Newsletter- Summer
Mugwort (Cronewort); Artemisia vulgaris
The herbalists herb! An ancient herb of healing, magic and divination, around the world. ‘A protector of women and travellers’ and well known for its value in female disorders. 1
The botanical name suggests Mugwort’s significance. Artemis, is the Greek moon goddess and patron of women. In the Anglo-Saxon Leech Book of Bald, it is recorded as 'Una’,2. St John the Baptist was said to have carried it into the wilderness to ward of evil.3. Today, in Western Herbal Medicine, it is used as a warming bitter tonic for digestion and as a tincture 'to aid normal menstrual flow’, particularly where the flow is scanty or absent4.
The more esoteric uses include being burnt as a smudge stick to clear stuck energy, placed under the pillow to encourage vivid dreams, or you could revive the age-old tradition of carrying mugwort, to relieve the weariness of travel!
Western herbalists do not normally use mugwort during pregnancy because it stimulates the uterus, ‘though in China it is an accepted treatment in preventing miscarriage’.5
For identification of Mugwort or any plant, use a reputable field guide or you may find www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com useful.
-Spring
Herb Of The Day- Dandelion
A wonderful food and beneficial medicine. Dandelion supports overall health; gently improving functioning of the liver and urinary system. Love our dandelions; they are not lawn weeds but nourishing food for salads, cakes, wine, tea, coffee substitute, medicine and more.
Use the leaves as a cut and come again salad crop. Rejoice in the slight bitterness they provide, it will stimulate digestive juices and benefit digestion. If you need/want to dig up some dandelions, get as much of the root as you can, give it a quick scrub and make dandelion root vinegar. Chop up the root, about ¾ filling a jar and cover with apple cider vinegar. Use parchment paper under the lid, as vinegar will corrode the metal lid, and leave for several weeks (although you can try it sooner). You will have a 'liver loving vinegar', which tastes delicious with a little water, maybe add honey, used in a salad dressing or added to cooking foods to improve the flavor and help make the nutrients more available to the body.
Dandelions flower all year round, but at this time the abundance of flowers lend themselves to making fritters or even a cake.
Sunshine Polenta Cake. Easily adapted
Beat 50 to 60g of butter with 95gm castor sugar until creamy add 2 beaten eggs, slowly and beat. Add the juice of 1 orange and the whole rind, chopped finely, of half a lemon (save the juice for later). Add a handful of dandelion petals (pull the petals away from the green sepals), 85gms of polenta (corn meal); may take a little more polenta, add a heaped tsp baking powder and fold in. Pour into a loaf tin and bake for about 30mins. When removed from oven, pour on the lemon juice and sprinkle with castor sugar. Allow to cool.
I have made this recipe with 40mls light olive oil instead of butter, Both ways are delicious!
References and Sources:
1. Hoffmann D. (2003). Medical Herbalism. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts
2. Seal, J. B& Seal M. (2008). Hedgerow Medicine. Ludlow: Merlin Unwin books.
3. Bartram T. (1998). Bartrams Encyclopedia of
Herbal Medicine (1st ed.). London: Constable & Robinson Ltd.
4. Floret Rosalee D, L. (2020, March 18th). Herbs with Rosalee, HerbalRemediesAdvice.
5. Seal, J. B& Seal M. (2008). Hedgerow Medicine. Ludlow: Merlin Unwin books.
Hatfield, G. (1999). Memory, Wisdom and Healing The History of Domestic Plant Medicine. Stroud: Sutton Publisher.
Weed S. (2020, March 25th). Herbal Ezine.
