Good info here. I’ve been doing home herbalism for a couple years now and I am always hungry for more knowledge, reading every book and watching every video. A diversity of information is key. Your channel is a great resource, and I appreciate you sharing!
I strained my first batch of tictures today after 6 weeks of patiently waiting. Three out of many to go are valerian root (whew strong), ginger, and passionflower. I'm trying to get off prescription meds. I made a few with vodka and a few with brandy. Hopefully I can tell you how it goes.
yes!! please let me know! I highly suggest also exploring other small wellness interventions alongside the herbs. Do tiny things that fit into your life like some movement, rest, and nutrition interventions. Working in systems will give you the best results. you got this! just takes some tiny steps and a little bit of patience
You are so knowledgeable! Thank you❤ Haven't made a tincture yet but on my to do list. I ordered some hop herbs so I may make some when my order comes in...
Thanks so much for this. I would love to have advice on delivering herbs to our pets. I and my dog are elderly and wake up with general aches and pains in the morning. I am more of a tincture person but could be persuaded to make tea if you think it would benefit both woman and dog 😊!!! I don't see many herbalist mentioning pets. Love your channel and spirit 🙏
I was just thinking about this topic. I am currently giving my dog herbs in his food! i give him powders and mix it in with some home-made wet food I cook up in the instant pot. My cat officially prefers it over her wet food as well. there is a great book called the encyclopedia of natural pet care that is really helpful! I am about to go on a much needed summer break for a few weeks but eventually I will make a video about how I give herbs to pets!
@@herbalistkristen Wonderful! Have fun on your summer break and I will look forward to hearing about your further adventures with herbs and our lovely furry friends :)
Me too!!!! I am currently trying to heal my elderly dog ftom diabetes and Cushings that I am convinced we’re caused by the toxic immunizations. I am now cooking her reel food for diabetics and adding herbs and an adrenal blend that i purchased. I also made yarrow tea and add a tablespoon of that to her good to help heal a foot sore. Seems to be working!! I also add Ceylon cinnamon to each meal. I would love advice. 😊
@@bonniesammons2348 Wow that's incredible!! Good for you. Like you we have been trying to nurture our dog back after the vets had their way with her. It was a terrible experience :( Her kidneys were in crisis. Barley water basically brought her back from the dead. That was two years ago. We moved her over to a raw beef diet (we grind our own), carrots, sprouts, a supplement with lots of goodies including high quality probiotics. We have continued with barley and its water if we notice any gastric stress. She is doing so well. I recently started adding my own dandelion tincture as I thought it would be good to help with cleansing. I am so excited to learn more to support her and my whole family!
If you wanted to start your own tincture business, how do you find manufacturers to make it for you? Or if you did it yourself, what equipment do you need to do so?
What is the best vodka, that would be glyphosate free? 100 proof and 80 proof? Also what kind do you use. This has been holding me back for a while because who wants glyphosate in there medicine.
really great question! There are a few organic alcohols that you can use. my suggestion would be to find the cheapest, organic alcohol you can. I am currently using a local distillery but they aren't organic. It will be the next direction the apothecary takes as we continue to grow, to be sure every thing is organic but for now we are doing what we can with the resources we have. Another good option that would probably be best would be to use organic grain alcohol (like a moonshine type of alcohol) and then mix it with water when tincturing. I think the standard is 40% grain alcohol + 60% water). I will return to this question as I do more of my own research and make the transition in my apothecary! The real trouble is the cost and most often this resource needs to be purchased in bulk/large quantities like 5 gallons at a time making it not very cost effective for most home herbalists.
Thank you so much for the info, were doing some tinctures for our use and family, and my 29 year old son has gut inflamation is there any herbs maybe a combination or whatever you could suggest cause hes getting bad ! @Herbs and Ease
its hard to make suggestions without a full consultation but marshmallow root tea (I like using the powder) and calendula tea (it can be a littl ebitter but is very helpful) would be a good and very safe place to start if you want to look into those on your own! I think I may have recently heard something about aloe vera and plantain for GI tract inflammation like ulcerative colitis etc. so those might be helpful as well!
@@herbalistkristen one more question on this gut inflamation, I have marshmallow root powder , how much for tea and do you cold brew it and then strain the powder or how do you suggest . Thank You
@@herbalistkristen ok he's doing the marshmallow root tea they let it sit for 24 hours in frig he said he drank a coffee cup full and it was so nasty, haha, is there anything he can sweeten it with besides honey without messing up the effects of the root, also I have marshmallow root powder , how much for tea and do you cold brew it and then strain the powder or how do you suggest . Thank You
Hey, I appreciate all the info. Question: I was looking to buy passion flower herbs to make a tincture but not sure if it should be the plants dried leaves or dried flowers?
hi! If the yarrow was fresh I would have done it much the same but also you can do a 1:2 ratio (1g of fresh herb per 2 ml of liquid) which you would need a scale and more precise measurements for. Yarrow tincture is my preferred herbal cold care tincture to push a fever when I am sick so that the fever breaks quickly and shortening the duration of a cold an flu. I also use it to speed up my menses when stress makes my menstrual system sluggish OR tone down heaviness when it is very heavy. I also use yarrow tincture mixed with essential oils and water as a bug spray and hand sanitizer for my adventure bag and in a pinch it makes a good anti-gingivitis mouth wash!
I have never tried that. Theroetically you could though! If I am struggling with flavor or have a client that won't take something becuase of the flavor, I might add a little honey or apple juice to a tincture to make it more palatable. you would jsut need to consume more tincture to get the same dose if that were the case!
If plant properties can be extracted in vinegar or other solvent which have no alcohol I don't understand why the alcohol proof % matters. Can/will you explain? Thank you so much. I absolutely love your vids
the alcohol proof matters for preservation. also, some different compounds are water soluble, alcohol soluble, fat soluble, etc. so different herbal preparations will have different medicinal properties based on what is used to extract it. this shows up in our bodies too with vitamins and minerals. some substances (vitamin D for example) are fat soluble meaning they can be stored long term in the body and don't need to be "replenished" every day. Other substances are "water soluble" like vitamin C for example meaning it will be expelled from the body daily and needs to be "replenished" for lack of a better term. when it comes to plants, some benefits will only come out in alcohol form like in the case of nettle's antihistamine properties which are only extracted in alcohol and not water.
FYI - In most cases you should put a paper bag on the jar if it is in the window (sun warmth infusion). Light is rarely good - from a historic perspective and even many modern thoughts. I keep tincture, cordial or anything like that in the bathroom (guest bathroom, not main shower bathroom) - then I shake it every time I go - lol. After a week or two - I put it in another room and then shake every once in a while and just leave it longer, sometimes up to a year (unless of course you I it earlier) - food for thought.
I actually LOVE this idea of putting a litle paper bag over it! I really love the heat addition but you are right, the light isn't the best. I have always just been like, well I am going to do it anyways but the paper bag is so simple and genius!! It's the little things 😂
First, let me echo the comment of the previous individual. I am someone who has been gathering as much information as possible on tinctures via books and videos and could have saved myself a of time if I had stumbled upon your TH-cam channel. With that said, lots of good videos by trained and committed herbalist on TH-cam, but they do not seem to be able to articulate the information in the concise and easy to understand way you do. Bottom line, thank you. One quick question. You mention letting the tincture sit 4-6 weeks. Some herbalist I watched mentioned 2 weeks (my first batch is at the 2 week mark now). In your opinion what is the advantage of waiting 4-6 weeks. I have also heard that longer does not necessarily mean more potent. Thanks again.
As I mentioned in the video, everyone has a different opinion. I indeed have teachers that suggest 2 weeks is enough but I have found that I prefer a longer steep time. my bitters, for example taste better the longer it steeps, pulling out the flavors of the chamomiles and mints over the fennel and gentian. Same with my deeper sleeper blend. I think it comes down to the herbalist and I would mostly suggest playing around and seeing what YOU like the best. I started with 4-6 weeks in my original trainings. In my clinical training the standard is 2 weeks... There is also a trend in folk herbalism to make medicines on the new moon and harvest after 2 full moons (6 weeks) and I am very partial to that as well because it adds a bit of ritual to the medicine making process as well. I think ultimately I go with 6 weeks because I am not what I would consider a "medicine maker" and the labor of bottling herbs and pressing tinctures, and blending and packaging teas isn't my favorite. I much prefer gardening and teaching and writing and doing consultation work so doing every 6 weeks helps to lengthen the time between my apothecary days.
Good info here. I’ve been doing home herbalism for a couple years now and I am always hungry for more knowledge, reading every book and watching every video. A diversity of information is key. Your channel is a great resource, and I appreciate you sharing!
Thank you ❤. I love the simplicity instruction, so easy to understand
thank you Karen! it can definitely get more complicated BUT for a beginner herbalist and most home use this is the way to do it!
Thank you so much! ❤
You're a great educator ❤ Love your content
I strained my first batch of tictures today after 6 weeks of patiently waiting. Three out of many to go are valerian root (whew strong), ginger, and passionflower. I'm trying to get off prescription meds. I made a few with vodka and a few with brandy. Hopefully I can tell you how it goes.
yes!! please let me know! I highly suggest also exploring other small wellness interventions alongside the herbs. Do tiny things that fit into your life like some movement, rest, and nutrition interventions. Working in systems will give you the best results. you got this! just takes some tiny steps and a little bit of patience
Much appreciated ❤
I have a bit of homemade mullein tincture in my coffee every morning!
Really good, informative video. Thank you, for your time!
😊
i love that! anyway that we can get them in is so ideal I love seeing how creative people get with them!
I have bought tinctures from Amish, but I am going to start making my own. I have been doing research to become a beginner.
You do a great job. Thank you.
I appreciate the feedback thank you :)
Love this so much!
its so easy to do! medicine for the people!
You are so knowledgeable! Thank you❤ Haven't made a tincture yet but on my to do list. I ordered some hop herbs so I may make some when my order comes in...
Thank you for posting.
How do you make a tincture out of herbs that are not leaves, like ashwaghanda? The same way? Does it take longer?
Thank you for the video! I’m excited to continue. I’ve started with Motherwort and Mullein tinctures.
Thanks so much for this. I would love to have advice on delivering herbs to our pets. I and my dog are elderly and wake up with general aches and pains in the morning. I am more of a tincture person but could be persuaded to make tea if you think it would benefit both woman and dog 😊!!! I don't see many herbalist mentioning pets. Love your channel and spirit 🙏
I was just thinking about this topic. I am currently giving my dog herbs in his food! i give him powders and mix it in with some home-made wet food I cook up in the instant pot. My cat officially prefers it over her wet food as well. there is a great book called the encyclopedia of natural pet care that is really helpful! I am about to go on a much needed summer break for a few weeks but eventually I will make a video about how I give herbs to pets!
@@herbalistkristen Wonderful! Have fun on your summer break and I will look forward to hearing about your further adventures with herbs and our lovely furry friends :)
Me too!!!!
I am currently trying to heal my elderly dog ftom diabetes and Cushings that I am convinced we’re caused by the toxic immunizations. I am now cooking her reel food for diabetics and adding herbs and an adrenal blend that i purchased. I also made yarrow tea and add a tablespoon of that to her good to help heal a foot sore. Seems to be working!!
I also add Ceylon cinnamon to each meal. I would love advice. 😊
@@bonniesammons2348 Wow that's incredible!! Good for you. Like you we have been trying to nurture our dog back after the vets had their way with her. It was a terrible experience :( Her kidneys were in crisis. Barley water basically brought her back from the dead. That was two years ago. We moved her over to a raw beef diet (we grind our own), carrots, sprouts, a supplement with lots of goodies including high quality probiotics. We have continued with barley and its water if we notice any gastric stress. She is doing so well. I recently started adding my own dandelion tincture as I thought it would be good to help with cleansing. I am so excited to learn more to support her and my whole family!
Do you take the tincture neat or with some water? Thank you for the information
If you wanted to start your own tincture business, how do you find manufacturers to make it for you? Or if you did it yourself, what equipment do you need to do so?
Can I add stevia to my finished product to help with the taste?
What is the best vodka, that would be glyphosate free? 100 proof and 80 proof?
Also what kind do you use. This has been holding me back for a while because who wants glyphosate in there medicine.
really great question! There are a few organic alcohols that you can use. my suggestion would be to find the cheapest, organic alcohol you can. I am currently using a local distillery but they aren't organic. It will be the next direction the apothecary takes as we continue to grow, to be sure every thing is organic but for now we are doing what we can with the resources we have.
Another good option that would probably be best would be to use organic grain alcohol (like a moonshine type of alcohol) and then mix it with water when tincturing. I think the standard is 40% grain alcohol + 60% water). I will return to this question as I do more of my own research and make the transition in my apothecary! The real trouble is the cost and most often this resource needs to be purchased in bulk/large quantities like 5 gallons at a time making it not very cost effective for most home herbalists.
@@herbalistkristen thank you! 😊
Thank you so much for the info, were doing some tinctures for our use and family, and my 29 year old son has gut inflamation is there any herbs maybe a combination or whatever you could suggest cause hes getting bad ! @Herbs and Ease
its hard to make suggestions without a full consultation but marshmallow root tea (I like using the powder) and calendula tea (it can be a littl ebitter but is very helpful) would be a good and very safe place to start if you want to look into those on your own! I think I may have recently heard something about aloe vera and plantain for GI tract inflammation like ulcerative colitis etc. so those might be helpful as well!
@@herbalistkristen Thank you so much
@@herbalistkristen one more question on this gut inflamation, I have marshmallow root powder , how much for tea and do you cold brew it and then strain the powder or how do you suggest . Thank You
@@herbalistkristen ok he's doing the marshmallow root tea they let it sit for 24 hours in frig he said he drank a coffee cup full and it was so nasty, haha, is there anything he can sweeten it with besides honey without messing up the effects of the root, also I have marshmallow root powder , how much for tea and do you cold brew it and then strain the powder or how do you suggest . Thank You
Hey, I appreciate all the info. Question: I was looking to buy passion flower herbs to make a tincture but not sure if it should be the plants dried leaves or dried flowers?
dried herb is perfect! the flowers are super beautiful but don't really contain the medicine.
If the Yarrow was fresh, what then is the recipe please? And what are the benefits for Yarrow.. the one you picked out. Thanks 😊
hi! If the yarrow was fresh I would have done it much the same but also you can do a 1:2 ratio (1g of fresh herb per 2 ml of liquid) which you would need a scale and more precise measurements for.
Yarrow tincture is my preferred herbal cold care tincture to push a fever when I am sick so that the fever breaks quickly and shortening the duration of a cold an flu. I also use it to speed up my menses when stress makes my menstrual system sluggish OR tone down heaviness when it is very heavy.
I also use yarrow tincture mixed with essential oils and water as a bug spray and hand sanitizer for my adventure bag and in a pinch it makes a good anti-gingivitis mouth wash!
@@herbalistkristen thank you. 😊
Also could a person use a flavored vidka, like lemon vodka?
I have never tried that. Theroetically you could though! If I am struggling with flavor or have a client that won't take something becuase of the flavor, I might add a little honey or apple juice to a tincture to make it more palatable. you would jsut need to consume more tincture to get the same dose if that were the case!
@@herbalistkristen awesome thank you!
❤❤❤
If plant properties can be extracted in vinegar or other solvent which have no alcohol I don't understand why the alcohol proof % matters. Can/will you explain? Thank you so much. I absolutely love your vids
Things with a lot of resins in them use a higher percentage of alcohol
the alcohol proof matters for preservation. also, some different compounds are water soluble, alcohol soluble, fat soluble, etc. so different herbal preparations will have different medicinal properties based on what is used to extract it. this shows up in our bodies too with vitamins and minerals. some substances (vitamin D for example) are fat soluble meaning they can be stored long term in the body and don't need to be "replenished" every day. Other substances are "water soluble" like vitamin C for example meaning it will be expelled from the body daily and needs to be "replenished" for lack of a better term.
when it comes to plants, some benefits will only come out in alcohol form like in the case of nettle's antihistamine properties which are only extracted in alcohol and not water.
FYI - In most cases you should put a paper bag on the jar if it is in the window (sun warmth infusion). Light is rarely good - from a historic perspective and even many modern thoughts. I keep tincture, cordial or anything like that in the bathroom (guest bathroom, not main shower bathroom) - then I shake it every time I go - lol. After a week or two - I put it in another room and then shake every once in a while and just leave it longer, sometimes up to a year (unless of course you I it earlier) - food for thought.
I actually LOVE this idea of putting a litle paper bag over it! I really love the heat addition but you are right, the light isn't the best. I have always just been like, well I am going to do it anyways but the paper bag is so simple and genius!! It's the little things 😂
First, let me echo the comment of the previous individual. I am someone who has been gathering as much information as possible on tinctures via books and videos and could have saved myself a of time if I had stumbled upon your TH-cam channel. With that said, lots of good videos by trained and committed herbalist on TH-cam, but they do not seem to be able to articulate the information in the concise and easy to understand way you do. Bottom line, thank you. One quick question. You mention letting the tincture sit 4-6 weeks. Some herbalist I watched mentioned 2 weeks (my first batch is at the 2 week mark now). In your opinion what is the advantage of waiting 4-6 weeks. I have also heard that longer does not necessarily mean more potent. Thanks again.
As I mentioned in the video, everyone has a different opinion. I indeed have teachers that suggest 2 weeks is enough but I have found that I prefer a longer steep time. my bitters, for example taste better the longer it steeps, pulling out the flavors of the chamomiles and mints over the fennel and gentian. Same with my deeper sleeper blend. I think it comes down to the herbalist and I would mostly suggest playing around and seeing what YOU like the best. I started with 4-6 weeks in my original trainings. In my clinical training the standard is 2 weeks... There is also a trend in folk herbalism to make medicines on the new moon and harvest after 2 full moons (6 weeks) and I am very partial to that as well because it adds a bit of ritual to the medicine making process as well. I think ultimately I go with 6 weeks because I am not what I would consider a "medicine maker" and the labor of bottling herbs and pressing tinctures, and blending and packaging teas isn't my favorite. I much prefer gardening and teaching and writing and doing consultation work so doing every 6 weeks helps to lengthen the time between my apothecary days.
@@herbalistkristen Thank you for your timely response and the information provided. Keep the videos coming.