New things are brewing this year.  I feel the excitement of spring in the air, even through the chill wind.

This spring is the launch of our new Medicine Making Pick-up Parties.  Members are invited to join us in the garden to learn more about herbal medicine.  We will make some seasonal medicine together and provide more details about the CSA products for the season. So join us for a fun time in the garden!

And here is what’s in store for the spring:

B. Clear Tea Blend

This is a wake up call to your system!  It’s spring time! Time to get a move on and clear out all the old stuff that’s piled up over the holidays and the cold weather.  It includes herbs that promote clear sinuses, clear heads, clear body systems.  It’s also jam packed with vitamins and minerals to boost your system as you get more active. Holy basil and nettles can help with seasonal allergies as well!  

Made with all organic herbs: holy basil, nettle, alfalfa, cleavers, dandelion, sage, licorice.

Clear Head Tonic

This blend highlights goldenrod (Solidago spp.), which is not to be confused with ragweed (Ambrosia spp.) that blooms at the same time and is the cause of many people’s seasonal allergies.  Goldenrod actually has astringent and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the body’s over-reaction to pollen and soothe the itchy eyes, congestion and fatigue that accompany seasonal allergies.  And we have holy basil and nettles again (not only because I love them) because nettle acts as an antihistamine and holy basil is a superior adaptogen for supporting the immune system.  Thyme and sage clear our sinuses and fight infection.  Raw honey is anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and an expectorant, soothing bronchial passageways and respiratory distress. And if it’s local, then all the better to build your body’s resistance to allergies. Breathe well!

Made with all fresh, Rhode Island harvested herbs: goldenrod, holy basil, nettle, sage, thyme with raw RI honey, grain alcohol and brandy

Herbal Iron Syrup  

This delicious blend of roots and leaves is a potent and easily absorbable source of biochelated iron, as well as many other vitamins and minerals. It is also a wonderful support for your liver.  As our body’s master detoxifier and processor of all we ingest, the liver is a very important organ to keep in balance.  The liver also manufactures many of the building blocks needed for hormone production and helps regulate hormone activity.  When addressing any imbalance, it is helpful to also support the liver.

Made with all fresh, RI harvested herbs: yellow dock root, burdock root, dandelion root and leaf, raspberry leaf, nettles, honey, brandy, molasses, black cherry juice concentrate.

Cleavers Tincture

And one more spring time weed.  This little sticky friend “cleaves” onto anything it touches, earning it the nickname “velcro plant.”  It is a mild diuretic and soothes and tones the kidneys and urinary tract. It is also one of the best ally for the lymphatic system.  As I’ve read more about this complicated system of the body, I realize how much I didn’t know about it (isn’t that always the way? As we dig deeper, we discover our ignorance.).  So the lymph system is the main cleansing mechanism of the body, flushing out toxins that are trapped in our tissues, sending them into the bloodstream to be cleansed by the liver and kidneys. Conditions like psoriasis, arthritis, swollen glands and some tumors are aided by the cleansing action of cleavers. It also works directly on the kidneys, soothing inflammation and infection of the urinary tract.

Made with fresh, RI harvested cleavers in grain alcohol and water.

Gardener’s Hand Cream

This is a thick and highly moisturizing cream made with shea butter, cocoa butter, almond oil, calendula and chickweed infused olive oil, water,  aloe and lavender essential oil.  The water and aloe are slowly blended into the oils to create a thick, whipped creamy texture that allows the liquids to soak into your skin and stay locked in with the oils.

Clay Toothpaste

This is a clay-based toothpaste made with bentonite clay, stevia, and salt. Some blends are flavored with essential oils, some with herbal extracts.  The clay is very drawing, pulling out bacteria and infection from the gums and mouth.  Members choose from peppermint, cinnamon, citrus or fennel.  A lot of info on clay toothpaste is here http://redandhoney.com/homemade-toothpaste-with-clay-and-coconut-oil/

Lavender Face Scrub

Clay again! This time it works to draw out oils, makeup, and impurities in the skin. The slight amount of texture from ground up almonds works to gently exfoliate and leave the skin super smooth. The oats and flowers are nourishing and replenishing for the skin.

Made with clay, organic oats, almonds, lavender, and rose petals.