Late Summer's Harvest

We've had an incredibly busy spring and summer here at Hawk Circle, but things are beginning to quiet down a bit just in time for a late summer's harvesting and drying of plants for my winter medicine cabinet.  Standing tall at one end of my garden is a mullein plant that I will be cutting down to dry.  The soft, velvety leaves are wonderful for aiding the lungs.  I dry them by either hanging the whole plant upside down or spreading the leaves out on a drying rack.  If there are any mullein flowers on the stalk, I collect them and dry them as well.  Infused in olive oil, the mullein flowers are wonderful for healing ear aches.  Once the leaves are fully dry, I crush them and place them in a glass jar to store.  As with all plants you are drying for storage, make sure they are completely dry or mold will grow quickly.  I use the dried leaves throughout the year as a tea for supporting the lungs during times of chest colds or lung infections.  A good way to make it is to place a small handful of dried leaves in a mason jar, fill with boiling water and let sit for a few minutes, then strain and add a bit of honey.

Just beginning to bloom now is goldenrod and we have plenty of it.  The flower head is wonderful for dyeing wool and is one of the few plants that will transfer and retain its brilliant, gold color.  However, I also collect the flower heads and dry them for my winter medicine cabinet.  Made into a tea, it's a wonderful remedy for treating bladder and urinary tract infections.  I also use uva ursi, or bearberry for treating such infections, but I've heard that goldenrod is a bit more gentle on your system.

Another remedy I make is elderberry cold syrup.  Our elderberries are ripe and ready to harvest, about two weeks earlier this year than usual.  Elderberries are one of the fruits highest in vitamin C and makes a great remedy for boosting your immune system.  I make a sweet syrup that we use year round for sweetening pancakes and waffles, yogurt and oatmeal.  I have also made a cough syrup by boiling the elderberry juice down to about half of what it originally measured.  Adding some yarrow, cinnamon and nutmeg and honey, makes an effective cold remedy.  However, this year, because both my husband and I have been eliminating sugar from our diets, I plan on making an elderberry tincture.  Whenever you work with elderberries, it's always best to freeze them first, making it much easier to remove the berries from the branches and stems.  Filling a mason jar with the berries and adding a good quality vodka is all you need to do to make a tincture.  Place a lid on your jar and let it sit for 6 weeks.  When it's ready to strain, be sure, as with all tinctures, that you store it in a dark colored, glass bottle so the sun light doesn't weaken your tincture.

My favorite plant that covers my drying racks through out the summer is calendula.  Although it's an annual, it is a prolific self-seeder and will come back year after year even when the soil has been disturbed multiple times.  I collect the flowers when they just open and spread them out on my drying rack or sometimes on a cookie sheet.  Calendula is known for healing all sorts of skin ailments as well as cuts.  Along with calendula flowers, I also dry comfrey and plantain and use all three plants when making salves.  You can also take the dried calendula flowers and infuse it in your favorite massage oil for a wonderful skin remedy during the cold and dry winter months.

As fall approaches, I'll be making more medicines for my winter medicine cabinet and definitely keep you posted!  Have a wonderful last few weeks of summer!