Hippie Bait

First time I've actually harvested these.

Normally I'd get caught up in them while mowing the grass and trip, then swear at them and would miss berry time (or had mowed them away)

What I call 'ground berries' (and many different, impolite names) or 'fairy berries' (because they're so small)

This is actually 'rubus ursinus' or 'trailing blackberry' and is the native species of blackberry for Southern Coastal British Columbia.

(vs the 6 foot tall, aggressive, huge berried 'import', the Himalayan blackberry or 'rubus armeniacus')

Traditionally leaves were used for treating diarrhea, inflammation and menstrual issues.

Leaf tea supports immune functions and police, tinctures help in wound care with it's astringent, anti-inflamm properties, including eczema and psoriasis.

Blackberry leaf makes a great, caffeine free black tea substitute.

Apparently tasty too.

I'll need to try a cuppa.

All hail the mighty.. and the tiny 'blackberry'

In Ukrainian tradition, braided garlic is a symbol of prosperity and hospitality.
. and is/was a pretty way to hang them in your home to cure them too.

They'll be ready when the stocks are completely brown.

These were harvested early because our kitty figured them a great place to lay in the garden and flattened them.

Yummy and

Filled with antibiotic and anti inflammatory goodness.

Ukrainian rose blessings

~ Lisa

Have you ever smelled a chive blossom?

I just did for the first time.

What a subtle and divine scent.

Ingredients for "Ivory" soap:

sodium tallowate
sodium palmitate
sodium cocoate
sodium palm kernelate
sodium stearate
sodium hydroxide
glycerin
water
sodium chloride
fragrance
citric acid
tetrasodium EDTA
etidronic acid
titanium dioxide
colourants (if present)
trisodium phosphate
preservatives (e.g., Phenoxyethanol, DMDM Hydantoin)
viscosity modifiers (PEGs, Carbomers)
pH adjusters (Sodium Carbonate)
fatty acid residues (palmitic, stearic, oleic fractions)
processing residues (trace)

Basic home made soap ingredients:

fats or oils - usually animal or olive
water
lye (sodium hydroxide)

("Ivory" ingredient list source: https://cleanformulation.com/ingredients/ivory-soap-ingredients)

Last night:

"Yay! Done the tallow!"

Today:

"Dang it."

Can you 'spot' the difference?

Rendering fats consists of cooking the fat down with some water (so it doesn't burn and help clean and makes gelatin so DON'T THROW THAT FIRST STEP LIQUID AWAY!)

Then straining the settled fat from the bath.

Repeat twice (or three times depending on the fat)

I neglected to bathe a batch twice and you can see the impurities.

Apparently salted water helps pull the impurities out soooo..

Not done the tallow.

*redirties the pot, strainer, spoons.

Lesson learned.

I've been learning how to make soap.

And my awwwwesome husbandguy got me grass fed, no antibiotics, ground beef fat to render into tallow.

I love the final products - the super tender ground beef, the tallow, the gelatin.

And I need to remind myself of this as I go through the 'ew ew ew' of the process.. particularly the gelatin. (I'm not a fan)

Not sure what to do with the gelatin

Any suggestions?

~ Homemade Hydrosol ~

Equipment:
- crockpot or large pot with a curved lid
- glass bowl that fits nicely in the pot with the lid on upside-down, with some room to spare
- hot mitts
- spoon
- mason jar and lid (wide mouthed, no neck, round if you plan to freeze your hydrosol)
- funnel (optional)
- bottle with a spritz nozzle

Supplies/Materials:
- plenty of aromatic plant material (fresh blossoms or leaf or dried)
- water
- 'preservative' (optional and can be vodka or vegetable glycerin. Isopropyl alcohol isn't recommended because it dries skin)

Put a bunch of plant material (the ammount changes and I 'just do', eyeballing it so have no measurements to share) into your crockpot or pot

Push it to the sides so there is space for your collection bowl and place the collection bowl in the midst of the plant matter

If the plant matter is above the rim of the bowl, take some out, we don't want any falling in to our distilled waters

Pour cool/cold water into the crockpot or pot until the bowl acts like it is about to float.

If using dry plant matter, use warm water, put the lid on UPRIGHT, let it steep and begin to reconstitute, stir.

Put your lid on UPSIDE DOWN

Turn crockpot on 'low' then walk away and let it do it's thing, checking the water levels and stirring every so often.

At this time you can empty your collection bowl, stir and ensure the 'tea' doesn't dry out and scortch.

If you are using a pot and stovetop, set the heat to low and gently begin to simmer. The lower the heat, the better. You'll need to keep a closer eye on it than using a crockpot so do not leave it unattended long.

There is a knack to removing the lid when you check it.

When you open it, be sure it is opened AWAY from your face and exposed skin. This isn't super hot steam but is hot and is steam so please use caution.

Too, there is a knack to tipping and lifting the lid so the distilled water goes into the collection bowl and not back into the tea. Not sure how to describe it, but watch and you'll see but if it goes into the tea, no worries (but it does have that 'awwww, man, darnit!' feeling for me).

The cleaner your equipment, the longer lasting the waters.

If plant matter falls into the distilled water, dump everything in the bowl back in the 'tea', clean the bowl and start distilling a fresh bowlful.

If your distilled water is cloudy, it got contaminated - It's not wasted, just use it more quickly or defrost less at a time for use, or dump into the tea and, once again, start again.

Do not cook until dry. There should be mushy material and tea left over.

How long it takes depends on many factors too.

DO NOT run your crockpot and go to bed. Turn it off then continue after you wake up.

Storage:

In my opinion, the best way to store your hydrosol is to freeze it, then defrost as you need it.

Use a wide mouthed, round, neckless mason jar.

Leave at least an inch and a half (4ish cm) of 'breathing room' from the rim of the jar for freezing expansion.

Cover jar with lid and don't screw the lid on.

Put in the fridge and chill well

Transfer to your freezer.

AFTER it has frozen, tighten the lid.

Remove from freezer and defrost as needed.

When it's in the spritz bottle, store it in the fridge.

If it clouds or changes in appearance, dispose of it.

You can add a bit of vegetable glycerin or 1/2 tsp vodka to the spritz bottle waters to extend life.

How long it lasts depends on so many factors so I can't say for sure, but keep an eye for clouding and anything odd developing that indicates spoilage.

Happy hydrosol-ing!

Photos are of using fresh lilac blossoms and then rose petal powder.

Blossoms and waters, oh my!

Dandelion blossom season is the 'go' off the starting line for this endurance race.

The finish line is some time in Autumn

Keeping up with what nature provides and my garden is the 'win'

~ Hydrosols vs Teas ~

Teas are plant material steeped in water, then filtered.

Hydrosols are distilled teas.

Some will say you need a special distillation machine to make hydrosols but I'll show you how to make it with things you likely already have in a different post.

Both can be used as a refreshing, moisturizing mist, part of a daily routine and for cooling relief on a hot day.

Photos: lilac hydrosol waiting for the freezer (clear) and rose petal powder sun tea steeping (brown cloudy)

~ Mother's Day gifts ~

Chocolate
- dark, quality (low/no sugar) chocolate lowers stress levels, helps prevent cognitive decline and boosts mood. (Yes mine has caramel because 'caramel')

Roses
- petals in teas or tinctures, essential oils and 'the rose as it is' (simply smelling it, seeing it) help to balance hormones, calm the nervous system and elevate mood.

All traditional and perfect for a stressed out Mom (unless she's allergic, of course)

A rose petal bath with a cuppa warm milk and chocolate.
.. or even a hot chocolate bath with a rose petal tea.

Hot chocolate bath?

Yes.

It's divine.

1-2 cups of milk powder
1/8 - 1/4 cup cocoa

Add to bath.

Soak.

Rinse after. (I find the cocoa can clog pores)

The soak isn't just divine to be in, it also makes your skin smooth and moisturized.

~~

For us 'more mature' moms and nanas and grammas and..

Rose essential oil (absolute or otto), one drop on the bottom of each foot can help regulate hormones and keep 'power surges'/hot flashes at bay.

Clary sage essential oil is excellent to start with for power surges and such, then maintenance with the rose.

Of course, like anything, if there are allergies or sensitivities, please do not use and use essential oils with caution.

Love, appreciation to all the moms,

Hippie Bait