A JOURNEY BACK TO ALL NATURAL SOAPMAKING

For years I was all about crafting 100% all-natural soaps, pouring my passion for herbs and essential oils into each batch, but as you might guess, diving into that world was like jumping into a sea of wave after wave of competitors at Farmers' markets and natural food stores; it felt like every corner I turned had someone else peddling the same exact type of soap. So I took a different path and focussed...

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LOVELY LAVENDER

I absolutely love lavender; it's one of my favorite scents. There's something truly enchanting about the way its delicate aroma fills the air, soothing the senses and transporting me to a serene lavender field. Not too far from my house is a hidden gem called the Lavender Barnyard, a delightful little lavender farm that invites you to immerse yourself in the beauty of this fragrant herb. The moment...

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PLANT FOR THE GARDEN - PRICKLY ASH

Prickly Ash, scientifically known as Zanthoxylum americium, is a fascinating native plant of Minnesota that holds a special place in both ecological and cultural spheres. This unique plant is often mistaken for the ash tree due to its name, but it actually belongs to the olive family. My first encounter with its distinctive berries was like stepping into a new world of flavors and sensations. My daughter's...

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HOW TO CONVINCE A TEEN NOT TO DRINK ESSENTIAL OILS

Recently my 16 yr old daughter came home from a friends house asking if I knew people could drink essential oils.  The first thing I said was "let me guess, one of your friends parents sell Young Living Essential Oils" and she asks "how did you know?" The first time I heard about Young Living was during my aromatherapy certification course when a student brought up Raindrop Therapy.  She...

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SHOULD YOU CALL LAVENDER A LAVENDER?

I was reading a Facebook post recently where essential oils were being discussed, particularly cassia vs. cinnamon bark oil.  There was a debate over whether two plants from the same genus were essentially equals.  Should we refer to both peppermint and spearmint as mints (mentha)?  Should we refer to both cassia and cinnamon bark as cinnamon? The answer provided by the chemist leading...

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GETTING READY FOR FLU SEASON WITH ELDERBERRY SYRUP

After learning I have an autoimmune disease and finding that I really struggle to overcome even the most basic illness I've decided to be proactive about maintaining wellness this year.  I've always done a few things to prepare our family for flu season, like making an elderberry tincture and keeping a natural version of antibacterial hand spray on hand for each person in the house but I've been...

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HERBAL STUDIES: PLANTAIN

Kids are always getting bit by something; mosquitos, black flies, deer flies, gnats, sand fleas… you name it and when they get bit they scratch, scratch, scratch and whine, whine, whine so as a parent you search for something to stop the itch and unfortunately everything you find is usually some commercial concoction that never really works anyway.  So what should you do? Reach for plantain. Plantain...

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HERBS, HERBS, HERBS

I decided it was time to teach my youngest about herbs.  After quizzing her I found that she knows quite a bit but it was time to incorporate some fun stuff.  We are going to work our way through as many herbs as we can until winter arrives and our herb garden and wild medicinal plants have died back.  For each herb she is journaling, coloring, and creating. A while...

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DIY VANILLA EXTRACT

My daughter and I made some vanilla extract again this year.  We'll be giving these bottles away at Christmas time.  Last time I made vanilla extract I purchased beans from Beanilla, I really wanted the Mexican vanilla beans at the time but they were all sold out so I bought the Madagascar beans instead.  I found that I really loved the way the vanilla turned out so I ordered the...

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HERBAL MEDICINE: TINCTURES

For a simple elderberry tincture recipe click HERE. Unfortunately here in Minnesota the elderberry season is over.  I was lucky to find a bush that hadn't been picked over by the birds but not lucky enough to have my tincture ready before my youngest caught a respiratory infection :(  Elderberries, when taken orally,  are best for treating both influenza A and B.  A...

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HERBS HERBS HERBS

Maya and I attended the yearly Herb Festival in Cannon Falls this weekend.  It was great to see Lise Wolff again (I have taken classes from her in the past) and it was fun to learn new things. I only had one negative experience, a single instructor that clearly didn't belong there (had her group drinking essential oils, putting several undiluted eos on the skin, referred to Robert Tisserand as...

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