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School of Botanical Medicine

- - U S N E A - - Usnea has been an important med

- - U S N E A - -
Usnea has been an important medicinal lichen in cultures worldwide for thousands and thousands of years. Traditionally, Usnea was used topically as a an anti-septic and anti-fungal powder. Usnea has many constituents that do not extract into water, so infusions and decoctions are not the most effective means of working with the lichen. In the last hundred years, herbalists began experimenting with extracting Usnea into alcohol for internal use. The results have been noteworthy! When properly made, Usnea tincture is a reliable immune stimulant and shelf stable topical anti-septic. Because Usnea is a lichen, not a plant, a standard dry herb maceration does not work as well as it does for dry plant material. Adding heat to the maceration brings out the medicine. We like to use an old-school grain grinder to powder the lichen, then we weigh it, add menstruum at 50% alcohol/50% water to the powder at 5x the weight. In winter we put the jars on our wood stove, though placing the jars in a water bath in a slow cooker on warm works just as well. After a couple of days of intermittent heat, the menstruum turns orange, the sign of a high quality Usnea extraction.
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Important note: Usnea is over-harvested in many places. We recommend harvesting only if you have a perennial relationship to the place you harvest, preferably taking only when you find the lichen in abundance on downed trees and limbs after a storm.

Is this the year you dive deeper into herbalism? T

Is this the year you dive deeper into herbalism? This year we are offering a new course for those who do not have time for our full 300 hour program. In our Fundamentals of Community Herbalism online program, students receive all of the pre-recorded content of our core program, but without the weekly live video conference time and weekly homework. Instead there is a monthly live Q&A and limited homework. This program is a good option for those who want a solid foundation in plant medicine as well as those who have already been to herb school but want to go deeper into energetics, tissue states, advanced medicine making, holistic anatomy & physiology and basic clinical skills. If you are local to WNC you may also join our Bioregional Immersion. Check out the link in our bio for details.

-- SOLSTICE - BITTERS - - When we make digestive

-- SOLSTICE - BITTERS - -
When we make digestive bitters, one of the most useful and widely needed remedies, we do not need to be as precise in our method as we are when we make medicines that require exact dosage. With bitters, we can get creative. As long as there is a clear bitter flavor to stimulate the liver, and the pungent flavor of some carminative herbs to aid digestion and circulation, we have room to experiment.
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This is an attempt to make Pomegranate Bitters. I left the peels on to add the necessary bitter component. To one chopped pomegranate, I added some cinnamon, ginger, a couple of cloves and some nutmeg. These herbs, like most culinary spices, add the carminative action to the formula. While the preparation is beautiful in this state, it does not yet have a strong bitter flavor. I am going to blend the whole concoction to increase the surface area of the plant material which will help facilitate the extraction and hopefully lead to the flavors necessary to stimulate digestion.
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This formula has the added benefit of bringing the lore and flavors of the season to the medicine. Pomegranate seeds are key to the tale of Persephone, whose yearly time in the underworld is the source of winters. Clove, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon are herbs whose medicinal virtues help to preserve food and to support the digestion of heavy foods traditionally consumed more in the cold months.These are the herbs of the dark moons. This concoction will be bright medicine as the days grow longer and spring approaches.
-- Janet

Alcohol free extracts are important elements of an

Alcohol free extracts are important elements of any apothecary, but not all herbs extract well into other substances. If you want to use vinegar or honey as a medicine base, it is important to learn which substrates extract which herbal constituents. Vinegar is not really a solvent, it is an acidic water. Mineral rich herbs go well in vinegar, as do some aromatic herbs. Honey is a wonderful vehicle for aromatic herbs as well and adds its own healing properties to the medicine. Generally, we use vinegar and honey to make medicine when we want to add their virtues to those of the plants. Vinegar's sour taste stimulates digestion and cools hot conditions. Honey nourishes the body and spirit, while easing sore throats and sometimes preventing seasonal allergies. Mint family plants make powerful infused honeys, as do the resinous roots that support the respiratory system like Elecampane and Angelica.
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Trying to extract other kinds of herbs into these substrates is not always effective, which can be a waste of the plants as well as the menstruum. If you want to deliver other herbs without alcohol, try tea, powdered herb in capsules or making medicine balls. Glycerin can work for some herbs, but the sweet flavor can cloy the medicinal action of many. Glycerin extracts are not shelf stable for as long as alcohol based extracts either. We want to make medicine that is not alcohol based but is delivered like a tincture. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. Out of respect for the plants, and the people taking the medicine, make sure you find the best way to dispense the herbs according to their constituents. Tea is the safest bet, though not everyone can commit to a tea regimen. We have to get creative but build on a foundation of the basic chemistry of medicine making.
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Pictured here, a Goldenrod oxymel in the works. The aromatics of Goldenrod combine well with the vinegar and honey of an oxymel preparation.

Tips on supporting the immune system as we move in

Tips on supporting the immune system as we move into a cold and flu season during a pandemic can be found in our newsletter, including when to use the different classes of herbs that support immunity. Plus details on our new online course offering. Link in bio.
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Pictured: Elder flower on a blue glazed platter.

- - BIG - NEWS - - New community herbalism program

- - BIG - NEWS - -
New community herbalism program at Terra Sylva! For those of you who would like to attend our community herbalism program but do not have time/resources for the full 300 hour program, we are offering a second program. Participants will receive the same pre-recorded material with less classroom follow-up, less homework and nearly half the cost. To compare the two programs and see what's right for you, follow the link in our bio. If you know someone who would be interested in learning this material in a more relaxed pace than our usual program, let them know.

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