Today's lesson included digging up pleurisy root (Asclepias tuberosa)-- informally known as butterfly weed-- in a nearby field. After they dug it up (I was still at work for this part), they brought it home, chopped up the roots, and processed them.
Also learned the basics of making a salve.
Step one is Vicki's awesome concoction of mixed herbs and infused oils in the blender.
You will strain this concoction through some cheesecloth and into a saucepan.
Note the beeswax that is needed for this all to work.
It eagerly waits its involvement in this process.
So you pour the blended bits onto the cheesecloth.
The oils drip through to the saucepan below, and the fibrous parts of the plant remain on top.
You kind of stir it around to get all the liquid out.
Once it's mostly done, you wrap up the cheesecloth around the plant matter.
Then you squeeze all the rest of the "juice" out.
Now you turn on the heat and add the beeswax into the mix.
After the wax has melted and there has been sufficient stirring,
you are ready to pour the salve.
We prepared the containers in a row ahead of time, because you have to be quick about it.
Vicki added some essential oils to the mix.
Minus a few cc's that I spilled all over the counter while trying to photograph the beeswax earlier.
Vicki poured the hot salve into a glass measuring cup for easier pouring,
since the containers are small.
Then, it's a race to see if you can pour it into all the containers before
the wax begins to harden.
Salve complete! You can't stick your fingers in it while it's congealing or else she can't sell it.
Vicki sells a wonderful apothecary line at Garage 34 on South Lexington. Check it out.
She's the real deal.
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