I love making and using herbal honey but was particularly inspired this year by the Elderberry Honey post from Strangers and Pilgrims, it opened my eyes to the many possibilities of the healing herbs I could use to make medicinal honey.  In order for your medicinal honey to be truly medicinal you need to use only raw honey, you can learn all about that, here.  Now just think how healing that honey can be when combined with different healing herbs, specific to a certain ailment or illness in the body.  You can use medicinal honey just as you would any other remedy, syrup or medicine.  The typical dosage for an adult is 1 teaspoon, 3 times a day and children 1/2 teaspoon, 3 times a day, until symptoms are gone.  You can simply swallow the honey or stir it into some warm water to dissolve it first and then drink the honey water.  

You want to use about 4 Tablespoons of dried herb per 1 cup of raw honey, unless specified differently in each herbal honey blend below but increments really don't matter. You can use fresh or dried herbs, chop your fresh herbs before Pour the honey over the herb and stir with a butter knife to combine well, put a lid on your jar, label it and let it sit in a sunny window for 2 weeks.  There is no need to strain the herbs out of the honey but you can if you want. Most herbs float to the top of the jar and you can just scrape them out.

Antibiotic blend
2 tablespoons garlic powder - only purchase high quality powder, like Mountain Rose Herb or Bulk Herb Store
1 cup raw honey
The antibiotic properties of both the raw honey and the garlic combine in this blend to be pretty potent and powerful.  Use as you would an antibiotic by taking 1 teaspoon for adults and 1/2 teaspoon for children, twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.  Continue the regimen for 10 days.  This can also be used as an antibiotic ointment for treating any type of infection, including bacterial and fungal infections. 

Anti-viral Blend
1 part oregano
1 part sage
4 tablespoons dried herb per 1 cup raw honey
Because of the strong properties of this blend, I would only use this for adults. This is a great blend for fighting off nasty bugs and illness and for use in culinary dishes.  Makes a great first aid ointment to cleanse, disinfect and prevent infection in cuts and wounds.

Cough and Cold Blend
1 part ginger powder
1 part marshmallow root powder
1 part astragalus powder
4 tablespoons herb blend per 1 cup raw honey
You can use this honey blend in lieu of cough syrup to soothe inflamed tissue, lubricate and moisturize the throat and lungs, aiding in dry coughs, will kill viruses and boost the immune system.

Citrus Blend
1 part dried lemon zest (or dried peel)
1 part dried orange zest (or dried peel)
4 Tbsp. of each for a total of 8 Tbsp. per 1 cup of raw honey
Citrus is so refreshing and cleansing, it also supports the liver, kidney, and nervous system, as well as boosts the immune system,  relieves congestion, fights viruses and bacteria, relieves stress and anxiety and even curbs the appetite. 

Immune Booster Blend
1 part elderberries
1 part rosehips
1/2 cup herbs per 1 cup of raw honey 
Use for preventing illness and also when treating any illness. This blend is loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to boost and maintain the immune system, as well as provide the body with needed nutrients during an illness.

Respiratory Blend
1 part rosemary
1 part thyme
4 tablespoons dried herb per 1 cup of raw honey
Not only do these two herbs pair well for flavor, they are also the perfect pair for respiratory conditions.  Use for croup, bronchitis, chest colds, sore throats, any congestion in the lungs and sinus passages.

Stress Away Blend
1 part chamomile
1 part rose petals
4 tablespoons dried herb per 1 cup of raw honey
Take this when having trouble sleeping or for calming the nerves.  Helps with anxiety, restlessness, uplifting the spirits and enhancing mental function.  Will also settle an upset stomach and great blend for children.

Tummy Ease Blend
1 part peppermint
1 part spearmint
4 tablespoons dried herb per 1 cup raw honey
Take this for any digestive complaints; gas, bloating, stomach ache, stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, etc.

You could use any of the herbal blends on my Annie's Home Remedies page or any herbal tea blends you purchase.

Raw honey can usually be purchased locally or from farmers markets, I have recently seen it at Costco.  If your garden doesn't have the herbs you need for your herbal honey you can purchase organic, dried herbs from Bulk Herb Store or Mountain Rose Herbs, both places I trust for good quality herbs.  I like to re-purpose used jars or you can use pint jars or half pint jars for a small batch (always prepare and store in glass). I was able to purchase thosereally cool plastic lids from Amazon. 

Food storage is probably the most broad topic that could be discussed when it comes to preparedness, and the most important, next to water.  I could spend days on this subject but want to keep with my theme of keeping it simple so today I will challenge you to do a simple task, and then build upon that task step by step.

First, I want you to think of an emergency situation where you cannot leave your home for a length of time, say three months.  Would you have enough to feed your family, and if so would you want to eat what you have stored? Only store what you will, do, and can eat.  Don't just purchase items off a food storage list because that is what an expert told you to store.  Not only will you not know how to use these items but your body will not be used to them which could cause a whole other area of problems.

Create a list of your family's favorite meals, snacks, breakfasts and treats.  Next, make a list of all the ingredients for these meals along with any pantry staples you may make from scratch and favorite commercial food products.  You now have your list of food that you should be storing up for emergencies and I bet you will have no problem rotating through it.

Shoot for getting a three month supply of your items and then increase that to six months and all the way up to a year.  Think outside the box a little when deciding what needs to be stored, for example if you use a lot of produce think beyond the freezer that can only hold so much and during a disaster will probably lose.  Do you know you can just dehydrate that produce (or purchase it already dried), giving it a longer shelf life and not have to worry about losing it.  You could also store some seeds or grains to sprout for your fresh produce.  Speaking of seeds, don't forget to have some of those stored for your fresh produce during the growing season.

​ Here are some other tips for getting up to that years worth of food storage.

• Grow a garden and preserve yourself (bottling, dehydrating and freezing)  
• No garden? Check out your local farmers market each fall and buy up what you can preserve yourself.
• Check the grocery ads each week and purchase in large increments when your items come on sale.  
• Pick up an extra item or so whenever you go grocery shopping to slowly add to your storage.
• Buy in bulk when possible, using group ordering and local businesses that sell in bulk.

• Plan a day this week to sit down with your family and put together your own list of meal favorites.  
  
• In the next week or two put together your ingredient list.
• Start shopping! 
• Bonus Challenge: Learn how to grow a garden and preserve your harvest if you haven't quite mastered those skills yet.

Putting the Foods You Love into Food Storage - Wendy Dewitt
Food Storage Seminar on You Tube - Wendy Dewitt
Self Reliance Skills - Preparedness Mama
​Traditional Cooking School

As I was reading through my church magazine, the Ensign, I was inspired by our prophet to do a new series about being prepared. God has given us a prophet here on earth today to be his mouthpiece.  We are told in Amos 3:7  "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets.."  Right now, and in times passed, we are being told to be prepared.   

I want to keep this simple for those just starting down this path and give challenges to accomplish taking baby steps in preparing your family and home for what may come.  I wanted to begin with the most important, yet simplest and least expensive way to begin preparing.  That is with water.  Water is the most important thing we have.  We must drink it daily, we use it to cleanse our bodies, our clothing and our homes.  During a disaster or other unknown water will be what we desire and need most, so we should be storing it.

Storing water can be as simple as filling up an empty juice or soda container (I don't purchase these but others do and you can get quite a collection if you just ask) or as elaborate as purchasing water tanks - I do both.  All my drinking water is stored in empty beverage containers, ranging from 2 quarts to a gallon.  I then have several 5 gallon containers stored in the basement and a 250 gallon tank stored in the garage.   My garage tank will be water needed for personal care, washing laundry, dishes, etc.  The rest is drinking and cooking water. If you are re-purposing containers make sure it is thick plastic and food grade.  Don't store it in plastic jugs like the grocery store milk come in, or any container that had harmful substances in it (this is a given, but thought I would still throw it out there). 

Many of you may not think you have room to store so much water.  I am sure if you are creative enough you can come up with some interesting places for that water to be stored.  It is even easier if you are storing it in re-purposed containers because they are smaller and easier to stash.  I have a ledge going down the stairway to my basement, perfect place to store water bottles.  I  have a room in the basement with a table in it, I also utilized this space to store not only my water but my wheat.  I stack and shove and make sure every bit of room is utilized in my storage area in the basement   You could also store water under beds, in closets, and cupboards, you get the idea.

Water should be rotated every 6-12 months but personally I have opened my stored water that is two years old and it is still good.  As a rule of thumb I just rotate as I use water for various tasks around the house; grabbing a gallon here or two-quart there for boiling pasta, starting a soup, making herbal tea, other cooking needs, watering plants or boiling water for foot baths.  I then fill it back up, label with the date and put back into storage for rotation. Using this simple method I never need dump and refill for rotation, saving lots of time - and water! My large containers I fill with the treated house water and that I can keep stored for five years or more without rotating.

• Start today to collect containers for storing water.  
• One by one fill them up with water and find a place to store them - shoot for one gallon per person this week and move on from there.
• You could also purchase a gallon or two of water each time you go to the grocery store, building your supply slowly.
• You should aim for AT LEAST twenty gallons of water per person in your household.

Drinking Water Guidelines
Myths and Facts on Water Storage
Water Storage Infographic

Nepeta cataria
Family: Labiatae (mint family)

Catnip is one of the best children's herb as it is gentle and safe, yet powerful for upset stomach, colic, and digestive problems.  It also helps calm children and babies and aids in a restful sleep.  Catnip affects the nervous and digestive systems, as well as the lungs, glands and liver.  It is also a great herb choice for pregnancy and babies. Nursing mothers can drink the tea to help with a colicky baby or one that cannot sleep but needs to.

• Antispasmodic
• Astringent
• Anodyne
• Anti-inflammatory
• Cholagogue
• Nervine
• Emmenagogue
• Antacid
• Sedative
• Anesthetic
• Carminative
• Diaphoretic
• Bug repellent

To utilize the properties of this herb, nursing moms can drink the tea and baby receives it through the milk.  You can also make a weak herbal infusion and administer through a bottle or use the infusion as an enema. 

• Colic 
• Jaundice
• Sedative, helps induce sleep.
• Teething 
• Relieves gas and bloating.
• Alleviates many symptoms of childhood diseases and illness.

• Anxiety, nerves, stress.
• Colds, flu, and fever (enema is the best method of use).
• Coughs and chest congestion, croup, bronchitis.
• Digestive complaints, gas, bloating, indigestion, diarrhea.
• Nausea, morning sickness, upset stomach, "butterflies" - nervousness.
• Relieves any type of muscle cramping, even those associated with pregnancy.
• Appendicitis (enema)
• Toothache (chew on the leaves)
• Insomnia, restful sleep.
• Cataracts
• Menstrual discomfort, painful cramps, afterbirth cramping.
• Relaxes the uterus, preventing contractions so helpful to prevent miscarriage.
• Makes a great insect repellent, plant by doors or infuse into witch hazel, water or oil for a bug spray, you can even rub the leaves on your skin.

• Infusion (blends well with mint and chamomile, both great for children also)
• Tincture and/or glycerite
• Syrup
• Poultice and/or compress
• Herbal capsules and pills
• Salve, ointment, cream
• Herbal honey or sprinkle
• Bath (my favorite way to use with children)
• Liniment
• Sachet, make good sleep pillows and apparently cat's like them (I'm not a cat person so not sure what you do with them)
• Hydrosol
• Enema

• Sow seed directly in the garden in mid spring or start from seed indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost.
• Transplant in full sun or partial shade, 12" apart.
• Grows well in any soil, give low to moderate amounts of water, catnip likes it dry more than wet.
• I highly recommend putting a cage around this plant as I have attracted every cat in the neighborhood with mine, I lost three different plants before I realized I needed to protect it with a cage.  
• Can be harvested anytime during the season but catnip is most potent when flowering.  Cut back to 3-4" and it will continue to grow, giving you several cuttings throughout the season.

Catnip use by Dr. Axe
Calm with Catnip from Herbal Legacy
Practical Herbalism
The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook
The Herbal Drugstore
The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy
Homegrown Herbs

In the spring you can either go to your local nursery and pick up a transplant or start them from seed yourself. Baker Creek Heirloom seeds carries a variety of catnip seeds.  You can also purchase the dried herb from Mountain Rose Herbs or Bulk Herb Store.

Shared on: Wildcrafting Wednesday.

This is a great salve using the vein supporting benefits of yarrow as well as other herbs to heal distended veins, broken capillaries, varicose veins, tightening and firming blood vessels, clearing blood congestion, hemorrhoids and even bruises.

2 parts yarrow
1 part comfrey
1 part nettles
1/2 part St. John's Wort
1/4 part ginger
Infuse these herbs into some olive oil following the instructionshere. 

I gathered what fresh herbs I had in the garden and the rest I used dried, so feel free to combine fresh and dried when infusing into an oil.  Because yarrow doesn't hold a whole lot of moisture I didn't even dry wilt this, just chopped straight from the garden into the oil.  

Once your oil is infused, strain and measure how much oil you have.  Add 1 oz. of beeswax per cup of oil and melt over very low heat.  Remove from heat and add the following essential oils:

10 drops helichrysum
3 drops peppermint
5 drops lemon
or 20 drops of a blood support blend (I used Young Living's Aroma Siez for this salve)

Stir well and pour into containers.  Wait for the salve to harden before putting the lid on and labeling.  

Apply to area of concern several times a day, massaging towards the heart.  Helichrysum helps to dissolve coagulated blood in the surrounding tissue so layering the salve with 3 drops of this oil should produce even better results.  

If you don't have these herbs growing in your garden you can purchase high quality, organic or ethically wild harvested herbs from either Bulk Herb Store or Mountain Rose Herbs.  They not only carry herbs but the beeswax as well.  

Shared on: Art of Homemaking, Wildcrafting Wednesday. Homestead Barn Hop, Homemaking Link Up, From the Farm, Pintastic Pinteresting, Homemaking Party,Old Fashioned Friday, Front Porch Friday.

Friday's are what we call Family Fun Day, for school we play games, go on field trips, do service projects or some sort of activity together.  In the evening we always have a family movie night and what is a movie without some sort of treat or snack, tonight it looks like Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn Balls.  These our one of favorite treats and I always have many helpers - air poppers are so fun!

1 batch of air popped corn (about 10 cups)
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 tsp. Real salt
2 tsp. vanilla

Using an air popper, pop one batch of popcorn - which is 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels. 

Mix the peanut butter, honey, coconut oil and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil on med-high heat.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Sadly, this does kill the medicinal properties of the honey, but is a must to make the mixture "caramelize". 

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Pour over the popcorn and stir until completely coated.  Form into balls or eat it straight from your bowl.  

Achillea millefollium
Family: Asteraceae (Compositae) Aster, Sunflower, Daisy

​Yarrow is a near and dear herb to me as it was one of the first ones I became familiar with and use in many of my blends. I like to call it "Cure-All" because that is what it seems to do.  It is not only very useful but a beautiful herb to have in the garden, I have both the red and white varieties and sometimes have a hard time cutting the blossoms.  This is also Big Woman's favorite herb of choice when anyone gets hurt or blood is involved. She rushes out to the yarrow plant, smashes it up and throws it right on the cut, wound or bite.

Yarrow comes from the Compositae family, also know as the Asteraceae family and includes asters, daisies, dandelion, marigold and sunflowers among a few.  There are about 500 different varieties of yarrow, worldwide. Fun fact about the genus name Achillea, sounds a bit like Achilles because it was named for him, using it in battle to staunch his soldiers wounds.  Yarrow has a great affect upon the circulatory system, lungs, skin, mucus membranes and urinary system.

​Energetics: cooling, dying, bitter
Systems Affected: lungs, skin, circulatory, urinary, digestive, glandular, liver
Emotional body: balances emotional upsets, strengthens intuition, useful for transition and change

Antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, diaphoretic, hypotensive, astringent, antiseptic, antispasmodic, vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, bitter, hepatic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, styptic, amphoteric, analgesic, hypotensive, hemostatic, alterative, carminative, vasodilator, cholagogue.

• Acne and complexion problems
• Good for oily skin
• Skin cleanser and toner
• When used as an herbal steam yarrow will open pores and clean them out
• Cleanses and removes oily residue from hair
• Hair loss (apply externally to area of concern using an herbal infusion or herbal oil)

In addition to taking the tea internally (I would recommend the Heal All herb blend as opposed to straight up yarrow tea) you can use the powder form in cleansing grains or a mask, make a toner by infusing the herb in witch hazel or aloe vera liquid, use an herbal oil, compress or any of the other methods listed below.

• Decongest any area that is stagnant and inflamed
• Moves in the direction it is needed in the body
• Cleans, disinfects, promotes healing in wounds, cuts, and burns, etc.
• Reduces redness, swelling and pain in bruises, blood blisters, sprains, strains, and other injuries
• Staunches bleeding and coagulates blood
• Nosebleed (tincture-soaked cotton ball, powder or fresh chewed or mashed, make into a nose plug and insert)
• Skin eruptions such as boils, pimples, bug bites, blisters, allergic reactions, etc.
• Hemorrhaging; intestinal, uterine, hemorrhoids
• Digestive problems and complaints including infection, spasms, gas, diarrhea, gut health
• Nausea and upset stomach
• Fever (bath or foot soak is the most effective)
• Cold, flu, earache, illness of all kinds
• Toothache, gum issues, mouth sores, etc. (chew on fresh leaves or use powder)
• Respiratory and sinus issues, bronchitis, croup, cough, etc. Lung cleansing
• Hemorrhoids, varicose veins, and circulatory issues (take internally and externally with a poultice, compress or salve)
• Stimulates circulation, helps blood cell regeneration, blood purifying, building and support
• Nerve regeneration (discovered by my own experience with a dying tooth nerve that was regenerated)
• PMS and menstrual cramps, regulates flow, aid for painful periods
• Childbirth: facilitates labor, aid in expelling afterbirth, stop excessive bleeding, healing
• Ease transition into menopause, hot flashes, etc.
• Headache, muscle pain, cramp, pain relief
• Joint pain and inflammation, rheumatism, gout
• Lowers blood pressure (most effective when used in combination with hawthorn)
• Bladder problems including infection and cystitis, incontinence, etc.
• Liver support, cleanses, tones and may also protect
• Stress, anxiety, and insomnia
• Measles and chicken pox
• Water retention

Fresh is best, so when possible make preparations with fresh plant material. 

• Tea
• Poultice, compress, wash
• Powder, sprinkle, capsules, pills
• Tincture, liniment
• Honey, syrup
• Bath, foot soak, steam, gargle
• Herbal oil, salve, ointment, cream
• My favorite way to utilize the properties of this herb is through the Heal All Herb Mix below (equal parts yarrow, elder flower and peppermint).  I use the blend for baths, foot soaks, compresses, tea and a glycerite.  Every sickness that comes around this is what we use. 
• Elder flower and peppermint enhance the properties

• Sow seed outdoors in early spring or start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost.
• Transplant or propagate with root divisions in spring or fall, space 12" apart.
• Provide low to moderate amounts of water and plant in full sun.  Yarrow will grow in any type of soil condition and especially likes it dry. 
• This is a perennial plant and should be divided every few years.
• Yarrow can be invasive and the roots are hard to eradicate so make sure you keep an eye on it and plant only where you will be happy with it growing forever. I like to plant it next to my other "invasive" plants such as mint and St. John's Wort.
• Harvest the aerial parts in mid to late summer when it is in full flower, it is most potent just after the blossoms open.
• Cut when sunny and dry, using both the leaves and flowers.
• Either dry immediately or use for any of the herbal preparations above.
• Yarrow is a great compost plant and will speed decomposition, especially if mixed with comfrey, nettles and dandelion. 
• A strong yarrow tea can be used as a fungicide and fertilizer (10-1 with water).

Yarrow can be a uterine stimulant so it is best to avoid taking internally during pregnancy, however it is wonderful to use during labor and childbirth.  Always check this herb for allergic reaction if you have an allergy to the ragweed family.

This herb could easily be wildcrafted since it is so easy to identify.  It is best to use the white and red varieties and stay away from the yellow.  You can also purchase dried yarrow from Mountain Rose Herb or Bulk Herb Store, both great companies with high quality products.  And if you have plenty in your garden, don't forget to harvest and dry for winter use!

Herbal Legacy article - Yarrow
Yarrow Uses by Dr. Axe
​Botany in a Day, p. 169
Peterson Field Guides: Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, p. 86
Floriography, p. 180
North American Wild Flowers, p.274
Essential Herbal Wisdom by Nancy Arrowsmith, p.287
The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody, p. 30
The Herbal Academy: Botany & Wildcrafting Course, p.80
The Herbal Academy: Recipes Monographs: Intermediate Herbal Course, p. 248
Homegrown Herbs by Tammi Hartung, p. 238
Breverton’s Complete Herbal, p. 374
Backyard Medicine (quotes from old herbals and recipes, with dosages), p. 192
Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide, p. 213
Mountain States Medicinal Plants by Briana Wiles, p. 271
Healing Plants of the Rocky Mountains, p. 156
A Kid’s Herb Book by Lesley Tierra, p. 173
Practical Herbalism (full list of constituents and actions, preparations and dosages) p. 295
A Handbook of Native American Herbs by Alma Hutchens, p. 232
The New Age Herbalist by Richard Mabey, p. 40
Fields of Nutrition, p. 58
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies, p. 24,112
Prescription for Herbal Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, p. 144
Nutritional Herbology by Mark Pedersen, p. 174 (details of actions and constituents)
The New Healing Herbs by Michael Castleman, p. 605
The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra, p.251
The Healing Garden by Gayle Povis Allerman, p. 192
The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook by James A. Duke, p. 227
Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra, p. 161
Herbal health Secrets by Richard M. Lucas, p. 70
School of Natural Healing by Dr. John R. Chistopher, p. 215
The How to Herb Book by Keith and Gordon, p. 67 (specific conditions and how to use)
Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of herbs, p. 516
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achillea_millefolium

Shared on: The Art of Homemaking, Natural Living, Mama Moments, Homestead Barn Hop, Nourishing Joy, Tuesday Garden Party, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Pintastic Pinteresting, Homemaking Party, Green Thumb Thursday, Home Acre Hop, Homemaking Link Up, From the Farm, Old Fashioned Friday, Front Porch Friday, Farmgirl Friday, Simply Natural.