Yarrow Tincture

In the spring we found Yarrow growing wild in the yard, just a tiny little plant that hadn't been growing long.  We carefully transplanted it to the herb garden, where it flourished!  Here is a picture of the yarrow growing alongside some purple sage!  Those tiny white flowers brought so much beauty to our garden - but my main interest in this plant was for it's medicinal uses!

I harvested flowers, stems and leaves to create a tincture.  It was distilled in 80 proof vodka for 6 weeks and then placed in sterilized 1 oz glass bottles with droppers.

I primarily use yarrow tincture to help ease menstrual cramps!  If you have ever experienced painful menstrual cramps, you can imagine my excitement in finding a natural remedy to help ease that pain! I find it helps take the edge off of my cramps, and slows the heavy bleeding so I generally suffer a lot less when I use this tincture. Here is an overview of the medicinal uses of this amazing plant!

Relief of menstrual cramps & stomach cramps
Yarrow has antispasmodic properties which makes it perfect for menstrual cramps and stomach cramps.  It is an effective uterine relaxant and also helps reduce heavy bleeding.  It will also relieve stomach cramps and indigestion.  Take 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon mixed with water, up to 3 times a day while symptoms persist.  Oddly enough, Yarrow tincture can also be used to induce a late period, and to induce labor.  Should not be used by pregnant women.

Wound care
Yarrow is an antiseptic and a styptic - meaning that it helps stop bleeding.  To use on a cut or open wound, soak a clean cotton cloth in the tincture and apply to the wound with gentle pressure until bleeding has stopped.  Obviously for deep wounds or heavy bleeding, get immediate medical attention.  Yarrow tincture can also be used as a face cleanser to treat acne - use a clean cotton cloth soaked with yarrow tincture to wash your face (careful to avoid the eyes) and follow up with your favorite moisturizer to avoid over-drying your skin with the alcohol in the tincture.

Precautions
Always talk to your doctor and let them know what herbal remedies you are using or thinking of using - it may interact with other medications or be unwise to use with certain health conditions.  Do your research and read other sources of information on any herb before deciding if you want to use it or not.  This information is provided to inform, not as medical advice.  Everyone reacts differently to different supplements, use caution especially if you have never used this before.

I have just a few bottles of this tincture available for sale.  I will be at the Evergreen Fall Arts and Crafts Fair on December 2 with these available to purchase.  After that (if any are left) they will be available on my Etsy shop!

Valerian Tincture

 From our herb garden this year!  Valerian!  Adam had valerian growing in his Community Garden space at Evergreen State College, which we transplanted to the homestead in the spring. We also purchased another small valerian plant from the West Side Olympia Co-Op.  They were grown naturally and organically here at the homestead with no pesticides or chemicals.  In October I harvested one of the plants, but left the other one in the garden for next year.

This is a picture of the Valerian roots I harvested, after washing off the dirt.  I set them out in the sun to dry the water off before making them into a tincture.  To make the tincture I cover the valerian root in 80 proof vodka and seal it in a jar, then let it distill for 6 weeks.  I then place it in 1 oz sterilized glass dropper bottles.

 

You're possibly already familiar with Valerian - a plant commonly grown for it's natural medicinal properties.  Here's an overview of it's common uses and precautions.  As with any herbal remedy, please talk to your doctor before using!  This is presented as information only and is not intended as medical advice. 

Sleep Aid
Valerian is primarily known as a natural sleep aid - helping insomniacs and people with trouble falling asleep due to tension or stress.  For a sleep aid it is recommended to take 1tsp an hour before bed, and another tsp at bedtime - if needed.  It is recommended that if you use it for sleep you don't use it daily - if you do need it daily take it for no more than 2 weeks and then take a break from using it for about a week.

Stress and Tension
Valerian can be helpful in reducing anxiety.  It has a soothing, calming effect and can be taken to calm an anxiety attack.  It is recommended to take 1/2 to 1 tsp as needed for anxiety attack and nervous tension - as needed but no more than 3 times a day.  Listen to your body and try not to take more than needed!  It will cause drowsiness and you should not take it if you will be driving or operating heavy machinery.  Pay attention to how your body reacts.  Everyone reacts differently - some may need very little and some may need the full 1 tsp.  Valerian calms and depresses the nervous system so it also has the effect of a muscle relaxant and  lowering heart rate.

Pain Relief
As it calms the nervous system, some people experience pain relief when using valerian.  For some it relieves headaches, neck and back pain, and muscles spasms.  Take 1/2 to 1 tsp up to 3 times a day - but as stated above, be aware that it will cause drowsiness!  Most people choose only to use it at bedtime when they will not have to worry about driving, working, studying, etc. 

Precautions
Most people experience drowsiness and sleepiness.  Use wisely and do not operate cars or heavy machinery.  Valerian works differently for everyone.  Some people have an adverse reaction to valerian and find it stimulating and irritating.  You'll know the first time you try it if valerian is right for you or not.  Always talk to your doctor and let them know what herbal remedies you are using or thinking of using - it may interact with other medications or be unwise to use with certain health conditions.  Do your research and read other sources of information on any herb before deciding if you want to use it or not.

I have a few bottles of Valerian Tincture that I will be selling.  I will be at the Evergreen Fall Arts and Crafts Fair on December 2, 2015 with a few bottles available.  After that (if I have any left) I will have them available on my Etsy shop!

Fall Harvest - Garden Update!

Despite the unfortunate deer incident, we did manage to have some success for our first Fall Harvest!
Here are some pictures of a few things we harvested in October this year!

 

We grew the cutest, most perfectly round pumpkin!  Also pictured here is a Gourd, the last yellow squash of the year (we had quite a few) and the last couple cucumbers (we had a lot of those)!!

 

Turnips!  Lots of large turnips!  I didn't really know what to do with these but I found a lovely recipe that involved roasting them with some oil, garlic, and a drizzle of honey.  They were delicious!

 

Tomatillos!  The deer ate all the tomatoes, but they didn't really touch the tomatillo plants!

 

Here are the peeled tomatillos, ready to be roasted with some peppers so we can make Salsa Verde!

 

The Herb Garden flourished!  As you can see from these pictures taken on October 17, the area is quite full of many different herbs and flowers!

 

I harvested quite a few herbs for making teas and tinctures - here are pictures of Feverfew, Catnip, and Valerian Root -

 

So, despite some setbacks, we still had success and things to be thankful for!

 

 

30 Things - Invisible Illness Awareness Week

 

 

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know – 30 Things Meme

1. The illnesses I live with are: Chronic Migraines, Sciatica, Chronic Neck Pain (possibly undiagnosed Degenerative Disc Disease), Clinical Depression (Depressive Disorder), Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Insomnia
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: Depression and Migraines were diagnosed at age 18 (1998), though the migraines at that time were Episodic, not Chronic.  Migraines became chronic when I was 32 (2012). Chronic Migraines are defined as 15 or more days of migraine a month.
3. But I had symptoms since: Depression/anxiety since early teen years. Sciatica and neck pain developed gradually over the years starting around 2003
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Listening to my body and allowing myself more rest and self care.  As a mother this is sometimes hard.
5. Most people assume: I have had people assume that I am lazy.  Calling out of work with a migraine I have had bosses and co-workers assume that I am lying.  I have had bosses assume I just had a hangover and tell me "you shouldn't drink so much" even though I hardly ever drink alcohol.  I have had friends and co-workers assume that I was using drugs because of being pale, thin, and having a "glassy look" to my eyes.  (even though I don't even take prescription narcotics or use other drugs)  I have had people assume that I am just seeking attention.
6. The hardest part about mornings are:  Getting out of bed!  Sometimes this is because of pain - I just want to stay in bed!  Other times this is because I didn't get much sleep, or didn't really get restful sleep - and I am just so very tired!
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House MD - I love the sarcasm and wit - and also love the medical mysteries of trying to figure out what an illness is without definite obvious symptoms
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My smart phone!  When I have days that I need to stay home and stay in bed, it helps me feel connected to the world and my friends rather than isolated and alone.
9. The hardest part about nights are: Getting comfortable, falling asleep, staying asleep.  Pain in my neck and hip mean that I must change position often.
10. Each day I take 7 (average) pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) Nortiptyline 20 mg daily - this controls my migraines and reduces the number of occurrences.  Without it I get migraines almost daily.  Ibuprofen to help with pain.  Some Vitamins.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: am still seeking the right fit for me.  I am open to hearing about and trying new things - but it bothers me when people offer unsolicited advice or say "you should try this" - or when people assume I haven't tried a certain thing yet.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I think I would choose something more visible - simply because I wouldn't have to worry about people assuming I was making things up.
13. Regarding working and career: I worked as a waitress for many years.  I am not currently working. It became much harder to work when my migraines became chronic and I would need a job with employers who were very understanding of my need to take frequent time off and avoid certain things.
14. People would be surprised to know: I am afraid every day.  Afraid of when that eventual "big one" (migraine) will hit again.  Afraid of how bad the pain will be today. Afraid of not being a good enough mom for my kids, and not being a good enough wife to my husband.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: There is no cure for chronic migraines.  They can be controlled, and symptoms can be treated, but this neurological condition is permanent.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Make new friends who understand and accept me.
17. The commercials about my illness: Drive me crazy!!  The "Excedrin Migraine" commercials really piss me off!  Very few people with migraines actually get relief from that medicine.  It is very good for a headache.  But does not really work for a true migraine - which is NOT a headache. And people who take any Over The Counter Medicine for Chronic Migraines are at risk for getting MOH - Medication Overuse Headache - which is a SEVERE, extremely painful ongoing migraine that is very hard to get rid of!  This can occur when you take any kind of medication more than 3 times a week.  This is not explained to people.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Being able to go out without worrying about "will this cause a migraine"? or "how long can I be out before my back pain is too much for me?"  Just going out and not having to take medications with me, just in case - and needing to leave early or cancel plans altogether.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Quality time with my family.  Driving at night (glare from headlights is not good)  Rollercoasters and carnival rides (not a good idea)  Certain foods and drinks.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Crafts.  Jewelry making, paper crafts, writing, blogging, learning about medicinal herbs
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Take my family out on a fun day trip somewhere they really want to go.
22. My illness has taught me: A lot of self-awareness.  Being constantly aware of the signals my body gives me, because paying attention to those early warning signs is the difference between staying home or ending up in the emergency room.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: When people refer to my migraine as a "headache".
24. But I love it when people: offer support in the form of friendship, listening, offering help (not just offering advice but offering to do an actual thing for me)
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "Progress, not Perfection" - it reminds me that whatever small steps I take during the day are worth celebrating - even if the job isn't done, and even if it's not perfect - I did a thing and that is awesome!
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Find a doctor who will really listen to you.  Research as much as you can.  Try different  things on your own terms - and if it doesn't work for you, move on to something else.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: my own ability to handle things - I am stronger than I ever imagined.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Help me with the kids!  Taking the kids out for awhile so I can rest while also knowing that my kids were getting attention and having fun!
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I want to help spread awareness.  Not just for migraines, but for all kinds of conditions that aren't visible.  There are many people who are struggling to get help, get a diagnosis, and have people take them seriously but their condition is not visible so they aren't taken seriously.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel:  Happy!  Loved!  Understood!

Thanks for reading!!  ~~ Wendy

Update on our GRuB Garden

This garden started back in April- THIS POST talks about GRuB and the KGP garden program and talks about how it got started.

First we had to build a fence around the garden to keep the deer out!  We used bamboo stalks and a netting we found at Ace Hardware called "Deer Netting" that was designed to keep deer out.

You can *kind of* see the netting around the garden.  And you see why we needed it!

 

 

In May we started planting things!  We did a lot of research finding out about companion plants so that we could plant things side by side with things that support them.  Some things we started from seeds, and others we started from plants that we got from GRuB or Slow Food Olympia.

Adam built this awesome trellace to go along the north side of the garden with the tomatoes and peas.

 

 

We were all so excited when things started sprouting!  Things grew quickly and pretty soon we were having our own Kale, Lettuce, and Radishes!  June and July were pretty amazing watching the plants get so big and being able to go out and get my own salad for dinner straight from the yard!

Adam is behind the Tomatillo plant on the other side of the trelace :)

Fresh salad for dinner!

radishes!

peas!

 

 

We were just waiting for the tomatoes to be ready!  We had a beautiful Sun-Gold Tomato plant that was beginning to make tiny tomatoes!  They were green and we were just waiting for them to turn that beautiful golden yellow color.  Then - tragedy struck the garden.  We noticed that things looked - nibbled on.  With close inspection we found a hole in the netting - the deer had somehow ripped a hole in the side and were stepping through it to eat the garden.  We didn't really know how to repair it, and figured we would have to go buy some more netting to go around.  Unfortunately at this time we were flat broke and couldn't afford to go buy any netting.  So we just decided to try and keep an eye on the garden.

One morning I got up and was making my coffee.  I looked outside and there was a deer INSIDE the garden eating the tomato plants!  It had stepped through that hole.  I figured if I went outside it would get nervous and leave, so I went out on the porch.  The deer saw me and decided to leave - but I guess it couldn't remember where the hole was!  It just pushed itself into the netting and forcefully pulled the netting down and ran away!

With our fence destroyed, we were very discouraged.  We had some financial difficulties over the summer and absolutely had no money to go buy new netting.  We couldn't repair it, it was too badly town and mangled.  Without the fence around it, the deer began eating our garden every chance they got.  Most of it in the early mornings before anyone was awake to scare them away.  Sadly - our beautiful garden soon looked like this;

 

The deer ate all the almost-ripe tomatoes.  They ate the cucumber.  They ate the leaves off of everything - the tomato plants, pepper plants, Kale, lettuce, beets, cabbage, everything.  It was very frustrating and disheartening.  All the beautiful harvest that was almost ready for us just ended up being Deer food.

 

So, here we are.  Mid-August.  The upper garden which had better fencing around it is doing well. (I will blog about that soon) and the herb garden is doing okay (Although the deer have eaten some of that too) - but we're not at a complete loss.  We learned that the deer in our area are very determined and simple "deer netting" will not keep them out.  We will build a better fence!  Somehow!  We're talking about doing a fund-raiser and asking for our beautiful Olympia community for help with this.  Keep your eyes here on this blog and our facebook page and we'll let you know how you can help!  There are still things we can plant in the fall to grow in the spring and we're not giving up!

 

Anyways - that's the update from May through August for the GRuB garden.  I'll post more about our other gardens and other things we've done over the summer, and I'll try to do better about updating the blog and sharing our journey with you!  Thanks for reading!

Cheese-making at GRuB

We have been terrible at keeping up with this blog over the summer!!  Sorry about that!!  I'm looking through pictures and going to make a few blog posts about our summer.

In June we went to a cheese-making class at GRuB!  GRuB offers many great community classes about cooking, gardening, and sustainability - they are such a great resource for the community!
Adam and I (Wendy) decided to go to the Cheese making class because neither of us knows anything about making cheese!  My son Xander came along too - and had a blast!

We learned how to make a simple mozzarella cheese.  It was easier than I thought it would be - and quicker too!  I haven't made any at home yet because there are a few specific things I would need to do it at home - but now that I have seen it done I think I'd like to try it on my own sometime!

 

6/28/15

 



our Instructor, Quin Baine showing us the ropes of cheese-making!

 

We used a recipe adapted from the book Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll.  The recipe is called "30 Minute Mozzerella"

We all got to stretch and form our own ball of fresh mozzarella!  fun!

Xander enjoying the process!  It was like a science experiment watching the milk and other liquid ingredients transform into a solid!

 

After our cheese was ready - we made pizza!!  We all worked together to make pizza dough and chop up vegetable fresh from the GRuB farm to top our pizzas with!

 

 

Yummmm!  Home-made pizza with fresh cheese and fresh veggies!  Doesn't get much better than that!!

Thanks, GRuB!!

 

DIY - Home-Made Laundry Detergent

Home Made Liquid Laundry Detergent

I have people ask me a lot how I make my own laundry detergent.  I love to share this information with others - it's a really simple way to save money and reduce household waste.
Before you make it you will want to make sure you have a large 5 gallon bucket to mix it in, and some empty containers with lids to keep in in afterwards.  You can save the bottles from your store bought detergent, or save plastic 1 gallon milk jugs or even two-liter soda bottles.  A funnel will help you put it in these bottles once it's done.

Supplies;1/2 Cup Borax Powder
1/2 Cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 bar of  Fels-Naptha Laundry soap or Zote soap
 A cheese grater
a 5 gallon bucket to mix everything in
a medium sized pot for the stove

Directions;
Grate the 1/2 bar of Fels-Naptha soap with a cheese grater.  You can also substitute Zote soap.  These can both be found in the laundry section of most grocery stores, or the cleaning product section of Hardware stores.  (I found all the ingredients for this soap at ACE Hardware)

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients... the Borax and the Washing Soda.  Set this aside.

On the stove, bring the medium saucepan filled with water to just below boiling.  Turn the temp down to medium, medium low to keep it warm.  Slowly add in the grated Zote soap while stirring, you want it to melt evenly and avoid clumps and I find it works best if you just sprinkle a little at a time into the hot water while stirring.

In the 5 gallon bucket, fill it half way with warm water and add the dry mixture of Borax, Washing Soda, and Oxy-Clean.  Mix until all the dry ingredients are dissolved.  Slowly pour in the melted pink Zote & water mixture from the pan you had on the stove.  Mix well.  Add more water until the bucket is full, mixing well. 

Cover the bucket with Plastic Wrap or a lid, set it aside somewhere safe and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours.  It will thicken and become more gel-like.  Mix again, and then you can add it to empty bottles to be used for laundry!  I used empty bottles from store-bought detergent I had bought before, because they have the lid for measuring and store easily.  Hard to believe that I have been using those same bottles for nearly 2 years, just refilling them with my own home-made soap!

For washing I use 1 cap full (1/2 cup) of detergent for small loads and 2 caps full (1 cup) of detergent for large loads.  I sometimes add Shaklee Nature Bright Laundry Booster if the clothes are particularly stained, it's a non-toxic and safe version of Oxi-Clean. 

For an optional fabric softener, adding 1/2 cup of plain white vinegar to the water at the rinse cycle really helps soften the clothes and leaves them deodorized.  If you want a scented fabric softener you can add essential oils of your choice to the white vinegar.