The Essential Herbal Blog

Valentine Specialties from the Herb Garden

2026-02-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

Valentine Specialties from the Herb Garden
By Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh
www.backyardpatch.blogspot.com

Herb Love Lore

I was out looking for herbal tidbits to put into my newsletter when I ran across these fun pieces of historical usages of herbs for Valentines’ day.

If you wish to know who your true love shall be, use Bay Laurel.
Pin 5 bay leaves to the corners and center of your pillow. Before you go to bed repeat the St. Valentine charm: “St. Valentine, be kind to me, in dreams let me my true love see.”
Once you have attracted your true love tie three bay leaves to the foot of the bed and they will be blind to any others but you.

If you wish to attract that true love you have two options:

For a man – he should approach his love with a bit of dried sage under his tongue

For a woman – bathe in warm water to which is added a cup of rose petals and a teaspoon of dill seeds.

Avoid Honeysuckle – the scent of honeysuckle was thought to induce erotic dreams, so you never had it inside the home of unmarried girls!

Ways to use your herbs for more intimate fun --

Aromatherapy with the bath is a great way to inspire sensuality and enhance sexual vitality. Try it together for even more fun. Light some candles, turn off the lights, and add a mix of sensual oils to the water. Relax into the water and surrender to the sensations.

Valentine Touches Massage Oil

4 ounces sweet almond oil
1/2 tsp. of your favorite essential oil (38 drops)

This combination of essential oils is said to increase vitality!

15 drops cardamom oil

10 drops ylang ylang

10 drops patchouli

Blend well in a bowl and then pour into a small decorative glass bottle with a top. Add a beautiful ribbon, make a card and present to the valentine of your choice. He or she will get the idea. Be sure to shake well before using.

Love Herbal Bath (adapted from Phyllis Shaudy’s)

4 parts lavender

4 parts dried rosemary

4 parts rose petals

2 parts dried lovage

2 parts lemon verbena

1 part thyme

1 part mint

1 part sage

Mix all the dried herbs together and store in a covered container. When you want to take a bath place ¼ cup if herbal mix in the center of an 8-inch square of muslin and tie lightly with string or ribbon. If you use ¼ cup as the part, it will create 16 bath balls.

To brew: Boil the ball in 1 quart of water for 10 minutes. Draw a warm bath and pour in the herbal water. Add you and your sweetheart and use the ball to scrub one another’s bodies.

And most importantly, never forget that Chocolate is an herb.

No matter how you do it, enjoy your Valentine’s Day!

Essential Herbal EXTRA for Jan/Feb 26

2026-01-20T12:46:00.000-08:00

The subscriber-only Extra went out today. We've been struggling to keep the Extra from turning into a full sized issue, so I was ruthless this time!
Even so, there's lots in there to hold you over until the next issue goes out February 20th!

The contents include:
A note from the editor (me - heh), and an explanation of the cover picture starts it off.
A recipe for a good cough or sore throat syrup...
Instructions for making a germ-busting spray...
An article about adding different textures and heights to the garden...
AND
A how to get started cooking with herbs, including which herbs to add to what foods.
Of course there's a word-find puzzle, too.

In order to receive the EXTRA, you need to subscribe. Between now and Feb 15, subscribe and get both!

All About Nutmeg (with Recipes!)

2026-01-14T09:02:00.000-08:00

All About Nutmeg

Mary Ellen Wilcox - The Essential Herbal Jan/Feb 2014

Nutmeg is not only a fragrant and delicious spice, but it comes from a very versatile evergreen tree. The nutmeg tree (Myristica fragrens) can reach heights up to 60 feet, and at maturity (approximately 25 years) a healthy tree can yield about 1500 nuts each year. No part of the nutmeg harvest is wasted. In Grenada, W.I., where 40% of the world's nutmeg is grown, the nutmeg producers use all parts of the plant. The outer peach-like fruit is used for making jams and syrups. Inside this fruit is a hard outer shell which holds the nut. This shell is encased in a lacy scarlet net. This net is nutmeg's sister spice, mace. The nutmeg and mace are ready to harvest when the outer fruit is ripe and splits. Next the mace is removed and the hard shell is cracked, exposing the nut. These cracked casings are used as mulch in gardens or added to driveways. The aroma is pleasant when walked upon, and is enhanced by soft rains. The inner nut is finally reached and dried. This is how nutmeg comes to us.

photo via Pixabay

The wonderful scent of nutmeg may be what began its popularity. In 1190 when Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI visited Rome, this little known spice was used to fumigate the streets.
Before Magellan discovered the Spice Islands in 1521 food in Europe was bland, even for the wealthy. Along with the spice trade came new ways of flavoring foods, and the idea of something that came from an exotic far-away place was intriguing. Fashionable Ladies would carry nutmeg sachets, or wear the whole nutmegs caged in fancy silver pieces around their necks. This was a sensible answer to dealing with an age of poor personal hygiene, and odors caused by open-air operations such as tanneries.
The competition for the spice trade was serious. Smugglers of the exotic nutmeg could be put to death. The Portugese monopoly in the 16th century was so protected that it is said that they would distribute phony charts of the seas surrounding the Spice Islands, hoping that competitors would sail into dangerous waters.
Into the 17th and 18th century nutmeg's use continued to gain popularity. In clubs and taverns well-dressed gentlemen would carry nutmegs and graters. A bit could be grated into beers and grogs to enhance the drinks. In America the nutmeg rage was also on. Early cookbooks included more recipes containing nutmeg than any other spice.

Nutmeg is available to us as a ground spice or as the whole nut. Grating your own fresh nutmeg is far superior to using ground nutmeg. Nutmeg graters are readily available, and it is definitely worth having one!

Valentine's Day Nutmeg Sugar Cookies
Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter, or one of your favorites.
3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
6 tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Sift together the flour, soda, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter well and gradually add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, honey and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients. Chill the dough thoroughly.
Roll the dough out to 1/4" thickness and cut out with the heart cookie cutter. Bake for 10 minutes, or just until golden. Cool and store in an airtight container.
Note: The honey gives these cookies keeping quality.

Nutmeg Pound Cake
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter
3 cups sugar
2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
5 eggs
3 cups unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer. Add the nutmeg. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add one egg at a time, mixing after each.
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl.
Alternate, adding the flour mixture and the milk until all is incorporated. Do not over mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Test for doneness in center with toothpick.
A bundt pan can be used instead of the loaf pans. Increase baking time to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Test for doneness. Cool cake, then loosen sides with a knife to remove.

Pumpkin Soup
5 cups pumpkin
8 cups "chicken-apple" stock
(3 cups chopped apples +9 cups chicken broth - simmer for 15 minutes, then strain.)
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
Ginger snaps (optional)
Prepare the "chicken-apple" stock. Combine the pumpkin, stock, heavy cream and spices. Heat for about 15-20 until quite warm, but do not let boil.
Spoon into bowls and top each serving with crumbled ginger snaps, if desired

January February 2026 Essential Herbal - Year 25!

2025-12-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

The newest issue is out and as always, we are a bit awed by the stunning variety and amazing willingness to share exhibited in these pages.

This is our 25th year!!!
Anybody who ever took a soap class with my sister and me probably listened to how we started making soap from an article in a magazine. It took us weeks to figure out why it wasn't working out (although we still don't know exactly), and mainly it was that the topic of soapmaking is much more than a 2 page article can convey. One of our goals at TEH is to try to be certain that instructions are clear enough to be followed, and if needed, we'll write additional info to go with it. That's a rarity, though.

Subscribers from the early days might be scratching their heads and remembering it differently. I distinctly recall an article on flower essences that never got to the point, and perhaps a few others with incomplete instructions. Problem was that back then I didn't always know. To be fair, I was familiar with traditional homeopathy, but that is a different process from flower essences, and neither was widely known all those years ago (in the muggle world).

Oh I've learned a lot in the past quarter century. I still cringe thinking about the recipe Cindy Jones sent for Tabbouleh, and I wrote back because (thinking tabbouleh was a grain) I didn't see it listed in the ingredients. She graciously ignored my email.

I intend to continue committing faux pas, and it's even more interesting with my sis Maryanne encouraging and committing her own. Our motto: If we can do this, anyone can!

Here's the cover and table of contents:

Table of Contents SUBSCRIBE

Crossword, Fresh Slate 2026                                                              single issue
Herbs and nature in winter are featured.

Field Notes from the Editor
Beginning our 25^th year, and so much gratitude to our contributors!

About the Cover
In the cool quiet days, we notice different things.

Turmeric, 2026 Herb of the Year, Kristine Brown RH(AHG)
Magnificent monograph that includes dyeing, tincture recipe, oil infusion, and paste!

Cooking with “Pantry Herbs” When the Garden Sleeps, Marcy Lautanen Raleigh
How to pep up everything with dried herbs? Marcy has her ways!

Welcome 2026 Word Find
Finding winter in words

Do You Need a Kitchen Witch? Jackie Johnson
I mean, who doesn’t, right? Learn about why you need one, and then follow the instructions to make your own.

Wild Mountain Fire Cider, Connie Byers
Fortify your Fire Cider with plants that are regional to you.

Herbs for Healthy Creative Exploration, Jessicka Nebesni
Experiment with some herbs that can help your creativity flow.

ESCAPE FROM IT ALL, Melissa Steele
A garden sanctuary can be created in many ways, from a small corner, to a bench under a tree, to a magnificent area to relax in. Get some ideas here.

BOOK REVIEW - Geneology of Plant Foods by Nathaniel Altman
Tina (resident forager and adventurous eater) writes about all of the wonderful reasons this book is a great addition to the plant lover’s bookshelf.

Ask The Aromatherapist, Janet Gutierrez MS
There are lots of hows and whys when it comes to blending essential oils for our creations. Is it different for physical vs emotional wellbeing? What is the recommended dilution? All in this article.

A Mugging in the Kitchen! Alicia Allen
It’s no mystery how convenient it can be to cook in a mug, especially when cooking for one. Alicia has a slew of options to try that are good main dish choices.

From Folk Method to Informed Extraction, Susan Hess
Why and how we use different methods to create herbal medicines.

Meet our Contributors
Puzzle Solutions

Wrapped Sassafras Trees

2025-12-14T07:27:00.000-08:00

This morning I awoke to a winter wonderland, and looking out the back door the snow cover branches reminded me of an article from back in 2008. At the time I didn't really think the branches in the article looked like snow, but over the years I have come to realize that they really do evoke the memory of snow covered trees. It's really surprising to me that I think of that article almost every time we get a particularly beautiful snowfall.
Here's the article:

WHITE WRAPPED SASSAFRAS TREES
Susanna Reppert, TheRosemaryHouse.com

Having grown up with an evergreen tree every year at Christmas time, the idea of a sassafras Christmas tree intriqued me. So when I had a chance to meet with Earlyn Repman of York, PA who keeps this early Christmas tradition alive I just knew I had to go see it. So I loaded the family in the van on the Sunday before Christmas last year to go to view the grand wrapped Sassafras tree.

While Ms Repman has other trees in her home, a red,white and blue tree and a tree decorated in gingerbread, the main feature in the house is the 7 foot in circumference sassafras tree. She feels that traditional green trees can't compare in beauty to the twinkle of lights on the "snow", glitter of icicles and the openness that allows you to see every ornament throughout the tree.

2008 photos were different...

Sassafras is the preferred tree because of the shape of the tree. She marks the tree in the early spring before it has any leaves on it and when she can see the shape very well and then in late fall she will go out and gather the tree. Sassafras not only has a nice full shape but also provides the strength needed and it is pliable to work with while wrapping.

Some of the tree branches are first reinforced and tied to the trunk with wire because as it dries out it will weaken. Then the wrapping begins. The tree is wrapped in strips of white cotton, not batting as it is too heavy. The white lights are wrapped in with the white cotton so that you do not see the wires. On the 10 foot high, 7 foot round tree, the wrapping takes 16-17 hours. This large tree also holds 4,000 old leaded icicles, which she saves from year to year and 758 ornaments.

The National Christmas Tree Association website lists a history of Christmas trees. According to their history, in the early 1900's, over harvesting of evergreen trees had caused their numbers to dwindle considerably. Conservationists were concerned and magazines began to promote the use of an artificial "snow" covered tree, consisting of a branch of a deciduous tree that would be wrapped in cotton.

Ms Repman with one of her trees.

According to the National Christmas Center in Paradise, Pa., early settlers would wrap sassafras trees in cotton batting then decorate them with ornaments. In fact, you can see a cotton wrapped tree at the National Christmas Center (as of 2025, the Center has moved to Stone Gables Estate in Elizabethtown PA).

Earlyn Repman’s mother used a wrapped Sassafras tree and now Earlyn’s daughters are continuing the tradition as well. A fun idea that is very sparkly and the ornaments do hang very straight on the branches and are easily seen throughout the tree. But I must say I did miss the smell of the fresh cut evergreen tree.

Essential Herbal November/December '25

2025-11-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late posting this, but it's all for a good reason that I'm not allowed to talk about. Plus, the minute I got it emailed out, we plunged into some very large wholesale orders, which were a nice surprise! It is another great issue, wrapping up our 24th year.

Looking over the contents, it looks a little food heavy, but there is plenty to keep more serious herbalists engaged with the Black Walnuts, Fireweed, Aromatherapy, and the Mustard Plaster.

The Table of Contents:

Crossword Puzzle - Gather Together
Words and ideas that are warm, cozy, and healing.

Field Notes from the Editor, Tina Sams
The ups and downs in the garden this year, and already thinking about next year.

Make a Fall Garland for Your Kitchen, Marci Tsohonis
Spices and fruits dried and strung together to make a pretty fall decoration.

Bountiful Black Walnut, Kristine Brown, RH(AHG)
All about Black Walnut and info on dyeing with it.
The story of Black Walnut's creation.
Black Walnut Fungal Soak

Mint to be Together, Alicia Allen
Delicious dishes that feature Mint.
Strawberry Jalapeno Chocolate Mint Scones
Minted Egg Bites
Herbed Pasta with Sausage and Mint
Minted Baked Vegetables
Sweet Jalapeno Corn Bake
Maple Bourbon Mint Sweet Potatoes

Rosemary All around the Home, Barbara Steele
Rosemary can be pop up in different rooms in the house.
Italian Seasoning
Moth Repelling Potpourri
Advent Potpourri

Winter Holiday Treats, Barbara Steele
Orange Marmalade Cookies and Glaze
Mulling Spices
Mulled Cranberry Punch

Word Find - Settle In
Warm Autumn items

Getting Plastered Granny’s Way, Susan Hess
Mustard plastered, silly! Clear, concise instructions.

Fireweed, Jackie Johnson ND
There are lots of good reasons to encourage fireweed to grow nearby.

Ask the Aromatherapist, Room Sprays, Janet Gutierrez MS
Essential oils vs Fragrance oils and
instructions to make Seasonal Spritzer Spray

12 Herbs & Spices of Christmas, Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh
Rosemary Citrus Simmer
Holiday Spice Tea Blend
Peppermint Cocoa Tea
Bay leaf and Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf
Winter Thyme Tea
Lavender Soak
Herbed Stuffing Salt
Anise Hyssop Sugar
Holiday Herb Dip
Cozy Sleepy time Bath Blend
Holiday Herb Dipping Oil Blend
Holiday Pomander Idea

All Washed Up, A Series by The Twisted Sisters
The tale of the nasturtium soap and the engagement that didn't happen.

Herbal Holiday Treats, Kathy Musser
Lavender Orange Biscotti
Peppermint Shortbread
Herbed Spiced Pecans
Rosemary Orange Drop Cookies

Meet Our Contributors

Puzzle Solutions

SUBSCRIBE!
or Single Issue Only

What's not to like? Get yours today!

Sept/Oct '25 EXTRA!

2025-09-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

Subscribers get some exclusive content during the months we don't put out a regular magazine. The Extras are always different, but we try to put a medicine, a food, and a craft, along with word puzzles.

This Extra is no different.

Inside, we tucked a great article about nettle seeds from Amy Jeanroy.

There's an article about Floral Absolutes, as an introduction to a new book.

We share a funny way to wreck a batch of swirled soap, in a Twisted Sisters, All Washed Up segment, and then a delish pasta salad starring orzo and olives.

We round it out with a crossword and a word find.

To get this Extra, you need to be a subscriber during the window between now and October 15th. It's easy to do - Click HERE and as soon as you purchase the subscription, the first magazine will arrive. Then, shortly thereafter, I'll email the Extra to you. Simple!

Bob Schwartz, a great big brother

2025-09-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

Bob Schwartz - off to the next great adventure - 8/9/2025

To TEH readers,
We've been going through the motions since June. Some of you may have noticed.
We gave Bob a send off a few days ago, and are starting to get back to work.

Dessert at Maryanne and Bob's 50th anniversary lunch.

I've been thinking about this post for a month because I want to take a moment to honor Bob in my own way. After a couple years living with stage 4 cancer, it finally got him. If you knew Bob, you'd know that if anyone could will himself to keep going, it was him.

Outstanding in his field (his favorite joke)

He was rarely defeated and any loss ended in a better situation - even if it was just not always immediately clear. He was my sister's husband, and when he married my sister, he married the family. There isn't a one of us that he didn't swoop in and rescue a time or two. Our mom, who raised 5 of us alone, breathed a sigh of relief for the first time in about 20 years.

Bob and Rudy patrolling the tree farm at the end of a day on the "frogmobile."
It's green, and the farm is Frog Hollow, so it makes sense, right?

He was one of those rare people who say they want to do something, and the next thing you know, he was doing it. Sometimes you got to go along on the adventure. That could be travel, learning to fly, trying a new food, or plowing a field, raising game birds for release, or the renowned "box of ducks" and everything in between. He was always up to something.

Hamming it up at NASA

I don't want to be hypocritical, so it's been an interesting lesson that the things that made me love him were also the things that annoyed me. It took me years to learn not to ask for anything to be done until I was fully dressed and ready to get out there and assist. Once the words were uttered, the clock was ticking, and within minutes I'd hear the frogmobile roaring up the hill. There was such a thing as "Schwartz time," and we were all living in it. He was the sun we revolved around. One just needed to learn how to navigate. We're learning to work in the semi-darkness right now, but we'll get there.

Driving his restored Model A Ford always made him smile.
A-OOO-Ga!

He was driving a tractor and working in the fields while he could still show his age in fingers. He was a tractor virtuoso, and so it was fitting that the last day he was mobile, he used a small ladder to climb on the tractor and retrieve one of the riding mowers from a sinkhole in the yard. That same level of finesse applied to his years of hot air ballooning around the east coast. He won contests in that balloon, because in spite of the fact that for the most part the wind is in charge, he learned how to work with it instead of against it.

Hot work on the farm in his younger days.

He taught me to drive after many had given up. I was convinced I couldn't do it, but he was having none of that. Later he taught my daughter to drive a truck with a manual transmission, and somehow she learned that there was nothing she couldn't do. I'm not sure if the kids who had him in their lives know just how he instilled strength and capability in them. He never asked for anything in return.

Molly and her "Bobbo"

In his later years, he struggled with the results of strokes. He learned to use his left hand, and didn't let anything stop him - but he withdrew from a lot of us. In some ways, COVID gave us more time to be with him. We were a pod here on the farm, and found ways to celebrate and enjoy ourselves in spite of what was going on. When his cancer was diagnosed, we stuck together and did what we could to support him and keep him happy. Mostly that meant a LOT of good restaurants.

There were a few wonderful, fun days between the hospital and in-home care.
This is when Maryanne returned from an appointment
to find that I'd served Bob a buffet of junk food - because
why not?

This past summer is a blur of hospital, home care, and inpatient hospice. Through it all, he handled it like he handled everything else, his kindness and humor shining through to the very end.

Thanks for everything, Bob. You did a great job. See ya around.

New Information on Elderberry Toxicity

2025-09-08T18:35:00.000-07:00

New Information on Elderberry Toxicity

from the November/December 2019 issue - The Essential Herbal
by Rebekah Bailey

Writing this particular article proved to be one of my more interesting writing experiences. I had completed and submitted it, only to have a series of events unfold in the following couple of days which required Tina and me to discuss a re-write. In a serendipitous turn of events, only hours after reviewing my article, Tina was approached by an elderberry farmer who mentioned new research being conducted on elderberry toxicity. As a result, I was able to run down and interview Andy Thomas, a research professor with the University of Missouri Southwest Center. He shared with me details of an elderberry toxicity research project, due to be published in the coming months. I will begin with the currently accepted information on elderberry toxicity, and then follow up with what I learned from Thomas.

Conventional wisdom regarding elderberries has been they are toxic when raw, and that the cyanide producing compound in them is neutralized with heat. Elderberry branches, stems, leaves, and seeds contain potential cyanide in the form of cyanogenic glycosides. When ingested, these glycosides react with an enzyme, beta-glucosidase, and hydrolyze, releasing hydrogen cyanide. Elderberries aren't the only food containing cyanogenic glycosides: Lima beans, flax seed, almonds, apple seeds, cherry and plum pits, apricot and peach pits, cassava (the source of tapioca), spinach, peas, soy, and bamboo shoots. However, I don't see anyone losing sleep over eating spinach and lima beans ... ummm, well, maybe if you don't like those vegetables.

Exposure to small amounts of cyanide can cause dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing, and rapid heart rate. Exposure to larger amounts can cause convulsions, loss of consciousness, low blood pressure, and respiratory failure. How much ingested cyanide is toxic to human beings? Well I couldn't find an exact number, but one source cited 98 mg in one day (and stated the lowest documented lethal dose as 37.8 mg), and the John Hopkins Center for Health Security cites 100-200 mg when ingested as sodium or potassium cyanide. Another source cited "0.5-3.5 mg/kg bw. Approximately 50-60 mg of free cyanide constitutes a lethal dose for an adult man." The human body is able to clear small amounts of cyanide through the liver involving a molecule called thiosulfate, and if enough tiosulfate is not present, then cyanide poisoning occurs. Taking this into account, it stands to reason that poisoning will vary from person to person, depending on body weight, fasting/non-fasting, and individual metabolic factors.

Having a general idea of how much cyanide is lethal, the next question is how much cyanide can you find in elderberry? I could only find a couple of sources, which both stated 3mg per 100 g of fresh berries, and up to 17mg per 100 g of fresh leaves. However, when I followed up with both articles' source material, Assessment Report on Sambucus nigra L., fructus by the European Medicines Agency, I could find no such numbers. What the report did state was that information regarding the level of cyanogenic glycosides in the fruits and seed was not available. Of the two sources I found, one came to the conclusion that it’s inconclusive just what the concentration of cyanogenic glycosides found in the berries and flowers. If you were to go by the amount of 3 mg, then it would take eating approximately 3 pounds of raw elderberries to get a toxic dose of cyanide.

Here is where the new Missouri University elderberry study becomes relevant. The University, working in conjunction with several state agencies and farmers, have been exploring elderberry as a commercial crop. A range of different studies have been conducted and written about, the most recent focusing on the toxicity issue.

The study focused on American Elderberry (Sambucus Canadensis), which is a different species than the European Elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Thomas referenced another study which established that cyanogenic glycosides in American Elderberry are lower than those found in the European Elderberry. The toxicity study only encompassed the edible berries, and did not include the leaves, stems, and branches. Tested were ripe berries, red/under-ripe berries, green berries, and pedicels (tiny stems that attach berries to the umbel). Thomas stated that they even had a student who painstakingly separated skin, seeds, pulp, and juice of berries, so the individual parts could be tested for glycosides. Using the levels of cyanogenic glycosides found in commercial apple juice as a benchmark, the study found that all parts of the raw elderberry – green, red or ripe – contained lower levels of glycosides than commercial apple juice. The study also examined the levels of beta-glucosidase found in elderberries. Cyanogenic glycosides in elderberries represent a potential for cyanide, but only convert to cyanide if reacted with beta-glucosidase. The study found there were insufficient quantities of beta-glucosidase to convert the glucosides to cyanide.

The study concluded that the raw berries of the American Elderberry were as safe, if not safer, than commercial apple juice because 1) cyanogenic glycoside levels were extremely low, and 2) insufficient quantities of beta-glucosidase were present to convert any glycosides to cyanide.

The good news is that it doesn't matter if we know the exact levels of glycosides in elderberry. What matters is that we know that cyanide evaporates at a temperature of a little over 78°F (26°C).

I found a pretty comprehensive study of the effects of heating on cyanogenic glycosides, which was informative, and reassuring. In the study, bitter apricot seed was boiled in water for 15 minutes, resulting in a 98% reduction in glycosides. Bamboo shoots were down 91% after 15 minutes of boiling, and no detectable traces were found after 60 minutes of boiling. Cassava boiled for 20 minutes was down by 97%, and only trace glycosides were found after 35 minutes. Flax seed was dry heated for 15 minutes, resulting in only a 10% reduction in glycosides. The study referenced previous studies of dry heating which resulted in only 16-18% reductions, and concluded that dry-heating did not reduce cyanide content effectively.

I’d like to add one little side note, not related to toxicity, but relevant to heating elderberries. There are a few studies which have examined the effects of heating elderberry. One such study found “short-time heat treatment reduces potential allergy-related risks deriving from elderberry consumption without seriously affecting its properties as an antioxidant and free-radical scavenging food.” Another study indicates gentle heating may render the polyphenols in elderberry more bioavailable, but this particular aspect is still controversial, and needs additional study.

Taking all of this information into consideration, my personal conclusion is that elderberries are as safe to consume as apples, with or without heating. Care should be taken to remove leaves, stems and branches, and a short 15 minute gentle simmer shouldn’t adversely affect the beneficial properties of the berries. While not the tastiest raw berries I’ve sampled, when checking my bushes this afternoon, I didn’t hesitate to pop a handful of elderberries into my mouth.

September/October 2025 Essential Herbal Magazine

2025-08-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

Our latest issue is out and available on the website.
SUBSCRIBE!
or Single Issue Only

It's a terrific issue, and it came together miraculously. My next post will a tribute to our "tractor man", the guy who kept the farm together, my sister's husband, Bob. He passed away on the 9th, and spent the previous 2 months on hospice. Friends pitched in to get the farm through this growing season, making it as seamless as possible.
So when I say that the magazine came together miraculously, I'm not kidding. We can never thank our contributors enough. They sent such good articles on timely herbal information, experiences, and lore. Recipes and remedies abound. Maryanne told me she did the crossword puzzle and the program dropped 2 words. I'm not sure what to do about that, other than make smaller puzzles, perhaps.
We're back to as normal as we get, and my mind is already on the Extra! due on Sept 20.

Now. On to the Table of Contents!

Crossword – FALLing

Field Notes from the Editor, Tina Sams
What a summer this has been. We did have a summer, right?

Jamaica, Hibiscus Flavored Iced Tea, Marci Tsohonis
A well-known beverage made from a specific hibiscus can be made at home.

Mint for Meals, Alicia Allen
Use those mints for some delicious dishes!

minty salsa

Ask the Aromatherapist, Janet Gutierrez, MS
Myths about essential oils, debunked.

Busy Bees and Mint Tea, Barbara Steele
After growing herbs as a business for many years, it’s an adjustment to garden for pleasure.

Fun Folklore, Jackie Johnson ND
Plants have been part of our stories for centuries, and learning these stories is fascinating.

Tid-Bits from Kathy Musser
You never know what people will ask the herb farmer.

Yippee for Yellow Dock! Kristine Brown, RH (AHG)
Yellow dock helps us in many ways. Learn all about it!

Word Search – Harvest

Oatmeal-Lavender Farm Soap, Marci Tsohonis
Such a soothing, healing soap, especially good in dry, winter conditions - with complete instructions.

Herbal Lore & Magic of the Autumn Equinox, Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh
Autumn is a time of much lore, magic, and superstition. Herbs are always a part of that.

bay leaves

Homemade Throat Syrup with Elecampane & Chai Spices, Hailey Lawson
Have this ready as the seasons change.

All Washed Up, A Series by the Twisted Sisters
We’ve been on both sides of the table at wholesale trade shows, and tell about it.

heading into the Javit's center NYC

Meet Our Contributors
Crossword Answers

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July/August 2025 Essential Herbal Magazine

2025-06-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I'll ever get used to starting out with an empty folder, adding in my own contributions to an issue, and then watching it get fat and juicy as others join in. We try to keep it to a size that our readers can easily print out - as we've found that many do - and that means we fill the 32 - 40 pages to bursting.

We've heard terms like "white space" and fancy, space gobbling techniques, but instead we fill the available space with great info. Maryanne manages to make the tight space visually pleasing. So far, it's working out. Run over can go into the next Extra!

We checked all the boxes with this one. There are remedies, recipes, monographs, how-tos, lore, and more! Enough to keep any herbie happy. Something for everyone to try!

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Without further ado, here's what you'll find inside:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Crossword Puzzle, Sweet Summertime

Summer is our time to shine!

Field Notes from the Editor, Tina Sams

Some opinions. I don’t expect everyone to agree, but being out among lots of people reminded me of some pet peeves.

About the Cover

A little information about one of our favorite uplifting herbs.

The Humble Weed Anti-Itch Salve, Connie Byers

Simple weeds – jewelweed, plantain, and nettle combine to soothe summer itches.

Transpiration, Absorption and FUN! Tina Sams

A fun craft that instills knowledge just in the action of dyeing Queen Anne’s Lace blooms.

Make Your Own Flower Essences, Debra Sturdevant

How to make your own essences. Lilac is made in this example, but the instructions apply to other flowers.

Tea (Camillia Sinensis) History and Parties, Jackie Johnson, ND

Prepare to learn some things about the history of tea!

Linden: A Gentle Ally for Summer, Amy Jeanroy

This beautiful tree gives us shade, the bees adore it, but wait! There’s more!

All Washed Up - A Series by The Twisted Sisters

Some of our more memorable road trips. The journey is always half the fun.

Simple Summer Suppers, Alicia Allen

A baker’s dozen of vibrant, fresh dishes that make evening meals special.

Word Find, Walking on Sunshine

Searching for summertime!

Lavender Soap, Marci Tsohonis

Marci is a very precise soapmaker, so when she has a blooper, it’s a rare thing – and she’s sharing it with us so we can learn with her.

Stargazing Tea Recipe, Maia Wisher-Warren

Delicious, beautiful, and caffeine free tea, perfect for watching the night skies.

Cooling, Preserving & Savoring, An Herb Lover’s Guide to Late Summer,
Marci Lautanen-Raleigh

Lots of great ideas for the cornucopia of herbs that are overflowing in the gardens.

Book Excerpt, Feed Us with Trees, Elspeth Hay

Excerpt from a new book, we read about the bounty of the chestnut tree. The book shows how many ways nut trees benefit the earth, and everything that lives here.

Fresh Tomatoes, Caprese Salad, Maryanne Schwartz

A summer staple. Cooling, and delicious, this treat packs flavor and protein into a snack.

Meet Our Contributors

A little about our writers.

Puzzle Solutions

That's it until the Extra comes out July 20th. Enjoy the projects!

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May June '25 Extra!

2025-06-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

I completely forgot to post this, but it was such a great Extra! it needs a brag. Before too long we'll be compiling another couple years of Extras - and if you weren't a subscriber and didn't get them, you might need to have it. The first one is HERE.

What's inside?

- What is happening to the costs of herbs, oils, containers, and all the things we use with our herbal projects and/or products?

- Delicious Peach Sangria recipe

- Excerpt from the new color edition of the Modern Herbal Dispensary

- Excerpt from Plant Energy Medicine

- Cucumber Salsa time!

- All Washed Up, More Adventures of The Twisted Sisters
The Big Spill - learning experiences involving colossal spills, explosions, and soap diving.

- Crossword and Word Find puzzles

The only way to get the Extras is to subscribe or wait a couple years until we pull a book together.

Yucca Root Soap

2025-05-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

The other day I dug up a yucca plant to share with a friend. The two that were planted here a decade ago have spread to about six or seven. As I pulled the plant from the soil, being sure to leave plenty around the root ball, a tuber fell to the ground. I didn't know if it came from the yucca, and mentioned it to my sister, who said, "oh yeah! That's where the saponins are!"

I didn't plant these. Her husband, my brother in law, has a thing for hostas and yucca. He's a tree nurseryman, and he likes plants that you can put in and forget about. If I'm not paying attention, there will suddenly be a whole patch of hostas in my back yard. In fact there are two.

Same thing happened with the yucca, but they are stately and lush, so I didn't mind.

The next day I went out and picked up the tuber. One reason was so that it didn't grow and another was because it seemed like a fun experiment. As we talked about it, Maryanne told me that it was (is?) traditionally used by the Navaho to wash wool.

These are the original two, on either side of a walkway out through the fence. The closer one houses many small creatures around its base, which might account for the smaller size.

This one is smallish, about the size of a large fingerling potato.

In fact there's a net bag of fingerlings on the counter, and it occurred to me that they looked similar except that the yucca has a dark, thick skin while the potato is pale and thin. The yucca's texture is a cross between a potato and a water chestnut. Very firm. It is slippery as soon as you cut it.

Normal people would look up how it is typically processed at this point, but that would be too easy. Instead, I chopped it up into pretty small pieces.

Added water and put it into the microwave for a minute (where it foamed over a bit).
It sat overnight and got nice and cloudy.

And when stirred vigorously with a fork, it got a layer of small bubbles.

On my hands, the feeling was definitely clean. There's something else though. Not a coating, but the skin feels soft and an indescribable feeling of having some kind of protective barrier. There's no drag when hands or fingers are rubbed together - hours later.
So then I washed my hair. Straining out the bits of yucca, there were about three ounces of liquid. The first thing I noticed is that it's hard to tell where the "soap" has gone because there aren't any bubbles or foam. Did I get the part behind my left ear? What about the crown? The feeling was "squeaky clean." It took a while before it seemed to be rinsed out. We have very hard water here, so I would never use it at the beach, where even regular shampoo or soap feels impossible to rinse off (super soft water). My sister tells me that when detergents first went on the market, they didn't sell because they didn't bubble or foam. In order to get people to buy them, they needed to add a foaming agent. Using this liquid, I can agree that it was disconcerting.
#1 I think I should have diluted it.
#2 A little vinegar rinse might have been a good idea.
BUT the results are great. The volume and texture is increased, and it's very clean.

Later, I sniffed around the internet and found that I could pound it (or use my Ninja) and then dry it for later use. To use the dry root, it should be reconstituted. It might be worth digging up some more tubers!

Essential Herbal May June 2025

2025-04-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

We struggled with this issue a little bit, but I'm not sure why. May/June is a joyous time, and we packed the whole thing with herbal happiness. It was the mechanics that got us, and we were right down to the wire. It is definitely worth the work, though! So many ideas, ponderances, things to make, things to plant, and daydreams to have!

We think you'll enjoy it.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

This and That Crossword
As we shake off our winter mantle, here are some words to get you moving.

Field Notes from the Editor
Musings from the tree farm, while I watch it burst to life from the deck.

Harbingers of Spring -Sweet Cicely and Chervil, Barbara Steele
Two lightly anise scented herbs, and what to do with them. AND their evil look-alike.

Flavorful Fun with Fruit Scented Herbs, Alicia Allen
8 great recipes that combine color, flavor, texture, and herbs.

Chamomile Beyond Tea, Tina Sams
A dozen ways to enjoy chamomile, including three recipes.

The Lore of the Easter Season, Jackie Johnson ND
How is the date chosen? Why do we clean our homes in spring? Why does a rabbit bring eggs? So many myths and legends from different groups of people!

Cleavers: A Spring Cleanser from the Hedge, Amy Jeanroy
Learn about this wildly abundant spring green and enjoy a green drink made with it – directions included.

All Washed Up - A Series by The Twisted Sisters, Public Speaking
Did you ever think that you just could never stand up and speak for a group? So did we, but soon we found that it was really fun – once we learned a few tricks.

Plant List Word Find
A whole lot of herbs!

4-Step Journey Method, KhadiYah Preciado
Follow along on the journey to herbalism, from the kitchen, to the garden, to the forest, and abroad.

Herbs for Mental and Emotional Stagnation, Jessicka Nebesni
A wonderful group of herbs that can help move us through things.

Wonderful Wild Cherry, Kristine Brown RH(AHG)
All about the lovely, generous Wild Cherry, including monograph, lore, a story, and a recipe!

Jewelweed Soap for Poison Ivy, Maryanne Schwartz
After making this soap for 30+ years before retiring, our recipe is offered here with instructions

Cocktail Herbs for Containers, Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh
Grow your own delicious, fresh herbs to create cocktails and mocktails. 3 great drinks to try.

Meet Our Contributors
Learn a little about each of those who made this issue possible!

Puzzle Solutions

For the Next Issue, ideas for writers and what to look forward to.

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EXTRA - Essential Herbal Mar/Apr 2025

2025-03-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

We put out a small taste every other month when we're not publishing a regular issue, so that subscribers get something every month. Initially it was going to be something little, like *a* recipe, or a little video, or puzzle - just a little something special that is only available to subscribers. As usual, we got carried away, and they are usually about 1/3 of a magazine. So much for simple. We did compile the first couple of years into a book - All the Extras (volume 1), and will soon be making another.

In this Extra, we continue our tales from All Washed Up, with the time a bus arrived at our house filled with herbal enthusiasts. We included the recipes for the dishes we served.

We also included the PDF of "Wild Foods for Every Table" because you just never know when it's going to be important to know which weeds are edible, and what to do with them. There are a lot of great wild food and foraging books out there now, but when we made this one 25 years ago, the only other one I was aware of was Billy Joe Tatum's book. Anyhow, this is a nice little bonus to get people started with eating weeds.

There's a little bit about pineapple weed in honor of Chamomile as the herb of the year.

As usual, there is a Word Find and a Crossword specifically created with herb folks in mind.

You can still get this Extra with a subscription, but only until April 20. After that you'll have to wait until the 3rd compilation!

Essential Herbal March/April 2025

2025-02-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

The lastest issue of TEH is out. We love it!

Table of Contents:

Molly took the beautiful cover along the Pacific Coast Highway

Crossword Puzzle
Marching forth into the season of the plants

Field Notes from the Editor, Tina Sams
In that space between hibernation and bursting into light

About the Cover
We dedicate this cover to the beautiful shore of Southern California

Wonderful Witch Hazel, Kristine Brown, RH(AHG)
Everything about Witch Hazel, including a story and a craft

At Home Herbal Foot Spa, Jessicka Nebesni
Create your own soaking, exfoliating, and moisturizing preparations

Thyme for Lunch, Alicia Allen
Sweet and savory dishes that include the versatile herb, thyme

Ask the Herb Farmer, Kathy Musser
Some answers to frequently asked questions about getting ready to garden

All Washed Up, A Series by The Twisted Sisters
We finish up the farm show, and tell a tale or two.

Word Search
All about plants and growing them

Tuscany Kitchen Hand Soap, Marci Tsohonis
The combo of tomato, basil, rosemary and sage make a spectacular bar

Birch & Maple Sap Chai, Amy Jeanroy
Mmmm… tree sap in the chai

Viper’s Bugloss, Jackie Johnson, ND
All about this roadside “weed”

Book Excerpt, Herbs in Every Season, Bevin Cohen
Read all about parsley in this wonderful excerpt from Bevin's latest book

Meet Our Contributors.

Next Issue and Puzzle Solutions

GET YOUR COPY HERE

Herb folk discuss: "Which herbs would you take along in a disaster/evacuation situation?"

2025-02-21T06:50:00.000-08:00

In 2018 we still had a Yahoo group, which enabled us to do "list articles" in which we posed a question and created an article with the answers. We tried doing it with Facebook, but the community we had on the Yahoo list was so different. Over the years we knew each other and understood that it was a sharing of information between friends. I'm not sure how to build that anywhere else. Here's one great list of options to take along during evacuation or

List Article
Question: Which herbs would you take along in a disaster/evacuation situation?
Note: This discussion happened on both the Yahoo! List and our facebook page. There are many that repeat important herbs, and MANY that were removed due to repetition. We think this is a very important topic to think about.

The Essential Herbal Magazine Avoiding lots of heavy liquid, pastilles could be made up ahead and wouldn't require glass or liquid.

Marti Graham - Don't forget insect repellent, flooding and rain and the after effects can be just as damaging as the crisis.

Tina Sams - Of the 2 or 3 essential oil I'd take, rose geranium to deter insects would definitely be one of them. Otherwise, lavender and tea tree.

Jackie Tyler Jackson - We were evacuated in a tiny boat, 2 of us plus 2 big dogs. Lost our house & vehicle....but the elderberry came out with me!

Lena B - I took a blend with geranium in it and neat peppermint, helichrysum and lavender essential oil

Judy S - Comfrey, scullcap, willow, poppy, mullein &/or sage, henbane, goldenseal, olive oil, alcohol, bee's wax.
The Essential Herbal Magazine - Henbane is an interesting addition.
Judy S - Great external pain relief. Pain control would be a big need, as would anything to fight infection.

Sandy Michelsen Yarrow, St. Johnswort, Lemon Balm plantain and comfrey.....and probably more when I think about it...:-)

Linda C - I'd also go with the tinctures I use regularly for sleep, stress, infection, immunity, and salves and infused oils, like calendula and st. johnswort.for any topical issues. Certain essential oils too, like tea tree and lavender. This post got me thinking of creating an emergency box of remedies from my harvest to grab and go-instead of trying to select at the moment, such as in fire evacuation.

Linda H - Excellent question...gave me pause for thought. It was hard to choose just a few! Cayenne Pepper (to stop bleeding), Garlic (antibiotic), Arnica (anti-inflammatory/analgesic - for external), Turmeric (anti-inflammatory - for internal), Comfrey (bone fracture healing), and Slippery Elm (for stomach issues).

Adriane B - St.Johns Wort (dried herb and oil) herb for internal use to boost immune system and limit retro viruses during virus attacks, also for depression, oil for nerve pain & skin healing. Tea tree as general disinfectant and wound healing. Lavender EO for skin healing of burns, sleep help, and skin analgesic. Goldenseal as a general herbal antibiotic for internal and external infections. Yarrow for my flu formula or when a diaphoretic is needed, also to use to stop bleeding. Elderberry to boost immune system and elderberry leaf for fungal infections. Comfrey for bone healing and wound healing. Chamomile for infected skin healing and calming stomach.

Jenn F - Tumeric tincture as an anti inflammatory. A "calm" tincture...( Chamomile & valarian & Tulsi blend works for me). Elderberry for fighting colds & flus. That's a start....

Jamie E - Yarrow, comfrey, plantain, lemon balm, dandelion root, lavender, chamomile, plantain, orange peel, basil, thyme, cloves.

Mary H - Skullcap and lemon balm to keep myself calm and grounded , tummy blend of mint, catnip, licorice, ginger , and fennel, echinacea.

Brenda C - I think I would take most of mine in tincture form. Definitely my goldenrod tincture, chamomile tincture. I have several teas made up for calming the nerves so they would have to go along.

Cristina B- Thyme, echinacea, chamomile, oregano, linden, yarrow, st Jon's wort, calendula, lavender, mint, basil. Actually, I think I'll take my whole spices and tea cabinets?

Lisa T - Elderberry products, comfrey, nettles , lavender and raspberry tips. My vinegar and mushrooms as well.

Joanna C - Along with basic herbal first aid, gentle nervine tinctures are necessary. And Rescue Remedy for sure.

Magdalena - Cannibis - why not go out in style...

Denelle P - I would take my box of tinctures as well as a book or two.

Julie G I would pack all 2000 oils!! And my medic bag;)
Mary H What's in your medic bag?
Julie G Surgical kit, OB delivery kit, air way kit, IV's, sutures. Gauze, ace bandages. Basic field kit.

Anne L - Oregano, lavender, thyme and lemon.

Stefanie K - Oregano oil, Thieves, Osha, Rescue Remedy.

Wendy A - Chamomile, plantain, calendula, peppermint, ginger, and Lavender

Kerri H - St. John's wort, lavender, chamomile, comfrey

Lisa P - cayenne, lobelia, echinacea, comfrey, charcoal, green powder, and about a dozen mixes/tinctures

Jennifer W - Black cumin/nigella, hawthorn, rose petals, peppermint

Sharon B - holy basil, oregano, rescue remedy flower essence

Karen B - Cannabis products.

Ivette V - Tinctures of lemon balm & ginger.

Tameka C - GOLDENSEAL, ECHINACEA, CILANTRO

My elderberry syrup and fire cider are always handy and easy to grab and go but I think I would be sure to bring some fresh oats for stress, with motherwort and tulsi for anxiety and perhaps hawthorne for the heart. I would grab all tinctures since they are small easy to carry and don't require potable water in order to take them. Susanna Reppert, Mechanicsburg, PA

I have a blend of herbs that I drink daily, as a tea, (for my specific health issues & familial predisposition), that includes St John's wort, Tulsi, Hawthorne, passionflower, motherwort, meadowsweet, chickweed, nettle, and horsetail, all blended in a 2 gallon bag. Besides that necessity, I'd take some form of elderberry, raw honey, a topical salve with yarrow, plantain, beeswax, honey, & coconut oil. From the spice cabinet, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, ACV, clove, rosemary, sage, cayenne, and thyme, as well as firecider. I typically keep all of this stuff where it's used, but also in a first aid satchel, in the linen closet, also stocked with bandages & other usual first aid paraphernalia. Carla

I would take my dried Tulsi for tea for stress, and my elderberry syrup - Mary Ellen Wilcox

I would grab Activated Charcoal Tablets, Slippery Elm Bark tablets, & if I didn't have any Fire Cider
left I'd grab the bottle of Frank's Hot Sauce & a jar of our home preserved horseradish root.
I'd probably also be grabbing flower essences & other calming aides for our senior dog. Living on the Canadian border, our most challenging "natural disasters" usually happen in the winter.
Sue Ryn Burns

Note: I didn’t copy all of the responses from facebook because fortunately, Becky Bailey posted this: I can't help myself, I'm a stats junkie... Top 4 most mentioned so far have been comfrey, lavender, plantain, and oregano, followed by chamomile, and yarrow.

Crossword puzzle - Season of Love, Herbs, and Flowers

2025-02-11T10:55:00.000-08:00

Sigh...
I was working away, finishing up my parts of the magazine that will go out in 9 days, and suddenly realized this (marvelous, if I do say so myself) crossword puzzle is not in the right time period. I used to tuck things away for next year, but I don't have next year's issues set up in the computer yet. So...
To work this puzzle, simply click on the link, where the image is clear:

take me to the puzzle

I'll add the answers below on the 15th.
-

don't scroll any farther unless you want the answers

I mean it...

The Essential Herbal January/February 2025

2024-12-29T15:44:00.000-08:00

Another year begins. I'm starting to get the hang of this! Seriously though, we still love what we're doing, and that's very fortunate indeed.

The new issue is full of wonderful information. The cover is Skylar in the Way-Back machine, on a warm day in winter, a first visit to the woods with her mom and Molly a decade ago.

The Table of Contents:

Crossword – Happy New Year 2025
Words of beginnings and clean slates and herbs

Field Notes from the Editor
For Auld Lang Syne – where we’ve been, where we’re going

About the Cover
Tiny Skylar’s first walk in the icy, cold creek in March, years ago

Time to Start Planning Your Herb Garden, Jackie Johnson, ND
There are lots of things to think about before starting an herb garden!

Winter Embrace: An Herbal Tea Blend for Immunity and Warmth, Amy Jeanroy
A delicious warming blend of herbs, spices, and rooibos tea.

Color My World, Alicia Allen
Great recipes to help us eat the rainbow and get the health benefits of all those nutrients.

All Washed Up – A Series from The Twisted Sisters
Our adventures of 30+ years of wholesale and retail soapmakers and business women

Word Search
All about what’s inside this issue

Calming Chamomile: 2025 Herb of the Year, Kristine Brown, RH (AHG)
Superb monograph to get us started on the Int’l Herb Assoc’s Herb of the Year

Kitchen Cough Syrup, Connie Byers
You’ve probably got everything you need in your kitchen!

Herbal Winter Tea, Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh
Delightful blend of herbs for immunity and good cheer

Bee’s Knees Mocktail with Lemon Balm, Jessicka Nebesni
Delicious alternative to a cocktail for Dry January (and beyond).

“Rose Quartz” Hot Process Soap, Marci Tsohonis
No rose quartz was harmed in the making of this soap – it just looks like rose quartz and smells great.

Book Excerpt – The Herbal Dog, Rita Hogan, CH
Great information about allergies in dogs.

Meet Our Contributors.

Next Issue and Puzzle Solutions

GET YOUR COPY HERE

EXTRA! November December 2024

2024-12-22T14:05:00.000-08:00

I'm squeezing this in before posting the latest regular issue. It's been a whirlwind around here! We realized it was seriously time to stop making soap, and sadly hung up our aprons. The soap in stock poured out of the shop, as did holiday orders. Now that there's a moment to think, it's time to post!

The regular issue went out 2 days ago, and I'm already working on the next EXTRA! They've become a favorite treat for subscribers!

In this issue:

🔆 The Foraging Year wrapped up with a combination of late November and early December. We really loved this series! Becky shared her Cedarberry Tea recipe.

🔆 Crossword and Word Find puzzles, as usual

🔆 Excerpt from The Herbal Doula - the elderberry section with syrup recipe/instructions

🔆Tea blending with Molly. She has a laid-back attitude that gives others confidence. PLUS she gives us three of her favorite recipes!

There was a lot in there.

The Essential Herbal - November December 2024

2024-10-21T11:49:00.002-07:00

We got to work very early on this issue so that we could take care of some stuff around the farm. As we worried about filling it up, it grew and grew until we had more pages than we normally do - and they're all great! This issue finishes 23 years of publishing, and there have been a very few issues that almost magically publish themselves. It happens when we are stretched too thin due to circumstances beyond our control (AKA life) and are considering surrendering and being late. Miraculously, it comes together and *POOF* we slide in under the wire. In fact, just as I was starting to stress over a cover, Carolina appeared with this stunner! Once again, we are reminded just how wonderful our contributors are, and how they make the magazine what it is. Thanks, everyone! We are so grateful.

Here it is:

Get yours here:
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SINGLE ISSUE

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Cover, Carolina Gonzalez
“Nightfall” is original artwork that takes us into the next season. Warming and mysterious, the darkness awaits outside the circle of light.

Crossword Puzzle – Here Come Holidays

Field Notes from the Editor, Tina Sams
The Notes were written a little early because of some activity here on the farm. A week later, Helene crashed through the South East of the US. Everything can change so quickly!

Chinese Star Anise, Jackie Johnson, ND
The lure and lore of this delicious and beautiful seedpod!

Gifting Your Herbs This Holiday, Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh
A fun and varied selection of herb-crafting for gift-giving.

What Does AHG Membership Mean? Ruth Glass & Sabrena Gwin
Gather your herbies and learn together.

Perfectly Persimmon, Alicia Allen
10 ways to serve persimmon that you probably never considered. Pancakes, Barbecue Sauce, Salad Dressing, and more!

Theme Gardens, Kathy Musser
Would you like a little inspiration for a new garden? Themes can be a lot of fun.

A Year of Foraging - October, Rebekah Bailey
Wander through the woods with Rebekah (between her new college courses) and find nuts, mushrooms, and fruit!

Winter Skin Salve, Connie Byers
Completely natural ingredients come together to give you a moisturizing, soothing salve to combat the cold, dry winds of winter.

Grief and Herbs, Amy Jeanroy
Some help for wandering through the wilderness of grief, both herbal, and self-nourishing, and a wonderful tea to help.

Hot Tea Toddies, Susanna Reppert Brill
A trio of variations from the basic (provided) hot tea toddy recipe. An uncommon yet fascinating herbal winter beverage that could become your new tradition!

Word Search - What’s In This Issue?

Peanut Butter Dog Cookies,
Rose’s Hot & Spicy Apple Chutney,
and Canned, Spiced Apple Rings, Marci Tsohonis
Three delicious treats for man and beast from Marci’s kitchen. Apples for us, peanut butter for the pup.

Sage Advice, Kristine Brown, RH(AHG)
Sage offers us so much! Mind, Body, and Spirit are all fed by this herb.

Blossoms & Oatmeal Facial, Tina Sams
Take care of that face with this soothing and firming facial treatment.

Excerpts from “Herbal Medicine for Modern Life”, Ruth A. Blanding
A couple of great excerpts from this book releasing in November. Ruth talks about why we should try herbal remedies, and then provides some herbal COVID help.

Meet Our Contributors
Learn a little about each of those who made this issue possible!

Puzzle Solutions

For the Next Issue, ideas for writers and what to look forward to.

In the olden days before the internet...

2024-10-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

(photo from Wikipedia - but I did this job at one time)

The other day I was talking to a friend about an old gripe. It's about people who were in business before the internet learned to either come up with original products OR do something to make them their own. We'd learn enough about them to change the recipe, change the packaging, call it something different - something that made it our own. We realize that is just not an actual concept for people who weren't around back in the olden days. It's even starting to slide over to older people, and why not? Why should we keep coming up with ideas that we can only hang onto until the first time we promote them?

We talked about a reel that's been going on where a kid asks an old guy how he figured out things before. I personally mumbled about the Dewey Decimal System under my breath, but the old guy said, "We didn't!"

You know, that's a fact. You may have called friends who might have an idea. In college I learned to call people who were renowned in specific fields on the phone while my knees knocked, and ask questions - which were almost always answered kindly.

Tonight a recipe landed in my email for gnocchi made with purple sweet potatoes, and it took me back to a great example.

Get the recipe at The Spiced Chickpea

Our very first herb conference, we went to SC for an IHA gathering, and Tom DeBaggio was one of the speakers. His talk was about handing down knowledge and how easily it could slip away. He described watching his own father trying to duplicate the gnocchi recipe from his childhood. Grandmother was gone, and there wasn't a written recipe. His father tried several different batches and just couldn't get it. I believe that it eventually brought him to tears, and that really made an impression on Tom, perhaps leading him to become a writer.

I realized that this is where we are now. This is reality now. We can find anything at the touch of a key. In fact we can find 100's of gnocchi recipes! Lessons on forming them, along with pasta making tutorials abound. There is nothing we can't learn if we want to! This is great!

But this is my fear (and suddenly I'm hearing parents when they started letting us use calculators for homework...), do we actually learn, or do we copy? I think it's important to understand the ingredients, why they work together, what purpose each of them serves, and how to improvise and change from the original (or 10,000th). If everyone just makes the same thing, eventually we'll only need one person doing each item. We can have a huge factory for every soap, every herbal tea, every shoe, every comb, every scarf... You get the idea. What we put into our work is what makes it special. Part of it is also about pride and KNOWLEDGE. Eventually the originators will be gone. 30 more years, I figure, unless in the next deadline AI turns this post into a giant joke. Then what? Challenge yourself now. Be the future.

EXTRA! - September October '24 Essential Herbal

2024-09-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

What is the Extra?

In between regular issues that come out every other month, we put out some extra content that is only available to subscribers, and it arrives automatically.
Originally, the Extra was going to just be a great seasonal recipe or remedy, maybe a puzzle, or a little video. That never happened. Instead, the Extra is almost always a jam-packed mini-magazine. The time may come when we have to do something less once or twice, but for now we are pretty amazed with what we keep sending!
We did put together the first 2 years (and soon we'll have another 2!) and you can check that out along with the table of contents HERE.

Back to the subject...
The current Extra!

What did we pack into this 11 page missive? I'm so glad you asked!

🍁Crossword puzzle featuring autumnal herbalism
🍁Favorite Herbs to Have Around for Winter, Tina Sams
🍁A Year of Foraging, October, Rebekah Bailey
🍃Spicebush Dusted Shortbread
🍃Pawpaw Ice Cream are included
🍁Yarrow Melt and Pour Soap, Alicia Grosso
🍁Spooky Herbs Wordfind Puzzle
🍁Growing Herbs from Cuttings, Kathy Musser
🍁Honey Mustard Chicken and Roasted Potatoes, Kathy Musser

A little something for everyone! We get so much feedback about the Extra, subscribers love it. The only way to get it yourself though, is to subscribe.

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SINGLE ISSUE

September October 2024 - The Essential Herbal

2024-09-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

This summer has provided lots of opportunities to rekindle friendships and meet new ones. It's been a lot of fun and has held more than its fair share of challenges, too.
I didn't realize how behind everything was until the last herb faire (actually tea festival) of the year was done, and I had a minute to look around. We won't talk about the things that still need unpacking though. Laundry is done, dishes are done, and we're working away on the Nov/Dec issue now! So, seems like time to get the current issue posted.

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This issue is really full and fun. Check it out...

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Crossword Puzzle -Harvest Time
Words to ease into the seasonal change that’s coming

Field Notes from the Editor, Tina Sams
What I did on my summer stay-cation.

Book Excerpt - A Shamanic Herbal, Matthew Wood
This section on gravel root is a good sample of the whole book

10 Creative Uses for Old Spices & Herbs, Jessicka Nebesni
Freshly dried herbs are ready to be shelved, so what to do with the old?

Anise Hyssop for the Win, Alicia Allen
Muffins, scones, appetizer, and 2 pasta dishes shine with a little anise hyssop

Word Find
Based on the articles in this issue

Osha Honey, Connie Byers
How to make this traditional medicine from the Rocky Mountains

A Year of Foraging - August, Rebekah Bailey
The plants, berries and shrooms from August in the Midwest

The Adoration of Apple, Kristine Brown, RH(AHG)
Take them for granted at your own risk; apple is an unassuming ally

Fall Harvest Mocktails, Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh
5 delicious mocktails – a little fancy, and alcohol free

Herbs for Sleeping Well, Amy Jeanroy
Seasonal changes, school, and more or less light can all make sleeping tough

Herbal First Aid Kit Suggestions, Jackie Johnson
It is never a bad time to have everything you need at the ready

Himalayan Salt Soap, Marci Tsohonis
Salt soap is a little different, and reminds us of that feeling of taking a shower after a day at the beach.

Yarrow & Chamomile Bitters, From the Big Book of Herbal Medicine,Tina Sams

Meet Our Contributors

Kathy’s Clips, Kathy Musser
Potpourri making instructions

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Jul/Aug Extra from Essential Herbal

2024-07-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

Our latest "subscriber only" extra content went out yesterday.

Inside, you'll find Rebekah's latest foraging adventures (Utah, this time), witch hazel toner, a yarrow remedy in honor of yarrow being herb of the year, a charming conversation between a group who all shared parts of the same plant, and our usual word puzzles!

Subscribe today and get it!

www.essentialherbal.com