Linden Calling

Little did I know that when we rented the goats I would be given another plant path to explore: herbs! Laura and Dr. Dave are members of the NC Herb Association and they told me about a then-upcoming Wild Herb Weekend.

Well that wild weekend was this past one! As someone prone to horrible anxiety, I used my years of inner work to get through the issues and actually mingle and learn some stuff! Without getting into all the workshops (yet? Maybe in other posts?), I found an especially helpful space in the classroom of Marc Williams. I took 2 classes from him:  an ethnobotany course on medicinal herbs used by NC's First Nations, and Formulation of Aphrodisiacs.

Before I go any further, I've had a You Grow Girl post in the back of my mind for a long time. This year I've really honed in on some linden trees in bloom, making note that this is my year to forage their blooms and learn about them further. On Saturday Laura offered a class on making sun tea, and one of the teas was linden based. Naturally I had to try it if I was on the verge of my own harvest. That night a bunk mate offered me a tincture made with wild berries, cocoa, and linden. We talked about the specifics of it, the uses and the reasons she picked that particular combination. Guess what? Linden is good for opening the heart!   

Now, let me get this straight: aphrodisiacs? At the risk of TMI, give me a few beers or a bottle of wine and I'm good. But after the first class with Marc, his approach to herbs and his general charm as a teacher, I knew I wanted to stay and learn some more, no matter the topic. Aphrodisiacs it was.

The clincher, so to speak, was that it was a course on heart opening, not necessarily focused on gettin' some action. The class covered a bit of the science, a bit of tradition and lore, and a lengthy discussion about appropriate herbs and methods of use.  I don't know about you, but with all the news lately I think my heart has gotten a bit hard and closed. It could, and still can, use some opening, some receptiveness, a lot less guarding. I guess there was a reason the linden flowers were calling.

Homemade Witch Hazel

Today's hippie experiment: homemade witch hazel. Deciding what to infuse it with.

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Sometimes I buy plants because I want to try my hand at using them for the mainstream product associated with the plant name. Well, maybe just one time I did that? I don't know how long ago I bought a witch hazel tree (H. vernalis), but I put it in a big pot when I got home and never got around to making the skin astringent I'd intended.

Making homemade witch hazel extract!

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I {finally} put that sucker in the ground (it outgrew the pot a looong time ago--oops) and decided I should prune it a little. Since I had a branch I might as well make witch hazel, right?

Ready to infuse with herbs. #DIY #witchhazel

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After a few hours on the internet (over-research much?) I settled on the second set of instructions in this post.

Get my goat: A print to expand our homestead

While we're busy working on household projects, we've got a few other projects in the works too. I've been dividing plants and expanding gardens like a maniac. We've constructed a few ideas to regain control of the wooded front half of our property. There are others, but the list is just too long; it gets overwhelming.

goat peek4.jpg

We've been talking for several years about renting goats to help regain the areas overtaken by poison ivy and other impossible-to-battle vines. Well, it's finally time! We're ready to rent 2 billies from Wish We Had Acres, a pretty phenomenal farming and natural living, goat herding duo located here in Charlotte.

6x6 version

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We'll need to have these literal weed eaters for a fairly lengthy time. To celebrate (and offset the cost) I've created a colorfully goat-themed print.  Think of it as a CSA, you'll be helping these goats clear and enrich the land for us to grow even more food and you won't even break a sweat. (Not to mention avoiding the poison ivy!) What you will get is an archival print of some pretty feisty weeds, a tasty lunch for a wonderfully capricious critter.  

12x12" print

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These prints are archival and of the same quality of my other prints.

There are 2 sizes: 6 x 6" and 12 x 12". Make sure to leave me a note saying the size you prefer. Ready to pitch in? Click the donate button and pick your price; you'll be taken to Paypal for check out, please make sure they have the correct shipping address listed.

{Prints ship First Class, so please consider shipping costs.}