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Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]
Dallas News.com ^ | March 14th, 2008 | DEAN FOSDICK

Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

[snipped]

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...


TOPICS: Food; Gardening
KEYWORDS: atlasshrugged; atlasshrugs; celiac; celiacs; comingdarkness; difficulttimes; diy; emergencyprep; endtimes; food; foodie; foodies; free; freeperkitchen; freepingforsurvival; garden; gardening; gf; gluten; glutenfree; granny; lastdays; makeyourownmixes; mix; mixes; naturaldisasters; nwarizonagranny; obamanomics; operationthrift; prep; preparedness; prepper; preps; recipe; stinkbait; survival; survivallist; survivalplans; survivaltoday; survivingsocialism; teotwawki; victory; victorygardens; wcgnascarthread; zaq
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To: nw_arizona_granny

That Countryside Magazine has everything it seems!


9,041 posted on 12/22/2008 8:31:46 PM PST by JDoutrider (Heading to Galt's Gulch... It is time.)
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To: JDoutrider; nw_arizona_granny

I’ll check it out!


9,042 posted on 12/22/2008 10:33:49 PM PST by TenthAmendmentChampion (Join us on the best FR thread, 8000+ posts: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts)
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To: nw_arizona_granny; JDoutrider
Here are the cowboy cookie jars I made:

Here are the gift baskets that I put together for everyone. The cones are hot chocolate mix and marshmallows:


9,043 posted on 12/22/2008 10:36:56 PM PST by TenthAmendmentChampion (Join us on the best FR thread, 8000+ posts: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts)
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To: nw_arizona_granny
When we first came to Arizona, we hauled every drop of water, LOL, you never get over the fear of running out of water and not having a way to get more.

My sister in law lives up in a town called Walker (southeast of Prescott, about 7400 ft elevation). They cannot get water there and have to have it hauled in. They have a storage tank and watch how much water they use.

One time just before the next delivery, my brother in law got stuck in the water tank and it was getting dark. He was pounding on the side of the tank but no one heard him. It gets cold there at night! He finally got his wife's attention when she started wondering where he was and she was able to help him get out. It was funny the way he told the story but he was miserable in there with the cold coming on. Good thing he has a sense of humor!

9,044 posted on 12/22/2008 10:41:29 PM PST by TenthAmendmentChampion (Join us on the best FR thread, 8000+ posts: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts)
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To: All

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hillbillyherbalism/messages/353

Autumn Clean Indoor Air To-Do List

It’s that time again–windows close with a thump, the furnace clicks
on, and next thing you know, you’re living in a hotbed of pollution
that could rival the smog in L.A.

Here are 10 easy, simple things you can do to keep the air quality
pure and safe in your house this autumn.

1. Empty your refrigerator tray. It can start looking pretty swampy
in there, and the `fridge fan blows that moldy yucky air right into
your home.

2. Dust your heaters. When the heat comes on, it isn’t good to smell
fried dust.

3. Check for foreign objects in your heating elements. Anyone with
small children knows that plastic objects can find their way into
the heating units and next thing you know, everyone is sniffing and
wondering, “Why does it smell like burning plastic in here?” Toxic!

4. Clean your oil burner. A dirty furnace doesn’t function as well
and can emit more harmful carbon monoxide and other undesirable
compounds.

5. Clean chimneys. Prevent chimney fires and carbon monoxide buildup
in your home.

6. Devise a compost system. When the windows stay closed, molds in
the air from fermenting compost can become a problem. Be sure to
empty your kitchen compost every day.

7. Be alert to outgassing. New products and activities like painting
will have more of an effect on your indoor air quality now that the
windows are closed. You may want to air new carpets or upholstered
furniture before putting them in your house. If you’re painting, be
sure to provide plenty of ventilation, and choose non-toxic paints.

8. Steam-clean your carpets. Get rid of dust, dust-mites and other
noxious things so you won’t be inhaling them with every step you
take.

9. Choose your candles wisely. Petroleum-based and lead-wick candles
contribute significantly to dangerous levels of indoor air
pollution. Buy (or make) candles made from beeswax, soy, or
vegetable oils, lead-free wicks, and pure essential-oil fragrances.

10. NO kerosene space heaters, ever! They are lethal. If you need
extra heat in a room, consider one of the free-standing electric
heaters filled with oil that radiate clean heat.


9,045 posted on 12/22/2008 11:06:20 PM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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To: TenthAmendmentChampion

My sister in law lives up in a town called Walker (southeast of Prescott, about 7400 ft elevation). They cannot get water there and have to have it hauled in. They have a storage tank and watch how much water they use.<<<

That is what they do here, have tankers come in to fill the tank.

When we started, we didn’t have that luxury, it was get water at the stand pipe or suck it out of the canal, for awhile we did both.

I kept a bar of soap and wash cloths in the car at all times, in case I met real running water.


9,046 posted on 12/22/2008 11:13:41 PM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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To: JDoutrider

That Countryside Magazine has everything it seems!<<<

I haven’t dug into the web site, but for a couple years, I subscribed to the paper magazine and read every word in it, as one could learn things in those letters that were posted.

I was just reading a good idea for a compost pile, 5 or 6 tires, with the sidewalls removed, so the thread band is left as a rubber ring, stack them up and use as a compost bin.

It would be easy to break down and turn and the black would heat it in the summer.

The also stacked tires, filled with sand in the greenhouse, where the sun would hit the stack and let it absorb heat, by day to give back at night, and grew veggies on the top tire, with one sidewall removed and it was filled with good soil for growing.


9,047 posted on 12/22/2008 11:18:53 PM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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To: TenthAmendmentChampion

Here are the cowboy cookie jars I made:<<<

Clever, I am glad you did make them.

They look good to me.

Scott brought his Lady friend over, she brought me a basket with Pumpkin and also Banana breads in it..........I like her better all the time, she is a good cook.


9,048 posted on 12/22/2008 11:20:48 PM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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To: nw_arizona_granny

I am glad someone is bringing you good things to eat. I’d love to send you a cowboy cookie jar. They were fun to make! Enjoy your bread.


9,049 posted on 12/22/2008 11:23:50 PM PST by TenthAmendmentChampion (Join us on the best FR thread, 8000+ posts: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts)
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To: All

[Always check with your Medical adviser/doctor before using any herbal treatment...granny]

http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=414

For a Midsummer’s Day: Peach Leaf Tea

Published by Kiva Rose at 6:18 pm under Medicine Woman Materia Medica

Cold Peach leaf tea is where it’s at folks, and it may be the best SW summer beverage I’ve met! It’s yummy and mild, great with honey, calming and moistening. Even most little kids really like the taste, and it’s easy to jazz it up with some Wild Rose petals or River Mint (M. arvensis) or some Wild Chamomile. It’s really truly a great base for many tea blends and SO easy to gather and dry. And on chilly mountain mornings, it makes an elegant pair with fresh Ginger for a more warming treat.

Infusion-wise, I prefer a cold preparation. But for a beverage tea, I just put a large pinch of crushed dried Peach leaves into a mug, cover with hot water and let steep for a few minutes. It’s a sweet, aromatic flavor with the barest hint of astringency. Adding a spoonful of Wild Rose honey is just divine.

Peach has become more and more of an important ally for me over the past year, and it’s one of those herbs I carry around with me all the time, both a tincture bottle and a little packet of dried leaves. I’ve used it on bug bites, in mild to moderate allergic reactions, nausea, morning sickness (and hyperemesis), heartburn, insomnia, anxiety/hysteria, headaches, heart palpitations from anxiety, wounds and gosh, so much more. It’ll usually be most effective in people with red tongues or red-tipped (and often totally uncoated) tongues, with symptoms of overheatedness, irritation and obsessiveness. I use it for my own fits of moody, overwhelming PMS with quite good results, combined with Cherry if I’m having anxiety attacks along with the PMS.

And really, I love how the whole Rose family works together (you wouldn’t necessarily expect it from such a fiercely individualistic bunch) and I often use Wild Rose and Peach together as a pair. Some herbalists may feel this lacks specificity, but I am of the opinion that certain herbs really partner well with each other and increase the power of both. I always get to know the plants one at a time, but sometimes a combo just can’t be beat. People are like this too, sometimes better understood as individuals but more effective as a unit.

For some people, Peach will instigate a ~very~ calming effect, sometimes verging on sleepy. It does seem to greatly depend on the person and what they need. For myself, I sometimes get incredibly sleepy, and sometimes not at all. Go figure. I reckon the plants are often far wiser than I though, so I generally try to comply with whatever they’re telling me.

I can’t recommend Peach leaf spit poultice highly enough for various red burning/itching bug bites. Quick-acting and remarkably effective in most cases, it’s an all around great treatment and can be combined with Plantain for even broader application. I’ve now wandered a bit from Peach tea, but this is truly a multi-purpose plant that deserves more attention in the bioregions where it flourishes.

Previous posts on Peach include:

http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=308

http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?p=247

Resources:
The Earthwise Herbal vol 1 by Matthew Wood
Lectures by Phyllis Light
Mountain Medicine by Darryl Patton
Physiomedical Dispensatory by William Cook


9,050 posted on 12/22/2008 11:47:58 PM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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To: All

http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?cat=7

Rose Vinegar: My Favorite Sunburn Soother

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth, Therapeutics and Nutrition

Rose vinegar is supremely easy to make and has about a million uses. Here’s how you make it: get yourself a jar, fill it about halfway with dried Rose petal or leaves, or all the way up with fresh petals and/or leaves. Fill to top with a high quality apple cider vinegar. Let infuse for at least two weeks, and preferably six weeks. A plastic lid will prevent the Rose vinegar from eating through the normal metal canning lids (turns your vinegar black too, very unpleasant). Your vinegar will turn a lovely shade of reddish pink to brilliant ruby if you use colorful petals (dunno how yellow comes out it, I’ve never used them).

A cloth can be soaked in this lovely preparation (dilute to 1 part vinegar to about 7-10 parts water) can be used placed on the forehead for headaches (especially heat caused headaches), wrapped around a sprained ankle or used to wash itchy bug bites and heat rashes. It excels at pulling heat from an inflamed area in a very short time. It is especially powerful at rapidly quenching the redness and pain from a sunburn in to time flat. In fact a medium sunburn, if caught within the first 24 hours, can be nearly erased in three or four applications of vinegar over a period of six hours or so. Even where there is threatening sun poisoning and blistering skin, it can greatly ease the pain and lessen the general trauma to the body. While not a replacement for emergency care in severe burns, it is nearly always incredibly helpful.

~~~~

Sunburn Treatment

* First, do yourself a favor and don’t smother your sunburn in salve or oil. It just holds the heat in and worsens it, no matter how healing the herbs contained therein may be.
* Depending on the size of the burn, pour about 1/3 a cup of Rose Vinegar into a bowl, then add several cups of water and mix thoroughly.
* Get a soft, absorbent cloth and dip into the liquid. Gently wring it out, being sure the cloth is still quite wet. You may want to use very large cloths/towels if the area burned is very large.
* Place the cloths over the affected areas, it will very cold at first but the cloth will rapidly become hot. Keep re-dipping and wringing as soon as the cloth gets warm. Depending on the severity of the burn, I usually re-apply at least a dozen times during the first session.
* Let the skin airdry. For a medium burns, I repeat the application about once every two hours. For severe burns, every hour. For light burns, as often as is needed.
* Before bed, a topical application of fresh Aloe Vera gel can be applied (from the plant, not weird preserved stuff from a bottle) to the area.
* Keep up the treatment until the area no longer feels hot to the touch. If the burns are very severe and there is the possibility (or existence) of infection, dress the burns with Rose and/or Beebalm honey between vinegar applications.
* Once the area has cooled off (and stays that way) it’s ok to use a healing salve or cream like Rose, Alder and Elderflower to speed the skin’s complete recovery.

If there’s no Rose vinegar on hand, plain or similarly herbal infused (Elderflower, Chickweed, Alder, Plantain) apple cider may be used.

This is such an effective treatment that I wouldn’t dream of traveling without it or not having several quart jars of it in my pantry and medicine chest.

2 responses so far


9,051 posted on 12/22/2008 11:59:28 PM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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To: All

http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?cat=7

Best Beaver Sauce

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth

This is Loba and I’s favorite way to cook up Beaver meat. I prefer fresh tomatoes or homemade tomato sauce but we’ve given the ingredients in easy to find materials for your convenience. This is a simple and tasty recipe and can easily be adapted to become beaver chili or something similar. It’s also excellent plain, wrapped up in some brined grape leaves.

extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint jar beaver meat
1 big can whole tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sage
2 teaspoons bee balm or oregano
lots of black pepper
1 cup red wine

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil, add the rest of the ingredients, and smush the tomatoes with your hands. Add some more water if it seems a bit thick. Simmer for a few hours. Taste, and adjust the salt and pepper if you like, and add a bit more olive oil. That’s it! Enjoy!!

One response so far


9,052 posted on 12/23/2008 12:01:31 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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To: All

http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?cat=7

Golden Flax Bread

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth

For those of us unable to eat grains in any form, bread can seem like a thing of the past. I went years without eating bread, much to my great sadness. And then, I discovered flax! I’d made flax crackers before and they’re great but I had no idea flax could become something firm, fluffy and yummy — something very like bread!

This is my basic recipe, it’s very simple and any part can be modified to suit you needs, it’s really not the kind of thing that falls apart with any variation or omission. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever made it the same way twice! I haven’t tried it as a yeasted bread, so I’m not sure how that would work, but I aim to try.

Amazingly, this bread is really really good. I’ve tried all kind of “fake” bread recipes, but none of them came close to this. This really, truly bread!

Be sure to get high quality flax seed. If it smells strongly or has the least little bit of fishy odor, reject it! I suggest getting whole seeds for this reason. Rancid flax is disgusting tasting and bad for you too. Good flax should be slightly sweet and slippery with a distinctive yet mild aroma and taste.

A word of wisdom: you must understand that flax has a LOT of fiber in it. So, if you’re not accustomed to eating any kind of fiber, well then, flax could have a laxative effect on your belly. That said, I have a super sensitive belly and I have no trouble with flax bread.

* 2/3 C flax meal (I like Bob’s Red Mill Golden Flax, hand ground - but that’s just my preference from what I’ve tried so far)
* 1/3 C almond meal (optional, but nice, other nut meals such as acorn can be substituted)
* 1 - 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
* Salt to taste (I like more salt in my flax bread than I would in regular wheat bread)
* appr 3 tsp olive oil or butter or unrefined coconut oil (depending on what kind of flavor you want)
* 2 eggs (1 egg will suffice, but 2 eggs holds together just a bit better)
* water to texture desired (it makes a big difference, and the wetter it is, the harder it is to get it to cook all the way through, I go for minimal water needed to get things fluid enough to pour the batter)

Mix dry ingredients together well. Gently beat eggs together before adding (optional, but it blends better that way.

The recipe will work for a regular sized pie tin or small loaf pan. Double the recipe for a more normal sized bread loaf pan.Don’t forget to oil the pan well before pouring the batter in.

Get your oven nice and hot (I have wood cookstove, I have no idea what the degrees are, but cooler than for biscuits, more like cornbread temp).

Cook for appr. 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Toothpick or butter knife should could out clean if you insert it into the center of the bread. Enjoy fresh out of the oven or at room temperature for a nice sandwich.

Variations:

For an herbed bread: add small chunks of sharp chedder cheese, a TB of crushed thyme, a Tsp of crushed sage, a tsp of oregano or beebalm, small handful of fresh chopped Rosemary, fresh ground black pepper to taste and maybe some coarse salt on top. You can even add some green onion, broccoli or nettles for extra panache if you like.

Sweet Bread: add cinnamon, honey, cardamom, vanilla and even some fresh fruit like sliced strawberries.

Pancakes: just make the batter thin enough to spread on a hot cast iron pan or griddle. Unsweetened applesauce is nice in the pancakes instead of water.

Pictures are of this mornings bread, with walnuts added for extra texture and arugula and sage added for delightful greeness. This loaf was made a metal pie tin.

~~~~~~

20 responses so far


9,053 posted on 12/23/2008 12:04:33 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?cat=7

Elderberry Sparkle: A Beginner’s Guide to Lacto-Fermented Herbal Brews

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth, Medicine Making

I do a lot of brewing here. This is in part to compensate for the lack of refrigeration at the center but also just because I love the process of fermentation. I make homemade wines and ales of all kinds, but want to start here with a basic primer for Lacto-Fermented Herbal Brews because they’re easy, quick and you and your children can drink them to your heart’s content. The herbal sparkles are fizzy and tongue-tingly, and depending on the culture you use, they can also have a bit of a sour bite to them. Very yummy, and a great alternative to most commercial beverages out there.

1. Make a quart of herbal infusion. Yarrow, Elderberry or Chamomile are all good starting points. Let it infuse for several hours then strain.
2. Add a couple tablespoons of sugar or honey.
3. Pour about 1/2-1 cup of whey into the bottom of a clean quart jar.
4. Add infusion to jar until close to the neck of the jar.
5. Add two or three slices of fresh ginger (optional, but helps with the fermenting process)
6. Cover loosely (you can use a canning lid, just don’t screw it on all the way).
7. Let sit for two-three days (depending on warm the spot was and what you’re fermenting).
8. Drink up.
9. Store remainder in a cool dark place, in an airtight jar once you’re sure the fermentation process is done (you can put a balloon around the jar mouth overnight, and if it inflates it’s still fermenting.

It really couldn’t be simpler or tastier. You can get your whey from plain yogurt (by separating the solids from the liquid, the liquid is your whey) although I prefer the whey from piima. In a couple days, your brew will be sparkly, fizzy and delicious. With yogurt whey based brews, they’ll easily last for more than a month with refrigeration, but will get progressively sourer. I’m not sure what happens with piima because I drink it too fast to find out. I like these brews as a quick ferment for instant gratification. If I want longer lasting brews, I make wine or ale.

In general the more sugar you add, the fizzier the drink and the longer it takes to ferment. With lacto-fermented brews I find you really don’t need that much to make a tasty, sparkly drink. There is some alcohol content happening here, but it’s very low

What herbal infusion you choose depends on your tast. Yarrow is bitter and pungent, providing a slightly mind altering edge while Elderberry is blood nourishing, tart and a beautiful shade of purple. You get all the benefits of a normal herbal infusion plus the extra benefits of fermentation and friendly bacteria for your belly. Who can complain?

As with most traditional foods, there’s lots of room for improvisation with these brews. Endless combinations of herbs, sweeteners and ways of fermenting await you. Be creative, and don’t forget to have fun.

27 responses so far


9,054 posted on 12/23/2008 12:07:03 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?cat=7&paged=2

Pain Salve for Wood Chopping Hands & Some Notes on Salve Bases

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth, Therapeutics and Nutrition

3 Parts Larrea leaf/flower infused oil
2 Parts Cottonwood bud infused oil
1 Part Cypress (or Thuja) leaf/berry infused oil
1 Part Ginger root infused oil
Sprinkle of Chile powder (you can use Cayenne, but I prefer Chile Piquin myself)

Blend oils and Chile powder, then add melted beeswax until you reach your desired consistency. I’m assuming you know how to make a basic salve. If not, wait until I do my post on basic medicine making and then makes this salve ;)

Another method is to either add lanolin to the infused oils, or to actually infuse the herbs directly into lanolin or lard or ghee or whatever happy, wholesome kind of animal fat you’ve got on hand. This latter method needs to be done over a low heat for a long time. Some people do this in a double boiler, but me, I just pop it all into a skillet on a cool corner of the woodstove and stir frequently. When the herbs are somewhat crispy and the fat has taken on the color/scent of the plant matter, it’s done. This is the time honored way of making salve by a great many peoples, and variations on this are still used in Chinese Medicine, and other traditional systems of medicine. Animal fats absorb better into human skin than vegetable oils and are far preferable for burns or other hot skin conditions.

Yes, lanolin does smell pretty funky, but aren’t medicines supposed to have, um, character? Besides, you’ll most likely grow fond of it after a while. Some people have lanolin sensitivities so you’ll want to be sure have your salve jar clearly labeled that it contains it. I’ve never met anyone with a lard sensitivity, except vegans, but that’s different.

Anyhow, this makes a pain relieving and very healing salve for chapped, sore, ax handle battered hands. It works quite quickly and is amazingly effective. The Larrea can be removed if you’re not a Southwesterner and the salve will still work well. It’s most beneficial if used soon after the battering or chapping, but will be helpful at any point.

Other optional ingredients are Alder bark or leaf, black Pepper, Rosemary, Juniper, Comfrey or even some strong Peppermint or Wild Mint. The point is to have penetrating, tissue healing, circulatory stimulant and anti-inflammatory actions involved here. Often, aromatic and resinous herbs fall into these categories and you will find world-wide use of certain common plants like Cottonwood, Cypress and Juniper for muscular pain.

Note: If you make salve in a skillet and you use aromatic herbs like Larrea or Cottonwood that aren’t exactly culinary, you should probably not use cast iron because it absorbs flavor unless you’re going to dedicate the skillet to that purpose. Otherwise, your bacon and eggs could taste like Creosote Bush ~forever~

6 responses so far


9,055 posted on 12/23/2008 12:10:29 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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http://bearmedicineherbals.com/?cat=7&paged=2

Herbal Honeys & Pastes for Blood Building, Burn Dressings & More

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth, Therapeutics and Nutrition

It’s become fairly common knowledge even among the scientific establishment that honey makes a superior burn and wound dressing. It’s especially good at preventing and resolving infection, even with antibiotic resistant infections. It also excels at keeping inflammation to a manageable level and seems to help the regeneration of new tissue.

The next obvious step is to use herbal honeys for wound and burn dressings! If raw honey is already an amazing treatment then adding the further healing properties of herbs can only improve the mix, right?

So here’s a basic recipe for an herbal honey and some ideas for herbs to use especially for wound and burn dressings. You can, of course, eat the honey as well in order to integrate healing into the body, and because they taste good.

Fresh Herb Infused Honey

1 glass jar with lid
enough raw, preferably local, honey to fill the jar
enough fresh plant matter to fill the jar (less for roots, more for flowers)
a chopstick or stick

Fill the jar, more or less, with roughly chopped (or smushed, for berries) plant matter. Then, drench the plants with slightly warmed (enough to be pourable) honey until almost full. Stir with stick or chopstick until thoroughly mixed. Then poke at the mixture to release any remaining air bubbles. Top off with more honey.

Let sit for a few to six weeks in a warm place or until the honey takes on the taste and fragrance of the herb. If the herb you used is not terribly palatable, then strain it off and preserve the honey. Otherwise, I like to keep the herb in the honey to nibble on, use in food, etc. If you live in a humid, moldy climate you may want to either keep the jar in the fridge or add some (as you like, any amount will help preserve it) brandy or rum to the mix. I’ve never had a problem with my honeys going off, but some people do with fresh plants.

Dried Herb Infused Honey

1 glass jar with lid
enough raw, preferably local, honey to fill the jar
enough dried plant matter to fill the jar about a third of the way (less for roots, more for flowers)
a chopstick or stick

If you have tough roots or woody plant matter to deal with you may want grind it up a bit to expose more cellular surface to the honey. For flowers or leaves just break down with you hands or a mortar and pestle to a fairly regular cut sifted kind of texture. Place herbs in jar, cover with honey, stir and poke as above. Top off with more honey and let sit, finish just as above. See, easy.

Honey Paste Variation: If you use a finely ground herb to mix with the honey you can just stir it together and make a lovely honey paste, then you don’t want to strain at all, but keep the plant in the honey. You may also want to use a higher proportion of herb to honey in this case, at it will thicken with time. You can then make little honey balls called pastilles and roll them in some herbal powder (licorice is popular) and let them dry for a few days. They make excellent cough drops and slow release herbal pills. Or you can just keep it as a paste to apply directly, eat directly or add to tea. This preserves the herb indefinitely and is an excellent vehicle for the whole plant. Fragrant roots such as Ginger, Osha, Sweet Flag, Echinacea etc all do very well this way. Dried berries are also great this way.

Favorite Herbal Honeys

Rose petal Honey - It tastes AMAZING, it’s cooling and relaxing. Externally, it’s amazing for burns and infections of all kinds

Bee Balm Flower Honey - Mmm, spicy, sweet, invigorating and relaxing. Another great anti-infective and burn soother. Great internally for coughs, sore throats and lung stuff. And basically anything else that Bee Balm is normally good for.

Ginger Root Honey - Warming, stimulating and especially good for old wounds that refuse to heal.

Elderberry Honey - An old favorite! Great for immune modulation and energy as expected but also great externally for nearly any kind of wound or burn.

Rosehip Honey - This, and any other berry honey, makes an excellent tonic to build the blood and gently restore the nutritive balance of the body. Great for deficiency caused anemia and weakness.

Sage Honey - Extra nice for sore throats and lung stuff. Also very useful active infections.

Happy Girl Honey (inspired by Ananda)
1 part Goldenrod flowers, 1 part Lemon Balm and 1 part Ginger - A nice, tasty mood lifting winter survival honey.

Elder Mother Honey
2 Part Elderberry, 1 Part Elderflowers, 1 Part Rosehips, 1/2 Part Osha & 1/4 Part Ginger or Sweet Flag
Great for viruses and immune stuff, especially bugs that settle in the lungs and never want to leave. It’s great even without the Osha. I really like this with at least some portion of rum or brandy.

Winter Root Honey
1 Part Osha, 1 Part Sweet Root, 1 Part Wild Ginger & 1 Part Monarda Flowers
An adaptation of a Michael Moore suggestion. Strong, hot and sweat inducing.

Honey Paste Recipes

Bear Medicine Honey Paste
3 Part Elderberry, 1 Part Rosehips, 1/2 Part Osha, 1/2 Part Ginger & 1/4 part Lemon or Orange Peel
Make it nice and thick and suck on a little chunk when you start getting a scratchy throat in the Winter.

Briar Rose Deluxe Honey Paste
2 Parts Rose petals, 1 Part Rose hip, 1/4 Part Orange Peel, 1/4 Part Ginger
Nice on the sore throats, is nearly as good just made with powdered Rose petals and honey. You can spice it up more with Cardamon if you like.

Ok, I’ve wandered a bit from burn dressings, but you get the idea. Most all of these recipes are extremely multi-purpose and can be used for both external and internal use. Enjoy!


9,056 posted on 12/23/2008 12:14:24 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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Gila Harvest Cider

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth

This is yet another variation on the infamous Fire Cider and Super Cider created by various herbalists like Rosemary Gladstar and Monica Rude. Many of these creations are based on being super hot and spicy, and seeing as my belly just can’t handle that kind of thing I decided to make something a bit different. The cider still feels warming and a tiny bit stimulating but lacks the GI bang & burn of other preparations.

1/2-3/4 Fresh Turmeric (roughly chopped)
1/2-3/4 Cup Fresh Ginger (grated or finely chopped)
1 head Fresh Garlic (minced)
2-3 Tbs. Fresh Rosemary (roughly chopped)
small handful Sundried Tomatoes (roughly chopped)
2 Tbs. Coriander (crushed in a mortar and pestle or powdered)
small handfull Dried Hawthorn Berries (whole)
2 Tbs. Fresh grated Orange Peel
3/4 Cup Fresh Basil (I used the stems that were leftover from pesto making, roughly chopped)
1 Whole red Chile
appr. 3 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
Raw Honey to taste
1 Quart canning jar

I made mine in layers, starting with the Turmeric and working my way up to the Chile, but you could just as well mix it together beforehand, but then you’d miss the amazing display of colors that happens with the herbs all stacked on top of each other. You can adjust amounts to suit your taste and to properly fill your jar. After you add all the solid ingredients, pour the ACV over the top until the jar is full. Let sit for about six weeks.

Strain the Cider, preserving both liquid and herbs. Add honey to taste to the Cider. You can then refill the jar of preserved herbs with ACV again if you like for a slightly weaker Cider (you can freshen it up a bit with more Rosemary and other spices). Or you can put the herbs through the blender with a new batch of ACV and have a super concentrated version.

This stuff is amazing on nearly anything, with soups, salad dressings, spooned on steamed veggies, you can even marinate meat in it. I’ve even been known to drink it occasionally, cuz it’s that good. The warming, tonic herbs help build and maintain the immune system, increase circulation and generally enhance your sense of well-being. The Basil and Hawthorn add a lovely relaxing aspect, and the whole potion is a potent digestive helper.

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9,057 posted on 12/23/2008 12:16:59 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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Bear’s September Sweet Cream Delight

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth

This is a perennial bear favorite (and cure-all) in the canyon. It’s especially nice just now, when the evenings have a nip to them but the days are still warm and heavy. The chilled cream and hot chai balance each other nicely, and the homemade (and preferably hand-harvested) fruit sauces add a nice old-fashioned feel.

1 Cup chilled Whole Milk Yogurt with Cream (if you can’t make your own, I totally recommend Brown Cow’s Cream on Top Yogurt, or if you don’t do dairy you could try chilled Coconut Milk instead)
1 tsp. - 1 Tbs. Maple syrup (optional)
1/4 Cup Pear Sauce (fresh Pears, boiled down and put through a food mill, no sugar)
2-3 Tbs. Berry Sauce (in this case Red Raspberries and Red Huckleberries boiled down with some raw honey added)
1 Handful of fresh (preferably wild) Blueberries
2 Tsp. grated fresh Ginger
Dark Chocolate Morsels for garnishing (optional)
1 Mug full of steaming hot homemade Chai with cream (or at least some Almond Milk or Coconut Milk), Coffee can work too but the flavor may overpower the creamy/tart berry taste of the dish.

Select a beautiful saucer or dessert plate (I like our bone china with Roses but whatever floats your yogurt ;) and pour Yogurt into its center. Then drizzle Maple syrup on top to taste and blend well. Swirl Berry Sauce into yogurt without completely mixing, then spoon Pear Sauce in a circle around the Yogurt. Evenly distribute Blueberries across the surface of the Yogurt and sprinkle grated Ginger on top before dispersing a few a Dark Chocolate Morsels around the very edge of the saucer.

Finally, sit down in a quiet place (preferably outside at dusk or in the moonlight) with your steaming mug of Chai, and savor a single slow spoonful at a time.

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9,058 posted on 12/23/2008 12:19:22 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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Duck Stew With Turnips & Apples

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth

One of our favorite meals is this amazing Duck Stew, it’s a lovely late Summer/Early Autumn dinner when the day starts to get cool. Loba originally created this recipe, and we’ve more recently fine tuned it together.

I like to roast or shallow-fry the turnips and apples separately and add them at the last, so the sweetness they get from the dry heat comes through and they don’t end up overcooked. Fresh turnip or mustard greens are so good with this, but don’t despair if they’re not available, it’ll be excellent either way.

Plan to have leftovers the next day, as it’s even better after it’s been reheated. And try a bite cold too. You can substitute or experiment with using turkey or goose, but you would need to at least double all the ingredients listed below. (Serves 2-4)

1 duck (wild or domestic)
1 tablespoon butter (even better if it’s a nice herbed buttter, like Rosemary or Sage)
6 cups water
1 large onion
1/2 head of garlic
1/2 cup of flour (optional)
2 good-sized turnips
2 good-sized apples, peeled and pared
1-2 carrots
1 large bunch of turnip or mustard greens 1 teaspoon salt
Large pinch of freshly ground coriander
1 handful of chopped cilantro
1 small handful of fresh, finely chopped rosemary
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Set a pot of water to boil over medium-high heat, then brown the duck on all sides in the butter on a hot skillet. Place the browned duck in the simmering water. Pour a bit of the hot water from the pot into the skillet and scrape the pan with a spatula, getting all the flavorful juices and brown bits from the pan. Pour them into the pot. Lower the heat and set the pot to simmer for an hour or more. At this point I can’t help but taste it, so rich, and so clearly duck!

When the meat is quite tender, take it out of the stock to cool, strip the meat from the bones and drop it back into the pot. Next add the onion, coriander, rosemary and garlic, and let simmer another 1/2 hour or until the onion is soft. While the onion is cooking, chop the turnips and apples into chunks. Sauté them in a bit of butter on the stovetop skillet, until just tender.

The smart thing to do is to put the turnips in first, as they take twice as long…. otherwise your apples will melt into nothing by the time the turnips are done (yes, it has happened to me! ). Once the onions are tender, mix the flour in a bit of cold water and pour the paste into the pot, whisking with the other hand. Next, chop up the greens and the carrots. I like to slice the carrots neatly on the diagonal. Set both aside.

The moment the turnips and apples are ready, put them into the stewpot. You may want to save a handful of the apple slices in order to make a circular fan in the center of each bowl, which is fun if you have the inclination! Set some bowls for serving in the oven to warm, and sauté the last of the garlic that was set aside. Watch it carefully, so that it gets just golden. Then quickly get the warm bowls from the oven, ladle in the stew, and decorate with the turnip greens, carrots, cilantro and lightly toasted garlic.

I like to put the carrots around the edge of the bowl, the greens inside the ring of carrots, and the golden garlic piled in the center. Yes, it is as good to eat as it looks. Maybe even better! Enjoy, and don’t forget to thank the duck….

Note: • If you use a domestic bird, allow for time for the stock to chill so you can skim some of the fat off. Wild ducks are so lean that it’s unnecessary with them. A domestic duck will also give you a larger stew, so you might want to add more vegetables than above in order to balance out the extra meat.

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9,059 posted on 12/23/2008 12:22:43 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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Elderberry Elixir

Published by Kiva Rose under From the Hearth, Medicine Woman Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Nutrition

Everyone, or nearly so, in our small village has a terrible hacking, icky cold. All of us here at the Sanctuary have been a bit run down and short on sleep so it was no surprise when Loba woke up yesterday morning with a sore throat, low grade fever, muscle aches and copious phlegm and other face fluids…. She was miserable and overtired and begging for something to make it go away. First, I assigned her to extra sleep, instructed her to pour Fire Cider on everything she ate and drink lots of Ginger tea to enhance the body’s own virus fighting techniques of fever and sweating. She also ate easy to digest foods in small amounts in order to not further tax her system. AND, I dosed her up good with Elderberry Elixir, not that I don’t love Elderberry syrup, but I have found time after time that Elderberry is MUCH more effective when not heated in any way… my two favorite ways of preparing are the Elixir (see recipe below) and a honey paste with whole dried berries ground into raw local honey. I also had everyone else in the household start sucking down Elderberry Elixir.

And sure enough, after a good solid nap, and six or so doses of Elderberry she started to feel much much better. By the time she went to bed last night, she mostly just had some bodyaches and extra face fluid. By this morning, she just felt a bit run down and tired with just a little extra phlegm. I expect she’ll be all better by tomorrow morning. I want to point out that the average run time of this particular virus on other people in the village is at least a week, often with bronchial complications. And, none of the rest of us caught it. I started to feel a little bit off with a sore throat yesterday morning, but by the afternoon, I was fine.

To top it all off, Elderberry does not simply stimulate the immune system, which would make it somewhat dangerous to those with autoimmune disorders or certain other chronic diseases. Rather it modulates the immune system to more appropriately respond to environs and circumstance. It also disarms the virus and helps it flush through body quicker, while strengthening the mucus membranes, supporting the body’s natural fever mechanism without overheating, improves energy and stress handling AND last but certainly not least, it tastes great too.

I have tons of the Elderberry stories, I like this most recent one especially though because she was already sick, most of the time we just prevent the virus and never see many symptoms of it. Here, Loba was clearly manifesting signs of the same virus that was running around town.

If I had a snake bite, you bet I’d reach for the Echinacea. But for viral afflictions and general immune support, there’s no better herbal ally than the bounteous and lovely Elder!

As an aside, I don’t think that averting a virus is always the best course of action, sometimes we just need to get sick so we can spend a day in bed. Even so, I think Elderberry is a wonderful supportive therapy. Listen to your body and act accordingly.

Elderberry Elixir

* Pint Jar
* 1/2 ounce of dried Elderberries
* appr. 1 Pint Brandy
* appr. 1/2 Cup Food Grade Vegetable Glycerine or Raw Honey

Place the berries in the jar, cover the berries with Brandy and then add Glycerine/Honey and Brandy to taste until the jar is full. Use at least 50 percent Brandy by volume in the jar to properly extract the Elderberry’s healing qualities. You can also had a pinch of fresh Ginger, dried Calamus, Osha or some other warming circulatory stimulant to the mix for add benefit. I also always toss in a small handfull of dried Rosehips for good measure. Let steep for at least four to six weeks before decanting, and wait at least two weeks before using.

Take 1/4 - 1/2 dropperfull of Elixir every two to three hours at the first sign of illness. You MUST take the Elixir frequently rather than having a bigger dose further apart, it just won’t work that way. Use the same dosage if you are actively ill. For a general preventative dose, I suggest 1/3 dropperfull every four hours or so.

Be sure to rest extra as well, the Elderberry has a much harder time with your immune system if you’re really worn down. A little extra sleep will increase its benefits tenfold.

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9,060 posted on 12/23/2008 12:25:07 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=7451 [Survival,food,garden,crafts,and more)
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