[Guide] Herbs

[Bamfiz]

Hello! This is a new herb class that anyone may join. The class will be taught one herb at a time. I will post what I want for homework for each herb I post about. I will TRY to post my lesson plans but the future is always changing. Sometimes I will do a pop quiz or random bits of information of herbs that I find interesting.
Okay I will try to add an herb at LEAST once every other week. Sometimes I will do more because I get a little carried away. If I know I won't be able to post for a period of time I will warn you guys.
I am always open to whatever suggestions you may have so please post or PM them to me if you think of them. If you have any questions you can post here or you can always PM me.

I have a few rules you must follow though.

1) Follow the guild rules

2) Do not ask to join the class because the answer will always be yes plus I will ignore that question.

3) If you do join please read through ALL the past posts.

4) If you don't know whether or not an herb is poisonous, don't eat it, either ask me, find out on a search engine or ask someone else.

5) Don't be afraid to correct me if I'm wrong about something, I am not mean(or so people say).

~I get all my information from the following recourses~
- Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs
- Herb Magic for Beginners By: Ellen Dugan
- Random websites
- Personal experiences

Hope you enjoy the class and Blessed Be!


Edit by Mod:
Old Herb Class 1
Old Herb Class 2
Old Herb Class 3  

[Bamfiz]

UPDATED: 1/3/09
Merry Meet everyone! biggrin I'm here to post my lesson plans that will probably change! *Shuffles through a bunch of somewhat important looking papers* Ah! Here we go!

-Rosemary (Posted)
-Chamomile (Posted)
-Sage (Posted)
-Basil (Posted)
-Rose (Posted)
-Lavender
-Thyme
-Mint
-Cinnamon
-Garlic

Remember if you have any suggestions I will gladly mix up the order a bit and change a few things! >^.^<  

[Bamfiz]

ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
Day: Sunday Planet: Sun Element: Fire
Gender: Masculine Sabbat: Yule Rune: Jera

History: Rosemary possesses powers of protections against negative energy. In the Middle Ages, men and women would place sprigs under their pillows to ward off demons or they twined a sprig in their hair to remember something. During the sixteenth century, wealthy men would pay perfumers to scent heir homes with rosemary incense. Rosemary has been known as a symbol of remembrance, friendship and love.
Magickal Uses: Placing rosemary under your pillow can keep away nightmares while you sleep. It wards and protects from negative energy and stimulates the mind.
Medical: Treats depression, headaches and muscle spasms. It is applied externally as an ointment from the oil that is reputed to benefit sufferers of rheumatism, sores, eczema, bruises and wounds. The flowers and the leaves contain a volatile, which is responsible for the plant's pharmacological actions. Rosemary has been burned to keep away the Black Death and to kill germs. Large quantities of pure oil used therapeutically can irritate the stomach, intestines and kidneys.
Culinary: Used as a seasoning to poultry, fish, lamb, beef, veal, pork and game. It enhances tomatoes, spinach, peas, mushrooms, squash, cheese, eggs, lentils and complements the herbs chives, thyme, chervil, parsley and bay, in recipes. You may freeze, whole sprigs of it to store away.
Aromatic: Rosemary's smell can keep away moths so they won't eat your clothes or books.
Ornamental: It has spiky leaves and the flowers can naturally be blue, dark blue, pale blue, pink, white and deep blue.
Cosmetic: It contains a volatile oil that gets the blood flowing, so it can wake a sluggish body. As a hair rinse it can brighten a brunette's hair.
Cultivation: The herb has very low germination rates. It does not transplant well and the roots can develop the plant disease root rot. For harvesting cut 4-inch pieces from the tips of the braches. Do not remove more than 20 percent of the growth at a time.

If you have any other information, questions or comments you that you would like to share go ahead and post them.

ROSEMARY IS SAFE TO EAT

HOMEWORK: Okay so the homework for you this time is to find or make a spell that fits in rosemary somehow.  

[Starlock]

Wow, it seems so strange to me to consider rosemary a 'Fire' herb, either as use as a straight herb or as an aroma. The aroma isn't spicy nor warming, and to me that's the hallmark of Fire for incense purposes. I always write up my own correspondences, but I always tend to wonder where the sources come to these conclusions from since at least half the time they don't make sense to me. Which bit of folklore were they using for that conclusion? From what culture? Were they even using folklore? Did they pull it out of their asses? Will we ever really know?

A cute rosemary story from me; I had a sprig of it in the fridge for two weeks and decided to try and root it (as I wasn't going to use it). I actually got it to root. It survived for a while after I potted it, but since it was so close to Winter Solstice, I think it didn't get enough sunlight and just died. Oh my, the amazing regenerative abilities of plants!

Some other random bits of folklore (source: The Healing Herbs by M. Castleman)
--> this herb was used to preserve meats and perhaps because of this ability, it developed an association with preserving memory in Greek culture.
--> later it was also incorporated into weddings as a symbol of spousal fidelity; perhaps the source of the friendship/love association you mentioned. =)
--> ironically, it became convention in England in the 16th century that rosemary plantings around a home signified a woman ruling the house; men were known to rip them out to emphasize their dominance. >.<  

[Bamfiz]

I'm guessing because rosemary was burned to keep away germs, that's were it got the element of fire. It amazes me how well plants and herbs reproduce so easily, my mom took a leave from this one bush from our neighbors yard and planted it and it turned into a HUGE 15 foot tall bush in our backyard a year later. So it wouldn't surprise me if rosemary could do that to. I bet the men were really embarrassed when they found out the rosemary bush in his backyard was giant. It probably preserves meat because it's anti-bacterial effect. Thank-you for sharing, I might check out that book sometime.  

[Velloxys Twilight]

Its believed that hanging some in your house may counteract bad spells and evil plots (Lexa Rosean- The encyclopidia of magical ingredients)

Carrying the leaves in a red bag is good for protection

http://www.everythingunderthemoon.net/spells/rosemary-divination-spell.htm


(This is for the Imbolc puzzle. Please don't remove).  

[Bamfiz]

Velloxys Twilight

Its believed that hanging some in your house may counteract bad spells and evil plots (Lexa Rosean- The encyclopidia of magical ingredients)

Carrying the leaves in a red bag is good for protection

http://www.everythingunderthemoon.net/spells/rosemary-divination-spell.htm

Very good! That seems like a very informative web site! >^.^< I'll go check it out!  

[Bamfiz]

Chamomiles (Chamaemelon Nobile, Matricaria Recutita)
Day: Sunday Planet: Sun Element: Water
Gender: Masculine Sabbat: Yule and Lammas Month: August

-There are two different chamomiles (The Roman and the German) but they are so similar that they have the same correspondences.

History: In early Egyptian times, it was used to cure agues, malarial chills that plagued the ancient civilization. The herbalists Dioscorides and Pliny recommended bathing in the herb to relieve headaches and disorders of the kidney, liver and bladder. It was popular "strewing" herb in medieval England. Women used chamomile tea as a hair rinse to accentuate natural blonde highlights.
Uses: It has remained one of the world's best loved herbs. Many thought it could cure almost anything. The Germans had the phrase 'Alles zutraut' which means capable of everything to describe its healing properties.
Medical: The volatile oils derived from the flowers explains the herbs medicinal wizardry. Extracts from the plant has three primary uses: as anti-infammatories for various afflictions of the skin and mucous membranes; as an antispasmodics for treating ailments like indigestion and mental cramps; and as anti-invectives for numerous minor illnesses. If the tea is used over a long period of time , beneficial effects may accumulate. People have known sensitivities to ragweed, chrysanthemums or other members of the compositae family may get contact dermatitis or other allergic reactions from drinking the tea or eating any part of the herb.
Magickal: Both herbs have gentle healing properties.
Aromatic: The apple fragrance is wonderful for potpourris and aromatic dried flower arrangements.
Ornamental: It can go anywhere since it doesn't mind being stepped on (Like grass).
Cosmetic: It is used to bring golden highlights to brown hair.
Cultivation: The Roman chamomile will grow in any soil. The German chamomile is an annual and is seeded in the fall or the spring. Both herbs like lots of sun and evenly moist soil. To harvest snip off the flowers.

If you have any other information, questions or comments you that you would like to share go ahead and post them. >^.^<

CHAMOMILES ARE SAFE TO EAT

HOMEWORK: Find or make a food recipe that has chamomile in it.  

[loveblackbutterflies]

I typed out a spell for the rosemary before (I was taking it from a book) but my internet stuffed up so it didn't end up working. I could try again if you liked?

A recipe I found with chamomile-

Ingredients

* 3/4 cups water
* 1/2 cup honey
* 2 tablespoons Chamomile tea buds
* 15 large strawberries, frozen
* 1/2 teaspoon ground Cardamon
* 2 teaspoons fresh mint leaves

Directions

Bring water to a boil and add honey, cardomon, and Chamomile. Remove from heat after 5 minutes and chill until very cold.

Place frozen strawberries in a food processor and chop finely. Add chilled syrup and blend until very smooth. Spoon out and save in container in freezer. Serve with mint leaves.

(From T-H-I-S website)  

[Bamfiz]

loveblackbutterflies

I typed out a spell for the rosemary before (I was taking it from a book) but my internet stuffed up so it didn't end up working. I could try again if you liked?

A recipe I found with chamomile-

Ingredients

* 3/4 cups water
* 1/2 cup honey
* 2 tablespoons Chamomile tea buds
* 15 large strawberries, frozen
* 1/2 teaspoon ground Cardamon
* 2 teaspoons fresh mint leaves

Directions

Bring water to a boil and add honey, cardomon, and Chamomile. Remove from heat after 5 minutes and chill until very cold.

Place frozen strawberries in a food processor and chop finely. Add chilled syrup and blend until very smooth. Spoon out and save in container in freezer. Serve with mint leaves.

(From T-H-I-S website)

If you want to post the spell for the Rosemary you are more than welcome to do so. >^.^< The recipe sounds delicious, you made me hungry. Thank you for sharing the recipe.  

[Velloxys Twilight]

Lemon-Chamomile Shortbread


1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Grated zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon loose chamomile tea
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 325° F. Combine the butter, sugar, and salt in a mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in the lemon zest, loose tea, and flour until smooth. Press into an 8-inch square cake pan. Bake 30 minutes or just until the shortbread begins to turn golden. Cut into 9 squares, then cut each square into 2 triangles. Cool completely on a wire rack. Remove the shortbread cookies from the pan.


Yield: Makes 18 cookies

Jane Kirby
Real Simple, MARCH 2003
http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=610499  

[Bamfiz]

Sage (Salvia Officinalis)

Day: Thursday Planet: Jupiter Element: Air

History: To the ancients it was associated with immortality (at least longetivity) and was credited with increasing mental capacity. The genus name derives from the Latin word for "Salvation". It was so prized for tea that the Chinese would be willing to trade for it with their green tea at a ratio of 4 to 1. American Indians thought of it principally as a medicine.
Medicinal: the volatile oils and tannins in sage are thought to account for its reputation for drying up perspiration. The oils have antiseptic, astringent and irritant properties. It is useful in treating sore throats, mouth irritations and possibly cuts and bruises. Experiments in 1939 showed it had estrogenic properties, which may have a connection to the herbs ability to dry up milk. Research has also shown it lowers blood sugar in diabetics. It also contains terpene, campher and salvene.
Culinary Young leaves are eaten fresh in salads, and cooked in omelets, fritters, soups, yeast breads and rolls, marinades, sausages, meat pies and poultry stuffing. It is cooked with liver, pork, beef, veal, fish, lamb, poultry, duck, goose, artichokes, tomatoes, asparagus, brussels, cabbage, carrots, squash, corn, potatoes, eggplant, snap beans, leeks, oranges, lemons, garlic, cheese, lentils and shell beans.
Aromatic: Although used as an ingredient in perfumes, soaps and cosmetics, it has also been known as an insect repellent against flies, cabbage moths and carrot flies. It attracts bees and induces sleep.
Ornamental: It comes in the colors blue, red, gray-green, gold, purple, cream and pink.
Craft: Can be used in wreaths.
Cosmetics: Can be used to color silvered hair and stimulates skin.
Cultivation: The seed stores poorly. You should replace sage every three years or it will become woody and less productive. You can harvest the herbs leaves.

If you have any other information, questions or comments you that you would like to share go ahead and post them. >^.^<

SAGE IS SAFE TO EAT

Homework: For homework write about more of the history this herb has that is not already typed in this lesson.  

[Velloxys Twilight]

In 812 AD, sage was one of the plants deemed so important that Charlemagne ordered it planted on German imperial farms, no doubt due to the lucrative trade business as well as for its medicinal popularity.

Once prized for its medicinal value, the most popular use of sage these days is in stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey.  

[Bamfiz]

Velloxys Twilight

In 812 AD, sage was one of the plants deemed so important that Charlemagne ordered it planted on German imperial farms, no doubt due to the lucrative trade business as well as for its medicinal popularity.

Once prized for its medicinal value, the most popular use of sage these days is in stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey.

Wow thats very interesting, I'm glad you shared what you discovered/what you knew.