Wild Moon Cottage is a small working homestead in the pristine Ozark Mountains. We have dairy goats, poultry, organic herb and vegetable gardens, a start of a tiny fruit orchard, several black walnut trees, wild berries and fields of wildcrafting goodness. We raise our own milk, our own eggs, much of our own medicine and food. I do laundry by hand, make my own vinegar, candles, soap, bread, cheese ........ For a living I am an artist and herbalist. My goal for myself and our homestead is to be as self sufficient and self sustaining as possible.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Miners, Balms & Eggs

The miners are free. Most Excellent !!

Aside from that magnificent event, the day was glorious. The perfect amount of sunshine cahooted with perfect temperatures and created one glorious day :)

We had a few things to do in town so (after a jump start) we hooked up the trailer and went to the feed store. Picked up our usual ... oats, sunflower seeds, chopped corn and rawhides for the dogs. Then to get alfalfa. then home.

There was a guy at the feed store who vexed me a bit. He started out talking about dogs but quickly turned to condemning Obama. It does not bother if people dislike Obama, frankly I don't give a damn. But it does bother me for people to talk bad about other people when said person is neither there to defend or even personally known to the basher. But a lot of folks believe everything they read or hear especially if it's what they want to believe. Anyway, I just turned and ignored him and soon enough he quieted and left me be.

Also vexing, to the feed store Lady, not to me, was that their credit card system was down and they could take any credit or debit cards for payments. I personally thought it was a good thing but I know it upsets many people. I do not have any sort of credit at all, which freaks some people out.

Soon enough we were back home, unhitched the trailer and headed back to town to drop the Blazer at the mechanics. On the way I stopped in my favorite thrift store (which I was last in 7 months ago) and found two lovely pillows for .50 each and a sheet for 1.00. A special splurge :) Then on to the mechanics, a neighbor picked us up and brought us home.

.................................................... thrift store finds

Once home we unloaded the trailer and, while Nik stacked the hay, I mixed feed and filled the bens. I had checked earlier for an egg and there was none but one of the Stars was in a nest box. Nik checked again when he finished with the hay and there was a beautiful brown egg just waiting.

An egg yesterday and today. I think it may have been the milk. I've been feeding extra milk to the chickens since last Spring and they've almost not laid any eggs at all since then. I never thought it could be the milk but then someone on a homestead group told me that all birds are lactose intolerant. I haven't had time or remembered to look it up myself but I did stop feeding milk the next day. It's been about 2 weeks and we're starting to get eggs again. I don't know for sure but all the extra milk now goes to the dogs and cats only.


........................................................ The days egg


I was also able to get ... 2 books mailed for bookswap, goat hooves trimmed, laundry done, some bread baked, the crepe myrtle cut back a bit more, dishes done (by hand and not in the dishwasher), another box packed, a box loaded for freecycle, and 2 boxes for a yard sale and the porch swept.


................................... the poor Crepe Myrtle, she'll grow back even more beautiful than she was  :)
I'm also getting ready to make the years salves and balms. I usually do this in winter but because of moving I'm going to go ahead and get it done in the next week or so. I've bought beeswax locally before but have also bout it from Mountain Rose Herbs, which is expensive. I got a couple of leads from a friend and might be able to get it a lot cheaper in Springfield, as soon as the Blazer is fixed properly. Anyway, I thought I would go ahead and post my 4 main recipes.



I rarely measure anything which makes sharing recipes a bit problematic. The good thing is that balms and salves can be re-melted and made thinner or firmer as needed. For a salve add more oil, for balm add less.
I don't always have all the ingredients and just use what I have at the time.

When using oils you can infuse for less time, 5 to 10 minutes. When using herb, fresh or dry, infuse for 20 to 30 minutes on low heat. Fresh or dry, I usually use about the same amount.


Antibiotic Salve
antibiotic & antifungal

1 oz. Beeswax
1/4 to 1/3 c olive oil
10 drops Vite E
2 T Echinacea
2 T Calendula
Melt beeswax in double boiler over medium heat (I just use a small pot in a large pot of water) carefully add the oils and mix well. Add herbs and mix, allow to infuse on low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and carefully pour into sterile, heat proof jars. I use baby food jars.



Vapor Balm

2 oz Beeswax
1/2 to 1/3 c olive oil
20 drops peppermint oil
20 drop tea tree oil (or eucalyptus) both mix well with peppermint but did not do well together.

Melt beeswax in double boiler over medium heat (I just use a small pot in a large pot of water) carefully add the oils and mix well. Allow to infuse for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully pour into sterile, heat proof jars. I use baby food jars.




Muscle Balm

2 oz. Beeswax
1/2 to 1/3 c olive oil
20 drops wintergreen oil
1 T cloves or 10 drops clove oil
1 T white willow
1 T chamomile
1 T ginger
1 T calendula
1 T rosemary
1 T lavender

Melt beeswax in double boiler over medium heat (I just use a small pot in a large pot of water) carefully add the oils and mix well. Add herbs and mix, allow to infuse for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and carefully pour into sterile, heat proof jars. I use baby food jars.




Heal All Salve
general healing for bruises, scrapes and scratches

1 oz. Beeswax
1/4 to 1/3 c olive oil
5 drops Vite E
1 T Calendula
1 T Mugwort
1 T Comfrey
1 T Mullein
1 T chamomile
1 T peppermint

Melt beeswax in double boiler over medium heat (I just use a small pot in a large pot of water) carefully add the oils and mix well. Add herbs and mix, allow to infuse for 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and carefully pour into sterile, heat proof jars. I use baby food jars.

2 comments:

Nancy said...

I am so going to try some of your balms and salves. I'm spoiled -- I have a 50 pound block of beeswax in the garage and had no idea what to do with it. If you send me your address, privately of course, I'd be happy to send you a pound or two. Thanks for sharing, Juli.

the wild magnolia said...

Love all the recipes!

Thank you!