Chicken Coop Potpourri!

 (Here is some great advice from Homestead Revival!)
Yes, your coop can smell good, too, just like mine!

Really! It smells fantastic! Since I started making my Coop Potpourri and tossing in bundles of lavender... now when I open the door, I get this lovely wave of floral herbs. I just love it!

So here's the scoop on getting rid of the poop (well, the poop smell anyway)...

Walk around your yard or garden (or a friends yard - with permission, of course!) and dead head those marigolds and lavender. I also like to cut a few nice looking flowers as well, especially since they're growing so abundantly this year! Just toss it all in a large bucket. (Some of my lavender, the Provence variety, had long stems which I cut off before adding).

Next, prune back some of those herbs, such as rosemary, mint, thyme, etc. It's actually good for the plant, so be brave and cut! Toss all this in the bucket as well, cutting it into smaller portions as you do so. Another option is to cut back the larger plants, such as rosemary, and then pull off the needles by running your fingers over it from top to bottom. Then toss the stems. Don't forget fragrant trees, such as bay leaves (I'm growing several as an evergreen hedge to protect my beehives from winter winds).

Everything gets tossed together and allowed to dry a bit in the bucket. Once it's dry, you can bag it up for use all winter long when the coop is shut tighter than normal. Just think how nice it's going to smell!

And that extra lavender (trust me, I have a ton!)... it gets tossed on the floor where the chickens move it around as they scratch in the hay and pine shavings. Plus, it gets crushed underfoot when we walk in the coop. Between the two, it releases the oils and fragrance adding a pleasant scent that covers up the less-than-desirable smells.

 I was surprised that it really did't take a lot of plants to produce enough coop potpourri for the winter. Use whatever fragrant plants you have, but try to incorporate plenty of plants that have medicinal properties and act as bug repellents and such. And don't forget to add this to your tickler file so you remember to harvest these plants annually for your chicken coop potpourri!

Next year I think I'll raise some additional flowers and herbs to mix in. Chamomile, thyme, scented geraniums...

 

My Birthday Gift

As most of you know I had a birthday a little over a week ago. Well, my wonderful Son gave me a great gift. He gave me a gift certificate for Amazon.com.  Boy, did I have a great time shopping and spending. And believe me I spent every penny of it on books and DVD's, not one red cent on shipping (I made sure every thing I ordered was available for free Super Saver shipping. I did end up paying $4.52 more, just because I couldn't get my order to the exact amount and didn't want to waste any of it:)
  So anyway here is what I was able to get with the awesome gift.  (Thank you, Christopher, very much. It is much appreciated.)  Now most of the books will be helpful once we get a farm in a dire emergency situation, but I wanted to get a head start. A couple are for personal growth and the DVD's were just for fun.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800719964/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006OBPZY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i10

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000056MMM/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i07

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1563637502/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039592622X/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i08

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0395988144/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i09

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1885904177/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580178790/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i03

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580173039/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i04

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580172202/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i05

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933392592/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452296226/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i06

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0891075860/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i01

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615218997/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i11

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0931432820/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00

 

Excuse Me, Mr. Moon Muffin; But Do You Know Who Gave That to You?

Here is a great article I received in my email the other day, by Stacy McDonald at "The Common Scents Mom". It is about our health and how God provides what we need if we will only look what He has provided for us.


Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17)

And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” (Genesis 1:29)

Walk into any health food store and you’ll have trouble walking five steps without running into evidence that Christians have relinquished their rights to God’s good gift of natural health and healing. Hippies, New Agers, Eastern religions, and naturalists embrace the gift, but reject the Gift-Giver. Christians, on the other hand, rightly embrace the Gift-Giver; but ironically devalue His gifts by placing them below man’s wisdom in worth and authority. The gift of natural foods and medicine was given to us by God, therefore they are good and useful, and will serve us well when used properly and with thanksgiving.


He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man… (Psalm 104:14)

Amazingly, the gifts God gave us weren’t stolen by the pagans; we gladly gave them away, as we became more “progressive and enlightened.” Like a young child enamored by a shiny, new penny, we traded our hundred dollar bill, for a virtually worthless coin. Blinded by pride, we turned from our trust in God and His generous gifts, to man and his almighty science. We blindly expected from man’s wisdom, what man, all on his own, can’t provide.


“While science has served us well in improving our standards of living and bringing us many advances, people have grown to expect more from science than science can possibly deliver. It has become a false god, the idol of modern civilization…People have come to regard modern medicine with a faith traditionally reserved for religion.” – Healing Oils of the Bible, Dr. David Stewart Ph.D.

I tease my husband about his secret (or not so secret) love for potato chips, but he really does “get it.” Especially as he’s discovered that food really can and is supposed to taste good without being altered beyond recognition. It doesn’t need chemicals and food dyes anymore than my daughters need Botox or facelifts (I didn’t use myself as an example just in case you disagreed with me!).

Those of us who grew up on Frankenberry and Ding Dongs learned to love the taste of dirt. But, I’ve found that as we begin to eat right, we develop a taste for what is good, wholesome, and nourishing. Our palates “heal” and we learn to recognize and enjoy the “good stuff” from the pink sugared cardboard.

We need more Christians to stop pretending like it’s cool or funny to love and eat junk food. It’s not good stewardship of our bodies (or the bodies of our children) to be careless about what we eat or expose our bodies to; or to live like popping pills for every ailment is perfectly okay.

I’ve seen some Christians behave as though it is “godlier” to ignore healthy eating (because “God is sovereign” and we’re “all going to die anyway”). Could that be testing God? It is true that we should not be fearful or obsessed, but giving thanks to God for His good gifts, and utilizing them to His glory, is wise stewardship and shows an appreciation for His care of us.


Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!…Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing. (Psalm 107:15–22)

In addition, synthetic drugs (which can be patented) attempt to duplicate the intricate healing nature of the natural medicines that God gave us in herbs, flowers, and resins (which cannot be patented). While there is a place for pharmaceutical drugs in certain instances (especially emergencies), they are rarely helpful for chronic illness, since they do not have the ability to actually heal. They may help control symptoms, but true healing requires restoration. For instance, amputating a gangrene leg is not “healing” the body; though it certainly may be necessary to save the life of the victim.

Rather than suppress the immune system, disrupt other bodily functions, or simply offer relief by concealing symptoms, properly administered natural methods of healing support and stimulate the immune system to help the body to actually heal itself.


Antibiotics kill off everything indiscriminately, unable to tell one bacteria from another. They are microscopic killing machines, programmed to seek out bacteria without discrimination. In other words, they are brainless robots. They are made by fallible men.

Aromatic oils know the difference between the bacteria we need and the hostile invaders. They kill off only the invaders, leaving the friendly flora intact. They are made by our infallible God and imbued with his benevolent intelligence (Ezek. 47:12). – Dr. David Stewart, Ph.D. (Healing Oils of the Bible)

It grieves me to hear Christians refer to health food or natural methods of healing the body as “New Age.” Why should God’s gifts to us be viewed as the property of pagans? God’s gifts are good! It’s time we take the “woo woo” out of healthy living, reclaim our rightful property, and use it to glorify God and expand His Kingdom!


Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:12)

If you are interested in using essential oils to take care of your family more naturally, let me know. I’m here to help! And CLICK HERE for a special offer to help get you started!

See Simple Steps to Healthier Living

DISCLAIMER: The information provided on The Common Scents Mom is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to prescribe, diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is your responsibility to educate yourself and address any health or medical needs you may have with your physician. Please seek professional help when needed.

Herbal Book Recommendation

I went to a preparedness seminar a couple of weeks ago and am finally getting around to writing a little about it. One of the seminars I went to was what to do if there is no doctor available. The presenter was an RN. She was very passionate about what she had to say. She felt it is very important for us to utilize NOW the "medicines" that God created for us to use. So here are three books that she recommended. I ordered all three from Amazon.com, they were used so cheaper than if purchased brand new. I am so excited to be able to read about the herbs and their usages. She highly recommended that you pick up the PDR (physicians desk reference) for Herbal Medicines as soon as you can, because she really is convinced that it won't be available to the public much longer, just because they don't want us to know how good the herbs are for us and that we can take care of ourselves. Just remember this is for informational purposes only, it is imperative that you do due diligence when researching the benefits of herbs in your diet and for your family.

Go to this link to see more about this book.

Click on this link to read more about it

Check out this link for more information about this book

Potent Herbal Remedy for an Insect Repellent

Summer is coming and so are the insects. If you haven't already experienced them this year, I am sure you will at some point. So if you don't want bites and hitch hikers, here is a great recipe to help prevent that. Make it now before the real heat comes on.  I picked up this recipe from Bulk Herb. There aren't too many ingredients, maybe you could go together with some friends and buy the herbs, if you don't have them already.

Vinegar of the 4 Thieves
2 quarts - apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons - lavender
2 tablespoons - rosemary
2 tablespoons - sage
2 tablespoons - wormwood
2 tablespoons - mint
2 tablespoons - fresh, chopped garlic

Combine dried herbs (except garlic) and vinegar in a one-gallon jar with lid, and soak in the sun for 2 weeks, shaking often. Then strain out the used herbs, and retain the herbal liquid mixture. Add several cloves of crushed garlic, and close lid. Let soak for three days, and strain out the garlic fiber and discard. This liquid tincture needs to be stored in a cool place, like the refrigerator, or it can be preserved by canning. Fill canning jar with boiling liquid tincture to within one-half inch of top. Cap with rubber seal canning lid, tighten ring, and turn hot jar upside down; leave it undisturbed until it cools to room temperature. This will cause the jar to seal. Don’t forget to date and label it.

The Vinegar of the Four Thieves is a super-strong insect repellent. It should be diluted with water to half strength if you spray it directly on your skin. This repellent can be used many ways. Splashed on your socks or shoes will discourage ticks, chiggers, and mites. An herbal cloth kept in your pocket and rubbed on your skin every hour or so would be very beneficial during outdoor work or recreation. Or, a nightly bath with a little herbal vinegar and oil will keep it on your skin for many hours and could prove helpful for families who live in the country or while out on camping trips.
The name of the repellent was started following the Black Plague. Thieves would steal from people who had the plague, but for some reason they never got sick. They found out that they applied these herbs to themselves hoping to keep from getting sick and it worked.

Using Oregano Medicinally

by Carmen from Off the Grid News

Usually considered as a culinary herb, oregano has medicinal properties that have been understood and used for many years. The name of this herb is derived from the Greek words oros(mountain) and ganos (joy or splendor). Besides being a beautiful plant, the mountains that it grows on are much more beautiful because of its presence and the fresh aroma that is carried on the breezes all around it. Oregano grows wild year after year in mountainous areas that are free of pollution and flourishes in sunny fields late into the summer months. The power of oregano’s healing properties lie in its oil-laden leaves. Be aware that in many of the grocery stores and supermarkets of North America, oregano has been mislabeled as marjoram and even thyme. But the medicinal properties of these two herbs may be somewhat different than those of oregano.

Oil of Oregano

Oil extracted from the leaves of oregano has been used safely for reducing pain related to toothache. When poured into the cavity of the painful tooth it is as useful for some as oil of clove has been for others.

Oil of oregano has also been used successfully as a fungicide in treating recurrent fungal infections, such as the chronic yeast infections associated to Candida albicans – systemic or chronic intestinal yeast overgrowth. Oil of oregano has shown helpful in cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Leaky Gut Syndrome and other intestinal parasites and bacterial infections.

Oil of oregano historically has been used to replace anti-inflammatory medications for reversing pain and swelling. Some report it as being nearly as strong a pain killer as morphine.

Oil of oregano can be used topically to give immediate relief for bug bites, bee stings and other venomous bites until proper medical treatment can be sought.

Oregano’s oil has also been suggested for treating dandruff, diaper rash, and other disorders of the skin.

Dried Leaves

The leaves can be dried and put into gelatin capsules for internal use when using as a tea is inconvenient.

Externally the leaves can be pounded into a paste by adding a small amount of hot water to reach the desired consistency. Some oatmeal can be added to thicken it, if needed. This can then be applied to relieve the pain of rheumatism, itching and swelling, aching muscles, and other sores.

Placing a handful of dried leaves into a cheesecloth bag or a sock and tying it closed and placing into hot bath water can sooth tired joints, muscles, and aching feet. Allow it to steep in the bath as you relax in the warm, fragrant water.

People from Jamaica have been known to burn incense of oregano to ward off coughs and other respiratory complaints.

Oregano Tea

Tea made from oregano leaves can be used for loss of appetite, nervousness, indigestion, excess gas, bloating, urinary problems, coughs, headaches, bronchial problems, swollen glands and to induce and regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle. Some have used this tea to relieve fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and jaundice. Unsweetened, you can use oregano tea as a mouthwash or gargle.  Sipping it hot gives one its maximum benefits.

Prepare the tea by steeping 1 teaspoon of dried leaves or 3 tablespoons of crushed, fresh leaves in 8 ounces of boiling water for 10 minutes.

Another Tea recipe

4 to 6 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

2 ½ cups water

1 tablespoon honey

Tea strainer

Cut the leaves to release the oil. Boil the water on the stove for 10 minutes, and then add the leaves to the pot. Steep over low flame for 20 minutes, tasting often to keep from getting bitter. Strain and add the honey. Avoid sugar or artificial sweeteners as they may block its medicinal properties. Pour into mugs and sip slowly while hot to enjoy its maximum benefits.

Other Uses

• Depression, flu, constipation, parasites, brain fog, fungus of the toe and fingernail, head lice, lung fungus, warts and athlete’s foot.
• Eczema, ear infection, allergies, burns, bleeding, fatigue, sprains, colds, and back pain.
• Lyme disease, colitis / gastrointestinal disorders, canker sores, E. coli – and try it for whatever ails you.
• Used in combination with Marjoram, Oregano can be used as a food preservative, as an antioxidant and antibacterial, for potpourris and to give fragrance to soaps and lotions
• Oregano tea, when sprayed, cleans the air, kills bugs on plants, and can kill fleas.

Disclaimer

Not been enough current research has been done to support or refute any of these claims. However oregano can be safely tested at home, so experiment to see what it can do for you.

GOD MADE MEDICINE

You probably are wondering what medicine God has made, well I will tell you. God made HERBS! I am so glad that God made herbs, they have so many different things that you can use them for, here are some of their uses.

They are good for you if you have allergies.

Right know my Dad has allergies and my mom had allergies just a couple of days ago and I have given her several herbs and know she is all better from her allergies for now. Here is a list of herbs that help with allergies:

Yarrow

Blue Violet Leaf

Alfalfa

Mullien

Nettles

Echinacea Leaf

Elderberry

Eucalyptus

These are just a few of the herbs that help with allergies.

One thing that I do is heat 2 cups of water and put a few drops of Eucalyptus Essential oil and have dad or mom (whoever has allergies ) put a blanket or towel over their heads and hold the water with essential oil under their nose for 5 minutes, it helps clear their sinuses.

I also like to put some Eucalypts leaf in a potpourri pot with water and have it on all day.

Here is a list of other herbs and some of the things that they are good for.

Peppermint

Helps with stomach aches and headaches.

Lavender

Helps you relax and helps with headaches.

Licorice Root

Helps sore throats and helps if you are losing your voice. (Horse Throat)

Bee Pollen- One time my sister cut her thumb and it would not stop bleeding so I gave her some Bee Pollen tea and in a couple of minutes her thumb stopped bleeding.

Red Raspberry Leaf

Helps with labor pains and other female pains. (Remember there are some herbs that you cannot take when pregnant)

Orange peels

Help with bronchitis and you can also dry them and make vitamin C powder by grinding them.

Cloves

Help with mouth sores, just put a whole clove on the sore and soon it will heal it, it might sting for a minute and you might have to do it a couple of times but it will heal it.

Cinnamon

Is very good for your teeth, it help you keep your teeth health and can help you not to have cavities. You can steep a cup of tea and put a cinnamon stick in it and when you are done drinking your tea take your cinnamon stick out and eat it.

Dandelion

Yes, it is that weed in yard and along the roads and well almost everywhere, it really is a herb that has many uses. You can use all parts of a dandelion, the leafs, stem, roots and flowers, they are best to be picked before the flowers open. Here are some of the things that dandelion helps with:

-Lowers blood pressure

-Helps build energy

-Helps with weight lose

-One of the best liver cleansers

-Used to treat skin disease

-Used to help cancer, Diabetes and helps with digestion

-It helps with fevers.

Ginger

Can help relieve congestion and helps with fevers and helps you relax and relieve achy muscles, it also helps remove toxins from the body, helps you with digestion and is good for relieving motion sickness or morning sickness.

Horse tail (also known as shave grass)

No, you do not just go and cut some hair off your horses’ tail and make some tea, but you can use this plant called horse tail and it is good for helping your nails and hair to grow and also strengthens them.

These are only a few of the herbs that God has made and there are other herbs that help with some of the same things and there are a lot of other herbs that help with different things.

I think that most people would be surprised to know that a flower in their garden or in the front yard might really be an herb. God made these herbs so we can use them to help us stay healthy,

People in the Bible days did not have medicines like we have today. Their medicines where made out of herbs, they would also use herbs to put on their dead before they were buried, they would also use herbs to season there food and they would use them to put on their burnt offerings to God.

I love to use herbs and I like to learn about them, I hope that many people will try to find herbs and use them. You can use them for so many things and you can find so many books on how to use herbs.

I hope you will want to learn more about herbs and their uses and why God made them for us to use.

Here are some of the books that we use:

-Practical Herbalism

-The Herbal Body Book

-The Herbal Home Remedy Book

-Herbal Healing for Women

-The How to Herb Book

-Family Herbal

We find our herbs and most of our books at Bulk Herb or Mountain Rose Herbs.

Garlic

In October, we planted 50 garlic cloves in our garden beds. October may sound a little late for planting, but we planted the garlic in the fall because that is the way it grows around here. The plants are growing tall and should be ready to harvest sometime next month or early May, depending on what the weather is like. We should have almost enough garlic to last a whole year, but some of it we will save to use for planting this fall. We prefer growing our food, to buying it in the store.

So what do we use garlic for? Besides adding it to food for flavoring, it has many medicinal purposes, as well. Here are a few things that we use it for:

1. Allergies
2. Arthritis
3. Cough and cold

The list above are just a few of the things it is good for. If you are interested in find out more things it is good for, get the book "Practical Herbalism" by Philip Fritchey.

(I learned all of the above from my Mom. She is a great teacher. I love her!)

Have You Ever Thought of Making Your Own Vitamins?

From Bulk Herb Newsletter #4 (August 2009)

Are you tired of spending lots of money on vitamins that don’t seem to make a difference? We know how you feel! Most vitamins are very hard for your body to process. In fact, it is so common for vitamins to not break down, some doctors are saying, “You are just producing really expensive pee.” Yellow, yellow, smelly vitamins down the drain, instead of doing their work in your body. That means your body is not assimilating them, and they are going right through you.
Have you ever thought about mixing your own vitamins? It is not as difficult as you might think. If your body can digest food, it can also digest and assimilate herbs. Unlike many vitamins, herbs act as a food to your body and are easily digestible. You can choose the herbs according to your needs and make your daily vitamins easily and quickly, at a fraction of the cost of a bottle of multi-vitamins.
Our favorite herbal "daily vitamins" can be made into a delicious smoothie. This mix will make enough to last 2-4 months. Use 1/2 pound each of these all-powder herbs:
• Ginkgo (Biloba): Brain food, better concentration and improves memory
• Siberian ginseng root (Eleutherococcus senticosus): Energy booster and stress reliever
• Oat straw: Excellent source of the major minerals
• Bilberry fruit: Anti-aging properties, strengthens the eyes and veins
• Hawthorn: Best herb for strengthening the heart
• Burdock root: Blood purifier, helps with varicose veins, detoxing, and more
• Horsetail/Shavegrass: High in silicon, great for skin, hair, bones, and nails
Mix all the herbs together by putting them in a 1½ gallon ziplock bag. Seal the top of the bag and shake. Let sit for 10 minutes, then pour into a clean glass jar and close with a lid. Keep in the cabinet away from sun, moisture or heat. Makes 3 pounds of Herba-Smoothie-Mix. Any time you want a refreshing smoothie that provides vitamin-packed, tasty goodness, combine the following in your blender:

• 1 rounded teaspoon of Herba-Smoothie-Mix
• 1 c. frozen fruit (such as mixed berries)
• 1/2 c. yogurt (any brand will work, homemade is best)
• 3/4 c. juice (a favorite is orange or mango)
Add some honey if you like. YUMMMM, YUM!

You can either make your own or purchase it pre-made from Bulk Herb.

Herbs are planted

Well, last weekend I finally planted my herb seeds. I don't have a lot, but it will be a good start. I planted; garlic, lavender, coriander, chamomile, sage, sweet marjoram, lemon balm, spearmint, oregano, and basil. We still have chives and thyme coming up that were planted about 3 years ago. (they keep coming back, no matter how much I neglect them.) Some day I hope to have a large area to plant all the herbs we use. I buy a lot of herbs right now, but it would be really nice to grow them myself and save a lot of money.