Tag Archives: Susun Weed

It time to make Fire Cider! And remember ~ Share!

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Remember the poem by Robert Fulghum, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten?” It was a list of lessons that everyone should have learned in kindergarten and first on the list was ~ Share Everything! Another biggie is “don’t take things that aren’t yours.” And of course, we can’t forget, “say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.”

This poem has always resonated with me, as I really like to share. Whether it’s an herbal remedy I have that will ease your discomfort or the French fries on your plate, it really doesn’t matter ~ I love sharing.  I’ve always felt more comfortable sharing than keeping things and thoughts to myself; it’s just the way I’m wired. Lucky for me, there are others that roam the earth that feel the same way. I think that is why it felt so effortless to ease myself from exploring the natural world on my own to become a welcomed member of the herbalist community over the years. I cannot even tell you the moment it happened it was so natural. I found my tribe. I like to think we use the plants as our mentors who set an excellent example for us. The plants openly offer us all the information and support we need to survive, heal and thrive in this world if we just observe, pay attention and share.

When I first heard Susun Weed use the phrase, “Herbalism is the people’s medicine,” it floored me. It was perfect. Herbalism is accessible to everyone! Anyone, anywhere can use it. They simply need to learn by experimenting, watching, reading and exploring ~ all the information is out there. And for the most part, the herbal community is awesome at sharing. It is common for herbalists to share their remedies, recipes and experiences. Some recipes have names and each individual puts their own spin on it, like pot roast or bouillabaisse. Herbalist share and sometimes adapt their own recipes. We all learn from each other. Nevertheless, as with any community, there are individuals that don’t play well with others and want to take the game ball home with them in the middle of the game.

Currently, there is one company that obviously never learned the virtues of sharing in kindergarten and are trying to take the game ball (which never belonged to them) home with them. Shire City Herbals (SCH) decided to trademark a name, Fire Cider for a recipe that was not theirs but was created by beloved herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, who has been sharing it since the 1970s. Not only did they trademark the common term Fire Cider but have actually issued Cease & Desist letters to small herbal businesses, and have forced several of them to stop using the name Fire Cider even though they have been selling it for years before SCH was even a business. The herbal community has banded together to fight this wrongful trademark and as a result SCH is suing the three community herbalist organizing Free Fire Cider for $100,000, which is a tremendous amount of money for them. On May 12, 2016, the federal court in Massachusetts dismissed five out of the ten claims that SCH had brought against the three defendants but the legal battle continues. This is obviously a short synopsis of the ongoing saga of Fire Cider, for a more in depth history; please head to FreeFireCider.com to hear Rosemary Gladstar’s balanced account of the Fire Cider story. I am confident that SCH will lose their undeserved trademark in the end. But will they remember to say they are sorry to all the herbalists that they have hurt through this process? I hope so.

So what is Fire Cider? Well, it’s a hot and spicy tonic that helps boost the immune system, stimulate digestion, and warms you on cold winter days. Like most folk recipes, it changes with the availability of ingredients and at the maker’s whims. Nevertheless, it is basically apple cider vinegar infused with powerful immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, decongestant, and spicy circulatory movers, along with potent antioxidants and warming spices to support digestion. It is an ideal winter tonic to help prevent cold and flu symptoms and can shorten the duration if you do get a bug.

Fire Cider is very versatile; many people take 1-2 tablespoons daily throughout the cold weather months as a preventative measure, or every three to four hours if symptoms arise. It’s great to use as salad dressing or add to a smoothie or stir-fry and other dishes, options are limited by one’s imagination and palate.

When making Fire Cider, I love using local ingredients. Therefore, harvest dictates when I have the opportunity to make it. This year, a neighbor offered her horseradish which I dug up myself and I also include the garlic from our garden.  I loved how it came out. Here’s what I do, but go with your gut and give it your own spin.

I love the colors of the Fire Cider Horizons

 

Fire Cider (1 gallon)

Put each ingredient into a food processor to shred them first before measuring

1 cup packed peeled organic ginger root

1 cup packed peeled organic horseradish root

1 cup packed peeled organic turmeric

1 cup packed organic onion with its juice

7 organic cloves = ½ cup

3 chopped organic jalapeno peppers

2 organic lemons (peels and all)

Organic raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

1 cup raw honey (to taste)

Filled a clean jar with all the solid ingredients and then cover with organic apple cider vinegar. Do not use a metal lid with any vinegar. It will corrode the metal. Use a plastic lid or cork. If you need to use a metal lid, line it with plastic wrap or wax paper before screwing it on.

Store the jar out of the sun for at least 4-8 weeks, shaking it daily, giving it lots of love and intention.

Filter through a cheesecloth lined stainless steel strainer. Save the marc for making chutney or adding to dishes.

After it is filtered, add 1 cup raw honey (to taste)

Gently warm honey so it will mix easily with Fire Cider, add to taste. You want a hot, spicy and sweet tonic. Make sure not to heat honey over 110° F, as it will kill the wonderful enzymes and bacteria that are so rich in healing properties.

Fire Cider will keep for several months unrefrigerated, if stored in a cool pantry.  But it’s better to store in the refrigerator.

Make your own Fire Cider and remember to always share.

Enjoy and share!

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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As the earth starts to warm up and the land magically reappears from its white blanket, I like to stroll around our land to see what is peeking up from the earth. I give particular pause to my medicinal garden. Generally, I give free range to the plants that want to share our land but choose who stays in the medicinal garden. It’s fair since there are acres and acres for all the herbs to occupy. I only have 10’x 10′ piece of land where I invite only a few of my beloved herbs.

Every year, different herbs try to make their way into the garden; some get to stay, while others are evicted. I try to start early in the spring, in hopes they don’t get comfortable or establish themselves too deeply in the garden. Yellow Dock (Rumex spp.) loves my garden. I think dock is the perfect name for it, because once it moves in and has “docked” in your garden it’s almost impossible to eradicate; nonetheless, I try every year.

digging Dock up

Digging up Yellow Dock, only about half way there.

My favorite tool for removing Yellow Dock is a 4-tine spading fork. Susun Weed suggests that it is best to start in the east, and then move in all four directions. Plunge the spading fork in and rock it back and forth, continue until you have loosened the soil all around the root and then use a spade to remove the loosen soil.  As a rule, the roots are at least 12 inches or more in length and about 1 inch thick, sometimes, however, they extend 2 to 3 feet, making it necessary to dig by hand for quite a while. When attempting to remove Dock, one must have a lot of time and patience as it goes down very deep.

Don’t get me wrong, I love and respect Yellow Dock, but it does perfectly fine elsewhere on the land. I was first introduced to Yellow Dock during my pregnancy and experiencing anemia. Yellow Dock is one of the best organic sources of iron available. It is an excellent tonic during pregnancy as its roots contain biochelated iron along with other vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals help with iron absorption. As a vegetable source of iron, it is easier to digest and absorbed, instead of promoting constipation as other sources of iron can do, it relieves it. It is definitely an ally during pregnancy, as it’s a blood-enriching tonic, eases digestive problems and helps eliminate constipation, indigestion and gas. It’s also high in calcium.

Yellow Dock is a gentle laxative that helps your body produce more bile to break down the fatty foods you eat. It improves the flow of bile and other digestive juices and contains low levels of anthraquinone glycosides, which stimulates the secretion of water into the intestines; both functions encourage a laxative effect. It also helps reduce the amount of irritation and inflammation in your bowels. Yellow Dock has diuretic properties, which help increase urine production and helps the body eliminate toxins. Both laxative and diuretic properties make it an amazing and gentle way for the body to remove toxins, which is very helpful to the body’s overall health.  It is fantastic for occasional bouts of constipation, such as when traveling or taking pain relievers. However, is should not be taken long-term. If you suffer from persistent constipation, it is best to seek medical attention.

Since Yellow dock is a laxative and a diuretic it can decrease potassium in the body. It is important to remember that a “water pill” can also decrease potassium in the body. Taking Yellow Dock along with “water pills” might excessively decrease potassium in the body. Some “water pills” that can decrease potassium include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide and (HCTZ, Hydrodiuril, Microzide). Therefore, it’s best to be wise and not take with these “water pills.”

Most herbalists prefer to use roots that have been harvested in the fall after the plant has gone to seed and the vital energy is most concentrated within after being sent down into the root. Early spring is also an acceptable time, the earlier the better, before many leaves and the stem has started to grow. As I was digging up the Dock, the aroma was amazing. The minute the root was released from the ground, I could smell the powerful medicine. The pungent scent and bitter taste is very easy to recall from the first time I took it when I was pregnant. The root is a beautiful yellow, between the color and scent there is no mistaking Yellow Dock. I did a fairly decent job removing the Yellow Dock and decided to tincture half of it and dry the rest for later use. Within a day of tincturing, the menstruum had turned a beautiful orange glow, the combination of the yellow roots and orange reminded me of an up side down Tequila Sunrise.

Yellow Dock tincture

What do you like in your garden? Please share and I will continue to share.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.