Thursday, April 5, 2018

The Homesteader’s Herbal Companion: The Ultimate Guide to Growing, Preserving, and Using Herbs

The Homesteader’s Herbal Companion: The Ultimate Guide to Growing, Preserving, and Using Herbs   (Lyons Press, April 2018, 978-1-4930-3415-4, $24.95, 288 pages, 7 x 9, 120 Color Photos, Paperback/softback) takes readers through the basics of herbalism, including the different types of herbs and their uses. It also breaks down how herbs are used in tinctures, salves, essential oils, and infused oils. You’ll learn how to efficiently incorporate herbs into your lifestyle, creating your own herbal remedy cabinet for yourself and for your livestock as well. And through encouragement and evidence-based information, you’ll be confident using herbs, cooking with herbs, and sharing your herbal products with your friends and family.


The publisher recently sent me this book.  And just in time for our growing season!  With an array of beautiful photos and easy to read terminology, just about any homesteader, new or seasoned, can learn from The Homesteader’s Herbal Companion, and finally feel comfortable incorporating the many wonderful qualities of herbs around their homes and homesteads.

This book takes readers through the basics of herbalism, including the different types of herbs and their uses. It also breaks down how herbs are used in tinctures, salves, essential oils, and infused oils. You’ll learn how to efficiently incorporate herbs into your lifestyle, creating your own herbal remedy cabinet for yourself and for your livestock as well. And through encouragement and evidence-based information, you’ll be confident using herbs, cooking with herbs, and sharing your herbal products with your friends and family. 

A Note From the Author:
As an herbal homesteader, you should be in a constant state of learning. I don’t know all there is to know about herbs…I’m not sure any herbalist does. It’s like Christmas when I discover a new herb (well, new to me!) and all its uses.

But I equally enjoy expanding my knowledge on herbs that I think I know well. With the driving force of technology and science, we live in an age where we can learn even more about the medicinal properties of herbs. Even more than our ancestors knew. Knowledge expands as the human race grows, it’s not only logical but biblical as well. We are in a constant state of “growth”.

Did you know that the World Health Organization (WHO) is no longer creating new strains of antibiotics? Our bodies have become so antibiotic resistant that even WHO can see that if we don’t start switching to an alternative medicine, we’ll die from modern medicine.

Now is the time to start growing your knowledge. Now is the time to start diving into medicine that you can grow right in your own backyard.

You don’t need ALL the herbs. You don’t need to grow 200 herbs in your backyard. A good 20-30 will do, and only in small batches. Because if you’re already living a healthy lifestyle, typically you aren’t going to need herbs very often. Baby steps….

Herbalism doesn’t have to be ridiculously hard or complicated. Take your time, ease into it. Choose 5 herbs and study the heck out of them until you know them like the back of your hand. Then move on to 5 more herbs.

But here’s the most important part—don’t be held back by just the “basics”, like peppermint, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and basil. There is an amazing world of herbs out there just waiting for you to dive into them. You’ll often see many herbalists using the same herbs over and over again, and for good reason. But don’t limit yourself! You may just find the herb that changes the lives of your, your family, your livestock, or someone you know.

I can help you on that journey, in fact, I’d really love to. Because I was that homesteader who had NO idea where to begin….and now I do!


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