It’s that time of 12 months…
…when shriveled dandelion bits litter my kitchen, and desk, and float in random cups half-full with water.
Every single time my 3 12 months outdated brings me a fistful of fuzzy yellow flowers, I can hardly bear to throw them away, even after they’ve wilted previous recognition. Deciding on dandelion blossoms is a childhood ceremony of passage.
I used to consider the predictable yellow flowers popping up each spring to be a nuisance. One factor to be eradicated or (*gasp*) even sprayed. Nonetheless I’ve severely modified my tune, even sooner than I had grubby little toddler fingers selecting them for mama.
As I’ve found further regarding the vegetation rising wild on our homestead, I’ve come to wholeheartedly agree with Ralph Waldo Emerson when he talked about, “What’s a weed? A plant whose virtures have not however been discovered.”
I’ve found how one can have the benefit of lambs quarters, purslane, prairie mushrooms (no, NOT the hallucenogenic type, thankyouverymuch.), and positive, even dandelions.
The one weed I’ve however to reconcile with is the stubborn yellow dock that is attempting to overtake my yard (positive, even WITH my heavy layer of hay mulch…) nevertheless I haven’t given up hope that I’ll uncover a use for that lastly. (Nonetheless for now, I’m hacking it with my hoe, because of it’s driving me crazy.)
It’s boggles my ideas how obsessed People are with eradicating dandelions as soon as they’ve SO MANY potential nicely being benefits, along with:
- Supporting liver & kidney carry out
- Providing anti-inflammatory properties
- Soothing pores and pores and skin irritations
- Easing ache of sore muscular tissues and arthritis
Although there are tons of the right way to eat the problems, I have been significantly taken with dandelion’s muscle soothing properties not too long ago and wanted to make a dandelion salve for these prolonged days spent open air working throughout the yard or fixing fence.
The Prairie Kids had been THRILLED to have a model new operate of their incessant dandelion harvesting, and it solely took us a few minutes to fill a colander with ample dandelion blossoms to make an unlimited batch of muscle salve.
Dandelion Salve Recipe for Muscle mass
To Make Dandelion Oil:
- 1 cup dandelion blossoms
- 1 1/2 cups olive oil (or totally different liquid oil like almond oil or apricot oil)
Allow the dandelions flowers to dry in a single day to remove slightly little bit of the moisture content material materials, then add the wilted flowers and olive oil to a small saucepan and gently convey to a extremely gradual simmer. Allow the flowers and oil to softly simmer for 2-3 hours.
Strain out the flowers, and retailer the finished oil in a cool, darkish place.
(Alternatively, you’ll be able to do a photograph voltaic infusion and simply add the flowers to the oil and allow them to sit in a sunny window for 2-4 weeks. This offers you with the similar finish end result (a dandelion-infused oil), nevertheless merely takes longer)
To Make Dandelion Salve:
- 1/2 cup dandelion oil
- 2 tablespoons beeswax pellets (like these)
- 10 drops marjoram vital oil (non-compulsory)
- 10 drops white fir vital oil (non-compulsory)
In a double boiler*, gently heat the dandelion oil and beeswax pellets.
Stir over low heat until the beeswax is completely melted.
Take away from the heat, and allow to relax for plenty of minutes, then add the vital oils (if using). Pour into small glass jars or tins, and allow the dandelion salve to rearrange for plenty of hours.
Retailer in a cool, dry place and rub onto joints and muscular tissues after these prolonged homestead work days.
*Within the occasion you don’t have a double boiler, merely place an oven-safe bowl or cup in a small saucepan filled with water, and soften the beeswax/oil mixture throughout the bowl or cup.
Dandelion Salve Notes:
- IMPORTANT: Please solely determine dandelions from areas you acknowledge have not been sprayed with herbicides.
- I added marjoram and white fir vital oils to this recipe, as they’re recognized for his or her capability to appease muscular tissues and joints. Nonetheless, chances are you’ll omit them must you like, or substitute totally different oils in its place (resembling lavender, peppermint, and plenty of others). These are my favorite vital oils in your entire huge world.
- For a firmer salve, barely enhance the beeswax. For a softer salve, barely decrease the beeswax.
- I don’t have a exact shelf-life for this do-it-yourself salve, nevertheless I do know my totally different variations normally remaining pretty a while (3+ months).
- Check out my Gardener’s Hand Cream Recipe in case your palms are feeling additional dry and crusty after a day throughout the yard.
- And in the event you want to fiddle with further pure salves, proper right here’s a recipe for Selfmade Comfrey Salve.
