Author: Amelia
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My elbow was talking to me…
Yep, you read that right. No, I’m not crazy. This has happened several times now. After eating something that my digestive tract disagreed with or my body did not like for some reason, my inner elbow on my right arm (for some reason it only happens on that side, perhaps because it’s my dominant arm)…
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Yellow Dock: Unsung Hero of Constipation
Yellow dock (a.k.a. Curly Dock) is a perennial plant that is native to Europe, Asia, and North America. It is a member of the Polygonaceae family, which also includes rhubarb and knotweed. Yellow dock grows to be about 2-4 feet tall and has large, oval leaves with toothed edges. The flowers are pink or white…
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5 Herbs to Start Your Herbal Medicine Garden
People ask me this all the time. “What are your favorite herbs to grow? What are the must-haves for your garden?” The truth is that every household is going to be different. Whether you have kids or livestock/pets makes a big difference in some of the herbs you want to have in your garden. Since…
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I grow everything myself.
That sounds like a boast. Maybe it is? I am telling you this because I think that’s one of the few things that sets me apart from many other herbalists and herbal remedy makers. This is my farm. My entire property is just over one acre and the garden spaces only take up maybe half…
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Did you know that Peanut Butter can harm you?
“Nooooooooo!” I cried with a tear in my eye as I finally realized the truth. Ever since I read the word “aflatoxin,” I have been on the fence about this for months. There’s no way my beloved peanut butter company would allow that in their jars, is there? What is it anyhow, and why does…
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Foraging Alone…
When I first started foraging back in 2006, there were no smart phones. I didn’t even own a digital camera– I had a 34mm with film in it that I had gotten for my 14th birthday. If I could find photos to show you, I would, but back in those days we didn’t take pictures…
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Herbal Smoking Blends for People Quitting Tobacco
I’ve never been a cigarette smoker—and truthfully, I can’t tolerate the smell—but I’ve worked with enough people over the years to understand how powerful nicotine addiction can be. My only personal experience with smoke came from intentionally burning dried mullein leaf to test its traditional use as a lung-clearing herb (spoiler alert: it works). Beyond…
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Heart Health for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. I don’t know about you, but this year it doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. However, in years past, it WAS a big deal… whether I was single or in a relationship. Whether you are paying close attention to your heart because you desire romantic love or your heart…
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This Farm’s Future is Evolving
Black Sun Farm has been the product of my heart and soul for over five years now. I poured myself into building this small property into a working homestead. I can’t even tell you how many plants I’ve put into the ground here. And the birds I’ve raised for eggs and meat over the years…
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Spring is Nettle Season!
I’m sure you’ve heard of nettles. There are two kinds I’m talking about here: Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica) and Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum.) Both plants come up in your yard and fields in early to mid Spring, and both are edible and medicinal! Dead nettles taste better before they flower…. honestly, most herbs in…