Seeds & Weeds Podcast

Ask an Herbalist w/ Crystal Stevens, Flourish Farmstead

July 05, 2023 Bevin Cohen, Small House Farm Season 1 Episode 17
Ask an Herbalist w/ Crystal Stevens, Flourish Farmstead
Seeds & Weeds Podcast
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Seeds & Weeds Podcast
Ask an Herbalist w/ Crystal Stevens, Flourish Farmstead
Jul 05, 2023 Season 1 Episode 17
Bevin Cohen, Small House Farm

Herbalist Crystal Stevens joins us to answer your questions and Bevin shares a recipe for a healing salve made from yarrow and comfrey!

We’re so excited to have Crystal Stevens join us for ‘Ask an Herbalist.’
*Learn more about Crystal and her farm* -  https://flourishfarmstead.com

Crystal is an herbalist, author, educator and co-owner of Flourish Farmstead in Godfrey, Illinois. You’ve sent in your herb questions and Crystal is here to answer them! Some of the questions we talk about include:

·        What herbs would you recommend for making a salve or lotion for aging skin?

·       When is the best time to harvest herbs and the best way to dry them for storage?

·       Is there a way to make a tincture without using alcohol? Is it as effective?

·       What are some of the best uses for Elderflower tincture?

Before the interview, Bevin talks about harvesting, drying, and storing herbs. He also shares a recipe for making a topical healing salve from yarrow and comfrey. This is the same healing salve that we offer online!

Simply combine equal parts dried comfrey and yarrow in a quart jar. Fill the jar to the top with high quality sunflower oil, then cover, label, and let steep for four to six weeks. Once the oil is ready strain out the herbs and discard.

To turn your lovely herbal oil into a salve just combine 16 fluid oz of oil (volume) with 1 ¼ ounces of beeswax (weight) in a double boiler. Heat the oil to melt the wax, then pour the mixture into a container to cool... so easy! This salve is perfect for cuts, scratches, bruises and minor abrasions. 

If you’re interested in learning more about working with medicinal herbs, check out Bevin’s book, The Artisan Herbalist, which is available here.

Bevin was recently a guest on the Pantry Chat podcast where he had the opportunity to talk about small-scale seed and nut oil production. It was a great interview! You can find it here.

During the interview, Bevin talks about our Oil Pressing Kit, which comes with everything you need to get started pressing your own oils right at home! You can order the kit here!

Remember, you can always support our podcast by joining our Patreon for as little as $3/month at www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!

IG: @small_house_farm

We're teaming up with our friends at PERMIES to help you kickstart your permaculture journey! The Permaculture Adventure Bundle has over $600 worth of resources to help you reach your sustainable homesteading goals including a digital copy of SAVING OUR SEEDS. This amazing collection can be yours for only $65 when you sign up today! www.smallhousefarm.com/permaculture-adventure-bundle

The Seeds & Weeds Podcast is brought to you in part by our friends at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and while they’re well known for their incredible selection of rare and unique heirloom seeds, they’re also the organizers of the National Heirloom Expo which takes place every year in Ventura, California. Join us at the National Heirloom Expo September 10-12 in sunny Ventura, California! Find out more at https://theheirloomexpo.com/

Support the Show.

Show Notes

Herbalist Crystal Stevens joins us to answer your questions and Bevin shares a recipe for a healing salve made from yarrow and comfrey!

We’re so excited to have Crystal Stevens join us for ‘Ask an Herbalist.’
*Learn more about Crystal and her farm* -  https://flourishfarmstead.com

Crystal is an herbalist, author, educator and co-owner of Flourish Farmstead in Godfrey, Illinois. You’ve sent in your herb questions and Crystal is here to answer them! Some of the questions we talk about include:

·        What herbs would you recommend for making a salve or lotion for aging skin?

·       When is the best time to harvest herbs and the best way to dry them for storage?

·       Is there a way to make a tincture without using alcohol? Is it as effective?

·       What are some of the best uses for Elderflower tincture?

Before the interview, Bevin talks about harvesting, drying, and storing herbs. He also shares a recipe for making a topical healing salve from yarrow and comfrey. This is the same healing salve that we offer online!

Simply combine equal parts dried comfrey and yarrow in a quart jar. Fill the jar to the top with high quality sunflower oil, then cover, label, and let steep for four to six weeks. Once the oil is ready strain out the herbs and discard.

To turn your lovely herbal oil into a salve just combine 16 fluid oz of oil (volume) with 1 ¼ ounces of beeswax (weight) in a double boiler. Heat the oil to melt the wax, then pour the mixture into a container to cool... so easy! This salve is perfect for cuts, scratches, bruises and minor abrasions. 

If you’re interested in learning more about working with medicinal herbs, check out Bevin’s book, The Artisan Herbalist, which is available here.

Bevin was recently a guest on the Pantry Chat podcast where he had the opportunity to talk about small-scale seed and nut oil production. It was a great interview! You can find it here.

During the interview, Bevin talks about our Oil Pressing Kit, which comes with everything you need to get started pressing your own oils right at home! You can order the kit here!

Remember, you can always support our podcast by joining our Patreon for as little as $3/month at www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!

IG: @small_house_farm

We're teaming up with our friends at PERMIES to help you kickstart your permaculture journey! The Permaculture Adventure Bundle has over $600 worth of resources to help you reach your sustainable homesteading goals including a digital copy of SAVING OUR SEEDS. This amazing collection can be yours for only $65 when you sign up today! www.smallhousefarm.com/permaculture-adventure-bundle

The Seeds & Weeds Podcast is brought to you in part by our friends at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and while they’re well known for their incredible selection of rare and unique heirloom seeds, they’re also the organizers of the National Heirloom Expo which takes place every year in Ventura, California. Join us at the National Heirloom Expo September 10-12 in sunny Ventura, California! Find out more at https://theheirloomexpo.com/

Support the Show.