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Rachel Berry

DIY tips

Is That Herbal Salve Always Good for Your Wound?

For many of us, salve making is our introductory experience into crafting our own herbal medicine. It?s our entry into the alchemy of turning living plants into a medicine we can use to heal our bodies. It happened to me ? when I infused calendula, plantain, and comfrey into olive Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 6 years6 years ago
albizia
herbal medicine

Herbs for Calming the Nervous System

As we approach the holidays and post-election season, it?s a good time to think about how to fold in some good self-care so we can enjoy (and even relax!) during the hectic holidays. My self-care focus this year: calming and nourishing the nervous system. Why the nervous system? Between a Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 6 years6 years ago
DIY tips

DIY Colored and Medicated Lip Balms

Lip balms are one of the easiest herbal preps to make – the recipe is flexible, you can easily customize it with your favorite oils and herbs, and you can even give them color and shimmer without using any synthetic ingredients.? You can make lip balms just for color, or Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 7 years7 years ago
DIY tips

How to Dry Herbs

Are your herbs growing like crazy in the garden? What do you do with them all?? Here are some tips to help you successfully dry them for use all year round. Why Bother to Dry Herbs? Even if you just have a small patch of calendula, chamomile or mint, you Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 7 years7 years ago
DIY tips

Make Your Own Herbal Skin Care

I started making my own skin care over ten years ago, and I’ve never gone back, because it is so easy, it feels so much better, and I want to avoid the chemicals that are so common in commercial products. A study by the Environmental Working Group showed that the Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 7 years7 years ago
DIY tips

DIY Hair Care Recipes that Work

About 10 years ago, I was inspired to start making my own body care products.? It was pretty easy to make my own my lotions, creams, lipbalms, and with some more practice I figured out how to make my own bug repellent and sunscreen.? Since then I’ve taught hundreds of Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 7 years ago
recipes

Madrone Berry Gifts & Eats for the Holiday Season

The madrone tree (Arbutus menziesii) is a treasured beauty of the Sierra Foothills.? It has a long history of use among the Native American, for both medicine and food, and has recently gained more attention here in the Sierra Foothills as a unique form of placed-based jewelry, often made into Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 7 years7 years ago
DIY tips

Making medicine with Rose Hips

While it hasn’t been a good year for rain and snow in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, its been a great year for collecting wild rose hips! Rose hips, the fruit of the rose flower, are high in vitamin C, antioxidants, and have a delicious sweet and tangy taste. They can Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 8 years8 years ago
DIY tips

Safe & Ethical Guidelines for Wildcrafting

Wildcrafting, as my partner Matt and I practice and promote it, is making a commitment to deepen your connection to the natural landscape and take responsibility for its regeneration. It is learning about the plants around you, how they reproduce, where they live, and what they need to thrive. It’s Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 8 years2 years ago
DIY tips

What supplies do you need to make herbal products?

Fortunately for the home herbalist, most of the supplies needed for medicine making are likely in your kitchen.? In addition to the herbs themselves, here’s a list of what is helpful to have on hand: Basic supplies –Recycled glass jars or mason jars in a variety of sizes (4 oz, Read more…

By Rachel Berry, 8 years5 years ago

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