Herbal-Infused Oils - In the Garden

Today, In the Garden, we explored making our own handcrafted herbal-infused oils.

I realized after the show that I need to add some clarity to the definition of what "infused oils" are and how they are used in comparison to other botanical oils - like essential oils, for they are very different.

As one who makes and uses infused oils in my daily living, I sometimes forget that not everyone is as familiar with them as I am. Silly me! So I will be circling back to this topic in an upcoming show. But to address what seems to be a key point of clarity ... herbal-infused oils are used for their nourishing, conditioning, soothing, healing (AKA medicinal) qualities, not their fragrance. While some of the volatile plant oils will come through and add fragrance, it is usually so subtle that it goes unnoticed. These are oils that are often used in bath and

body care formulas for their actions, not their fragrance.

I love infused oil of calendula flowers for its healing properties. I love infused oil of violet leaf for its skin softening qualities. I love infused oils of plantain leaf (Plantago species) and chickweed for their cooling, soothing, calming actions on the skin. These are

all excellent used as is, for massage and general skin applications. They all make lovely balms on their own, or mixed with other oils. They are excellent additions to creams and lotions and soaps.

Of course, you want to ensure that the plant you are using is safe

for general use on the skin and that you don't have any sensitivities or allergies to it. When in doubt, consult with a local herbalist!

As for the infused oils, they are so simple to make, as you know if you joined us today In the Garden! Simply ... I harvest my desired herb, discard any compromised plant matter, and dry dust any dirt off. I chop the plant matter and pack it loosely in a glass jar (like a canning jar). I poke mine with a chop stick, to ensure that the plant matter and the oil are completely mixed and that any air bubbles are released. If any plant matter is sticking up through the oil and into the air, I cover it with additional oil and cap it. Don't forger to label it with the herb, oil and date! And, you'll recall that my oil of choice is olive oil, for it is a good all-purpose skin oil, a good keeper and in all my years using olive oil, I've encountered only one person who's claimed sensitivities to it - unlike nut oils!

So, I let the oil and herb macerate for 1-4 weeks (sometimes using low heat, in my dehydrator). I watch it closely during this time, to address potential mold before it becomes a problem and ruins your oil. When its ready I gently strain it, to separate the pant matter from the oil. I do not push or squeeze the plant matter, for water is often trapped in the plant and we don't want to release that into the oil, for it would encourage mold and spoilage. I let mine sit for a few days, covered with cheese cloth or muslin to allow any residual water to evaporate or sink to the bottom. Then I bottle the clear oil, label it and place it in my dispensary until I'm ready to use it in balms, soaps, lotions and the like.

By the way, I rarely keep infused oils for more than a a year. Frankly, I rarely make enough to keep on hand for that long!

So there it is. If you missed today's show, you can listen to it at Podcast on Demand, and you'll get even more information! In any event, I hope you will try making your own herbal-infused oils, and I hope you love them as much as I do!

I hope too that you'll join us again in two weeks - after our 48 for Larry week - In the Garden at 11:30 AM, ET on Blockhead Radio. And remember, be inspired by Nature!

rose

Host of In the Garden

Give Yourself Permission ~ In the Garden

If you weren't able to join us In the Garden this week, I will do my best - in this post - to make catching up as easy for you as I am able.

I mean, you can listen to our Melissa Ale Follow-Up next week at Podcast on Demand or follow the In the Garden trail right here on this blog to get some of the good information to help you start making your own simple herbal homebrews like the one that was shared last week. In addition you can follow the Ale-n-Homebrew trail at my blog, What I Made Today.

But the bottom line, my friend, is to give yourself permission to relax, be creative, make a mess, HAVE FUN!

By playing with simple herbal ale brewing you'll discover the confidence to tackle more complex recipes, to try your hand at brewing lagers, to make wines and meads and even old school soft drinks.

And remember, you can take a look at some helpful images at our In the Garden Flickr Group, and post your garden and garden-inspired creations there too!

So relax, have a homebrew and be sure to join us In the Garden us next Thursday at 11:30 AM, ET only at Blockhead Radio. Slainte!

rose

Melissa Ale In the Garden

This week In the Garden I shared my process for brewing Melissa Ale, which if you tuned in, you’ll know is Lemon Balm Ale. Now, to keep things simple, I focused on making a small, 1-gallon batch of Melissa ale. I felt that a small batch might be less daunting for newcomers to try, and that experienced brewers can easily adapt it to larger batches! One gallon makes about 10-12 12-ounce bottles. A respectable start!

Now I’m not going to share the walk-through that I did on air in this post (you can listen to the Podcast on Demand for that), but I am reviewing the list of materials, and some resources to help you get brewing. You can check out at our In the Garden Flickr Group for more info too!

First, if you are new to ale brewing and thinking of getting a kit, most commercial ale starter kits prepare you for 5-gallon brewing and should cost about $100. If you want to brew lagers, that’s a different story, and one I can’t help you with because I’m an old school ale brewer. No muss, no fuss – that’s my approach to brewing and to life! So, on with the show …

For one gallon of Melissa (Lemon Balm) Ale, you will need:

• 8 ounces of fresh Melissa officinalis, AKA lemon balm (or 2-3 ounces dried herb)
• 1 tablespoon of earl grey tea (loose organic and fair trade)
• 1 pound (2+ cups) of brown sugar
• Juice of one lime
• Ale yeast
• 12 teaspoons of corn sugar (or any sugar of your choice)
• Stainless steel pot
• 1-gallon wide-mouth glass jar
• Funnel
• Spoon – stainless or plastic or dedicated wood
• Strainer or cheese cloth
• 1-gallon jug, AKA a carboy
• Racking cane
• Food grade hose
• Bottling wand
• Bung (to fit your carboy/jug)
• Airlock
• 10-12 12-ounce bottles
• 10-12 bottle caps
• Bottlebrush
• Bottle capper
• Love and patience

For a 1-gallon ale starter set, if you recycle/reuse/reclaim and have some basic quality kitchen utensils (IE: stainless steel pot, strainer, spoon), the most expensive piece of equipment will be your bottle capper, which runs in the $20 range. Of course, you can use Grolsch style bottles to eliminate that expense and you can find these bottles at thrift shops and yard sales. Anyway, based on these assumptions, I estimate that it will cost about $50 to get a basic 1-gallon fermentation station started. Double that if you want a basic 5-gallon start up.

For your brew, assuming you grow your own Melissa, the cost for a gallon will be about $7 … can you see the economy here? Not only that, but the chances of finding a Melissa Ale on the market anywhere at any price is highly unlikely.

So, get brewing!

Here’s a few resources to help you get started:

Brewing Books:

• Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers by Stephen Harrod Buhner
• The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing by Charlie Papazian

Home Brewing Supplies:

• Check your local Yellow Pages for to support a local business
• Check Google Search for Homebrew Supplies

Also, check out my “What I Made Today” blog for my “Ale” and "Homebrew" tags for more inspiration.

Lastly, post your homebrewing questions here because I will be using them for next Thursday’s show “Melissa Ale follow-up” In the Garden at 11:30 AM, ET only Blockhead Radio! See you then, if not sooner and …

Get Brewing!

~ rose

Making Impressions of Nature In the Garden

Today In the Garden we played in the earth - in a manner of speaking - with a bit of clay, as I shared my process for creating my "Impressions of Nature." Of course, before we got to that I kept last week's promise ... to share with you my "recipe" for Green Manure Tea, a tea to feed your rooted friends!

I have small black buckets (nursery discards) that I make my “Green Manure Tea” in, but you use whatever you have on hand. In these buckets I place trimmings from my nutritional-rich symphytum uplandicum - COMFREY plants (which I have an abundance of), but you can use ANY nutri-rich plant matter, fresh or dried, for this purpose (listen to the “Infuse your Life” Podcast On Demand to learn about those nutri-rich plants!) Then, I fill the buckets with water, leave them to steep and ferment for a few days. Trust me, you’ll know when it’s ready because it will look and SMELL ripe and ready! Then ... I water my baby plants with the tea. It’s THAT simple!

Now ... let's review making those "Impressions of Nature." Let's start with the materials. I start by gathering these items:

• air-drying clay (I use Creative Paperclay)
• small bowl of water and/or mist bottle
• rag
• work surface (I use an old cafateria-style tray)
• Nature (a leaf or blossom)
• paints (I use acrylic)
• a finish to seal your work
• pin finding
• glue
• a little love is always a bonus!

I start by wandering my environment in search for a small willing leaf or blossom that has distinct form, definition and texture to it - one that will make a “good” impression. I gather my bits of Nature in a sacred manner, but you do whatever you're guided to do!

Once I have my leaf or blossom, I return to my workstation, you know - that tray with all the gathered materials and I pinch off a small piece of clay and shape it to complement the leaf/blossom that has volunteered. I shape and smooth the clay with dampened fingers - until it feels ready to receive the bit the Nature and when it is ready, I place the leaf/blossom highly-defined/textured side DOWN into the clay and gently press it in.

The bit of nature is removed and the clay allowed to dry. The drying time depends on the humidity, temperature and the clay you have chosen, as well as the thickness of the piece that's been created. I usually let mine dry several days before painting. So go take a walk in Nature, among gardens and celebrate your natural environment as your clay gets ready to be painted.

When it’s fully dried and hardened, get out your paints. I start with wash of paint to cover the whole piece and let that dry well. Then I paint the leaf or blossom and let that dry. Remember, be creative here, go a little crazy with color, sparkle and shine if you want! Then, when this is dry, seal it with a finish of your choice. This is optional, but it does help make a lasting piece!

When that finish is dry, grab your finding and glue to the back, let that dry and cure and then ...

Enjoy your pin!

And wear it to next week's show, when I'll be sharing another garden-inspired, creative process ... one that has been requested more than once ... one of special interest to those who imbibe in the spirited libations ... one where I will share with you how I make a basic Melissa Ale! So be sure to tune into Blockhead Radio next Thursday at 11:30 AM, ET for Making Melissa Ale In the Garden!

Sláinte!

rose

Colonial Kitchen Plants on "In the Garden"

Thanks for joining us In the Garden today for Colonial American (& Elizabethan) Kitchen Plants! If you missed today's show, no worries, I'll catch you up a little in this post and you can always listen to the show when it is posted next week on Podcasts on Demand.

In the time allowed, we touched on only a handful of common plants that the Gentlewoman of the 17th-century might have used for food, medicine, dye and for crafting her tools to tend to home, hearth and gardens.

We started with the charming Houseleek, also called Hens-n-chicks (Sempervivum tectorum), a succulent little low-growing plant that might have been found growing on the rooftops of England, thus the name! Its cooling, soothing juices were used for treating burns, scaldings, shingles, ringworm as well as for making an eyewash. Not to mention that it was believed to ward of lightening strikes! Why did you think the English would have it planted on their roofs?

We explored lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and gill-over-the-ground (Glechoma hederacea), both used in ale brewing, among other things. We spoke of bedstraw (Galium verum), also called curdwort, for its use as ointment, in baths and broths, as well as in cheese-making. The virtues of beautiful sage (Salvia officinalis) were praised for their use in strengthening the brain and quickening the memory. It was even used to whiten the teeth and freshen the breath by rubbing the leaf on tooth and gum! We couldn't forget Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris), an important medicinal to women then ... and now. Did I mention Egyptian onion (Allium cepa aggregatum)? I know I closed the show with the native american bee balm (Monarda didyma), also called Oswego tea, which the colonists made a fragrant tea they called "Liberty Tea" as a substitute for the expensive, highly taxed British imports of the day. And there was jump-up-and-kiss-me (Viola tricolor), also called heartease and by other charming names - pictured above - that's been used (at least) since Medieval days to influence all manner of heart distress, including amorous intentions. I mean - just look at it!

If this intrigues you at all, you can start to earn so much more with just these few books:

The Herbal, or General History of Plants by John Gerard, as Revised and Enlarged by Thomas Johnson, 1633 - ISBN 0-486-23147-X

Culpeper’s Complete Herbal & English Physician, by Nicholas Culpeper - ISBN 0-916638-38-3 (hardbound) and 0-916638-20-3 (softbound)

Simples & Worts, Herbs of the American Puritans by Elaine Dow - ISBN 0-9615107-2-2

And another that I did not mention, since it only fits the far fringe of this topic, but one that is fine reading for grasping the ever-shifting history of (plant) medicine is: Herbal Diplomats, The Contribution of Early American Nurses (1830-1860) to Nineteenth-Century Health Care Reform and the Botanical Medical Movement by Martha M. Libster, Ph.D, R.N. - ISBN 0-9755018-0-1

Happy reading and I hope you'll join us next Thursday at 11:30 AM, easter on Blockhead Radio when we will shift gears a bit by looking at the creative side of life with Crafting from Garden! So pop a player, join us in chat and we'll see you ... In the Garden!

rose

In the Garden - Infuse Your Life!

This week In the Garden we focused on Infusing Your Life with nutritional herbal infusions. 

What is a nutritional herbal infusion, you ask? Simply, it is a long brewed tea made with more-than-typical dried plant matter. I usually toss a handful of dried herb into a large jar, over which is poured a quart of boiling water, then covered and allowed t steep several hours, often over night. Then, strain a drink.

We explored herbs that are common, free-at-best, inexpensive-at-worst and super nutrient-rich, just loaded with vitamins and minerals that support and sustain us in many ways. We discussed nettle leaf (Urtica dioica), alfalfa leaf (Medicago sativa), oatstraw (Avena sativa), red clover blossoms (Trifolium pretense) and red raspberry leaf (Rubus ideaus) and we touched on the roasted brew you see pictured here, dandelion leaf (Taraxicum officinalis).

Why Herbal Infusions you ask? Well, as far as I'm concerned, because they are so simple, so abundant, so cost effective and so usable by our bodies. Ingesting added nutrients in this way decreases your perceived dependency on manufactured nutritional supplements and can save you a boat-load of money. Using common herbs in this way delivers nutritional components, especially minerals, in ways that are actually usable/absorbable by the body. Not only that, but drinking nutritional herbal infusions in this way offers you direct control of the quality of your nutritional supplementation - in the form of fresh, organic plant matter, grown with love, even! And, as I often mention, infusing your life in this way offers yet another way to support your local community and economy by buying herbs from a small, independent local growers or suppliers.

All that aside, it is a fun and healthy way to develop and nurture an intimate relationship with, and understanding of the simple foods that benefit us!

To learn more about the nutritional information that I shared during our show, please email me (bhrinthegarden@att.net) for my simple herb "cheat-sheet" and check out these few starter resources:

• The Food Doctor - Healing Foods for Mind and Body by Vicki Edgson and Ian Marber ISBN 1-85585-682-4
  
• Healing Foods by Miriam Polunin ISBN 0-7894-7247-7
  
• Healing Wise by Susun S. Weed ISBN 0-9614620-2-7

Happy reading and sipping! Be sure to join us again next Thursday at 11:30 AM, ET In the Garden when we'll be exploring some common Colonial American (Elizabethan) kitchen plants.

Thanks and be well be Nature!

~ rose

Host of In the Garden

Eating from the Earth - In the Garden

This week's show honored the burgeoning spring and the coming of summer. It mirrored an article that is in the current release of The Door Opener magazine. It was all about this amazing "growing season" that I'm experiencing in my little corner of the world. It was all about Eating from the Earth.

In essence, I shared some personal thoughts, a few favored green foods, both cultivated and wild, and invited you, kind listener, to leverage your locally grown food options. I encouraged you to visit your local Farmers’ Markets to pick up some old favorites and to try some new delicacies that you simply can’t find in any supermarket. I asked you to buy a share in a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and delight in the weekly bounty that it offers. And, of course, I invited you to grow and nurture something yourself, be it in a pot on your windowsill or a patch of land, to enjoy with your loved ones as you share your experiences eating from the earth together at your dining table. 

Be sure to join us on air and in the chat room next Thursday In the Garden for Infuse Your Life at 11:30 AM, eastern when we will explore some basics of nutrition and how simply you can Infuse Your Life - with Nutritional Herbal Infusions.

See you then!

rose

Host of In the Garden

Garden & Weed Walk: The Sequel

During this week's episode of In the Garden we continued the garden and weed walk around my little acre that we started last week. Even with two weeks, we've only skimmed the surface!

I've done what I - and many herbalists - call "weed walks" along city sidewalks, and even in such seemingly inhospitable environments it is truly amazing just how much you find growing. So it's no surprise that on my lush little acre we have so much growing that we wouldn't be able to touch on all of it in a lifetime of shows! And that's just the plant I can recognize! But we did visit the hosta (which I'm researching further - seeking real-life experience from others) and forget-me-not, periwinkle and lungwort (pictured), buttercup and forsythia, maple and horse chestnut, and more! You can take a peek at many of these plants at our In the Garden Flickr, where you are also welcome to join us and post your own garden photos and other garden-inspired arts and crafts.

I will be taking a week away from the show next week, but will return LIVE on Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 11:30 AM, eastern to talk about "Eating From the Earth." I hope that you will join us then ... and everyday on Blockhead Radio!

Be well by Nature!

~ rose

Host of In the Garden

Garden & Weed Walk

I hope you joined us for our virtual garden and weed walk during this week's In the Garden show, but if you were unable to make it you can still see the plants that we visited and discussed at our Flickr In the Garden Group. Check it out!

As we began our stroll I suggested that everyone make some time to step outdoors, to experience your environment, if only for a moment. To pause and take notice of all that is growing around you. And if you see things that are unknown to you, get to know them. You might be surprised at what you learn! A few books that I mentioned that might help you with this are:

The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers

The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees

Petersons Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs

Stalking the Healthful Herbs by Euell Gibbons

Survival with Style by Brandford Angier

Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants by "Wildman" Steve Brill

The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants by Andrew Chevallier

We barely got through half of the plants I had planned for the show, I ramble on so! But you can see all the green friends that were mentioned and more at our Flickr In the Garden, and you can post your garden images there too! Join us! 

I wish you all the best in your vegetable, flower and herb gardens ... and in your gardens of life! And don't miss a moment of the great music and lively programming on Blockhead Radio every day! 

Be well by Nature!

~ rose

The Sustainable Garden

Today, In the Garden, we welcomed Bill Duesing, the Executive Director of the Connecticut Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association. Bill is a farmer with over 35-years of experience with organic methods, he is a community educator and, in my opinion, an earth-activist, not to mention an all ‘round nice guy.

Our show centered on the idea of the sustainable garden and the things that nurture community, and connect people through their food. Bill shared with us how conscious food choices can impact those connections for the betterment of our individual health, as well as the health and wellness of our families, communities, economies, and the very earth that we all share.

Bill touched on many of the trends that we are seeing in the Northeast United States, trends that are indicative of what is happening all over the country, and perhaps the world. We are seeing a rise in the number of small farms, community gardens, community farms and farmer’s markets, not to mention school gardens, college organic farms and community food system organizations. The way I see it, people everywhere are taking back their power – through their food choices. 

We discussed key regional organizations such are the Northeast Organic Farming Association and its CT Chapter as well as the Organic Land Care organization.

Bill shared a few books to help our listeners raise their awareness of sustainable practices and support them in making wise and conscious food choices such as The Omnivore's   Dilemma and In Defense of Food both by Michael Pollan, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

All in all it was an enlightening show that addressed some tough challenges ahead, yet a show deeply steeped in positive energy and empowerment!

So be sure join us again In the Garden on Blockhead Radio next Thursday at 11:30 AM, eastern time for a show that seems to be shaping up as a virtual weed and garden walk! Until then – and always - be well by Nature!

pencil study by Rick Derwitsch, used with permission

Cleaning Green In the Garden

Yesterday, In the Garden, we honored Green Cleaning.

We honored the seasons of spring and autumn and the traditions of cleansing and clearing associated with these seasons, traditions currently in action all over the world. We also honored the coming of Earth Day and the value of our wee living planet, and the awareness of our collective place and choices in it that cascade and heighten around the globe at this time of year.

We honored these things by welcoming Helyn Bartholomay of Helyn's Clean Solutions to the show. Helyn is the creator of a line of handcrafted, all-natural, safe, non-toxic and earth-friendly cleaning products. She shared with us how her awareness of the health impacts, as well as environmental influences came to the surface in her life and inspired her to make her own cleaning products ... and eventually offer them for sale.

Helyn shared some very empowering information during the show, and while I wouldn't repeat it all here, I do want to share with you a few of the resources that were mentioned during the show ...

Websites:

Helyn's Clean Solutions

The Green Vibration

National Green Pages

Books:

Homemade - 702 Ways to Save Money and Save the Earth, from Readers' Digest

Organic Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck

A Guide to Green Housekeeping by Christina Strutt

Easy Green Living by Renee Loux

The Detox Plan by Jane Alexander

Clean & Green by Annie Berthold-Bond

Even if you missed the show, I hope that these few resources will inspire and enlighten you to make cleaner cleaning choices ... for your health, for your family, for your community, for the earth and for the future.

And be sure to join us In the Garden next Thursday (4/23) at 11:30 AM, eastern for The Sustainable Garden with our guest, Bill Duesing, Executive Director of the CT chapter of the Northeast Organic Farmers Association, Organic Farmer, Educator, Activist and all-around nice guy. Don't miss it!

Be well by Nature!

rose

Host of In the Garden

every Thursday, 11:30 AM, ET only on Blockhead Radio

What's Sprouting In the Garden

Yesterday's show, In the Garden, was centered around methods for starting seedlings indoors and some of the varieties of vegetable plants that I'm starting. Of course, my choices are contingent on my growing zone as well as experience with my chosen varieties here in southern New England. Your choices may well be very different, and working with a seed company that caters to your region will serve you best when making your own choices.

It's great fun and very satisfying, not to mention super cost effective, to start your plants from seed. Certainly, there is effort and care involved, but it is worth it. If you compare the price of a packet of seeds, which may serve your purposes over 2-to-3 years of growing , to the cost of purchasing a "set" of (6-9) plants or even a full "flat" of (48-72) plants, you'll see what I mean. Here in my neck of the woods, the cost ranges from an average of $2.00 for a packet of seeds, to the same $2.00 for a "set" of plants, to $17.00 for a "flat" of plants ... and if you pause here to consider the cost of purchasing the resulting produce at market, you can begin to see just how cost effective growing your own can be! Not only that, but it is an enjoyable, healthful, hands-on educational and empowering experience for the whole family! So, get sprouting!

Oh, I could go on, but I have next week's show to prepare, when we will be welcoming Helen Bartholomay of HCSolutions.org! She will be sharing her story and experiences around creating her line of handcrafted, non-toxic, earth-n-garden friendly cleaning products - just in time for your spring and fall cleaning - depending on your hemisphere! How exciting is that?

So be sure join us again In the Garden next Thursday at 11:30 AM, eastern time. Until then, be well by Nature!