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Herbal Classes with Judith Brooks
HERBAL CLASS
The Wisdom of Elderberry: Medicinal Properties of Flowers and Berries
The class on Elderberry medicine making was a fun exploration of the many benefits of the flowers and berries.
The elderberries were ripe and plentiful near my home.
We tasted fresh Elderberry juice and elderberry syrup made with local honey.
The rich dark juice makes a slightly bitter drink full of health benefits for the immune system.
We also made Elderberry Elixir with dried elderberries, honey and brandy.
We also tasted a cordial made from Elder Flowers and lemon zest and sugar that I had made in June with my friend Paulette.
We ended the class with a plant meditation; an opportunity to be outside and observe the beauty of the elderberry bush.
Thank you to the wonderful women who attended.
I hope to teach this class next summer.
Sampling the Elderberry Syrup
Beautiful Elderberries!
Cleaning the berries.
Witch Hazel
Botanical Name: Hamamelis virginiana
This beautiful shrub has been blooming in my garden through the snow storms of February.
I was amazed by the delicate looking flowers covered with icicles, and how after the ice melt they
retained their beautiful colors. With Hazel was used externally by Native Americans to heal sprains, cuts, insect bites, skin irritations and hemorrhoids. Collect the plant in the spring or early summer. The parts of the Witch Hazel to be collected are: the inner bark and leaves, and twigs less than one half inch in diameter. Carefully strip off the outer bark with a sharp knife! Steep in rubbing alcohol for 3 weeks and strain into a glass bottle. You now have a wonderful first aid remedy. For external use only!
Enjoy this third in a series of posts about helpful healing herbs. For more visit my website.