Herbal Medicine-Making Resources: Websites-Equipment-Books

[Heather K]

Nourishing ourselves through a living relationship with plants & fungi on the land we walk on is a lifelong journey. A first step in deepening our herbal medicine making knowledge is to learn to safely & respectfully harvest for wild salads, soups, teas, salves & tinctures. Harvest only what you can positively identify and leave an abundance to multiply.

Many of us our just beginning the walk, while others have been learning & healing many years. We all have wisdom to share together on this earth-walk. (By sharing our wisdom with each other, we continue our recovery from domination of the corporate-pharmaceutical world view)

Let me know if this resource list is helpful to you. To receive follow up email on additions, click the 'follow' button.

Also see Local Discussion on “Medicinal Plants/Fungi & Ethnobotany In our Gardens, Meadows, Forests & Homes” - http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/group/organic/forum/topics/medicinal-plantsfungi (a good local online place to ask questions & share your wisdom)

Share your favorite books & links, and I'll add more later.

* Sections below you can scroll through: Books-Websites-Equipment/Supplies

Books – New & Old:

The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook-A Home Manual – James Green.

 (This is the book Heather K referred to at our herbal tincture making workshop)

Medicinal Mushrooms – Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac.

MycoMedicinals – Paul Stamets

 The Herbalist's Way -The Art & Practice of Healing with Plant Medicines – Nancy & Michael Phillips

The Lost Language of Plants – the ecological importance of plant medicines to life on earth-

- Stephen Harrod Buhner

Sacred Plant Medicine -The Wisdom in Native American Herbalism – Stephen Harrod Buhner

 

Edible & Medicinal Plants of the West -Gregory L. Tilford

 

Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West – Micheal Moore

 

Healing Wise – Susun S. Weed

Childbearing Year – Susun S. Weed

Menopausal Years – The Wise Woman Way (age 30-90) – Susun S. Weed

 

Pacific Feast – Jennifer Hahn

Identifying & Harvesting Edible & Medicinal Plants – 'Wildman' Steve Brill with Evelyn Dean

 

Back to Eden- Jethro Kloss (1939)

The Herb Book – John Lust

The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy - Valerie Ann Worwood

Prescription for Nutritional Healing - James F. Balch, M>D. & Phyllis A. Balch CNC

The Therapeutic Herb Manual – Therapeutic Admin. Of Medicinal Herb compounds – Ed Smith

Naturopathic Handbook of Herbal Formulas – ISBN 1-882308-42-5

Herbs for Children- A Manual for Parents – Sunny Pendleton Mavor -Stone House Publishing

 

The Chinese Materia Medica: English & Chinese ISBN 7-81010-111-x or 787810 100010 (SUP Bookstore)

 

Expanded List for herb Growing/Gardening/Permaculture books for EarthGardeners: http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/group/organic/forum/topics/books-treasured-useful

The Way of Herbs - Michael Tierra (thanks Chris W!)

Plant ID Books: (- first learn to ID & hunt without harvesting)

Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast – Pojar & Mackinnon

Pacific Seaweeds – Louis Druehl

A Field guide to Edible Wild Plants (eastern/central n.america)-Lee Allen Peterson

Flora of the Pacific Northwest – C.L. Hitchcock & A. Cronquist

Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest – Steve Trudell & Joe Ammirati

Website Links – more to be added later:

Online free e-books of Health & Soil Library of Steve Solomon- http://www.soilandhealth.org/02/02healthlibwelcome.html

Medicinal Mushrooms – Christoper Hobbs http://www.christopherhobbs.com/website/library/articles/article_fi...

Herb Articles by Ryan Drum: http://www.ryandrum.com/

Ethnobotanical & Phytochemical Databases- Dr. Duke's - http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/

USDeptAg Plant Database: http://plants.usda.gov/about_plants.html

Internet Directory for Botany - http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/idb-alpha/botany.html

Scholarly Internet Resource Connecctions - InfoMine- http://infomine.ucr.edu/

Plants for a Future: A great plant-geek & permi website!

http://www.pfaf.org/user/

 

Non-Profit Pharmaceutical Company- Research on Plants effecting nerves & perceptions: http://www.maps.org/about/mission/

Equipment & Supplies:

Herbal Tincture Press for alcohol or oil:

Below is the press recommended by author's of 'The Herbalist's Way':

Longevity Herb Company
http://business.gorge.net/longevity/

Seed Oil Extractor from Europe (Laura S is researching 12/2010)
http://piteba.com

Other Links for hand-powered press for herbal medicine making:

Horizon Herbs- ½ gal press:
http://www.horizonherbs.com/pilot.asp?pg=tincture_press

Other Links to Plant Presses: http://herbs.lovetoknow.com/Herb_Tincture_Press

Tincture press – less expensive
http://www.herbtincturepress.com/

Rich Gulch – tincture press
http://www.mathrespresses.com/HerbalTincturePress.htm

[dave smith]

i dont see any herbal books

regarding negative effects listed

i may have missed them

stuff like

herb drug interaction

adverse effects

warnings

contraindications

etc

occurs and can be fatal

concerns such as listed above everyone should be aware of

 anyone who takes any foods herbs teas etc they  usually dont take should be aware of possible bad consequences

talking to a physcian is wise also

heres some books that someone might find useful

herbal contraindications and drug interactions plus herbal adjuncts with medicines expanded fourth edition

nursing herbal medicine handbook third edition

The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide: The Safe Way to Use Medications and Supplements Together by Barry Fox and George T. Grossberga

PDR for Herbal Medicines, 4th Edition

 their are other books these are just examples of books that might help you protect yourself

again talking to your physician is wise if for no other reason so they know what your doing

just be aware any changes in dietary intake from your usual can have unexpected effects  on you

 

[Heather K]

Yes! Many of us our learning to make medicinal tinctures and learning to ID wild edibles & medicinal through walks & classes & caring for our edible forest gardens. Obtaining & storing either grain alcohol or vodka would be a good item to obtain that has a long shelf life, and can be used yearly when making tinctures.

Dov gave a class on herbs & making tincture at Inspiration Farm. He'll do more in the future. Let him know if you want to be notified of his next class- http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/profile/dovShoneman

There are other wise folks who share their knowledge in healing & herbal medicines. Check the event page weekly and follow the disussion & network online at -

 ” Medicinal Plants/Fungi & Ethnobotany In our Gardens, Meadows, Forests & Homes..” http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/group/organic/forum/topics/medicinal-plantsfungi

Also online learning links at - “Videos- Permaculture & Horticultural Lectures...”

http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/profiles/blogs/videos-permaculture-amp

 

Linda Quintana at Wonderland Tea & county forest garden - http://wonderlandteanspice.com/

 

[John Hammell]

Is anyone here making their own herbal tinctures and or essential oils? This is going to be a very valuable local resource and it would be great if more people could learn how from someone if there is someone who can teach us. I wish I had known about this group a long time ago. I've lived here in Point Roberts for 8 years now, moved here from the Appalachian mountains of SW Virginia where I lived on 700 acres in middle of nowhere in a county called Floyd. Miss it sometimes. Very peaceful place where theres more cows than people. No water flows in to Floyd county, it only flows out due to elevation. I lived at High Flowing Community which was started by a musician named Starroot.

[Heather K]

Book additions recently added:

The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy - Valerie Ann Worwood
Prescription for Nutritional Healing - James F. Balch, M>D. & Phyllis A. Balch CNC
The Chinese Materia Medica: English & Chinese ISBN 7-81010-111-x or 787810 100010 (SUP Bookstore) (We need to find a local copy of this book)

Thanks Chris for your additions! I've added both books to the blog text. And thanks for your appreciations!!!

[Chris Wolf]

Thanks for the great list! I also highly recommend The Way of Herbs, a book by Michael Tierra, which gives the basics of treating yourself herbally, how to make all different preparations, what herbs to use for what ailments, etc. I have also learned a lot from Paul Stamets, a mushroom expert, in his treatise "MycoMedicinals"-- available at www.fungiperfecti.com.