Home Apothecary
Fall is in the air...
Fall is certainly in the
air and I am determined to soak up every little bit. Fading green leaves turn
into golden yellow, fiery red and orange leaves. The colors set the sky aglow.
The smell of campfires and bonfires fill the cool autumn air. Pumpkins can be
found at every super market, farmers market and everything in-between. Smells of apple pumpkin
fills the air of every suburban home. Leaves litter the ground and sidewalks
and crunch under your feet. The earth tones are very vibrant right now. I love
it!
This morning I ventured
into Hudson for the Hudson Farmer’s Market where I picked up fresh farm grown
produce for my meals this week. I got there early and it was practically
crowded streets, luckily I found a spot to park on Main Street. Of course my first stop
was to get coffee at the local coffee shop, The Open Door Coffee Company,
located right on Main Street overlooking the bustling about of early morning
shoppers. Café au lait and cheese and herb scone in hand I picked a table
outside in the sun as it was beginning to warm up. The cheese and herb scone
was the best thing I’ve eaten! It tasted like Red Lobster’s cheddar biscuits,
but better!! After devouring my scone I drank a little bit of the still too hot
coffee and set off in search of produce. I bought from a few local farmers or
local enough to make it to Hudson this morning. All the produce looked and
smelled so fresh, or it could have been the abundance of freshly grown and
picked flower blooms that seemed to be in every other booth. I bought some
interesting garlic strains and potatoes from a lovely woman and told her to keep the
change. Her gift to me was one of her bouquets of flowers, she even let me keep the vase. To say the least, I
was delighted.
When I came home I
carefully unpacked everything and began preparing to make my fall herbal preparations.
Everything laid out before me I tucked into the first preparation. I’ve
previously purchased my dried herbs from a semi-local shop, but they are not an
herbal store. Earlier this year my mom and I discovered this Amish owned and
operated herbal shop out in Apple Creek. Although it is an all morning journey
for me I am happy to make the trip. The girls who run the shop are helpful,
knowledgeable, and kind. Plus I can get basically everything I need all in one
place. I believe I mentioned their shop in my previous post, but it is worth
mentioning them again. The shops name is Backyard Herbs, since they are Amish
owned and operated the do not have a phone and only accept cash. Their store
hours are Monday 8-8, Tuesday – Saturday 8-5, Closed Sundays; Spring hours
through May are Monday-Friday 8-8, Saturday 8-5, Closed Sundays. I have been
there a few times now, on different days of the week, and they are true to
their hours.
I've been putting together my own home apothecary for about three years now, slowing buying up supplies as needed and the ones that I use most often. It began with essential oils then moving into tinctures and tonics, supplements and infusions. I've been collecting jars, dried herbs, amber dropper bottles, first aid supplies, and carrier oils over the past year as well. A little over year now I've been making my own preparations at home and I find it slow, focused work. I do also purchase some pre-made preparations by reputable brands and suppliers. I've also been expanding the stock of my kitchen cabinets with kitchen supplies from various thrift stores and Amish flea markets. Well my kitchen began to run out space for all of these newly acquired items. <Chime in the beautiful hutch> I received this hutch as a hand-me-down from a dear friend a few years back. She was moving and looking to get rid of it. I immediately snatched it up, disregarding the size of the thing. It is quite large, but it's in two pieces; the top half and the bottom half. <Grin> So the top half came home with me recently while the bottom half sits tucked in a corner of my parent's garage hidden under a sheet, awaiting its turn. The bottom half, as you saw previously, has made a home in my apartment and has turned out beautiful. It has also proven very convenient for storage of all my home apothecary items. I even decorated it for fall <Grin>
Take a peek at my indoor garden...
I talked about my beautiful hutch, showed you the inside and talked about my home apothecary. Now let’s get into some
of the preparations I worked on this morning…
Preparations and recipes
First up is the Sage and Honey Cough Syrup. I have
been obsessed with sage as a fall herb for a few years now. I just love the
smell and taste sage offers. It can really flavor up a dish. This year I
decided to try my hand at making an infused honey. When I found this recipe I
knew it was the one. I found the original recipe on Pinterest, but it is easy
enough without looking it up.
Sage and Honey Cough Syrup
This honey is a strong antiseptic for internal and topical use
(National Geographic, Special Publication March 2020)*
Ingredients:
1 C or more of fresh, organic sage
1 C or more of raw honey, local
12 oz clean mason jar
Directions:
1. Wash and dry sage very thoroughly
2. Trim leaves from the stem
3. Pack leaves into the glass jar, pour honey over the sage
4. Stir mixture with a clean spoon and seal the jar. Stir the
mixture up daily and let it sit for about a week.
Dosage:
Administer medicinally in teaspoonfuls, as needed, for sore
throats and coughs, or stir a spoonful into a mug of warm water with a squeeze
of lemon.
Storage:
Store tightly sealed, labeled and dated in the refrigerator. Will
last a long, long time (roughly a year)
For wounds:
Spread a thin layer on a 3 x 3 bandage or gauze and apply. Change
daily. (National Geographic, Special Publication March 2020)*
*recipe, dosage, and storage was not taken from National
Geographic. For wounds and beginning information was.
Echinacea Glycerite*
For upset stomach, colic, anxiousness, and insomnia
Ingredients:
50 grams echinacea herb or root
280 milliliters vegetable glycerin
120 milliliters water
Grind echinacea herb in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and passel. Place the ground herb in a wide-mouthed jar and cover with the vegetable glycerin and water. Replace the lid. If you need more liquid, add another 35 milliliters vegetable glycerin and 15 milliliters water. Shake daily for 2 to 4 weeks. Gently heat glycerin in water bath and then pour the contents of the jar into a fine cheesecloth and strain.
How to use:
Children 1/2 teaspoon - 2 teaspoons every 2 to 3 hours
Adults 2 - 4 teaspoons every 2 to 3 hours
Note: While echinacea has an excellent safety profile, a small
number of adverse reactions have been reported in those with severe daisy
allergy.
*Original recipe can be found in the National Geographic Special Publication March 2020 edition, Healing Remedies.
Immune Support Tincture
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp dried Thyme
¼ Cup dried Elderberries
3 Tbsp dried Echinacea
80 proof Vodka
Directions:
Add herbs and berries to mason
jar. Fill the rest of the jar with vodka. Seal tightly and let sit for 1 month.
Strain and pour into dark bottle with dropper.
Dosage:
2-3 dropper full into tea, water or juice for an amazing immune boost, use daily or as needed.
At the end of October I will be
making Elderberry Syrup. Last year I made it at the beginning of October and
ran out of it too quickly, so this year I decided to hold off on this until
later. But the preparations that needed to sit for a couple of weeks or longer
I wanted to get done sooner. This way they will be ready in time.
xo
Kelly B
P.S. Beginning your own home apothecary doesn't have to be difficult, just begin with a few items at first (the ones you, personally, will benefit from the most) and expand from there. As I mentioned mine took time, research, and effort for about three years before I got to this point. You will get there too! Do your research; read books, look things up on the internet, take courses, and ask experienced professionals. Most of all though; have fun with it and enjoy what you do! xo
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