HARVESTING & USING GOLDENROD

Solidago virgaurea is the botanical name for goldenrod. This adaptable plant can be found in Asia, North America & Europe. Found in areas with good sun exposure, goldenrod will reach a height of 2-3 feet in open areas, mountain ranges and along hillsides. The leaves alternate along the stem which is accented with branches of golden flowers.

 

In the late summer and fall, this plant blooms and is ready to harvest. If goldenrod grows in your area, the feathery yellow blossoms are easy to spot in patches beside the road. However, you won’t want to use these plants because they’ve been coated in fumes from passing cars.

 

The choice places to locate goldenrod are those with good sun exposure, near water. We were able to locate a patch growing near an abandoned footbridge in an open area. The little patch was filled with pokeweed, leggy grasses and splashes of goldenrod. Use sharp garden shears to harvest, removing the 2 or 3 feet of stem, leaves and blooming tops. The bruised parts of the plant will offer up a pleasant smell similar to wild carrots with a hint of citrus. A yellow dye can be made from the flower tops.

 

HOW TO DRY HERBS

Use a string to tie the cut stems in groups of five to ten. Make a loop in the tail of the string in order that you may hang the plants with the flowers downward and a box lid or tray beneath. Find a place to hang the plants where they will not be disturbed: a closet, cabinet, storage room, ceiling beam. Hooks and coat racks can also be used. If it fits, a paper bag can be secured over the plants to shield them from sun and catch loose plant parts. In one to three weeks the plants will be dry. This method is also effective for preserving flower arrangements.

 

When the plants are dried, remove the blooms and leaves to store them in a glass jar with a lid.

 

As an herb, goldenrod has qualities that make it symptom regulating, regenerating and detoxifying.

 

DETOXIFYING HERBS clear blockages and remove excesses. Known as a bitter, goldenrod contains tannin. Bitters are herbs that trigger the secretion of digestive juices by their taste. Because it helps the body release excess fluids, this herb is known as a diuretic. In times past this herb was used in applications to assist in the removal of bladder stones. Goldenrod helps remove hardened mucus and thick phlegm deposits (catarrh). Urinary tract infections are also eased by the antioxidant properties of goldenrod tea. Goldenrod is a digestive which means it strengthens digestion. A diaphoretic, this herb promotes perspiration which helps the body remove toxins.

 

REGENERATING HERBS help restore normal function, tone and build overwhelmed tissues. Inflamed tissues are eased with the application of goldenrod as it is an astringent. An aromatic, the volatile oils in the goldenrod give it a pleasant odor. As a powder, this herb is used to help wounds close and form scar tissue, a process known as cicatrization. Ulcers were once commonly treated in this manner. Goldenrod’s support of healing tissues classifies it as a vulnerary.

 

SYMPTOM REGULATING HERBS are plants which help relieve discomfort and pain. The antiseptic properties of this herb help counteract decay. Tea made from the leaves and flowers can be used as a mouthwash. Its stimulant properties increase the action of other herbs in remedies. Stomach pain is relieved by the carminative action of goldenseal which helps remove gas from the digestive tract. To reduce fevers, goldenseal tea is helpful. Pain associated with menstruation is also lessened by drinking goldenseal tea.

 

TO MAKE GOLDENSEAL TEA

Measure 2 tsp of dried herb into a cup. Add boiling water to the container and cover, letting it steep for ten minutes. Enjoy a cup of the tea three times each day until the symptoms lessen. Taken in quantities of ½ cup four times per day, this tea is reported to be helpful in the treatment seasonal allergies. Yet, if I felt it beneficial, I would consume it more liberally.

 

SINUS WASH

The tea is also good as a sinus spray. This is an effective treatment for upper respiratory inflammation and congestion accompanied by a sore throat and low fever.

 

SALVES & OILS

When goldenrod is infused in oil, it is a soothing topical treatment for sore muscles, strains and sprains. This oil can be applied repeatedly and liberally as frequently as every half hour, but usually every three hours. Even chronic pain and stiffness has been alleviated with this application. This does not correct serious structural damage; rather it helps with painful and inflamed tissues. Goldenrod’s vulnerary properties make this a good choice for the treatment of cuts, scratches and wounds as it speeds healing.

 

GOLDENSEAL TINCTURE

A tincture of goldenrod can be used to help alleviate allergy symptoms. In tincture combinations, goldenrod will help to increase the beneficial properties of other herbs. While the individual response and underlying conditions must be considered, a tincture of goldenrod, nettle and elderberry is considered a good combination for allergy relief. Another tincture combination that is useful in the treatment of kidney and urinary tract infections is goldenrod, echinacea, yarrow and elderberry. One dropperful should be taken hourly until symptoms ease. After the symptoms lessen, continue taking several drops 3-4 times a day for around 10 days. A ten day trial period is the same time used in Scripture to establish good health.* Another application for tinctures can be topical as a liniment.

 

Subsequent articles will deal with the procedures for making your own tinctures, oils and salves. Meanwhile, if you’d like a great resource for introductory herbal information and applications (and a great read), I suggest you purchase the latest book by herbalist Debi Pearl entitled THE VISION. In addition to herbal tips on the everyday use of herbs, you’ll enjoy an exciting story of adventure, romance and intrigue. Buy it today.

 

*The phrase “ten days” makes for an interesting word study in Scripture.

 

 

 

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Information and ideas presented here are for the reader’s use and enrichment. This is not offered as a replacement for the care of a medical professional. The ideas and opinions expressed are that of the author and fallible. It is the responsibility of the reader to arrive at his own conclusions and be informed.

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SEEDS FOR SURVIVAL

Genesis 1:29
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

 

Vigorous animal and plant life were created with the ability to generate similar offspring. Gardeners began to collect seeds and hold them in reserve for the next seedtime. Seed was harvested from the healthiest plants.

 

US corporations now exist that specialize in marketing seeds to farmers. The farmer was relieved of the time he used to spend to manually secure seed while the corporations gained a profit. Concerned only with the collection, storage and sale of seeds, these corporations flourished.

 

With new developments in science, it became possible to modify seeds and increase profits. However, the farmers, consumers and food quality did not always benefit from these new methods. Hoping to eliminate other sources, seed corporations set into motion a plan to become the only suppliers of seeds for farmers. Seeds were altered so that the resulting plants produced flawed seeds that either did not germinate, or did so in an unpredictable manner.

 

Today, there are 3 commonly used methods to accomplish this: Terminator Technology, genetically modified (GM) seeds, and hybrid plants.

Because hybrid plants are a cross of differing varieties, their seeds aren't likely to produce a similar plant. Genetically modified seeds (GM seeds) are designed to withstand many chemical applications. These GM plants allow farmers to use stronger chemical treatments that affect the microbes and nutrient content in the soil which, in turn, affects the nutrient content of the crops. Plants grown from seeds that have Terminator Technology will produce seeds which are sterile and cannot produce crops the following season.

 

 

A seed bank is one way that an individual can insure fertile seeds are available in the future. Farmers aren't the only ones that can participate in this project. Find sources for your seeds that state they sell only NON GM seeds. Limit your purchases to unaltered, heirloom seeds. Choose from the foods and ingredients you normally find in your kitchen for cooking and medicinal uses.

Dry your seeds from vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs at room temperature on stiff paper. Make a notation of the date and the variety of seed on the paper as a reminder. Place the dried seeds into a labeled paper envelope. The envelopes can be kept in a glass jar in the refrigerator for great lengths of time. For most purposes, seeds will store well in a cool, dry, dark place. Seed balls are a good choice for grasses and grains that will be used to plant large areas.

Is there a reason that a person would store seeds that he isn't planning to grow?

 

 

The United States Congress is currently considering a piece of legislation named H.R. 875 which could potentially make it impossible for you to get produce from organic farmers or backyard gardeners. So far it is unknown whether the bill will pass or how it will be enforced. With this in mind, it may be best to store seeds while it is still legal to do so.

While you may not grow them yourself, think about saving a variety of seeds. The botanical name and the common name should both be used on the label; you may have to do a little research. On the internet, people regularly trade seeds through the mail. By trading your surplus seeds, you could secure the seeds you do want in an equal exchange.

If heirloom seed companies shut their doors, the seeds they offer might no longer exist. Current politics and the economy make this an uncomfortably realistic possibility. Having your own source of heirloom seeds may be one way you can insure a steady source of good organic foods, whether you normally grow your own or purchase from the roadside stand.

A bi-monthly publication, No Greater Joy Magazine features articles on simple living and building strong families. Get your free subscription at Mike and Debi Pearl's web site www.nogreaterjoy.org.

 

 

How to Harvest & Dry Seeds -- powered by eHow.com

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Cool Storage

Electricity seems to be a necessity for food storage. When a power outage occurs, ice becomes a precious commodity. Yet many families live without these modern conveniences. Without electricity, evaporative cooling can provide crucial cool storage.

Evaporative cooling occurs when a liquid evaporates into the surrounding air. Objects in contact with the liquid become cooler as the heat surrounding the liquid change water into vapor and wick it away. The hotter the surrounding air is, the faster the water evaporates and the greater the cooling effect. If temperatures are more temperate, there will be less of a cooling effect.

You can feel this effect when you step out of the bathtub or become wet on a hot day. Waterfalls, lakes, rivers and oceans are other places where this difference in temperature exists.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporative_cooling#Evaporative_cooling]
[http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/heating_cooling/evaporative.html]

WHAT'S HAPPENING DURING EVAPORATIVE COOLING?
"This happens because the temperature and the vapor pressure of the water and the air attempt to equalize. Liquid water molecules become gas in the dry air, a process that uses energy to change the physical state. Heat moves from the higher temperature of the air to the lower temperature of the water. As a result, the air is cooler. Eventually the air becomes saturated, unable to hold more water, and evaporation ceases."
[http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/heating_cooling/evaporative.html]

Rural homemakers may not have explained it in those terms, but principles of evaporative cooling have been used for generations to keep perishable foods cooler.

 

BUTTER BELL
A simple household item that employs this technology is the butter bell. In very warm climates, keeping butter at room temperature would result in a butter puddle. The butter bell is a piece of crockery, the size of a large coffee mug, that places a layer of water around the butter, keeping it at a cooler temperature as the water evaporates through the ceramic surface. This results in a spreadable pat of butter without the use of artificial refrigeration.

 

 

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DID YOU KNOW? Butter that is made from raw milk does not go rancid when stored at room temperature. Rancidity is a phenomenon that occurs in milk and milk products made from homogenized and pasteurized milk. Modern dairy processing strips milk of natural qualities that prevent rancidity.
[http://www.webexhibits.org/butter/off.html]

In contrast, raw milk and raw milk products will sour as they age and are still useful in cooking long after they begin to taste sour.

The difference is apparent when an animal is offered raw milk which has soured versus processed milk which has gone rancid. The rancid product has a non-food (chemical) odor and will be rejected.

"Indeed, naturally soured milk and cream are highly useful items. In fact, it can be argued that the soured versions are even more healthful than the "fresh from the cow variety" due to the higher level of enzymes and friendly bacteria present. Pasteurization destroys these naturally occurring enzymes and probiotics, which explains why processed milk goes rancid and does not sour."
[http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/maximize_rawmilk.html]

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A CANVAS WATER BUCKET?
Used by military and backwoodsmen, canvas bags provide a way to get a cool drink without carrying cumbersome buckets and canteens. If you have a properly made bag, it WILL hold water. When the bag is saturated, the canvas fibers swell and make the container watertight. The warm air surrounding the bag wicks water vapor through the canvass, keeping the drinking water relatively cool.

 

 

 

SIMPLE GENIUS
Nigeria's climate is relentlessly hot and dry. Without refrigeration, it is nearly impossible to keep food from spoiling.

Mohammed Bah Abba knew that cool storage could provide many opportunities for people in Nigeria: perishable items could be kept fresh longer, waste would be reduced, and profits for struggling farmers could increase.

Other cooling technologies were cost-prohibitive for villagers. Mohammed Bah Abba decided to use evaporative cooling, utilizing available materials, to create a low-cost solution. He designed a pot-in-pot cooling system, called Zeer pots.

Zeer pots are two unglazed clay bowls. The smaller bowl nests inside the larger. Between the two bowls, wet sand is packed. A heavy wet cloth is placed over the lid of the inner bowl, resting on the wet sand. This 'refrigerator' is placed in a shady spot, on a rack that allows air to circulate around the sides and under the outer bowl. The porous ceramic allows the water to be wicked through the pot and evaporate from the wet sand. This creates a lower temperature inside the inner pot.

Because of the low cost of materials, Mohammed has been able to sell his Zeer Pots for less than $1 per unit.
[http://www.techawards.org/laureates/stories/index.php?id=131]

 

STATIC COOLING SYSTEM
In India, a similar technology is employed using bricks to build a larger cool storage container. Static cooling systems are constructed in a shaded spot with a thatched lid covered with a damp cloth.

"Construction is fairly simple. First the floor is built from a single layer of bricks, then a cavity wall is constructed of brick around the outer edge of the floor with a gap of about 75mm (3") between the inner wall and outer wall. This cavity is then filled with sand. About 400 bricks are needed to build a chamber of the size shown in [the illustration] which has a capacity of about 100kg. . .

"After construction the walls, floor, sand in the cavity and cover are thoroughly saturated with water. Once the chamber is completely wet, a twice-daily sprinkling of water is enough to maintain the moisture and temperature of the chamber. A simple automated drip watering system can also be added as shown in [the illustration]." [Source: http://www.appropedia.org/Evaporative_Cooling_(original)]

 

 

AN ADVENTURE IN LEARNING
Build your own Pot-In-Pot Cooler.
You will need:
* One small unglazed terracotta pot
* One larger unglazed terracotta pot (large enough to hold the smaller with space between)
* If the pots have drain holes, a rock (or piece of crockery) to stop the sand from falling out of the larger container
* Wet sand
* Saucer to fit over the top of the smaller pot
* Two glass jars (identical) with lids -- The jars must be small enough that one of them can fit inside the small pot.
* A damp cloth
* A Thermometer

Rinse the two pots free of any film or debris. Place your rock or piece of crockery over the hole in the bottom of the larger pot (if there is a hole). Add a layer of wet sand. Place the smaller pot inside the larger pot and tamp the sand beneath it down securely. Adjust the amount of sand so that the top of the small pot is raised even to the top of the larger pot when placed inside. Once this is done, add sand around the sides, pressing it down firmly with your fingers or a spoon until the space is filled with wet sand. If necessary, add more water to the sand.

Fill your two jars with the same amount of water and secure their lids. Place one jar inside your new cooler and place the cooler in a shaded area. Cover the small pot with the saucer for a lid. Place the damp cloth over the lid, allowing it to touch the wet sand. Place the second jar of water outside your cooler.

After about four hours, use a thermometer to record the temperature of the water in the outside jar. Compare this to the temperature of the water in the jar inside your cooler. Is there a difference? Do you think your cooler works better/worse when the air is warmer/cooler? Do you think that the level of humidity in the air affected your results?

Variations of this Project:
* Try this again with the cooler placed up on a brick or some sort of rack that allows air to flow beneath the cooler. Did this change your results?

* Try this same project using a galvanized tub and an enamel sauce pan with lid. Did this cooler work better/worse than the first? Which method would you prefer?

* Try this experiment with differently sized pots. Do you see a difference in the cooling effect when there is more/less room for wet sand between the two containers?

* Take two more identical glass jars with lids. Fill them with the same amount of water. Replace the lids. Around one jar, wrap a wet towel. Leave both jars in a warm place for a couple of hours. When you return, measure the temperature of the water in the wrapped jar versus the unwrapped jar. Was there a difference?

CAN YOU DO THIS?
Use some surplus bricks to build your own static cooling system. How well did your system work? What sorts of items do you think would be good to store in this system?