The National Heirloom Expo – SEPTEMBER 5-7 2017, Santa Rosa CA

Help us get the word out about the Heirloom Expo

We are in high gear preparing for our 7th annual National Heirloom Exposition onSeptember 5, 6, 7 in Santa Rosa, California. We are again seeking volunteers to help us spread the word. We need your help especially if you live on the West Coast and would like to distribute brochures to let people know about the Expo, please email us atinfo@theheirloomexpo.com. Please consider sharing the info with your garden groups, educational organizations, churches, pure food societies, etc.

The National Heirloom Expo features three full days of nationally and internationally acclaimed speakers that include Vandana Shiva, Ronnie Cummins, Jeffrey Smith, Robert Kennedy, Jr., along with much more. More than 4000 varieties of local produce will by displayed. Purchase gardening supplies, seeds, sustainable living goods, and so much more from 300 vendors. The exhibit hall…

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Turmeric Powder Tincture

The Heathen Homesteader

When I first met my now husband he introduced me to herbs to help with skin issues. He suffered a skin injury that required almost a year of medical attention but wanted to help his skin in any way he could. So he looked to herbs. The best way to get the herbs he chose to help in his opinion was to ingest them. Now we use many of the herbs he loved in our food and tisanes frequently. Turmeric is one we go through a lot of. It helps with inflammation and many skin issues are the product of other health problems such as this. Check out the link at the end of this post for more in depth information.

When a neighbor/friend asked if I wanted her bag of turmeric she didn’t like (it has a peppery taste that isn’t appetizing to some) I started brewing up ideas…

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Larkspur: July Birth Flower

Good Witches Homestead

The birthday flower of July is the lovely Larkspur, which symbolizes carefree summer days, feeling lighthearted, and just having fun. Larkspur is a highly desirable cut flower with tall spikes of colorful petals that look as perfect in a cut glass vase on the dining room table as they do sitting in a rustic basket or bucket at a casual backyard party.

Many people confuse Larkspur plants with delphinium plants. Although they look similar and are both members of the buttercup family, larkspur is annuals with more delicate flowers in shades of white, pink and lavender. Delphinium is perennials with more substantial flowers in shades of purple, blue, red, yellow and white.

Larkspur blooms from early spring through late summer with flowers that can range in size from a few inches to several feet long in the meadowland species. In Shakespeare’s time, Larkspur was also called lark’s heel, lark’s claw, and knight’s…

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Wild Witchcraft Plants – Re-Stock Your Witch Cabinet

Belladonna

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Despite being a very poisonous plant, people have used belladonna in many different ways throughout history.

While it has been used as a poison in the past, scientists today extract chemicals from belladonna for use in medicine. These chemicals, when used under a doctor’s supervision, can treat a range of afflictions, from excessive urination at night to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

What is belladonna?

The belladonna plant may also be called deadly nightshade.

Belladonna (Atropa belladonna) is a poisonous plant, native to parts of Asia and Europe. It is sometimes known as deadly nightshade.

Belladonna produces small, black berries that must not be eaten. Eating the berries or leaves can be deadly. Similar to poison ivy, a person whose skin comes into direct contact with the leaves may develop a rash.

In ancient times, people used belladonna for its toxic properties, as an oral poison or on the tips of…

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Ozark Encyclopedia – D – Dogwood

Chicory Root

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

You may know the chicory root as a popular coffee substitute. In fact, it was widely used during the Great Depression and World War II when coffee was in short supply or too expensive. Today, it is used around the world and in the US, particularly in New Orleans, as a natural caffeine-free substitute for coffee. However, it’s much more than a rich drink.

Chicory has a long history as a cleansing medicinal herb. In fact, the ancient Egyptians were known to consume large amounts of chicory to purify the liver and blood. Romans were also known to have used the root to help with blood purification. Medieval monks cultivated the plant, and it is widely used in Europe and the Mediterranean where it natively grows.

Called kasni in the Far East, chicory contains tannin phlobaphenes and several forms of sugar. The seeds have carminative and are useful as a…

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