Learn about his remedies with ease and confidence

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  An herb extracted into alcohol has the longest shelf life 20 years. If finished tincture is stored properly in glass Amber or Cobalt colored jars placed in a cool dark area. Made with fresh or dried herbs in 80-100 proof alcohol for a minimum of 6 weeks up to a year it won’t be stronger but is fine to leave until ready for use, I’ve found 2-year-old ones that were perfect. Average internal dosage ranges from 10 drops to 80 drops or ½ dropper to 4 droppers, 1-3 times daily. Can be put in a spray bottle to use topically one example from Dr. Patrick Jones for Homegrown Herbalist is Hops and Teasel tincture makes a great topical pain reliever! For acute onset put tincture under the tongue and hold for 30 seconds, for maintenance it may be mixed with beverage of choice. Start with the lowest dose until you find what works for you, it is a very wide range! One dropper is one full squeeze of bulb NOT a full pipette or single drop, there are VERY few herbs you take by the single drop, a couple of examples are Poke Root can damage kidneys or Lobelia can cause vomiting. 

Folk method-  Flowers and greens 1 part dry ground herb to 4 parts alcohol. Roots, seed, bark 1 part dry ground herb to 5 parts alcohol Fresh finely chopped herbs, loosely fill jar 2/3 full and fill to top with alcohol. Leave in a dark cool area for a minimum of 6 weeks....I don't shake my infusions or extractions much, some suggest shaking daily. Like I said the use of plants has been around since man you will find many ways of doing things. Do what works best for you.

  Infused  oils are made with mostly dry herbs steeped in oil. I will add information on using fresh herbs in oil. Most common oil is organic extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is packed with amazing benefits and is shelf stable for 2-3 years, if a high quality and stored properly can last much longer. Store finished infusion in glass Amber or Cobalt colored jars placed in a cool dark area. You can use your infused oils in salves, balms, hair treatment, lip care, even use in dinner as salad dressing, and marinades…. remember if you wouldn’t eat it don’t wear it. Some do use oils internally a dosage of infused oil is ½ to 2 teaspoons 1-3 times daily. If you want to cook with your oils use a high heat oil like avocado oil but you will lose a lot of the medicinal properties with heat. The list of uses is huge!

Folk Method- Flowers and greens- dried  rough ground, filled to 2/3 and fill to top with oil of choice.  For roots, bark, seeds, dried fruit, the harder denser herbs fill jar 1/2  way to top and fill to top with oil of choice.  

Slow Cold Infusion Method-place jar in a dark cool area for 6 weeks, you can leave the herb in oil longer until ready to use. I’ve left or forgotten many for over a year.

Quick Heat Method-for a faster infusion you can apply heat. I keep heat below 120 degrees to maintain herbal constituents. A couple of methods are using a double boiler, a dehydrator, oven if you can set that low. I prefer the crockpot set on keep warm, filled with water and a cloth placed between the crock and jars. Some say you can achieve an infused oil in 24 hours or less I prefer 3 days and I will usually let sit for an additional week after removing from crockpot.

  Herbs that are extracted in raw apple cider vinegar and raw honey. Oxymels have been around for thousands of years but recently have become popular because of “fire cider” an immune-boosting oxymel. Just like a tincture or glycerite, you can use any herbs for any ailment to make your remedies. Store your finished oxymel in a glass Amber or Cobalt jar with a plastic lid or parchment paper between contents and lid, vinegar will rust metal lids. Stored properly it will be shelf stable for 2 years, even longer in the  fridge. It won't go “bad” but will lose strength, use that nose. A dose of oxymel is ½-2 tablespoons 1-3 times a day. Oxymels make fantastic vinaigrettes and marinades, my oldest swears by my immune boost oxymel, he lovingly calls it “the steak marinade” 

Folk Method- You can use fresh, dried or a combination for making oxymels. You want your jar to be 1/2 to 3/4 full of finely chopped or grated herbs depending on dry or fresh, fresh is fuller. The vinegar-to-honey ratio is completely up to you, you can even do 100% vinegar. I prefer 1 part honey 6-8 parts vinegar and it’s a 50/50 if I add the honey at the beginning or once it's strained. You will fill to the top with chosen menstruum, plastic lid or parchment paper to avoid rusty lids. Place in a ,dark cool area for at least 4 weeks up to once again I’ve found ones in the back of a cupboard that was infusing for 6 months and it was perfect.

  Herbs extracted in a mix of vegetable glycerine and water. Although they are not as strong as tinctures they are a great alternative for children and adults that want to avoid alcohol. Store finished glycerite in glass Amber or Cobalt colored jar in dark cool area. Stored properly a glycerite will be shelf stable for 1-2 years. A dose of glycerite is ½ to 2 tablespoons 1-3 times daily. 

Folk Method- Fresh herbs are best for Glycerites, with fresh no water is added. Chop and muddle your herbs well, fill jar loosely to 2/3 full and fill to top with glycerine.  For dried herbs you will fill jar 1/3 full add 1 part water to rehydrate herb for an hour after absorbed add 3 parts glycerine.

  Is made with fresh or dried herbs and raw honey. It is an infused honey. Depending on what you are using depends on if you can strain out. You do not want to heat your honey too high, 120 degrees or you will destroy the natural benefits and raw honey is PACKED with benefits! I just work around or with the herbs. One of our favorites is jalapeño infused honey, fill jar ¼ with dehydrated jalapeños and fill with honey. After 8 weeks you will have some amazing flavored honey.

Folk method- For dried herbs fill 1/3 for fresh 2/3 jar and fill remainder with honey. Place in cool dark area, flipping weekly to help move honey and herb around. I don't remove herbs when done we just eat them or things like cloves we drop in tea.

  Teas are a very important way to use herbs daily. Many of your needed vitamins and minerals are more available through water infusion. You can do a cold infusion with flowers and greens 4 hours overnight. For a hot water infusion with flowers and greens bring water to boil pour over herbs and cover to trap all the volatile oils, your herbal constituents from escaping for 5-10 minutes. 1-4 cups a day is an average daily dose.

Folk method-Hot 2 teaspoons dried herb in 12 oz water, 2 tablespoons fresh herb to 12 oz water. Cover let steep 5-10 minutes. Cold take 1/3-2/3 cups dried herbs place in 64 oz, half gallon jar, fill with water and let sit 4hr-overnight, kept refrigerated it will last 2-3 days.

  A water extraction for roots, seeds, bark, dried berries, the harder and denser plant materials. You will lightly simmer plant material covered for 10 minutes and let sit an additional 10 minutes with lid on, keep that steam trapped! 1-3 cups is an average daily dose.

Folk method-Hot 1-2 teaspoon dried herb in 12 oz water, 2 tablespoon fresh herb to 12 oz water. Cold take 1/3-2/3 cups dried herbs place in 64 oz, half gallon jar, fill with water and let sit overnight, kept refrigerated will last 2-3 days.

  Is made with dried or fresh herbs. Dried powdered herb slightly moistened to a paste and applied topically. Fresh herbs pulverized, small amount of water at times and applied topically. Secure with a cloth or bandage.

  Is a highly concentrated, volatile oil that is extracted from a plant using steam distillation. I only use a few different essential oils, one is oil of oregano I will add information about it on the page for oregano. I do not make myself but highly recommend everyone have a bottle of oil of oregano in their apothecary. I think essential oils are great but I choose to focus on forms anyone can make in a basic kitchen. Be VERY cautious where you purchase your essential oils, there is a TON of chemical filled junk out there.