Blog

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

Hello! I've done guest posts for other blogs, but never done my own. I'm going to give it a try this year and will orient the blog toward day-to-day happenings in the gardens and kitchen, medicine making tips, stories I want to share, some poems, and undoubtedly some philosophical musings. Stay tuned! Today the snow is still melting off the mountain here. The food garden is flooded, but will soon drain thanks to the water catchment swales that were dug last year. (I'll post more about  the permaculture... read more.

• July 02, 2013

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

I've had some personal experience with healing from radiation exposure. I used seaweed, herbs and foods to bring my cat and myself back from severe, life threatening illness that I believe we contracted while living almost on top of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in NY 15 years ago. The seaweeds kelp and dulse played a big part in our healing, as did miso paste. I also craved sunflower seeds and ate them copiously, ground up and added to anything, and as sunflower seed butter (not opting for organic... read more.

• July 02, 2013

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

We have to look for signs of life among the decay and death. It’s not always so obvious, But whenever we slow down and look, and really see… Shimmering sparkling life reasserts itself, Every single time… And every single being is… A shining one. Let your light shine!... read more.

• July 02, 2013

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

I happened upon an entry from my journal that made me smile. I’d been writing about plants late one night in February and then wrote: “Thinking about all these pink and yellow blossoms in February is so much fun, such a promise of life to come when these mountains of snow melt away.  There will be dandelion flowers and cherry blossoms and violet flowers again! To think! And now the snow is melted, it’s spring, and they’re all here...  We can put away the snow shovels. It is glorious. The other day I fina... read more.

• July 02, 2013

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

It is a wonderful and busy time out in the garden, so much to harvest, while still planting, and I like to take time to simply sit and be to enjoy the sights and smells. Wild rose has been wafting her exquisite fragrance everywhere reminding me of all that is beautiful in this world. Here are some of the week’s herbal medicines:     In the jars are: Violet leaf oil,     Wild rose tincture,     Black birch leaf and twig tincture,     Plantain leaf oil, and Wild rose honey.     In the baskets are:... read more.

• July 02, 2013

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

The height of light, the shortest night, we celebrate in sheer delight! Blessed and Happy Summer Solstice to you, May your good wishes all come true!... read more.

• July 02, 2013

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

I was the village herbalist at our local farmer’s market last Wednesday. It was fun showing people how easy it is to make great medicines by infusing herbs in honey and vinegar. Kids, especially, seemed drawn to come by and help with the demonstrations.  We made an orange peel honey by breaking up dried peels until they were really small to help release their fragrance and flavor. We filled a jar about 1/3 full of the orange peels, and then poured local wildflower honey to the top of the jar. You can star... read more.

• July 02, 2013

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

Remember to try the simple things for they often work well. Folk medicine holds a rich repository of gentle and effective herbal wisdom. I was sitting at dinner next to my dad and took his hand for a moment. I was stunned to feel red-hot heat under my fingertips. I saw him wince with pain. I asked him what was going on and he told me that his joints had started to swell all of a sudden. His hands had been hurting more and more over the past few weeks. I investigated with my fingertips and sure enough, on... read more.

• July 02, 2013

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

Wishing everyone the courage to Be Who You Came Here to Be Your Beautiful Self. As we move into the new year we call 2012, may you know peace, beauty, love, and Evergreen Blessings of Health and Joy The Times We’re Living In On the other side of all this deathing An intensive labor is going on It is easy to see the deathing, But not so easy to see what is birthing Beneath the surface of the world, Getting ready to emerge Like a newborn crowning. On the other side of all this deathing As... read more.

• July 02, 2013

By Robin Bennett, Posted in Blog

It’s hard to even remember now what came first, the hurricane called Irene or the freaky winter snowstorm at the end of October. Like most people, herbalists do all the usual things like make sure we have water and candles on hand and extra flashlight batteries, but we are often running around before and after a storm to see what plants or plant parts or branches can be salvaged for medicine or food. Oh yes, Irene was a late summer storm she gathered steam I was out in the garden gathering sage leaves in... read more.

• July 02, 2013