The plants in the garden grow abundantly and provide leaves, flowers, seeds and roots that we transform into medicines of many kinds.  Most often used are hydrosols, tinctures, elixirs and salves - I sell these at Boont Berry Natural Food Store as well as from home.

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White Sage on the left and Yarrow, on the right, are two stand bys for the hydrosols.  The white sage can be sprayed in a room to purify it instead of burning the sage.  The yarrow is a psychic and physical protector.  The botanical name, Achilleae, refers to the famous myth of Achilles whose mother dipped him as a baby in yarrow to protect him from war injuries.  She forgot his heel, where she held him, and he was shot by an arrow in the Achilles tendon.

Still

And here is the Alambic Copper Still.  I make the hydrosols here.  The high heat and pressure bring the water soluble oils and acids into solution (hence hydro-sol or water solution).   These then go into an amber bottle with an atomizer and are sprayed onto the skin or into the mouth.    

                                                              RachelFish2

   I fried some beautifully fat salmon the other evening for diner.  It filled the house with pungent fishy smell.  Opening up the windows didn’t do any good, so I got the bottle of your Oregano hydrosol and sprayed the air al around.  It was magic, completely cleared the air with no residual smell at all.  I was amazed.  Thank you so much.

                                                         

A Hydrosol is an aqueous solution or colloidal suspension of an essential oil obtained by steam distillation from aromatic plants. For a rose Hydrosol, for instance, I first gather the rose petals, then put them in my still with water. About 1 hour later, I have the floral water known as the Hydrosol. Hydrosols are aromatic waters, safer to the skin than essential oils, that provide both beautiful smells and medicine.  During the year I demonstrate and teach how to make Hydrosols, Tinctures, Elixirs and Salves. Students take them home for themselves & as gifts, particularly around the holidays.
A Tincture is made with plant matter, alcohol and water. The ratio of water to alcohol is calibrated to extract the maximum medicinal qualities from each different plant. The plant matter in my tinctures macerate (sit) for 2 months before being decanted.
An Elixir is a tincture that has food grade glycerin added. This makes it a sweet treat with medicinal qualities.
Salves or balms are made with medicinal plant matter, organic olive oil, and local beeswax. First the plant matter and olive oil are held at 110 degrees for a week, then the beeswax is added. I make two basic salves, a muscular/skeletal healing salve and a calendula salve used for healing cuts and scratches.

 

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The copper still from Portugal

 

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Philo School salves
Available hydrosols are lavender, damask rose, yarrow, goldenrod, oregano, thyme, chinese chrysanthemum, and others day by day.