Tuesday Tip #3

Harvesting Fresh Herbs

[a simple how-to]

#1. Harvest early in the morning and choose herbs that stand strong and upright and have vibrant color. Avoid limp or wilted leaves and herbs that have brown spots. They should also be smell strong and fresh.

#2. If you can't immediately put-up or use the herbs, keep them in the refrigerator. Wrap them in loosely in damp paper towels - be really gentle.  If you have a large amount, put them in jars with a small amount of water in the base before refrigerating. 

#3. When cooking with fresh herbs, add them at the end so that the heat doesn't destroy their amazing flavor.

#4. If you choose to dry your herbs, the general rule of thumb is: 1 tsp. dried herbs = 1 tbls. fresh herbs.

[source]

Helpful Links

Oooh it's been far too quiet here lately, but I've been busy...busy...busy!!

(I'm working on something exciting, but it's not quite ready.)

Really quick, though, I want to share with you all a few neat herbal links that I discovered:

• The Herbal Encyclopedia | Alphabetical listing of healing herbs, with information about medicinal and religious uses, and cultivation. Also provides articles about safety, storage, remedies, etc.

• Annie's Remedies | Over 400 detailed herb descriptions and hundreds of home remedies. Learn how to get a good nights sleep, cure a cold, lower your blood sugar, etc.

• Wellness Mama | 10 Health-Boosting herbal teas

• Practical Stewardship | 3 Natural Deodorant Alternatives

• Amazing Graze Farm | The Spices of Life: Practical tips on storing your herbs and spices.

Also, don't forget that you can search herbs on Pinterest and come up with some awesome links!

Blessings,

The Herb Girl

The Herbalist & Homesteader Bookshelf

Herbology. Foraging. Living off the land.  They all tend to go hand in hand.

These books are some of my herb girl favorites - I have most of them on my own bookshelf.

#1: Practical Herbalism 
by Dr. Philip Fritchey
“Ordinary Plants with Extraordinary Powers”
Practical Herbalism is my favorite herbal reference book by far.  Covering 48 commonly found and grown herbs and manty down-to-earth methods for using them, Dr. Fritchey shares his knowledge from twenty years of personal experience.  Especially if you are interested in growing herbs at home, this book is a must-have for your bookshelf.

#2: Nourishing Traditions 
by Sally Fallon (with Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.)
"The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats"
Nourishing Traditions is a wonderful guide to wise food choices and proper preparation, bringing the old to meet the new.  We've lost something in our latest diet crazes and obsessive calorie counting, we've lost the nourishment that our bodies need to thrive and be healthy.  You will love the recipes this book has to offer, as well as Sally's sound, well-researched nutritional advice.

#3: Seeds of Deception
by Jeffery M. Smith
"Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating"
We'd all like to think that our food is safe, but the truth is, most of it is not. Genetically modified foods such as Modified Food Starch, Corn Syrup, Canola Oil, Soy Protein, Tofu, Dextrose, Baking Powder, and the list goes on and on and on.  In Seeds of Deception, Jeffery Smith exposes the lies that we've all been told and the FDA cover-up of undeniable scientific proof that GMO's are poison. Is your food safe?


#4: The Backyard Homestead
by Carleen Madigan
"Produce All the Food You Need on a Quarter Acre"
With just a portion of an acre, you can feed your family of four fresh, organic food in all of the seasons.  Ready to be self-sufficient? This book details how to use your own grains to make bread, turn fresh milk into butter, yogurt and cheese, can your own produce, make your own wine and herbal teas, etc.  Yes, it's true! It is possible to eat entirely from your background!!

#5: The How To Herb Book
by Velma J. Keith and Monteen Gordon
"Let's Remedy the Situation"
Another favorite reference book, The How To Herb Book, is a valuable resource for the novice and experienced alike.  The recipes contained are chosen for their ease of use, effectiveness, and time-tested experiences with great information on vitamins, minerals, diets, exercise, pregnancy, babies, and lots more.





These are my favorites, now how about you? I'd love to hear what your favorite herbal resources are!

Blessings,

The Herb Girl

And the Winner Is...

Entry #125 - Darby B.!! Congratulations Darby!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday Tip #2

Don't Boil Your Herbal Teas

When making herbal teas, it's important that you don't boil your tea or pour boiling water over your teas.  Boiling hot water removes the oils that give the tea its medicinal properties.

{source}

This Week's Herbal Challenge + Linkup

{source}

Giveaway | Fresh as a Daisy Soaps

Searching online to find some different natural soap options, I came across Fresh as a Daisy Soaps.  After contacting Daisy, I ordered several items and she added a few samples for me to try out and review, and has generously allowed me to share something fun and exciting with you...a giveaway!

The content of my Fresh as a Daisy Order + a few surprises!

An Honest Review

The night before I received the package, I got 6 mosquito bites on my ankles. So itchy! (And I get really bad allergic reactions to mosquito bites.)  I rubbed some Bug Bite Balm on them before supper, and didn't feel any itchiness for the rest of the evening.  My bites were about 1 1/2 inches across when I put the balm on, and this morning they are down to 3/4 of an inch across and not swollen!!  It was almost unbelievable how fast they went down.  I have rubbed some more of the balm on this morning, and I'm excited to see how much more they will go down with the second application.  A happy side-note is that being in a stick-tube, there aren't any messy fingers when you put it on. 

"I love being 'itchless'!!"

Best of all, it's a Paraben-free all natural product. The ingredients are: olive oil infused with chickweed, comfrey, plantain, calendula, echinacea, yarrow, beeswax, essential oils (tea tree, rosemary), vitamin E, and grapefruit seed extract.

Now the exciting part....one of you will win a tube of this wonderful Bug Bite Balm!

Perfect for an add-along for camping or hiking or just for everyday use in your purse, and oh so convenient since it's mess-free.

Use the Rafflecopter widget (below) to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings,

The Herb Girl