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by Patrice Green Lately I’ve been thinking about herbs in a slightly different way. In the beginning of my herbal adventures, I was eager to get to know all the different plants, and furiously made a profusion of tinctures, oils, glycerides and the like. This is common for beginning herbalists. After a while, I realized that I had a larger apothecary than I needed. As time passed and glycerides and oils had to be tossed because they were losing potency, I began to get a better understanding of what my personal needs were, and felt guilty for taking more plants than I used. Plants give us everything. I’ve said it before and I will say it again: they give us oxygen, food, medicine, and ask for nothing in return except our carbon dioxide and maybe the hope that we won’t destroy this planet we share. When I realized I was taking more than I used, I began to make conscious choices about what to stock, and how much. More recently I’ve gotten even more specific, identifying those herbs that are “must haves” for me – the “Go To” plant allies which, season to season, I always have on hand. I consider them my personal arsenal. Here are a few: Yarrow: There is never a time when I don’t have beautiful yarrow in my apothecary. I absolutely love this herb and admire its versatility and strength. The dried herb in tea form is wonderful to ease fevers and severe colds. The infused oil is a must have ingredient for healing salves. I also like to use the infused oil with castor oil packs to heal deep bruising or severe menstrual cramping. The tincture is a without parallel if you’re trying to heal a severe injury and need any stagnant blood to break up and move out. It is also the premiere herb for treating fibroids. The essential oil smells heavenly, is one of the beautiful “blue” oils and is wonderful as part of a PMS remedy. Cautionary note: avoid while pregnant. Yarrow flower essence is a strengthener of the auric field and for those who are easily hurt by others.  St. John's Wort flower essence St. John’s Wort: Another must have for me is St. John’s Wort, specifically it’s beautiful cranberry-colored oil. Every year I make a fresh batch of this wonderful oil so that it’s readily available for use. Its analgesic properties are legendary. This beloved plant ally is a staple of my arthritis remedies/salves.When getting a massage, I always make an aromatherapy blend with St. John’s Wort oil as the carrier and ask the massage therapist to use it during my session. You can almost feel the heat of the sun warming the affected area when using this amazing plant in oil form. The flower essence is wonderful for those afflicted with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Another cautionary note: if you are taking anti-depressants, stick with St. John’s Wort flower essence rather than tincture, as the tincture is contra-indicated. I hope some of you reading this may start to think about your use of the herbs as well, and how we can ease the burden on Mother Earth so that there continues to be plenty of Her bounty for all of us.  Herbal oils infusing in the sun  Patrice Green is an Herbal Educator, Certified Aromatherapist, Energy Medicine and Reiki Practitioner and founder of Green Aromatics. She is also the Assistant Director at the Boston School of Herbal Studies. She received her herbal training at the Boston School of Herbal Studies, and shamanic training from Isa Gucciardi, Ph. D. at the Sacred Stream in Berkley, CA. Inspired by time spent among the coastal Redwoods of Muir Woods and its beach, Green Aromatics strives to imbue its products and services with the same resilience, joy and equanimity of these majestic beings. Patrice may be reached through the Green Aromatics website.
by Melanie Brown  Perhaps when you think of Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) you think to yourself, “Oh yeah, that herb for menopause.” That is understandable and to be expected, especially when a plant has shown to be fantastic at addressing a particular issue or holds an affinity for a specific organ and system in the body. This however, is doing an injustice to the plant for a number of reasons. First, we are not respecting the plant as a whole for its many different constituents and actions. This has serious consequences as you can see with certain plants becoming a “fad” or a “one-plant-fits-all” approach, which can sometimes in result in it gaining quick popularity followed by over-harvesting. Black Cohosh is a woodland perennial, native to the United States and found the Appalachian Mountain Range across the Eastern hardwood forest to the Ozark Plateau and north into the Great Lakes region. Surprisingly it is incredibly easy to grow if you have a nice spot at the edge of some woods with partial shade, grown by seed or live, dormant roots. Strictly Medicinal Seeds company (formerly Horizon Herbs) ships ready to plant roots for autumn planting to have them emerge the following spring. We know for certain Black Cohosh has been traditionally used to support the female reproductive system throughout each stage of menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. It has an affinity for those who experience mood fluctuations, especially before and during menopause. A dark, brooding, melancholic and turned inward, negative self-talk sort of behavior is ideal for this person to be reaching for the non-standardized, fresh root tincture. Small doses (5-10 drops) are recommended. The dried root has been shown to cause headaches and large doses have been shown to cause vertigo, nausea, and nervous system distress. It is also used to reduce the inflammation and muscular pain of rheumatism and inflammatory arthritis, specifically for a dull, achy condition. It increases blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, and relieves ringing in the ears.  If you look at the flowering stalks, while considering the Doctrine of Signatures, it closely resembles the spine. Many well-known, clinical herbalists now use it in treating pain associated with whiplash. Herbalist 7Song keeps a tincture on hand for use in first aid as a musculoskeletal relaxant for acute situations. David Winston has a beautiful synergistic formula containing black cohosh, kava kava and ashwagandha. It also combines really nicely with St. John’s wort, lavender, rose, crampbark, wild yam and siberian ginseng depending on what you are needing it for. When I think about this graceful, strong plant I now keep a few important reminders close to my heart: It is not for every woman going through menopause. It can easily be cultivated on my own land to ensure permeability in its own native habitat. Fresh root is ideal when making medicine with it because certain active constituents are not available through the dried root. Standardized extracts and pills should be avoided because of unpleasant side effects. I also love the essence of its flowers: it imparts the ability to confront and actively transform negative, destructive, or threatening circumstances. In this way it is possible to gain enormous power, learning to balance and harness innate strength and physical prowess.    Melanie Brown is a native New Englander who always had an early connection to nature and the outdoors. Together with her four year old son she gathers the ingredients to make small batch plant based body care products which you can find at her herbal apothecary, FIR&ELM. She is a graduate of Boston School of Herbal Studies and currently apprenticing with Margi Flint of Earthsong Herbals. Her passion is to share and spread the message of community herbalism that lies right outside in our own backyards.
Happy almost-Fall! For many of us, this is our favorite time to learn, take classes, and pick up some new herbal books. If you feel the same way, check out our extensive list of upcoming herbal classes being offered throughout New England starting this month. All the details are below... And of course we look forward to seeing you at our next event, the popular Wintergreen Holiday Market, which will take place on Saturday, November 26th at the Armory! Harvesting the Bounty - Gathering and Storing Useful Plants Sept 17th with Su Cousineau Mattapan, MA Register with Boston Nature Center Hall’s Pond Herb Walk September 21st with the CommonWealth Center for Holistic Herbalism Brookline, MA http://commonwealthherbs.com/halls-pond-herb-walk-brookline/ Make Your Own Cocktail Bitters Sept. 22, 7pm with Ryn Midura The Armory, Somerville Register Here Building a Home Herbal Apothecary to Support Children's Health September 23 with Ashley Sapir Gardiner Public Library, Gardiner NY http://www.dreamkeeperbotanicals.com/education-events/ Aromatherapy Certification Course beginning September 24 with Linda Patterson Arlington, MA http://bostonherbalstudies.com/bostonherbalstudies.com/Classes.html What's All the Buzz About? Honeybees, Beekeeping & Our Environment Sept. 26, 7pm with Tony Lulek The Armory, Somerville Register Here Radical Mycology September 28th with Peter McCoy Brookline, MA http://commonwealthherbs.com/peter-mccoy-radical-mycology/ Wild Urban Plant Walk September 29nd, 5:00 - 5:45pm with Steph Zabel Melrose Farmers' Market www.flowerfolkherbs.com/calendar.html The Chakra Apprenticeship for Women beginning October 2016 with Debra Bluth online thechakraapprenticeship.com & seedandlegend.com Stronger Immunity - Medicinal Teas Oct 1st with Su Cousineau Mattapan, MA Register with Boston Nature Center A Nourished Postpartum: Herbal Allies and Diet for the “Fourth Trimester” October 1, 2016 with Krystina Friedlander GLOW Holistic Wellness Studio, York, ME http://glowbodywork.com/womens-wellness-workshops/#a-nourished-postpartum Herbal Solutions for Stress and Anxiety October 5 with Ashley Sapir Hudson Valley Midwifery Center, Kingston NY http://www.hudsonvalleymidwifery.com/classes-events Herbs for Midwives and Doulas October 5th - October 26th with the CommonWealth Center for Holistic Herbalism Brookline, MA http://commonwealthherbs.com/herbs-midwives-doulas/ Backyard Bundles Eco-printing October 9 with Amy Lou Stein Craftwork Somerville https://www.craftwork.rocks Intermediate Herbal Studies starting Oct 13 for 10 weeks with Mischa Schuler and Katie Munn Portland, ME Contact [email protected] for registration Stronger Immunity - A Powerful Herbal Syrup for the Whole Family Oct 15th with Su Cousineau Mattapan, MA Register with Boston Nature Center Understanding the Progression of Lyme Disease: Chinese Medicine and Western Herbs October 15 with Brendan Kelly Railyard Apothecary, Burlington, VT http://www.railyardapothecary.com/classroom/ Lyme Practitioner Training beginning Oct. 17th with Tommy Priester Lincoln, MA http://bostonherbalstudies.com/bostonherbalstudies.com/Classes.html Prenatal Craft Hour: Making Herbal Sitz Baths October 18 with Ashley Sapir Hudson Valley Midwifery Center, Kingston NY http://www.hudsonvalleymidwifery.com/classes-events Not Your Grandmother's Lye Soap Oct. 19th, 7pm with Tony Lulek The Armory, Somerville Register Here Silent Forest Retreat October 21st - 23rd with the CommonWealth Center for Holistic Herbalism Royalston, MA http://commonwealthherbs.com/silent-retreat/ Bitter is Better! An Herbal Tincture for Digestive Health Oct 29th with Su Cousineau Mattapan, MA Register with Boston Nature Center Know Your Cycles October 29, and offered again on November 19 with Krystina Friedlander GLOW Holistic Wellness Studio, York, ME http://glowbodywork.com/womens-wellness-workshops/#know-cycles-workshop Understanding the Progression of Lyme Disease: Chinese Medicine and Western Herbs October 29, 9am-1pm with Brendan Kelly Lyme Disease Resource Center, Inc, Northampton, MA http://www.sweetbirchherbals.com/workshop-schedule Free public talk: Understanding and Treating Lyme Disease October 29, 3-4:30pm Lyme Disease Resource Center, Inc, Northampton, MA http://www.lymedrc.org Herbs for Everyday Living: Fall Mini Series starting Nov. 1st for 4 weeks with Steph Zabel Melrose, MA www.flowerfolkherbs.com/herbs-for-everyday-living.html Herbal Oils and Salves - Soothing Aches and Pains Nov 5th with Su Cousineau Mattapan, MA Register with Boston Nature Center Madder Root: An Exploration of an Ancient Dye November 12 with Jackie Ottino-Graf Craftwork Somerville https://www.craftwork.rocks Get Buggy: Dyeing with Cochineal November 13 with Amy Lou Stein Craftwork Somerville https://www.craftwork.rocks Herbal Kitchen Pharmacy : Cooking Demonstrations November 13th with Brittany Wood Nickerson Natural Living Expo in Marlboro, MA www.thymeherbal.com/workshops Medicine-Making 101: Tinctures, Vinegars & Oxymels November 15th with Jade Alicandro Mace River Valley Co-op. Northampton, MA www.milkandhoneyherbs.com The Wintergreen Herbal Market! November 26th hosted by Herbstalk The Armory, Somerville, MA http://www.herbstalk.org/wintergreen-herbal-market.html  |
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