Skullcap~ A Great Night Cap

We call it sleeping potion at my house. A few years ago I tried growing it, and it didn't grow well, then last year I bought a small amount and made a tincture. I forgot all about it until I was consolidating things. I strained it, and added a little glycerine to make it a little less harsh if I take it right before bed time. I can take just a dropper or two  and rest well. My friend who is going to Bastyr said that her class had to pick a nervine and take it all semester. She chose Skullcap. I asked her how much, and she said up to a teaspoon per day if you are really nervous. I didn't know how anyone could function after taking that much since it put me to sleep, but it really made it so I didn't stress and think about everything I have to do. I am now growing my own plants, and as long as they last through the winter, I will be able to start harvesting in the next few years. I will use it along with Catnip and Chamomile in the "Sleeping Potion" I make with the kids in the after school program this fall.

Motherwort Flowers for "Women's Hysteria"

Motherwort Flowers (Leonurus cardiaca)

If we studied and listened to Herstory as much as we do History, we might understand the Hysteria! I use the fresh herb tincture in my anti-stress formula called Holy Mama. It also contains an adaptogen, Holy Rama Basil (Tulsi), and the nervine, Wood Betony (stachys, betonica).  I like to add a dropper or two to a glass of soda water, and sometimes vodka & ice for a tasty relaxing cocktail. I have also added the tincture to hot water and a scoop of local honey for a relaxing cup of hot tea.
The Motherwort Leaves and flowers are so beautiful this time of the year when I harvest and dry or tincture them. I let some of the plants flower and go to seed for the bees & birds. I got a close-up of the flower when I was in the field last week with the camera.
Maude Grieves, a well respected herbalist from England,  author of  A Modern Herbal published in the early 1930's writes about Motherwort "(It) is especially valuable in female weakness and disorders (hence the name), allaying nervous irritability and inducing quiet and passivity of the whole nervous system." And  "when made into a syrup, it will allay inward tremors, faintings, etc."

It sounds to me like I should be taking it to help me sit for yoga meditation...

I Love the Calendula flower!

Calendula Flower~ First Aid From the Garden

 It is so  bright and cheerful, and smells so clean and crisp. It doesn't spill pollen out or entice from far away with it's aromatics, but you can tell it is an antiseptic from the moment you smell it. I encourage you to stick your nose in one as soon as the sun comes back out. I did manage to pick quite a few, and have many more dry days this season to pick, but when we get a sudden rain like this week, I always worry I did not harvest enough yet.
When I harvest on sunny and hot days, I dry the flowers and make infused oil. Later I combine it with Lavender infused oil to make my great skin healing Calendula Lavender Salve. I make the tincture out of the Calendula that has some dew or rain on it in the late season, and combine that with Echinacea tincture for a formula that is used as an immunity booster.

Burdock Seeds Aplenty

 Burdock with a Pollen Laden Bee

I accidentally forgot to harvest my burdock root, and it went to seed! On further reflection, there were a few bird families living in the burdock area this summer, and they did scold me every time I got close to them- I was listening to nature... I kept thinking about looking up the best time to dig up burdock, and kept forgetting. Burdock is really easy to grow, and only needs weeding at the perimeter of the growing area since the leaves are so big.  I will be growing it in the same spot forever since I will inevitably be leaving some of the root when I dig and it will re sprout, but I have been wanting to try growing them in a garbage can with holes in the bottom.  I finally acquired a big planter to try out in my home garden.

Dried Burdock Root

 I do have some Burdock that are first year plants, but I missed the optimal time for most of it this year.  I am going to dig up what I can anyway in the next few weeks, and process them into soup stocks for my personal use. The good part about having so many herbs around me is that I can experiment with herbs to see if they taste good in soup, or freeze as ice cubes, or if they will grow in certain conditions... I also need to figure out what I am going to do with so many seeds! They are extremely prickle-y and I already got a big splinter from cutting off the first batch. 

It is pretty long (up to 3 feet) and off white like a turnip. If you dig it yourself, make sure you have permission, proper ID, and wash it well.

The roots need to be simmered for a long time, and have been traditionally added to stocks for soups. One recipe had it stewing all night in a crock pot. 

Burdock Root Stock: 

2 onions

4 carrots

4 celery stalks

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (Optional)

1 fresh burdock root (whatever size you can get) cut up as small as you can

Cut all of the vegetables except the Burdock in a rough 1 inch cut, and put them in a oven safe pan. Put into the cold oven and set the temperature to 400 degrees.  

Roast the veggies for about 35 minutes, then turn the oven off and let them sit for 15-20 more. They should be soft and caramelized.  

Remove the veggies from the pan and put into a stock pot with the cut up Burdock. Fill the stockpot with water to cover the roots by 3 inches or so. Add water to the roasting pan and scrape all the good, crusty bits off into the stockpot.  Bring the stock to a boil, then turn it down to simmer for 4-10 hours. Check in on it often and add more water as it evaporates. 

Cool the stock and put in old yogurt containers or ice trays to freeze. Take out what you need during the year. You could also add glycerine to the mixture (at least 30%) and preserve it that way if you didn't want to use the electricity. I would not advise using alcohol because skin issues are supposed to be related to the liver, and alcohol is not supposed to be good for the liver.... Cooking with the root will benefit your whole family though and you won't think of it as medicine.

**These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and you should use caution when using any remedy- talk to a naturopath for more information.

I have yet to make a lotion or infused oil with it, but I am determined to do it this year. I am sure I will be reporting here on my findings.

In Seattle you can buy Burdock at almost any asian grocery store and at http://www.uwajimaya.com/ almost any time of the year. Next year, in the Spring, Call or email me!~ jayne@sistersageherbs.com.

Echinacea Tea for a Rainy Seattle Afternoon

Well, we are having an unusually (don't laugh) rainy August this year in Seattle, so I decided to make a lovely cup of tea from my dried Clover & Echinacea flowers, stems and leaves.

Echinacea, Bees and Pollen.

Dried Echinacea & Clover Tea:

Boil 2-3 quarts of water, add about 12 clover blossoms & 4 Echinacea top (including flower and leaves) & turn the heat down to simmer for about  20 minutes Serve it hot with honey, or after it cools a bit put it in the refrigerator overnight to extract the most potency.  In the morning, strain off and drink daily for the next 4 days, or reheat and add 1-2 cup of sugar for each cup of tea to make a syrup that will last for the flu season. 

Simmer, then Steep Overnight

** If you have an auto-immunity dis-ease, you should not boost your immunity** 

Herb Infused Olive Oil

Well, I can't believe it has been over a month since I have blogged... Wow- the Summer has flown by this year! The light in Seattle has already begun to change, and I just ate my first ripe tomato the other day!

I had my intern Erin come over to help garble the herbs and re-package them into manageable containers. We used the screens I had made last Winter with a clean tablecloth underneath. We rubbed the herbs on the screen and for the most part we were able to keep the stems separate from the herbs. We then put the herbs in mason jars or zipper bags, depending on what was going to happen next to them. We ended up making over 3 gallons of infused oil!  I have lots more to do, especially tincturing.  I have to check inventory and see what I need to make and then what new products I could make and then decide what to do with the rest! I plan on having a sale for friends with the products I don't sell online, and give the rest to the women's shelter. (get on the mailing list by emailing me - sistersageherbs@gmail.com).

The problem with growing herbs that I don't use in my formulas is that if I don't do something with the herbs to further process them, they will loose their potency and I will basically be hanging on to very good compost makings... The herbs themselves are good for up to about a year depending on how much light and/or moisture they have received, but the products I make will preserve the potency even longer (from 1 year to 10 or more!) A couple of weeks ago I consolidated of all the herbs in paper bags that were stored in little plastic tubs all over the place and composted the rest. Then, I used all the empty plastic tubs to hold my finished products. I now have all the products in their own tubs- labeled, and soon to be inventoried before making more with the herbs from this season!

St Joan's Wort Tincture

I made some beautiful St Joan's Wort (St John's Wort) Tincture in the sun the other day, and it is so red! I put the wilted leaves and flowers in a mason jar with 100 proof Vodka and put in the sun. I went into the house for a few minutes to get the laundry and by the time I was outside again it was bright pink! A few hours later it was red (looking like a true herbal potion should!). I put it inside on a window sill to receive both sunlight and moonlight, and will strain it and bottle it in about a month. I still have a bunch of herb drying in the loft, and will infuse it in olive oil as soon as it is dry.
I have been "finding" St Joan's Wort all over now that I know what it looks like - I saw it in the median of the Mercer St roadway during the Livestrong walk; on the side of the highway by Federal Way; on a street in Georgetown; in a corner of my farm; and several empty lots in West Seattle... pretty cool! The one way to tell for sure you have the right herb is to wait for it to bloom (it is now) and squeeze the flower between your fingers- if it looks like you cut yourself and there is dark red on your fingers, you have it! Make sure to dry it before you infuse it in oil, but the fresh herb can be put into any type of alcohol to infuse- Brandy  is nice to use.