Saturday, November 27, 2010

Riparian Preserve






LINKS:
Riparian Preserve MAP
RIPARIAN INSTITUTE.org


Today I was grateful to be able to walk with a couple of my Herbalism students at the Riparian Reserve as they held a Medicinal Plant Walk. They did such a wonderful job!

I have decided to hold some classes there for next years students, it will be a perfect spot leading to their goal of Outdoor Education. Today there were a wide variety of plants taught about from my favorite the Creosote to Globe Mallow and even Bursage, unfortunatly some of the specimens were in their dormant stage and not pretty to look at however the props that the students brought provided a better idea.

If you are interested in media that can help you learn and understand the Medicines of the plant world in The great Sonoran Desert I will provide a reading list below:
Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest by Charles Kane
Herbal Medicine trends and traditions by Charles Kane
and any books from Michael Moore the Herbalist.
However Charles Kane is local and also provides medicinal plant walks in the Tucson area.

Next month I will be at the nature center supervising two other herbalism students, looking forward to their presentations as well.


Monday, November 8, 2010

Rosemary Wine


by Patricia Halovanic, University Heights, Ohio

3 cups any white wine
3 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons honey or more to taste
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves

Bruise fresh rosemary leaves
bring all to a simmer for 5 minutes
strain rosemary and serve warm or chilled.
Great for colds or coughs, soothing for night time drink.

Medicinal Wine by James Green, Herbalist

Port, Madeira, Claret, sparkling wines, Apple Cider or Mead can be used.

Medicated wines are low alcohol, dosage can be a tablespoonful to a wine glass full 3times a day.

Best made in small quantities, without heat and well capped in a cool dark place.

Using dried herbs, reduced to a fine powder combined with wine of choice, macerate 14 days, visit and shake mixture daily for two weeks, pour into a sterilized bottle, cap and store in cool location.

WHY Rosemary?
This is a great time of year to use Rosemary medicinally. Rosmarinus officinale has many healing properties as it is an antioxidant, circulatory stimulant, spasmolytic and carminative. It is anti bacterial, warming and drying.
It is great for mental fogginess or fatigue, headaches, hypotention, flatulent indigestion, digestive fullness, joint inflammation,hypothyroidism but is contraindicated in pregnancy.
Rosemary is also very tasty! Fresh Rosemary Tea is quite yummy too, I like strong enough to taste but not overwhelming!