This is a great opportunity for someone looking for actual hands on skills with experienced and all around, awesome people.
General description:
This program combines all aspects of organic wholesale medicinal herb production, vegetable growing, and homesteading, from hands-on greenhouse work to planting, propagation, cultivation, harvesting, soil building, and sales. Running from April through September, this internship is for a motivated individual with at least one season of farming under their belt who wants a deeper experience of a home-scale business in a vibrant rural mountain community. It includes 3 days of work at Ancestree Herbals (www.ancestreeherbals.com) and one day at the Karpenko homestead per week in exchange for food, a $200/month stipend, and housing in a 25’ yurt. We are surrounded by the rugged beauty of the North Cascades wilderness, with abundant recreation potential, natural food store, art galleries, etc.
Activities:
Composting; chicken management; field preparation; herb propagation, cultivation, harvesting, processing; irrigation; vegetable growing; seed crops; mulching; possibly light construction; berry-picking; soil-building; pest and weed management; Permaculture design implementation; possible farmer’s market;
Ancestree Herbals, LLC
34 Bond Lane, Twisp, WA 98856
www.ancestreeherbals.com
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Herbal Chai as a Base
In the Village Herbalist on www.herbmentor.com, Heather Nic an Fleishdeir gave a recipe for a chai men's tonic, a basic chai recipe along with sarsparilla, burdock root, and saw palmetto. I made up a batch for my dad omitting the sarsparilla (due to prostate troubles) and adding nettle root and parsley root.
Using these warming and yummy herbs as a medium for other herbs is really a fun way to administer herbs. Especially when it is constitutionally appropriate, as for people who tend to be cold and damp.
Also, in the comments section of my last post on chai, Kiva recommended adding black peppercorns as well - sounds good - I'll have to give it a try.
Immune Support Chai
dried burdock roots, two parts;
Astragalus root, two parts
cinnamon, one part. (a cinnamon stick or two works great, I use cinnamon chips)
dried or fresh Ginger root, one part
cardamon, I like the hulled seeds ½ part
cloves – 3 or 4 whole cloves
Men's Chai Tonic
dried burdock roots, two parts;
Saw Palmetto berry, two parts
Sarsaparilla, one part (not for prostate cancer)
cinnamon, one part. (a cinnamon stick or two works great)
dried or fresh Ginger root, one part
cardamon, I like the hulled seeds ½ part
cloves – 3 or 4 whole cloves
Men's Chai Tonic II
dried burdock roots, two parts;
Saw palmetto, two parts
Nettle root, one part
Parsley root, one part
cinnamon, one part. (a cinnamon stick or two works great)
dried or fresh Ginger root, one part
cardamon, I like the hulled seeds ½ part
cloves – 3 or 4 whole cloves
And my new favorite blend for menstrual cramps. I got the idea from Lesley Tierra who recommends using cinnamon to warm and unblock channels, alleviating coldness that causes menstrual cramps. She recommends taking capsules starting a few days before a woman gets her moon. I'll sip my chai instead. :)
Women's Crampbark Chai
Crampbark, two parts
cinnamon, one part. (a cinnamon stick or two works great)
dried or fresh Ginger root, two parts
cardamon, I like the hulled seeds ½ part
cloves – 3 or 4 whole cloves
Using these warming and yummy herbs as a medium for other herbs is really a fun way to administer herbs. Especially when it is constitutionally appropriate, as for people who tend to be cold and damp.
Also, in the comments section of my last post on chai, Kiva recommended adding black peppercorns as well - sounds good - I'll have to give it a try.
Immune Support Chai
dried burdock roots, two parts;
Astragalus root, two parts
cinnamon, one part. (a cinnamon stick or two works great, I use cinnamon chips)
dried or fresh Ginger root, one part
cardamon, I like the hulled seeds ½ part
cloves – 3 or 4 whole cloves
Men's Chai Tonic
dried burdock roots, two parts;
Saw Palmetto berry, two parts
Sarsaparilla, one part (not for prostate cancer)
cinnamon, one part. (a cinnamon stick or two works great)
dried or fresh Ginger root, one part
cardamon, I like the hulled seeds ½ part
cloves – 3 or 4 whole cloves
Men's Chai Tonic II
dried burdock roots, two parts;
Saw palmetto, two parts
Nettle root, one part
Parsley root, one part
cinnamon, one part. (a cinnamon stick or two works great)
dried or fresh Ginger root, one part
cardamon, I like the hulled seeds ½ part
cloves – 3 or 4 whole cloves
And my new favorite blend for menstrual cramps. I got the idea from Lesley Tierra who recommends using cinnamon to warm and unblock channels, alleviating coldness that causes menstrual cramps. She recommends taking capsules starting a few days before a woman gets her moon. I'll sip my chai instead. :)
Women's Crampbark Chai
Crampbark, two parts
cinnamon, one part. (a cinnamon stick or two works great)
dried or fresh Ginger root, two parts
cardamon, I like the hulled seeds ½ part
cloves – 3 or 4 whole cloves
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Herbal treatment for fevers
The following is an excerpt taken from a booklet I wrote entitled, Herbal Remedies for the Cold and Flu Season.
Fevers
A fever is your hypothalamus gland raising your body temperature in an attempt to kill pathogens in the body. Viruses and bacteria do not tolerate high temperatures, so stopping a fever prematurely can actually be doing the pathogens a favor. Of course a spiking fever in an infant, or a fever that stays too high for days can be cause for alarm and reason for intervention. In treating fevers, use your best judgment and remember our job is to support the body’s natural functions, not quell symptoms. Fevers can be serious, if in doubt see your family practitioner.
During a fever be sure to drink plenty of liquids including electrolytes. According to Heather Nic an Fleisdeir you can make your own electrolyte blend by mixing together the following in a cup of warm water.
Electrolyte Blend:
Teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or citrus
Teaspoon of honey
Pinch of salt
Elderflower:
Safe for children and adults alike, elderflower tea has diaphoretic properties that can reduce a fever. I usually take my elderflower in a tea blend as on page 10. You can also place a cup of elderflowers in a quart mason jar, fill with just boiled water and drink a half hour later.
Yarrow
This diaphoretic works by opening the pores to let the heat out. Yarrow has a strong taste and I like to tame it a little be using a blend of peppermint, elderflower and rose hips. You can also take a dropperful of the tincture in a ¼ cup of warm/hot water, each hour until symptoms subside.
Catnip
High in potassium, it helps to replace valuable minerals lost in sweating. Catnip is mild tasting, safe for children and contains mild sedative properties to help you rest.
Chamomile
Another gentle yet effective fever reducer, chamomile can be taken as a tea to reduce fevers. Since this plant is high in volatile oils, I steep my tea for 15 minutes or less.
Lemon Balm
Deliciously cooling, an infusion of lemon balm leaves can cool the body reducing an out of control temperature. It also cools the nerves. Making a brew can allay stress and reduce the duration and pain of fever blisters (herpes virus).
Fevers
A fever is your hypothalamus gland raising your body temperature in an attempt to kill pathogens in the body. Viruses and bacteria do not tolerate high temperatures, so stopping a fever prematurely can actually be doing the pathogens a favor. Of course a spiking fever in an infant, or a fever that stays too high for days can be cause for alarm and reason for intervention. In treating fevers, use your best judgment and remember our job is to support the body’s natural functions, not quell symptoms. Fevers can be serious, if in doubt see your family practitioner.
During a fever be sure to drink plenty of liquids including electrolytes. According to Heather Nic an Fleisdeir you can make your own electrolyte blend by mixing together the following in a cup of warm water.
Electrolyte Blend:
Teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or citrus
Teaspoon of honey
Pinch of salt
Elderflower:
Safe for children and adults alike, elderflower tea has diaphoretic properties that can reduce a fever. I usually take my elderflower in a tea blend as on page 10. You can also place a cup of elderflowers in a quart mason jar, fill with just boiled water and drink a half hour later.
Yarrow
This diaphoretic works by opening the pores to let the heat out. Yarrow has a strong taste and I like to tame it a little be using a blend of peppermint, elderflower and rose hips. You can also take a dropperful of the tincture in a ¼ cup of warm/hot water, each hour until symptoms subside.
Catnip
High in potassium, it helps to replace valuable minerals lost in sweating. Catnip is mild tasting, safe for children and contains mild sedative properties to help you rest.
Chamomile
Another gentle yet effective fever reducer, chamomile can be taken as a tea to reduce fevers. Since this plant is high in volatile oils, I steep my tea for 15 minutes or less.
Lemon Balm
Deliciously cooling, an infusion of lemon balm leaves can cool the body reducing an out of control temperature. It also cools the nerves. Making a brew can allay stress and reduce the duration and pain of fever blisters (herpes virus).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
