(Im)migration and Lip Balms for Social Justice?!

No More Deaths/No Más Muertes banner. Lip Balms for Social Justice workshop - with a 
popular education (im)migration activity mapping the journeys of our ancestors across 
oceans and borders and the journey our lip balms will take from Vermont, US to the 
Mexican-US border where they'll be distributed by No More Deaths/No Más Muertes.

So what does Lip Balm have to do with Social Justice? Well, it all began when I first heard of the work of No More Deaths/No Más Muertes, a humanitarian aid organization that provides water and first aid care to those crossing the border from Mexico into Arizona. But the story reaches back further...

To be honest, I'm not quite sure how to approach the topic of (im)migration to truly do this complex issue justice. The word immigration is often followed by dehumanizing, inflammatory terms and racist slurs.  So let me just use "I statements"...

My ancestors are boatpeople. Some came on the Mayflower. Some came later from the islands and coast of Scotland. Some are said to have been sent here as criminals for poaching the King's deer instead of guarding the forest, while others came during an Gorta Mór ("the great hunger") aka the Great Famine in Ireland.  Although I was born here, my ancestors crossed an ocean to get here.

Honestly, the term "American" makes me cringe. This term and the very foundation of this nation is built upon racism, genocide, theft, and imperialism. Claiming this non-specific term also erases our neighbors both to the North and South of us. It reminds me of the hours upon hours, years upon years of history classes filled with misinformation, silenced voices, and atrocities re-written into feel-good stories appropriate for middle school plays. There is so much history that I don't know, but what I am sure about is that in the big scheme of things, a couple hundred years, or even 400 years, is not long at all. I don't feel entitled to this country because some of my ancestors may have came over on what the colonial powers-that-be consider the "right" boat, at the "right" time, or for the "right" purposes.


People who claim lineage to the so-called great beginnings of this nation often don't want to talk about slavery or genocide past or present. The Pilgrims that I am descended from enslaved indigenous people. I don't feel a sense of pride that I am able to be a member of the Mayflower society, nor do I believe that it's honest to claim to be seeking freedom - religious or otherwise - while shackling others. Also, lot of people with Irish ancestry came over during the Famine, but we don't often learn the real reasons that the potato blight was so devastating, why the people were so dependent upon a single crop. Like the famine in Ethiopia that took place during my youth, the Irish Famine was not solely an agricultural issue. Both nations were exporting food while the people starved.  To read about the harsh reality in Ireland during the Starvation/Eviction, see Gerard Keegan's book the Famine Diary.

Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) in Dublin, Ireland was completely maxed out from jailing all the
people who "stole" food in order to survive, while the English evicted people from their
homes and exported food from Ireland. This chart shows the rates of prisoners held at
Kilmainham. That dramatic spike is during the starvation/genocide of the Irish people.

So often, white people in this country - who are immigrants and descendants of immigrants - have forgotten the history of our own ancestors.  I don't know all the personal stories of my own ancestors, but every day I can see ways that their journeys and histories have shaped me.  I can see how history plays out all around us, in our communities and media and government and personal relationships.  I don't know all the details about my ancestor's journeys across the ocean and how they were treated when they arrived, but I know how I would want to be treated and supporting those who are im/migrating today and working for immigrant and racial justice feels like medicine for past traumas and grief that they may have experienced and/or caused.

The organization No More Deaths/No Más Muertes not only provides people coming North across the desert with vital first aid supplies and water, they also take action against racist anti-immigration policies. While I wholehearted support the actions and beliefs of No More Deaths/No Más Muertes, I didn't feel that I could up and go there to volunteer. I wanted to find a way that I could support their efforts from afar, here in my local community. I looked over their wishlist and saw that they needed Antibiotic ointment and Lip balms, so I contacted them to see if they would like homemade herbal salve and lip balm. They did! So I re-named my salve and lip balm-making workshops "Lip Balms (or Herbal Salves) for Social Justice," and in these workshops participants learned how to make their own herb-infused oils, lip balms, and salves, and we made enough for everyone to bring some home, and to send to No More Deaths. Directions for making herbal salves and lip balms are included below.

I have added an activity to the workshop, a popular education exercise that maps the journeys of our ancestors across oceans and land borders. Popular Education is a form of learning rooted in social justice and is itself a tool for social change. Pop Ed is participatory, knowing that education is meant to be empowering for individuals and communities. Rather than mainstream methods of teaching that impose hierarchies, where the teacher holds the knowledge that the students need, popular education knows that the people have the knowledge and power to determine what’s best for ourselves and our communities. Based on reciprocity and liberation, popular education puts education in the hands of the people, where it belongs.
 

(Im)migration: A movement exercise
The purpose of this activity is to explore how groups of people have moved across the globe, most often for economic reasons, and to inspire more heart- and justice-centered conversations about immigration. Supplies needed include: a ball of string or yarn for each participant, more balls of string or yarn for the map (preferably darker colors so that the participants' stand out more) or a large laminated world map, a large space – in a gym/rec center/outdoors, and tape (or another way to secure the yarn/string).  If using a laminated map, each participant can have a colored marker instead of yarn and tape.

Please give a disclaimer: Some participants may not know the answers to some of these questions about their ancestry, due to adoption, slavery, internment, genocide, or other potentially painful reasons. Or people may be indigenous and not move far or at all across the map. Allow people the option to pass and create space for them to speak up in discussion, if they are comfortable sharing. I also like to pass around Heart Elixir (along with an alcohol-free Rose petal-Hawthorn berry remedy) as part of acknowledging that we're exploring topics that may be difficult to discuss.

Have participants create a map of the globe by placing string on the ground in the shape of the world’s continents and larger islands.   Or you can use a large laminated global map.

1. Give each participant a ball of string or yarn and then give them the following instructions:
2. "Let's find this location (where the activity is taking place) and, keeping hold of our own ball of string, place the end of the string here and tape it down."
3. “Leaving a trail behind you with your string, go to your place of your birth.”
4. “Now go to where your grandparents were born, again leaving a trail of string to trace the journey.” (Some people may have grandparents from very different areas on the globe, let participants voice this, or you can voice it, and participants can go to the various countries, leaving a trail of string behind them.)
5. “Leaving a path, go to the place where your ancestors/your people are from, if this is different from where your grandparents were born.”
6. “Why did your family move all this distance?” Answers may include: I-don’t-know, looking for work, deportation, seeking economic opportunity, theft of land, fleeing war or starvation, slavery, natural disaster. If the group does not voice this, note that often, even with so-called natural disasters such as famine or hurricanes, these situations are, if not orchestrated, then often exploited by powers-that-be. Example, both Ireland and Ethiopia, during their famines were exporting food to other countries that dominated them. And corporations and government descended upon New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Tsunami to rebuild it in their own interests - pushing out working-class people of color to ‘develop’ whiter, more privatized areas. (See The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein) Likewise, the earthquake in Haiti was made much worse by the poverty and deforestation caused by racist imperialism.

(Optional)  7. “Look at the web we’ve created just with our small group.” (Give them a moment to look around to see the big picture.) “Now look on the tag to see where your shirt was made. What country was your clothing made in? Now carry your string to where it was made.” (People may not know where the countries listed on their tags are. If participants don’t make note of it, do voice that often the people who make our clothes live in countries very far away, probably working in a sweatshop, and then the clothes travel all the way to us. Why is this? Depending on the group and their ancestry, this last step can potential lead the string to areas of the map that had previously been unvisited.)

Now sit down for a quieter conversation. Going around in a circle, ask the following questions. (You can remind people that they can pass if there’s information that they don’t know about their family, or that they don’t feel like sharing.) If the group answers more popcorn-style rather than going around in a circle, make sure that you allow space for everyone to speak, not just a vocal few.

1. “In general, what were the reasons for people leaving their homelands or migrating?” (Often economically-based)
2. “How did they get here?” Answers may include: don’t know, Ellis Island, “illegally” crossing the border – if there seems to be some anti-immigrant sentiment in the air, you can take this opportunity to remind or inform people that much of what is now considered the southwestern US used to be part of Mexico. Or that Puerto Rico is considered a territory of the US, so people moving to the mainland of the US from there aren’t immigrants. Or that the term “America” doesn’t exclusively mean the US, but that Canada and Mexico are included in North America, that the Americas span two continents.  And in conversations about the US and who belongs here, indigenous people are often completely excluded from the conversation. 
(If the term "illegal" is used to refer to people, you could let them know about the Drop the I-Word campaign.)
3. “Why are we taught to hate immigrants? How and why is xenophobia part of the very foundation of the US nation-state? Why are immigrants used as scapegoats for a wide variety of social problems? How is tracing the journeys of our ancestors connected with where our clothes come from today?” (Capitalism moves goods and people.)

Questions can be changed according to the participants, focus of conversation, etc.
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Now back to the herbals salves and lip balms...
The night after leading the first workshop I thought to myself that I now needed to find someone that speaks Mexican Spanish, willing to help me translate the ingredient list. That very night I met Melanie, a Volunteer for Peace from Mexico. That night we went through my apothecary, smelling Chamomile flowers and Lavender essential oil, navigating in both Spanish and English to translate the list. I also include images of the plants on the labels, so that even if people don't read Spanish (as some folks maybe not be literate in Spanish and/or may speak indigenous languages) or knew the plants by different common names, they could still maybe recognize the plants. I also makes for more beautiful labels and I believe this is part of the medicine as well. I heard back from someone that works with No More Deaths that there was a young indigenous woman who was in shock from the entire experience of migrating and was comforted to receive a remedy that she was familiar with. 

These kind of report-backs from No More Deaths make all the time and energy poured into the workshops and remedies well worth it.  And my community is hopefully benefiting by co-creating a space where we can openly discuss topics of immigration, ancestry, and racism- topics that are sometimes taboo, volatile, or ignored. It's my hope that having these conversations in the context of herbs, solidarity, and community health, can help move the conversation from political arguments and create space for personal stories, understanding, and facilitate community and ancestral healing.

While deciding on ingredients for the salves and lip balms I sent an herbal call-out, to draw upon the creativity and experience of friends, teachers, and acquaintances. I inquired about the best herbs and oils to use for extreme desert conditions, taking into considerations what also grows locally where I live, and what grows abundantly, rather than using at-risk or endangered herbs. Thank you to all who shared their thoughts!

For the salve: Though it's soothing and incredibly healing, I didn't want to use Comfrey leaf or root. It's so good at cell regeneration that it can actually seal over a wound and cause an abscess. Definitely not good for folks in dire circumstances with open blisters and other wounds, and a lack of water for drinking, let alone cleaning wounds. I decided on Calendula and Yarrow. Calendula was the first plant I choose when I reclaimed Mom's garden from the groundhogs when I was in high school. I didn't even know that it was medicinal or edible, I was just drawn to it. Turns out it was one of my grandmother's favorites and in the years since her passing my mom has found little packets of Calendula seeds my grandmother had gathered. I love that it is simultaneously powerfully anti-bacterial and healing, while also being gentle enough for babies and elders. 

I love Yarrow for its protective qualities, both physically and energetically. The plant's botanical names is Achillea millefolium. Achillea refers to Achilles and there are many stories about how the Greek hero is associated with this plant. Some say he used Yarrow on the battlefield to heal the wounds of his soldiers. Another tale is that his mother made a bath of Yarrow for him when he was a baby and dipped him into the bath. She held him by his heel, the one place that was not bathed by the protective qualities of Yarrow, and the site of his fatal wound. It's a powerful warrior plant, and like Calendula, cleans wounds from the inside out. You can chew on the fresh or dried flower and leaf and place it right into even a deep wound to stop the bleeding. You can leave the plant material in your wound for its anti-bacterial properties and just cover it with a bandage. (And you can bathe/clean it later.) I love the combination of the Calendula from my garden and the Yarrow from the wild, and my hope is that Yarrow gives people protection on their journey across the border and beyond. I infuse the herbs in fair-trade Palestinian olive oil for a month, melt local Beeswax into it, and add a few drops of Self-heal or other flower essences for a simple and strong all-purpose antibacterial salve. (I send this in large quantities to humanitarian aid organizations and also make a small batch to keep closer to home, named Global Citizen Salve and available here.)

For the lip balm: I chose fresh St. Johns wort buds and flowers infused in Olive oil, melted with fair-trade Shea Butter from a women's collective in Burkina Faso, West Africa and local Beeswax, due to the mild sunscreen properties of those ingredients, as well as the anti-bacterial, soothing, and healing action of the St. Johns wort. (Sometimes I add Lavender and Tea tree essential oils to the lip balms or salves to add even more anti-bacterial and wound-healing properties.)

St. Johnswort buds and blossoms, Herb-infused oil for 
Salve-making, and Yarrow in bloom.

How to Make Herbal Salves and Lip Balms

Making your own herb infused oils is simple and inexpensive~ all you need is herbs, oil, and a glass jar. The process is similar to making tea, but instead of extracting the herb’s medicine into water, you’re using oil. The oil may not necessarily take the scent of the herb you’re using, but will draw out certain healing properties. Whether you’re making a medicinal oil to heal wounds, a massage oil to soothe sore muscles, or an oil to anoint yourself with before or after bathing, the process is the same.

Making herb infused oils from fresh plants:

●Find the herb in a place that feels good, away from busy roads and pesticide-sprayed lawns and fields. Harvest only what you need and give thanks to the plants, however you wish.

●Place the fresh herbs in a dry, clean glass jar, filling it about ½ full. You can put your plant material in whole or tear it up into smaller bits; I prefer doing some of both. You can let the herbs wilt in a basket for a few hours or overnight first, so that some of its moisture can evaporate and it will be less likely to grow bacteria in your oil.

●Cover your herbs with oil and use a clean knife or stick to release all the little air bubbles and to completely surround the herb with the oil.

●Place the lid on and put the jar in a warm space under 100° F and let infuse for an entire moon cycle (if not possible, then for at least 2 weeks). In the summer, you can keep your oil in a sunny windowsill or out in the sunshine. In the winter, you can keep your oil near the stove or heating vents. You can also leave the lid off and cover the jar with a piece of cheesecloth – this way moisture can rise out and bugs and other things won’t fly or fall in.  Just be sure to put it in a spot where it won't get knocked over. The warmth and time draws certain properties from the herb, infusing your oil with medicine. You may want to put a rag underneath the jar, as some of the oil may seep out and make a mess.

●Keep an eye on the oil. If at any point moisture appears on the exposed edges of the jar, wipe it out with a piece of cloth or paper towel. Mold may begin to grow if there is too much moisture, either from the fresh plant or if your container is not fully dry. Even if mold appears, you don’t need to throw your oil out! Just spoon off the mold and keep an eye on the oil, in case more appears.  As long as it doesn't smell rancid or like blue cheese, it's

●Strain the oil through a metal strainer or cloth (I find muslin works better than cheesecloth), squeezing it to get the full amount of medicine out.

●Compost the herb and bottle the oil in a widemouth jar. Water and gunk may settle on the bottom of the jar after a day or two. If this happens, siphon/pour the good oil on the top into another dry, clean jar. You may have to do this a couple of times, but it’s important. If you leave the gunk, the oil may quickly go bad.

●Label your oil, including the name of the herb, the date, and any other details you wish to add (moon phase, where you harvested the herb, your intention for the oil), and store in a cool, dark place. Most oils keep for many months, up to a year. Some, like St. Johns wort bud oil, can last much longer. You can add vitamin E or essential oils such as Lavender or Rosemary to lengthen the oil’s shelf life – this is an especially good idea if you’re giving oil as a gift and the person may not use it right away.

A note on fresh herbs: certain herbs have properties that inhibit the growth of bacteria, while others don’t. For this reason, some people only use dried herbs when making infused oils. But the sight of sunlight streaming in through a jar of fresh herbs infusing in oil on the windowsill is worth the trouble of keeping a closer eye on it. Feel free to experiment with different herbs you’re drawn to. Keep an eye on them and if they smell rancid, give them back to the earth and try again, or try the dried herb or another herb altogether. You can add a bit of grain alcohol to your oil as the herbs are infusing to help preserve the oil. I usually add just a teaspoon of grain alcohol per quart of oil.

Making herb infused oils from dry plants:

●Choose the dry herb you’d like to use. You can use herbs that you dried yourself, or buy them at a co-op, natural food store, or by mail order. When buying herbs, crush the herb between your fingers and smell it, and notice the color and appearance. Every herb is different, but in general, it should maintain its scent and color. If you are unsure if it still possesses its vital energy, move on and find another herb that clearly does.

●Place the dried herbs in a dry, clean glass jar. When using dried plants, you only need to fill the jar 1/3 – ½ full, as the medicinal properties of the plant are more concentrate once the water has evaporated out.

●Follow the instructions above. As long as you make sure your jar is dry, you should have no trouble with mold growing.

Using the double boiler method:

If you don’t have the time to let the oil draw out the herb’s medicine slowly, you can use this method:

●Place the herbs and oil together in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can rig one up by resting a metal bowl over a pot of water. You can also use a crock pot.

●Slowly warm the herbs at the lowest temperature for at least 30-60 minutes. Some people infuse their oil for multiple days this way. Check often to make sure that the oil is not too hot; you don’t want to cook your herbs in the oil, just warm them. The longer you’re able to warm the oil at a low temperature, the stronger medicine your oil will be.

●Let the oil cool and then strain it through a cloth and label, as described above.

Choosing your oil:

For medicinal oils, the most commonly used oil is Olive oil. Extra virgin cold pressed is best. Olive oil lasts longer and is less expensive than most other oils. Grapeseed oil is also commonly used and is more lightweight than olive oil, but I've had it go bad on me really quick. Sesame oil makes a nice warming massage oil. Jojoba oil is the closest to our body’s own natural oil, so you can use it on your face without clogging your pores. Almond oil is good for dry, mature, and sensitive skin. You can also experiment with apricot kernel, avocado, and other oils.

Some possibilities for infused oils:

Wound-Healing Oil with herbs such as Calendula blossoms, Yarrow leaf and flower, St. Johns wort blossom, and Plantain leaf. ). Note: Comfrey encourages cell regeneration so well that it can actually seal in an infection, so be sure the wound is clean before applying. If your wound is difficult to clean, Yarrow or Calendula would be a better choice. Sore Muscle Soothing Oil with St. Johns wort, Goldenrod, and Ginger oils, and a touch of Cayenne to increase circulation. Breast/Chest Massage Oil safe enough to use regularly and for your monthly self-exam with Calendula, Dandelion blossom, Plantain leaf, and Red clover blossom. And remember, doing breast/chest massage/self-exams – is beneficial for everyone, not only cisgender (non-transgender) women!  Self-massage helps to promote circulation and lymph movement, release held emotions, connect with and better know our own bodies, and to be aware of any changes that may occur so that we can get them checked out by a healthcare provider. Energetic Protection/Anointing Oil with Yarrow leaf and flower or St. Johns wort blossom. Dreamtime Oil for restful sleep with Lavender and Chamomile.

You can massage in your oil before or after bathing, or add a bit directly to the bathwater. By applying your oil before bathing, you allow the warmth of the bath or shower to penetrate deeper into our bodies and the massage promotes circulation, which is very welcomed during our cold winter months! Remember to take care when your bath is finished, as the floor may be slippery. Just squirt a bit of soap on the bathtub/shower floor, rub it down, and rinse.

Herbal Salves and Balms

A salve is a blend of oil, herbs, and wax, used externally to soothe and heal the skin, and ease tight muscles, sore joints, and other parts. Depending on the herbs you choose, you can make a heal-all salve for cuts, dry skin, burns, stings, and scrapes, or you can make ones for specific ailments such as bites, diaper rash, and fungus. There are many methods for making herbal salves. Here is one way:

Warm 1 cup of herb-infused oil in a double boiler or a pan over very low heat. Add 4 tablespoons of grated or chopped beeswax, stir, and let the wax slowly melt into the oil. This proportion should make a loose, soft salve. Dip a spoon into the mixture and blow on it until it’s solid or put in the freezer for a few minutes to cool quicker. If the salve is too hard, add more oil. If it’s too soft, add more beeswax. Once you get it to the consistency you’re seeking, remove from heat and pour the salve into dry, clean containers right away. If you wait too long, the salve will begin to harden in the pot. Either just before or just after you pour the salve into containers, you can mix in extra ingredients such as vitamin E oil or essential oils. Each essential oil (e.o.) is different but they are all highly concentrated. If I include e.o.s I do it in small amounts - ie. 1-2 drops of e.o. per lip balm tube and 2 or 3 drops e.o. per ounce. If you choose to add them before pouring, give the liquid a stir so that it all blends together. Give the salve or balm some time to sit so that it can solidify. Salve making can be messy, so leave yourself some time for clean up and some bare skin to rub your extra/spilled oils into! Also, be sure to have plenty of extra jars because when the oil and wax warm and blend all together a magic alchemical reaction always seems to happen, somehow making more salve appear.

Most salves keep for about a year. They last longer if kept in a cool, dark place, rather than letting them melt and remelt in a hot car, for example. You can use an array of herbs, oils, waxes, and other ingredients. Lip balms are made as above, but usually with more beeswax, for a harder consistency. Body butters are usually softer, with less beeswax, and often include coconut oil and/or cocoa butter, both of which melt at body temperature.

Some possibilities for salves and balms:

Heal-All Salve with Calendula blossoms, Plantain leaf, Comfrey leaf, and St. Johnswort flowers. Belly Balm with Cocoa butter to help the skin to stretch during pregnancy. Anti-Fungal Salve with Calendula blossoms and Black Walnut hull oils (be aware of tree allergies), and tea tree essential oil. Decongestant Salve with essential oils of peppermint, eucalyptus, thyme, rosemary, pine. Mint Chocolate Lip Balm with Cocoa butter and essential oil of Peppermint. Valentine Lip Gloss with Alkanet root-infused oil (gives a red color). Note: These oils are not latex friendly.

Lip Balm

A general lip balm recipe to begin with, and deviate from.

½ cup Oil of choice (preferably infused with herbs)

3 tablespoons total of Cocoa butter, Shea butter, and/or Coconut oil

¼ cup Beeswax

Essential oil (optional)

Place oil into a heat-proof glass measuring cup and place cup in a hot-water bath. When the oil has warmed, add the rest of the ingredients (besides the essential oil). Stir until ingredients are thoroughly melted. Check the consistency of the balm by dipping a spoon into the warm liquid, waiting for it to cool, and then testing it out (you can quicken this process by using a cold spoon or placing the lip balm-y spoon into the fridge or freezer). Once you’ve reached your preferred consistence, making sure that it’s solid enough not to melt in your pocket, pour into lip balm containers or small tins or glass jars. Just after pouring the still-warm liquid, add 1-2 drops of essential oil per lip balm tube. Add 3-6 drops per ounce into larger containers. Cap the container right away to prevent the essential oil from evaporating and label. Let your balm harden, label, and voila! – your own homemade lip balm! For lip balm being sent to No More Deaths, I add more beeswax to be sure it stays solid in the heat of the day in the desert.

If you don’t use your oils or balms all up before they go off, or you’re not sure of their quality, you can use them for lubricating squeaky hinges and dried-out wooden tool handles. I keep a little salve container in my toolbox for such purposes.

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I hope that this post encourages self-care and community-care with the instructions for infused oil, salve, and lip balm making; That the (im)migration exercise can be adapted into an activity that can be used in various groups in the classroom and at community events to encourage heart-centered, transformative, and action-inciting dialogue about (im)migration - both stories and US policy - and racism; And that the concept of community health is sparking ideas about collaboration with community health projects near and far. Please leave questions, comments, and stories of successes and challenges in the comment area below or send me an email at dandelion778 (at) yahoo (dot) com Thank you!

Questions for Community Health Collaborations: What grassroots community projects do you respect and want to support? What skills do you feel good about sharing? What supplies or knowledge do you have access to and would like to share? Who in your community may be seeking herbal remedies or holistic healthcare, but lacks access? Who may want to team up with you to support community health efforts?

"If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." ~ Lilla Watson, Indigenous Australian visual artist, activist, and academic

Elderberry (and other) Syrup Recipes

Juicing the Elderberries - multiple times! - for a batch of
"All Power to the People! Eldercampane Syrup."

Stirring the local honey in. Juicing the limes, while the Cinnamon and honey look on.

Measuring out the tincture. The finished syrup. Yum.

Word on the street is that a bunch of folks have Elderberries in the freezer from last Autumn and are seeking recipes. Ask and ye shall receive! I'm including not only recipes for immune-supporting Elderberry syrups, but ones for building Iron, protecting or decongesting the lungs, and settling the stomach. Please see the glossary below if you're unsure of a term. And if something is unclear, please ask! Information like this means little if you can't put it into practice to make medicine for your community!

As with everything herbal, there are a gazillion recipes and methods to making your remedies. I make my food and medicine using pinches, dashes, and handfuls. However, in order to re-create good creations and to share recipes with others, I've been recording general directions and amounts. So, I'm sharing these recipes that I've used, adapted, and created over the years. Feel free to experiment and please post your comments, questions, and recipes!

Why syrups? Herbal syrups are remedies that are more concentrated than teas (though less concentrated than tinctures). They take time to simmer, but they also keep for months, making them more convenient than simmering tonic herbs daily or making decoctions when you’re not feeling well. Using good local honey, rather than the white sugar that some syrup recipes call for, creates not only a sweet tasting remedy but also soothes the mucus membranes of our throats and digestive tracts. Depending on the herbs you choose, you can make a daily tonic with herbs to build blood or give immune support, or a syrup for acute situations, such as an expectorant or sore throat remedy for cold and flu season. Syrups can also be made alcohol-free for kids, those in recovery, those allergic to alcohol, etc, and they usually taste gooooood. If possible, keep your syrups refrigerated so that they keep longer.

A note on sugar and honey: Many syrup recipes call for loads of refined sugar. When I'm feeling under the weather I definitely don't want to be taking sugar, which depletes the immune system, so in my recipes I use local honey and refrigerate my syrups.  I love to use local honey in my syrups. Simmering the honey with the herbs creates a thicker, more syrupy consistency, but also cooks some of the vitality and medicinal properties out of the honey. Oh no! But the bees worked so hard! And the humans, too. So I don't cook the honey, or sometimes I cook just a small amount of it and add most of it later once the syrup has cooled a bit. I would rather have a more liquidy medicinal syrup than a less medicinal thick syrup.

A note on consistency: The recipes below (besides the goopy Horehound Syrup recipe), come out with a liquidy consistency.  They are like a really concentrated tea-concoction, rather than a thicker syrupy consistency that you may be used to.  You can experiment with adding ingredients that will thicken your syrup, such as Slippery Elm powder (from a cultivated, organic source, as this tree is at-risk), to achieve the consistency you're seeking.

Most syrups, especially ones containing honey, are recommended for children over 2. Check in with your health care provider or trusted friends to see about dosages for little ones.

General Syrup-Making Info:
I like to make my syrups when I can be at home and take my time - time to let it simmmer, to let it cool, and to clean up the mess afterwards. Especially if I'm using Elderberries. As always, its a good idea to read over the recipe before embarking on your syrupy adventure to be sure that you've got what you need for ingredients and supplies, or at least that you've got a general idea so that you can improvise.

When I was living somewhere with pretty heavily-chlorinated water, when I would visit friends and family with good water from a well or spring I bring along a half gallon jar so that I can use it for making medicine. Use what you've got access to, but if you can get your hands on good water your medicine will be that much stronger. That being said, I'd rather use tap water than give a penny of my money to Poland Springs/Nestle and other water-stealing corporations.

In general, I don't measure my herbs by weight, as many herbal recipes do. I prefer to measure my herbs out in a measuring cup. I add the herbs and water into a large pot and simmer the brew until I've reduced the liquid by half, i.e. simmer 2 cups of water down to 1 cup. I then remove the pot from heat, strain out and compost the herbs, return the liquid to the pot, and let the hot liquid cool before adding 1/2 the amount of local honey (1/2 cup honey to 1 cup of concentrated tea). I usually let it cool for about 15-20 minutes before adding the honey so that heat doesn't kill the living enzymes and other good stuff in the honey, but it's still warm enough that the honey will dissolve. Many recipes call for far more sweetener, but I feel like this amount is plenty. If I'm adding additional ingredients - tinctures, apple cider vinegar, lemon/lime juice, etc. - I let the liquid cool even more, almost down to room temperature, so that the alcohol doesn't evaporate off and the heat doesn't kill the vitamin C or living enzymes in the other ingredients.

Pour your syrup into sterilized bottles, using brand new ones or washing reused ones with hot soapy water and rinsing carefully with boiling water. Label your syrup with the ingredients and date, and record your recipes if you wish. It's often recommended to use up your syrup within a few months, but depending on the ingredients you choose that may have anti-bacterial, preservative properties, they may last longer.

Elderberry Syrup
This simple syrup combines elderberries, long praised for its anti-viral properties, with sore throat-soothing honey.  Be sure to use only blue-black Elderberries, Sambucus nigra. (The red ones can be toxic.) Here in Northern New England U.S., the Elder trees that you want to harvest from are in bloom in June and ripen in early September. Don't eat Elderberries that haven’t been cooked first, as eating too many can make you sick.

1 cup fresh or ½ cup dried Elderberries
3 cups Water
3/4-1 cup Honey

1. Add the berries and water to a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer over low heat for 30-60 minutes.
2. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, being sure to squeeze or crush as much of the juice out of the berries that you can.
3. Let the liquid cool, but while it's still warm enough to dissolve honey, add the honey and stir. 
4. Pour the syrup into clean containers (preferable narrow-mouthed containers for easily pouring) and store in the refrigerator, where it should keep for a few months.  If you would like to preserve your syrup for longer, you can add a few ounces of alcohol or tincture.


Elecampane Syrup
Elecampane is an amazing medicine for infections that settle deep in the lungs.

1/2 cup dried Elecampane root
2 3” Cinnamon sticks broken up into bits, optional
2 1/2 cups Water
3/4 cup (or more) local Honey
1+ ounce Elecampane tincture

Bring the first three ingredients to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer until the liquid is reduced to half. Strain and compost the herb. Add honey after the tea has cooled, but is still warm enough to dissolve the honey. Once cooled to room temperature, add the Elecampane tincture and stir.

Elder starting to bloom by the stream, Old school print of Elecampane (aka Elf Dock)

Elecampane blossom and ripe, heavy Elderberries with dewy spider web 

All Power to the People! Eldercampane Syrup
One time I had a wee bit of Elderberry syrup and a wee bit of Elecampane syrup and so I combined them. It was so delicious and medicinal. This is how the Eldercampane syrup came to be. And then one day I was making a batch while listening to a Democracy Now! program on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton on our local community radio station 91.1 WGDR. As I made medicine, I reflected on the concept of supporting and strengthening our defenses. I make this syrup with gratitude in honor of all those who’ve organized past and present for community health, including the Black Panther Party and the Young Lords.   (I don't make this syrup available for sale, if I did I'd only use that name as a fundraiser for political prisoners, Black Lives Matter, etc)

I gather the Elderberries from my friend's thriving, abundant bushes, and the Elecampane that I harvest grows prolifically along the tree line in the moist lower pasture at my family's farm. The faraway spices I try to get from the most ethical sources I can find - friends have brought them back from markets visited on their travels or family visits or I try to get my hands on fair-trade, worker-owned, organic, etc. sources. The Ginger and Cinnamon are both great for respiratory/ immune health and the Cinnamon helps make the syrup a bit more viscous, once cooled. This recipe makes a delicious, anti-viral syrup to speed recovery during cold and flu season. I like the taste so much that I integrate it as a food, pouring it on my buckwheat pancakes, or just taking a shot of it when folks around me are sick, I'm not getting enough sleep, or am feeling stressed or under the weather. This is a big batch, feel free to decrease it. Or make a lot and share it!

Here we go! Combine the following ingredients in a large pot and simmer uncovered until the liquid is reduced by half:

3/4 cup dried Elecampane root
4” fresh Ginger, grated
3 3" Cinnamon stick, broken into bits
9 cups Water

While the herbs are simmering, juice your fresh Elderberries. I put my berries through the juicer at least three times to get all their good juice out. If you have frozen Elderberries, remove them from the freezer before making the syrup so that they can thaw out. If you have dried Elderberries, simmer 1 or 1 1/2 cups with the herbs above.  If you don't have a juicer, just add the Elderberries to the Elecampane, Ginger, and Cinnamon and let them all simmer together.

Letting the liquid cool as mentioned above in general instructions, blend together:

2 1/2 cup of Elderberry juice
3 cups local Honey
5 ounces local Apple Cider Vinegar (my favorite is Honest-To-Goodness)
juice of 2 fresh Limes
6 ounces Echinacea tincture (whole plant - root, leaf, flower, bud, and seed)
3 drops homemade Self-heal flower essence per bottle (to support the body in healing itself)

When the hot liquid has cooled enough, but is still warm enough to dissolve honey, add the juice-honey-vinegar-lime-tincture-flower essence blend and stir.  Pour your syrup into bottles, label, and share! The honey, apple cider vinegar, and tincture are all natural preservatives, prolonging the life of the syrup. It's often recommended to use up your syrup within a few months, but with this recipe, I've had the syrup last over a year.

Variations: You can add other herbs that you’d like to simmer along with the elderberries. For a cold and flu prevention syrup, you can add Astragalus root, simmered with the Elderberries and/or added as a tincture. For syrup to take when you’re sick, you can add other herbs such as Thyme for anti-bacterial respiratory support, and/or Marshmallow root for its soothing qualities.

 (You can buy Honest to Goodness Apple Cider Vinegar in C. Vermont Coops, or buy it in bulk directly from them.  Call: 802-685-3061 )

Instant Ginger Syrup
Alright, technically this is really an infused honey rather than a syrup, but the infused honey is just as good (I think), quicker to make, and uses less fuel/electricity.

This "syrup" is great when you want the benefits of fresh ginger root, but you’re not able to brew up tea. You can bring it with you to work and on trips, though it is best to refrigerate it and I like to make small batches and use it up within a few days. It’s powerfully decongesting, soothes a sore throat, boosts the immune system, and helps to ease motion sickness. Simply grate a couple handfuls of fresh grated ginger to a medium sized jar and cover with local honey. As the ginger releases its moisture, the honey becomes more liquidy and spoon-able. I take the syrup as is, but if you don't like to eat lil bits of ginger, you can strain them out. If the honey is more granular, you can gently heat it by placing your glass honey jar in warm (not HOT! - it may crack and/or you may cook the good stuff out) water to liquefy it before straining.

The roots and leaves of Iron Building Syrup.

Iron Building Syrup
Iron Building Syrup is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially iron.  This syrup helps build up iron in the blood with herbs that are more absorbable by your body than synthetic iron pills, which can cause constipation. This syrup is great for those who menstruate, as we are cyclically building and shedding our blood, and especially helpful for vegetarians and others who may tend to get anemic! I like to take this syrup throughout the month or during and after my period to build up nutrients that are lost with my flow.

1/2 cup each dried: Dandelion leaf, Dandelion root, Burdock root, Yellow dock, Nettle leaf, and Raspberry leaf
12 cups Water

Simmer this brew down to 6 cups. Strain the herbs from the liquid. Pour the liquid back into the pot. Remove from heat. Letting the liquid cool as mentioned above in general instructions, blend together:

2-3 cups local Honey
7 tablespoons fair-trade black strap Molasses

Once cooled, to add more medicinal properties and help preserve your syrup, you can add:

4 ounces brandy or tincture of any of the above herbs

Your syrup is all made!  Bottle, seal, and label. Store in the refrigerator. Take 2-6 tablespoons daily.

 

Old school print of Licorice 

Old school print of Coltsfoot and Coltsfoot leaves

Persistent Cough Syrup
Early this past winter many folks just couldn't kick the persistent cough that held on long after their cold or flu had passed. My neighbor asked for help. Ginger and Thyme came to mind initially. Then he told me he'd tried Echinacea, Elecampane, and Goldenseal roots, and Garlic. When I got home to my apothecary the remedies that I thought would be helpful weren't the ones calling to me. Licorice was loud. Then I went to my lung tonic blend - the leaves of Plantain, Mullein, Lungwort, and Coltsfoot. The Coltsfoot wanted to join the Licorice root and be made into a syrup. I love Licorice root. It's a great syrup herb because it's anti-viral, relaxing, soothing to mucus membranes, and supports respiratory health. I didn't have as much personal experience with Coltsfoot, however, so I took the opportunity to look it up in some of my herbals. And in her writings on Coltsfoot, Mrs. M. Grieve recommends a Licorice-Coltsfoot Syrup. !!!  So here's what I made:

7 large dried Coltsfoot leaves (harvested away from roads, where it commonly grows), crushed into bits
3 small handfuls Licorice root, cut and sifted herb (if long, tongue-depressor like slices of roots, break into bits)
2 1/4 cup Water

Simmer down to 1 cup of strong tea. Add:

1/2 cup local Honey

Take a teaspoon as needed to soothe a dry, irritated, sore throat and to ease coughing. If you're concerned with Licorice's affect on those with high blood pressure, you can keep your daily dosage low or choose a different blend of herbs.

Bitter, fuzzy Horehound.

Horehound Syrup
From Michael Moore’s Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West:  “Horehound is an old and revered bitter expectorant. For coughs and lung congestion in general, a syrup is often preferable. This is my recipe (there are endless variations): Boil an ounce of Horehound in a pint of water for twenty minutes, strain and reduce the liquid to a cup. Add two cups honey and stir over low heat. Remove from heat and add one ounce powdered Slippery elm bark or powdered Comfrey root, the juice from one lime, and one-half cup brandy. If you are fortunate enough to have some handy, several tablespoons of powdered Osha Root can also be added. Mix thoroughly and bottle. Take a tablespoon or two as needed.”

A note on Osha Root, since this plant is at-risk: “Use the wild plant only when absolutely necessary; otherwise use only cultivated resources. Thyme, elecampane, marshmallow, lovage, angelica, and rosemary are all good alternatives.” From Planting the Future: Saving Our Medicinal Herbs edited by Rosemary Gladstar and Pamela Hirsch.  Slippery Elm is also at-risk, so please get it from a cultivated source.

And just be aware that when you add the slippery elm bark powder to this syrup the consistency radically transforms from a liquidy liquid into a snotty globby mess! Hooray (as long as you don't mind)!

Making Elderberry-White Pine syrup with an afterschool program.

_____________________________________________
Glossary:
tinctures - alcohol-based herbal extracts
decoction - a tea made by simmering the more tenacious parts of plants - i.e. roots, barks, certain seeds.
herbals - herb books. It's a good idea to have at least 3 reliable herbals to turn to for information.
Did I use any other unfamiliar terms? Let me know!

The Campaign to Free Oscar López Rivera Continues!

Clockwise from top left. Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera, National Boricua Human Rights Network - working tirelessly for Oscar's freedom, the last of Oscar's co-defendents Carols Alberto Torres is Free! July 26, 2010, and youth calling for the release of the remaining Puerto Rican Political Prisoners,

The US Parole Commission has daily received hundreds of calls, along with thousands of faxes and letters in support of US Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera over the last 3 week period. (Please see the 2/12 Freedom for Oscar López Rivera! post for more info) The National Boricua Human Rights Network is continuing the campaign to win freedom for Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera. On Friday, February 18, the U.S. Parole Commission issued its decision in the case of Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera, stating “Deny parole. Continue to a 15-year reconsideration hearing in January 2026 or continue to expiration, whichever comes first.”

Please continue to call, fax and mail letters to the USPC. THERE ARE NEW VERSIONS OF THE PHONE SCRIPT AND LETTER. Please make sure you use those.

This decision ignores the express will of the Puerto Rican people and those who believe in justice and human rights, counting tens of thousands of voices supporting his immediate release, the Commission ignored the evidence establishing that Oscar met all the criteria for parole, and also ignored its own rules in the process. Among these many ignored voices are members of legislatures including the United States Congress; the state legislatures of New York, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania; the city councils and county boards of many locales in the U.S. and Puerto Rico; the mayors of many towns in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including the Association of Mayors of Puerto Rico; bar associations including the Puerto Rico Bar Association, the National Lawyers Guild and the American Association of Jurists; clergy and religious organizations, including the Ecumenical Coalition representing every religious denomination in Puerto Rico; human rights advocates, academics, students, artists, community organizations, and workers.

Oscar and his attorney Jan Susler will meet next week to discuss the decision. Meanwhile, the National Boricua Human Rights Network in the U.S. and the Comité Pro Derechos Humanos in Puerto Rico will continue the campaign to express to the Parole Commission the depth and breadth of support for Oscar’s immediate release.

Oscar, his family, his attorney, National Boricua Human Rights Network in the U.S. and the Comité Pro Derechos Humanos in Puerto Rico want to express our deepest gratitude for the vast support for his release.

Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience Project Denounces US Parole Commission's Decision

The Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience Project denounces the US Parole Commission's decision to deny the parole petition of Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera, a father, grandfather, artist, community organizer, and decorated Viet Nam veteran who has spent nearly 30 years in prison for acts and beliefs in favor of independence for Puerto Rico.

In making this decision, the Parole Commission clearly failed to follow its own guidelines, which stipulate that the petitioner not pose a safety threat and not be likely to commit a future offense.

Past and present supporters of his release include Nobel Laureates such as Desmond Tutu and Rigoberta Menchu; scores of other prominent people, including elected officials, celebrities, and religious leaders and denominations, reflecting the broadest cross-section of the Puerto Rican society. Clearly his supporters would not be working to welcome him home to Puerto Rico if they considered it remotely possible that he posed a danger to themselves or their loved ones.

A whole generation has grown up in the thirty years that Mr. López Rivera has been in prison. Around the world, we see people breathing in the new possibilities of freedom and democracy, while students in one of the few remaining colonies in the Americas are maced and tear-gassed for engaging in peaceful protest at the University of Puerto Rico. Regardless of one's views concerning Puerto Rico's political status, it's past time for people of conscience everywhere to join in this call to pray, meditate, demand, and struggle to bring Oscar home.

Rev. Dr. C. Nozomi Ikuta

Co-Chair, Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience Project.

Valentine's Aphrodisiac Recipes

 Aphrodisiacs ~ named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sensuality ~ are foods, drinks, scents, and practices that heighten our senses. Aphrodisiacs can be calming, so that we can relax and be more present in our bodies. Aphrodisiacs can also be stimulating, promoting circulation and stirring us up on many levels. Imbolc, the midpoint between winter solstice and spring equinox, marks the quickening of the Earth, the movement of the seeds buried under the layers of snow. The light is returning, and though the sap has not yet begun to rise, the sun is still up past 4:30pm!  Saint Valentine’s Day, which follows soon after Imbolc, is an opportunity in deep winter to feel the approach of springtime warmth and fertility.  (And by fertility I don't mean just romantic love and reproduction and all that, but also as a manifestation of creativity and all its other forms.)  Valentine’s Day has been co-opted by the greeting card industry and others that pressure us to 1. Have a lover and 2. Shower them and/or be showered by them with roses, diamonds, and chocolates. But Hallmark’s got nothing on homemade truffles and potions!   

The following recipes are suggestions – feel free to alter proportions and ingredients. I’ve directly quoted the recipes that are from other people, adding my own notes in italics. If you’re seeking calming aphrodisiacs, experiment with integrating herbs such as skullcap, milky oats, and lavender into the recipes below. For stimulating aphrodisiacs, try warming spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne. More recipes and writings on Valentine’s Day, see the Love is a Verb & Chocolate Explosion! posts.

A note on ingredient sources: Unfortunately much of what we associate with Valentine’s – roses, chocolate, and diamonds – comes at a great cost that we may be completely unaware of. Systematic sexual harassment/assault of women working in the flower growing industry (and here), child labor in West African countries that supply Hersey’s and Russell Stover, and dangerous labor conditions/child labor in diamond mines. When choosing your ingredients, please choose ones that fully embody the love you’re expressing for yourself and those you’re sharing your creations with by supporting fair-trade, worker-owned collectives, and/or local farmers when possible.

So whether you’re celebrating solo, with a lover, with family, or friends, here are some recipes to heighten your senses, keep warm, enjoy the long nights of deep winter, and to celebrate love and the inevitable arrival of spring.

♥recipes for the inside ♥

cardamom brandy truffles
Recipe adapted from The Joy of Cooking
10 ounces Dark chocolate
1½ cup Coconut milk
¼ cup Cardamom-infused brandy
Cocoa powder
Pinch of Cayenne, optional

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and simmer on low heat until it is reduced to 1 cup (approx. 15-20 minutes). While the coconut milk is simmering, chop chocolate into pieces and place in a double boiler (a bowl resting in a pot of water, so that the chocolate is not directly above the heat). Be sure to keep water out of the chocolate so that the chocolate doesn’t seize and get chunky. When the coconut milk has reduced to 1 cup, remove from heat, add the brandy, and stir. Pour the coconut milk-brandy over the chocolate bits and turn on the double boil to a slow simmer. Stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted and mixed completely with the liquid. Refrigerate until hard (approx. 3 hours, can put in the freezer if you have less time). Remove from refrigeration and scoop out by the spoonful, rolling into balls with your hands. Place balls on a baking sheet and return to refrigeration to harden. Once hardened, remove balls from refrigeration and roll in a shallow bowl of cocoa powder, fair-trade if possible. If storing for later, place balls in tupperware, and place waxed paper between layers. Store in the refrigerator and remove 30 minutes before feasting on them. This gets messy, so I like to get out all the supplies beforehand and have a spatula handy to scrape all the good chocolate from bowls and fingers! To make cardamom-infused brandy, I place about 1 tablespoon whole cardamom seed pods that I crush and then put in an 8 oz. glass jar and cover with brandy. Leave this to infuse for anywhere from 5 days to an entire moon cycle (one month) and then strain. Compost the cardamom and now you have infused cardamom-infused brandy!  You can do the same with other spices and herbs.

easier truffles

To make easier and non-alcoholic truffles, simply omit the brandy from the recipe above and use 1¼ cups of coconut milk without reducing it.  You can warm the coconut milk and chocolate together in the double boiler.  This way you don't have to worry about the chocolate seizing.  And: less dishes, more fun!  For more info on Rose, Orange, Ginger, and Vanilla-Coffee truffles, see my Chocolate Explosion! blog post.

chocolate oblivion torte
thanks mom (and the interwebs)!
8 whole Eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup Sugar
3 tsp Butter, soft
30 ounces Semi-sweet Chocolate chips
1/3 cup Raspberry puree, optional

Yes, that’s right, 8 whole eggs and 30 ounces of chocolate! In a mixing bowl, whip eggs and sugar until eggs become lemon yellow. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Allow chocolate to cool slightly, and then add butter to the warm chocolate. Fold chocolate into whipped eggs. You can add your choice of pureed fruit if you wish, but it is not necessary. Pour mixture into an oiled spring form pan. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350ºF. Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes, uncovered. Remove the torte from the oven, let cool a bit, and refrigerate. Let cool at least 6 hours before cutting and serving. Serve with fresh or thawed local berries, depending on the season. If you want something truly decadent, top with ginger maple whipped cream. Feel free to experiment ~ add a pinch of cayenne or cinnamon powder, or try infusing the sugar with a vanilla bean. Warning: this torte is incredibly rich.

ginger maple whipped cream
1” piece fresh Ginger root
2-4 tablespoons Maple syrup (or local Honey)
Pint of Heavy cream

Grate ginger root and squeeze out its juice with a strainer. (Save the grated ginger bits to make tea or to add to food.) Add the ginger juice, sweetener, and cream into a mason jar and shake, and shake, and shake. Watch to be sure you catch the whipped cream phase before it turns to butter. If it does turn to butter, don’t worry – ginger maple butter is delicious on buckwheat pancakes, biscuits, etc.

full dates
adapted from Diana DeLuca’s Botanica Erotica and dedicated with much love to the Bitchin’ Kitchen of Ireland!
Dates
Tahini (sesame paste)
Dried Coconut flakes
Ginger-infused Honey (see directions for making infused honey below)

Cut dates in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Fill the hollow with tahini, drizzle on ginger-infused honey, sprinkle on dried coconut flakes, and enjoy! This recipe is quick to make and full of protein and sweetness. It can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or at your bedside.

infused honey
Fresh and dried herbs, spices, flowers, and fruits can be infused in honey to be eaten on its own or added to cordials, deserts, and other recipes. In general, you can fill a jar a quarter of the way with fresh or dried herbs, fill the jar with honey, and then stir to completely envelope the herb with the honey. Make infused honeys as you need them or let them infuse over time, and experiment with ingredients and amounts. To make the ginger-infused honey for the recipe above, first grate fresh ginger root into local honey. The honey will become more fluid, as the root’s moisture is released into it. You can leave the bits of ginger in the honey if you wish. If you want ginger-infused honey without the bits, you can peel and slice the ginger, infuse it, and then eat the candied ginger separately from the honey. You can also add powdered or crushed herbs and spices, such as Cardamom, Cinnamon, Lavender, or Rosemary. In the summer months you can infuse fresh wild or organically grown Rose petals in honey. If you are using fresh herbs and flowers and are concerned with bacterial growth, store your infused honey in the refrigerator.  (I make sure to use up the fresh ginger root infused honey within a couple days as I've had it start to turn and get fizzy when I've carried it with me to work (unrefrigerated) to add to warm water or take by the spoonful for warming immune support).

rosewater pudding
Recipe adapted from Caitlin Adair, found in Jeanne Pollack’s Healing Tonics
1 quart Butterwork’s Jersey milk whole yogurt, homemade yogurt, or whatever is most local to you
2 tablespoons local Honey
1/4-1/2 teaspoon organic Orange zest
1 teaspoon pure distilled Rosewater
¼ teaspoon ground Cardamom
1 tablespoon fresh Rose petals, wild or organic, if available
¼ cup sliced Strawberries or whole Raspberries, fresh or frozen

Pour yogurt into a colander or strainer lined with a couple layers of cheesecloth, with a bowl underneath to catch the whey. Cover the colander with a plate and set in the refrigerator overnight. The yogurt will thicken as the whey drains out. Transfer the yogurt into a bowl. Grate the organic Orange zest into another bowl with the honey, stir, and then add the rosewater and cardamom. Drizzle the honey mixture over the yogurt. Garnish with berries and fresh rose petals.

chocolate spice pudding (dairy free)
1 can Coconut milk
½ tsp Agar agar (seaweed)
2 tablespoons fair-trade Cocoa powder
1 tsp each of Cinnamon and Cardamom powders
Sweeten to taste (such as 4 tablespoons Maple syrup or local Honey)

Pour coconut milk, cocoa, and spices in a pan, whisk together, and bring to a simmer. Remove a small amount of it and place in a bowl. Sprinkle the agar agar into the bowl and whisk together until blended. Pour the spiced coconut milk-agar agar mixture into the rest of the pudding-to-be and let sit for a few minutes. Bring the blend back up to a simmer while whisking for another minute. Pour into little glass bowls and allow to cool a bit (to let it firm up) before serving.

Variations to the above recipe:
Vanilla blueberry pudding: Replace the cocoa with 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and add another 2 tsp of cinnamon powder. Pour the blend into little bowls, and add frozen blueberries.
Cardamom rosewater pudding: Replace the cocoa with 1½ tablespoon rosewater, and omit the cinnamon powder

herbal herb*balls! (formerly man balls, but not all who have prostates identify as male)
Inspired by Rosemary Gladstar’s Zoom Balls in Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal (also published as Rosemary Gladstar's Recipes for Vibrant Health)
2 cups of Tahini (sesame paste)
1 cup of (infused) local Honey
½ tablespoon Cinnamon and Cardamom powders each
½ cup Pumpkin seeds
½ cup Sunflower seeds
¾ cup dried Coconut flakes
½ cup Cocoa or Carob powder
All optional:
1 tablespoon Spirulina (fresh water blue-green algae, with lots of protein & B vitamins)
Hawthorn berry powder and Nettle leaf powder (start with a few tablespoons, & then experiment)
½ cup Chocolate/Carob chips
Extra Sesame seeds, Coconut flakes, and/or Cocoa or Carob powder
Infused brandy or elixir

Mix the tahini and honey together until they are smooth. Add the herb powders. Mix in enough cocoa/carob powder to be able to form the dough into balls that will hold their shape. Then add the coconut flakes, nuts, and chocolate/carob chips. Roll the balls, and coat with sesame seeds, coconut, or cocoa/carob powder. These will keep for a many weeks stored in the fridge. Feel free to adjust the amounts, and to experiment with other nuts, dried fruits, and nut butters. Herb balls are great for people of all genders! You can experiment with other powdered tonic herbs such as: ashwaghanda root, licorice root, marshmallow root, and rose petals.

Pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds are great to eat regularly to maintain prostate health. These seeds can be eaten on their own, as a trail mix, or as nut butters. Keep them refrigerated to keep their oils from going rancid. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are high in zinc, which is depleted through ejaculation (I have only heard this when referring to ejaculation experienced by those with a penis, I don't know if it's the same for those who ejaculate via the urethra for those with vulvas). Replenish yourself!

chicken mole(-ish)
For those of us that like hearty meals, I’m including this mole recipe from the “Green and Black’s Chocolate Recipes: From the Cacao Pod to Muffins, Mousses, and Moles” book I won in a chocolate raffle! I am not at all endorsing Green and Black as a company, especially now that it’s been bought by the multinational corporation Cadbury Schweppes who was then bought by Kraft - see Black Ops on Green Groups: Private Security Firm Run by Fmr. Secret Service Officers Spied on Environmental Orgs for Corporate Clients. I like that this recipe has few ingredients than other (more traditional) recipes I’ve found. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 1½ hours. Use: large, flameproof casserole dish or another flameproof and ovenproof pot. Serves 4.

2 Garlic clove
2 large Onions
2 smoked, dried Jalapeno chile peppers, soaked and chopped, soaking water reserved, or 2 teaspoons of smoked Sweet paprika
8 Chicken pieces on the bone
2 tablespoons Olive oil
one 15-oz. can Red kidney beans (or 15oz of home cooked Red kidney beans)
one 14½-oz. can chopped Tomatoes
2½ ounces Dark chocolate, minimum 60% cocoa content, broken into pieces
Salt

Preheat oven to 300°F/150°C. Crush the garlic cloves and slice the onions. Remove the seeds and chop the soaked chile peppers, and reserve the soaking water. In a large, flameproof and ovenproof pot, heat a little olive oil and sear the chicken pieces in it. Brown lightly and then add the garlic and sliced onions. Once the onions are lightly browned, add the tomatoes and the red kidney beans including their juice, the chopped chiles, their soaking juice, and two-thirds of the chocolate. Bring to a simmer, then place in the oven and cook for at least one and a half hours. Skim the surface to remove the fat from the chicken. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt if necessary. Add the rest of the dark chocolate to taste. The sauce will be a rich, thick, velvety brown with a gloss all of its own. Hint: Omit the chicken and double the quantity of beans for a vegetarian mole.

Note: *In general, crushing your garlic and letting it sit a few minutes before chopping actually makes it more medicinal. *I don't‘skim the fat’ or remove chicken skin or anything like that. The chickens' lives were taken for this meal and I don't want to just toss out their nourishing, delicious fat, unless someone needs it removed for medical reasons or something like that! *I soak my own beans overnight (or for many hours if possible), with a 5” strip of Kombu seaweed. After soaking, drain and add fresh water to the beans and seaweed, and simmer until tender. I like to do a big batch, and then freeze some for later. Also, I like to use summer tomatoes from my garden (ones that are starting to go are fine, just cut off the funky bits), chop and simmer in a cast iron skillet. I let the tomatoes and liquid cool and then place in Ziploc bags to freeze for later use. 

From another one of Sandra Lory's fabulous workshops about Cacao, the plant that chocolate
comes from - including its traditional uses, history of exploitation past and present by colonizers/corporations, the plant's growth cycle, and the process of growing, harvesting, fermenting, and making chocolate. Clockwise from top: roasted cacao seeds, cacao nibs, cocoa butter (manteca de cacao), roasted coffee beans, cinnamon bark, and chocolate pieces.

♥recipes for the outside ♥

flax goo lubricant
adapted from Sheri Winston’s recipe
Here is a natural lube that you can make at home, even grow in your garden! The consistency of this lube is incredibly similar to cervical fluid (slipperiness created during ovulation), and can be used for self and partner sex, for any kind of dryness or irritation that needs soothing, and as a hair gel! Though this lube is water-soluble and is reactivated with water or saliva, it hasn’t yet been proven to be latex-compatible that I know of. So, if you would like to use it for partnersex, be sure to use it for activities that don’t require condoms. Bring 2 cups water to a boil and add 4 tablespoons of flax seeds (whole seeds- not ground). Turn down heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Strain, compost the seeds, and pour lube into squeezable bottles. You can reduce the recipe, or increase it and share it with friends. Your lube will keep for approximately 2 weeks in the refrigerator, 2-3 days at room temp.  (I write this from the Northeastern U.S.  I imagine in hotter climates it may not last as long outside of refrigeration)  This recipe can also be frozen in an ice cube tray and used as needed. You can experiment with simmering herbs (i.e. cinnamon!) in the water before adding flax. Don't wait too long before straining the flax seeds from the goo! With my most recent batch of flax goo, I simmered a 3” stick of Cinnamon in the water in a covered pot for 15 minutes before adding the flax seeds. I have used Red Ape Cinnamon, a company that gives a portion of its profits to protect Orangutan habitat, which gave the lube a warm cinnamony scent and color.

cardamom ginger warming sugar scrub
4 oz. total of Brown and/or Raw sugar, preferably fair-trade
1 tablespoon Dried Ginger powder
1 teaspoon Dried Cardamom powder
2 oz. (or so) Sesame oil

Fill your container almost completely full with the brown sugar. For a four-ounce container, add 1 tablespoon ginger powder and 1 teaspoon cardamom powder to the sugar and stir. Add enough sesame oil to moisten the sugar and stir. If you prefer, continue adding as much oil as you like. 

rose salt scrub
Thanks to Laurel, creatrix of the Rose Petaled Uprising blog and to her Coconut Rose Love Oil post for the inspiration!
4 oz. Sea salt
2 oz. Coconut oil
1 oz. Almond, Jojoba, or another oil that liquid at room temperature
A few drops Rose otto, Rose Geranium, and/or Palmarosa essential oils

Fill your container almost completely full with sea salt. If solid, melt your coconut oil (it is solid below 76ºF/24ºC) and combine with your other oil. Stir your oil mixture into the salt. Add 3-10 drops of essential oil. I use Rose otto essential oil (in jojoba oil) because it is extracted without the use of chemical solvents, unlike Rose absolute. You can also infuse rose petals in any of your oils, to add more of rose’s skin soothing and heart opening/protecting/healing properties.  Instructions for making infused oils are in my (Im)migration and Lip Balms for Social Justice?! post.  I have also added super fragrant fresh Rose Geranium leaves to salt scrubs, which is quite nice and leaves behind little plant bits after you're done bathing.  I just tear the leaves up and layer them in with the salt.

Scrubs give us the opportunity to massage ourselves, make tick checks fun, and help us to reconnect with our bodies, especially when they’re buried beneath winter wool and long johns, for those of us in chilly climates. Scoop out a fingerful of the scrub and massage it into your skin, starting from your extremities and moving in towards your heart and back out again, avoiding the sensitive skin of your face and breasts. (Chests are okay to gently scrub.) Rinse off in the shower or slip into a bath. The salt/sugar exfoliates your skin and is rinsed away by the water, and the oil moisturizes, penetrating deeper with the shower’s heat. Glass jars look nice, but if you’re concerned that it may be broken in the shower, use a plastic container. Note that oil is difficult to contain, even when your jar is sealed closed. If you’re mailing Valentine’s packages or traveling with your scrub, you can place it in a sealed plastic bag so that it doesn’t make a mess. Using a blend of oils that is primarily coconut oil will give you a more solid, less spill-y oil base. Whichever oil you choose, just make sure you use soap to wash the oil off the floor afterwards so that it isn’t slippery!

evergreen massage oil
For those who love the woods, try this fragrant massage oil. Remember, oil-based lube is not for latex! So use this for physical intimacy that doesn't require safer sex supplies that break down when in contact with oil. For those who are susceptible to vaginal infections, you may want to keep this from going inside you, as oil can trap dirt and cause infection.

Dried Evergreen needles, such as White pine, Spruce, or Fir, cut or rubbed between your palms
Olive oil (or Grapeseed, Almond, etc.)

Place needles in a glass jar, filling it 1/3 to ½ of the way. Pour your oil over it, to the top of the jar. Place in a warm spot, such as a sunny windowsill or near the stove, to infuse. Shake daily. After an entire moon cycle, strain out and compost the needles, and pour your oil into a glass bottle. If you don’t have a full month, you can infuse the oil in a crock pot or double boiler at a low temperature for as long as you can. Store in a cool, dark area and use within a year. Enjoy! For more info on making infused oils and balms, please see my (Im)migration and Lip Balms for Social Justice?! post.  When harvesting plants, be sure to take the time to ask the plant's permission and when harvesting tress specifically, do so in a way that doesn't harm future growth.  You can also use tree limbs and needle bundles that blow down in storms, so that the plant isn't at all harmed in the gathering of its medicine.

♥recipes for the both ♥

edible body butter
recipe from Maria Noel Groves of Wintergreen Botanicals
I like to keep mine in a bottle, which I place in a mug of hot water to liquefy (and warm) before using. You can also keep it in a jar, scoop out a bit, and warm it on the body until it’s melted.

3 parts Coconut Oil
1 part Cocoa Butter
½ part Almond Oil

Infuse any or all oils with Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cardamom, and/or Vanilla Bean (optional). Melt the above in a double boiler. Pour into a blender or mixing bowl. Let sit for a few hours until semi-solid. To taste, add in the following:

Vanilla extract (optional)
Chocolate extract
Stevia
Sweet liquor (optional) – for example Damiana, Kahlua, Tia Maria, Godiva

Pour in jars or glass bottles. Body butter is best kept refrigerated or in a cool, dry place. It is very shelf stable (Years? Or until it goes rancid…) Edible body butter is not recommended for use in the genital region. Sweet liquors could aggravate yeast or bacterial infections, and the oils are not latex-friendly. (Oil residues on clothing and linens will go rancid over time, so keep things neat and clean, as much as possible. It’s helpful to wipe off excess oils with a old, dry towel or face cloth after the massage.) Enjoy!


chocolate body paint
recipe from Maria Noel Groves of Wintergreen Botanicals
Any chocolate sauce or bar can be turned into body paint. If possible, find organic, fair-trade chocolate, so that everyone involved in the chocolate body paint-making process is treated well!

3 oz. Dark chocolate
3 oz. Vegetable oil (such as Grapeseed or Almond. Coconut oil can be used, but the sauce will thicken as it cools and have a coconut-y flavor. Do not use Olive oil unless you really want that flavor in there)

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, add the oil. Stir until smooth, and then pour into a glass jar. Blue glass bottles look nice. Use a clean paintbrush that has never been used for paint. This chocolate sauce can also be used for dipping fruit, treats, and body parts. If the chocolate paint hardens, place the bottle into a mug of hot water for a few minutes. This also makes a nice temperature for pouring on the body.

♥aphrodisiac elixirs ♥

damiana tea
Damiana, Turnera diffusa, once known as Turnera aphrodisiaca, is a member of the mint family that grows in Mexico and Central America. It is a tonic herb for the nervous system and has an antidepressant effect. Its energy is warming and stimulating, in a gentle way. Cover one tablespoon dried damiana per cup of boiling water, cover and steep for 5 minutes or so. Strain out the herb, add a spooonful of honey and a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like. Damiana can also be mixed with rose petals, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom for a more spicy elixir. (Decoct roots and barks by simmering, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add leaves, flowers, and seeds to infuse for a few minutes.)

watermelon prostate*love smoothie
Watermelon seeds are diuretic, keeping things flowing in an area that needs movement. Puree organic watermelon with the seeds in a blender and enjoy! You can freeze this drink into ice cube trays to enjoy the fresh flavor year-round. Puree the ice cubes in a food processor for a prostate-lovin’ sorbet!

elixirs
In Botanica Erotica, herbalist Diana De Luca writes of cordials as rooted in the Latin cor, meaning heart, and originally shared to bring heart to a friendship or situation. “Long Life Elixirs” have traditionally been made with nourishing tonic herbs taken daily. Many people use the terms cordial, liqueur, and elixir interchangeably. Fresh and dried herbs, spices, flowers, seeds, and fruits are infused in brandy, vodka, rum, and other alcoholic drinks, and sweetened with honey, maple syrup, or sugar. Sometimes additionally ingredients such as rosewater, orange blossom water, and infused honeys are added to the mix. These concoctions can be sipped on their own, diluted in water, tea, seltzer, or juice, or added to deserts, herb balls, and other recipes. The recipes below will last for years, and many get better with age.

damiana love elixir
adapted from Diana DeLuca’s Botanica Erotica
½-1 cup Damiana leaves
2 cups Vodka or Brandy
1½ cups Spring water
1 cup local Honey
Vanilla extract or Rose water, optional

Soak damiana leaves in vodka or brandy for 5 days. After 5 days, strain and reserve the liquid in a bottle. Soak the alcohol-drenched leaves in the spring water for 3 days. Strain, reserving the water, and composting the damiana leaves. Gently warm the water extract and dissolve the honey into it. Combine both the water and alcohol extracts and stir well, adding the vanilla or rose water, if desired. Pour into a clean bottle and let sit 1 month or longer. You can make your own vanilla extract by chopping up one vanilla bean per 2 ounces of alcohol and letting it sit, preferably for a few months.

chocolate rose elixir
adapted from Diana DeLuca’s Botanica Erotica
1/3 cup Cocoa powder, sifted – preferably organic, fair trade cocoa
1 heaping cup of fair-trade Sugar
1 cup boiling Water
½ cup Brandy infused with fresh Rose petals
1 tablespoon Vanilla extract

Begin by making chocolate syrup: mix the cocoa powder and sugar together and add the boiling water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. When cooled, add the vanilla extract. To this syrup, add the brandy and additional vanilla extract or almond extract. Bottle the ingredients and shake well. Let sit for 2 days to 1 week. You can add honey infused with fresh rose petals to this elixir. This recipe is also amazing with brandy infused with spices such as cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, fennel, and fresh ginger. To infuse your brandy, simply fill your jar ¼ full of dried herbs or ½ full of fresh herbs, and pour in your brandy. Let the herbs infuse at least 5 days.  As with any food or drink, make sure that your ingredients - such as rose water - is food grade, and made without chemicals if possible.

heart elixir
For directions on making Heart Elixir with rose petals, tulsi (sometimes called holy basil or sacred basil), brandy, honey, and flower essences to open and protect the heart, see my Heart Elixir post.

oxymels / alcohol-free elixirs
If you desire an alcohol-free elixir, you can make oxymels with fresh rose petals, damiana, cardamom, ginger, and other herbs.  Oxymels are infusions of herbs in apple cider vinegar and honey.  In these parts {N'dakina - traditional lands that include what is commonly called Quebec, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts} you can make entirely local oxymels, as there are many great sources of local raw apple cider vinegar and honey.

To make a vinegar:  Fill a glass jar halfway with fresh herbs or a quarter full with dried herbs, and then fill the jar with vinegar. Cover with a glass or plastic lid, or a cork, as metal will rust. You can also put a layer of plastic wrap or waxed paper between a metal lid and jar, but I've still had metal lids rust through the layer. Let the herb vinegar infuse for an entire moon cycle, shaking daily if possible. Strain out and compost the herb, and pour the infused vinegar into a sterilized glass bottle with a glass or plastic lid. Store in a cool, dark area such as a cupboard. Folks have varying opinions about how long herbal vinegars keep. Some say 6 months, many say years.  To make an oxymel:  Fill a glass jar halfway with fresh herbs or a quarter full with dried herbs, and then cover the herbs with honey and stir.  In general when I make oxymels the herb-honey blend fills the jar one-quarter or one-third of the way and then I fill the remaining 3/4 to 2/3 of the jar with vinegar.   Shake so it blends all together.  And follow the vinegar-making instructions above.  Some people boil the vinegar to kill the enzymes and prevent the 'mother' from growing.  I prefer to keep mine raw and am just careful about cleaning well/sterilizing all the jars and utensils.  Using dried herbs will introduce less moisture to the vinegar or oxymel, making it less likely to go bad.  If you're concerned about bacterial growth, you can store your vinegars and oxymels in the fridge.


Elixirs and other products are available at Dandelioness Herbal's online etsy shop.  Aphrodisiac offerings include:
*Heart Elixir: Remedy to Open and Protect the Heart 
  
*Chocolate Spice Elixir: a Warming Aphrodisiac with local Honey 
  
*Chocoate Spice Elixir: a Warming Aphrodisiac with Damiana and fair-trade sugar and Damiana Elixir: Relaxing Aphrodisiac available by contacting dandelion778 at yahoo dot com

More Valentine's/Chocolate-inspired blog posts:
*CHOCOLATE EXPLOSION!
*Love is a Verb: A Valentine's Post
*Love & Migration: Migration is Beautiful & Natural. So is Solidarity.
*V-Day: One Billion Rising and Man Prayer (Un Billón de Pie y Oración de un Hombre)


revised 2/16 and 2/18