Watch our video to learn how!

2.  Make a herbal wash.  Much the same as the above infusion but left to cool and applied topically.  Use the infusion to bathe wounds, skin sores and bruises.

3.  Make a tincture.  Fill a clean glass jar with St. John’s Wort flowers.  Add vodka to the top of the jar.  Store in a cool, dark place for six weeks.  Strain and fill into amber tincture bottles to soothe depression and anxiety.  A standard daily dose of tincture is 5ml three times a day.  When trying a new tincture for the first time go slowly.  Take a week to reach the three doses a day.  Again, this may cause sensitivity to sunlight.  Listen to your body!

4.  Make an Infused Oil.  Fill a clean glass jar with St. John’s Wort flowers.  Add cold pressed virgin olive oil to the top of the jar.  Set jar in a sunny window for four  to six weeks.  Strain and pour into a bottle with a flip top.  Apply to burns and muscle or joint inflammations including tennis elbow and sciatica.

Do not replace orthodox medicine with herbs without consulting your practitioner.

We use St. John’s Wort in our Healing Salve for it’s nervine healing properties.

St. John’s Wort/ Hypericum perforatum   The flower of Light.

The name Hypericum comes from the Greek word “huper eikon” meaning “over an apparition”.  It was believed at one time to protect against evil spirits.  With the onset of Christianity, St. John’s Wort was dedicated to St. John the Baptist and Midsummer’s Day became St. John’s Day.  The red pigment that comes from the flowers represented the blood of St. John the Baptist.

It is the flowers of this plant that are used in preparations. Pick at high summer in flower.  I wear gloves when harvesting this plant.

St. John’s Wort has many actions, including expectorant (loosening and removal of phlegm from the respitory tract), analgesic (relieves pain), anti-inflammatory (reduces inflamation), sedative (soothing and calming) and a restorative tonic for the nervous system.

St. John’s Wort is one of the ingredients in Two Herbal Mamas Healing Salve.  I carry this with me everywhere I go.  I use this for anything that hurts, an irritation, bites, burns, sore bellies, hang nails, the list could go on and on….

Thank you Sir John for all your help!!!

This is the rose water we make that is used in our Rosemary Face Cream and Rosemary Body Lotion.

Be sure to refer to our Herbalist’s Golden Rules to know when is the correct time of day to do your picking.

Fill your glass jar two thirds full with witch hazel (available at your pharmacy).

Fill the last third with distilled water.

 Pick your rose petals daily and continue to add them to your solution until it is full. Keep this jar away from bright light. After the jar is full, store in a cool dark place for six weeks. Strain the solution into a clean spritz bottle and voila!!!

Stinging Nettle contain histamine, formic acid, serotonin, mucilage, ammonia, many minerals including silica, vitamins A,B and C and tannins.

Uro (Greek) means urine; di-oikos (Greek) means in two houses (male and female flowers are separate). Nettle fibers have been used like flax, for textiles in many parts of the world. During World War 1, Germany collected over two million kilograms which were used to make army uniforms.

Stinging Nettle References and Resources:

• Healing Wise, Susun Weed, Ash Tree Publishing 1989
• Herbs Partners in Life, Adele G. Dawson, Healing Arts Press, 1991
• The Complete Medicinal Herbal, Penelope Ody, Key Porter Books Ltd., 1993

“If they would eat nettles in March, and drink mugwort in May, So many fine maidens would not go to the clay.” Funeral song of a scottish mermaid.

• Include violet leaves and flowers in your spring salads to aid digestion.
• Steep 2 cups of leaves and flowers in one litre of boiling water overnight and drink the next day. This infusion will ease a nagging cough and soothe internal mucous surfaces.
• Apply chopped leaves mixed with honey to boils and acne.
• Drink two or more cups of leaf infusion to ease monthly breast swelling and fibrocystic complaints.
• Use violet poultices in addition if there is pain or swelling in breast tissue.
• Violet is a really COOL plant. Drink it to cool you down and reduce fevers.

As you harvest, be sure to thank Miss Violet for all her help.

Happy Spring!

Wild Violet is the first herb “two herbal mamas” harvest in the spring. Although there are many varieties of violets such as pansy, heart’s ease, three colour violet, jump up and wild pansy, it is the wild violet found in cool areas on the forest floor that we are referring to. The arial parts of the plants are harvested-leaves and flowers. Be sure to read our Herbalist Golden Rules before you begin to harvest these precious plants.

Violet has many beneficial properties and actions. This herb contains saponins, salicylates, alkaloids, flavonoides and volatile oils. The actions of this shy plant are anti-inflammatory, expectorant, diuretic, anti-rheumatic, laxative and stabilizes capillary membranes. Violet contains an enormous amount of Vitamin A. Chew on a violet leaf and spit it out on to your hand. Give the leaf a good rub. You will feel the slippery mucilage contained in this powerful plant. Mucilaginous herbs are moist, and soothe skin ailments and internal mucous surfaces.

1. Rose water makes a great facial toner. After cleansing your face, spray and wipe clean with a cosmetic pad.

2. For those of you who like to iron, spritz pillow cases and sheets with rose water before pressing.

3. The rose is known as the flower of love. Wrap this up as a gift and give to someone you care about.

4. Roses are cooling. Keep a small bottle of rose water in your car or purse for hot days to cool you off.

5. Add some  rose water to a tepid, cool bath to cool you down.

Enjoy and thank you sweet rose for all your help!!!