Here is the link: Introducing wild about herbs - YouTube
]]>For booking go to: The Organic Centre - Classes and workshops
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Launching this summer's program, which will soon be posted, is a herb walk in Rossmore forest park on Bank holiday Sunday 1st of May at 9am. All welcome. We will be looking at wild spring herbs, with a bit of a focus on detoxification and I always talk about herbal safety and correct identification of plants, as well as wild harvesting sustainably.
The walks are free of charge, just bring suitable foot ware and a brolley if it is raining, bring a notebook and pen/pencil.
If you are interested, get in touch via Facebook (wild about herbs) or email: wildaboutherbs@gmail.com
]]>Now that I am over 60 and an elder, I see my task as being to care for the herbs and to share my passion for this work, hopefully to be privileged and honored to be able to inspire the next generation of herbalists and community herbalists. I made the huge decision to move out of my lovely convenient clinic in Monaghan town, to a beautiful cabin I have built at home. Over the festive season holiday I plan to do the big move, to be ready to be up and going again for mid-January.
I love working with clients, and I hope that this move will bring a different kind of consultation space, a quieter, more reflective place to share and to introduce my clients to the real, living herbs in my garden. For acute/simple ailments, I am still working in the extra special Bee healthy health shop in Glaslough street, on a Monday and Tuesday.
My deep wish is that we will be able to have small workshops again, in my new cabin, where we can go out and harvest the herbs and make wonderful herbal remedies, creating a community of home herbalists. It is vital that this knowledge is kept alive into the future.
I will be offering some online workshops, through my teaching platform which I set up during the pandemic, but nothing beats being able to experience the herbs in the garden and meet with like-minded people. I will also be running workshops in the Organic center in Leitrim, one of my happy places.
So lots of changes, moving towards a quieter and deeper way of life. Watch this space for more information!
Wishing everyone peace and joy over this magical time
Margaret
PS While the clinic will be closed over the holidays, anyone needing repeat bottles of herbs can still contact me, for collection in Bee Healthy
]]>Why is this tea so special? The herbs have been grown in our own herb garden, using no pesticides or any nasty chemicals. They are carefully hand-harvested and only the healthiest leaves are selected. Once harvested we dry them as whole herbs because chopping or cutting up herbs means a loss of the wonderful aromatic fragrances and therapeutic properties of the herbs. When they are finished drying we store them and then make small batches of our famous herb tea - so as you can see that this is a real labour of love and that it is nothing like the "herb tea" you find in tea bags in your supermarket.
What is in our herbal blend? Lots of lemon balm, lemon verbena and several varieties of mint provide the base flavour of the tea. We also mix in blackcurrant leaf for a subtle vanilla-like taste, this softens the slightly harsher more tangy taste of the lemon balm and mint. We add sweet cicely and rose for a touch of sweetness which is never overwhelming. Our other special therapeutic herbs include wild strawberry leaf, angelica, plantain, hawthorn, elderflower, hyssop, mullein flowers, self-heal flowers, wood betony flowers, rose petals and yarrow flowers. All these herbs are anti-ageing, nutritive, and anti-oxidant. They help to support general health and vitality, the tea is caffeine-free and best of all, it looks and tastes absolutely delicious.
To make the tea: enjoy a proper tea ritual for maximum wow factor - warm your tea pot and put a big pinch (about a teaspoon) of the herb mix (per cup of tea) into your pot. Add water which is just off the boil, to preserve the delicate taste of the tea. Allow to steep for 5-10 minutes, strain and enjoy. We don't recommend adding any milk or sugar to our tea, it is perfect just as it is. If you want to ring the changes you could try adding a little honey, lemon, rooibos tea or green tea.
The tea costs €4 for 20grams.
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Selling dried herbs is not really something we wanted to get into, but so many people have asked if we can stock small quantities of dried herbs, as it is only possible to buy in bulk and only from the UK or EU.
Our suppliers of dried herbs are all medical herb suppliers and our quality is very high. So, while nothing beats foraging for your own fresh elder flowers, if you cannot find any don't despair - we have you sorted!
]]>Cistus has been found to contain 3 x higher amounts of polyphenols than green tea. Polyphenols are produced by plants as a defence against ultraviolet light and diseases; and they have numerous benefits to us when taken regularly as part of our diet. Polyphenols have anti-ageing; anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. The tea is used as a general tonic for health and wellbeing; and early research appears to indicate it may have far greater benefits too.
Traditionally the cooled tea was used as a skin wash and for oral and dental health. It seems that Cistus mouthwash prevents harmful bacteria from clinging to the surfaces of the mouth, helping to prevent infections and plaque.
More recently Cistus is being investigated for its possibilities in helping with viral infections; particularly against protein enveloped viruses. Due to its biofilm-busing properties it is also being used as part of a treatment protocol for chronic Lyme disease. Cistus has antifungal properties and may help with Candida and other fungal infections, if taken regularly.
There are many different ways of making the tea; most authorities recommend bringing the leaves to a gentle boil and leaving to cool, then repeating this process 3 times.
Cistus is a safe herb, but if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on any prescribed medication please consult your medical professional before taking any herbs.
Important disclaimer: the research into the benefits of Cistus are in the early stages; no medical claims are made for the use of this herb; the intention of this blog is purely for informational purposes.
For more information on Cistus tea, see my Facebook page; wild about herbs
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]]>You will need: 3/4 cup (loosely packed) of dried lavender flowers or a cup (loosely packed) of fresh flowers.
One cup of white granulated sugar
One cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of citric acid or 4 Tablespoons of lemon juice.
A stainless steel pot
a wooden spoon for stirring your syrup
A thermometer (optional)
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I am having a big clearance sale on my dried herbs; time to make way for the new season harvest. This is a great time to buy medicinal-quality herbs at a knockdown price. While some herbs are near to their best before dates they will still be suitable for use for several months. Buy with click and collect and collect them in The Local on a Thursday or Friday 10-2 or have them posted out to you so you can receive them at your own home.
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Budding herbalists - create your own home herbal apothecary
Fermenting circle - learn how to make fermented foods
Make your own natural skin care products
Do you find it hard to find the time to attend our workshops? We are now offering a brand new option - a school in a bag! Purchase each lesson as a practical kit with essential ingredients, instructions and a closed Facebook group so that you can ask questions and get to know other students.
]]>I am starting off with three brands I love - Three Hills soap, Airmid and Irish palm-free soaps. Over the next weeks I will be blogging about the stories behind the products, because each range is made by a someone who loves what they do. We cannot change the world overnight, but we can made small changes to make a real difference, by using hand-made soaps we are cutting down on plastic and supporting the local economy plus enjoying the luxury of a beautiful natural product.
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