Timeless Herb Secrets

Are You A Spectator or A Participator?

First up, if you were one of the many that made your herbology wishes for 2009 known, thank you. The wish list is taking on form and one of the recurring wishes: "Where do I start?' is addressed in this newsletter.

But before I get to where to start, I think it is important that you know that the key to herbology is to be your own best testimonial.

That is: be your own example of what herbs can do for people, and that means actually doing it yourself.

I know this sounds obvious, but sometimes people just want to know-it-all and not really get their hands dirty doing any of the stuff. They want to rant-and-rave, but they have no intention of feeling the grass on the pitch.

Maybe they don't have the courage to take the herbs and try them out, or to really change their life in terms of food intake and physical exercise; maybe they don't enjoy the taste of some of the herbs, so they're afraid to really commit to the daily quantities necessary for a positive change. Maybe they love the lawn too much and don't want to spoil it with a food garden.

Are you a spectator or a participator?

"But I'm no spectator," I hear you say "I love my herb books, I read them and I memorize them. Fact is, I'm here. I'm reading this."

Reading books, newsletters and whatever you can lay your hands on, is great. But reading and memorizing simply makes you a knowledgeable fan. It does not make you a player.

To become a player you actually need to get involved on the playing field.

Find ways to bring herbology into your life and make it part of your daily routine. Then observe what happens in your cooking. Observe what happens in your heart when you garden. Observe what happens to your dis-ease symptoms.

Because the moment you become a participator you will experience a phenomenal shift.

How do you eat an elephant?

Herbology is such a fast field that it is natural to feel overwhelmed. Where do you start? How do you learn all there is to learn?

The obvious answer is: bite by bite. But there is more to eating an elephant than doing it in small chunks.

You also need to be hungry and you need to be committed to finish the elephant once you've started.

What is the first step?

The first step is to take  an inventory of where you are right now.

For example. If you are here because you are interested in becoming your own herbalist.
Write down your current level of physical health, what symptoms you might be suffering from, if you have recurring headaches, or joint pains, or whatever, jot them down.

Have you been given a disease label by a doctor such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease or some other disorder?

What medications are you taking on a regular basis. Natural, over the counter and prescribed?

Write all these down so you have a list you can look back on.

Why is this important?

One of the things I've noticed with people is when they become players instead of fans, they often forget where they came from. Their transformation doesn't necessarily happen overnight, and because the change is gradual, they tend to forget how miserable things were when they were sitting in the pavilion instead of being in the players locker room.

So, it's important to record your starting point so you can look back and compare your results.

Will you 'get' the gift of herbology?

The beauty of herbology, like all else in life that has lasting qualities, is that it is there for the asking. Herbology is a gift from a merciful and loving God and all you need to do is to accept this gift. Irrespective of who you are, what you are, and where you are. It's yours.

But here's the thing that most people miss about this gift.

Like salvation it is not given to us. It is offered to us. The difference being that when someone offers us something we have to act on the offer. If we decide to accept it, we have to say "Wow, thank you for your offer", then reach out, take ownership and become living proof that we have this gift.

It's decision time. If you accept this gift on offer - to become a player instead of a fan - then do your inventory this week still. Make an appointment with yourself in your diary if that's what it will take.

Related Posts:

Reconnect with Herbology

herbology wish list

My herbology wish for 2009 is that I can help you learn more about the herbology topics that interest you.

I'm sure that you have lots of specifics that you just wish someone will tell you how to do. Things like how to grow a specific herb that tickles your fancy. Or how to use it to do this or that. Or how to make a specific recipe. Or what herbs to use in this or that dish. Maybe you wish someone could tell you how to cure a cold with natural remedies.

Or maybe you have dreams. Wishing that you could start a food garden, or take a course or maybe even start a herb related business.

What if your wishes came true?

Think about it for a moment. What will happen to you, and all those near and dear to you, if a few of your herbology wishes came true.

Now obviously, I'll be hard pressed to answer to each and every wish. But here's the thing. At least we both will be working towards making our dreams come true. You by sharing them with me, and I by answering as many of them as I can.

Can you spare a few moments to share?

Please take a few moments to share your 2009 herbology wishes with me. And please be as specific as possible.

Just hit the comment button and dot them down because this will allow me to be of better service to you.

May 2009 be our best herbology year ever.

Making Bath Salts

Baths salts also make excellent Christmas gifts and they are so easy and cheap to make.

To make bath salts you will need measuring cups, a large bowl in which to mix your ingredients, a large spoon, a mortar and pestle to ground your herbs - you can also use an electric blender - and containers for the bath salts.

The ingredient list is as simple as the tool list. You will need table salt, sea salt or Epsom salt, dye, which can be ordinary food colouring (Moir's is a well know South African
brand), fragrance to set the 'mood' for your bath salt, and finely ground dried herbs.

You can use special soap fragrances, aromatherapy oils, or herbs to create your 'mood'. Soap fragrances add nothing but fragrance, but aromatherapy oils and herbs add a desirable health dimension as well.

Most of the ingredients can be found in your local supermarket. Special soap fragrances and soap dyes can be purchased from soap craft stores.

Aromatherapy oils can be purchased from health shops. Ask your health shop for guidelines in using aromatherapy oils.

Get all the ingredients together. The packaging (bottle, sachet or packet) will determine how much salt you need. Fill your packaging container with the desired amount. Pour from the packaging container into your mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl take ¼ - ½ cup salt mixture. Stir in your fragrance, starting with a few drops and adding gradually until you reach the desired strength of scent. Equal parts sandalwood and lavender makes an exceptionally fragrant and relaxing bath salt. Make sure that the salt is mixed well with the fragrance.

Next stir in your dye. Add it gradually, like the fragrance, until you get the colour you desire. Be sure to stir really well. You want to ensure that the colour is evenly spread
through the salt crystals. Add back to the rest of the salt mixture and mix well. Pour or scoop into your packaging container, seal, label and decorate.

The packaging should be something that can be sealed. This keeps the salt fresh and fragrant. We prefer to use little cellophane bags and twist tags, raffia or ribbon. They are
simpler and easier for the person making the salt and the person using the salt. They are also a lot cheaper than glass jars.

If you want a more sophisticated and elegant look, a glass jar is your best bet. As long as it has a lid. You can tie raffia, ribbon or yarn around the jar to give it some decoration. If
you are really creative you can purchase glass paint form a craft store and paint decorations on the jar.

Do not give bath salts to people with high blood pressure or any heart condition nor to elderly or frail people, or those that can hardly move their joints without excruciating pain.

Enjoy making them and let me know what you think.

Colourful and Fiery Chili Pickles

Making your own gifts is satisfying to create and delightful to receive. A hand made Christmas gift is probably the most personal gift you can give, because it has taken up a lot more of your time and thought, than taking out your credit card and buying up the store.

Herbs often are the magical ingredient, especially if they are herbs from your garden.

Give yourself enough time to make the gifts, use only the best ingredients and be clever in matching the gift to the recipient.

Dad generally doesn't appreciate sandalwood bath salts or granny a bottle of fiery hot pickled chilies - unless she's quite a gal!

Bottles of pickled chilies are a simple, yet eye-catching Christmas present to make, especially when you use a whole medley of different colours and sizes of chilies.

If you aren't able to harvest your own chilies you will find a ready supply at the local greengrocer or fruit and vegetable section of the supermarket.

Recipe #1: Whole Pickled Peppers

Sterilize a 1lt preserving jar.

Wash the chilies and remove any blemished fruits. Poke a few small holes in the top of each chilli.

Pack fresh, washed and trimmed chilies in the sterilized bottle.

Bring 250ml water, 250 ml white vinegar, 10 ml pickling spice and 50 ml sugar (or to taste) to the boil and pour over the chilies, leaving no headspace.

Remove trapped air bubbles. Store in the refrigerator and use within four to six weeks.

It is as simple as that.
 
Recipe #2: Jalapeno Masala Pickles

Slice fresh, washed Jalapeno chilies. Bring 250ml water, 250ml white vinegar, and 10 ml pickling Masala to the boil. Add a little sugar to taste.

Add sliced chilies and bring the mixture back to the boil for one or two minutes, just to sterilise them. Don't boil too long or the chilies will go soft.

Spoon the chilies into a sterilised jar and pour over the picking mixture. Stir the mixture to ensure an even distribution of the Masala mix.

Remove trapped air bubbles.

Store in the refrigerator and use within four to six weeks.

Decorate the bottles with a ring of dried peppers for an extra festive feel.

5 Ways With Lavender in the Home

Lavender is probably the most feminine of herbs. No other herb is quite so prized for its fragrance and beauty, or more evocative of romance.

Its 'feminine touch' has been experienced down the centuries, to freshen the air in houses or to perfume the bath or whenever a feminine touch was needed. Here's a few ideas to try.

Drowsy Potpourri
Fill a bowl by your bedside with rose petal potpourri and dried lavender flowers. Add a drop or two of lavender essential oil. Finger the bowl before drifting to sleep.

Sleepy Sachets
Put lavender flowers and a few drops of essential oil in sachets to slip beneath pillows for a soothing waft if you wake or turn in the night.

Lavender Moth Bags
Mix equal parts dried lavender flowers, dried lavender leaves, dried mint, dried rosemary and dried southernwood, santolina or marjoram.

To make moth bags cut out pieces of thin cotton cloth the required size. Fill with herbs and stitch up. Lay the bags amongst linen and blankets, or put them between your clothes.

Lavender Room Spray
Add 5 drops lavender essential oil to 50 ml distilled water in an atomizer. You will need to shake the atomizer vigorously before each use. Do not make large quantities as the keeping time is relatively short.

Relaxing Lavender Bath
Make a strong infusion by adding a handful finely chopped lavender leaves and flowers to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep 10 minutes, strain and add to your bath.

Certificate in Herb Studies

I'm delighted to announce the launch of the SA Herb Academy's Certificate in Herb Studies.

Herbs are the 'tools of our trade' and if you really want to use herbs to cook up a storm, improve your health, grow herbs, help or teach others, this distance learning program is for you.

Even though this is a online distance learning course it is a paced program. Meaning that there are definite start and end dates for each class and study group. Evidence indicates that pacing helps participants complete courses.

There is also a discussion forum and active facilitator involvement which means that you will be able to share learning experiences with your class mates and get guidance from the class facilitator if you get stuck.

To learn more about the program download the prospectus.

Here are the 3 things that are required to be one of the course participants:

1. An Eagerness to Learn.
We are looking for people who are serious about learning more about herbs and who are able to participate and provide feedback in a constructive manner.

2. An Investment in Yourself.
This coure is not for freebie seekers. You'll need an investment of time to absorb the learning material and to complete the various activities that will result in your first scientific monograph.  You'll also need to make an investment of R500 to show that you are committed to getting the most from this course.

3. Action.
We can only accommodate a limited number of participants in a course. When we've reached that limit that's it. First come first served.

Courses start within 10 days of us reaching the class limit. So please get your name down on the class waiting list by downloading your application form, completing it and mailing it back. http://www.masterherbremedies.com/hsapplication.doc

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me. Either via email or in person on 082 416 7145.

Herb Gifts - Herbal Bath Salts

To make bath salts you will need measuring cups, a large bowl in which to mix your ingredients, a large spoon, a mortar and pestle to ground your herbs - you can also use an electric blender - and containers for the bath salts.

The ingredient list is as simple as the tool list. You will need table salt, sea salt or Epsom salt, dye, which can be ordinary food colouring (Moir's is a well know South African brand), fragrance to set the 'mood' for your bath salt, and finely ground dried herbs.

You can use special soap fragrances, aromatherapy oils, or herbs to create your 'mood'. Soap fragrances add nothing but fragrance, but aromatherapy oils and herbs add a desirable health dimension as well.

Most of the ingredients can be found in your local supermarket. Special soap fragrances and soap dyes can be purchased from soap craft stores and craft supply stores.

Aromatherapy oils can be purchased from health shops. Ask your health shop for guidelines in using aromatherapy oils.

Get all the ingredients together. The packaging (bottle, sachet or packet) will determine how much salt you need. Fill your packaging container with the desired amount. Pour from the packaging container into your mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl take ¼ - ½ cup salt mixture. Stir in your fragrance, starting with a few drops and adding gradually until you reach the desired strength of scent. Make sure that the salt is mixed well with the fragrance.

Next stir in your dye. Add it gradually, like the fragrance, until you get the colour you desire. Be sure to stir really well. You want to ensure that the colour is evenly spread through the salt crystals. Add back to the rest of the salt mixture and mix well. Poor or scoop into your packaging container, seal, label and decorate.

The packaging should be something that can be sealed. This keeps the salt fresh and fragrant. We prefer to use little cellophane bags and twist tags, raffia or ribbon. They are simpler and easier for the person making the salt and the person using the salt. They are also a lot cheaper than glass jars.

If you want a more sophisticated and elegant look, a glass jar is your best bet. As long as it has a lid. You can tie raffia, ribbon or yarn around the jar to give it some decoration. If you are really creative you can purchase glass paint form a craft store and paint decorations on the jar.

Do not give bath salts to people with high blood pressure or any heart condition nor to elderly or frail people, or those that can hardly move their joints without excruciating pain.

Have fun sharing the gift of herbs with your loved ones this Christmas.

Liked this post? Hated it? Questions?

Please leave your comments below.

Herb Gifts - Lavender Soap

Sweet smelling soaps, bath salts and oils are always good Christmas standbys. Making your own is very easy and adding the fragrance of herbs is usually the magical element.

Melt the glycerin soap - available from craft shops - in a microwave oven or in a double boiler on the stove. Choose a container from which the soap can be poured easily.

It is important that the soap is melted slowly and gently as soap can burn - never allow the soap to boil. The ideal soap temperature is 85 ºC and it sets at 72 ºC. Temperatures above 95 ºC will make transparent soaps turn milky.

When using the plastic moulds allow the soap to cool slightly (let it form a skin) before you pour the soap into the mould. This will prevent the mould from buckling from the heat.

Before pouring, lightly scatter the base of the mould with lavender flowers and/or leaves.

Always remove the skin that forms on the melted soap surface. If the skin goes into the soap it will be visible in your finished soap.

Never try to remove the soap from the mould until it has set and cooled properly. The setting time varies according to the heat of the melted soap, the air temperature and the depth of the mould (deeper moulds take longer to set).

If you put your hand on the back of the mould and it feels completely cool to the touch, it is ready to come out. Never set soap in the fridge or freezer to cool as it absorbs moisture and becomes sweaty and sticky.

Glycerine attracts moisture. Therefore never make soap on a rainy day or cook while soap making. Also, package soaps as soon as they are made. Soaps can be wrapped in cling film or packaged in cellophane sleeves.

Before re-using the soap moulds, wash the moulds to remove any remaining soap and dry thoroughly.

Have fun sharing the gift of herbs with your loved ones this Christmas.

Liked this post? Hated it? Questions?
Please leave your comments below.

How To Make Rosemary Oil

Rosemary is a symbol of friendship, loyalty, and remembrance, which makes it a very special gift for a friend, especially those close to your heart.

You'll need:

• A cupful of fresh rosemary leaves.
• A cupful of good quality olive oil.
• A sterilized wide mouth jar. About 500ml volume.

How to make it:

1. Let the fresh rosemary leaves wilt slightly and crush them with a rolling pin.
2. Put the leaves in the sterilized wide mouth jar and cover them with the oil.
3. Seal the jar and put it on a well-lit windowsill or near a warm stove. Avoid a position that gets too hot or else the herbs will turn musty and start to 'cook'.
4. Shake the jar or stir the contents with a wooden spoon at least once a day. Within a fortnight the oil should be ready.
5. Taste the oil and if the flavour is not strong enough repeat the process with fresh herbs.
6. If the flavour is strong enough you can strain the oil though an oil filter and press the herbs to extract all the liquid.
7. Pour in a sterilized bottle, seal, label and decorate.

Keep refrigerated. It should keep well for up to 3 months.

More on making herb flavoured oils and vinegars.

Making Herb Flavoured Oils and Vinegars

Herb flavoured oil or vinegar is another way of using the bounty from your herb garden to create very personal and individual Christmas gifts.

Two of the most popular garden herbs are rosemary and basil and by December they are at their peak, producing enough to use and still have enough left to preserve in oils and vinegars.

When making herbal oils and vinegars as gifts why not attach a little card that details the significance of the herb as well as ways of using it.

Rosemary's stronger taste makes it an ideal herb for oil but if you don't have rosemary, almost any herb can be used to make a delicious herbal oil. The secret lies in using mild flavoured oil. This can be a mild olive oil or sunflower oil.

Flavoured oils can be used in marinades, salad dressings or for the initial sauté in a stir-fry - in fact for any dish that requires oil.

Basil Dark Opal is particularly suitable for vinegar's because the purple leaves impart a wonderful colour to the vinegar. Herbal vinegars can be used in dressings, mayonnaise, marinades, stews, soups and stews.

Use a good quality natural grape, wine or apple cider vinegar. Do not use chemically produced vinegar because it overpowers the herbs.

Make Your Own Rosemary Oil