*NEW* BIPOC Herb Exchange and going beyond the salve with Calendula
The new online herb exchange is intended as a resource for Black, Brown, and Indigenous community members and budding herbalists to access free dried plants and mushrooms for making herbal blends. These herbs are donated from herbalists and growers, and also include seasonal overflow from the Dirt & Free Herbal apothecary.
How to use the BIPOC herb exchange:
Select herbs and quantities to add to your cart. At checkout, you will pay $5 - this covers the cost of a USPS shipping label.
If shipping is a financial barrier, please send me an email at peregrine@dirtandfree.world
Check the blog monthly for some ideas on different ways to work with the plants!
To support the Herb Exchange and other projects, consider making a small contribution (starting at $3/month) by joining me on Patreon. Patrons also get full access to a growing archive of plant monographs, workshop recordings, and personal reflections, as well as opportunities to gather virtually and learn together.
July Featured Plant - Calendula!
Image above: Calendula in the garden after a summer rain
Calendula is a self-seeding annual who blooms throughout the summer and is associated with the sun. In western herbalism they are most well-known as a plant for tending minor wounds, and for this reason Calendula is a common ingredient in multipurpose salves. They are also a gently warming plant that can move stagnant lymph. They encourage healthy tissue formation and strengthen the immune system by stimulating fluid metabolism. Calendula is not for use in early pregnancy because as an emmenagogue, they can bring on menstruation.
Calendula recipes to try this summer:
Make a skin-clearing “detox” tea with 1 part dried burdock root, 1 part dried rose, 2 parts dried calendula flower and 1/4 part dried spearmint! Steep 1 Tbsp of the blend per cup of hot water for 15-20 minutes, strain and compost the herbs, and sweeten to taste. Enjoy this beverage hot or iced!
Make a sunburn spray or soak with rose-infused vinegar and calendula tea. Create a strong infusion by filling a mason jar half way with dried calendula flowers, or 3/4 of the way with chopped fresh flowers. Then fill the jar the rest of the way with just-boiled water. Steep until cooled and strain out the herbs. To a spray bottle, add 1 part rose-infused vinegar and 6 parts calendula infusion. Shake and spray topically for relief to sunburned skin. Store the spray bottle in the fridge.
Make a cooling hair rinse with equal parts calendula flower, rosemary, and mint of choice. If using dried herbs, fill half a quart sized mason jar with the blend. If using fresh herbs, chop the herbs well and fill the jar 3/4 to all the way up with herbs. Top with just-boiled water and let steep until the mixture is cool. Strain and compost the plant material. Pour over hair and scalp in the shower, or store the jar in the fridge until use (within 7 days.)
Make a soothing sitz bath blend for postpartum recovery or hemorrhoid relief with 3 Tbsp calendula, 2 Tbsp yarrow, 2 Tbsp plantain, 1 Tbsp comfrey leaf, 2 tsp lavender, 1/2 cup epsom salt. Steep 1 cup blend in 1/2 gallon hot water until tepid, then pour strained liquid into sitz tub and soak for 20 minutes or as desired. You can also add this blend diluted into a bath.
Learn more on Patreon:
Image above: packaged and labeled herbal tea blends for loved ones