The First Few Days of February Falling midway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, the beginning of February brings the return of light and life to the Northern Hemisphere.  There are many celebrations covering a variety of spiritual traditions.  Imbolc, a Gaelic word that means “ewe’s milk” is a Celtic feast day that signifies the beginning of spring.  It has been widely observed by Gaels for centuries and it begins on the first evening of February, ending on the second.  Additionally, Feb 2 is Brigid’s feast.  In ancient beliefs, Brigid is a goddess ..read more

 I had a great time talking to Bevin the other day.  Have a listen! https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/tina-sams-essential-herbal/ Bevin's website: www.seedsandweedspodcast.com On Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seeds-weeds-podcast/id1659291864 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1hI0c0ZxvqI674e5hQia40 Youtube: https://youtu.be/QOnqNDDiidA?si=OswzYFc8l9jpjdGC Other Platforms: https://seedsandweeds.buzzsprout.com/   Want to make the hard candy we talked about? https://theessentialherbal.blogspot.com/2010/10/herbal-candy.html ..read more

  Vegan Wax AromaTarts Marci Tsohonis Essential Herbal Magazine January/February 2019    Candles and scents help me feel cozy hibernating indoors during this gray, cold time of the year.   I have never made candles, but friends often gift me with the good essential oil candles and the flameless wax candles that look real.  One friend gave me a wax tart melter with some lovely Lemon Verbena scented soy wax tarts.  Swoon!  I’ve been addicted to them ever since.  The wax tarts made with essential oils are surprisingly hard to find, at least in towns ..read more

  The current issue emailed out to subscribers yesterday.  Our computers put up a good fight, but in the end, we won. We always have a struggle when we start a new year, but I think we have it figured out.  Finally!  The year starts off with a spectacular Herb of the Year chosen by the International Herb Assoc., being covered well by Kristine Brown.  Another highlight is a really nice and wide-ranging article on Jerusalem Artichokes, with additional recipes from other contributors. TABLE OF CONTENTS Crossword, A New Year at The Essential Herbal   Just for fun, we ..read more

GROUP ARTICLE For close to 10 years we regularly posed questions to our Essential Herbal Yahoo! group and combined the answers into some truly spectacular articles.  Yahoo! discontinued groups, and we haven't really found anything that comes close to the camaraderie that happened there.  Occasionally we still try.  This was one of those attempts, and it was pretty good! Holiday crafting from the Nov/Dec '20 issue. We asked, "Do you have a fun herbal gift idea that can be described/explained in a paragraph or two?"   The Essential Herbal Magazine - I'll start This year, I'm ..read more

 We spend a lot of time coming up with things for our subscribers (and blog readers) to make - especially gifts at this time of year.  Coincidentally, my sister and I are going through the shelves of packaging that we've accumulated over the years.  We're offering it to you for your very special creations.   I expect this clearing out to continue, but if you see something, don't delay.  We don't have a LOT of anything.  20 for most, 100 for a few - that's it.  We will be correcting the shipping amounts when your order goes out, so if it seems high for 6 ..read more

  Sumac The Essential Herbal Magazine  from the Nov/Dec 2014 issue As I write this all of the leaves are off the trees and the beautiful flowers of the handsome native sumacs really catch your eye along our Pennsylvania roadsides.  Sumac is pronounced Shoomak or Sumach according to Mr Webster.   This stately tree ornamented with huge velvety and showy wildflowers can be enjoyed in a variety of ways indoors and out.   Native plants that have been growing here for thousands of years are tough.  They have built in durability, disease and insect resistance ..read more

 I was writing an article for the upcoming Extra about how to "herb up" lots of dishes over the winter for health and thought about this stew.  It was published in my book on emotional health.  We sometimes forget how intertwined all of our systems are, and how staying strong and vibrant by taking good care of ourselves is reflected in everything we think and feel ..read more

The latest issue is out and it really is full of fun, delicious, and fascinating content!  So far we've taken advantage of a scone recipe, I've gathered the acorns and milkweed pods for an angel (or fairy) and we're probably going to be making some salt soap soon.  I'll be sure Molly notices the dough clay recipes to make some decorations for her new home, too.  Eventually we'll get around to everything.  There's lot to learn about Pine and Fireweed inside.  During a soapmaking class this summer, we discovered that at least half of the attendees did not know the differ ..read more

And Why It Appears That Those Two Sisters at The Essential Herbal Have Lost Their Bloomin' Minds! What a week... You can skip the yada yada yada and find the answer sheet at the bottom of the post. Last week was one of the wackiest weeks I've had for a very long time.  It started with me heading up the turnpike to do a little incense class for A Way of Life Herbal Course at The Rosemary House. It was the last day of the 10 month course, and the day all the students bring dishes made from wild and foraged plant foods to share. Here is the post (with recipes) from last year when we p ..read more