How to make herbal tinctures Part 2
It’s now been six weeks since I started making tinctures of Yarrow and Red Clover. Time to finish the process and bottle the tinctures!!!
Enjoy this photoset on Flickr about the final process.
Here’s what you need:
1) Large non-metalic measuring cup
2) Cheesecloth or similar fabric for straining
3) Many 1 oz amber dropper bottles
4) Mailing Labels (I used Avery 8160 labels)
5) Small non-metalic funnel
First, I created my labels with Avery 8160 peel-off inkjet labels. I designed them online at Avery.com and saved a PDF version to print onto the labels. Very easy to do. Then I simply strained the liquid out of my tincture jars by using the cloth barrier atop my measuring cup. You’ll want to scoop out the herbs as well to squeeze all the liquid out through the cloth too! After that, simply fill up your amber bottles (I bought them at a nearby herbal supply store), seal them, and label them!
You will learn that a little goes a long way. With just a pint jar of herbs and 80 proof vodka, each jar gave me twelve 1 oz. bottles worth of tinctured herbs! More to keep on hand and more to share!
Read MoreCan I drink too much kombucha??
You can all probably tell that Kombucha is becoming a huge passion of mine! I’m brewing two gallons per week now, and I’m thinking of brewing three gallons so I can share some with others who are interested! All of this kombucha brewing led me to a question:
Can I drink TOO MUCH kombucha??
Well, Hannah Crum has the answer! Hannah is the “Kombucha Mama” at KombuchaKamp.com, and if you’ve not been to her site, you should visit! (Disclosure: Hannah invited me to become an affiliate with KombuchaKamp.com, and naturally I said yes!)
Here’s Hanna’s video! (And I’m so relieved at her answer!) Be sure to check out KombuchaKamp.com!
Read MoreThe Artist’s Way for Earth Healers
Updated: Please stay tuned for an upcoming self-study series blending “Living Druidry” with Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way! I’m very excited to be putting together this CD based self-study curriculum for creative folks who walk an “Earth Path”.
This self-study CD-Rom will merge concepts from Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way, along with meditations and exercises for Earth Healing. Along with study guides merging Druidry with The Artist’s Way, you will receive twelve (12) MP3 meditation exercises in “counterpractice” to connect with Nature and the Earth.
Some of the counterpractice included will be:
- Meeting your inner artist
- Druidic/Shamanic Journeying
- Exploring Dreams
- Meeting spiritual guides and “Power Animals”
- Energy Healing for the Earth Meditation
- A Circle of Stones Meditation
- A Participatory Virtual ‘Council of All Beings’
Stay tuned, as this self-study course is currently in development, and I’m so very very excited!
Update: While originally I had planned a live class and a 12-week self-study course, I wanted to reach a broader audience, reduce the price, and provide a “keepsake” of a CD-ROM.
Reading to get you started:
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Order on Amazon.com – Order AudioBook on Audible.com – Kindle Edition
Other Sources:
Ecoshamanism by James Endredy
The Myst Filled Path by Frank MacEowen
Thinking Like a Mountain: Towards a Council of All Beings by John Seed, Joanna Macy
The Benefits of Kombucha
I wanted to share a whole roundup of articles with you about the reported benefits of Kombucha!
If you’re just joining me know, you’ll hear me talk about Kombucha a lot I’m sure, as I’m back to brewing tw0 gallons (sometimes three) per week now! For me, Kombucha helps to alleviate acid reflux at night, and tends to relax me before bed, and I sleep so very soundly. My skin tends to clear up too, and I in general, I feel a sense of positive well being.
Plus I thoroughly enjoy the process of fermenting food and making it!
One of the greatest quotes from this “roundup” of articles on the benefits of Kombucha is this:
“As is typically the case in the U.S., no major medical studies are being done on Kombucha because no one in the drug industry stands to profit from researching a beverage that the average consumer can make for as little as 50 cents a gallon.”
Makes one think…
The following are articles I found to be informative and interesting. As always, do your own research, and know that what works for one person may or may not work for another.
Kombucha Health Benefits – The Food Renegade
Health Benefits of Kombucha – Kombucha Kamp
Top 10 Kombucha Health Benefits – GetKombucha.com
Can Kombucha Help Your Skin? – Huffington Post
Kombucha and Radiation – Kombucha Kamp
Read More
Collecting Spring Water
I count myself as very lucky to live in a community that has TWO natural springs in city parks. Our parks department tests the nitrate levels of our springs on a monthly basis even!
I’ve been collecting spring water on a weekly basis for about 2 months now, and I absolutely love it!
The maximum parts per million (PPM) of safe levels of nitrates in drinking water is 10 ppm. One of our springs averages about 3.5 PPM of nitrate levels, and the other that I frequent is just .2 PPM.
The greatest source of nitrates comes from fertilizers deposited into the soil. Municipal drinking water is also treated chemically and contains Fluoride. If you are like me and want to choose fluoride-free water, finding a spring near you is a great alternative.
A great resource to finding a spring near you is www.findaspring.com. Find out if your city or county tests this spring water as well. I like to think of spring water as “Living Water” that comes from the Earth.
Below is a great video by Shawn Stevens all about spring water and his perspective on the benefits he’s experienced. Enjoy!
Read MoreGreat News for Health Freedom!
Today I received a video alert from Dr. Rima E. Laibow of The Natural Solutions Foundation. For those of you who may have been following the FDA’s plan for New Dietary Ingredients (NDI), you know that this policy, if enacted, would have the power to make certain natural supplements and ingredients illegal, and would have placed undo restrictive regulation on the manufacture of vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies that many of us choose for our own health and wellness.
Today, the FDA BACKED OFF! Here’s Dr. Rima’s video!
Read More
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