Comfrey has been used medicinally since as early as 400 B.C. Its name literally means to grow together or to heal. It is known by other names as well including knitbone, bruisewort and boneset. This herb has been proven valuable through the ages and continues to have value to us today. Continue reading
Health
Natural Remedies for Allergies – Vitamins
Of the many natural remedies for allergies, vitamins and nutritional supplements are useful tools for strengthening your body against seasonal attacks because they can balance your immune system. This balance is essential because allergic reactions are due to an immune system that is over-active, attacking harmless substances with the same vigor as it would a virus or bacteria. When your immune system is functioning properly, allergic reactions are reduced. Continue reading
Natural Remedies for Allergies – Herbs
If you are tired of the side effects from over-the-counter allergy medications, you may be ready to try a natural remedy. Herbs can ease allergy symptoms naturally so you’ll feel better. Continue reading
Benefits of Frankincense and Why You Should Have It in Your Home
Part of living self-sufficiently includes managing your health as much as possible. I’m not especially fond of going to the doctor if I can avoid it, so I try to use natural remedies as much as possible. My personal choices are herbs and essential oils in most cases. In my way of thinking, essential oils are an extension of herbalism. They are all plant medicine.
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Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

On my quest to make as much of our own stuff as possible, I started making my own laundry soap. It isn’t difficult. You’ve probably seen recipes for it before.
Continue readingLavender Lemonade and Lemon All-Purpose Cleaner
So I finally made the lavender lemonade that my daughter posted on my Facebook page. The recipe was on the Healthy Holistic Living website. When the essential oils I ordered came in, I couldn’t wait to make this, but I had too much work to do, so it had to wait until today. Finally.
Continue readingCandied Ginger Isn’t Just Candy
I just realized that I had some ginger root in the refrigerator. I was having some problems with severe nausea for several days, so I bought it to make candied ginger. And of course, forgot I bought it. Because that’s what I do.
If you’ve ever eaten candied ginger, you probably know it’s pretty yummy stuff. You may not know that it’s good for upset tummies, it fights inflammation (making it good for pain) and some think it can even fight certain types of cancer.
Continue readingProtecting the Earth at Home
So I guess today is Earth Day. I don’t mean that to sound like I am making light of it; it just isn’t something I pay a lot of attention to.
When you are a homesteader, taking care of the earth and environment is always in the back of your your mind. Everything you do can have benefits or consequences, all year round. Continue reading
H- Herbs for Healing
Herbs are a good way to maintain health without dealing with some of the unpleasant side effects for various medications. I have used herbs for many years, though I don’t use them now as often as I used to. Guess I have been getting lazy.
One of my goals is to build a medicinal herb garden. It won’t likely be this year but it is on the to-do list. Fortunately, there are lots of medicinal herbs already growing all over this property. Most people call them weeds.
Here are a few of the “weeds” that grow on our homestead: Continue reading
The Great Egg Hunt
No, not for Easter. This is sort of a year round thing on the homestead. Currently, we have 14 layers and, even though my husband built them a beautiful nest box, they seem to like laying eggs in odd places.
We have found eggs in the bushes, in the other barn in an old… um… I don’t know what it is. Some sort of contraption that should probably be in the trash.
My husband even found some in a box of stuff for electrochemical bore cleaning. (Do NOT ask me what that is. I have no clue. I asked Jeff what it was. That’s what he told me. It belonged to his dad so I assume it is related to guns. That’s all I can tell you.) Not necessarily a great place to lay a pile of eggs.