Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Stocking up for Winter - it must be coming

Today I was checking my email & Tina at the Essential Herbal list had asked everyone to write in about what they make/do to be herbally prepared for winter. What a good question! And so timely - I hope. I has still been in the upper 80's every afternoon here in Pennsylvania. And no rain for nearly 2 months. A bit frightening.

Well, anyway, here's what I wrote back to the list & I thought it might be helpful to others, too!

Hmmm. Well, I can't imagine getting through a winter without echinecea tincture.

And Astragalus root tincture. At home, we take it every day from Fall Equinox through Spring Equinox. It helps to build our immune systems & make our lungs stronger. We also drink Ashwagandha tea every evening after it gets cold. Also to make us stronger so we can repel the colds we are exposed to.

I used to go to Ithaca NY every September to harvest wild Elderberries, but now I grow my own. I freeze the berries so that I can make Elderberry syrup all winter. Sometimes it seems like I need a new batch every week! It's one of my most popular winter time items in the shop. Last weekend at the Mother Earth Harvest Festival, I sold out of all the bottles I'd brought on the first day. Yipes. I think it's time to double the size of the recipe again.

I also make something called Dragon's Breath. Lots of herbalists make some version of it - cider vinegar infused with garlic, onions, hot peppers, horseradish, etc. It fights the cold germs & opens your sinuses right up!

I almost forgot the Wild Cherry Cough Syrup! Wild Cherry bark, licorice & mullein. Yum. And for those coughs that just won't stop - Valerian root tincture.

So, here it is, October already! Time to get ready for winter.

Green blessings,
Sarah

No comments: