Violet Harvest!

Violets, those little tiny beauties that appear in our yard in Bend as a weed that I love so dear. Turns out...beauty is often medicinal.

Viola Tricolor: Violet, Pansy, Heart's Ease, Johnny Jump-Ups

Parts used: Leaves and flowers

Actions: Soothing, demulcent expectorant and diuretic. Lowers fevers. Mild sedative. Gentle and effective alternative for babies and young children, always check dosage.

Uses: General infections, fever, colds, flu, coughs, and congestion. Skin eruptions, hives, eczema, cradle cap, milk-crust, impetigo, and scabies. Smelly, staining or burning urine. Violet is especially indicated and very safe for babies and young children. Good for children's digestive complaints such as stomach ache and constipation. A tonic and pain relieving to the heart.

Make syrup, soup, and put them in your salads. Of course, always know your source, look out for fertilizers and pesticides.

Violets grown by your doorstep offer you powerful spiritual protection and ease for your heart.

No known contraindications.

Everything in moderation. Listen to what your body wants.

This is one of the incredible views that we see daily, our office and our backyard.

Getting ready to go to the production facility to make a fresh liquid extract.

Sources:

~Herb Pharm's "Therapeutic Herb Manual" by Ed Smith

~Wise Woman Herbal: Healing Wise by Susun S. Weed

Essential Oil Distillation...with steam!

About a year ago, at Tierra Learning Center in Leavenworth, Wa I was harvesting a whole lot of delicious organic lavender. Abundant good-smelling magic. I have got this strong kid-like desire to know where things come from, to grow them myself, and make the things I need from there. So, I was wondering how hard is it to make my own essential oil and of course, wanting to do it myself. And last Friday, with the help of our teacher, the fabulous Dagmar, my girls, and a $500 steam distiller I made essential oil!

Over a pound of dried lavender in the flask.

Beginning the boil. The steam rises up through the lavender and condenses as a hydrosol (extracted water soluble plant materials with volatile oils) and essential oil.

The essential oil rose and the hydrosol sank.

It's all done and the lavender is brown.

Lavender Essential Oil! Over a pound of herb made only 1/2 oz of essential oil.

The yield is different for each herb each time depending on the situation.

Here is a crazy fact: It takes approximately 30 Rose buds to yield 1 drop of rose essential oil! So most things that are rose scented are not actually true rose because it is freakishly expensive.

Ode to the Fairy Slipper

I fell head over heals in love... with a flower. A tiny deliciously sweet smelling orchid that is native to these parts. We first met in the Enchanted Forest and her name is Fairyslipper: Calypso Bulbosa. I swooned for her again today alongside the Umpqua River, near the hot springs. I couldn't resist a photo shoot. You see, she is a special lady, delicate and only to be appreciated in her own environment where she grows. She is so little and so delightful that is is quite easy to trample her or want to take her from home. Her root system is delicate and a slight tug can break her, making it difficult to transplant her as well. She is endangered. So pay attention when you are in the woods, if you do see her, get down on your belly look at her sweetly, smell her perfume, and pretend to be a fairy.

Here is some lore as described by "plants of the pacific northwest coast":

"Calypso, the goddess daughter of Atlas was Homer's beautiful nymph hidden in the woods and found by Ulysses when he was wrecked on the island of Ogygia. Calypso means 'concealment.'

Cytherea, is another name for fairyslipper and for Aphrodite: the goddess of love, beauty, and marriage. "

Here she is...