August 28, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
Repost updated with remedy-making video links! To be honest, oil is not a great solvent for extracting herbs (alcohol, water, and vinegar – in that order – tend to work better). It also has a greater potential to go bad via rancidity, mold, or bacteria, including botulism. Yet, we often use herb-infused oils for topical…
July 12, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
Oh my goodness, just look at those gorgeous, otherwordly flowers! The feeling you get gazing on them is a good indicator of what this plant does in the body: Zen, relaxation, sedation, deep peace, hypnotic, bringing everything down a notch and into a mellow, happy place. Growing Passionflower Our medicinal passionflower grows wild, native to…
July 11, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
Earlier this year, I was overjoyed to be invited to speak for the Free Herbalism Project run by Mountain Rose Herbs in Eugene, Oregon. Oregon is such a beautiful state, and in spring it was brimming with bright green leaves and vibrant flowers while spring had barely arrived here in New Hampshire. Not one to…
July 11, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
It’s midsummer, and the garden has begun to overflow with bountiful medicine harvests including calendula blossoms, marshmallow leaves, lemon balm, and holy basil. If you’re new to herb gardening, you might be looking at your garden with a combination of pride and trepidation. You’ve got the plants, now what?? In my recent guest blog post…
June 13, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
Also see the two other blogs in this series: Natural Insect and Tick Repellents Ticks Everywhere! What to Do: Prevention & If You Get Bit Here in New Hampshire – the one of the most Lyme-infested states in the nation – the joy and benefits of being outdoors are often marred by the uneasy…
June 13, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
Also see the two other blogs in this series: Natural Insect and Tick Repellents Herbs & Lyme Disease Spring tends to be the worst season for ticks in New Hampshire, and this year has been worse than ever. I’m pulling 10 to 30 ticks per day off myself and the dog every day, and…
June 13, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
Also see the two other blogs in this “Lyme & Ticks” series: Ticks Everywhere! What to Do: Prevention & If You Get Bit Herbs & Lyme Disease I have met few people as tasty to biting insects as moi. No repellent is 100% effective, but they can help reduce the risk of exposure. Essential Oil-Based…
June 6, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
The weather is warming up! And while this has many people jumping for joy and heading to the beach after a dreary, long winter/spring, summer heat can also take its toll. This is the perfect opportunity to apply your knowledge in herbal energetics. The term “energetics” can mean different things. Sometimes we use the term…
April 16, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
Pain is like a fire alarm. You don’t want to simply shut it off but to attend to the fires themselves, getting to the root of the problem. Using herbs for pain support is not as simple as taking some ibuprofen. No one herb will work for everyone, yet many herbs can still be very…
April 4, 2019
Maria Noel Groves
Whether we realize it or not, most of us to don’t function with optimal mental clarity. It might be a forgotten lunch date or afternoon brain fog at work or school. As we get older, we become more aware – and fearful – about our mental wellbeing. What can we do to undo the state…