chickweed

[Guest guest]

Aromatherapy, herbs, natural living, etcWell, going back to what I said

yesterday the oil went rancid due to plant breaking down in the oil at time of

infusion. Happened only once and now I keep an eye on it.

 

I have not been able to keep this around long enough to test the shelf life.I

sell out in just 2 or 3 months every year.

I use extra virgin olive oil and fresh chickweed I gather wild from our hills.

I allow them plant to wilt before pouring the oil on top.For this particular

plant I do a short infusion but not for all plants.

 

For example plantain or black walnut. A full 6-8 weeks before I consider even

opening the jar.

Chickweed breaks down fast when used fresh therefore it must be checked on if

this is the method of infusion one chooses.

I live in a humid climate and perhaps this effects the moisture content of the

plant. I am not certain but I do know on humid days, my soap will lollygag on

its cure time.

 

I choose this short term infusion for chickweed becuase I feel it is the best

for my needs for this particular plant. I strain 3 days as well to get all the

sludge out of the infusion as well.

But with other plants. they dont need so many strainings. You can tell by what

is left on your jar floor when straining, know what I mean?

 

But I think we discussed before, I saw Stephen Foster (the photographer for the

plant idetification book for the Eastern U. S.). He is the first person I ever

heard advocate short term infusion. He even meant this in alcohol menstruum as

well.

 

So it is plain to see that herbalists all have their methods they feel works

best and I have learned to gather info from all and practice what seems to be

the best method of application for me.

 

Chickweed is probably the only short term infusion I use currently, but if I

were to infuse poke weed, I would probably do a short term on that one too.

Rhavda, if I could keep oils around, I would try the alcohol addition you

suggested. I tend to make only what I think I will need as to not overharvest,

and each year I find it is never enough.

 

Even last week I sold my last bottle of motherwort tincture. I thought I had 1

last bottle until my next extract is ready in January.

Nope the bottle I thought was Motherwort was St johns wort....haha. I jsut saw

the word " wort " and assumed! Never again! Hopefully I wont have to break down

and buy soem before my extract is finished. It is great for menopause symptoms!

among other things:)

Blessings

-Love and Light-

Ray and Kristena Roder

http://www.dreamseeds.org

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Kristena,

Thanks for your information, again on the chickweed and your other

infusions. You have a much greater turnover than I do. I live in the

Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area where we don't have a great a turnover with

people buying herbal remedies. It is generally hot and dry here with very

little humidity. I am sure if I lived in a high humidity area of the

country I would be doing things differently. It has just been in the past

year or so that people are beginning to buy more infused oils and infused

oil products here so I may be looking toward using some short term infused

oils in the future. I am happy that you have a quick turnover in your

products. Once I get a client I usually keep them for years but getting the

word out here is slow. I am growing nearly a hundred helichrysum plants and

they are taking up a lot of my space. Melissa is second with rose third,

yarrow fourth and chaste berry trees as fifth. I have little chickweed

because of the weather here. Chickweed maybe is here for about a week or

less and then gone.

Have a great week!

Rhavda

 

Original Message:

-----------------

dreamseeds dreamseeds

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 07:36:15 -0600

 

Re: chickweed

 

 

Aromatherapy, herbs, natural living, etcWell, going back to what I said

yesterday the oil went rancid due to plant breaking down in the oil at time

of infusion. Happened only once and now I keep an eye on it.

 

I have not been able to keep this around long enough to test the shelf

life.I sell out in just 2 or 3 months every year.

I use extra virgin olive oil and fresh chickweed I gather wild from our

hills.

I allow them plant to wilt before pouring the oil on top.For this

particular plant I do a short infusion but not for all plants.

 

For example plantain or black walnut. A full 6-8 weeks before I consider

even opening the jar.

Chickweed breaks down fast when used fresh therefore it must be checked on

if this is the method of infusion one chooses.

I live in a humid climate and perhaps this effects the moisture content of

the plant. I am not certain but I do know on humid days, my soap will

lollygag on its cure time.

 

I choose this short term infusion for chickweed becuase I feel it is the

best for my needs for this particular plant. I strain 3 days as well to get

all the sludge out of the infusion as well.

But with other plants. they dont need so many strainings. You can tell by

what is left on your jar floor when straining, know what I mean?

 

But I think we discussed before, I saw Stephen Foster (the photographer for

the plant idetification book for the Eastern U. S.). He is the first person

I ever heard advocate short term infusion. He even meant this in alcohol

menstruum as well.

 

So it is plain to see that herbalists all have their methods they feel

works best and I have learned to gather info from all and practice what

seems to be the best method of application for me.

 

Chickweed is probably the only short term infusion I use currently, but if

I were to infuse poke weed, I would probably do a short term on that one

too.

Rhavda, if I could keep oils around, I would try the alcohol addition you

suggested. I tend to make only what I think I will need as to not

overharvest, and each year I find it is never enough.

 

Even last week I sold my last bottle of motherwort tincture. I thought I

had 1 last bottle until my next extract is ready in January.

Nope the bottle I thought was Motherwort was St johns wort....haha. I jsut

saw the word " wort " and assumed! Never again! Hopefully I wont have to

break down and buy soem before my extract is finished. It is great for

menopause symptoms! among other things:)

Blessings

-Love and Light-

Ray and Kristena Roder

http://www.dreamseeds.org