Harvest time

The fields are golden now. The harvest has been cut. Straw is baled in enormous round bales which decorate the countryside in late August. An artist’s dream, as the golden light of autumn creates a feast for the eyes. Silage has been cut and wrapped (those enormous ugly black plastic bales to be seen stacked in farmyards).Â

This silage is, of course, the vital fodder for livestock in winter.  It combines grasses and herbs in a tasty and nutritious mix for animals. We don’t often think of herbs as being nutritious, but they provide vital additional nutrients for livestock. In fact, they are a powerhouse of minerals and trace elements. Nettles contain high amounts of iron. Valerian is a rich source of magnesium. Horsetail is an excellent supplier of silica. Of course, they also contain other vital constituents, which are both nourishing and protective of health.Â

It has always struck me as decidedly odd that farmers and vets recognise the importance of micronutrients for animals, while for some strange reason their  importance for humans is generally dismissed as nonsense. Think of the ads for ‘salt licks’ for animals, which supply a wide range of minerals and trace elements. Most of us first became aware of selenium from ads for veterinary supplements.  How peculiar that we only hear about the ‘dangers’ of supplements for humans! One wonders why…

The benefits of eating a healthy plant-based diet is irrefutable. Lots of veggies, sprouted grains and pulses and some fruit ensures that we get a wide variety of essential nutrients and health-building elements into our bodies. The logical extension of this is that, since so much disease is caused by dietary deficiencies nowadays, the same diseases can be largely rectified by supplementing appropriately. The real risk has to be deficiency, rather than excess, as some people would have us believe.

Over the past couple of weeks I have Meadowsweet tincture on the brew. Its frothy cream flowers can be seen all over the countryside at the moment, particularly in damp areas. Meadowsweet is a natural source of salicylic acid (think aspirin), so is a natural painkiller. It is a great herb for the digestive system, particularly where acid reflux is a problem. In fact, it is nature’s antacid, so consider using it in place of those nasty proton pump inhibitors (nexium being the most common), which aren’t lifesaving drugs and which can leave you vulnerable to infection or at increased risk of osteoporosis.

Harvesting and preparing Meadowsweet (Filipendula Ulmaria)                                                                                                                            This is a really easy plant to harvest. Pick the leafy stalks. To dry, place on natural fibre cloth laid in baskets or similar. Leave in a warm place for about 3 days. Remove the leaves and store in containers in a dry environment. These can then be lightly crushed by hand and used as a tea.

A tincture can either be made from the fresh or dried leaves (I use fresh). Remove the leaves from the stalks and chop coarsely. Some flower may be included, but the majority of the ‘marc’ should be made up of leaf. Fill a jar and cover to the very top with vodka. Dib the marc with a chopstick to remove air bubbles. Cover and leave in a dark place for at least two weeks. Then strain through muslin or calico. Bottle the liquid. Cover, label and store in a cool place, away from direct light.  Bottling on a full moon enhances its energetic properties, so I’ll be bottling mine tomorrow (Tuesday 24th August). The marc can be composted.

As with all herbal preparations, don’t combine with pharmaceutical medicines. If in doubt, consult a professional herbalist.

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