Beginning with an illustrated guide to the herbs and roots used in traditional Appalachian healing, “Mountain Folk Remedies” is a fascinating collection of historic remedies ranging from the practical (burdock tea will help aching feet) to the magical (carrying a buckeye in your pocket will help lessen arthritis). Foxfire has brought the philosophy of simple living to hundreds of thousands of readers, teaching creative self-sufficiency and preserving the stories, crafts, and customs of Appalachia. Inspiring and practical, this classic series has become an American institution. In July 2016, Vintage Shorts celebrates Foxfire's 50th Anniversary.

A long-treasured but forgotten classic of folk healing, with an introduction and commentary by the author of Backwoods Witchcraft and Doctoring the Devil. Ossman & Steel’s Guide to Health or Household Instructor (its original title) is a collection of spells, remedies, and charms. The book draws from the old Pennsylvania Dutch and German powwow healing practices that in turn helped shape Appalachian folk healing, conjure, rootwork, and many folk healing traditions in America. Jake Richards, author of Backwoods Witchcraft and Doctoring the Devil, puts these remedies in context, with practical advice for modern-day “backwoods” healers interested to use them today. The first part contains spells and charms for healing wounds, styes, broken bones, maladies, and illnesses of all sorts. The second part includes other folk remedies using ingredients based on sympathetic reasoning, including sulfuric acid, gunpowder, or other substances for swelling, toothache, headache, and so on. These remedies are presented here for historic interest, to help better understand how folk medicine evolved in America. It is Jake Richard’s hope that reintroducing this work will reestablish its position as a useful household helper in the library of every witch or country healer.

First published in 1972, The Foxfire Book was a surprise bestseller that brought Appalachia's philosophy of simple living to hundreds of thousands of readers. Whether you wanted to hunt game, bake the old-fashioned way, or learn the art of successful moonshining, The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center had a contact who could teach you how with clear, step-by-step instructions. This classic debut volume of the acclaimed series covers a diverse array of crafts and practical skills, including log cabin building, hog dressing, basketmaking, cooking, fencemaking, crop planting, hunting, and moonshining, as well as a look at the history of local traditions like snake lore and faith healing.

A wealth of information about herbal remedies native to the Southwest, infused with wisdom, wit, and personal reminiscences.

This practical and easy-to-understand guide to the plant wisdom of Southern and Appalachian folk medicine reveals the history and practices of this unique herbal tradition This book is the first to describe the history, folklore, assessment methods, and remedies of Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine—the only system of folk medicine, other than Native American, that developed in the United States. One of the system's last active practitioners, Phyllis D. Light has studied and worked with herbs, foods, and other healing techniques for more than thirty years. In everyday language, she explains how Southern and Appalachian Folk Medicine was passed down orally through the generations by herbalists and healers who cared for people in their communities with the natural tools on hand. Drawing from Greek, Native American, African, and British sources, this uniquely American folk medicine combines what is useful and practical from many traditions to create an energetic system that is coherent and valuable today.

An in-depth study of traditional folk medicine in Vermont, written by a formally trained doctor. Folk medicine is an imperative aspect of many Vermonters’ lives and health. Trained medical doctor D. C. Jarvis set out to investigate this traditional approach to herbal medicine and produced this little guide to provide knowledge and understanding of the nature and long-successful uses of folk medicine. An invaluable read for anyone interested in daily increased vitality. The chapters featured in this volume include: - Vermont Environment and the Life Span - The Animal Laws - Your Beginning - Your Racial Pattern and Vermont Folk Medicine - The First Yardstick of Your Health - The Instincts of Childhood - Potassium and Its Uses - The Usefulness of Honey - The Usefulness of Kelp - The Importance of Iodine - Castor Oil and Corn Oil - Medical Reasoning Behind Vermont Folk Medicine