In the seventeenth century, even the most elaborate and fashionable gardens had areas set aside for growing herbs, fruit, vegetables and flowers for domestic use, while those of more modest establishments were vital to the survival of the household. This was also a period of exciting introductions of plants from overseas.Using manuscript household manuals, recipe books and printed herbals, this book takes the reader on a tour of the productive garden and of the various parts of the house - kitchens and service rooms, living rooms and bedrooms - to show how these plants were used for cooking and brewing, medicines and cosmetics, in the making and care of clothes, and finally to keep rooms fresh, fragrant and decorated. Recipes used by seventeenth-century households for preparations such as flower syrups, snail water and wormwood ale are also included.A brief herbal gives descriptions of plants that are familiar today, others not so well known, such as the herbs used for dyeing and brewing, and those that held a particular cultural importance in the seventeenth century. Featuring exquisite coloured illustrations from John Gerard's herbal of 1597 as well as prints, archival material and manuscripts, this book provides an intriguing and original focus on the domestic history of Stuart England.

Kitchen pharmacy meets green cleaning and natural beauty in this comprehensive handbook of 501 recipes that harness the power of plants to enhance wellness and toxin-free living. Expert herbalist Pip Waller provides a wealth of information about growing, collecting, preserving, and preparing herbs for a variety of purposes--from cleaning products, to food and drink, medicines, beauty products, and more. Attractive and easy to use, The Herbal Handbook for Home and Health includes growing tips and profiles of herbs, guidelines for setting up an herbalist's kitchen, and techniques to make everything from tinctures to tonics. A valuable resource for anyone affected by allergies or sensitivities, this compendium is handsomely produced with two-color printing throughout and more than three hundred striking illustrations. The Handbook includes contributions from herbalists from around the world and encompasses recipes that range from very simple to more complex. Seasoned herbalists as well as those just beginning to explore the world of herbs will find something to start their own nontoxic, non-allergenic domestic revolution. The book includes: • A history of herbal lore • The herbalist's kitchen--equipment and procedures for harnessing the power of plants • Green cleaning products (from floor wax to stain removers) • Herbal pharmacy (from throat lozenges to hangover cures) • Nutritional supplements and detoxes • First aid (from anti-anxiety drops to bruise ointment) • For travel (insect repellant to anti-nausea drops) • Food and drink (breads, butters, wines, teas) • Beauty and balms (toothpaste to shampoo to lip balm) • Kitchen Pharmacy • Food & Drink • Beauty, Balms & Personal Care

In Kitchen Medicine the authors describe the wealth of healing and emergency remedies that sit unused and idle in the kitchen. Superb illustrations adorn a lively text. The ingredients are all easily found in the kitchen although in some cases they are exotic in origin (just think of tea, coffee and chocolate).

A new approach to growing local medicine, including information on geo-authenticity, wildcrafting, and developing a good business plan "[A] beautiful and informative book . . . A dirt-smudged copy should be within easy reach of every home gardener or farmer who grows—or wants to grow—medicinal plants."—Michael McGuffin, President, American Herbal Products Association Both a business guide and a farming manual, The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer will teach readers how to successfully grow and market organic medicinal Western herbs. Whether you’re trying to farm medicinal plants, culinary herbs, or at-risk native herbs exclusively or simply add herbal crops to what you’re already growing, successful small-scale herb farmers Jeff and Melanie Carpenter will guide you through the entire process―from cultivation to creating value-added products. Using their Zack Woods Herb Farm in Vermont as a backdrop, the Carpenters cover all the basic practical information farmers need to know to get an organic herb farm up and running, including: Size and scale considerations Layout and design of the farm and facilities Growing and cultivation information, including types of tools Field and bed prep Plant propagation Weed control, and pests and diseases Harvesting, as well as wild harvesting and the concept of geo-authentic botanicals Post-harvest processing Value-added products and marketing The authors also provide fifty detailed plant profiles, going deeper into the herbs every farmer should consider growing, including: Arnica Calendula Echinacea Ginko Ginseng Peppermint Saint John’s Wort Valerian In an easy-to-understand, practical, and comprehensive manner, readers will learn how to focus on quality over quantity, and keep costs down by innovating with existing equipment, rather than expensive technology. Market farmers who have never before considered growing medicinal herbs will learn why it’s more important to produce these herbs domestically. The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer makes a convincing case that producing organic medicinal herbs can be a viable, profitable, farming enterprise. The Carpenters also make the case for incorporating medicinal herbs into existing operations, as it can help increase revenue in the form of value-added products, not to mention improve the ecological health of farmland by encouraging biodiversity as a path toward greater soil health.

An herbal guide to support physical, mental, and spiritual health for women and their children at all stages of life--by a healer with over 40 years of experience. Plant medicines are a woman's ally to achieve optimal health; they bring balance and nourishment to daily life and can reduce or eliminate symptoms of physical and emotional distress. They can also provide alternatives to many pharmaceuticals. This go-to herbal sourcebook gives women the tools to thrive throughout their lives, with remedies using common herbs and plants to support a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Dr. Leslie Korn brings over forty years of experience in numerous herbal traditions and healing modalities, offering timeless wisdom in this herbal companion that can be shared with friends and passed down in the family for generations. She offers treatments using common and easy-to-obtain herbs to address sleep disorders, menstrual issues, autoimmune conditions, anxiety, headaches and migraines, stomach issues, fertility issues, postpartum recovery, skin ailments, common discomforts that affect children, and much more. Korn also offers herbal guidance for rites of passage, moments of community, psychoactive herbs, and a protocol for end-of-life care, as well as a comprehensive resources section.

How did 17th-century families in England perceive their health care needs? What household resources were available for medical self-help? To what extent did households make up remedies based on medicinal recipes? Drawing on previously unpublished household papers ranging from recipes to accounts and letters, this original account shows how health and illness were managed on a day-to-day basis in a variety of 17th-century households. It reveals the extent of self-help used by families, explores their favourite remedies and analyses differences in approaches to medical matters. Anne Stobart illuminates cultures of health care amongst women and men, showing how 'kitchin physick' related to the business of medicine, which became increasingly commercial and professional in the 18th century.

Herbs and self-care practices shift with the seasons and therefore offer a tremendous opportunity to learn from nature. Our bodies go through the same cycles as the earth, daily, monthly, and yearly. The herbal homestead is a place to practice this art of living that we have become so disconnected from and to consequently reconnect with the cycles around and within us. Connecting and reconnecting with these processes is empowering, enlivening, energizing, and it builds confidence and trust in yourself and your body. Confidence and trust are major markers of health, so this way of life can put us right on our path to health. Herbal homesteading is a call to connect with ourselves, with our own healthcare, and with nature and plants. This connection can make us feel at home— at home within ourselves, at home in nature, and at home in the spaces where we make medicine, heal, and connect with others. You can create an herbal homestead to any extent and be successful, you do not have to have land, a garden, a plethora of herbs, an education in herbal medicine. You can embrace this worldview one day or month at time, plant by plant, one act of self care to the next. You can create your herbal homestead from your urban apartment, you can learn about nature’s processes and the life cycle of plants from the weeds growing through the cracks in the sidewalk —all of these cycles are created equally.