Friday, January 6, 2012

January Task List

Practical Task: Recognising winter trees and harvesting bark.
Year 1: Find and map all the hawthorn, elder trees and wild rose bushes in a one mile radius from where you live. Notice the shape of the tree/bush and any different colorations/lichen growth on different sides of the tree/bush.
Identify whether the rose bush is a dog rose, briar rose or rosa rugosa. Cut some elder twigs and peel off the bark. Use this bark to make a double infused bruise salve.
If you have time and inclination, sandpaper the white elder twigs until smooth, then cut into 1cm/1/2” sections, remove the pith and thread on ribbon, string or elastic to make a necklace or bracelet. You could also make a hawthorn wand/meditation stick if you have time. (See http://kitchenherbwife.blogspot.com/2011/11/working-with-wood.html for instructions)

Theoretical Task
Year 1: Research the structure and function of skin. How does a bruise form? What other herbs can be used to help bruises?

Year 2: a) Research the structure of human blood cells. How does horsechestnut help to strengthen them?

Herbal terminology
Research and note the meaning of the following terms: expectorant, astringent and bitter.
Seasonal task: If you haven’t already done so, collect rosehips and sloes to make a single syrup or combination syrup flavoured either with lemon or spices and/or make a rosehip honey. (recipes are on my blog). At the end of the month, source and make a Seville orange bitter http://kitchenherbwife.blogspot.com/2010/01/citric-bitters.html

No comments:

Post a Comment