November 2011 Newsletter

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man: that he

may bring forth food out of the earth...

Mullein

From The Herb Patch

Hello again! Hope every one is having a nice time enjoying the fall weather and the many pretty colorful trees and plants before all the leaves drop off. November is the month for realizing that winter is soon on its way. This month usually allows us a little more time to get our last minute garden chores finished and maybe get ahead for next year’s garden or to finish pruning or pulling up and repotting things that need to go inside through the winter. For some serious gardeners and herbalist there is a lot that still can be done during this month. There are still some herbal plants growing in my garden circles. We just had a drop in temperature that sometimes freezes these things, but I see that the lemon balm, rosemary, oregano, peppermint and spearmint are still growing. The mullein that I planted a few years ago I noticed is still thriving. I plan to take a few more cuts of the herbs before the “big freeze”! And I have yet to make my blackberry jelly that I planned to put up for later use. But, the blackberries are frozen and can be thawed and made into jelly anytime I desire to get started. There is just so much to do!

My focus this month is on an herbal plant known as Mullein which rhymes with sullen. Yes, I know you have seen this plant growing just about everywhere...I realized it after I planted some seeds a few years back, but I was glad it did so well where I planted it—near the blackberries. The downside to this is that the plant now grows all through the blackberries and I have to go through a lot of trouble to harvest it.

According to Jerry Baker’s Herbal Pharmacy book, it’s velvety leaves give way to thick spikes of yellow flowers that bloom brightly from June to September. This hardy biennial boasts tall, stout stalks that can reach a height of 6 feet. In gardening and landscaping, the mulleins are valued for their tall narrow stature and for flowering over a long period of time, even in dry soils. Mullein is native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, and is found on shallow, stony soils in grasslands and wastelands. It thrives in dry, stony or gravelly soil and a sunny position. It is propagated by seed sown in autumn and often self-seeds.

Inside mullein leaves and flowers are active ingredients called saponins and mucilages. They act like expectorants, making this plant absolutely ideal for conditions like asthma, bronchitis, colds, sore throats, laryngitis, coughs, hemorrhoids, and recurrent ear infections. Well, someone’s got to do it, and mullein’s claim to fame is that it clears away sticky phlegm and excess mucus. It also makes a great natural bandage to protect minor scrapes and cuts and hastens healing. In addition, mullein helps soothe skin irritated by sunburn or minor rashes.

Best Medicinal Forms

Mullein comes in many forms. You can drink your medicine in a tea by pouring a cup of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of dried leaves or flowers and letting it steep 15 minutes. If you want a slightly sweet tea, use the leaves. If you want a slightly bitter tea, stick with the flowers. Strain out the herb, and drink up to 3 cups a day. Or you can do the speedy route: a tincture. Drop 1 to 4 ml of mullein tincture into a glass of water or juice, and drink up to 3 glasses a day. In capsule form, the daily dosage is 1 or 2 g up to 3 times daily. For minor cuts and boo-boos, crush a fresh mullein leaf to extract its medicinal oils and then lay it right on the spot. Relief is only moments away! To shrink painful hemorrhoids, try making an infusion out of dried flowers and leaves, make a compress, and apply to the swollen spot. Ahhhhhh!

I chose the herb mullein this month due to the winter season coming on and lots of times people, especially children get ear infections or some type of problem with the ears. I know I have in the past. Last year I made herbal oil from the dried plants that grew in my back garden. After reading details about making the oil, I decided to add fresh garlic oil to this remedy. This remedy for ear problems has been mentioned in several herbal books that I have and was especially mentioned in the information I have by Sam Biser and Dr. Richard Schultz (Dr. Christopher’s student). And I found that it works well! And yes, I have made tea from the plant and it works. The remedy below comes from Jerry Baker’s Herbal Pharmacy.

Now ‘ear This!

Ear infections that keep coming back can be a pain in the you-know-what, especially for young children. Here’s a way to end the pain.

Crush a couple of mullein leaves in a sieve and collect the juice. With a dropper, put 2 drops of mullein juice right in the painful ear and seal it up with a cotton ball. This method also works with bottled mullein flower oil (made by steeping flowers in olive oil), which you can keep in the refrigerator. The only thing you do differently is warm the dropper by rubbing it in your hands first, so you ear isn’t shocked by the cold! Mullein oil helps kill the bacteria that causes the ear infection. But if the pain persists, it could signal a bigger problem than a routine ear infection. In that case, have a doctor examine your ear.

Harvesting Tips

Harvest mullein leaves when the flowers are in full bloom. Dry them in the shade. Harvest flowers as they bloom during dry weather, and, likewise, dry them in a shady place. Store mullein in a cool, dry place, but don’t let it chill out too much.

It’s best to use mullein only when you need it—it’s not like a multivitamin that you take every day. It’s best not to take it for more than a 2-week stretch. If your condition doesn’t improve by then, you may need to chat with your doctor for an alternative treatment. One final word of warning: Mullein leaves and flowers are perfectly safe; but avoid eating the seeds.

Last month I stated that I would talk more about different bone-building plants and herbs! So, I will talk a little bit on the strategy of consuming foods rich in calcium and other bone-essential ingredients. The following information comes from The Herb Companion Magazine:

With every bite, you have a precious opportunity to build better bones. And that forkful can be delectable, thanks to enticing culinary herbs. All of the delights of the summer’s herb garden can flavor foods that can help keep you standing tall and strong—no matter what your age or gender. Once you learn the basics of bone-building foods, you can get daily nutrients you need while enjoying gourmet herb flavors. While no single recipe can provide all of the nutrients needed to maintain bone health, each one can provide some of your daily requirements. Your best bet is to eat plenty of green leafy vegetables—collards, kale, turnip greens, bok choy, chard and the like, and according to The Doctor’s Book of Food Remedies by Selene Yeager and Prevention Health Books, broccoli also ranks up there with diamonds as a woman’s best friend. It’s one of the best vegetable sources of calcium, packing in 72 milligrams per cooked cup. But, don’t overcook it, better yet learn to like it raw.

Dandelion and stinging nettle greens are great choices. One cup of raw, chopped dandelion greens contain about 100 mg. calcium. You can add fresh dandelion leaves to salad. Vinegar makes them less bitter, though that bitterness stimulates digestion. Fresh dandelion, nettles and calcium-rich parsley can be juiced or blended into smoothies. You can cook with both greens too, using them in the same way you use spinach.

Regular consumption of green and black tea may reduce osteoporosis risk. Research suggests that tea might decrease the risk of fracture because it enhances bone mineral density, increases activity of bone cells that add bone and inhibits bone cells that break down bone.

Next month I will try to spend a little time talking about the dairy side of things. I myself find that milk, yogurt, kefir, etc. are good for the bones, but it does depend on what kind of milk, etc. you are drinking, where it came from, how the animal is treated and the health of the animal. Raw milk that is handled correctly is a good source of calcium. And then there is the added addition of vitamin D and magnesium....Next month, the Lord willing!!

Guess what, it’s dandelion time again! Also, there are many wild onions growing in our yard and area. I talked about this in the last December 2010 Newsletter. So many free edibles our Lord has placed right at our fingertips, and yet we ignore them. Each year I cut these edibles with scissors into small pieces, put them in a freezer bag and use them throughout the winter months. They are very nutritious! Also, if you know how to identify some of the other green leafy plants hanging around, such as plantain, watercress, wild mustard...these are great additions to the salad bowl. For a long time I did not know that these things were edible, but after much reading and study I have found out differently. But, if you live in an area that uses pesticides on the lawn, etc. or you yourself use pesticides on the lawn, don’t eat the greens! And above all, get some good sense in your head and stop destroying the natural things that God created to be eaten for our food and health

HAPPY EATIN’

Anyone reading my newsletter last November will remember that I said Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year.

I always look forward to the time spent with family and friends, especially the grandchildren who like to play games. My daughter Beth just happens to be the best “pie maker” I’ve ever seen. She always makes the traditional sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie, but she goes a step further and makes her own delicious pie crust. Her food is made from scratch! Not many women these days can boast of that. Even I don’t make my own pie crust, but I intend to work on doing it. All my attempts in the past did not turn out well, but I need to keep trying

Our family usually spends time at Todd and Beth’s house on Thanksgiving Day. That’s where all of the children gather for games after we eat. Each year, Todd and Beth make a piñata filled with candy. This tradition was thought up due to Todd being from Texas roots where there is a lot of influence from Spanish decent. Todd sets up a rope over a big tree trunk and ties the piñata so that it swings loosely. From this vantage point he can lower the (turkey piñata) or make it higher. The kid (or older kid) is blindfolded and is given a big stick to hit at the bird. The object of the game is to break it open, and of course all the candy spills out. This is a game enjoyed by the kids each year.

RECIPES

Each year it is usually my job to cook the turkey and dressing! When cooking my turkey, I put this in a roasting pan in which I add lots of celery and onions in the pan, and inside of the turkey. I generously shake garlic granules on top of the turkey and also a bit of thyme and sage. Add salt to taste. Pour in at least 2 cups of water. Cover with foil and cook until done basting in between cooking time. Remove turkey from liquid. Reserve liquid for “slap your mama gravy and dressing!” I usually place the liquid in a bowl in the refrigerator so that the fat will rise to the top. I remove the fat before using it for the dressing and gravy.

Alice’s Dressing

First, you need to cook up a big pan of corn bread yellow or white, whichever you prefer. I prefer white for dressing. Allow this to cool. Place cornbread in a large bowl and using your hands crumble the corn bread. Add more sage and thyme to taste. After allowing the juices to cool from the turkey, pour some of the liquid into the crumbled corn bread. Reserve the rest for gravy. I usually put the cooked onions and celery in there too. Mix it all together and put in oiled casserole dish or whatever the final dressing will be served in. Cook at 350º until brown on top for about 15 minutes.

ENJOY!!

Hope you all have a nice holiday!