Whether you have your own herb bed in the back yard, or gather plants in the wild for your herbal medicine chest, unless you properly dry and store them, you labor in vain. Most herbalists recommend air drying herbs to preserve their volatile oils. However, living in a humid area prevents me from simply hanging […]
Use of Alkanet in Natural Cosmetics
August 8, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Have you ever wondered how to get color in your natural cosmetics, such as lip balms and lotions, without using a synthetic product? I recently came across a plant extract which can add a red tint to your home made cosmetics. Alkanet is a plant that is alternatively known by the names dyer’s alkanet or […]
How to Wildcraft Herbs
August 4, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
People that enjoy making their own herbal preparations usually find pleasure collecting their herbs from the wild. If you have access to land away from highway fumes and farm chemicals, you can find many of the medicinal herbs you use in that location. Plantain leaves for insect bites, burdock leaves for burns, black walnut hulls […]
Different Types of Mint Essential Oils
August 1, 2011 by · 1 Comment
Mint is an ancient herb that was prevalent in medieval herb gardens; its use both as a herb and as an oil is not new. However, it might be that different types of mints were used for different conditions and purposes, as there is more than one type of mint species that has medicinal uses. […]
Health Benefits of Black Beans & How to Cook Black Beans
July 28, 2011 by · 1 Comment
In other parts of the world, beans are a staple item. In fact, the Brazilian Food Pyramid actually has a section devoted to beans. Why are beans consumed all over the world? Basically, they are really good for you; and they are cheap. The Black bean, or black turtle bean, is a variety of the […]
Canning And Freezing Greens
July 21, 2011 by · 1 Comment
If I could grow only one thing in my garden, I’d have to choose greens. Now, if I had to narrow that down to a specific variety, I’d be in trouble. But if I could grow just greens, I would have an endless variety—spinach, kale, collards, Swiss chard, beet tops, cabbage, lettuce, and more. And […]
An Introduction to Pilates
July 18, 2011 by · 1 Comment
Pilates is a relatively new form of exercise in comparison to yoga; however, pilates has many benefits in its own right and might be a more suitable form of exercise for some people than yoga. It can be practiced by nearly everyone, no matter how old or young you are; in fact, many people who […]
