Root Tinctures; Glycerites, Hot-Oil Infusions

Remember to sterilize all your equipment and jars so that your product will be safe from the various pathogens around. I use the dishwasher. Wash your hands before you do any work with herbs and make sure they are really dry. Clean all surfaces you will be working on. Osha Root

This is a great time of year to make root tincture as long as the plants are a few years old and the roots are mature. Echinacea, Ginger, Goldenseal, Horseradish, Licorice, and Osha are all wonderful herbs that we can tincture for our family.

Echinacea Root

Dig up the root/s and wash really well removing all dirt. Chop finely and let sit to allow the moisture to evaporate somewhat. The root can also be put in a dehydrator for a few hours. Do this especially if you have only 50% Vodka as the menstruum. 50% Vodka is 100-proof, which means it is half alcohol and half water. The fresh plant, like us, is up to 70% water. If we remove the water portion from the plant material the tincture won't grow a mold.

American Harvest Dehydrator

If you cannot dry the material, then use a stronger alcohol such as Everclear.

I finely chop the root I'm using to offer more surface area for the menstruum to extract the medicinal properties from the plant.

Ginger Root

When adding the alcohol, cover the plant material, shake the jar a bit, and then add an inch of alcohol above that. Use a jar that leaves very little head room.

Astragalus Root

Label the jar with the date, name of the plant, and strength of the alcohol. Start a journal or a 'word file' on your computer to keep track of what you make so you can do it again in the future.

Calendula Drying

There are many awesome books and websites that will let you know the dosage to take. The dosage is different for adults and children so research is very key to this part of the process.

You can also make a Glycerite for kids in the same way as above except that you use organic vegetable glycerin.

Calendula Hot Infused Oil

To make an infused oil, I use the slow cooker and keep the temperature low. Don't allow them to go crunchy.

Using dried herbs and flowers instead of fresh eliminates the chance of mold, mildew, and bacteria invading the product. Always chop them well so there are more surfaces for the menstruum to extract from.

I use the Simplers' Method ie: if I have one cup of dried herb, I add enough oil to cover it by an inch in the pot I'm using. One cup of dried leaves is going to fluff up quite a bit so you can add more oil. One cup of dried root will hardly fluff up at all.

Some say to use five ounces of oil to each ounce of herb. If you go by ounces, eight ounces of dried herb such as calendula flowers or motherwort leaves will weigh less that eight ounces of burdock root. The herbs that allow the oil to go right into them can really fluff up and almost look as though they were just picked. You will need to use more oil with these.

Some also say to use 1 cup of herb to two cups of oil. I find I then have to add more oil as it fluffs up. So, there are many ways to do this. There are many recipes online for various oils.

Calendula Tincture

The most important thing you can add to your tinctures, oils, and ointments, or any other product you are creating, is your love and good energy. If you are doing the harvesting, sing to your plants, ask their permission to be taken, take them gently, treat them kindly, don't approach them if you are angry or not at your best. The same goes for when you prepare them - add love, then joy, then peace, and good health. Whisper to your tincture that it is good medicine made to help people become strong, to help their own self-healing abilities to gear-up.