Recently I was able to spend a few hours with Ann Boyd of My Own Backyard Herbs and Flowers located in Findlay Ohio. Ann provided me with multiple ways to keep your herbs at hand for use in everyday life, extolling the benefits of adding herbs and herbal blends while she interwove her own life stories into our conversation. Ann’s quiet spirit personifies her belief that herbal teas, spices, beauty products, and home products, can improve your overall health and sense of well being. Let me share with you a few of the ideas Ann shared with me.
To create a facial toner, use a quarter cup of dried rugosa rose petals and German chamomile flowers. Add this to two to three cups of witch hazel, place in a clean mason jar. Shake vigorously and place out of the direct sun. Shake daily, after two week strain the mixture to remove all solids, rebottle your toner for your use.
A similar preparation method can be used with a quarter cup of sage leaves and lavender flowers added to the witch hazel. After two weeks you will have a refreshing men’s after shave. You may also add yarrow flowers as an option to the sage leaves and lavender flowers. If using fresh herbs, add double the amount versus dried.
For breakfast, chives, parsley, dill, sweet marjoram, and sage added to your scrambled eggs will turn a routine meal into a wow meal. Two tablespoons of a chopped fresh herb to a half cup of butter can turn simple toast into a decadent treat. To help us cut back on sugar within our diets, Ann offered us the following suggestion. Take a half cup of dried Stevia leaves added to one cup of water. Bring the water to a simmer in a small sauce pan. Stir in the Stevia leaves, after stirring cover the sauce pan and turn off the heat. Steep the Stevia water mixture in the pan for forty minutes, then strain and place in a clean jar with a lid. The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You may use a teaspoonful to sweeten coffee or tea, add to green drinks, add to your milk for cereal, or add to your pancake or waffle batter.
For your afternoon tea, a rule of thumb for making tea is to use one rounded teaspoon of dried herbs to one cup of boiling water. Fresh herbs should use two to three times as much for each cup of water.
Feel better tea blend recipe, which makes about thirty cups.
One third cup dried thyme
One third cup dried rubbed sage leaves
One third cup dried powdered ginger
My Own Backyard Herbs and Flowers has an annual herb sale the first weekend in May, she is located in Findlay Ohio at 8981 W US Route 224, you may contact her at dnaboyd@woh.rr.com or by phone at 419-422-5594 for additional details.
With personal and professional regards - Vince
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