Preserving herbal meds - setup?

[Deb Mc]

All,

I've been growing a small amount of herbs for a few years now, mainly for cooking purposes. I am interested in learning more about medicinal uses for these herbs too, to be used by myself and my family.

I understand that I'll need a morter & pestal to crush/grind the herbs and dark glass bottles to hold the herbs.

I've a few questions though about set-up and such and am hoping that you all could give some advice, please.


1. Do you use more tinctures or more salve/cream based meds for your family?

2. When making salves/creams, what has produced the best results for you? (i.e. Cocoa butter, beeswax, lard, etc...)

3. Does the material that the mortal & pestal is made out of make a difference? (i.e. Wood vs. metal vs. ceramic vs. stone)

4. How many of each do you find sufficient and do you re-use the bottles & jars that you've used?

5. Sterilization?

6. Is there any difference in long-term storage between the blue and brown glass bottles?


Thanks again all and God Bless!

 

[goatlady2]

Deb, how you "preserve" herbs depends on how you plan to use them, keeping in mind the more the herb is "processed" i.e. crushed, powdered, etc. the faster it loses it medicinal potency. I personally primarily use tinctures as they are the most potent form of herbal medicines and being preserved in alcohol the potency lasts a LOOONG time - like years. The reason to use dark bottles is to keep light away from the herbs - light deteriorates potency and effectiveness. You only need a mortor/pedstle if you are going to powder/crush already dried herbs to use immediately in capsules. Not a good idea at all to pregrind and try to store that way. Whoile dried leaf is the smallest I save some herbs as and primarily to use as tea. Salves/creams are only used topically, not internally. As I said, I like tincture, to use internally for dis-ease/illnesses. Cust, scratches, bites can heal on their own, bronchitis, blood pressure problems, etc. need internal dosing.

 

[Deb Mc]

Goatlady,

Ok, thank you!

As for whole-leaf storage, how are you keeping them? As long as they were kept away from the light, would storing them in canning jars be ok? Haven't seen any brown or blue glass jars large enough for whole leaves. (Do you know of any companies that might sell glass jars large enough for whole leave storage?) Maybe storage in ceramic cookie jars would be another option?


As for salves and creams, thank you for the advice. My brother, my nephew and I all have occasional skin allergies and I thought the salve might be useful.

Thanks again!

 

[goatlady2]

For the few herbs I store whole, dried I just put in zip-lock bags with the air still in them to save crushing and then stuff the bag in a regular canning jar with screw lid and sotre on a bottom shelf of a cabinet. Most all salves use bees was to some extent - that's what "hardens" the salve so it's not runny. Your choice as to the other oil used, I like olive oil and jojoba butter - seems to "melt"in to skin nicely without a greasy film. Lard or any animal fat will go rancid very quickly. Some vitamin E oil also is a nice addition to any salve. Confrey salve is VERY healing and soothing. But as with any herbal salve you need to extract the herb lizuid and add that to the salve, not use the whole herb. Simmer, simmer, simmer until you are down to just a little bit of liquid concentrate in the glass pot then add some of that liquid to your salve recipe. Those brown (amber) and blue bottles you are probably seeing are primarily used for tinctures/extract storage.

 

[Deb Mc]

Thank you, Goatlady!

I've been drying the herbs in baskets out of the sun and putting them in gallon freezer ziplock bags for now, while waiting for the next harvest.

Looks like I'll need to get some Corningware pots/pans for the simmering. Olive oil I have, but do you have any suggestions as to where to get jojoba butter and bulk Vitamin E at, please?

Thanks again VERY much for your time and advice! You've been a God-send.

 

[goatlady2]

http://mabelwhite.com/SupplyCo/index.htm She has more than everything, fast service, and recipes for anything you want to make. I sent her a list of ingredients once that I wanted to duplicate and she figured out the proportions for me to use - no charge. Make a run to your local second hand shop or yard sale for glass pots. The work in microwaves which is a fast, easy, safe way to melt stuff together.

 

[summerthyme]

Deb- I agree with Goatlady, except that we do make quite a bit of salves or creams and balms for various uses. The whole point of those pretty blue and brown glass bottles and jars is to exclude light. A canning jar in a brown paper bag works just as well- it's just nowhere near as pretty and "romantic"! (Cheaper, though!)

One way I make a large quantity of salve (for udder salve for the dairy cows) is to heat olive oil in a large enamel roasting pan, adding handfuls of comfrey, plantain leaves, calendula blossoms and often chickweed. I leave it in the oven on low heat (250°) for 3-5 hours, stirring it up occasionally to keep the leaves submerged in the oil. Then I strain it first through a sieve or strainer, then through cheesecloth. It's a quick version of an infused oil, and it works very well. I then either add wax (beeswax for us, paraffin for the cows- beeswax is too expensive if you're making a couple of gallons of the stuff!) or else make an emulsified cream by using the blender, a bit of borax and some peppermint tea for the "water" part of the emulsion. If I'm just making a plain salve, I'll usually add a bit of peppermint oil for "zing" and to make it smell good. A bit of lavender oil can help by adding some antiseptic properties as well.

Always store herbs in the LARGEST (most whole) form you can, breaking them down only at the last minute before you use them, or put them in capsules, or whatever. That's why most of us end up making tinctures- it's really the only way to preserve the active principles of delicate herb parts like leaves and blossoms for more than a few months. Roots can often be stored a bit longer if they are well dried and whole.

Gotta warn you- this stuff is addictive!

Summerthyme

 

[Deb Mc]

Goatlady and Summerthyme,

Thank you both VERY much! This is neat!


Love the link, Goatlady - have it added to favorites, she has an incredible selection, especially of the essential oils. I think it's the largest selection I've seen so far and appreciate that she has potential uses listed as well - that's really helpful.



Summerthyme,

Thank you - perfect!

I've got a few cleaning out old spaghetti jars that I could put the herbs in and get a few paper bags to wrap them in too - that ought to do just fine. Most of the herbs are off the stem but otherwise whole.

One last question though: Is it difficult to keep the beewax stored without melting, also will it go rancid?


Thanks again guys, I'm really looking forward to getting started. Am off to the bookstore in a few days to find some books so I don't pester you all to death with questions.

 

[summerthyme]

Deb- nope, unless you're in the tropics. I've got about 10# of beeswax "pastilles"- little pellets- and the worst they've done is get a little "sticky"... they break apart easily, though. And my herb room isn't air conditioned or anything.... it can get above 80° regularly up there in the summer.

Now, oils and such are a different kettle of fish, and need to be either kept as cool as possible or refrigerated if you're not going to use them pretty quickly. (I call "within 6 months" "quickly", BTW). But beeswax keeps pretty much forever.

Oh, and if you're making creams, especially (which have air incorporated in them as part of the process) make sure you add some vitamin E oil (just prick a capsule and squeeze it in) to help keep them from spoiling. Otherwise they go rancid all too fast...

Summerthyme

 

[Deb Mc]

Thank you, Summerthyme! Back to pick up some Vit. E then...