Harvesting Herbs

A huge part of doing what I do as an Herbalist is collecting the herbs I use in my formulations. It takes me going out in the fields and woods, scouting out what's there, identifying what has medicinal value, and harvesting enough of it to make something which everyone can use. That takes quite a bit of time! I did some of that today, and let me tell you... that HEAT! Bleh! Sweat begins within seconds of getting out of the truck, and it doesn't let up at all! But it's totally worth it to get at the medicine which Yahweh puts in our lives every day. I am a firm believer that the things we will soon need are put in our localities for us specifically. Flu gonna be a big problem this winter? Bidens aristosa (or some other natural antibiotics) will be growing in abundance somewhere nearby. It only needs to be found and harvested, and it takes someone with the wisdom to keep his/her eyes open for it at the right time...then the know-how to responsibly gather and preserve it for maximum potency without destroying future crops for next year,etc.

That's why I am so big on collecting as much as I can from what's growing in my immediate vicinity. Local really is best! It's good for the environment because you don't have to ship herbs from the furthest reaches when you can get it nearby (and it's all organic). It's economically responsible to harvest your own wild plants, too, so that's a plus, and those savings can be passed on.

I really do think that the good Lord puts what we need at our disposal - right at our fingertips. Everything you need for your everyday use can be found within 50 to 100 miles of you right now. Don't get me wrong. There are benefits to using plants which grow in more distant regions, too. There's a time and place for using everything in the Herbalist's repertoire. Certain plants from distant lands have very specific uses, though. They are usually not fo