Showing posts with label organic efforts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organic efforts. Show all posts

4.29.2014

Mayday Handmade Fair

This Saturday's Mayday Handmade Fair is open to the public and free to all! Doors open at noon sharp. Feel free to RSVP or share via FB. In honor of Mother’s Day, 10% of vendor proceeds will benefit the East End Pregnancy Test + Help Center. Read here about my own reasons for supporting the center with proceeds from Limb & Leaf!
I'll have fresh batches of Zzzzzzz Cream, Breathe Balm, Healing Salve & gift certificates for upcoming HerbShop events, among other thoughtful gift items! Other vendors plan to offer:

  • paintings, prints & home decor
  • toys, greeting cards & garlands
  • handknits & printed apparel
  • herbal body care & loose teas
  • jewelry (both local & fair trade from overseas)

4.09.2014

DIY Herb Love & Lore


Three more spaces available this Saturday for HerbShop. We'll be making first-aid remedies, drinking probiotic tea & identifying wild, healing herbs of spring! Sign up via the Square marketplace.
Hope to see you there!



3.28.2014

April HerbShop: Skincare & Seasonal Relief

Zzzzzzz Cream
Skincare & Seasonal Relief

Learn & practice hands-on methods for making herb infused oils & medicinal tinctures to help protect against & recover from common skin ailments & allergic reactions. Starting with an overview of herb properties, we will examine different extraction methods while learning when they can be best applied. The remainder of the class will be devoted to preparing an herb & essential oil first-aid antibiotic salve, a bentonite clay body powder & ending with a Q&A session and talking the pros & cons of ordering herbs in bulk. Our structure is a lab rather than lecture, so please come ready to work with your hands & revolutionize your medicine cabinet while having lots of fun! 

All materials will be provided. Each student will walk away with a travel size healing salve, recipe cards to jog the memory at home, book lists & online resources... It's taken me 4 yrs to learn where to find the best ingredients at affordable prices & what works for sensitive, damaged, acne-prone or newborn skin. I'm just sharing the love!

Date/Time: April 12, 2014 / 2-4pm
Location: 23223 (my house)
Cost: $35 (includes all materials) 
Sign up via the Square marketplace 
Hope to see you there!
xoxo 
Megs

2.18.2014

March HerbShop: Skincare & Seasonal Relief



LIMB AND LEAF HERBSHOP
Skincare & Seasonal Relief

Learn & practice hands-on methods for making herb infused oils, salves and poultices. Starting with an overview of herb properties, we will examine different extraction methods while learning when they can be best applied. The remainder of the class will be devoted to preparing an herbal first-aid & antibiotic salve, ending with a Q&A session and talking the pros & cons of ordering herbs in bulk. Our structure is a lab rather than lecture, so please come ready to work with your hands & revolutionize your skin-care practices while having a lot of fun! All materials will be provided. Each student will leave with a travel size sample of healing salve, recipe cards to jog the memory at home, my book lists & online resources... It's taken me 4 yrs to learn where to find the best ingredients at affordable prices & what works for sensitive, damaged, acne-prone or newborn skin. I'm just sharing the love!

Date/Time: 2-4pm, March 22, 2014
Location: RVA's Northside, 23222
Cost: $35 (includes all materials)
Register on Square Market

11.12.2013

Limb and Leaf Herb DIY Workshop


Four years ago, as a new mama running out all of the gifted teas/soaps/lotions/powders, many aspects of natural, whole-body care felt elitist & pricey. The library & a YouTube video weren't enough to help me find raw, healing, plant-based ingredients that were affordable to DIY. 

Herbs were once the medicine of the people. Their natural beauty & virtue have fallen out of common practice in the home, as it takes time, trial & error to learn. I would like to share some simple, natural solutions & resources to let you see if it works for your family. To the first 10 people who sign up, please enjoy the second...


LIMB AND LEAF HERBSHOP
Immune Defense: Herbs for inner strength

Learn & practice hands-on methods for making herb infused oils & medicinal tinctures to help protect against & recover from common winter infections. Starting with an overview of herb properties, we will examine different extraction methods while learning when they can be best applied. The remainder of the class will be devoted to preparing an essential oil vapor balm & honey cough syrup, ending with a Q&A session and talking the pros & cons of ordering herbs in bulk. Our structure is a lab rather than lecture, so please come ready to work with your hands & revolutionize your medicine cabinet while having lots of fun! 

All materials will be provided. Each student will leave with 4 oz of carrier oils, a sample of vapor balm, my book lists & online resources... It's taken me 4 yrs to learn where to find the best ingredients at affordable prices & what works for ailing ears, throats & noses. I'm just sharing the love!

Date/Time: December 14, 2013 / 2-4pm
Location: RVA's southside (email for street address)
Cost: $35 (includes all materials)

Hope to see you there!

At this stage, we're using the Square marketplace to allow HerbShop participants to reserve their slot. For locals who want to pre-order gifts for pickup at the Holiday Handmade Fair, please order via Square & pickup on December 7, 2013 between 12-4pm at 400 W. 32nd St RVA 23225. Unopened/unused products may be exchanged with 14 days. Empty, used bottles & tins may be returned for a "refill" discount on the next item ordered.

10.29.2013

Forest Nursery Homeschool


Mama's Goals for Winter Contentment
  • Continue learning a healthy way to feed our family, one that nourishes our bodies & brains
  • Include the boys in small bits of food prep & clean-up daily
  • Read books on education & solidify our educational philosophy
  • Spend 3-5 hrs outdoors with the boys daily, in fields & forests whenever possible
  • Keep a nature journal(s)
  • Practice the art of story-telling & let the boys narrate back to me uninterrupted
  • Learn/refresh a foreign language
  • Further acquire a taste for poetry
  • Brush up on rusty skills & create something beautiful (watercolor pencils in stockings this year?)
  • Memorize Scripture together & some nursery rhymes

10.17.2013

limb and leaf: holiday additions

Beard Kitten

Meet your beard’s new best friends. Plant-based ingredients will tame whiskers, soften scruff, & encourage fuller beard growth while remaining pH neutral, hypoallergenic & make-out friendly.

WHISKER WASH: The hardy, subtle fragrance works with rugged scruff or a full-grown beard, helping moisturize surface skin & condition follicles. 4 oz of raw vitamins & minerals; ideal as a full-face wash & shave oil. Made with castor oil, grapeseed oil, peppermint & eucalyptus essential oils.

BEARD BALM: Antibacterial nourishment gives beards a stronger hold with maximum cuddle mojo. Smells like Earl Grey tea by a campfire. To tame coarse whiskers, use as a styling pomade. 4 oz should last all winter. Made with coconut oil, unrefined shea butter, beeswax, calendula, evening primrose oil, lavender, cedarwood, bergamot & vitamin E. 

BEST USE: Apply whisker wash, massage into beard & surrounding skin, comb from root to tip. Rinse as needed. Smooth damp whiskers with balm. Done. Beard kissers everywhere, rejoice!


Grave Robber

Soothing, aromatherapeutic vapor balm. In the 15th century, four thieves were charged with robbing the dead & dying victims of the Plague. At trial, the magistrate offered leniency if they would reveal how they avoided contracting infection, despite their close contact. These perfumers & spice traders had rubbed themselves with concentrations of the aromatic herbs mimicked in this balm, disinfecting the air they breathed as well as their skin.

Made with organic virgin coconut oil, mullein leaf & essential oils of clove bud, lemon, eucalyptus, cinnamon bark, & peppermint. Smells like a gingerbread house. Most effective when applied on the soles of the feet, behind the ears & under the armpits (think lymph nodes) at the early onset of symptoms. Tin holds 4 ounces & can be made into a balm if you prefer. Shelf-stable for 1 year.

PLEASE: For external use only. If your symptoms persist, I urge you to consult your physician or health practitioner. This information has not been evaluated by the FDA & is not intended to replace professional medical care.

Refresh Mineral Toothpaste

Kiss morning breath goodbye & remineralize tooth enamel by gently removing plaque while naturally supporting a healthy mouth. This toothpaste will help neutralize acid, remove bacteria-filled organic matter, leach out infection & promote healthy gums. It also gently removes stains that results from drinking tea, coffee & red wine.

Made with bentonite clay, organic cinnamon bark, organic stevia leaf, baking soda & Celtic sea salt. Sugar-free, fluoride-free, glycerin-free & safe to swallow. If you would prefer peppermint, I’m happy to make a custom batch.

Brush once a day with a pea-sized dollop for 2-3 min, focusing on the teeth & tongue but going easy on the gums. Bottle holds 4 ounces & is shelf-stable for 4 months (due to water content.)
PLEASE: Always store bentonite clay products in glass containers.

Elderberry Tincture

Food can be medicine! Concentrated doses of elderberry are useful against several strains of influenza & common winter viruses, colds, flu, hay fever, sinusitis & sore throats. Most effective when applied at the early onset of symptoms. Dissolve 1 tsp. elderberry tincture into 8 oz warm water (letting the alcohol evaporate) or juice; add 1 tsp. raw apple cider vinegar if you have some. Sip or gulp as needed up to 3x daily during illness.

Made with organic, non-GMO elderberries, organic cinnamon bark, 100 proof vodka & infused over a six (6) week period to achieve full strength. Bottle holds 4 ounces & is shelf-stable for 2 years.

PLEASE: If you have serious health issues or think you might be pregnant, I urge you to consult your physician or health practitioner before adding this tincture to your diet. This information has not been evaluated by the FDA & is not intended to replace professional medical care.

Breathe Easy

Soothing, aromatherapeutic vapor balm for congestion & coughs. Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, camphor-free, petroleum-free & friendly to all skin types. Most effective when applied on the soles of the feet, temples, behind the ears & under the armpits (think lymph nodes) at the early onset of symptoms.

Made with cold pressed organic coconut oil, mullein natural beeswax, & organic essential oils of eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender & tea tree. Makes a great personal go-to solid perfume or works well as a gift. Rave reviews when given at baby showers, as stocking stuffers & as thank you gifts. Tin holds 4 ounces which is about 2 ounces more than a Badger Balm tin.

PLEASE: If your symptoms persist, I urge you to consult your physician or health practitioner. This information has not been evaluated by the FDA & is not intended to replace professional medical care.

Honey, cough (syrup)

Mild tasting, herb infused cough syrup to sooth raw throats, expel congestion & soothe inflammation. Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, alcohol-free. Most effective when administered at the early onset of symptoms. Dissolve 1 tsp. Honey Cough into 8 oz warm water (making a pleasantly mild tea); add 1 tsp. raw apple cider vinegar if you have some. Sip or gulp as needed. 

Made with the golden ratio of organic honey, organic cinnamon bark, organic mullein leaves, distilled water & lemon juice to preserve. Bottle holds 8 ounces & should be refrigerated between uses for up to 6 months.

PLEASE: Do not feed Honey Cough to infants under one (1) year of age.
If your symptoms persist, I urge you to consult your physician or health practitioner. This information has not been evaluated by the FDA & is not intended to replace professional medical care.

9.20.2013

limb and leaf


In prep for next weekend's #HandmadeFairRVA, allow me to introduce my wares! Small batch, herbal body care after the traditions of domestic medicine, repurposing containers whenever possible. Low tech kitchen techniques ease the ache in my heart to take natural resources & make products that please the senses, nourish the body & serve everyday life. Secret ingredient: love.

All herbs & essential oils sourced from Mountain Rose Herbs, Native American Nutritionals, Bulk Herb Store (each USDA organic certified & sustainable harvest companies) or my kitchen garden (too small for the USDA to care that it's organic & sustainable.)

Healing Salve

Natural first-aid for all your skin's woes. Gentle enough for the newest baby bum; strong enough to calm a surprise wasp-sting; nourishing enough to help heal surgical scars.  Anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-itch. Most effective when applied immediately to injured skin.

Made with cold pressed organic coconut & extra virgin olive oil, organic calendula blossoms, organic comfrey & plantain leaves, natural beeswax, organic tea tree oil, organic eucalyptus & peppermint essential oils. Smooth, nourishing, moisturizing, petroleum-free & friendly to all skin types. Cloth diaper friendly. Rave reviews when given as a new mama gift, at showers & as thank you gifts.

Zzzzzzz Herb Cream

Fragrant, natural remedy for the tossie-turnies. You (& your babies) may start sleeping through thunderstorms. Most effective when applied on the soles of the feet, temples & behind the ears (think lymph nodes.) Smooth as silk, nourishing, moisturizing, petroleum-free & friendly to all skin types.

Made with cold pressed organic coconut oil, organic lavender & chamomile buds, organic cocoa butter, organic beeswax, & lavender essential oil. Makes a great personal go-to solid perfume or works well as a gift.

Detox Dry Shampoo

Vegan, talc free, organic scalp revitalizer for the girl who likes to camp. Or between washes for anyone with bangs, great for use before styling. Removes excess oil & dirt at the roots via bentonite clay (draws toxins into itself, washes away in the next shower, you won’t feel a thing.) Dust a small amount on roots and scalp. Using fingers, massage in. Brush throughout, from roots to end, helping to disperse evenly. Style as usual.

Made with the perfect ratio of bentonite clay, organic brown rice flour, organic cocoa powder (brunette version), baking soda & your choice of essential oil.
Essential Oil Addition Choices;
+lavender      +rosemary
+peppermint  +eucalyptus
+bergamot     +cedarwood

 Herbal Probiotic Tea This vegan drink is fermented with kefir grains. Mild enough for toddler tummies & a great alternative to commercially carbonated beverages, with a low glycemic load & no caffeine. As a natural supplier of probiotics, this tea restores the healthy flora of your stomach & intestines. As a natural source of electrolytes, this tea is a supplemental source of vitamins B12, B1 & B6.  Made using distilled water, organic raw sugars & herbal teas. Fermented over 24-48 hrs. (Kefir consists of lactic acid bacteria & yeast that exist in a symbiotic relationship.) Herbal tea variations:
+lavender        +rosemary
+peppermint    +chamomile

PLEASE: If you have serious health issues, I urge you to consult your physician or health practitioner before adding this tea to your diet.


7.17.2013

Horse & Buggy Produce: Coupon Code & Groupon Deal


In case y'all were interested in fruit boxes this season, or a CSA produce box, Horse & Buggy has given me a coupon code for 50% off the first week, which anyone can use for their first delivery. The code is HBTJ10. We are also running a Groupon deal (in Richmond, Charlottesville, Lynchburg) as an incentive to get customers to sign up now, rather than waiting.  There is a deal for new and existing customers.  The deal for new customers is half off 2 weeks of a basic produce box and their annual membership fee for $45, regular $110.  The deal for the current customers is 35% off the Fruit Box when added to their current delivery.  It’s $16, instead of $25.

Please let me know if you have any questions, & remember to use & share the HBTJ10 coupon code! Each box will be delivered to your door, so it's pretty ideal.
xoxo

6.06.2013

Local. Fresh. Delivered.

I think about food. A lot. If our home were a government bureaucracy, Mama would be the "Minister of Gastronomical Intelligence & Immunological Defense." Which certainly gives appropriate meaning to the days when nourishing each of us 3-4x is all I can accomplish. While the boys are young, it is my self-appointed full time job to research, source, prepare & enforce the consumption of organic, whole foods. Unprofessionally. Haphazardly. Not an "urban homestead" by a long-shot.

Part of my aim in writing here is to share the knowledge/resources that help me work smarter. Farmer's markets require more time/money than we have accessible. We want the flexibility of a weekly/monthly food budget rather than putting down cash at the beginning of each growing season. So I'm a local food buddy for our CSA, Horse & Buggy Produce. There are several sizes of produce shares, you can add A La Carte items or additional shares (meat, cheese, eggs, etc) online & they're added to your box each week. For extra flexibility, you can put your share on hold while out of town & can cancel anytime with no penalty.



If anyone who lives or works East End/Downtown RVA wants to join our drop site, please feel free to sign up online, choose a share size & put my name in the notes section so they'll know to switch your pickup location when it's all official next week. Because the boys are still small, we make do with a "Basic Weekly" share & will also begin a weekly fruit share in July. Delivery day is Wednesday (by 4pm.) I'm excited to support both local agriculture & our beloved community's health!

4.24.2013

where we'll be: this Saturday at Maymont



Herbs Galore & More
Saturday, April 27, 2013, 8am-4pm Carriage House Lawn
$3 fee for the Marketplace
free for Maymont members and children ages 12 & under

4.23.2013

small steps with food



Sarah B of My New Roots speaks on making one small change in the kitchen every day. For all of us who are on the gradual upward slope of to eating at home, cooking from scratch & growing what goes on the table.

10.23.2012

sharing the ladies



Names (all French accent, please) include Cheri, Merci, Ami, Cosette, Camille & Mirielle. Somebody layed her first egg yesterday. We were too excited to get a picture. It was delicious.

Other details: the coop is a chicken tractor so we can move it every couple weeks. But they free range when we're playing outside or doing yard work. They do a great job of eating veggie/fruit scraps & love chasing crickets. Right now we're sharing them with a friend who has a larger yard, but once our fence it tall enough & the city of Richmond formalizes the law... hopefully by next spring, summer 3-4 can come home to our yard!

10.17.2012

for the sake of a picnic

Garlicky Greens Pasta Salad

ingredients
  • 1 lb garden arugula
  • 4 oz garden basil
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • .25 cup olive oil
  • pumpkin or sunflower seeds, toasted
  • sea salt
  • 1.75 c homemade chicken broth
  • Harvest Grains Blend (Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo, red quinoa)
  • feta, parm or romano to taste
prep
  • warm oil on med-low & add crushed garlic cloves for 3-5 min
  • wilt greens in garlic-laden oil 2 min or so & remove from heat
  • boil chicken broth, add half the package of grains blend (according to package directions), remove from heat & let sit covered 20 min
  • pour garlic greens oil mixture over grains, stir in toasted seeds & cheese to get it creamy
  • chill or serve immediately
  • offer flatbread (to soak up excess garlic oil, yum) & hummus on the side


7.20.2012

meager effort



char-baking tomato, zucchini & eggplant (per page 206 of Mad Hungry)
blanching corn on the cob (to freeze the kernels)
dehydrating basil & rosemary en masse
devising an autumn garden plan
narrowing seed selection
pining for backyard (in our case, sideyard) chickens

7.16.2012

the struggle to keep cooking


As evidenced by the many silent days in this space, I am not always inspired or excited to cook. In years past I cooked for leisure: loving the process of making things off the top of my head, using what happens to be lying around the kitchen or garden, happy accidents done without a formal recipe. Shopping is a task from which no pleasure is derived; meal planning is sadly neglected. Gradually a conversation has emerged with Nic about simplifying/minimizing our "consumption," & it addresses the crux of my struggle. Daily bread vs. my idols of order, plenty & peace.

With curious toes toddling underfoot, I tend to feel entitled to indulge myself in restful, enjoyable activities that do not serve the family long-term. Realistically, we would all rest & enjoy more time together by planning ahead, shopping (from CSA for in season produce & from farms for meat) & cooking in bulk. The goal is to make the meat stretch further, to heat the kitchen up less often & to open up quality family time in the evenings without emergency grocery runs or eating out. Alas, I have yet to set aside a day or even weekend of cooking in large batches & freezing the cooked/spiced meat, soups & sauces.


Three resources are making that goal more achievable. Two books & a blog I would recommend to help in crunching the numbers of what to prep ahead of time. Melissa's post on Prepping for Bulk Cooking (among much other good kitchen advice if you browse a bit) is one to keep in your pocket, as she starts with real ingredients rather than prepackaged stuff. Mad Hungry (via sister-in-law) & The Homemade Pantry (via the library) are the pages lying open on our table this month.

In retrospect, I remember my aunt cooking all their food once a week (Sunday afternoon & evening) so they could eat homemade gourmet while keeping a busy schedule of two full-time career parents & two active kids. Had I understood better, I would have asked for her notes rather than starting from scratch 10-15 years later. If only efficiency were my strong suit.

6.05.2012

local, organic, free range





The beginning of this year's garden & faces stuffed daily with mulberries. Efforts are now to relocate the feral cat population, whose excretions are unwelcome (to say the least).
So far we've planted:

  • 2 blackberry bushes
  • 10 strawberry plants (whose runners number another 10 so far)
  • 1 pomegranate tree
  • 8 red pepper
  • 6 roma tomato
  • 10 red sail lettuce
  • 4 cabbage
  • 4 beets
  • 15 potato pieces (in coffee sack)
  • 8 ginger pieces (in large glazed pot)
  • 10 garlic
  • 4 chive
  • 4 basil
  • 4 dill
  • 1 marjoram
  • 1 sage
  • 50 shiitake spores (to inoculate the stump remaining from last year's hurricane)

5.29.2012

healing salve, redux

(eucalyptus) image via GrainnePhotography


Toddlers + summer = exposed skin = boo boos. This topical salve is perfect for diaper rash, scrapes, cuts, burns, bites & stings to speed healing & prevent infection. More creamy than sleepy balm, the amount of tea tree oil makes it smell somewhat medicinal so avoid close contact with mucous membranes on sensitive little ones.

To address the symptom of itch & save a little cash, I've started infusing olive oil with three herbs at once: plantain leaf, calendula & comfrey. To do this, a crock pot comes in handy. To store the salve, I have switched from using half pint mason jars (not ideal for the changing table) to these squeeze tubes that are small enough to pack in a carry-on bag without confiscation & can suction cup to whatever surface allows it!


Infused Oil

  • .5 cups (app. 3 Tbsp each) dried herbs
  • 1.5 cups olive oil

Prep

  • Tie herbs loosely in cheesecloth (for ease squeezing oil from herbs at the end). Submerge cheesecloth in oil in a pint sized mason jar & secure lid. 
  • Place a washcloth at the bottom of the crock pot to ensure your oil jar doesn't break while heating. Lay oil jar on the cloth & fill crock pot halfway with tepid water. Put lid on crock, set to "low" for initial warming, but switch to "warm" for 2-3 days. 100 F in pretty much ideal.
  • Once the infusion is done, strain out plant matter by gently squeezing the cheesecloth until it stops dripping with oil & discard solids. Take infused oil & use immediately or store in with an airtight lid.

Salve
  • 1.5 cups infused oil
  • 6 tsp beeswax
  • 30 drops tea tree oil
  • 10 drops peppermint essential oil
  • 15 drops eucalyptus essential oil
Prep
  • In small saucepan over low heat or in a double boiler, combine oil with wax & gently warm until wax has just melted. 
  • Remove from heat, allow to cool 5 min & add essential oils. Stir to blend.
  • Pour into storage container(s). Allow to cool 20 min, stir edges to keep wax from separating from oil while cooling, then cap containers.
  • No refrigeration required, but freshest when used within 6 months.
Apply
Smear as needed. If you leave it in a warm car, it may re-liquify.
Avoid mucous membranes. Not a lip balm; do not ingest. 

4.27.2012

a healthy appetite

image mine, time for this cake recipe to re-appear


I think about food. A lot. According to Martha yesterday, if our home were a government bureaucracy, Mama would be the "Minister of Gastronomical Intelligence & Immunological Defense." Which certainly gives appropriate meaning to the days when nourishing each of us 3-4x is all I can accomplish. This week, with Daddy in LA on business, has been filled with such days. While the boys are young (& I'm home with them), it is my self-appointed full time job to research, source, prepare & enforce the consumption of organic, whole foods. Unprofessionally. Haphazardly. Not an "urban homestead" by a long-shot.

Part of my aim in writing here is to share the knowledge/resources that help me work smarter. Farmer's markets require more time/money than we have accessible. We want the flexibility of a weekly/monthly food budget rather than putting down cash at the beginning of each growing season. So I'm becoming a drop site/delivery girl for our CSA, Horse & Buggy Produce. There are several sizes of produce shares, you can add A La Carte items or additional shares (meat, cheese, eggs, etc) online & they're added to your box each week. For extra flexibility, you can put your share on hold while out of town & can cancel anytime with no penalty.

If anyone who lives or works East End/Downtown RVA wants to join our drop site, sign up online for the normal JCC drop site, choose a share size & put my name in the notes section so they'll know to switch your pickup location when it's all official next week. Because the boys are still small, we make do with a "Basic Weekly" share & will also begin a weekly fruit share in July. Delivery day is Thursday, late afternoon (4.30-6.30.) I'm excited to support both local agriculture & our beloved community's health!
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