Herbal recipes, essential oils, and old-fashioned remedies for supporting your family’s health naturally.
Cedarwood essential oil has long been appreciated for its aromatic, woodsy smell, but what you may not know is that it has antiseptic and preservative properties. If you’re a homesteader, or are just looking for a great, easy to find oil to help you address multiple challenges in and around your home, this is a … Read more
Making jewelweed and plantain salve in the crockpot (or slow cooker) not only vastly speeds up the process of making an all natural homemade salve, but simplifies it, as well. By making jewelweed and broad leaf plantain salve using this low and slow heat method, you will no longer have to stand next to a … Read more
Headaches – we’ve all had one at one time or another. They can cause a lot of discomfort, so understanding how to ease that discomfort without pharmaceutical intervention can go far to helping you feel better fast. One of the first things to do if you have a headache, is to drink fluids. Headaches often … Read more
Dandelions have gotten a bad rap for far too long. They have summarily been dismissed as mere weeds, and get sprayed with chemicals to kill them every time their cute little flower heads pop up out of the dirt. Not only are these common backyard flowers edible, they may also boast natural healing properties. Dandelion … Read more
Orange zest soap can rejuvenate not just the skin infuse a little bit of happiness into the day when using it as part of the morning shower routine… especially during the long, cold months of winter. If you make orange zest soap with a clear glycerin melt and pour soap base, the dried tiny bit … Read more
Amish black drawing salve is a homesteading “medicine” cabinet staple in Appalachia. More times than I can count, we have used it to pull out tiny bits of a splinter that digging painfully into the skin with tweezers does not retrieve. I used to pay a pretty penny to buy the black drawing salve from … Read more
Dandelion infusions and tinctures have been used to garner the high nutrient content contained in the flowers, leaves, roots, and stems, and also to harness the potential natural medicinal properties the plant parts contain. Making a dandelion infusion is neither difficult nor expensive, but it does require both time and patience on the part of … Read more
Jewelweed is a drastically underappreciated “weed.” While you can eat jewelweed, it is most often grown or foraged it for its potential healing properties. While this attractive bush-like plant has many uses, it is perhaps most widely known for its antipruritic (anti-itching) value. This wild plant is an active natural ingredient in poison ivy rash … Read more
If you aren’t growing garlic in your garden yet, there are so many reasons to start. My husband and I eat so much garlic, we could probably ward off a whole community of invading vampires! This miracle herb has been around since the beginning of time, basically, and it offers a whole host of health … Read more
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, around 42 million Americans suffer from constipation. The causes of constipation vary, but the reasons for this frustrating illness are usually all about the same. In general, we have a tendency to eat food that contains a large amount of insoluble fiber. This … Read more
When I was a kid I can recall my mother constantly using a red powdery thing in her beverages and on her food. It always looked like she was in pain when she’d take a sip or bite. I asked her what she was doing, and she told me, “I’m using cayenne pepper to keep … Read more
Do you ever feel like you just don’t want to wash your hair? My kids are older now, but when they were little I didn’t even have time to breath let alone wash my hair. There needed to be a solution for those in-between-hair-washing days. But what? I can recall turning on the TV and … Read more
Golden Milk has been used as a medicinal drink in India since ancient times. Although the natural and powerfully healing turmeric tea has been wildly popular elsewhere for decades, it is only now coming into common use in the United States outside of herbalist circles. Turmeric is my favorite healing herb of all time; I … Read more
I have always been into making my own health remedies. Not only is it cool to try and heal yourself but making your own remedies is seriously satisfying. It’s amazing to think that you have healing foods, herbs, and spices hanging out in your kitchen. For most people. Running to the doctor at the first … Read more
Well, here we are. The season of pumpkin everything is right around the corner. I walked into the grocery store yesterday and they already had pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin flavored coffee lining their shelves. Seriously? It’s still August, people! OK, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited about seeing all of the … Read more
Ironweed is not the nuisance weed many rural folks think it is, not by a long shot. The beautiful purple weed that flourishes in horse pastures and fields offers a bounty of medicinal benefits. The wildflower possesses antiseptic properties, and has a somewhat bitter taste. For centuries, ironweed has been used to treat a plethora … Read more