I assume, since you are reading this, that you have some interest in integrating herbs into your life.  Alhamdulillaah, this is really very, very easy…in fact, there are probably ways that you are using herbs to your benefit right now, that you may not even really think about.  The thing to remember is that using herbs is not an all or nothing proposition.  These plants are often like that girl in your circle of friends in junior high- shy and soft spoken, but always there with a smile and a helping hand.  Of course, others are real powerhouses, and must be used with knowledge and care…and so we get the first major point.   

Be sure you know your herbs before using them.  Especially if you are using them to treat a health condition, you want, ideally, to be in contact with a knowledgeable herbalist who understands your particular situation, as well as making sure that your doctor is aware of what you are thinking of using.  You must be aware of any contraindications of using any herb before you begin making it a part of your treatment plan.  This is particularly important if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have heart disease, have high blood pressure, have any other chronic condition, or are on medication of any sort.  Even if you are not using the herb to treat that specific ailment, you want to be sure that it won't influence the condition for the worse, or affect the manner in which any prescription drugs you are using may be utilized by the body.  For example, St. Johnswort is widely used to treat mild depression…and it works very well for this, alhamdulillaah.  However, some studies have shown that it lessens the effectiveness of the oral contraceptive pill…so you may start out depressed, but end up pregnant!!!  

I also recommend looking up the herb in at least two, preferably more, reputable herbals, such as those listed at the end of this article.  These herbals are written by people with experience with the herbs themselves, and they bring that experience to you.  Often one herbal will list a couple of uses for an herb that another will not even mention.  The same is true of contraindications and warnings.  Some herbalists are more cautious in their approach to recommending herbs than others, based on studies they have read, their own herbal studies, or their own practice with the herb and recommending it to their patients. 

If you are really serious about herbs, buy yourself a ring binder and paper, as well as some of those little tape circles that strengthen the binder paper holes.  Make notes of what you have learned about each plant and where you learned it.  If possible, have a photograph of the herb, as well as a good line drawing included for your reference.  Write down whatever you want to know about that herb.  Possibilities include its history, its use traditionally, its uses nowadays, the results of any studies done on the herb that you know of, what different herbals say about the herb, and, of course, your own experiences with the herb.  Write down how it tastes, smells, looks, makes you feel both physically and emotionally.  Keep a record of your experiments, experiences, and recipes with each plant, be they successes or failures.  Take note of what you would change the next time you used it in a particular formula.  This is your own little herbal encyclopedia, different from any other in the world!!!  I like to have a smaller notebook with the holes for the binder, which I can take out into the field with me to jot down notes and drawings there as well. 

Alright.  So now you have chosen the herb you want to use…the next step is obtaining the herb for yourself.  It may be as easy as going out in your back yard and gathering an apron full of dandelions, or a visit to your local natural foods store or a few clicks of your computer mouse.  But there are some things you should keep in mind as you do any of these! 

Choosing and Storing Herbs
I am pretty sure that many of you have seen tired, de-energized herbs at your local grocery store, in little plastic bottles.  They tend to be pretty sad looking, and when you open the bottle, you are not struck by the fragrance of strong, potent herb.  Sometimes, these are all you can get...and if so, that is better than nothing, for those little herbs will do their best for you, I am sure. 

The fact of the matter is, the best herbs are often going to be those you grow or wildcraft yourself.  There is no way around the fact that something that you planted, tended, and then lovingly harvested at the peak of its power will simply be better for you, more powerful and potent.  Many herbs are very easy to grow, either outside or in pots if you don't have a place for a garden.  The experience of nursing the plants throughout their life cycles is invaluable, and if you have children they will usually gladly dig in and help you out.  

That being said, not everyone is able to, or wants to, grow her own herbs.  And, of course, some herbs are more difficult to grow than others, making it impractical to grow your own.  As for wildcrafting, there are also many reasons why one may choose not to do so.  Being afraid of plant misidentification, scarcity of resources in ones area, too much pollution to guarantee the safety of the plants, and a concern for the delicate balance of the plant ecosystem are some reasons that one may choose to purchase, rather than grow, at least some of one's herbs. 

For whatever reason you may choose to purchase herbs, you can at least do your best to get the most value for your money.  By value, I do NOT mean cheap herbs...I mean herbs that are still vital, that will aid you in your quest for health and healing. 

First of all, buy from a reputable dealer.  There are many many sources for quality herbs, and with the telephone and internet, they are available to most everyone.  If you purchase from a store, keep an eye on their turn over rate- do they do a brisk business, so that the herbs are as fresh as possible?  Word of mouth is often the most reliable way to find a good source of herbs.  If someone is happy enough with the quality and service they received to tell you about it, it is probably worthwhile to check out that source for yourself.  And conversely, if they are unhappy enough to mention it to you, you had best be careful when dealing with that source. 

Next, spend some time with the herbs.  Look and see how they are stored.  Are they in clear glass bottles on shelves in direct sunlight? Not a good sign. Are they in plastic bags or jars?  Again, not so good. Talk to the sales people and ask them where they get their herbs, how often they are shipped, if they are organic or ethically wildcrafted, how they are stored before being put out for sale....any and all questions that can assist you in making sure you are buying a safe, quality product.   Beyond that, there are four basic ways to test an herb for vitality.  I learned these in Rosemary Gladstar's herbal course, and they have never let me down yet!!!! 

1. Color:  The herb should be basically the same color it was when it was fresh. Calendula flowers should be bright orange-yellow, spearmint a vibrant green, etc.  Perhaps the best way to put it, is to say that they simply "look alive".  This is more so with leaves and flowers, but even roots will retain much of their original color.  I have seen licorice and galangel roots for sale that were positively grey.  Yech... 

2.  Smell:  They will smell strong, whether in a pleasant manner, like chamomile, or not necessarily pleasant , like valerian root. 

3.  Taste: The herbs should have a clear, fresh, flavor- again, not necessarily what one might consider yummy, but certainly strong and distinct.  Their potency will be apparent. 

4.  Effect. Obviously, if you have gotten to this stage, you have brought some of the herb home with you.  Try it, and see if it works.  If it does not, then the herb may just be too tired to help you. 

I would recommend buying a small amount of any herb to begin with, so that you can not only see how the herb works for you, but so that you will not be disappointed if a supplier turns out to be not what you hoped for.  I have listed some reputable suppliers down below. 

The best way to store herbs is in a non-see through glass container with a tight fitting lid, out of direct sunlight.  Ovaltine containers are great for this.  Once you have consumed all of the Ovaltine, wash the jar very thoroughly, making sure that you remove the cardboard insert of the lid, as this can trap unwanted moisture in the jar.  Loosely pack the herbs into the jar, leaving some space at the top.  Place a piece of wax paper over the top of the jar, and screw the lid on tightly.  Label this with the common and Latin name of the plant, and the date and place of purchase.  You want to know what is in that jar for sure, so that you don't have to play a guessing game the next time you want to use it.  Also, if the herb is of really good quality, you want to be sure you know where you got it, or if it is simply awful, you know where NOT to get it next time!!! 

Now you have your herbs and are ready to get started using them!  In the next chapter we will discuss the most common types of herbal preparation, along with step by step guides to making them in your own home. 

Herbal Reference Books 

From Khadijah
The Family Herbal by Rosemary Gladstar  Really, anything by her, but this is the most general 

Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants by Andrew Chevelier 

Anything by Aviva Jill Romm 

Anything by Steven Foster 

From Steph
The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody 

The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra 

The Complete Illustrated Hollistic Herbal by David Hoffman 

From Maryanne
Growing Your Herb Business, Bertha Reppert     This is an absolute must read if you're considering setting up a fulltime shop.  It was our Bible when we had ours.  Bertha passed away over 5 years ago and was an herbal icon in our area and I suspect throughout the US

The Natural Soap Book, Susan Miller Cavitch     The first "nuts and bolts" book about making soaps we found.  Tied a lot of things together for us after stumbling around in the dark for a couple of years attempting to make soap with very little info available in the early 1990's!  The trouble shooting chart in the back was a Godsend  

The Soapmaker's Companion, Susan Miller Cavitch    A lot of the same info as in the above, but it expanded on some topics.  If I had to choose one, it would be her first book, but both were helpful for us

The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy_, Valerie Ann Wormwood  We consulted this daily when we had our shop.  Formulas for just about any ailment you can imagine.

The Complete Medicinal Herbal_, Penelope Ody  Again, lots of info.  Individual herbs and applications.  Explains infusions, tinctures, ointments,  creams, poultices, etc  

finally, since we started at a Renn Faire
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Medicinal Herbs, Scott Cunningham     I'm not into magic, but it was sure fun reading and gave us lots of ideas for products for those who are.  Lots and lots of info 

From Geri
I've been researching herbs for the past year, so I'm still fairly new to this. I've got a growing collection of references, but my very favorites are: 

Peterson Field Guide to Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs (I've worn this worn out) 

Peterson Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants (much used) 

Wild Flowers of New York, Vols. I and II (Homer D. House. 1918 copy ... saw it in a library, fell in love, and ordered it. Great illustrations) 

Weeds: Friend or Foe? (Sally Roth) 

Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers

Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants ("Wildman" Steve Brill) 

Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs 

Since I began learning about herbs and their uses, I've come to realize that buying in bulk from places like Atlantic Spice probably isn't a good way to get fresh botanicals. These days I'm growing herbs in my own garden or staring at the ground a lot wherever I go, with a field guide in one hand and a baggie in the other, LOL!

Herb Suppliers 

From Khadijah:
www.mountainroseherbs.com
www.jeansgreens.com
www.wildroots.com 

From Jan S:
Richter's in Canada, hands down the most intensive and informative site out there.

Atlantic Spice offers a very nice selection of dried herbs.    http://www.atlanticspice.com/ 

From Maryanne
Frontier, Norway. Iowa    Lots of variety & I think good quality.  They're great if you have a wholesale # and are buying in quantity.  Wholesale prices not reflected on website

 

DISCLAIMER:  This information is for educational purposes, based on the study, education, and experience of the author, and is not meant to replace the advice of a trained physician.  Soapnuts and the author are not responsible for any outcome of your use of this information

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER:  This information is for educational purposes, based on the study, education, and experience of the author, and is not meant to replace the advice of a trained physician.  Soapnuts and the author are not responsible for any outcome of your use of this information.