Dandelioness Herbals has an Etsy Shop!

I'm pleased to announce that Dandelioness Herbals now has an Etsy Shop, where you can purchase hand-made herbal remedies online. While I love sharing my herbal products that are made mostly from local, hand-harvested medicinal plants with other people within my bioregion, I also love creating care packages for those who live faraway. And in these times when the US Postal Service is under fire, I love support postal workers! Each Etsy posting can have up to 5 photos and provides a lot of space for me to write descriptions about individual plants, their medicinal properties, and the process of making the remedy. I've also been collaborating with other local herbalists to create gift baskets, such as the Valentine Gift Basket and the Be Well Basket for Immune Health.

BIO:

My herbal concoctions are all handmade in small batches, using primarily local and abundant plants grown and harvested by hand from my garden, the fields and woodlands of land in VT (U.S.), or at my family's farm in Central Maine. Most ingredients are local, organic, fair-trade, made by worker's collectives, or otherwise from the most ethical source I can find.

I am passionate about health justice and my ever-evolving product list, which changes from season to season, reflects my vision for accessible and empowering health care. Throughout the process of growing medicinal plants, harvesting herbs, washing roots, choosing ingredients, making remedies, and the bottling and labeling of my tinctures, elixirs, syrups, salves, flower essences, lip balms, and other herbal products, I reflect upon, learn about, and give thanks to those who've come before, those that are here now, and those that are to come that are a part of the ever-changing movements towards liberation. My hope is that my creations are a part of creating/supporting a culture of self-care and collective-care based on mutual care, collaboration, appreciation for our bodies, and taking the time to rejuvenate ourselves and each other. Whether we're organizing for migrant justice and universal health care, raising children, menstruating, taking exams and writing papers, and/or giving care to elders, may we find ways in our personal lives and within movements for social justice and the other circles/worlds that we move between to help nourish and sustain ourselves and each other so that we can be in it for the long haul!

Here's some of what you'll find on the DandelionessHerbals etsy site:

(fyi - Sometimes it can be tricky to find what you're seeking on etsy - you can find DandelionessHerbals etsy shop through this link, or by searching danalwoodruff under 'people' or DandelionessHerbals under 'shop' (both have no spaces between the letters!)

The Be Well Basket for Immune Health, a collaboration between Samhain Herbs,

Mountain Cultures, Dandelioness Herbals, and Kaleid Botanicals, with Elderberry Syrup, Fire Cider, Speak Truth! Throat Spray, and Medicinal Soup Satchel, all resting in a bed of pine curls in a one-of-a-kind, reusable basket made out of old record covers! Hooray for community health!

The Self Care Kit: for emotional first aid was created with the intention of
preventing burn-out and helping to promote a culture of self-care and collective-
care. It contains: *Heart Elixir: to open, heal, and protect the heart 
(please see Heart Elixir blog post)*Tulsi Elixir *Yarrow Flower Essence 
for clear and strong boundaries and *Rose Relaxation Bath Fizzies

(Substitutions are definitely allowed to create your own personalized Self-Care Kit).

Speak Truth! Throat Spray is made with gratitude in honor of whistle blowers and truth tellers, past, present, and future! This remedy was formulated during the people's uprising in Egypt, using Egyptian Licorice root and a blend of herbs from my garden - hand-harvested VT Sage leaf, VT Oregano leaf, VT Thyme leaft and flower, and VT Hyssop leaf and flower, infused together in Brandy, and then blended with a Licorice root syrup made with local VT Honey. For more info see: SPEAK TRUTH Throat Spray: antiviral, antibacterial, and soothing and Americans Who Tell the Truth, a collection of portraits and quotes by Robert Shetterly.

Chocolate Spice Elixir is a warming aphrodisiac to stir you up. Made with a

combination of herbs and spices that have traditionally been used as aphrodisiacs

and to promote circulation, infused in brandy and blended with a homemade chocolate

syrup made with fair trade ingredients.

Mugwort Elixir: to invoke vivid dreams and a connection with the moon.

Choose Your Own Herbal Adventure! Three 2oz Tinctures/Elixirs of your Choice

(also available in Three 1oz Tinctures/Elixirs of your Choice)

Valentine - or Anytime - Gift Basket contains hand-milled Olive oil soap and handmade Rose-scented Cone Incense from the Gardens of Seven Gables and your choice of Chocolate Spice Elixir or Heart Elixir from Dandelioness Herbals.

Thanks so much for the support!

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!

Dandelioness Herbals Product List

This is a list of remedies and bodycare products available through Dandelioness Herbals, depending on the season and availability.   Products are handmade in small batches.  Please inquire to see what's currently in stock.

Also, please see DandelionessHerbals etsy shop!

My herbal concoctions are all handmade in small batches, using primarily local and abundant plants grown and harvested by hand from my garden, the fields and woodlands of land in Vermont (U.S.), or at my family's farm in Central Maine. Most ingredients are local, organic, fair-trade, made by worker's collectives, or otherwise from the most ethical source I can find.
I am passionate about health justice and my ever-evolving product list, which changes from season to season, reflects my vision for accessible and empowering health care. Throughout the process of growing medicinal plants, harvesting herbs, washing roots, choosing ingredients, making remedies, and the bottling and labeling of my tinctures, elixirs, syrups, salves, flower essences, lip balms, and other herbal products, I reflect upon, learn about, and give thanks to those who've come before, those that are here now, and those that are to come that are a part of the ever-changing movements towards liberation. My hope is that my creations are a part of creating/supporting a culture of self-care and collective-care based on mutual care, collaboration, appreciation for our bodies, and taking the time to rejuvenate ourselves and each other. Whether we're organizing for migrant justice and universal health care, raising children, menstruating, taking exams and writing papers, and/or giving care to elders, may we find ways in our personal lives and within movements for social justice and the other circles/worlds that we move between to help nourish and sustain ourselves and each other so that we can be in it for the long haul!


If you're seeking a particular remedy that you don't see listed here, please be in touch, as I may have it in my apothecary. Certain products are available locally through:

-Nutty Steph's Chocolate Shop 961C US Route 2 Middlesex, VT 802-229-2090 sales@nuttystephs.com Tues-Sat 10am-6pm, Thurs night 6-12.-Onion River Exchange Timebank
-REACH Service Exchange Network
-Frances McManus, Reflexologist White River Junction, VT 802-299-5907
BodyAndSolesHealing.com

Plant medicine has always been the people's medicine! I have provided a sliding scale to make these herbal remedies accessible, where people pay what they are able on the scale. If the prices are out of your reach, please let me know and we can make an arrangement. Likewise, if you find these prices less than you're willing to pay for homegrown, homemade herbal remedies, feel free to pay a bit more to support my work. A portion of my garden and remedies will always be devoted to community health and donated to community health projects. To place an order, to inquire about shipping costs, or if you have any other questions, please email me at: dandelion778 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Free the Land!

Chocolate Spice Elixir at the Chocolate Ritual and Dessert Feast on Valentine's evening. Mugwort Elixir, Damiana Elixir, and Crampease. Making "Speak Truth! Throat Spray" during the Epyptian People's Uprising!

Blends and Elixirs 

Calm The Rage~ to cool hot emotions.  Fresh ME & VT Rosa Rugosa rose petals, fresh VT Violet leaf, fresh VT Milky Oat Tops, and fresh VT Skullcap leaf and flower, Brandy, VT Honey, and Hollyhock flower essence.

Chocolate Spice Elixir ~ a warming aphrodisiac, a warming blend to stir you up. Damiana, fresh Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, local Cayenne, Brandy, Water, fair-trade Cocoa, fair-trade Sugar, and Vanilla extract.
Crampease Blend~ to ease menstrual cramps. Made with VT & ME Valerian root, Crampbark, VT Milky oat tops, VT Lady’s Mantle, ME & VT Rose petals, Ginger root, Alcohol, and local Maple syrup. (Please indicate if you prefer VT Skullcap rather than Valerian.)

Damiana Elixir ~ a relaxing aphrodisiac blend that heightens the senses. Damiana, Brandy, VT Spring water, and local Honey.

Elderberry Ginger Elixir ~ for immune support to prevent getting sick or to boost your immune system and speed recovery if you already are sick. VT Elderberries, fresh Ginger root, VT Honey, Brandy, Organic Grain Alcohol, and Yarrow flower essence.

Heart Elixir~ to open, heal, and protect the heart. VT & ME Rosa Rugosa petals, local Hawthorn berries, Brandy, local Maple syrup, and Flower essences of Hawthorn from Ireland, Johnny Jump-up/Heartsease Pansy, Magenta Lotus, and Yarrow. Please click here for more info.

Mugwort Elixir~ -to invoke vivid dreams and a connection with the moon. VT Mugwort, Brandy, VT Spring water, local Honey, and Mugwort flower essence.

Relaxing Bitters ~ to take before meals to promote good digestion. VT Dandelion root, VT Skullcap, VT & ME Lavender, alcohol, and water.

Roots Tonic ~ to support the liver. VT Dandelion, Burdock and Yellowdock roots, Alcohol, and Dandelion flower essence.

Tulsi Elixir ~ a delicious and sacred herb with immune enhancing properties that also helps us adapt to stress. Fresh VT Tulsi leaf and flowers infused in Brandy and local Honey.

The Daytime Coughing Hacking Chest Congestion Get This Stuff Out of My Lungs So I Can Function Medicine ~ a soothing expectorant blend. VT Mullein, VT Coltsfoot, VT Plantain, and VT Lungwort leaves in Brandy.

Speak Truth! Throat Spray ~ mist this spray as needed to soothe a dry, irritated, and/or sore throat. Egyptian Licorice root, VT Sage leaf, VT Oregano, VT Thyme, VT Hyssop leaf, alcohol, water, and local Honey. Made during the people's uprising in Egypt with gratitude for Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!, Mumia Abu-Jamal of Prison Radio, Ida B. Wells, and the many other whistleblowers and truth tellers who’ve taken great risk to raise their voice against injustices and have created space for others' voices to be heard. Please see Americans Who Tell the Truth: A Collection of Portraits and Quotes.

Volcán de la Pasión {Volcano of Passion} ~ aphrodisiac elixir.  Fresh Vermont Rose petals, special Cinnamon sent from Mexico, Brandy, Vermont Honey, Fair trade Cocoa, Fair trade Sugar, and Vanilla bean.
Whole Echinacea Immune Boost ~ strong anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and lymph-mover for immune strength.  Fresh Vermont Echinacea root, leaf, flower, seed, and bud, Alcohol, and Water. 

A Mullein stalk near blooming, Usnea lichen (a symbiotic relationship
between a fungus and algae), Hops strobiles, and Echinacea in winter.

Single Tinctures

Please inquire for current list of available single tincture. Custom blends are also available. Please let me know the list of herbs you'd like, including proportions if you have a preference.

Ashwaghanda root, Black haw, Blue vervain, Burdock root, Burdock seed, California poppy (see note below), Chaga mushroom, Chickweed, Cleavers, Coltsfoot, Crampbark, Dandelion root, Dandelion flower, Dandelion whole plant (root, leaf, and flower) Dong quai,* Echinacea whole plant (leaf, flower, root, bud & seed), Elderflower, Elecampane root, Feverfew, Ginger root,* Goldenrod, Gotu kola, Hawthorne berries, Hops, Hyssop, Kava kava root* (with coconut milk), Lady’s mantle, Lavender bee balm (Monarda fistulosa), Lemon balm, Licorice root,* Lobelia, Nettle, Meadowsweet, Milky oats, Motherwort, Mugwort, Oregano, Plantain, Poke root, Queen Anne’s Lace (aka Wild Carrot, seed +/or flower), Reishi mushroom, Shepard’s purse, Skullcap, Spilanthes, St. Johnswort buds, Sweet Annie, Thyme, Tulsi (aka Holy Basil or Sacred Basil), Usnea, Vitex berry*, Wild lettuce, Wood betony (Staychys), Yarrow, and Yellow dock root.

All above tinctures can be blended according to your wishes. I have limited quantities of other tinctures as well. Please ask if you're looking for a particular one that you don't see listed. The California poppy tincture is made in honor of former US Political Prisoner Marilyn Buck, who recently passed away, and comes with a copy of her poem "Wild Poppies."

Freshly harvested Coltsfoot, Mullein, Plantain, and Lungwort leaves for the "Daytime Hacking..." Blend, Double headed Dandelion blossom, and Burdock in bloom.

Glycerites 
Small amounts of the glycerites (non-alcoholic extracts) available.  Please inquire for list. 

Liniments (intended for external use) 

Woodsman Liniment~ to bring relief to those with tendonitis and pain from repetitive motion. Dried Solomon Seal root, fresh VT & ME St.Johnswort buds, fresh VT Gotu Kola leaf, fresh Turmeric root, and Alcohol.

Comfrey Liniment~ to relieve joint inflammation and help heal bone injuries. Fresh VT Comfrey root and brandy. Liniment’s consistency is more like oil than alcohol.

The roots and leaves of Iron Building Syrup. Juicing elderberries for

a batch of "All Power to the People! Eldercampane Syrup."

Syrups (please keep refrigerated)  Inquire for current list of available syrups. 

Iron Building Syrup~ nourishing herbs to build your blood’s iron level, important for those with menstrual cycles. ME Dandelion root, ME & VT Burdock root, VT Yellow dock root, VT Dandelion leaf, ME & VT Raspberry leaf, VT and Irish Nettle leaf, water, local Honey, fair-trade black strap Molasses, Black cherry concentrate, VT Hawthorne berry tincture (contains alcohol).

All Power to the People! Eldercampane Syrup~ a delicious, anti-viral syrup to speed recovery during cold and flu season. Fresh VT Elderberries, dried ME Elecampane root, fresh Ginger, Cinnamon, water, local Honey, VT Apple Cider Vinegar, and whole Echinacea tincture (root, leaf, flower, and seed, contains alcohol), fresh squeezed Lime juice, and Self-Heal flower essence. This recipe was created on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton and made with gratitude in honor of all those who’ve organized for community health!

Elecampane Deep Lung Syrup~ a decongesting syrup, especially for deep lung conditions. ME Elecampane root, local Honey, water, ME Elecampane tincture (contains alcohol).

Yarrow for protection in many manifestations, St. Johnswort with its affinity for the sun, and a "Lip Balms for Social Justice" workshop (more info coming soon!) - the lip balms we make together travel from Vermont down to No More Deaths/No Mas Muertes in Arizona.

Salves and Balms 

Global Citizen Salve ~ an all-purpose first aid salve for cuts, burns, scrapes, and dry skin. VT Calendula flowers, VT & ME Yarrow flower and leaf, fair-trade Palestinian and organic Olive oils, local beeswax, and Self-Heal flower essence. Formulated especially for No More Deaths/No Más Muertes, a humanitarian aid organization that provides emergency 1st aid care for those crossing the border from Mexico into AZ.

Tigress Balm~ a warming balm to soothe sore, strained muscles. VT Arnica blossoms, VT Dandelion blossom, Ginger root, VT Lobelia leaf and seedpod, ME & VT St. Johnswort buds infused in Olive and Sesame oils, fair-trade Shea butter, VT beeswax, Dandelion flower essence, and a blend of Essential oils.

Comfrey Salve~ a rich, thick salve for dry, chapped skin. VT Comfrey leaf and root, fair-trade Palestinian and organic Olive oils, Jojoba Oil, fair-trade Shea butter, and VT beeswax. Also available as a lip balm.

Lemon Rosemary Cuticle Balm~ for gardeners, carpenters, athletes, crafters, farmers, sailors, and others who work with their hands. Massage this anti-bacterial balm into cuticles and nails to soften dry, cracked skin. VT & ME Calendula flowers, fair-trade Palestinian Olive oil, Jojoba oil, fair-trade Shea Butter from Burkina Faso, VT Beeswax, and essential oils of Lemon and Rosemary.

Blending the oils for Tigress Balm, red St. Johnswortoil bleeding into the amber-colored oils.

Lip Balms

Around the World Lip Balm ~ a smooth blend to soothe dry lips made with ingredients from near and afar. ME & VT & Irish herbs infused in fair-trade Palestinian and organic Olive oils, fair-trade Shea butter from Burkina Faso, Cocoa Butter from Jamaica and Mexico, VT beeswax, and Essential oils. Please indicate flavor: Sweet Orange, Peppermint, Lavender, Rose, and Unscented (Cocoa Butter).

Herbal Lip Gloss ~ an herbal red-tinted lip gloss with your choice of aphrodisiac scents. Alkanet root and local Calendula, fair-trade Palestinian Olive oil, Coconut oil, local Beeswax, and Essential oil. Choose flavor: Rose or Ylang Ylang 

Infused Oils

Please inquire about the current list of limited quantities of infused oils, such as Calendula-Yarrow and Comfrey.

Flower Essences 
These flower essences are available as remedy bottles.  If you prefer a stock bottles, which you can further dilute into remedy bottles, please let me know.  Directions included upon request.

Yarrow Flower Essence ­– Yarrow flower essence (in a water and brandy base) helps strengthen our boundaries. Especially good for those who are quite sensitive and absorb the stress around them. This remedy can help support teachers, health practitioners/healers, counselors, caregivers, and others who work in emotionally/energetically intimate situations. And a must for those who work on the computer and for Facebook addicts. 

The following homemade flower essences can be bottled on their own (preserved with brandy), or added to single tinctures or blends: Blue Vervain, Cayenne, Corn, Dandelion, Furze/Gorse (from Ireland), Johnny Jump-up/Heartsease Pansy, Hawthorn (from Ireland), Hollyhock (pink), Lady’s Mantle dew, Magenta Lotus, Milkweed, Mugwort, Sunflower, Yarrow. Please let me know if you'd like to know more about these flowers.

Fresh summertime Rose petal harvest at the farm, creating Heart Elixir,

and infusing Rose petals in Coconut oil for the Love It Up Rose Salt Scrub.

Herbal Bodycare

Love It Up Rose Salt Scrub~ A gorgeously smooth rose-scented body scrub to massage in before bathing - exfoliates and softens skin, great for re*connecting with your skin in winter! Sea salt, Rose petals infused in Coconut oil, Jojoba oil, Almond oil, and Rose otto (essential oil in Jojoba oil), and Flower essences. 

Flax Lube Finally! A slippery, fun, and truly lubricant! (Note: Though this is a water-based extract, it has not yet been scientifically proven to be latex-friendly. This product is free of preservatives, it keeps for a couple weeks in the fridge or can be frozen in ice cube trays and used when desired) Organic Flax seed, Spring water, (optional: Cinnamon). Choose flavor: Original or light Cinnamon. 

ROSE LOVE! Heart Healing Gift Basket One 1oz Heart elixir; One 4 oz Love It Up Rose Salt Scrub; and One Lip Balm or Lip Gloss (specify type & flavor). 

SELF-CARE KIT: For Emotional First Aid One 1oz Heart Elixir, One 10z Tulsi Elixir, One ½ oz Yarrow flower essence, Two Rose Relaxation Bath Fizzies (Ingredients: Baking soda, Non-GMO Cornstarch, Citric acid, ME & VT Rose petals infused in Coconut oil, homemade Tulsi hydrosol, Rose petals, Flower essences and Essential oils.)  Yes, substitutions are definitely allowed! You can choose any two 1oz Elixirs/Blends and any ½ oz Flower Essence to go with your Bath Fizzies.

Zines are self-published photo-copied booklets created to share information, price includes shipping.

Mana Culture: Self-Care for Menstrual Health by Dana L Woodruff $3-5

Trans~Care: What to Eat and Supplements & Herbs to Help Prepare and Heal You Around Surgery Times by Jacoby Ballard $5-10

Holistic Care Through Gender Transition: A Nutrition and Herbal Guide to Transgender Care Jacoby Ballard $5-10

Ask First!: Resources for Supporters, Survivors, and Perpetrators of Sexual Assault by Cheyenne of the Wench Collective $3-5

Empower Yr Sexy Self: A Workbook by Cheyenne of the Wench Collectives $3-5

HPV by The Down There Health Collective (also available free online here) $3-5

Nourishing Endometriosis by Alhena Katsoff $5-7

The classic Hot Pantz: Do It Yourself Gynecology and Herbal Remedies $3-5

_________________________________________________________________

Please be in touch about Gift Certificates, Herbal & Health Workshops, and additional herbal products, such as custom-made Gift Baskets (Menstrual Health, Heart Remedy, Dreamtime Basket, Rest & Relaxation/Tension Relief), and more.

*These products have not been evaluated by the FDA. Seek advice of an experienced practitioner.