Healing herbs are just as good for our pets and animals as they are for us
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Preserving Medicinal Herbs
One of the easier and more popular ways to preserve herbs is to dry the leaves and flowers. There are a variety of drying methods.
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Is Essential Oil Really That Essential?
Many fresh or dried herbs will give any room a fresh aroma and perhaps add a relaxing quality.
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Planting a Medicinal Herb Garden
Maybe you’ve been using herbs in cooking and have decided you’d like to add some medicinal herbs to your garden.
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Clean Without Toxic Chemicals
Using fewer toxic chemicals in our everyday lives is something each of us can do that collectively could make a big difference in our world.
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Plan to Plant an Herb Garden
Early spring is the time to plan for all kinds of gardening. Whether starting from scratch or adding to what you already have, be sure to include some herbs in your planning. Herbs come in a variety of sizes and colors, perennials and annuals, but are relatively easy to grow and maintain. So, as you choose your herbs for planting, keep the following ideas in mind. Four Common Growing Basics 1) Lots of Sun Because of their Mediterranean heritage, herbs do best in full sun. Five to six hours of sun is most suitable. A few herbs like mints will do fine in partial shade. The summer annuals – basils,…
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Bugs in the Garden
Bugs, butterflies, and beetles – in our gardens and on our plants. Sometimes we are happy to see them, and often we are not. In either case, insects are necessary for our plants and consequently for us to survive. Some of them flit about pollinating, while others spend time eating and decomposing garden debris. Even the ones we dislike can be food for other beneficial insects, birds, and garden reptiles. Unfortunately, insects are generally in trouble, with almost 40% of insect species at risk of becoming extinct. So what can we do to help save and protect the insect ecosystem? One of the first and easiest projects we can undertake…
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Resolve to Use Herbal Alternatives
The world seems full of all sorts of chemicals these days. Big industry, agriculture, maintenance companies, and even the everyday family, use a variety of chemicals, many of which are irritating, bad-smelling, and even toxic. So what to do?!?! Let’s consider some herbal alternatives that are more natural, not too difficult to make or obtain, and certainly less toxic than many products on store shelves. In the garden: Many herbs are great companions to other plants, helping us use less or no pesticides. We have discovered that yarrow (Achillea millefolium) planted next to our roses can discourage aphids. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) – this sunny fragrant flower also known as pot…
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Herbs For A Healthy Home
Strew the herbs; Stir the stew. Family to the hearth; Home is safe and sound. Keep your home safe and clean with these inexpensive and easy-to-make alternatives to store-bought cleaning solutions. The season for staying indoors is coming and that means stale air, insect pests coming inside, and germs flying about. Long ago, herbs were spread, strewn about the castle to sweeten the air, freshen living spaces, and ward off pests. An added bonus was that many herbs also protected family members and guests from bacteria and viruses. Herbs, such as sweet woodruff, catnip, spearmint, and conifer needles were strewn on the floors, hung as swags in rooms, or placed…
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Build an Herbal Community
In times past, herbalism was a communal practice, especially for women of any group. Traditionally, they were the keepers of the home, midwives, and family healers. Hence, community members came to them when it came to the health and vitality of their families and neighbors. Herbal knowledge was gathered, collected, and held together in circles, where there was support and encouragement to ensure the learning was maintained throughout generations. However, as those who practiced herbal healing were persecuted and separated from their herbal community, the knowledge became isolated. Those who held the knowledge were less apt to share it, so much was not passed on. In the past decade, there…
