bought my place, the bottom ground was infested with hemlock. It took several years of mowing to get the situation under control. Now the elderberry is creeping down out of the woods, moving across land that is currently too damp for pasture.

For about the past eight months I've been using elderberry syrup (about an ounce) in my daily juice drink. Since the M.E.N. Fair, sometimes add dried berries to a cup of mixed (hot) herb tea. I bought some dried blossom that I intend to use in a cold infusion. This year I had a plentiful crop, but wasn't able to spend time at the farm to harvest at the peak, and the birds got benefit of everything. Hopefully I will have a better plan next year, and about 3 more women to go out with me to harvest fruit for a couple of hours.

FWIW, I rarely get ill. If that is because of the immune system boost that comes form elderberry, it's a good thing.

[mannytheseacow]

Here's something I was reading on elderberry toxicity:

(check out the section on toxicity)

Not that Wikipedia is a good source, but interesting.... The sources listed in that section seem credible. I'll keep looking for more info.

[pa_friendly_guy]

That is interesting. I had heard that the stems, leaves and branches of the elderberry were poisonous, but I had never heard that the uncooked berries were poisonous. I know that I have eaten some of the uncooked berries when picking them, but not too many because the are some what bitter that way. Much better in a pie with a lot of sugar.

[Lollykoko]

I'm feeling a little bit sniffley this morning, so I put onion honey in my tea cup.

Looking at all the loose teas I have been acquiring sent me off for another good video to increase my knowledge. Tinctures seem like an easy thing to begin with and I have been stockpiling vodka just for that reason. Now to find a video that works with the resources I have available in the kitchen today! ~~ I wish I had bought more than one and two ounce packages while I was at M.E.N. Fair. Now to take a minute to find some small jelly jars.

On a sustainable note, I have mullein growing at Lollyland, and think there is some echinacea growing wild. Whether or not, cone-flower is beautiful, and well worth my time and effort to plant some in a place where I can enjoy the view, as well as the healing properties. http://youtu.be/E6HzKTKb_rc

[DevilsBrew]

I second the Echinacea. I feel better tonight and I do believe that is one of the reasons.

Loose leaf tea. Love it. I try to stick with the green based blends because of the health benefits. I tried Kombucha tea for the first time last week but I don't think I will try it again after I researched the term online and read about the negative side effects.