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From Sept/Oct '15 issue, The Essential Herbal Magazine
Molly Sams
 
The spookiest twenty-four hours of the twelvemonth is correct to a greater extent than or less the corner as well as it has me wondering well-nigh the roots of the celebration as well as how to savour the festivities inwards a to a greater extent than traditional agency – sans human sacrifices, of course. Luckily I was able to borrow "A Witch’s Brew" past times Adelma Simmons from Susanna Reppert as well as flora enough of fun crafts to conk along traditions move as well as the witches at bay.
Halloween was created from a to a greater extent than ancient druid vacation called Samhain where it was said the to a greater extent than mischievous as well as malevolent spirits would move allowed on populace for 1 nighttime of revelry. This inspired many protective as well as preventative traditions that nosotros soundless role today every bit ornament for Halloween.
Turnips were the vegetable to carve earlier pumpkins.
This photograph courtesy of Yahoo News.
Wreaths as well as swags were oft placed on doors to conk along wicked spirits, witches, as well as other spooky creatures from entering the home. The ones nosotros role instantly oft mirror ones of former inwards design, herbs used, as well as fifty-fifty meanings (depending on the home). Elder, alder, as well as mount ash branches as well as twigs were used every bit the base of operations for the wreath as well as hence decorated alongside ferns, bayberries, rowan berries, valerian, vervain, as well as fifty-fifty yew berries to brand the wreaths stand upwardly out. These wreaths were idea to aid or hinder witches depending on their intention as well as practice.

If y'all accept fiddling ones who are helping y'all decorate, corn dollies tin move a dandy arts and crafts for them. Corn dollies accept been hung from ceilings for hundreds of years as well as tin add together playfulness to the holiday. To create to a greater extent than traditional dollies role bluish as well as regal (witches’ favorite colors) instead of the regular orangish as well as black. Don’t move afraid to role other materials as well as colors, however. Dollies are supposed to move adorned alongside fun fabrics as well as designs. Even a fiddling glitter can’t hurt!
Full instructions 
If y'all desire to adorn to a greater extent than than only your domicile for the season, decorating your garden or creating a “Witches Garden” tin move fun for the whole family. Witches gardens differ if they are for a white witch, dark witch, or the devil himself. Devil’s gardens were genuinely a tradition that started from farmers. By giving the devil a component subdivision of farmland that remained wild it would conk along him away from the crops as well as the domicile - giving the devil his due.
 
Black witches would role plants for toxicant or other dastardly deeds. If y'all create upwardly one's ask heed to flora a dark witch’s garden or decorate yours alongside such plants move certain to conk along plants away from pets as well as to await until your children are at to the lowest degree twelve hence they volition sympathise why they cannot eat or role the plants. Always move certain your younger menage unit of measurement members tend to the garden with supervision every bit well. Traditionally bad witches’ gardens contained malicious plants such every bit deadly nightshade, daffodil bulbs (poisonous to ingest), rue (a pare irritant), as well as several elderberry trees, said to harbor witches as well as having poisonous leaves, branches, as well as roots.  The garden may likewise accept nettles, a stinging as well as irritating plant, as well as lily of the valley which is likewise called "poisonous root."
Some of these plants tin likewise move flora inwards the white witch’s garden every bit well. While they may move inwards her garden they are used for proficient instead of evil. You should soundless supervise children or pets spell they are inwards the garden to avoid sickness. Unlike a dark witch’s garden, notwithstanding in that location are enough of dandy herbs y'all may already role inwards your home. Plants such every bit yarrow, borage, plantain, St. John’s wort, as well as elecampane tin aid your menage unit of measurement throughout the twelvemonth every bit good every bit add together some festive color, aroma, as well as construction to your autumn decorations.  With both the dark as well as white witch gardens move certain to pose a cauldron inside, alongside mullein plants on the iv corners to low-cal – this agency the witch tin ever run across what’s brewin’.
 

After the festivities are over move certain to harvest properly. Always enquire as well as give thank y'all your elderberry plants earlier as well as afterwards pruning as well as harvesting as well as laid out a loaf of fresh breadstuff for the witches hence they volition non spoil your harvest.

Happy Halloween!
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All Hollow’S Eve: To A Greater Extent Than Than Merely Amok! Amok! Amok!



Black Strap Syrups 
Adrian White www.deernationherbs.com
originally published inward The Essential Herbal Magazine, Jul/Aug '14

Spring fourth dimension does non conduct hold to live all nearly "spring cleaning" for our bodies; nor does wintertime fourth dimension conduct hold to live nearly fighting off the sporadic disease amongst acuate mutual depression temperature remedies.  Year-round, whether it live spring, summer, autumn or winter, nosotros tin also focus on keeping our immune organisation on its toes.  There are several immune-boosting tonic herbs out in that place yous tin plow to, similar the pop Reishi, Astragalus in addition to Licorice, spell pulling out your plants high inward Vitamin C similar Elder, Rose hips in addition to Sumac berry give yous an added edge.  But generally, it is skillful to larn equally much nutrition inward equally yous can.  Some of us struggle amongst getting plenty of whatever vitamins in addition to minerals inward our diet, peculiarly Vitamin D, which nosotros principally have through sunlight, or magnesium which is painfully absent inward a large component subdivision of our western diets.  As individual of the inward a higher house ilk, in addition to also tending towards the to a greater extent than wan in addition to iron-depleted “Vata” disposition (and also existence pretty poor), this is something I conduct hold to mean value nearly seriously, whether it’s outpouring or winter.  For people similar us, this tin drastically lawsuit our immune systems equally good equally our feel of full general well-being in addition to health.  Really, nosotros tin accept all that nosotros tin get.

What tin nosotros depend on, from flavor to season, when herb availability fluctuates in addition to some are growing at i time, in addition to fast asleep at others?  How tin nosotros move along our spring-tonic in addition to nutritious herbs amongst us no affair the climate or weather?  Some may propose tinctures or other preparations, but truth live told, alcohol extracts practise non succeed inward macerating in addition to preserving minerals equally good equally nosotros would similar to.  Vinegar aceta conduct hold their virtues, but even thus autumn short.  This is why I am fond of herbal syrups—and non your average syrups, but Black Strap Molasses syrups.
 
Not all herbal syrups conduct hold to live coughing syrups, in addition to love has been flora to live i of the best mediums for asset in addition to preserving vitamins in addition to minerals.  Not to mention– love (raw or organic) inward little tablespoon doses is high inward its ain mineral content.  Think of it this way: instead of making your large pot of Nettle tea in addition to trying to downwardly the wonderful light-green sludge throughout your entire day, yous instead brand a to a greater extent than concentrated infusion in addition to fix it into a syrup.  Then yous are precisely taking that amount equally a tablespoon supplement, flake yesteryear bit, throughout your day.  You tin mix it into your coffeeor tea.  Also– it is sweet!

But what is thus corking nearly adding Black Strap Molasses into the mix?  Well, it is i of the highest sources of minerals, is affordable, in addition to has a real long perishability.  In fifty-fifty teaspoon amounts, yous tin larn a substantial component subdivision of your mineral intake in: Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Manganese, Selenium, in addition to Copper are flora inward amazing amounts.  The downside to Black Strap?  I am sure if yous conduct hold tasted molasses, yous would empathise what the downside is.  Some love its taste, but to the vast majority, molasses is overwhelming to the gustation in addition to smell, which tin live discouraging to thus many who may sorely take away it.
Which is why I conduct hold come upwardly up amongst a full general “Herbal Black Strap Syrup” recipe.  It takes away the intensity of the molasses, bringing it a sweeter palatability; but it also allows yous to infuse your syrup amongst herbs chock total of vitamins which the molasses does non represent.  The production yous larn is an herbal medicine that is total of Vitamins AND minerals (sometimes more), lasts throughout the year, tastes good, in addition to is quite convenient to usage whenever yous wishing to accept it.  If yous already conduct hold your ain herbal syrup recipe, well, it’s quite simple—craft your syrup, in addition to thus add together inward Black Strap Molasses inward at the end.  I volition also render my ain recipe for starters at the halt of this article.

IDEAL BLACK-STRAP HERBS.  Think of whatever highly nutritious herb, in addition to yous tin easily arts and crafts it into this beautiful syrup.  Practically whatever classic outpouring tonic herb may apply, but the possibilities (and combinations) are many, in addition to quite thrilling to mean value about!

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica, Urtica urens).  
The feared in addition to overlooked super-food of our fourth dimension is perchance the most ideal candidate for a dark syrup.  There is a large stigma on this flora because of its cry in addition to its sting, in addition to yet Nettle’s nutritional value has been compared to that of spinach, kale, in addition to most seaweeds in addition to kelps.  It grows everywhere inward thick clumps, in addition to yet nosotros struggle amongst pitiable diets inward this country!  Nettles are the highest land-bound source of poly peptide from wild plants inward the U.S., but also incredibly high inward iron, calcium, vitamins Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 in addition to B, iodine in addition to magnesium.  Coupled amongst dark strap, yous conduct hold hither an herbal remedy that volition fix most nutrient deficiencies.  Practically every base of operations is covered, except Vitamin B12.  To boot, a dark nettle syrup helps amongst outpouring respiratory infections, allergies, in addition to fifty-fifty tiddler asthma issues.

Chickweed (Stellaria media).  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 pop outpouring tonic, Chickweed has its ain nutritional assets to offer.  Calcium, potassium, Vitamin C in addition to Iron are fairly plentiful inward this fiddling herb.  It can’t compare to Nettles but it makes upwardly for it amongst the mightiness for cleansing later a long winter.  To fix this i into a dark syrup, Chickweed must live cold-infused a twenty-four lx minutes menstruum or 2 beforehand, juiced, or made into a succus.  I prefer juicing it, straining it out, putting the infusion on a depression rut (lower than simmer) in addition to and thus adding the love in addition to dark strap until it blends to nighttime emerald-green perfection.

Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus).  Traditionally, the root of this flora was stance to live high inward iron, but this has since been debunked.  It is even thus arguable that it contains a marked amount of nutrients, since it has been used traditionally to process anemia for thus long, in addition to amongst success.  Most of all, it helps the gut assimilate nutrition exceptionally well.  Yellow Dock is also an alterative in addition to spring-cleaning herb that corrects imbalances of the digestive system, in addition to it volition sure enough ensure that what’s available inward the dark strap has the most beneficial affect it tin have.  Perhaps it would live most suitable for those who take away nutrition but lack the digestive clitoris to fully absorb it!

Burdock (Arctium lappa).  Burdock is well-known for how perfectly it lends itself to syrups in addition to glycerites.  This makes it the ideal candidate for a dark syrup, having many meaning nutrient sources such equally Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, in addition to Manganese.  Combined amongst a to a greater extent than nutritious herb, you’ll conduct hold quite the daily supplement.  It is also a favored outpouring tonic, peculiarly for liver in addition to bowel problems, but has been known to clear upwardly acne in addition to other peel issues.

Horsetail (Equisitem arvense).  This ancient in addition to ubiquitous flora grows practically anywhere where marshy, watery habitats tin live found.  Why it may live thus desirable for a syrup is its availability, equally good equally high amounts of minerals non flora inward abundance inward other flora sources: Silica especially, but also Vitamin E in addition to several others.  The to a greater extent than immature in addition to tender it is, the to a greater extent than nutritious.  Combined amongst Nettles, a Horsetail dark syrup would comprehend a lot of your nutritional bases in addition to live incredibly helpful for seasonal allergies, arthritis in addition to articulation issues!

Medicinal Mushrooms!  Incorporating medicinal mushrooms successfully into a blackstrap syrup may live a flake to a greater extent than for the advanced herbalist.  What needs to live said, though, is that many mushrooms are non alone medicinal, but also conduct hold amazing amounts of nutrients consistently lacking from our diets!  Notable mushrooms of this ilk are shiitakes, oysters, lion’s mane, turkey tails, reishis, chaga, fifty-fifty morels in addition to boletes.  Vitamin B6, Vitamin D, Protein, Fiber, Zinc, in addition to Magnesium tin live flora inward meaning amounts, some to a greater extent than thus than others.  I was surprised yesteryear the high amounts of Fe flora inward most gourmet varieties!  Some people precisely cannot larn over the taste, or texture, of mushrooms, inward spite of what they conduct hold to offer.  Which makes a robust dark syrup perfect.  On a to a greater extent than remedial level, these mushrooms conduct hold proven to assist against viruses, HIV, Cancer/Post-Chemo, Allergies, spell boosting immune function.

Getting the total practise goodness of a mushroom dark syrup is to a greater extent than hard than herbal syrups made amongst plants.  You must double-extract medicinal mushrooms, equally all the dissimilar constituents yield themselves to dissimilar mediums.  The typical double-extraction method states that yous must tincture i one-half of your mushrooms inward a high-proof alcohol, in addition to thus decoct the other half—there are recipes for double-extracting, thus larn looking for one.  While doing the decoction part of the recipe, only plow that into your syrup!  After adding dark strap molasses in addition to letting the syrup cool a fiddling bit, in addition to thus yous slow add together your mushroom tincture half, in addition to yous conduct hold your mushroom syrup.

Finally- the recipe itself!  I usage Stinging Nettles most oftentimes amongst this, thus it volition live my primary example.

Black Nettle Syrup
What You’ll Need:
•    Dried (or Fresh) Stinging Nettles (at to the lowest degree 1 loving cup OK)
•    20-30 oz. love (preferably organic; raw is ok)
•    15-20 oz. Black Strap Molasses
•    Water
•    Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few hours of your time
-Fill a little to medium pot amongst H2O on stove top.  Bring H2O to a gentle simmer, in addition to thus add together your nettles to create initial “infusion”.  Cover.  Let this larn for a time, until H2O is a real nighttime green.  You tin exit it to simmer, or precisely exit it on depression heat.  The sludgier looking the improve (more vitamins/minerals).  You may add together to a greater extent than H2O if besides much evaporates, in addition to infuse equally long equally yous prefer.  It may accept a while.
-Once yous conduct hold created your desired infusion, strain out herb from the infusion in addition to lay inward a novel construct clean pot.  Add your love in addition to convey upwardly to a simmer again.
-At this point, yous are “simmering down” your syrup to the consistency yous like.   This may also take  a while.  Stir a flake hither in addition to in that place if yous want.  Some syrups tin live runnier amongst to a greater extent than H2O content, others tin live simmered downwardly to a greater extent than to live a flake thicker.  It precisely depends upwardly on the length of simmering.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 pair notes: syrups are runnier at a higher temperature, thus it volition live a flake thicker when it is cooled down.  Also, yous conduct hold yet to add together Black Strap Molasses, which may also add together thickness.
-Final step: in i lawsuit yous conduct hold simmered downwardly to your desired syrup consistency, add together the Molasses to the mixture in addition to stir spell it is even thus hot.  Let cool.
-Add cooled Black Nettle Syrup to desired container, preferably drinking glass in addition to amber-tinted.  Make sure to shop syrup inward refrigerator when non inward use.

Black Strap Syrups

Nov/Dec '12 effect - The Essential Herbal Magazine

By Kristin Henningsen M.S., R.Y.T.
Banyon Luna Botanicals

More together with to a greater extent than people are turning to handmade gifts this vacation season.  Whether it is from the electrical current economical climate, a greener conscience, or a vivid outburst of creativity, the tendency is sure catching on.  Handmade gifts are a peachy agency to exhibit appreciation for the ones you lot love. 
This season, celebrate past times helping those you lot dearest decrease their stress together with growth their wellness together with wellness.  Two simple, precisely powerful ways to create this are past times soaking inwards a can and/or drinking a loving cup of herbal tea.  Herbal baths together with teas convey potent medicinal value.  Benefits tin attain from gently soothing a sore muscle, to invigorating yourself on a dreary winter's day.
Follow these herbal recipes below to brand quick together with easy, however thoughtful gifts.  Think of them equally templates, together with experience gratis to allow your creative juices dictate the terminal product.  

Muscle Ease Bath Salt
1/2 loving cup Sea Salt                                                                      
1/2 loving cup Baking Soda
1/2 loving cup Epsom Salt                                             
twenty drops Tea Tree Essential Oil
xv drops Lavender Essential Oil
v drops Rosemary Essential Oil
                Mix all ingredients well.  Add to can past times tablespoons to desired strength.


Dreamy Bath Salt Blend
1/2 loving cup Sea Salt                               
1/2 loving cup Baking Soda
1/2 loving cup Epsom Salt                         
v drops each of Rose, Chamomile, Lavender, together with Jasmine Essential Oil
                Mix all ingredients well.  Add to can past times tablespoons to desired strength.

FairyTale Tea
1/2 loving cup Raspberry Leaf              
1/2 loving cup Lemon Balm                     
1/2 loving cup Chamomile                        
1/4 loving cup Peppermint                     
1/4 loving cup Spearmint                       
1/4 loving cup Rose hips                     
1/4 loving cup Lavender            
            Blend all ingredients together for a delicious together with fragrant tea blend.    *yields twenty oz.
 
Minty Magic Tea
ii cups Peppermint                         
1 loving cup Spearmint              
1/4 loving cup Lemon Balm
                Blend ingredients together for an uplifting together with refreshing tea blend. *Yields twenty oz.

You tin shop Bath Salts together with Teas inwards elementary Ball Mason Jars, or whatever interesting jolt you lot find.  Hot gum pretty newspaper onto the jolt for a label, necktie a ribbon roughly the top, together with you lot convey a beautiful homemade gift for describe of piece of occupation solid unit of measurement together with friends.  While you're at it, teach ahead together with brand i for yourself too. 
Let your gifts come upward from the take in this vacation season.  You together with your describe of piece of occupation solid unit of measurement volition genuinely experience the benefits inwards body, mind, together with spirit.

Handmade Holidays

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