Last night, it froze for the first time this year. It was that magical first frost that happens every year which releases the colorful leaves from the branches and brings them cascading down to the ground.  My husband and I woke early, bundled up, grabbed the camera and headed outside for a Sunday morning walk. We’re lucky to live in the country, and to have great natural beauty right in our own back yard. It was one of those days that felt like, a wonderful dance and our timing was perfect.  I was able to photograph herbs covered in frost, some warmed by the sun, and to witness the glorious beauty of the fall.

The cold nights turned the branches of wild rose hips a brilliant red…

…and melted away the few remaining rose and calendula blossoms.

The season has turned, and despite what the calendar says, today felt like the beginning of winter.

The fuzzy Lady’s Mantle (above) and Mullein (below) leaves have an extra coating of frost.

And the hawthorn berries have all turned a crimson red, just in time to keep the wild birds fed throughout winter.

The Oregon Grape is frosty.

The pond is flowing enough that it doesn’t freeze in the winter, so the ducks and wild birds have access to the water all winter long.

We found ourselves mesmerized by the almost loudness of the quiet – the rush of the river, the honking of the geese and the ka-thunk of the big maple leaves as they landed on the ground. For this and so many other blessings, I’m thankful.

When it’s July in Oregon it’s time to harvest the lavender. Lavender is best harvested just as the blossoms are beginning to open, so they don’t fall and scatter every time a basket of dried loveliness is bumped or moved. But again this year, I found myself stalling, avoiding and dragging my feet about harvesting it. Because when the new harvest is in, the old harvest is finished.

My house is filled with lavender. There are bunches in baskets and buckets, vases and jars. There are bundles bent and tied into a wreath, hanging on the wall and perched on shelves. There are armfuls in antique buckets, and a few little sprigs in a little vase on the windowsill.

It doesn’t just sit and look pretty, though. All that lavender lends a calming, cleansing air to the house, especially when it’s closed up against winter storms. I recently read a paper that documents lavender’s calming efficacy in reducing both pain and anxiety, even during dental procedures. Lavender reduces agitation, and helps babies sleep. The fresh oil helps repel bugs in the summer, and I find myself pinching off a few blossoms and inhaling the calm as I walk by, especially after a long day at work. Plus, it makes me happy just to look at it.

Which is why it’s hard to throw all those hard working lavender stems on the compost pile to make way for the new harvest. Granted, by year’s end, the various bundles are not as fresh as they were last July, and yes, they are a little dusty. But when I walk by and pinch a few blossoms between my fingers, they still emit a quietly lucid, pleasingly sharp aroma that makes me inhale a little deeper and smile.

So this year when my lavender blues took hold and I couldn’t bear to part with my old bunches, I got creative. Instead of gritting my teeth and throwing out all of last year’s harvest, I repurposed all those stately sprigs. I stripped each stalk of the blossoms and collected them in a jar, dispersing a few cobwebs in the process. There were enough to fill a gallon jar, which sits on top of the dryer. I’ve never been a big fan of dryer sheets – I’m always a little suspect about exactly what chemicals are in them. And now the spent blossoms have greater longevity as dryer balls! I wrap up a healthy handful of blossoms in a piece of cheesecloth and secure it, ever so elegantly, with a simple piece of twine. They tumble amongst my dainties, infusing them with the last remaining wafts of aromatherapy and making me happy all over again.

Before there was a neighborhood pharmacy with the Rx sign outside, there was nature. For eons women have relied on traditional knowledge of herbal remedies and plant medicine. This knowledge has been passed down from great-grandmother to grandmother to mother to daughter, as women have used herbs to comfort and support the common discomforts of pregnancy and childbirth. When combined with the safety and assurances of contemporary evidence-based research, traditional herbal medicine is a natural way to ease everything from morning sickness to swollen feet.

Here are some safe herbal ways to nurture, comfort and soothe yourself, whether you’re expecting a baby or not! Be sure to choose organic herbs whenever possible, both externally and internally, to help reduce exposure to potentially harmful pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

Ginger

Feeling queasy? Ginger root is a time-tested comfort for nausea of any kind, and research supports its safe use during pregnancy. Fresh ginger can be used as a tea, and even candied ginger can help. Ginger essential oil is wonderful in an aromatherapy spray for a quick spritz of relief. It’s even safe to use for queasy, carsick kids and for anyone during flu season.

Swollen balloon-art feet and alarmingly expanding ankles are common in pregnancy, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. Those hard working feet are carrying an extra load, so they deserve a warm footbath, with plenty of salt and soothing, aromatic and antifungal herbs like lavender and yarrow. Salt used externally soothes, refreshes, and can help ease swelling. But extra salt in a pregnant mama’s diet is a no-no!

Bottoms are a sore subject with lots of mamas-to-be and brand new moms as well. Witch hazel leaves and bark are naturally astringent and help shrink hemorrhoids both before and after the baby arrives. For episiotomy or perineal bruising and tears, look for wound healing, antibacterial and antifungal wonders like calendula, plantain, or yarrow in external balms and sprays.

Stretching, itchy skin expanding to accommodate the brand new occupant is another pregnancy reality. One of the best ways to prevent stretching or scarring is to keep yourself well hydrated, inside and out. Massage on a light, organic oil or lotion with herbs like anti-inflammatory chamomile and wound-healing calendula to help ease the itching that stretching skin causes, and make you less prone to stretch marks.

So little room, so little digestion! Pregnant or not, heartburn is a very familiar problem. Gooey, coating marshmallow root and soothing digestive herbs like chamomile and lemon balm are well loved for their ability to turn down the heat. An herbal tea made from these herbs and a sprig of spearmint makes a deliciously soothing cup of tea.

Oatstraw

It’s the third trimester and time to tone the uterus! Red Raspberry leaf is a time honored third trimester herb to help prepare the uterus to show up for the big day and perform like a champ. Stinging Nettle is high in iron, which is essential since a pregnant woman’s blood volume is increasing daily. Her body also needs an extra dose of calcium since it is building a little someone’s teeth and bones. Calcium is naturally calming. Since oats are high in calcium, help yourself to a nutritious bowl of oatmeal or enjoy a calming cup of Oatstraw tea.

A wee bit nervous? Chamomile, lemon balm and of course oatstraw are reliable soothers, and can be steeped into a calming tea that settles busy minds any time, not just during pregnancy. (Note: People with allergies to plants in the asteraceae (daisy) family should not use chamomile.)

The way an herb is used — its concentration and whether or not it’s used topically or internally — can be as important as which herbs are used. (See 20 Herbs To Avoid During Pregnancy) A little sprinkle of herbs in small culinary amount can be just fine, while too much of a good thing can be problematic. For example, an herb like oregano is perfectly safe when eaten in small culinary amounts in your spaghetti sauce. But highly concentrated oregano essential oil should not be ingested during pregnancy. In other words, don’t ignore your innate mama-wisdom. But when in doubt about, consult a healthcare provider who is knowledgeable about the use of herbs in pregnancy.

It’s a lot of work growing a miracle! Pregnancy is pretty impressive work and deserves a round of applause. It’s key to remember that the discomforts of pregnancy are temporary, and common. And best of all, they can be safely soothed using nature’s herbal gifts.

20 Herbs to Avoid During Pregnancy

• Aloe
• Blessed Thistle
• Comfrey
• Ephedra
• Fennel
• Fenugreek
• Feverfew
• Goldenseal
• Horsetail
• Juniper
• Lady’s Mantle
• Licorice
• Nutmeg
• Oregano Oil
• Oregon Grape
• Pennyroyal
• Rue
• Sage
• Senna
• Thyme Oil

Last week I took a much needed working vacation and it was perfect. The very first day, during a break in the rain storms, I was greeted by a hungry baby bird in the vegetable garden who hopped around at my feet asking for breakfast. Thank goodness for my compost pile and ready access to a handful of worm for the fluttery, open-mouthed baby.

He was an demanding little thing and his mama was nowhere in sight. After a good meal, he continued to flutter and beg, insisting on being served seconds. Hoping he’d fend for himself, I picked him up and put him in the bird feeder, but he wasn’t having any of it.

Day #2: The chives are just starting to open up along with the azaleas, rhododendrons and dogwoods.

I took advantage of the time to make myself a salad of freshly picked baby greens, chickweed, spring peas, lemon thyme and chive blossoms, and it was delicious.

Day #3 I made organic apple cider vinegar infused with pregnancy herbs for salad dressings. Even though it only had a day or so to extract flavors, it is already tasty! I used dandelion roots and leaves, iron-rich nettles leaves from the plants that haven’t already flowered, uterine tonic red raspberry leaves and oniony chive blossoms.

I had such a good time, going from one project to the next. When it was raining I made veggie chili and cornbread and a big batch of granola (my husband’s favorites), and I  finished the last two chapters of the book I was reading. And when the sun came out, I went back outside and shoveled gravel for the walkway.

I planted wildflower seeds along the drive. And when it poured down rain, I had to abandon my sad little garden cart and wait under the cedars for another sun break.

I straightened the tilting birdhouses…

…and weeded the front herb garden where the lady’s mantle, meadowsweet, echinacea, St. John’s wort and motherwort grow. Then I weeded, weeded and weeded some more.

Oh sure, I checked in at work a time or two,

but I got to play in the rain, make tinctures and vinegars, feed a baby bird, and be in my garden. It was glorious.

This weekend I saw a Facebook post about a woman who was banned from a public place in Washington for breastfeeding her baby. And then today, Facebook decided to delete one of the two breastfeeding pictures on Earth Mama’s Facebook page.

I don’t consider myself a militant. Or a lactavist. I’ve always tried very hard to make a place for everyone to make their own well informed decisions. My decision has unwaveringly been that breastfeeding was the best for my babies. But now I’m mad. And I feel like it was the last straw before I donned my militancy hat. Brace yourself.

This picture is me nursing my firstborn in 1974. I breastfed my two babies for a combined total of 5 ½ years. And I can honestly say never once in that time did it ever even enter my mind that it was somehow inappropriate. When I went out of the house and my son was hungry, I fed him. If my daughter was tired and hungry, she ate and then napped. Simple.

My husband never once faltered in his support. He unfailingly helped me find a place to sit, someplace quiet if the nursling needed to sleep. There wasn’t a lot of thought or planning or even, thank goodness, fear of public rejection. I never even considered an alternative. Nor did I stay sequestered because I might have to deal with a hungry baby while in the middle of the grocery store. I believe I thought that was one of the benefits of taking “lunch” along with me.

This issue has obviously been discussed time and again. People line up on one side or the other, ready to vehemently state their opinion about whether women are endowed with breasts as physical attributes that engender sexual pleasure, or as functional glands to feed their young. Aren’t they both? I have to confess that this argument confounds me, even to this day.

What are breastfeeding women supposed to do? Do they sequester themselves at home to avoid having to feed their baby in public? Do they think ahead and plan the day? Do you not leave the house until your baby is weaned? What happens if you have to run to the store for toilet paper? Hire a babysitter to give your baby a bottle in your absence?

Some people can’t handle it nursing in public, but should that be a the mother’s problem? If your husband’s squeamish friends are over, or if you’re in the Stop-n-Shop and your baby is hungry, cover yourself.  But feed your baby. I suspect Mrs. Neanderthal never considered options.

It’s that time of the year again. Oh sure, you’re probably thinking I reference cheerful, festive preparations with tinsels and bows, lights and carols. But no, it’s time for Earth Mama’s annual organic inspection, and believe me, the process is no holiday. With so many companies blithely tossing around the “O” word, we think it’s important to show what being a certified organic manufacturing company really entails. Welcome to the Annual Organic Inspection!

The purpose of an organic inspection is to have an objective third party examine a manufacturer’s facility. An independent inspector is hired by Quality Assurance International, Earth Mama’s certifier. Together they tell you if your processes are compliant with the USDA NOP and NSF organic standards. But not to tell you HOW to comply with them. Translation – while our inspector, John was fantastic, he can’t “consult” with you. That means he is happy to tell you if you’re doing something wrong, but he can’t tell you exactly how to do it right. You’re on your own for that.

A random box of tea is plucked merrily from the shelf and processing from raw material to production to shipping is documented every step of the way. And to assure that customers know exactly what they are buying, all product labels are inspected for language of organic claims.

And as the dusk settles over the land, and people leave the building for home, Mr. Inspector is juuuuust wrapping things up.  The piles of papers have been refiled, the notebooks back on the shelves. After weeks of rescheduling, hours of scrutiny, and another year of making sure everything is right with our organic world, Earth Mama is once again awarded the grand prize: the coveted Organic Certificate of Compliance.

Breastfeeding is the natural way to nurture a new baby, but sometimes the Milk of Momness needs Mother Nature’s help to flow freely. Galactagogues (‘galact’ or ‘galacto’ is the Greek prefix that means milk, and the suffix ‘agogos’ means flow) are nature’s herbal gifts to lactating women, and have been used for centuries to help increase milk supply. Herbal galatagogues can help stingy milk flow from healthy mama to healthy baby.

Anise Seed (Pimpinella Anisum) is a culinary spice and a digestive herb that helps dispel gas and relieve indigestion and nausea as well as increase milk flow. According to the German Commission E, it is used in combination with Fennel seed and Caraway seed for dyspeptic conditions and gastrointestinal discomfort.

Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a bitter tasting herb that is often used in galactagogue teas and tinctures. The bitters stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juices. There is also much historical evidence that it helps increase breast milk. Blessed Thistle should not be consumed during pregnancy.

Chaste Tree (Vitex) has historically been used to treat everything from hangovers to flatulence and fevers to increasing breastmilk production. It has also been studied for reducing the symptoms of PMS and menopause.

Goat’s rue (Galega officinalis) has been recommended by the German commission E for its use as a galactagogue. Its galactagogue properties were first noted to effectively increased milk in goats. It is used by nursing mothers and by farmers to increase milk production in their livestock. It grows so aggressively that it is now classified as a noxious weed. Goat’s rue should not be confused with Rue (Ruta graveolens), which is used in primitive cultures as a powerful uterine stimulant and abortifacient.

Fennel Seed (Foeniculum vulgare) is shown to increase milk production in goats and has long been used as a galactagogue by breastfeeding women. This licorice-tasting herb is also used as a digestive aid that can help to soothe a colicky breastfed baby and ease postpartum discomfort. It is contraindicated (do not use) during pregnancy.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is one of the herbs most often used to help increase breast milk supply. Its sweet/spicy flavor is popularly used in a variety of culinary dishes, including Indian curry. It is used to help soothe digestion and is well documented to effectively decrease cholesterol and blood sugar as well as increasing breast milk supply. It is generally recognized as safe, although because of its ability to stimulate the uterus, it is not for use during pregnancy. Large amounts of fenugreek can cause maple syrup like odor in the sweat, milk and urine and it should be avoided by people with asthma or an allergy to chickpeas.

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) is a liver protecting seed that has demonstrated has liver protecting qualities and has even been used to successfully treat mushroom poisoning. This marvelous little seed has recently been shown to interfere with the promotion and progression of prostate, breast and endocervical tumor cells. A very recent study documented that women using milk thistle had significant increase in breast milk over the population using a placebo.

Nettle (Urtica dioica) is a deliciously nutritive vegetable that contains easily digestible iron, calcium, vitamin K, and folic acid, and is a wonderful pregnancy tonic. Traditional wisdom supports its safe use during lactation to increase breast milk as well as for providing nutritive support for the nursing mother.

Red Raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus) is also a richly nutritive uterine tonic herb, high in minerals that helps support and strengthen postpartum and breastfeeding women.

If you can’t find reputable organic herbs, or don’t know your tincture from your tisane, a blended galactagogue tea like Organic Milkmaid Tea is probably your best bet. Sipping a soothing cup of tea is a great way to relax and take care of yourself, and encourage your incredible body to do what it naturally knows how to do.

Everyone wants the best for their baby, from breast milk’s disease fighting antibodies to its reputation for lowering risk of ear infection, asthma and childhood obesity, and nothing matches the bonding and precious together time that breastfeeding provides. With herbal help from Mother Nature, low breast milk is no reason to quit.

Bibliography

1. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines, Ed. Mark Blumenthal, et. al.,The American Botanical Council, Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998.
2. European Scientific Cooperative On Phytotherapy Monographs, The Scientific Foundation for Herbal Medicinal Products, Argyle House, 2nd ed. 2003
3. The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs, Mark Blumenthal, 1st ed. 2003, The American Botanical Council
4. Botanical Safety Handbook, Ed. Michael McGuffin, et. al. American Herbal Products Association, CRC Press, 1997
5. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions, Third Edition, Francis Brinker, N.D., Eclectic Medical Publications, 2001
6. Di Pierro F, Callegari A, Carotenuto D, Tapia MM. Clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of BIO-C (micronized silymarin) as a galactagogue. Acta Biomed. Dec 2008;79(3): 205-210.
7. The Nursing Mother’s Herbal, Sheila Humphrey, BSc, RN, IBCLC, 1st ed, Nov 2003 Fairview Press
8. Medical Herbalism, The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine, David Hoffmann, FNIMH, AHG, Copyright 2003 Healing Arts Press
9. Clinical Applications of Herbal Medicine, Paul D. Barney, M.D., 1996, Woodland Publishing
10. The Essential Guide To Herbal Safety, Simon Mills and Kerry Bone, Copyright 2005, Elsevier Churchill Livingstone, Inc.
11. The Way of Chinese Herbs, Michael Tierra, L.Ac., O.M.D., Copyright 1998, Simon & Schuster, Inc.
12. A Natural Guide to Pregnancy and Postpartum Health, Dean Raffelock, D.C., Dipl.Ac., CCN, Robert Roundtree, M.D., et. Al., Copyright 2002, Penguin Putnam, Inc.

Halloween approaches, and as the harvest moon casts an eerie pall over the land, our thoughts turn to all things dastardly and mysterious. The days are becoming shorter, the skies darken, and the wind kicks up, pulling the dead, wet leaves to the ground. As trees creak and groan and things go BUMP in the night, it’s the time when the Dark Garden Flourishes.

 Pale skin? Dilated pupils? That was the beauty of another age when women poured the decocted juice from Atropa Belladonna into their eyes. But this was dangerous business indeed. While that fragile, flight-or-fight appearance was de rigueur, it was also the epitome of toxic cosmetics. The wives of Emperor Augustus and Claudius used Deadly Nightshade to pluck and to poison their foes. All parts of this shade loving plant are potently lethal – the roots, the temptingly sweet, shiny black berries and even the leaves.   

Monk’s Hood lurks in the shade, it’s pretty blue flowers a perfect disguise for danger. One is well advised to be respectful of Aconite Aconitum napellus. When used in Chinese medicine, the bulbs are processed and steamed nine times, sliced and dried to remove the highly toxic alkaloids. But beware – If you accidentally steam them just six times… let’s just say Monk’s Hood will make heads roll!

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is not normally considered a shade-loving plant. But in my garden it flourishes in the sun and in the shade. I suspect that it curries favor with the Aconite and Belladonna because in large doses, its cardiac stimulants can be considered a poison, the pink bell-shaped blossoms ringing a death knell to careless partakers.   

Lungwort, Pulmonaria officinalis, though perhaps not deadly, is gruesomely at home in the dark. Lungwort’s elongated leaves have little white spots that resemble a diseased lung. It grows next to its poisonous cousins in the shade garden, never suspecting that, potential toxic flavanoids, it’s merely an unsightly sidekick.

Why grow these hideous herbs, you query? Because, I answer, knowledgeably grown and harvested, they quietly bring balance to the plants that flourish in the sunlight. And treated with respect, these poisonous posies medicinally deliver a medicinal treat instead of a gruesome trick.

 Mwahahahahaha….Happy Halloween!

Over the last many years, we’ve been nurturing and providing safe haven for the wild birds and squirrels that live in our organic gardens. We think their presence represents a valuable contribution for the ecosystem. We have carefully fed and protected the shyest wild pigeons, woodpeckers, finches, doves, nuthatches and chickadees.

Then the neighbors got a new cat. And despite my vociferous attempts to dissuade him, the cat has decided that our bird feeder is the best place on the planet for a nap – and an aviary snack.

We tried sprinkling cayenne pepper around the base of the feeders. We tried a well-aimed squirt gun and light-triggered inaudible cat deterrents. And yet  the cat’s favorite perch seems to be literally inside the bird feeder. In desperation, I wrapped the pole of his favorite hang out in bubble wrap and duct tape, and expected to hear a series of pops and yowls. Nope. Now he  just leaps the elegant plastic and tape gauntlet in a single bound and lounges in the tray on top of the cracked sunflower seeds. Sigh. Next…

I just picked some fresh basil and it smells so good, I can’t stand myself.  The smell of freshly picked basil is sharp, bright and almost resinous. It’s distinctively glorious. I have a huge handful of those smooth, shiny leaves to sprinkle over the fresh green beans and goat cheese we’re having for dinner. I wish I could wave my herb-scented hand in front of your face and have you smell the magic. There’s no kidding around or going halfway with the smell and the taste of basil. Either you like it or you don’t.  And I happen to love it.

In Oregon, one has to take advantage of fresh produce and herbs when they are in season, because the growing season isn’t very long. So when the garden is producing, whatever’s ripe is pretty much what’s for dinner.

If I had to choose my favorite meal, I’d say a just picked, still warm from the sun tomato, lemon cucumber, basil and cream cheese sandwich, all jam packed into a piece of whole wheat pita bread. I’m not sure if I invented it, or if it’s a well-known thing. But I’ll tell you that it’s a summer meal that I look forward to the moment I plant the spring garden. And for some reason, it tastes sigh-worthy when eaten while standing in the garden, leaned over with the juices dripping down your arm.

I understand the correct way to chop basil is to slice it with the leaves rolled up into a ball and thinly sliced horizontally called chiffonade. I know because I saw it on the cooking channel, and we all know that’s the ultimate authority for all things kitchen. One doesn’t have to be a culinary expert, however, to enjoy fresh basil on or in  everything from pizza to pasta, cocktails to canapes.

One of my best friends refers to the smell of fresh picked basil as orgasmic. I’m just saying.