Herbs from the Labyrinth

Working on the Herb Fair and Festival Schedule...

2012-02-21T13:44:00.000-05:00

I'm working on the festival & herb fair schedule for this year. Oh my, we're going to be busy! Here's how it looks so far:

Landis Valley Herb Faire, Friday & Saturday, May 11 & 12
Bumbada weekend, May 18, 19 & 20
Baltimore Herb Festival, Saturday, May 26
Where Womyn Gather, June 7-10 (tentative)
Lancaster Pride Festival, Saturday, June 16
New England Women's Herbal Conference, August 24 - 26
Mid-Atlantic Women's Herbal Conference, October 6

Be sure to check back - no doubt there will be more...

Simmering and Infusing and Reformulating...

2012-02-07T14:03:00.000-05:00

It's a busy day here - Elderberry Syrup simmering and filling the air with delicious aroma. Beth is working today & she says she thinks we all are having our health enhanced just by breathing the fumes!

In another pot, White Sage, Cedar tips and Sweetgrass infusing for a batch of Clear Space Mist. And, just this morning, I was reading about the stone, fluorite. Suddenly, it was clear to me that I would add a small piece of this lovely gem to each bottle of the mist. Here's part of what I read: "Fluorite draws off negative energies and stress of all kinds. It cleanses, purifies, dispels and reorganizes anything that is not in perfect order." A perfect addition, I think!

The Scent of Warm Beeswax

2012-01-25T15:13:00.000-05:00

We're making another batch of Boo Boo Balm this afternoon, and I am reminded again of how much I love the aroma of beeswax. Sweet and earthy. Real. Ancient...

I've decided to become a beekeeper. Officially. I've kept Mason bees for many years - they're wonderful pollinators, very gentle and fun to watch. But, no honey. And no beeswax. And I use a lot of both. So, I'm going to take a class offered by our local beekeepers society. And this Spring, I'll put a hive in my garden...

Elements of Magic, a Course in Earth-based Goddess Spirituality

2012-01-06T18:46:00.000-05:00

Elements of Magic

An introductory course in Reclaiming Tradition

Using the art of magic, we deepen our vision and focus our will, empowering ourselves to act in the world.

In the tradition of STARHAWK & Reclaiming, this class will explore the Elements of Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit as used to develop the practice of Magic, Witchcraft, and Goddess Spirituality.

Working through each individual element, students will learn & refine techniques to include: Creation of Sacred Space, breath-work, spell-craft, chanting, visualization & trance, and structuring rituals in an experiential format. We will learn to sense, shift and move energy. This is an opportunity to experience deep magic as we learn the skills on which to build our individual practices. The concept of the triple self and its importance in magic will be introduced. Once aligned, we will open all of our selves to the beauty and love around us, creating rituals and practices that can transform us and the worlds about us.

Preparation: Read the first six chapters of The Spiral Dance, by Starhawk.

This class is considered the first of the Reclaiming Tradition’s core classes. Sarah, an initiated Reclaiming Tradition priestess and teacher, and Beth will facilitate class. Please be committed to attending all 6 classes.

When: Fridays, January 27 thru March 2, 2012, 6-9:30pm

Where: Radiance, 9 W Grant St (across from Central Market)

Phone 717-290-1517 for more information

Cost: $185 - $155 sliding scale, includes a copy of The Spiral Dance.

Stop in to register, or send a $50 non-refundable deposit with your registration & contact information to Sarah Preston at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA 17603. Balance due at first class. Stop in to pick up your book. If you have previously completed Elements, you are welcome to join the class at no charge.

About the Cost:

In Reclaiming, we try to balance the need to be justly compensated for our labor with our commitment to make our work available to people of all economic levels. By using a sliding scale, we hope that those who can afford to do so will pay on the higher end. No one will be excluded from the class for lack of funds.

Witchcraft is a growing tradition in our culture today. It is a call from and to the ancient Goddess and Her immanence. It is a call to know ourselves in all of our parts, so that we can create the powerful magic that changes all worlds. While we live in a culture of domination and control, worlds full of desire, beauty, love and grace surround us and the Craft opens them to us. Witches honor the cycles of nature, the earth and the goddesses and gods that live within each of us. Reclaiming is an ever-evolving tradition that is rooted in Eco-feminism and the Feri Tradition. It is dedicated to personal empowerment, teaching and unifying spirit and politics.

Sarah's Spectacular Gluten-free Granola

2011-12-31T11:41:00.000-05:00

I'm making a batch of granola this morning and am reminded that I have been meaning to post the recipe here on my blog. Well, it more guidelines than an actual recipe, since each batch is different depending on the ingredients I have on hand. Sometimes I like guidelines better than recipes anyway - more room for creativity....

I start with gluten-free oats. Bob's Red Mill sells some nice ones. Then I add nuts and seeds, some spices, something sweet and coconut oil. All of that goes into the oven until the nuts are roasted. When it comes out of the oven, I add the dried fruit, and voila! Granola!

So, here's the version I am making today:

2 pounds gluten-free oats (about 8 cups)
2 pounds raw almonds, chopped in the food processor
1/2 pound pumpkin seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1 Cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Stir thoroughly, so that sugar, salt and spices are evenly distributed. Then, in a small saucepan melt:

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Drizzle over oat & nut mixture & stir to coat evenly. Spread mixture in a large roasting pan, & put it into the oven at 300 degrees F. Stir about every 20 minutes until the nuts are slightly crunchy, about an hour and a half.

Remove from the oven and immediately add:

2 cups golden raisins
2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

Stir to blend thoroughly again. Cool, and store in a large glass jar. Savor. Mmmmm.....

Psyche's Journey: Ritual Priestessing Skills Workshop

2011-12-20T15:30:00.000-05:00

With Sylvan Redbird (and guest facilitators TBA)

Sunday, Jan. 22 and Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012
12:00-4:30pm at Radiance

9 W Grant St., Lancaster PA

We will be exploring the myth of Psyche, focusing on the challenges of her initiatory journey, developing trance techniques and diverse ritual structures to experience this story as we reclaim our own divine selves.

This workshop is an opportunity to build on the trance and story techniques taught in a Reclaiming Rites of Passage class, but this is not a prerequisite for participation. Participants should have taken an Elements of Magic or have equivalent experience with basic pagan circle casting/elements understanding. If you are unsure about your experience, call Sarah at Radiance.

Cost is on a sliding scale: $95 to $75

Call Radiance, 717-290-1517, or stop in to register for this workshop.

Please review the myth of Psyche and Cupid (Hamilton’s Mythology or similar collection is fine), as we will not be working with the entire arch of the story. Please attend both sessions, and there will be some personal work between dates.

With his heart and his hands, eyes illuminating with light yet accustomed to the darkness, Sylvan weaves his art-filled life like a Faerie Spider. In the center of his web, a healing spell of Love; his body a bridge between the Human and the Spirit World (especially the Fey and the Ancestors). Sylvan, anchored by his daily recovery practices, now drinks deeply of ecstatic worship and quiet solitude, balancing the mundane and Mystery, embracing embodiment. Originally of the Welsh Tradition, he is a teacher of the Reclaiming Tradition and a Feri initiate.

Rose Body Glitter!

2011-12-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

So, there I was, working away in my secret laboratory, making Rose Body Glitter, my slightly seductive shimmery powder. It's perfect for dusting on your skin for a special date, or a holiday party. Or attending a fairy festival...

Anyway, there I was, carefully measuring the ingredients into the mortar. Then I reached in with the pestle to mix the powders and a cloud of shimmering light rose up and enveloped me! Shimmering light settled all over my hair, clothes and skin. A fairy kiss...

You can have some of this magical dust, too. It on my web site. Rose Body Glitter...

Elderberry Syrup Simmering Today!

2011-12-13T14:39:00.000-05:00

About every two weeks, maybe more often in winter, I make a batch of Elderberry syrup. As the brew begins to simmer, the deep, rich aroma fills the air. In addition to Elderberries, I include Astragulus root, Ginger root and Cinnamon chips. Everyone who comes into the shop wants to know what's cooking in the back room...

Elderberry makes such delicious herbal medicine, even small children like the taste. And yet, it's truly an amazing remedy.

Elderberries have anti-viral properties, so they help us to fight colds and other viruses. They seem to have the ability to prevent viruses from adhering to us - so that the viruses are unable to take up residence in our respiratory and digestive tracts, and are just carried out of our bodies in the waste stream.

Because Elder helps to strengthen our immune systems, I often add a teaspoon or two of Elderberry syrup to my morning smoothie. It's a good precautionary measure, because as an herbalist, I come into contact with lots of people who have colds and flu. I always take some when I travel, too, no matter what time of year it is.

Elderberry syrup can help to alleviate congestion, too. It gently opens stuffy air passages, dries up runny noses and makes it easier to breathe. Elderberry is good for reducing fevers, because it is a diaphoretic, and encourages our bodies to sweat.

Do you have some Elderberry syrup on hand?

Infusing Oil for Boo Boo Balm

2011-12-08T15:04:00.000-05:00

This morning I started infusing the oil for making a new batch of Boo Boo Balm. I'm struck with the beauty of the herbs suspended in the olive oil...

Most herbalists make some sort of basic first aid salve, and this is mine. I include Comfrey root, which you'll find in most salves for cuts and scrapes, and Lavender flowers to soothe the skin, but I include a number of lesser-known herbs, too.

I add Yarrow to stop bleeding rapidly and heal deep cuts - when I studied with Matt Wood he taught us that Yarrow can heal "cuts to the bone". Years ago, I got a call from a panic-stricken neighbor who had just sliced the tip of her finger so badly that she was afraid would lose it. She did get a couple of stitches, but the doctor didn't hold out much hope. He told her she might still lose the tip of her finger, and that she would certainly never have any feeling in it again. Yipes! Anyway, when she called me, I ran down the street with a jar of Boo Boo Balm. She started applying it right away & continued to use it for a few weeks. Her fingertip completely healed, she has normal feeling in it, and almost no scar!

Another herb I use in this formula is Balm of Gilead - a type of poplar bud. Sticky with resin, and used in healing ointments for 3000 years, it helps to prevent infection and aids in healing superficial wounds and skin irritations.

And Usnea, one of my plant allies, which is actually a lichen. Usnea is traditionally thought of as "the lungs of the planet" and grows on trees in the forest. I gather Usnea on my visits to the Pacific northwest - actually, sometimes I sit on the ground under the trees and it falls into my lap. Usnea has anti-viral, anti-septic, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

Firing up the Logwood Dye Pot

2011-11-30T12:16:00.000-05:00

Today feels like a good day to dye... silk long underwear with Logwood. There's a new chill in the air, so layers of clothing are on my mind. I started a Logwood dye pot last week for our Radiant Artisan Festival, and there's still lots of color in it, so I've restarted it and will be dipping silks all day. Stop in if you are nearby and I'll let you peek... It's a beautiful purple - one of my favorite dyes. I expect we'll have the newly dyed pieces available in the shop by the end of the week.

Argan Oil from Morocco

2011-11-03T14:33:00.000-04:00

Recently, we've had several requests for Argan Oil. So, we went searching. And we found it. You can find it in our shop in downtown Lancaster, or on our web site. Argan Oil

This is pure, organic Argan oil, sourced from a fair-trade women's collective in Morocco, employing 80 women. Sometimes known as Moroccan Oil, Argan oil is traditionally used for skin care and hair care.

Argan trees are so important to the dry eco-system in Morocco that they are officially protected by the government. They have a very deep, penetrating root system and help to stabilize the soil structure, as well as having the ability to draw moisture and nutrients from deep below the surface.

All parts of the fruit are used. The outer fruit peels are food for livestock animals, the inner shells are used for fuel in homes and community bath houses. The seeds are then roasted and ground, releasing the oil.

Making Dragon's Breath or What Is That Stuff??

2011-10-26T14:58:00.000-04:00

All through the Autumn and Winter, I keep huge jars of Dragon's Breath brewing in the back room. I bottle it as we need to for the shop & start another batch. We go through many gallons each year. Whenever we allow someone to peer into the workroom, they immediately espy this jar & can't imagine what outrageous brew we might be working on. Some of the reactions are really quite funny.

Dragon's Breath is a tonic vinegar, most often used as a cold remedy, but I've known several people who used it in cooking - for spicy salad dressing and for a marinade. It's a very healthy brew, fighting colds and infections, opening up clogged breathing passages, and warming you on a cold night.

Mix a couple of tablespoons of the vinegar in a mug of hot water, perhaps sweeten with a bit of honey, and sip. Mmmmmm. Cold night are coming soon, so it's time to stock up! http://www.herbsfromthelabyrinth.com/item/Dragons-Breath-Cold-Remedy-14

And here's a sneak peek at some of what actually goes into the brew with raw apple cider vinegar... nothing to be scared of...

A Wonderful Weekend at the New England Women's Herb Conference

2011-08-22T22:27:00.002-04:00

photo by Susan Leiken

I've just gotten home from a wonderful weekend at the New England Women's Herb Conference. This was the 24th annual conference, organized by Rosemary Gladstar and an amazing group of women. I've been 6 or 8 times, and it's always fabulous. More than 500 women gathered at a camp outside of Hebron, NH. I tended my booth (shown here), took several classes, and had too many stimulating conversations to count. I even managed to take a nap in the grass. And, my Raspberry Beret cordial won an award! You can see that the tester bottle for that one has been dipped into quite a few times... it's the third bottle from the right, on the table in front of me. This photo was taken on Sunday morning - I was already sold out of quite a few things, and by the end of the morning I had none of the beautiful sundresses (which I dyed with Lac resin) either. And I forgot to save one for myself, so I'll be setting up another dye pot soon...

Moonlight from the Dye Pot

2011-07-28T11:54:00.000-04:00

For the past couple of weeks, I've been dyeing silks. Last week the colour was from Brazilwood, and I got a range of beautiful corals and pinks. This week, I'm working with Logwood. The first pieces out of the dye pot were a gorgeous purple with gray undertones. The next group? One of the most magical colours I've ever coaxed onto fiber. It's soft plum with a silver shimmer. It looks like moonlight. One of our massage therapists started to weep when she saw it. This photo can't really convey it fully, but you get the idea. There are camisoles, chemises and scarves...

Luscious Night Serum

2011-06-02T15:45:00.000-04:00

I'm working this afternoon, making a batch of Luscious Night Serum. It's a gorgeous, breezy day, and somehow quiet, so my mind began to wander as I made the delectable concoction...

Several years ago, a longtime faithful user of my Luscious Face Cream came into the shop with a nearly-empty bottle and asked if I could re-create the contents. A friend of hers had given her a nighttime moisturizing oil from an exclusive New York salon. She had loved using it, but discovered the prohibitive cost (nearly $100!) when she called the salon to order another bottle. So, she came to me. And I thought I could develop something comparable for much less. So, as you've probably guessed, Luscious Night Serum was born.

Thanks, Jacqueline!

Really, Spring is Coming...

2011-03-06T15:17:00.000-05:00

This morning I heard songbirds. Really. And a huge flock of robins covered the ground in front of my little house. Listening for worms. Which means, of course, that worms must be moving around in the soil. And, when I walked out to explore a bit in the rain, I saw that the young Willow has put on her chartreuse. New color! And look, buds are forming on her branches.

While I was admiring the Willow, I noticed that something tall has been breaking and eating some branches nearby. I'm guessing deer, but am not sure. They aren't eating the Willow, though.

I once learned that young Willow trees emit a substance that tastes offensive to deer, in order to protect themselves. Once the trees are older and better established, they only produce the substance if they are under stress, which often is from overfeeding by deer... They're willing to be food/medicine unless their own health or survival is threatened. Then, the trees change the boundaries.

Relationship is fascinating!

And, Spring is coming! Really!

The Power of a Seed

2011-02-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

Here it is, mid-February, and even those of us who treasure living by the seasons are starting to daydream about Spring. So, here in the throes of Winter,we've just scheduled a seed-starting workshop. The timing is calculated so that you will have seedlings ready to go into the ground as early as we can safely do that here, without danger of frost...

The Power of a Seed:

Starting Your Vegetable and Herb Garden from Scratch

Saturday, March 26, 2-6pm

Want to grow your plants from seed but don't know how to begin? Join Natasha Herr, co-owner of Homegrown Edible Landscaping Co., for this hands-on workshop. Topics will include starting seeds indoors using a grow-light, in an outdoor cold-frame, or in a greenhouse, preparation of seeds and soil, care of seedlings and transplanting. Discover how easy it is to start your plants from seed! Go home from this class with your own egg carton flat of starts!

Saturday, March 26, 2011, 2-6pm. $35 includes all materials and seeds.

Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, in downtown Lancaster, PA, across the cobblestones from Central Market. To register, stop in or call 717-290-1517.

Natasha Herr is co-owner of Homegrown Edible Landscaping Co., a company dedicated to helping people learn to grow their own food.

Ice Valance...

2011-01-19T13:09:00.000-05:00

This morning I looked out my window just in time to see this sheet of ice pause before sliding off the roof. I had just enough time to step outside & take this photo before it crashed to the ground. A lace valance of ice...

The ground is covered with gray, slushy snow. The air is filled with cold, grey mist. The sky is one enormous, gray cloud. I'm thinking it's time for a pot of Spring in My Step tea... Holy basil, Lemon balm, St John's Wort & more - an herbal mood lift!

Ice!

2011-01-18T09:14:00.000-05:00

Snow, sleet and freezing rain started falling here overnight. I woke in the middle of the night to the sound of ice hitting the window. Ice. Beautiful and dangerous. A reminder that we are still in the grips of Winter.

Finally, Hafiz has something to say to me today:

O my heart, make a wish for the coming of Spring.
That in every field there will be a thousand birds and a hundred roses will grow.

Earth and Straw

2011-01-16T10:06:00.000-05:00

In the morning, as the light begins to spread across the meadow, I am delighted by the shadows and illuminations around the window in my sleeping room. I lie still and watch the walls move and breathe. The structure of this little house is so simple and organic – she lives.

The bones of the house are bales of straw, stacked like bricks for stability and balance. The outer walls are a lime plaster to keep the wind and wet at bay. The inner walls are sculpted of clay and straw. The scent of earth is always here. Sometimes I think I live in an earthen womb…

Hafiz is irritating me. I have read a dozen poems waiting for lines of joy and delight in the experience of being alive. Page after page hands me one critical thought after another. I’ll keep reading until I find something worth sharing…

Bridgid, Help Me Light This Fire

2011-01-14T08:41:00.003-05:00

Only in the morning can a glass of splendid wine taste good
And throw its protective rays around the horizon of your house…
… the sun is coming up in the corner of the Winehouse.
Lift up your head. With the full moon on your shoulder.

Hafiz

In poetry, Hafiz uses imagery of the wine, wine-drinker and wine-house often. It’s not about indulging in alcoholic beverage. The wine-house is a metaphor for a sacred place, a place to pray and contemplate the nature of divinity. The wine-drinker is the one who is open in meditation. And the wine is the divine love received.

It’s cold this morning. My little house is chillier than usual because I was out last night & didn’t build a fire when I got home. By morning, the cold air from outside had fallen through the stovepipe, making it more difficult to light the fire. Cold air is heavy, and the little flames have to push hard to move that air back up through the pipe so that the stove will begin to “draw”. Only then will the tentative flames become a fire that can heat the stove and the house. Building a fire in a cold stove takes some patience and persistence. And some divine assistance is nice, too…

A fire-lighting blessing has been coming to me slowly. It’s a prayer to the goddess Bridgid, an ancient goddess from the land that now includes Britain (which is named for her – can you see that?). Some people say that Bridgid, Brigit, Bride is our Original Fire Ancestor.

Bridgid, help me light this fire.
Flames of heat are my desire.
Protect this house,
Keep it safe and warm
To shelter us from Wind and Storm.

Living in the Tundra

2011-01-13T08:39:00.001-05:00

There is a film I have seen many times, though not for quite a while, which comes from the depths of memory sometimes. Nanook of the North. It is a documentary, following a traditional, nomadic Inuit family in the early part of the 20th century. We watch them build an igloo from blocks of snow. Not unlike the structure of my house made from blocks of straw.

The harshness of the landscape is striking in contrast to the comfort of the home, and the warmth of the hearth.

This morning, Hafiz says:

I heard the rumor You were coming, so I have been busy saying prayers.
I needed this respite of joy for my aching heart.
O Beloved, knock hard on the handle when you finally come to my door.
I have left the light on in the window, and this house is meant for You.

The Illusion of Alone

2011-01-12T09:55:00.002-05:00

I awakened this morning in the quiet of a snow-covered meadow. It will not be easy to leave my house today. Perhaps I will embrace the offer to stay home alone. It wouldn’t be easy for anyone to come visiting today. Probably no one will.

And yet…

The meadow is full of life. Feral cats watch my every move. I give them food and goat’s milk, croon over them and tell them how lovely they are. Some of them let me stroke them while they drink the milk. Hundreds of Juncos are wintering here. They perch precariously on the tall grasses. Juncos live in the Arctic during the warmer seasons, so they are under the impression that it’s warm here. Foxes cavort in the meadow and hunt along the stream. Hawks and owls and turkey buzzards soar overhead. I’m sure mice are hiding in the meadow, but I rarely see them. I think all of my predator neighbors make them nervous.

From Hafiz this morning:

The seas and oceans all come from the source of a very small stream.

A Bucket of Ashes, A Bucket of Wine

2011-01-11T08:33:00.000-05:00

O Winebringer, bring us a bucket of wine,
For, it is morning and the dew is falling from the sky.
Friends, drink all the blood from this bucket…

Hafiz

In the pre-dawn light this morning, I carried a bucket of ashes out to the place where the new labyrinth garden will be. Snow is arriving here later this afternoon, and I wanted to spread wood ashes over the newly prepared beds to add nutrients to the soil. There is no wind today, so the ashes will stay until the snow covers them. Then as the snow melts, the water and ash will become part of the soil – nourishment for the plants that are not yet here…

This new garden is a gift to Hecate. An offering to a Goddess who watches over us during the times of our Underworld journeys, our Winters. She knows more than most about the richness of ashes. And then, She holds Her lantern aloft for us when we are ready to emerge…

Morning Metaphor

2011-01-10T07:51:00.000-05:00

This is the third morning when I find myself sharing a small part of my daily devotional practice, which at the moment includes meditating on a poem of Hafiz.

Hafiz was a mystical Persian poet who lived from 1326 until 1390 CE. The poems are full of love and longing for union with the divine. They are written in metaphor, in beautiful code, making them rich with imagery and mystery. Perfect for contemplation.

The lines this morning include:

O morning breeze, bring your happy face as soon as you can
To the Beloved’s Street!

I find the experience evoked by the lines to be so accessible – the joy of feeling the gentle morning air on my skin…and yet it means so much more.

Today I am reading it to say something like:

O divine messenger, O muse, touch me with sacred inspiration
In this place where I sit to pray and meditate!

Divine Devotion

2011-01-09T09:13:00.001-05:00

This morning I lit a stick of Radha incense to begin my meditation time. Radha is the beloved partner of Krishna. Friends of mine who are part of the Ramakrishnananda Ashram told me once that they had been taught, “Krishna is Divine Desire. Radha is Divine Devotion.” Inseparable. Reflection. Paradox.

From Hafiz this morning:

Oh pilgrim, come and look into the mirror of this glass of wine! …

Winter Mornings with Hafiz

2011-01-08T08:51:00.000-05:00

Winter is naturally a time for going inward. The cold and dark keep us close to the comfort of the hearth. The quiet offers us a space for contemplation.

For many years, I have maintained a private, daily personal spiritual practice. It changes as I change. It’s an organic practice because I am an organic being. There are aspects of my daily practice that are similar from one day to the next, one month to the next, even one year to the next. Meditation. Movement and Stillness. Singing and Silence. And yet, sometimes I am working in the garden as part of my practice, or preparing herbal medicines, or knitting. It changes.

This winter, part of my early morning practice is reading translations of the poetry of Hafiz, and I am feeling called to share some of the words I am pondering. Perhaps daily. We’ll see.

Here is a line from the poem I read in the darkness of the early morning today:

No one knows in which shell the precious pearl does hide.

Hafiz

Healing Sound Concert and Meditation tonight SOLD OUT!

2010-12-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all for the quick response to this last-minute opportunity to experience Life in Balance, we are completely filled for tonight's event. You can hear some of their music here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j7Qxxx2NMk

We'Moon Calendar 2011

2010-12-02T15:30:00.000-05:00

The We'Moon datebook calendar has been my personal favorite for many years. Filled with contemporary art and writings, astrological information and inspiration. Don't forget to get one... We have them in the shop at Radiance, and available on the web site. http://www.herbsfromthelabyrinth.com/item/2011-WeMoon-Calendar-spiralbound-datebook-204

Monsters? Be Gone!

2010-12-01T13:30:00.000-05:00

I made another batch of Monsters Be Gone! this morning...Recently, we've seen a dramatic increase in people looking for Monsters Be Gone! spray. I think it's fascinating. Are there more monsters afoot? Are more people aware of them? Is our shift into Scorpio triggering more things to come to the edges of shadow? Do you know anyone who needs some? http://www.herbsfromthelabyrinth.com/item/Monsters-Be-Gone-199

Reiki Level One Class

2010-11-03T15:53:00.000-04:00

Reiki is a simple, beautiful form of energy work that allows us to utilize the natural inclination of the Universe toward healing. The gentle, hands-on technique can be learned in one day, and you will be able to give Reiki to yourself and others after this class. Reiki is deeply relaxing, helps to alleviate stress, and restores vital energy allowing the body to move toward wellness.

Experience the healing energy of Reiki in this class being taught by herbalist, energy worker and Reiki Master, Sarah Preston Campbell. You will:

· Learn the modern history of Reiki
· Hear a brief introduction to the three levels, or degrees, of Reiki
· Receive the Attunement to the first degree of Reiki
· Practice giving Reiki to yourself and others
· Receive a Reiki I Certificate, after completion of this class

Class will be held at Radiance, 9 West Grant Street, Lancaster, across the cobblestones from Central Market

Date: Sunday, December 5th 2010

Time: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Bring your lunch.

Cost: $115.00 includes a copy of the book Essential Reiki by Diane Stein. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your place.

RSVP: Required by Wednesday, December 1
Call 290-1517.
Class size is limited so early registration is recommended.

The Dance of Fertility

2010-08-31T15:52:00.002-04:00

The Dance of Fertility:
Reconnecting With Our Cycles

Like the earth itself, a woman's body passes through cycles of fertility and infertility. Sometimes our bodies are moist, cool and fertile and sometimes our bodies are dry, hot and infertile. Each month, our bodies give us signals to let us know where we are in the cycle. We can keep track of the signals and use the knowledge to prevent or achieve pregnancy or gauge overall health.

Join us for this 3-part class as we learn to listen to our bodies using the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM). We will explore what happens during a menstrual cycle, learn to chart our own cycle, and use those charts to achieve or prevent pregnancy and to gauge overall health. We will discuss herbs and other natural remedies to support our reproductive health.

Classes will be held Thursdays, October 7, 14 & 21, 6:30 -8:30pm at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA. Call 717-290-1517 or stop in to register in advance. Cost for the class is on a sliding scale: $80 to $60.

Natasha Herr is co-owner of Homegrown Edible Landscaping Co. She studies with certified fertility educator Katie Singer, author of Garden of Fertility and has used FAM successfully for the last 3 years to prevent pregnancy. She is in love with the magic of fertility and is passionate about teaching others to reconnect with their bodies.
Sarah Preston Campbell is a community herbalist, owner of Herbs From the Labyrinth, LLC and co-owner of Radiance in downtown Lancaster. She is passionate about women’s health, and sees myriad reflections between the health of our own bodies and the health of the Earth body.

Please note: FAM is not the Rhythm method. The rhythm method relies on estimating fertile time based on the assumption that most women ovulate around 14 days before their period. While this may be true for some women, stress, diet and other factors can delay ovulation in any given month, rendering the rhythm method inaccurate. In contrast, FAM relies on the daily observance of fertility signals in order to pinpoint exactly where a woman is in her cycle. There is no guesswork involved- only the facts!

Dyeing with Indigo

2010-08-10T16:35:00.006-04:00

Blue is a difficult color to obtain from natural dyes, coming only from Woad and Indigo. I've assisted with Woad dye baths before, but never worked with Indigo, so when I found a source for Indigo crystals, I had to get some. The crystals are the result of an intense working, so being able to get the prepared crystals saves several days of work. Here's a photo of the crystals: So, into the gorgeous copper vat (thank you, Sonya) filled with cool water, went the crystals, a color remover and some soda ash. Next, I stirred (carefully!) clockwise for a few minutes, then counter-clockwise for a few more minutes. A "flower" begins to form in the center of the pot. You'll notice the spoon that fell in the pot, too. Oops. Once the pot settles and the flower is fully formed, I skimmed the flower off the top, reserving it to return at the end of today's dye session. There's a little bit to skim after each dip, too. I did learn something unexpected - apparently mosquitoes LOVE Indigo. Yipes! I had to run back inside & douse myself in Bug Off!

When a dyed piece comes out of the dye pot it is actually a bright greenish yellow. As the air comes into contact with it, it shifts quickly to darker green and then to the deep blue. It's very magical to watch. At one point, it seems as though it might stop at the point when it looks like a malachite and lapiz blend. Gorgeous. The photos below are of the shifting colors. The first photo is blurry & I apologize - I was lifting the silk out of the dye pot with my right hand & taking the photo with my left, all while wearing rubber gloves. Finally, the color settles in to the deep indigo blue it will remain.

New England Women's Herbal Conference

2010-08-10T15:31:00.003-04:00

I love the NE Women's Herbal Conference. I've been attending for years, and have been able to learn from herbal women from around the world. It truly is an amazing experience - more than 500 herb-loving women gathered together for an August weekend in New Hampshire.

This year, for the first time, I'll be setting up my vending tent and selling my wares! Very exciting. So, I've been keeping the dye pots working overtime, making extra batches of shampoos and salves and teas.

Will I see you there?

Eli's Herb Farm

2010-06-24T13:19:00.003-04:00

When I left Sense of Wonder camp this morning, I went searching for Eli's herb farm. Eli Weaver was a garden apprentice of mine for the past two summers, before that she was a garden apprentice at Goldthread Herb Farm. This year, she's started a small herb farm and will be supplying me with some of my herbs!

I love the progression of color in this photo! Borage, then Calendula, then Yarrow. Beautiful, isn't it?

Two-Woman Bow Drill

2010-06-22T17:50:00.000-04:00

Today at Sense of Wonder camp we started practicing using a bow drill set to start fire. We got lots of smoke, but no coals yet. By Thursday, we plan to build our cooking fire this way. All of the girls had lots of fun!

Rites of Passage

2010-06-14T08:28:00.003-04:00

A class in the Reclaiming Tradition

Cultures across the world celebrate their own Rites of Passage to mark important stages and events in the lives of individuals. This core class in the Reclaiming Tradition will use pairs and group trance, dreams, myth, storytelling and ritual to step into the mystery and explore personal change, healing and transformation. Supported by guides and allies, tracing the otherworld route to our own places of power, we will move in and out of trance and dream states to explore and deepen our understanding of the process by which we change, as we each become the main character in our own myth. We will learn and use powerful techniques of focusing and directing attention to further deepen our initiatory experience together. The class will culminate with ceremonies honoring our transformation. Class facilitated by Sarah Preston Campbell and Jen Frey.

When: Six Friday evenings, between July 9 and September 3, with no class on July 30, August 6 and 20. 6:30 to 9:30.

Where: Radiance, 9 W Grant St., Lancaster PA, across the cobblestones from Central Market

Cost: Sliding scale $185 to $150

Prerequisite: Elements of Magic class, or equivalent experience.

Contact: Sarah by July 2 at 717-290-1517, or stop by Radiance to register, and receive the information needed to prepare for the class.

The Dance of Fertility: Reconnecting With our Cycles

2010-06-07T15:12:00.001-04:00

Like the earth itself, a woman's body passes through cycles of fertility and infertility. Sometimes our bodies are moist, cool and fertile and sometimes our bodies are dry, hot and infertile. Each month, our bodies give us signals to let us know where we are in the cycle. We can keep track of the signals and use the knowledge to prevent or achieve pregnancy or gauge overall health.

Join us for this 3-part class as we learn to listen to our bodies using the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM). We will explore what happens during a menstrual cycle, learn to chart our own cycle, and use those charts to achieve or prevent pregnancy and to gauge overall health. We will discuss herbs and other natural remedies to support our reproductive health.

Classes will be held Thursdays, July 8, 15 & 22, 6:30 -8:30pm at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA. Call 717-290-1517 or stop in to register in advance. Cost for the class is on a sliding scale: $80 to $60.

Natasha Herr is co-owner of Homegrown Edible Landscaping Co. She studies with certified fertility educator Katie Singer, author of Garden of Fertility and has used FAM successfully for the last 3 years to prevent pregnancy. She is in love with the magic of fertility and is passionate about teaching others how to reconnect with their bodies.
Sarah Preston Campbell is a community herbalist, owner of Herbs From the Labyrinth, LLC and co-owner of Radiance in downtown Lancaster. She is passionate about women’s health, and sees myriad reflections between the health of our own bodies and the health of the Earth body.

Please note: FAM is not the Rhythm method. The rhythm method relies on estimating fertile time based on the assumption that most women ovulate around 14 days before their period. While this may be true for some women, stress, diet and other factors can delay ovulation in any given month, rendering the rhythm method inaccurate. In contrast, FAM relies on the daily observance of fertility signals in order to pinpoint exactly where a woman is in her cycle. There is no guesswork involved- only the facts!

Fun at the Baltimore Herb Festival

2010-06-01T17:34:00.004-04:00

This past Saturday, we set up our booth at the Baltimore Herb Festival. We've been selling our wares there for 6 or 8 years, each year on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. It's a lovely festival, held in Leakin Park. And this year, we even had a tree behind our tent for some shade!

We had a visitor early in the morning while we were setting up, and then a return visit at the end of the day. A very friendly toad.

Calcite in the Labyrinth

2010-05-28T08:33:00.005-04:00

Last night, my neighbor, Darla, gifted me with a large chunk of Calcite. She thought it would find a home in my labyrinth. It's an amazing and generous gift, from an amazing and generous woman.

And, just in time for a full moon, a thunderstorm, and Uranus moving into Aries! What timing! A dramatic clearing of the stone, the air & the energies, and the placement of a new powerful crystal in the garden.

Calcite is often used as a healing stone, primarily for kidneys, pancreas & spleen. It alleviates fears, reduces stress & balances emotions. Calcite grounds excess energies & has a feeling of joy and lightness. It is a perfect crystal for meditation, psychic growth and astral projection. Perfect for a labyrinth, I think.

Baltimore Herb Festival this Saturday!

2010-05-26T20:08:00.004-04:00

Today, we started getting ready for the Baltimore Herb Festival. Janna was packaging all of the teas that I blend. I was labeling the new batch of Nettle Shampoo & making lists of everthing we need to take.

This is a one-day festival, and we run from the moment our feet hit the ground that day. It's held in Leakin Park, a lovely setting, and is lots of fun. Saturday, from 10 until 3.

See lots of you there?

Working With the Dye Pots

2010-05-22T08:56:00.006-04:00

I've kept the dye pots going almost non-stop for the past couple of weeks. In the foreground of the photo above is a rayon sundress & a couple of silk scarves dyed with Cochineal. Usually, we think of Cochineal (a tiny beetle shell) giving red, deep magenta or red-orange colour, and I did get those colours in the early stages of this particular dye-pot. I decided to keep working it as long as there was colour left, just to see what the progression would be. This is probably the 5th day of dyeing from the same pot. You can see that the reds are nearly gone, and more blues are left. I love this lilac-thistle colour!
These camisoles are dyed in Osage Orange from some sawdust gifted to me by a bow-maker. The camisole in the center was the first one into the pot & clearly picked up more of the orange hues. You can see how the color shifts with each suceeding piece in the dyepot. Such fun!

Nettle Soup

2010-05-03T15:00:00.002-04:00

I spent part of this morning at the farm of a friend who has a wonderful and huge nettle patch. We harvested several large baskets of nettles & I brought my basketful home to make soup with. I always harvest nettles with my bare hands. It requires complete focus on the task at hand. Waver for a second and she will sting. It's a practice I love. Nettle requires undivided attention. And yet, I harvested so many nettles this morning that even I have 3 numb fingertips.

Here's a recipe I've been using for years.

Creamy Nettle Soup

A friend of mine sent me a version of this recipe from the West Country of England, & I think it's fabulous! This should be made with young, tender nettles, early in Spring. To avoid being "stung" by the nettles, you might want to wear clean gardening gloves for harvesting, washing & chopping. If there is any sting, it will be gone by the time the nettles are wilted. It is quite possible to handle nettles without being stung, but it takes a brave heart and unwavering attention!

Olive oil
3 Cups young nettles (use only the top few inches), washed & chopped
1 cup chopped onion
2 pounds potatoes
2 Tablespoons butter
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
Dulse flakes or sea salt, to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 Cup plain yogurt

Wash the nettles and chop coarsely. Melt butter in saucepan, cook chopped onion until clear. Add nettles and simmer for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into thick slices. Add stock to the nettles, heat & add potatoes, Dulse flakes & pepper. Simmer on low until potatoes are soft. Cool slightly & puree in a blender. Stir in yogurt & serve.

Recipe, copyright 2005, Sarah Campbell

Fairy Lights in the Garden

2010-05-02T20:50:00.002-04:00

The other day, I was having a group in the garden for a moonlit labyrinth walk. I decided to string little white lights along the fence for a little bit of extra light and some magical mood lighting. I'm loving the way it turned out & am hoping that I can leave the lights up all summer. It really gives a feeling of a magical enclosure to the garden.

Woodland Walk at Emergence Farm

2010-04-29T13:51:00.012-04:00

I spent this morning walking through the woods at Emergence Farm in southern Lebanon County. Sisters, Tina Sams & Maryanne Schwartz, of the Essential Herbal magazine & I had been asked to come & identify woodland plants for the owner. It's a beautiful forest, full of wonderful plants. Here are a few photos of some of what we saw.

This is wild Yarrow. It's the first photo I took, though not the first plant we saw. In fact, we didn't get all of the way up the driveway before Tina started yelling to be let out of the car! She'd spotted a swath of Ramps, which are a wild leek.

We saw thousands of Violet Odorata, the narrow leaved sweet purple violet and somehow I didn't take a picture of those. This is a lovely yellow violet.

And the delicate Spring Beauty.

Most of the May Apples we saw were finished flowering, but this one was still in full bloom.

We saw lots of Jack-in-the-Pulpit, ranging in colour from almost black to almost white. Gorgeous.

Bloodroot. We didn't see any in flower, since it's late spring, but still lots of the leaves.

A lovely fairy portal.

Morel mushroom!

And a Lady Slipper in bloom!

Radical Urban Sustainability class

2010-04-28T11:09:00.003-04:00

Radical Urban Sustainability:
Theories and Techniques for Transforming Our City
A two-evening course with Wilson Alvarez
Thursdays, May 13th & 20th, 2010 6:30pm-8:45pm
Cost: Sliding scale of $35-$50

Picture this: Lancaster is completely surrounded by a twenty-foot wall. There is no way to go over it, under it or around it, no food or resources coming in or going out. What skills would we need to obtain the food, water and other materials required to sustain life? How could we create a system that would be truly sustainable without any input from the outside world?

Join us for this 2-part course as we explore cutting-edge theories and techniques that can be used to create a truly self-renewing system, right here within the city and inside our homes.

Topics include:

Week 1:
May 13th
Sustainability Theory:
Systems thinking
Stone age economics/nature awareness
Voluntary simplicity

Food:
Forest gardening
Small scale intensive agriculture
Mushroom cultivation
Micro-livestock
Home-scale fish production

Landscape Decontamination:
Bio-remediation
Myco-remediation
Bio-char production

Week 2:
May 20th
Appropriate Technology:
Human Powered Machines
Composting Toilets
Rocket Stoves
Low Impact Home Designs

Water:
Watershed Rehabilitation
Grey-water systems
Rainwater Catchment

Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA 17603
Call 717-290-1517, or stop by to register

Wilson Alvarez is co-owner of Homegrown Edible Landscaping Co. with his wife Natasha. He has a background in history and anthropology and has spent the last seven years studying the local ecosystem and sustainable living techniques. Homegrown is a human-powered business and is based in Lancaster City.

Memorial Garden in Salem, MA

2010-04-23T09:37:00.004-04:00

Earlier this week, we were in Salem, MA, and visited the memorial garden which was dedicated in 1992, 300 years since the witch trials there. I hadn't known before that Elie Weisel was part of the dedication ceremony. The small, solemn garden is along the outside wall of the old cemetery. This is symbolically important since none of those hanged were allowed to be buryed in the town graveyard. We visited the garden because one of the women hanged is my 13-greats grandmother, Rebecca Nurse. Below is a close-up of the etching on the stone bench with her name.
On the morning before visiting Salem, I was sitting in a hotel lobby in Stonington knitting. A woman came over to join me with her own knitting & we had a lovely chat. Eventually, we talked about where our travels were taking us, and we discovered that we were related through Rebecca Nurse. A gift from the Universe...

Plant-dyed Clothing

2010-04-13T19:21:00.007-04:00

I love setting up the dyepot in the back room at my shop. I can't do it in the winter because I have to be able to prop the door open all day for ventilation. So, in early spring, as soon as I can open that door, I set up the pots and play. Last week I dyed with Logwood bark chips, which give a lovely purple color, and with Safflower petals, which give a rich gold with orange and pink undertones. I dyed some sundresses and some silk camisoles, as well as a couple of silk sarongs. Come into the shop & see them before they all go to new homes! Rayon Ribbon-strap Dress or Hand-dyed pure silk camisole

I'm hoping to find time to set up a dye pot with Tansy later this week, and should get some soft greens. Hoping for good weather...

Recognize This?

2010-04-12T21:57:00.005-04:00

I took this photo this afternoon from my balcony. There's a beautiful old White Oak tree which gives wonderful shade in summer, houses numerous critters, and startles me with its stately skeleton all Winter. It also drops copious amounts of pollen each Spring. Those tassels in the photo? Oak pollen. It falls so thickly that it has to be raked up. I'm not kidding. Inches thick. And it breaks down so slowly that it isn't practical to put it in my compost. BAGS of it go to the municipal composting facility.

The bright gold dust has begun to fall...

Nettles for Breakfast

2010-04-05T08:39:00.002-04:00

Nettles are one of my favorite food herbs, and I look forward to being able to eat them early each Spring. This morning was the first time I cooked with them this year, sauteing them & incorporating them into scrambled eggs. Last week I did have some Nettle soup & Nettle souffle, but someone else cooked those.

For many years, I had to go to wild places to harvest the Nettles. I didn't want to transplant them into my garden, but I really did long for them to grow there. Finally, about three years ago, they came! Two little patches in a nice out-of-the-way place beside the house. I was ecstatic! Then last year, she decided to add another little patch of herself right at the edge of the patio. Hmmm. A more challenging position. Still, I've decided to leave her there. I usually try to allow the wild plants that grow in the garden to choose their own positions - after all, they know where they'll be happiest. So, Nettle beside the patio? That will be an ongoing exercise in being fully present and attentive, won't it?

Chestnut Unfurling

2010-04-04T16:07:00.002-04:00

The Chestnut at the edge of the labyrinth started to unfurl its leaves this morning! It's a little taller than I am this year, so nearly 6 feet, and almost 10 years old. The nursemaid Oak behind it is about 200 years old. Chestnuts used to be one of the primary trees in this area, but the blight killed nearly all of them. Foresters tell us that the root webs are still living and every so often will send up a new tree to see if it's safe yet. This is one of those trees. It's an honor to watch it grow. If you visit my garden, be sure to find it.

You can find lots of information about the native Chestnuts at the American Chestnut Foundation, www.acf.org

Earth Hour

2010-03-25T20:10:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, March 27, at 8:30 PM your local time, turn your lights off and unplug your appliances for an hour. You will be joining with millions of people and thousands of municipalities around the world in a dramatic demonstration of unified global cooperation for a sustainable environment. www.earthhour.org

Elements of Magic Class starting soon

2010-03-02T19:44:00.000-05:00

Using the art of magic, we deepen our vision and focus our will, empowering ourselves to act in the world.

In the tradition of STARHAWK & Reclaiming, this class will explore the Elements of Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit as used to develop the practice of Magic, Witchcraft, and Goddess Spirituality.

Working through each individual element, students will learn & refine techniques to include: Creation of Sacred Space, breath-work, spell-craft, chanting, visualization & trance, and structuring experiential rituals. We will learn to sense, shift and move energy. This is an opportunity to experience deep magic as we learn the skills on which to build our individual practices.

Prerequisite: Read the first six chapters of The Spiral Dance, by Starhawk.

This class is considered the first of the Reclaiming Tradition’s core classes. Sarah, an initiated Reclaiming Tradition priestess and teacher, and Jen will facilitate class. Please be committed to attending all 6 classes.

When: Fridays, March 26 thru May 14, 2010, 6-9:30pm
No class April 9 or May 7
Where: Radiance, 9 W Grant St (across from Central Market)
Phone 717-290-1517 for more information
Cost: $185 - $155 sliding scale, includes a copy of The Spiral Dance.
Stop in to register, or send a $50 non-refundable deposit with your registration & contact information to Sarah Campbell at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA 17603. Balance due at first class. Stop in to pick up your book.

About the Cost:
In Reclaiming, we try to balance the need to be justly compensated for our labor with our commitment to make our work available to people of all economic levels. By using a sliding scale, we hope that those who can afford to do so will pay on the higher end. No one will be excluded from the class for lack of money.

About Witchcraft and Reclaiming
Witchcraft is a spiritual tradition that is based on re-membering and creating an earth-based way of life. Witches honor the cycles of nature, the earth and the goddesses and gods that live within each of us. Reclaiming is an ever-evolving tradition that is rooted in Eco-feminism and the Feri Tradition. It is dedicated to personal empowerment, teaching and unifying spirit and politics.

Intro to Organic Gardening Class

2010-02-03T11:23:00.001-05:00

Intro to Organic Gardening: Planning the Season
Thursdays, February 25th and March 4th from 6:30pm-8:45pm.

This course is perfect for people who are just getting started as gardeners, and will also provide a helpful framework to organize and reinvigorate the knowledge of seasoned backyard growers. Come one, come all!

The course will provide concise and applicable sketches of the essential systems of an organic garden: soil structure, ground cover, fertilization, irrigation, weeding, pest control, climate, lighting, and the plants themselves. All of the facets of planting, growing, tending, and harvesting produce will be covered, as well as various common and little-known methods for each of these steps. Some overarching philosophies and approaches to organic gardening will be covered as well, including, but not limited to, Permaculture, Biodynamics, Square Foot gardening, Bio-Intensive agriculture, edible and native landscaping, and Forest Gardening.

The class will be arranged with a specific emphasis on planning a garden and preparing for the upcoming season. What better way to get yourself energized for spring planting?

Other topics to be included:
∙Astrological gardening, planning & planting by the moon
∙Greenhouses, cold frames, cloches, etc.
∙Homemade fertilizers and organic pesticides
∙Companion planting & plant guilds
∙Low input organic pest control
∙Small budget organic gardens
∙Maximizing food output, unorthodox gardening methods
∙Kitchen & container gardening
∙How to make and execute a planting plan
∙Roof-top gardening
∙Aquaculture
∙Heirlooms and Hybrids
∙Drip Irrigation Systems
∙Living mulches and green manure
∙Basics of composting
∙Specialized tools

This course is taught by Benjamin Weiss of Lower Susquehanna Valley Permaculture. Benjamin is an organic farmer, environmental activist, and a certified Permaculture Designer and Teacher. He has studied at The Farm Ecovillage Training Center in Tennessee, Growing Power in Wisconsin, and The Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute in Colorado.

Cost: Sliding scale of $50-$35. Classes will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St in downtown Lancaster, across the cobblestones from Central Market. Stop by or phone 717-290-1517 to register.

Let's Make Herbal Cordials!

2010-01-06T16:39:00.003-05:00

With Sarah Campbell, herbalist & owner of Herbs from the Labyrinth, LLC
Saturday, February 6, 2010 Postponed until March 6 because of snow!2-4 pm

Cordials and liqueurs are a delicious way to enjoy blending the rich flavors of fruits and herbs. They can be healthful tonics, after-dinner sipping drinks, as well as sophisticated dessert toppings. Join Sarah for this delightful afternoon class where you will learn several methods for making fruit and herbal cordials. We’ll taste several of Sarah’s cordials, and make one in class. You’ll go home with lots of ideas and recipes, as well as a small bottle of steeping cordial.

Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA
Stop in or call 717-290-1517 to register.

Cost for the class is $30, & includes a copy of the booklet, Making Liqueurs for Gifts.

Bring ½ pint 80 proof brandy to class. All other materials will be supplied.

Must be 21 to take this class

Dowsing Ancient Egyptian Sites

2009-12-22T14:31:00.001-05:00

A slide presentation and talk with Adhi Two Owls
Sunday afternoon, January 24, 2010, 2-4pm
Radiance, 9 W Grant St., Lancaster

Join us for this fascinating afternoon. This past October, Adhi spent three weeks teaching and traveling in Egypt at the invitation of Dr. Dalia Basiouny. Adhi was teaching some of the ancient dowsing techniques which originated in Egypt more than 1000 years ago. The Ancient Egyptians were experimenting with shape-caused waves, the waves that are emitted from a shape as it sits in space. The Pyramid designs are progression of this and Adhi will be discussing these insights during the slide lecture.
This same form of Dowsing was renamed "Radiesthesia" in France when it was re-discovered in the 1930's. The French Radiesthesists developed pendulums and other devices for killing bacterium, viruses and conducted other interesting experiments.
In addition to teaching this dowsing technique, Adhi visited many ancient sites and dowsed them herself. She will be sharing some of her observations and insights with us during the slide presentation, and will answer our questions afterward.

When: Sunday, January 24, 2010, 2-4pm
Where: Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster
Cost: by donation.

Adhi is contributing all of the monies raised at this event to support Dr Basiouny’s work in Egypt. She is a native Egyptian and teaches theater at one of the smaller universities, writes a critical revue of theater for the Daily News Egypt; she works to enrich the lives of young minds and women in Egypt. Because the dollar is strong against the Egyptian pound a little bit of fundraising can go a very long way. The idea is to purchase 6 computers, set up DSL internet and create a place where girls can go to read, learn, discover and see that they have amazing choices out side of their economic circumstances. Recommended contribution is $10.

Community

2009-12-17T18:50:00.003-05:00

Starhawk is one of my longtime teachers, as well as being a friend. Her writing has always spoken to my soul. Another friend sent me this quote a few weeks ago. I've re-read it several times since then. It's so beautiful, touches me somewhere deep within.

We are all longing to go home to some place we have never been - a place half-remembered and half-envisioned we can only catch glimpses of from time to time. Community. Somewhere, there are people to whom we can speak with passion without having the words catch in our throats. Somewhere a circle of hands will open to receive us, eyes will light up as we enter, voices will celebrate with us whenever we come into our own power. Community means strength that joins our strength to do the work that needs to be done. Arms to hold us when we falter. A circle of healing. A circle of friends. Someplace where we can be free.
~Starhawk~

Introduction to Permaculture

2009-12-17T14:56:00.002-05:00

A two-evening course with Benjamin Weiss
Thursday January 14th & Thursday January 21st, 2010
6:30pm-8:45pm

Cost: Sliding scale of $35-$50

This 4 hour course will introduce the student to the history of the permaculture movement, offer valuable resources and connections to the community of practitioners, and present the basic framework of ethics and design principles that are the foundation of this system. Each student will have the opportunity to envision a “permaculture remodeling” of a familiar site. Students will also receive a packet of applicable information to help start them off on small permaculture designs and installations.

This is course is often cited as a prerequisite to the 72 hour Permaculture Design Certification Course.

Benjamin Weiss is an organic farmer, environmental activist, and a certified Permaculture Designer and Teacher. He has studied at The Farm Ecovillage Training Center in Tennessee, Growing Power in Wisconsin, and The Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute in Colorado.

Permaculture is a sustainable design system. It is based upon a structure of ethics and design principles that have been developed organically through 35 years of experimentation, consultation, and good-natured exchange by practitioners from around the world. As a unique and highly integrated collection of disciplines, permaculture allows the designer to implement a system that supports itself, that yields resources for the surrounding community, that offers healthy alternatives to industrialization, that sustains biodiversity and nourishes the natural environment.
Permaculture can be applied to a garden, a building, a home, an organization, a farm, a city, or an entire civilization. Although the system was originally created for the purpose of designing sustainable agricultural sites, hence the name “permanent agriculture,” the insight of millions of permaculturists has skillfully transformed this system into one capable of building sustainable societies, or “permanent culture.”

Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA 17603
Call 717-290-1517, or stop by to register.

New Product - Yarrow Mist!

2009-12-14T09:32:00.006-05:00

For a couple of years, I've been making a Yarrow Mist as a special order for a regular customer - she says it's the only thing that's ever really helped with her acne. So, I started thinking. I LOVE Yarrow. When I studied with Matthew Wood, he taught us that Yarrow is for healing deep wounds, "cuts to the bone". This works on the physical level, and also on the spiritual plane.

Yarrow is used for spiritual protection, as well, forming a "shield" around the user. Great for public speakers, and anyone else who works with groups of people. Gives protection from environmental and workplace toxins. Actually, it's wonderful for anyone who is working at maintaining healthy boundaries.

Spray some over your head and let the mist fall around you. Feel it bolstering the strength of your aura's edges and allowing deep healing to occur.

Also a great facial astringent for oily skin. Ingredients are distilled water infused with yarrow and witch hazel, alcohol, Yarrow flower essence and essential oil. 4 oz cobalt mist bottle is only $9.95!

Wildcrafted Wreaths!

2009-11-24T16:19:00.004-05:00

Last year at about this time, David Hofmann walked into the shop with some handmade wreaths, made with wild grapevine and bittersweet vine that he'd wildcrafted & other fresh greens. They were stunning. I bought one for my house. After the greens dried out, I took them out of the bittersweet vine wreath & added other seasonal decorations all year long. The basic wreath is still going strong.

David lives in the mountains in Virginia & has family in Lancaster. So, when he appeared last week for his annual visit & wondered if we'd be interested in some wreaths, I jumped at the chance. He brought 6 in this morning & will bring some more tomorrow morning. We're selling them for $25 each, so I'm sure they won't be here for long.

**Update: David brought in 10 more wreaths! Gorgeous!

Hurry in! They're going fast.

New Herb-A-Licious Cooking Blend

2009-10-31T09:04:00.006-04:00

For the past couple of months, I've been working on a salt-free herbal cooking blend, testing & tweaking. As part of the process, I've given bags of each variation to all sorts of people to test for me. Today, Herb-A-Licious makes its public debut! You can see the display we've put in the corner of the shop, and you can shop for some on the web site. Each packet comes with a stainless steel mini-whisk. The delicious blend includes all organic herbs. Minced garlic, minced onion, parsley, Mediterrean oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, sage and a pinch of cayenne. It's wonderful as a seasoning for poultry, meats, soups and sauces. It's also incredible in dips and salad dressings. Recipes are on the label. It might just become your new favorite spice blend - it's already mine! All this and no salt!

Cailleach Soup

2009-10-23T19:48:00.005-04:00

I go through periods of inspired cooking. Fortunately for everyone around me, I am in one of those spells now. Often a new cookbook is the inspiration for my cooking enthusiasm, and when coupled with the changing of the seasons, well ... the cookbook that has me enthralled at the moment is Witch in the Kitchen by Cait Johnson. It's organized by the 8 seasons of the pre-Celtic year, and is full of good recipes made with healthful, whole ingredients. I recommend it highly!

Earlier this week, I made a soup based on a recipe Cait calls Cailleach Soup, a play on words for Kale Leek Soup. The recipe looked a little thin to me, so I added potatoes, and it was perfect.

First, a little about The Cailleach. Mara Freeman writes:

A Dark Goddess of nature, particularly in Scotland, is the Cailleach, a name that came to mean “Old Wife”, but which is literally, “Veiled One,” an epithet often applied to those who belong to hidden worlds. To this name is often added Bheur: ‘sharp’ or ‘shrill’, for she personifies the cutting winds and harshness of the northern winter. She was also known as the daughter of Grianan, the “little sun” which in the old Scottish calendar shines from Hallowmas to Candlemas, followed by the “big sun” of the summer months.

So, you see the timing for this soup is actually divine. Perhaps a perfect offering soup to the spirits of our ancestors. Now, here's the recipe:

In a heavy soup pot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil & 1 Tbsp butter.

Add 3 leeks, white parts only, washed well to remove grit, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds.

Next add 2 cloves of garlic, chopped.

Wash and coarsely chop a bunch of kale. I used a ruffled red variety. Add to pot.

Wash & cut into bite-size pieces 5 new potatoes. Add these to the pot, too.

Finally, add a quart of vegetable stock and a quart of water.

Simmer until everything is tender. Season with some nice Celtic sea salt & serve!

New Antiseptic Spray

2009-10-19T14:17:00.004-04:00

For years, I made an antiseptic spray to use on my own work surfaces when I was making herbal products. The formula changed a little every time I made it, depending on what was closest at hand in the moment. If someone in my household was ill, I'd use the spray when cleaning the sickroom and bathroom. Then last year, a friend asked me to make something for her to take with her on an airplane. And, recently several teachers asked for something to use in their classrooms. It seems that everyone is more "germ conscious" this year. This spray includes several essential oils well-known as antiseptics, including thyme, sage, and ravensara. It is available in 3 sizes; 4 oz, 2 oz and the 1/2 oz travel size. You can purchase it for yourself on my web site or in the shop!

Sarah's Spectacular Oatmeal

2009-10-18T10:29:00.009-04:00

I make this extra-healthy oatmeal 3 or 4 times a week from Autumn through Spring. I include lots of cinnamon to support healthy cholesterol levels, and dried fruit for extra anti-oxidants. My grandmother would have said that this breakfast will "stick to your ribs", keeping you satified and warm all morning long. Often, people ask for the recipe, so I thought I'd post it here with photos taken yesterday morning!

In a heavy pot, put:
3 Cups of water
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (I use Celtic Gray for the high mineral content)
2 Tablespoons of Coconut oil (medium-chain fatty acid)
2 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon (for cholesterol management) and
1 teaspoon of ground Cardamom (supports a healthy colon & protects against cancer)

Yes, that's 2 TABLESPOONS of ground cinnamon! I put the ground herbs into the water so that they are absorbed into the oatmeal as it cooks, allowing much more cinnamon & cardamom into each bowl. Imagine sprinkling a Tablespoon of cinnamon onto your already cooked cereal - yuck,too much powder. This way, you can actually ingest a large enough amount to make a real health difference. Bring this to a low boil, stirring to dissolve the herbs.

Coconut oil boils at a lower temperature than water, so you will be able to begin adding the oats a little earlier than if you were using just water. Stirring constantly, slowly add 3/4 Cup of Scottish Oats, sprinkling and incorporating a little bit at a time so that no lumps form. Reduce heat to medium.

Add 1/2 Cup raisins or other dried fruit. Blueberries, cranberries and cherries are all very nice. You can use apricots, figs or prunes, but you'll need to cut them into smaller pieces first. Core an apple, chop it up and add that to the pot.
Cook at a low boil, stirring occassionally (every minute or so)until all of the liquid is absorbed. This will take about 15 minutes. Once all of the liquid is absorbed, the oatmeal will form a soft ball in the pot. The Coconut oil has the added benefit of encouraging the cereal not to stick to the pot, making clean-up easier! Spoon into bowls, top with walnut pieces, maple syrup and milk. Heavenly! Serves 2-4.

Making Wild Cherry Cough Syrup

2009-09-27T21:57:00.004-04:00

It seems that I'm busy making herbal concoctions for the upcoming cold and flu season. Yesterday, I simmered a pot of Wild Cherry Cough Syrup all day. The delightful aroma filled the workroom and wafted out into the shop. Today, I put the finishing touches on the blend & bottled it.

Wild Cherry has been an important healing and sacred herb for Cherokee people for many hundreds of years. I also use Osha root in this syrup, an important "bear medicine" plant, said to eliminate excess moisture in the respiratory tract.

It's a delicious and soothing syrup, perfect for quieting a cough.

Off to the Ocean!

2009-08-24T13:56:00.002-04:00

Late each summer, my sister, my daughter, their 2 daughers and I all take a girl trip to the beach. I'm getting ready for this year's upcoming trip & have just decided which novel-to-get-lost-in I am taking. I love Louise Erdrich's writing - this will be the 5th of her books I've read.

The Painted Drum: A Novel by Louise Erdrich

Taking this book to the beach!

View all my reviews >>

Dragon's Breath

2009-08-21T20:29:00.008-04:00

Late each summer, I make several batches of my Dragon's Breath. It's a tonic vinegar and a cold remedy all in one bottle. Many herbalists make some version of this tasty treat. This morning I started the first batch for this year. I start with locally grown organic vegetables and herbs. Here's a photo of most of what went into the jar. What a lovely arrangement! Looks delicious!

So I chopped lots of onions, garlic, jalepeno, cayenne and banana peppers, a couple of chunks of fresh ginger root, a dozen shitake mushrooms & put it all in this large 1-1/2 gallon jar. I added a cup of freshly ground horseradish root which I got at the farmer's market right across the cobblestones from my shop. Several tablespoons of turmeric root powder goes in the jar & finally, I filled it with raw apple cider vinegar & put the lid on. This photo is about an hour later. You can see that the horseradish and turmeric are settling to the bottom. I'll gently shake the jar every day for the next 6 or 8 weeks & then strain the liquid out & bottle it.

Once I've bottled this golden liquid, it can be used all year as a daily tonic vinegar, or in your salad dressings. It makes a wonderful cold remedy, which is how I tend to use it. I put a couple of teaspoons of the vinegar in a mug with a little bit of honey & fill with hot water. This magical concoction will fight off colds & open your sinuses if you do have one. I think it's a perfect thing to drink before bed if you're feeling stuffy. It opens up your breathing passages, making it much easier to sleep.

By the way, I love the horseradish stand - Mr Long turns a small oscillating fan on while he grinds the root, so that the odor wafts around the market!

Herb-infused Organic Honey

2009-08-10T13:59:00.007-04:00

Wondering what we did in the garden this morning? It rained last night, so we had to wait a bit for things to dry out before we could do any harvesting. After weeding and pruning to clear an area for transplanting more Apothecary Roses in the back corner of the garden, we headed over to the Hyssop patch. It's covered in lovely purple flowers, and the bees are busy working there.

When we had several armfuls of Hyssop, we headed inside to the kitchen, where we stripped the leaves and flowers into wooden bowls, then chopped them with my antique ulu knife.

On Wednesday, I'd brought home a 60 pound bucket of organic honey, and my plan is to make a variety of herb-infused honeys over the next few weeks. The honey will extract some of the healing properties of each plant, so in addition to being delicious additions for teas, these honeys will be even more healthful. I expect we'll try Lemon balm, Anise hyssop (a totally different plant), Motherwort and a few others. Today, it was Hyssop.

We filled each of 24 jars about 1/3 full with fresh chopped leaves & flowers, then poured on the honey. We gently stirred each jar with chop sticks to distribute the plant material all through the honey & then topped off the jars. Aren't they beautiful?

Flower Essences from the Labyrinth

2009-08-03T15:44:00.008-04:00

Most Monday mornings, you will find me in the garden with my helpers, Eli & Suzanne. Part of the work we did today way to begin three new flower essences. Here they are gently collecting Hyssop blossoms and floating them on the surface of pure water in a small crystal bowl. We don't touch the flowers with our hands, but carefully collect them one by one using a leaf from the same plant to gently grasp the blossoms. Here is the bowl of tiny Hyssop blossoms sitting in the sunlight. The sunlight helps the flowers to release their soul vibrations into the water. The other essences we prepared today are Vitex and Monkshood.
This photo is of Monkshood flowers. You probably won't see this plant often. It's so exquisitely beautiful, isn't it? And, it's extremely poisonous! If you've ever read any Brother Cadfeal mysteries, you've read about the deadly monkshood.

Reiki on Lammas

2009-08-03T07:28:00.005-04:00

Essential Reiki Teaching Manual: An Instructional Guide for Reiki Healers by Diane Stein

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was just attuned to Reiki level III this weekend, and this is the book we received as part of the class. I've had Diane Stein's Essential Reiki for many years & find it to be a wonderful book. So far, this book is meeting all of my expectations!

View all my reviews >>
Being attuned to the third level of Reiki means that I am now able to teach Reiki to others and to pass the attunements. For many years I thought I might not want to take this step, so I just waited to see if the feeling might change. Last autumn, I knew that I wanted the third attunement, and then I just had to wait for the opportunity to present itself. I felt strongly that I wouldn't "push", but would wait in a state of alert patience for the right time.

And so it came on Lughnasad, also called Lammas, which is the day at the precise mid-point between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. Lughnasad honors the Celtic God, Lugh, and is the festival of the first grain harvests. Here in Pennsylvania, it is when the first of the sweet corn comes in. We eat corn, peaches, blueberries, cantelope and tomatoes ripe from the garden on a daily basis! You might have noticed that this early harvest season offers us tender fruits, juicy and full of sensual eating pleasure. This joyful ripening is what we celebrate now, mindful that these are not the harvests that will sustain us through the coming winter.

I am still integrating the experience of the Reiki attunement, and look forward to a deeper healing, for myself, in my herbal practice and for others.

Where the Lilies Bloom

2009-07-20T07:43:00.001-04:00

Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera Cleaver

How did I miss reading this book when it came out around 1970? A wonderful "young-adult" novel about a family of wildcrafters in the mountains of western North Carolina.

View all my reviews >>

A Short Guide to Base Oils

2009-07-19T15:50:00.003-04:00

I use quite a few different oils in making various herbal products & have been meaning to put together a list of their individual properties for easy reference. I've put it on my web site & thought I'd post it here as well. Hopefully, you'll find it helpful, too!

Apricot Kernal Oil – Medium weight oil, easily absorbed by the skin. Good for sensitive or prematurely-aged skin.

Avocado Oil – thick, heavy, easily absorbed. Soothes and softens dehydrated skin. Revitalizes and regenerates mature skin.

Castor Oil – Very thick, shiny oil. Acts as a barrier. Protects skin from harsh environmental conditions. Very soothing.

Coconut Oil – Solid below 76 degrees F. Emollient. Soothes sensitive or irritated skin.

Grapeseed Oil – very light and non-greasy, easily absorbed. Slightly astringent.

Hazelnut Oil – light, easily absorbed. Slightly astringent.

Jojoba Oil – thick, light, easily absorbed. Richly moisturizing for all skin types. Thickens and beautifies hair. Technically a liquid wax, not an oil.

Olive Oil – thick, slightly sticky, easily absorbed. Soothes and moisturizes dry, dehydrated skin. Thickens and beautifies hair.

Sweet Almond Oil – Easily absorbed, has a good “slip”. Softens and soothes the skin. Heals rough skin, strengthens nails.

Let's Make Soap!

2009-07-12T14:37:00.002-04:00

Sisters Maryanne Schwartz and Tina Sams have been making vegetable-based cold process soap together for nearly 20 years. Join them at Radiance to learn all you need to know to go home and make it yourself, including tips and some of the things that have tripped them up along the way. Leave with a bar of soap & an instructional handout. All-inclusive kits are available for purchase in the shop at Radiance.

Saturday, August 8, from 2 – 3:30pm
Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St (across from Central Market).
Stop in, or call 290-1517 to register.
$35 for the class.

Cool it, Hot Mama!

2009-07-12T10:34:00.008-04:00

Sometimes putting together a new tea blend is a serious and deeply meditative matter. Sometimes a new tea almost seems to blend itself. This tea was something of a combination of those two processes. I spent a couple of days thinking about it, and then when I finally put pen to paper, it rushed out & felt perfect immediately!

Cool it, Hot Mama! tea is formulated to help deal with hot flashes and night sweats, one of the most common complaints of menopausal women. And a few men, actually. Contains Motherwort, Raspberry, Sage, Violet leaf, Blue Vervain and Elder flower.

Look for it on my web site! (And we made a hydrosol Mist, too!)

Introduction to Shamanism with Adhi Moonien Two Owls

2009-07-01T10:28:00.004-04:00

Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 2 to 6pm, at Radiance in Lancaster

The purpose of the class is to give participants an overview of the tradition called "Shamanism". This class will be the introduction to a longer series of deeper study for those who may wish to further their interest in Shamanism.

Shamanism is found all over the world and takes on many cultural/social forms relating to its function within these communities. A Shaman in it most basic definition is some who has mastery of communication with spirits. The first spirit they work with is their own and this requires training and guidance from a teacher and the commitment of the student to be guided and supported by the unseen or spirit world. This ability to navigate the seen and unseen worlds gives the Shaman the tools to bring about balance in the world around them.

Each culture has its own spin on how this works with in their social structures, and there are many different types of Shamans. They are usually divided into three groups:

1. Mundane/Lower world Shamans - or those who work primarily in this world, with the ancestors, and nature spirits as healers and spiritual guides.

2. Middle world Shamans - who work with the Elementals and higher beings as diplomats to negotiate things such as the weather, balancing the elements of a region, and fighting evil forces. These types of work to keep the "Matrix" of this reality whole.

3. Upper world Shamans - are rare and they communicate only to the very upper beings. They are in a constant state of ecstatic trance.

And, of course, there are crossovers and combinations among the three.

In this class participants will have the opportunity to see a traditional "Mesa" or sacred bundle, experience the use of the frame drum and rattle for trance meditation, as well as learning the traditional and contemporary place of the shaman in society.

Bring a journal to class.

Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA, across the cobblestones from Central Market. Stop in or phone 717-290-1517 to register. Cost is $45.00 in advance.

New book I'm reading...

2009-06-22T12:41:00.001-04:00

Herbs & Influenza: How Herbs Used in the 1918 Flu Pandemic Can Be Effective Today by Kathy Abascal

My review

Excellent book. Every herbalist needs a copy.

View all my reviews.

Let's Make Lavender Wands this Thursday!

2009-06-20T13:27:00.002-04:00

Let’s Make Lavender Wands!

Learn to weave lavender wands from fresh stems of lavender. Perfect to scent delicates in your dresser drawers, or in an arrangement in the bathroom. Lavender is calming, and these wands are a wonderful way to preserve the scent for years to come! Each participant will weave a wand to take home.

Sarah Campbell, owner of Herbs from the Labyrinth, and Tina Sams, editor of The Essential Herbal Magazine, will facilitate this fun class, which will be held on Thursday, June 25, from 11am – 1pm
Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St (across from Central Market). Stop in, or call 290-1517 to register. $10 for the class includes all materials.

Catbirds in the Vitex

2009-05-25T18:19:00.004-04:00

I ran outside with the camera a few minutes ago to take a photo of the Valerian. It just started flowering today and the sunlight is on it in a perfect way. I thought it would make a wonderful blog photo. So, I made my way around the back of the labyrinth to get just the right angle. The plants are lush, so I was watching my step, not wanting to tromp on Wood Asters. When I got to just the right spot I stopped & looked up, finding myself face-to-face with a pair of Catbirds! I said hello & took their picture! I don't have a zoom lens, so I hope they're visible in the photo.

And here is the photo of the Valerian, which drew me into the back of the garden i the first place.

Harvest of Sweet Cicely

2009-05-24T08:13:00.004-04:00

Monday was the first harvest day for Sweet Cicely from the labyrinth garden. Eli and I bundled many armfuls of it in small bunches and hung it to dry in the garden shed. I might have mentioned that here already. Anyway, my friend Tina, publisher of the Essential Herbal magazine stopped by on Friday morning & took a photo of it, which she sent to me via email.

Yesterday was a long day for me at the Baltimore Herb Festival, and I brought home some Carroll County strawberries and rhubarb. Lancaster County strawberries are not quite ready yet.

So, this morning I'm making a puree of Strawberries and Rhubarb, lightly seasoned with Sweet Cicely! It will be delicious later poured over some plain yogurt!

Baltimore Herb Fair this coming Saturday

2009-05-19T20:06:00.003-04:00

Each year, we pack the car full of herbal goodies and drive to Baltimore for the Baltimore Herb Festival, a one-day herb fair. It's held in Leakin Park from 10am until 3pm. A whirlwind of a day for us, and a delight for all of the senses! We never know exactly where we'll be setting up our booth, so if you come to see us, you'll have to wander the entire loop, looking for our banner. It's part of the fun.

In addition to all of my herbal products, and the clothing I dye with plants, we'll be bringing lots of African market baskets, fair-trade from Ghana, and some Swarovski crystal sun catchers for your windows - handmade by Lisa Mercer, the silver-haired gypsy. Also, some gorgeous garden smocks & sun hats handmade by Christine Marie.

Baltimore Herb Festival
May 23, 2009 - 10am-3pm
Held in Leakin Park
1900 Eagle Drive
Baltimore, MD 21207

Poppies & Cornflowers blooming today!

2009-05-16T20:09:00.003-04:00

When I woke up this morning & looked out the window, I saw that the first of the Oriental Poppies had bloomed! These are delicate flowers on tall curved stems, with petals like tissue paper. We're excited each year when they open up. They are so beautiful, it seems almost impossible. So, I threw on my robe & silppers, grabbed the camera & ran outside for this photo.

Oh the far side of the garden shed, where I can't see from inside the house, I saw that the Cornflowers had started to bloom, too. Beautiful, aren't they?

American Woodcock in the Garden

2009-05-10T11:09:00.006-04:00

After a long day yesterday at the Landis Valley Herb Faire, where we had a wonderful time, seeing herb friends and meeting many new ones, Nicki & I came back to my house, where she'd left her bicycle early in the morning. We walked out to the labyrinth garden to relax for a few minutes and received quite a treat. An American Woodcock was pacing back & forth under the Viburnum! It's quite an unusual bird. Most people probably never see one.
This is actually the second time one has spent time in my garden (that I am aware of). Two years ago, I looked out the window and saw an otherworldly creature sitting under the Oak tree. It looked like a cross between a rabbit and a long-beaked bird. I sat & watched it through binoculars for over an hour, and then decided to go find my Petersen's Guide. That's when I learned it was a Woodcock.

They nest on the ground, so I'm wondering if the bird we saw yesterday was looking for nesting sites, or perhaps even guarding a nest. Wouldn't that be exciting?

Tamari Roasted Almonds

2009-05-04T15:33:00.003-04:00

We like to have a few healthy, organic snacks available in the shop. Dogoba chocolate bars, crystalized Ginger, and Tamari Almonds. Since we're going to be at Landis Valley Herb Fair this weekend, we'll need an extra supply. So, they're roasting now! What a wonderful aroma is filling the air!

You can always find them at my shop, but if you'd like to make your own, it's a very simple process.

Start with 1/2 pound of raw organic almonds. Put them in a baking dish. Pour 1/8 Cup of Tamari Sauce over them & stir to coat evenly. Put in the oven at 250 degrees F. Bake for about 1/2 hour, then stir to recoat the almonds with Tamari Sauce. Bake another hour, stir again. Bake another hour, or until slightly crispy. don't burn them & don't take them out before they're fully roasted. Cool, store in a jar until eaten!

Landis Valley Herb Fair this Weekend

2009-05-04T11:34:00.005-04:00

Each year on the Friday and Saturday of Mother's Day Weekend, we set up a booth at the Landis Valley Herb Fair. This herb fair is held on the grounds of the Landis Valley Farm Museum, just north of Lancaster city. You'll find Herbs from the Labyrinth in the Isaac Landis House, which is just across the path from the Old Hotel. We'll have all sorts of wonderful herbal products, including our array of salves & balms, tinctures, teas and oils, as well as hand-dyed clothing (using plant dyes), African market baskets (Fair Trade), and handmade wire baskets fitted with glass vases for decorating your outdoor spaces. Look for our banner on the Isaac Landis House & come visit us!

Join me, as well, at 11am on Saturday morning at the lecture tent, and we'll wander over to the Landis Valley herb garden to see what they grow in their traditional herb garden. Here's the full schedule of talks for the weekend:

LECTURE TENT

FRIDAY
NOON What are Heirloom Seeds? – Heirloom Seed Foundation
1 P.M. Wild Foods – Free, Tasty and Fun by Tina Sams, The Essential Herbal
2 P.M. Herb Gardening Basics – Susanna Reppert, The Rosemary House
3 P.M Barn Stars – A unique look at farming architecture – Fred Will, Sugar Grove Herbs

SATURDAY
11 A.M A Look at the Landis Valley Herb Garden with Sarah Campbell of Herbs from the Labyrinth
NOON Creating a Sustainable Back Yard – Homegrown Edible Landscaping Company.
Natasha Herr and Wilson Alvarez
1 P.M Growing Mushrooms - Brushwood Farm – Diane Wiest
2 P.M Medicinal Herbs you can grow – Maureen Rogers, Herbal Net
3 P.M Wild Foods – Free, Tasty and Fun - Tina Sams, The Essential Herbal

Week 10 of the Herbal Blog Giveaway

2009-05-01T16:20:00.004-04:00

Torchsong Studio will be hosting the 10th and final week of our blog contest.

Maryanne is offering something a little different to close out the contest.

A lead-free pewter garden pin with a little glass ladybug charm in the middle and garden tools on either side.

Just comment on this, or any of the other blogs participating for a chance to win one of ten pins to be given away. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A CONTACT email.

Remember all of the blogs below are participating, so visit all of them and post to increase your chances of winning.

Aquarian Bath
The Essential Herbal
Herbs from the Labyrinth
Patti's Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
The Rosemary House
Nature's Gift
Torchsong Studio
SunRose Aromatics
Garden Chick
Our final contest - check back on May 8 for the list of winners!

Thanks everyone for participating and for playing!

Week 9 of the Herbal Blog Giveaway!

2009-04-25T19:23:00.003-04:00

And it keeps on coming!

Nature's Gift has been pleased and excited about hosting this week's contest. The hard part has been trying to decide what to offer as the prize!

They chose Deluxe Personal Inhalers from their new shipment, filled with the winner's choice of several healing synergies.

They'll ship one of these pretty purse-sized inhalers filled with your choice of their SineEase Synergy, for easing sinus pain and congestion, Happy Morning Synergy, recommended for easing the nausea of morning sickness, but also helpful for motion sickness, etc., or their research based depression fighter "Citrus Smile."

To be entered in the contest, respond to this post, here, and at all the blogs listed below.

And to make the contest even more exciting, ONE lucky entrant, drawn from one of the listed blogs, will receive a signed copy of Marge's Book "Essential Oils and Aromatics". You may check these links for some of the reviews. From the Journal of the Northeast Herbal Association, or from The Massage Therapy Journal.

Remember all of the blogs below are participating, so visit all of them and post to increase your chances of winning.

Aquarian Bath
The Essential Herbal
Herbs from the Labyrinth
Patti's Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
The Rosemary House
Nature's Gift
Torchsong Studio
SunRose Aromatics
Garden Chick

Week 8 of the Herbal Blog Giveaway

2009-04-19T11:13:00.004-04:00

Bertha Reppert (1919-1999) was the founder of The Rosemary House and Susanna & Nancy's mum. She was a Renaissance woman ahead of her time when she opened an herb and spice shop in a conservative East coast town in 1968. Convinced that once everyone learned about herbs they would love these plants as much as she did, she became an avid educator about the secrets of herbs. Lecturing, writing and always promoting herbs, Bertha Reppert became a mentor to many. This weeks prize is a copy of her last herbal and one of our very favorites.

Bertha Reppert's Twelve Month Herbal features 365 herbal essays, one for each day of the year. Written like she is speaking to a friend this book is fun, informative and easy to read. Many folks have told us they reread the book every year and make their own daily notes in the margins. Be sure to leave a comment to this post and at the other participating herbal blogs (see the links below) for your chance to win this clever book (an $18.00 value) filled with herbal lore, recipes and crafts (priceless). Sisters Susanna, the herbalist, and Nancy, the culinary artist, continue to share their Mother's love of all things herbal at The Rosemary House, the herb and spice gift shop, and at Sweet Remembrances tea room.

The following blogs are also participating, so stop over, post a comment on these blogs for additional chances to win this weeks giveaway AND the chance to explore some cool blogs.

Aquarian Bath
The Essential Herbal
Herbs from the Labyrinth
Patti's Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
The Rosemary House
Nature's Gift
Torchsong Studio
SunRose Aromatics
Garden Chick

Check back we have a couple more weeks of give-aways!

Tour de Labyrinth

2009-04-12T20:49:00.002-04:00

By Steven Kopfinger, Staff Writer, Lancaster Sunday News
Photos Blaine Shahan

It's been likened to a pathway to peace. Or a pilgrimage to a holy place. Or, in Greek mythology, a hideout for the fearsome Minotaur.
Thousands of years after its creation, the mystique of the labyrinth endures. And Sunday, April 26, three spiral paths, which vary in appearance but are united in their beauty, will welcome those in search of contemplation, serenity or just good old-fashioned exercise.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster, 538 W. Chestnut St., is sponsoring its first "Tour de Labyrinth" from 2-4 p.m. at Lancaster Country Day School, 725 Hamilton Road; the home of Linda and David Dobbins, 6 N. Bausman Drive; and the residence of Sarah Campbell, 1053 Wheatland Ave.

The church itself is known for its own labyrinth, where meditative walks are offered the first Sunday of each month October through June, except for May 3.
The labyrinth tour is part of the church's community outreach, and reflects a Unitarian principle of personal spiritual practice, tour organizer Linda Dobbins noted.
A person enters a labyrinth, follows his or her way to the center, where one is free to stop and pray or meditate, and finds the way out along a clear path. That differs from a maze, which is designed to challenge and confuse.

"There are labyrinths all over the world that testify to their antiquity," Dobbins noted as she strolled around her own private sanctuary, tucked into a rolling yard behind her home. Built of stone and accented with red shale, the labyrinth has graced Dobbins' property for nine years.
"It's meditative. I have a lot of friends who walk it. We have gatherings," Dobbins said.

Labyrinths are found in Greek mythology; one of the most famous is sited at Knossos, on the island of Crete. There, legend has it, the hero Theseus slew the Minotaur, a man-eating creature who was half man, half bull.
Centuries later, labyrinths became established fixtures in the Christian world; a labyrinth on the floor of the great cathedral at Chartres, built around 1200 in France, draws visitors worldwide. One Christian labyrinth concept is that the pathway symbolizes a pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem.

Dobbins calls labyrinths example of "sacred geometry."

Religion-based or not, labyrinths are meant for reflection.

"When you walk this, you go clockwise and counterclockwise," Dobbins noted. "That sets up a balancing aspect."

The labyrinth also serves as a metaphor for life.

"There are twists and turns in life that are symbolized by the labyrinth," Dobbins explained.

The labyrinth at Lancaster Country Day School is more than just a place for kids to explore. It was built as a labor of love.

"The school is so fond of this," said Head of School Steven Lisk of the school's outdoor labyrinth, "that there's a replica on the floor of the dining commons," Country Day's cafeteria.

The labyrinth was inspired by one found in the historic city of Bath, England. John Jarvis, then head of school, traveled to Bath in 1986, and was impressed by that British town's labyrinth.

" 'Wouldn't it be wonderful if we did something like this in Lancaster?' " Jarvis remembers thinking. So he spearheaded a project to have a labyrinth built on the grounds at Country Day. Jarvis treasures a lovingly kept scrapbook of the labyrinth's construction, complete with photographs and carefully rendered drawings. The labyrinth opened in 1989.

Country Day's path, built with volunteer labor, covers a tenth of a mile before reaching "Jerusalem" at its center. Though inspired by Jarvis' trip to England, it's modeled after the one at Chartres and made up of some 10,000 bricks, set in grass.

"It's easy for the kids to run on," said Jarvis on a recent visit to the labyrinth, as several students scampered through on a recent sunny day.

Not far from Country Day, Sarah Campbell's labyrinth connects with nature in a special way: it's created with seasonal herb plants. This labyrinth literally blooms.

It's also functional; Campbell's labyrinth supplies the title of her business, Herbs From the Labyrinth, a Lancaster garden and herbal-products business. It once served as a source of herbs for her shop until business increased.

Campbell's seven-circuit labyrinth, the centerpiece of her garden, is Cretan-style in design. Built eight years ago, "the lines are drawn with a mixture of herbs, river stones and bricks," Campbell said. "The herbs die off in the winter, [but] we can still see the stones and the bricks. ... Unless it gets really deep, it shows up in the snow."

Campbell enjoys her labyrinth by both walking its path and being able to see it from an office on the second floor of her house.

"It helps you to find peace, to calm, and find the quiet place within," she said. "Even looking at it makes a connection in your brain."

Accented with whimsical little animal statues — visitors might find a frog and an elephant, to name two — the center of the labyrinth is an exotic sculpture titled "Omphalos," by Maryland artist Jo Israelson. It was literally rolled into the labyrinth off a truck via planks and rollers — a system not unlike the way stones might have been moved to build the pyramids of Egypt, Campbell speculated.

As the weather warms, the labyrinth grows, with plants as high as 5 or 6 feet. "There's a pretty wide variety," said Campbell, noting hyssop, sweet cicely and tulsi, or "holy basil" among its components. "You can eat almost anything" in the labyrinth, Campbell said, "or make medicine from it."

She has hosted young visitors and said that "children are not that interested in meditation. But they are still more calmed down and focused when they come out."

As for herself, Campbell said the best thing about her labyrinth is "just seeing the beauty of it all the time.

"I have the feeling of being connected to something ancient."

Or as Linda Dobbins put it, "we just trust the path!"

The Tour de Labyrinth is free. Visitors may park at the Hillcrest Road parking area at Lancaster Country Day School; directions to the other labyrinth addresses will be issued at the school. The event will be held rain or shine. Call Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster, 393-1733.

Let's Dye with Osage Orange!

2009-04-11T14:35:00.003-04:00

A workshop with Linda Kluge-Mansfield of Avalonblue
Sponsored by Herbs from the Labyrinth, LLC
Saturday, May 2, 2009 noon until 4 pm

Join us as Linda shares techniques for traditional dyes, a skill going back at least 6000 years. From the realms of magic and tradition, she’ll fascinate us with lore about the dyers, who were considered skilled alchemists and keepers of secret knowledge.

In the hands-on portion of the workshop, each person will dye items in dye-pots we will set up together using Osage Orange, Chamomile, Calendula & Safflower,, which will give us striking yellows. Additional scarves, silk camisoles and other goodies will be available for purchase & dyeing.

Cost for the workshop is $55, & includes two silk scarves or one silk purse. Register at Radiance, or send your check & registration information to Herbs from the Labyrinth, LLC, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA 17603. Space is limited, so register early!

The workshop will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St, across from the Central Market in downtown Lancaster. Phone is 290-1517.

Wear clothes that can get messy, and plan to have fun!

Week 7 of the Herbal Blog Contest!

2009-04-11T14:27:00.001-04:00

Welcome to week 7 of the herbal blog contest! This week we are featuring Aquarian Bath. Aquarian Bath's soaps, balms and salves are either unscented or lightly scented with only pure essential oils. This week, enter to win you choice of a Lavender Spearmint Lip balm in a 0.15 oz tube OR a Lemon Lime Lip Balm in a 0.25 oz slide tin, and 20% off on your next order with Aquarian Bath.

The Lavender Spearmint Balm is made with Extra virgin olive oil, Shea butter, Beeswax, Castor oil, Spearmint and Lavender essential oil.

The Lemon Lime lip balm is made with Coconut oil, Shea Butter, Castor oil, Beeswax, Jojoba, Lime and Lemon Essential oils, and Zinc Oxide, a mineral used in sunscreens.

To win one of these lovely balms, enter by posting a comment in response to this blog entry and take a chance at winning! Entrants must include their email address to be eligible to win. US and Canadian residents are eligible. You can receive additional chances to win in the following ways:

* Tweet about this blog contest on twitter.com including @aquarianbath in the tweet. Come back and log your tweet with a comment to receive 1 additional entry.
* Visit and join Aquarian Bath's fan page on Facebook. Leave a comment so we know you joined to receive 1 additional entry.
* Make a comment about your favorite item from Aquarian Bath's etsy or 1000markets stores to receive 1 additional entry.
* Make a purchase with Aquarian bath to on etsy or 1000markets to receive 3 additional entries.

*The following blogs are also participating, so stop over to enter with them for additional chances to win AND the chance to explore some cool blogs.
Aquarian Bath
Make a purchase from one of these 9 host blog's online stores to receive 2 additional entries and leave a comment at the host's blog's contest:
The Essential Herbal
Herbs from the Labyrinth
Patti's Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
The Rosemary House
Nature's Gift
Torchsong Studio
SunRose Aromatics
Garden Chick

One lucky winner from one of the 10 host blogs will be contacted to receive 2 free soaps of their choice along with their lip balm and 20% off coupon, so be sure to visit and enter at all 10 blogs.

The winners will be announced at the Aquarian Bath blog when the results are in from all participating blogs. Enjoy.

Keep coming back and keep entering. We have some great prizes coming up, and we'll be having the contests until the middle of May!

Week 6 of the Herbal Blog Giveaways

2009-04-04T11:34:00.003-04:00

Welcome to week 6 of the herbal blog contest! This week, enter to win a .15 oz. Healing Wand from Prairieland Herbs! These healing wands contain herbally infused certified organic olive oil, locally produced beeswax, vitamin E, essential oils of tea tree and lavender, and are the perfect size for your pocket, purse, or diaper bag. They work wonders on cuts, scrapes, rashes, burns, dry skin, hangnails, etc.

To win one of these useful and natural healing balms, simply enter by posting a comment in response to this blog entry and take a chance at winning!!! Don’t forget to include your email addy so we can contact the winner! The following blogs are also participating, so stop over to enter with them for additional chances to win AND the chance to explore some cool blogs.

Patti’s Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
Aquarian Bath
The Rosemary House
Natures Gift
Torchsong Studio
The Essential Herbal
Garden Chick
SunRose Aromatics

Week 5 of the Herbal Blog Giveaway

2009-03-29T15:57:00.003-04:00

This is Week 5 of the Herbal Blog Contest. Friday March 27th to Thursday April 2nd.

Featured this week are moisturizing Lip Balms from Patti’s Potions Natural Soaps, Ltd.
Did you know that most lip balms contain petroleum products that are NOT eco-friendly? Patti's lip balms use natural oils, food-grade lip-safe flavorings and essential oils may be used to add flavor to the lip balms. No sweetener is added. Ingredients: calendula infused olive oil, shea butter, natural beeswax, jojoba, castor, & vitamin E

To win TWO of these luscious lip balms, simply enter by posting a comment in response to this blog entry and take a chance at winning!!! Don’t forget to include your email addy so we can contact the winner!

The following blogs are also participating, so stop over to enter with them for additional chances to win AND the chance to explore some cool blogs. Patti is unable to ship out of country at this time.

Patti’s Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
Aquarian Bath
The Rosemary House
Natures Gift
Torchsong Studio
The Essential Herbal
Garden Chick
SunRose Aromatics

Keep coming back and keep entering. We have some great prizes coming up, and we'll be having the contests until the middle of May!

Winners of the Tea Sampler Giveaway

2009-03-29T11:08:00.004-04:00

I'm still waiting to hear back from one of the blog owners of the giveaway, & need a bit more info from several of the winners, but here are the winners so far & I'll add the last one as soon as I get it. If you're listed as a winner & I don't have your name & mailing address, please contact me at labyrinthherbs@aol.com with that info! And congratulations!

Torchsong Studios winner is Regina, drflowersales@gmail
Natures Gift winner is Nece, kariteimo@gmail
Essential Herbal winner is Tumbleweed Trails, visionquest220@msn
Patti's Potions winner is Carolyn, carogonza1@yahoo
Aquarian Baths winner is cowgirltazz@yahoo
Sunrose Aromatics winner is Justine Crane, sapobubbles@yahoo
Prairieland Herbs winner is ebersolecattleco@yahoo
Rosemary House winner is fillynn@juno
Garden Chick's winner is ikkinlala@yahoo.com

And the winner from my blog, Herbs from the Labyrinth, is peder3@wi.rr.com

We're Flipping the Switch for Climate Change!

2009-03-26T17:03:00.004-04:00

Herbs From the Labyrinth has signed up for Earth Hour in 2009. This Saturday, March 28, from 8:30 to 9:30pm, we will turn out non-essential lighting and join millions across the globe in sending a strong message to our national and world leaders that we must take action now on global climate change. And what could be more romantic than a fire in the fireplace, a glass of wine and a darkened house?

Join us. Find out how you can turn out and take action on climate change by visiting the EarthHour web site at www.EarthHourUS.org.

Week 4 of the Herb Blog Giveaway

2009-03-20T11:44:00.009-04:00

For the week between Friday, March 20 and Thursday, March 26, the swap stops here!

You can enter simply by entering a comment in response to this blog entry and take a chance at winning a sampler of my hand-blended herbal teas, including one each of the following: Moontime Tea, Lover's Tea, Spring in My Step, FemininiTea, Dandy Lion Tea, Hush-A-Bye, Strong As Nails, SereniTea, SmarTea, DigestiviTea, Nursing Mother Tea, Endo-Liver Tea, Love Your Liver Tea, and Mid-Summer Tea.

The following blogs are also participating, so stop over to enter with them for additional chances to win AND the chance to explore some cool blogs.

Patti’s Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
Aquarian Bath
The Rosemary House
Natures Gift
Torchsong Studio
The Essential Herbal
Garden Chick
SunRose Aromatics

Let's Make Dream Pillows!

2009-03-18T15:34:00.003-04:00

Wednesday, March 25 from 12:05pm til 12:50
Bring your lunch to this noontime class!

A dream pillow is a small pouch filled with herbs, which have been selected to stimulate dreaming. It is a simple magical spell, or gentle prayer, for your desires in regard to your sleep and dreams.

Tina Sams, editor of the Essential Herbal magazine, and I will talk about the qualities of some herbs used in dream pillows, so that you can choose the herbs that will give you the sort of dream experience you are looking for, whether it is more restful, more vivid, psychic, even escape from nightmares. Each participant will leave with a dream pillow that they've made themselves.

Cost for the class is $16, & includes materials.
Call Radiance, 290-1517, or stop by to register, 9 W Grant St, Lancaster, PA 17603.

Week 3, Herbal Blog Contest

2009-03-15T14:08:00.009-04:00

Sorry I'm a little late getting this post up!

This week (#3) our herbal blog contest swings over to SunRose Aromatics, where Roe whips up the most delightful of aromatherapy and pampering products. For the week between Friday, March 13 and Thursday, March 19, you can enter simply by posting a comment in response to this blog entry and take a chance at winning!!!
Here's the prize:

Facial Scrub w/ Organic Liquid Soap Set::
Pamper your face with all natural ~
* apricot kernel meal
* organic liquid castile soap
Mix in the palm of your hand & then apply to your face.
A wonderful exfoliate!

The following blogs are also participating, so stop over to enter with them for additional chances to win AND the chance to explore some cool blogs.

Herbs from the Labyrinth
Patti’s Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
Aquarian Bath
The Rosemary House
Nature's Gift
Torchsong Studio
The Essential Herbal
Garden Chick - Where the winners from week #2 will be listed :-)
SunRose Aromatics

Keep coming back and keep entering. We have some great prizes coming up, and we'll be having the contests til the middle of May!

Let's Make Lip Balm!

2009-03-11T16:23:00.002-04:00

Bring your lunch & learn to make lip balms in this noontime class! We’ll discuss oils, waxes and how to use essential oils for flavoring. We’ll share secrets of the trade, & you’ll go home with a pot of lip balm that we’ve made in class.

Sarah Campbell, herbalist & owner of Herbs from the Labyrinth and Tina Sams, editor of The Essential Herbal Magazine, will facilitate this fun class, which will be held on Wednesday, March 18, from 12:05 until 12:50.

Class will be held at Radiance, 9 W Grant St (across from Central Market). Stop in, or call 290-1517 to register. $15 for the class includes all materials.

2009-03-06T13:40:00.003-05:00

Welcome to week 2 of our Herb Blog Group Contest!

For the week between Friday, March 6 and Thursday, March 12, you can enter simply by entering a comment in response to this blog entry and take a chance at winning Fairyland Cookie Cutter and Fairyland Recipe Card. Each cookie recipe comes with 1 "friend of the fairies" fairy cookie cutter and fairy sprinkles. Cutters include bird, dragonfly, fairy, gnome, flower, butterfly – she’ll choose one for you!

Garden Chick has a delightful selection of products that are either created by Karen or something she found on her adventures and loves enough to share!

The following blogs are also participating, so stop over to enter with them for additional chances to win AND the chance to explore some cool blogs.

SunRose Aromatics
Patti’s Potions
PrairieLand Herbs
Aquarian Bath
The Rosemary House
Natures Gift
Torchsong Studio
The Essential Herbal

OMG! Poke Salad at a Gourmet Restaurant!

2009-03-02T10:53:00.009-05:00

Seriously! We went out for dinner this weekend and were served Poke Salad as a complimentary appetizer! It was exquisitely delicious, and you can imagine the thrill I felt to be served wild food. John J Jeffries is the restaurant at the Lancaster Arts Hotel, and they do specialize in local, organic foods, but still...Poke?

The salad, prepared by pastry chef Brian "Booty Shaker" Burton, consisted of finely chopped Poke, pickled carrots & onion, olive oil, salt & pepper, Rosemary & Thyme. Simple and simply divine.

Poke has been eaten as a very early Spring tonic green for ages. The theory is that it helps to get things moving as we leave Winter weight behind. Once it gets larger it's no longer edible. The photo above is so you'll know which plant I'm talking about, but don't eat it when it looks like that. You only eat the tiny new shoots in the Spring, like these:

Poke root has long been cautiously used by traditional healers to dissolve breast tumors. Jethro Kloss recommended making a poultice of raw grated root, but that seems a bit extreme to me. It would probably eat away at the skin first. Yipes. Susun Weed talks about using olive oil infused with Poke root for breast lumps in her book, Breast Cancer? Breast Health! When I studied with Matthew Wood, he taught us that a drop or 2 of Poke tincture was the remedy for "lazy teenagers of any age".