Herbfest 2024 - Recipes and lnformation to get you started
-
Oxymels are a delicious way to make herbs come alive as medicines.
By making Oxymels, you are carrying the lineage of herbalists as far back as Ancient Greek/ Roman era. Oxymelli is the word that Oxymel is derived from, literally meaning acid and honey.
The Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Raw honey in equal parts are poured over the herbs.
Use around quarter a jar to half a jar of herbs chopped. Make a theme of related herbs, such as this winter warming antiseptic blend... Lemon Myrtle, Rosemary, Elder Berry and Fireside spice blend (our signature blend with apple, hibiscus, gunpowder tea, rosehip, clove, orange peel, lemon peel, cinnamon and Safflower)
Once herbs are covered, place a piece of baking paper to protect the inside of your jar lid from the acid. Shake the mix daily.
Place it in a cool shelf for 1-2 weeks.
It will ferment and bubble.
Once ready, strain the herbs and refrigerate your blend. You may want to leave the herbs in a bit longer to create a more potent Oxymel (that is your choice)
Take 1-3 tablespoons in warm or cool water as your health elixir.
The sourness of the Apple Cider Vinegar is a great liver cleanser, mucous decongestant and antiseptic. The raw honey is antiseptic and soothing to the inner body linings.
(Children under age 1 are not advised to take honey, due to potential allergy reactions)
This Oxymel can also be used as salad dressing or marinade if mixed with olive oil.
Add to cocktails or mocktails for a sweet sour boost.
Almost any herb, fruit peel, flower and spice can be used to make an oxymel so get creative!
Fire Cider is a famous Oxymel made with Ginger, Horseradish, Onion, Garlic, Peppers, Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice, Rosemary and Turmeric.
Enjoy!
-
We strongly encourage you to start your tea tasting experience with a very weak brew and then customize it to suit your individual taste and smell as well as and body response.
Take time to enjoy tea. It is a deeply personal ritual to connect your nervous system with nature. Share the enjoyment with others whenever you can to help people connect.
As a general rule one teaspoon is the average amount of tea per cup. You can use the tea over and over throughout the day if you don't over steep the plant each time, so follow the guides below to get the most out of your tea.
Generally, here is how you can make the teas:
• Herbal teas - 100 degrees for 2 minutes. You can reuse the same herbs for a few more cups that day. • Fruit teas - 70 degrees & Iced teas, steep overnight - 2-3 teaspoons per litre of water.
• Green tea - 80 degrees for 1-3 minutes
• White tea - 70 degrees for 5-10 minutes
• Oolong tea - 90 degrees for 1 minute. Reuse herbs and steep for 1 minute each time.
• Chai tea - 90 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Usually made in a pot. Add honey and milk to taste
• Black tea - 90 degrees for 3-5 minutes
• Pu-erh tea - 100 degrees for 5 minutes.
Enjoyment of tea is universal across many cultures and there are no firmly set rules on how you enjoy your tea. It is really your experience. There may be teas that do not agree with your body or teas that over time are too heating, too drying, too uplifting, to dreamy even. Your attention to your own body will determine this.
If you are taking medications, please check with your medical provider for potential interactions. Enjoy the tea adventures!
-
Your herbal oil is artfully made as a concentrate using our special method with only natural ingredients. This method we teach in our workshops and it is a specialty of The Herb Emporium that we are happy to share far and wide.
Each oil is unique and amazing with so many uses and so versatile for health care. Ask us which oils are great for eczema, shingles, dry skin, cracking skin, dry lips, inflammations, acne etc.
Always use your oil diluted - 10% is enough in whatever base you choose.
Now that you have one of our oils here are 5 ways to get to know herbs as oils:
Add a few dropper fulls to bath water for a deep immersion. Smooth the oily bath water all over your skin and feel the plant effect through your sense of touch, smell and intuition.
Use the oil for product making - melt beeswax in a double boiler, then add 10% oil to the wax. Stir and add to a jar for skin healing use. You can melt coco butter or shea butter with the beeswax for extra soothing effects.
Add 10% of the oil to your favorite natural skincare creams or oils to make it medicinal - any natural skincare base cream will do as this already has emulsifiers to help combined the oil.
Dilute 10% of our oil in 90% carrier oil such as coconut oil, rosehip oil, avocado oil. It makes a hydrating face serum when you use a few drops every day as your skin hydration base.
Find herbal recipes in books and add 10% to the oil component, such as bath bombs, lip balms, body butter, body oils. Oils will also mix with Aloe for soothing relief.
Some recommended oil recipe texts to get your inspired are:
Natural Homemade Skin Care - Militza Maury.
Natural Beauty Alchemy - Fifi M Maacaron.
And of course, our workshops are coming so keep in touch for updates!
Discover your Herb Passion
Embark on a journey of knowledge and inspiration. Unleash your potential and unlock the secrets of herbology. Whether you dream of starting a business, exploring new passions, or sharing your creative projects with the world, we're here to guide you every step of the way.
Workshops are coming!!
Affliate Links - Community Connecting
Connections are vital to grow our community and ourselves so let’s grow this herbal movement together!!
We want to showcase all the businesses we are supporting here.
WE ARE SO EXCITE TO BE BRINGING THIS SOON…
As we get to know more and more local businesses, we want to spread the word in our community and support so many herb people.
Contact us about your herbal community and Natural Health Business…