More Good Uses for Weeds

Saturday afternoon (and well into the evening) I mingled with newly found friends.  Our farm hosted a ‘play date’ of sorts called Springtime Herbs at one of our customers homes in downtown Vancouver (bless her!).  Our instructor, Gertrude, was amazing, as always.  She has shared classes with us before, and we are always honored to have her.  We made teas, salves, tonics, decoctions, fermened greens, and poultices, oh my!  Here’s a peek into what we were up to, tho it’s just touching on the many things we covered:

For Cold Helpers, we made: Elderberry Syrup, Garlic honey, a lung-clearing onion poultice, a vinegar/flower gargle for sore throats…  We also discussed how a thyme ‘steam’ (or add to a bath) could help relieve head/nasal congestion.

We made and tasted fresh “Star Lady” (chickweed) Tea, Dried Dandelion Leaf tea, and chatted up Rosehip Cordial.

 

Making salve…

 

We learned about the various powdered herbs and poultices used for helping with burns.  We infused oil and added beeswax for a great skin-caring salve (which we all got to take home a bit of!).  To stop an external sore from bleeding, find some plantain (it grows wild in WA) to do the job – it just might work!

We even made a batch of fermented ketchup, revitalizing an organic can of tomato sauce!  We even made tooth-whitening soap powder!

We left with so many excellent resources, new friends, and with the ever-understanding that these are not necessarily current FDA approved (or appreciated) traits of cultures gone by.  I understand, as everyone was made aware, that there is a time and a place for new found remedies, as well as folk lore concepts.  And I appreciate learning as much as I can in this lovely life, taking hold of the bits that I can glean from and use!

One of the most important things that I gained from this class (and many others that we attend) was the community that evolves from it.  We all have something to share, and it’s moments like these that are so abundantly people-building.  It was a very interactive time, with questions, advice, hands-on…  We were learning together, not separately.  And I imagine we all have many years ahead of us to continue together.

 

Check out all of the great goodies on the counter!