☽

 So far it has been an ice cold winter beneath the canvas dome of our home. We both tend to spend our days reading, crafting, or hiking the surrounding hills until our toes become numb under the fleeting light of the sun. This harsh winter reality has brought to mind many musings of the nostalgia of winter's spent huddled up against the fire, relying on one another to forage winter's warmth by way of wood, small sticks, and moss, and to collectively come together to share in the beauty of this season spent under the fleeting light of the sun & moon. 

The snow has finally begun to fall down upon the homestead, and I can only hope that it will leave more then a slight dusting upon this land, as our dry winter constitutions & soil are quenched of thirst and our internal bodies & well are in need of replenishment. Watching the snow from outside my window as it descends down from the sky above, I am evermore thankful for a gift so rarely treasured by the blind eye, a wondrous fractal of water, delicate in structure and form, yet brilliantly resilient. As I hope the spirits of those who dwell upon this fragile earthen home of ours have become, for those who can see; have foreseen a drought that could end our realm of destruction & ignorance that has for too long rained over our consciousness and over that of the natural world's. Are hope now lies in the snow & rain, who can bring forth the peace & conscious understanding that our heats desire and that our world so desperately needs.

Wild Harvest ☼ Rose Hips

Deep within the pine forest that surrounds our home, lyes a  grandmother wild rose bush, who, Michael & I have been eagerly eyeing for the last month, in hopes of spotting the first signs of her ripe red rose hips. Today at last, It looked as though our generous grandmother had indeed blessed us with yet another year's offering, and we are ever more grateful for it. 

Rose Hips ☼ Rosa canina

Part Used ☼ The Fruit {hips} 

Harvest Time ☼ Autumn
Taste ☼ Sour, Sweet, Astringent 

Constituents ☼ Vitamin C, Tannins, Flavonoids, Sugars, Pectin, Carotene, & Fruit Acids

Actions ☼ Nutrient, Mild Laxative, Mild Diuretic, Mild Astringent

Internal Preparation ☼ Tea, Infusion, Decoction, Syrup, Honey, Jam/Jelly

External Preparation ☼ Oil 

Rose Hips provide one of the best natural and freely available sources of Vitamin C. They may be used wherever the vitamin is needed. They will help the bodies defenses against infections and especially the development of colds. They make an excellent Spring tonic and aid in general debility and exhaustion. They will help in cases of constipation and mild gall-bladder problems as well as conditions of the kidney and bladder. -David Hoffmann A word of caution, the seeds, which are not traditionally used as medicine contain a glucoside and are toxic, producing torpor, vertigo, and headaches. -Matthew Wood I suggest removing the seeds from the hips.

I have also come to call on Rose Hips for a variety of Women's Issues, including for the treatment of menstrual cramps & menstrual irregularity. A strong infusion of an oz of hips, drank throughout the day, works wonderfully for this. This is made by placing one oz of herb in a vessel, pouring bowling hot water over it, and then letting it sit for at lest 8 to 24 hours before consuming. 

☼ Simple Soap ☼ Patchouli & Lavender 

Michael's first bath of cold process "simple soap", featuring the liberating scent of patchouli paired with the lightly floral and soothing scent of lavender. Surprisingly easy to prepare and cure, as it should be, if you ask me.

☼ Ingredients & Materials ☼

☼ A Soap Mold {in this case a wooden one was used}

☼ Freezer Paper to line the soap mold

☼ A Variety of Measuring & Mixing Bowls

☼ Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

☼ Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

☼ Organic Ethically Harvested Palm Kernel Oil

☼ Tallow

☼ Lye

☼ Organic Essential Oils of Patchouli & Lavender 

Oils & tallow are melted together, lye added, essential oils added, then all ingredients are added to the soap mold, {which is lined with freezer paper for easy removal}, then the soap, while still in it's mold is left in a dark, cool place to cure, for at lest a months time, but in this case it was left for six months time. 

This is not intended to be an overview of the soapmaking process, tutorial or guide, to learn more about the soap making process and gain access to some user friendly tutorials, please refer to Teach Soap

☼ St . Johns Wort ☼ Solar Infused Oil ☼

A simply beautiful ruby red herbal oil with highly regarded healing properties, that include the ability to amend damaged nerve endings, such as in neuralgia, burns, wounds, and as seen in other common inflictions of trauma to the skin. This oil is made using a traditional folk method called a soil infusion, which is a magical form of infusion, where the power of the sun is harnessed to infuse the most vital properties of the herb into the menstrum base. In this case the volatile oil & the properties that it contains of the St. Johns Wort Flowers is infused into olive oil. Just a word of "caution" on applying St. Johns Wort Oil to the skin. Although I haven't personally experienced this side-effect of St. Johns Wort, there have been reported cases of skin sensitivity caused by the application of St. Johns Wort Oil  on the skin while receiving direct contact with sunlight over an extended period of time. To learn more about this I suggest referring to the following user-friendly herbal reference books to become better informed "Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health"by Rosemary Gladstar & "The New Holistic Herbal" by David Hoffman.

 ☼ Materials & Ingredients ☼

☼ A glass vessel with a lid {preferably a mason jar}

☼ A small piece of cheesecloth or parchment paper

☼ Enough fresh or dried herb to fill the jar

☼ Enough high quality oil to completely cover the herb by at lest an inch {for this I used & prefer Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil}

☼ Step One ☼

Fill jar within two inches of the lid with desired fresh or dried herb {in this case I used freshly wildcrafted St. Johns Wort Flowers}

☼ Step Two ☼

Fill jar with desired high quality oil {in this case I used Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil} until the herb is completely covered. Next cover the mouth of the jar with either a piece of cheesecloth or parchment paper and then continue to cover with a loose fitting lid band {this is to keep debri and insects from getting into your oil}. 

☼ Step Three ☼

Place jar in a warm and sunny spot, preferably in direct sunlight, if possible, for 3 to 4 weeks. Being sure to check the oil regularly for signs of mold around the mouth of the lid, which could be the result of too much moisture and or due to a lack of direct sunlight. I say this as a word of caution, however I have never had a solar infused oil show signs of mold before.

☼ Step Four ☼

After 3 to 4 weeks, and the oil has become rudy red, it is ready! You may now strain your oil

preferably by using a strainer lined with cheesecloth. 

I also offer an Organic Solar Infused St. Johns Wort Oil in my Etsy Shop Red Root Herbals, for those who may not have the time or resources to make their own. I am also a strong advocate for barter & trade so, please message via Etsy if interested. 

 Oyster Mushroom Saute
Nutty - Meaty - Goodness

- Ingredients -
1 lb fresh Oyster Mushrooms
1/2 bunch Organic Lacinato Kale & Organic Collard Greens
or greens of choice (very good w/ bok choy)
2-3 cloves Organic Garlic
1 small Organic Red Onion
1/2 -1 cup Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon Organic Coconut Aminos
1 teaspoon Umeboshi Plum Sauce
1/2 fresh finely sliced Organic Thai Chili Pepper or
1 teaspoon Thai Chili Pepper Sauce

(you can also substitute the coconut aminos & umeboshi plum sauce for peanut sauce & coconut milk
with organic dry unsalted peanuts..yum!)

Begin by chopping up all solid ingredients into desired sizes. Then add coconut oil to fry pan and let melt slightly, before adding onion, garlic, kale, & mushrooms, then let sauté with lid on for 5 minutes on medium to low heat. Then add coconut aminos, umeboshi plum sauce, & thai chili pepper/sauce, and let sauté for another 5 to 10 minutes on low heat. Then eat atop rice, eggs or alone. I like to sauté on low to medium heat for shorter amounts of time to preserve the nutritional quality, vitality & texture of my food.

Oyster Mushrooms . Pleurotus ostreatus

Of all mushrooms commonly consumed, oyster mushrooms in the genus Pleurotus stand out as exceptional allies for improving human and environmental health. These mushrooms enjoy a terrific reputation as the easiest to cultivate, richly nutritious and medicinally supportive. Oyster mushrooms are also renowned for their ability to degrade environmental toxins, particularly hydrocarbon-based contaminants. Their role as guardians of the biosphere becomes clear as new research into their complex biochemistry proves their potential to combat hunger, improve immunity and clean up polluted lands.

Oyster mushrooms are native to both deciduous hardwood and conifer tree species. Recognized as wood decomposers, they are ubiquitous in forestlands around the world. Fruiting both in the spring and fall, oyster mushrooms, particularly Pleurotus ostreatus and its close relatives, attract cultivators and entrepreneurs for their numerous advantages and unique ecological interactions. Most significantly, nearly all oyster mushrooms are primary saprophytes, meaning they do not require a composted substrate. They grow readily on dead wood, straw, grasses (wheat, rye, rice, fescues, corn, bamboo), cotton, cacti, Scotch broom, hemp, coffee wastes, paper products, and practically any other dried cellulosic plant material.

Although oyster mushrooms have been studied extensively and support health in a number of ways, it is also extremely important to always cook oyster mushrooms! Oyster mushrooms contain a novel, heat-labile, hemolytic protein called "ostreolysin," which can be toxic unless the mushrooms are cooked at temperatures exceeding 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This compound is found in developing and mature oyster mushrooms yet is absent in the mycelium. Nevertheless, this is another good reason -- among many -- that all mushrooms, with the exception of truffles, should be cooked to best take advantage of their beneficial nutritional properties while deactivating heat-sensitive toxins. -Paul Stamets 

☼ Fire Cider ☼

I first learned about this magical concoction last fall while interning at Herb Pharm and since then have been  eager to make my own. I started this batch of fire cider about a month ago now. While nestled on my kitchen shelf it has been inoculating itself with powerful immune boosting properties. Making it a beneficial anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, decongestant, digestive aid, and circulatory system stimulater. All of which are much appreciated during this time of weary bodies & minds, making it an admirable winter remedy. 

Fire cider is a traditional folk remedy passed down from grandmother, to daughter, to granddaughter, and in my case from teacher, to student. It is traditionally prepared on the new moon and buried in the earth until the full moon (a one month period of time), but this is best performed in the warmer spring and summer months when the ground isn't frozen. It's ingredients include a base of apple cider vinegar,  with accompaniment's of ginger root, horseradish root, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, and the sweet touch of honey. Although ingredients have been known to vary, these few remain recipe monarchs. Fire cider can be taken straight in small doses  such as a tablespoon at a time (more if coming down with a cold), added to salad dressings, soups, stir-frys, rice and meat dishes, and just about anything else you can think of that is in need of an invigorating and restorative spicy tick. 

- Ingrediants -

(for a quart sized jar)

☼ Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

☼ 1/2 cup fresh Organic Ginger Root

☼ 1/2 cup fresh Organic Horseradish Root (very potent)

☼ 1 medium Organic Onion

☼ 5-10 cloves Organic Garlic

☼ 2 fresh Organic Jalapeño Peppers 

☼ Zest & juice of one Organic Lemon

☼ A few sprigs of fresh Organic Rosemary or 2 TBLS dried

☼ 1 TBLS Organic Turmeric powder or 1/2 TBLS Fresh Organic Turmeric Root

☼ Raw Local or Organic Honey to taste

Begin by chopping or grating all fresh ingredients. Then add fresh ingredients and dry ingredients (except honey) to a quart sized jar. Cover with apple cider vinegar. Cover jar with a small piece of wax paper and then secure jar with a tight fitting lid. Impart a blessing of healing and love upon your fire cider and shake your jar to infuse the ingredients together. Either bury or let sit in your kitchen for a months time. Then strain out solid ingredients with cheesecloth/strainer and pour remaining cider into a clean jar of choice, add honey to taste, refrigerate, and enjoy!