Herbal Hacks, Part 2: Crafts, Health, and Beauty

The Herb Society of America Blog

From the calming characteristics of lavender to the practice of pressing plants, our readers find all sorts of ways to add a bit of herbiness to their crafty arts and relaxing rituals. Please enjoy our next installment of reader-submitted herbal hacks–herbs for crafts, health, and beauty.

four-assorted-color-petal-flowers_Columbine flowers via Pikrepo

I place a little crystal bowl of lavender buds on my bedside table. It helps me relax and get a good night’s sleep. – Janice Cox

Spray your pillow at night with lavender water for a relaxing sleep. – Kim Labash

If you are unfortunate enough to have an allergic reaction to poison ivy while working in your yard, did you know that jewelweed can help with the itchiness? It usually grows nearby. Just break off a stalk and rub the liquid onto the rash. – Janice Waite

I love pressing herbs and flowers in a phone book or microwave press. I use the…

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6 Trees You Can Easily Identify By Smell

As winter approaches, tree identification can pose many problems to those of us who typically rely on flowers, fruits, and foliage for clues.

Fortunately, trees don’t completely disappear during the coldest months, and although their winter outfits may conceal several diagnostic features, dormant trees still offer us a few critical pieces of information.

Take smell, for instance.

Many trees produce unique aromas and odors that can be detected when we scratch their fresh twigs. These aromas will oftentimes lead us to a positive identification when other features fail to do so.

In a brand new video, I discuss six trees that you can easily identify by smell. If you’re interested in improving your winter tree identification skills, check it out!

Unlike deciduous trees in my neck of the woods, many creatures do not go dormant during the winter season. I recently encountered this semi-aquatic animal while I was exploring the bank of a swift stream. Are you familiar with this carnivore? Check out the most recent Instagram post to learn more.Click to view post

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

-Adam Haritan

My Adventures in Making Corn Husk Paper

The Herb Society of America Blog

By Angela Magnan

Corn husks for papermaking After watching a video online about making paper from corn husks, I thought it would be fun to try. I had never made paper before, but the video made it look easy. Don’t they always?! I first made some using the husks from six ears. After it didn’t really go well, I bought a book with more detail and tried again.

But like many DIY projects that I try for the first time, or even the second, making paper out of corn husks reminded me that watching a video is no substitute for a detailed book, which in turn is no substitute for experience. It also reminded me that when trying something new, I should perhaps follow the directions.

Corn husks and stalks are some of the many plant materials commonly found in home gardens that can be made into paper. Grass and leaf fibers are some…

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Honoring the Ancestors of the Bardic Arts: Tools, Techniques, and Legacies

The Druid's Garden

Shoemaking Hammer with Spirit

Browsing an antique store a year ago, I found a wonderful shoemaking hammer. It was an interesting shape, and when I held the tool, I could literally feel the connection this tool had had with its previous owner. Whoever had owned this tool had used it well–the handle was worn, a piece of old, soft velcro partially worn off where someone had placed it for a firmer grip. I could sense the resonance of craft and skill in this hammer. I held the unique hammer in my hand, and turned it a few times, knowing that this tool would find a wonderful home in my art studio. But more than that, this tool had a bardic ancestral connection to one of the primary bardic arts I have been pursuing for some time: leatherwork.

In Druidry and broader neopaganism, we often focus on the ancestors in three…

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Not Just for Teatime: The Herbal Significance of Camellias

The Herb Society of America Blog

By Matt Millage

It never ceases to amaze me how much tea is consumed daily. An estimated 2.16 billion cups of tea are drunk every day around the world, which puts it Panda_Tea_Green_Tea second only to water in most consumed beverages (DeWitt, 2000). I, myself, have become a tea drinker over the years, and as a plant nerd, I wanted to know more about how the tea leaves were farmed. What I ended up learning is that while tea (Camellia sinensis) is by far the most well known and widely used product of the genus Camellia, it is by no means its only contribution to the herbal marketplace.

Some of you may know the genus Camellia for the wonderful ornamental show that it puts on from fall through spring. Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua have been putting on shows in USDA hardiness zones 7-9 for decades, if not…

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New Moon in Scorpio Lunar Report | Welcoming in Winter

This new moon in Scorpio kicks off a month of transformation. Scorpio is the psychic of the zodiac, and there is a lot happening in this sign this month.

Then moon in Scorpio can help awaken your innate psychic abilities. The first Quarter moon in Pisces will further enhance your psychic abilities and increase your sense of inner knowing. Venus moves into Scorpio this month as well which will deepen your emotions and sensuality.

We have a powerful full moon eclipse in Gemini this month as well which will have us looking within and without for new answers and truths… thenn the last quarter in the sign of Virgo might have us tending to our homes, clearing out the clutter and preparing for winter.

The nights are growing longer, and the days are growing colder and shorter as those of us in the Northern Hemisphere move into the months of winter.

This Cold Moon Cycle brings us some clarity and insight about ourselves and others, while also preparing us as we travel towards the colder darker months, preparing for a rebirth.

Read original article at: Spirit de la Lune ~ New Moon in Scorpio New Moon Report|Welcome in Winter

Yellow Knight: Thoughts On Eating A “Deadly” Mushroom

To determine whether a mushroom is edible or not, time is one factor worth considering.

A mushroom that has been eaten for centuries with few adverse events reported is a mushroom that most people would consider to be edible.

On the other hand, a mushroom with a centuries-old reputation of being toxic is certainly a mushroom whose edibility should be called into serious question, even in modern times.

But not all mushrooms fit neatly into those two categories.

Take the Yellow Knight, for instance.

The Yellow Knight is a wild mushroom that had been safely eaten for centuries. In the 1990s, however, consumption of the Yellow Knight suddenly and unexpectedly became linked to multiple human poisonings. Some of these poisonings resulted in death.

During a recent walk through a pine forest, I encountered the infamous Yellow Knight mushroom. After careful consideration, I decided to harvest the mushroom and cook it, and in the following video I explain why I would do such a thing.

If you are interested in learning more about a common yet controversial fall mushroom, check out the brand new video!

Deeper into the forest full of Yellow Knight mushrooms, this wildflower was blossoming under red pine trees. Known as Yellow Ladies’ Tresses, this orchid is involved in a tangled web of specialized relationships. Check out this recent Instagram post to learn more.Click to view post

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

-Adam Haritan

HSA Webinar: Enhancing Brain Health using Natural Botanicals

The Herb Society of America Blog

Sponsored by The Herb Society of America’s Long Island Unit

by Jen Munson, Education Chair

Nootropics is a trending topic. Nootropics (pronounced noh-a-trop-iks) includes drugs, supplements, and plants that may improve brain function. According to Allied Market Research, a market research and advisory company, brain enhancing supplements made up $3.50 billion in sales in 2017 and is projected to grow to $5.81 billion by 2023. Unfortunately, it’s an industry that is rife with misleading ingredients and marketing.

True nootropics should aid natural cognitive function, support and protect brain function, and be non-toxic to the user. The properties and constituents of nootropic herbs have demonstrated numerous benefits. Using medicinal herbs to enhance brain health is nothing new; in fact, many have been used safely and effectively for thousands of years.

Some brain boosting herbs can be readily found in the garden. Although rosemary has been symbolically used to represent remembrance, it…

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Self Publishing Your Own Tarot or Oracle Deck: Printers, Marketing, Layout and More!

The Druid's Garden

The Plant Spirit Oracle Book and Deck

Some time ago, I offered insight into how to create your own oracle or tarot deck for your own purposes. I promised a follow-up article that explored the world of self-publishing and had a recent request for this information, so here it is! This article starts where the last one left off–I’m not going to talk about creation, intention, or media in this article but rather share the aspects of taking something that you have already created (or are in the process of creating) and sharing it with the world. While there are certainly a number of considerations at play, creating an oracle or tarot deck that you release to the world can be a fantastic experience. I realize a lot of people don’t need this information, but I’d like to put it out there for those who might find it helpful in…

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