|
|
August 2008
One of our exercises!
|
 |
|
A basketful of colour! |
|
|
August was another busy month
made more difficult by the constant rain. It was almost impossible to pick
herbs to dry. Even on rainless days, the herbs were damp and most of my
calendula flowers went mouldy when I put them to dry.
I started experimenting with syrups, making a general
warming/anti-inflammatory, soothing syrup for my father with plantain,
marshmallow leaf, flowers and stalk, root ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and
rosehips. I made another, soothing syrup for an eight-year old with
chamomile and lemon balm.
The August workshop was held at the end of the month during a beautiful warm
day. There was plenty of lemon balm so we made a double-infused oil and
everyone picked their favourite flower for a flower essence. Margaret, Elsie
and Claire chose Himalayan Balsam, Pat chose red clover, Daisy was drawn to
the flowers most like her name – chamomile and feverfew while Katrina chose
marshmallow.
We sampled mint and bergamots teas, while Margaret learned how to sieve
dried nettle seed and Pat picked hawthorn berries newly ripe on the trees.
Daisy made a St John’s wort sunflower oil infusion to take home and Claire
and Katrina picked all the purple wild bergamot flowers and made an infused
honey.
When everyone had left, I picked more nettle seed to dry and made a double
infused comfrey oil.
The following morning I just had enough time to pick agrimony, calendula,
plantain, angelica leaf and root, St John’s wort flowers, Echinacea, haws,
red clover and Ladies mantle before it started raining heavily again.. It
was very satisfying to put up the first jars of hawthorn brandy ready for
the winter. |
