By Yesenia:
Herbs have been a part of my life as long as I could remember. I was fortunate to be born into a culture that believed herbs had the power to heal and protect. My dad had a tea for every aliment and used spices and herbs to add flavor to food. Our meals were never lacking flavor.
My mom taught us all we know about gardening and growing food. She grew up on a farm and learned from a young age how important agriculture is.
A healthy life style has always been important to me. The knowledge I learned from my parents has led me to search for natural medicine. I feel like we need to look for more natural ways to treat illness. Herbs and so-called weeds have tremendous healing properties. I love to grow a variety of herbs and roots. I am always looking and researching more natural ways to take care of my family.
I grow many herbs and roots for teas and tinctures. This is a list of some of the many I grow.
| lavender | yarrow |
| holy basil | lemon balm |
| elecampane | marshmallow root |
| ashwagandha | horseradish |
| elderberry | nettle |
| calendula | arnica |
| hyssop | chamomile |
I don’t have a favorite herb I grow because they are all individually special and when combined with other herbs pack a powerful punch. I love them all combined or alone in tea. I mostly combine them in tea and use them individually in tinctures.
Lavender is beautiful on its own or combined with other herbs. Its delicate purple flowers smell amazing, it is easy to grow, and our bees love them. They prefer poor soil and do not like to be overwatered. They are the lowest maintenance perineal that I grow.
Lavender has many medicinal properties to it. Lavender can be used for anxiety, depression, insomnia, sore muscles, sunburns, acne and a mild sedative. Lavender is known for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Its strong smell deters insects and works well to keep flies and mosquitoes away. Deer also don’t like the smell, so growing lavender in the vegetable garden can be helpful to keep the deer away.
Lavender is a wonderful herb used in cooking and gives a nice floral flavor to baked goods. I use it in tea for a relaxing and soothing drink. I also use it in clothing drawers to keep the clothes smelling fresh. In its peak growing season, I always have a vase of lavender on my kitchen island.
In the last picture there is a tall plant with yellow flowers – this is Mullein that can be used for Immune Support, Detox & Respiratory Support.
The tall green plant is Elecampane and the root helps thin mucus, suppress coughing, promote sweating, alleviate vomiting, and kill bacteria.
On the left side of Elecampane is a shorter green plant and this is Horseradish. It is used as a condiment and eaten on fish and beef. For medicinal purposes it can be used as a diuretic and can help treat kidney stones and edema.
The white flower in the front is Yarrow and it increases saliva and stomach acid to help improve digestion. Yarrow may also relax muscles in the intestine and uterus, which can relieve stomach and menstrual cramps. Use the leaves and flowers to make tea.
Dried and ground up it can be used on a cut to stop the bleeding. I have used this several times.
More to come about growing herbs on the Hobby Farm.