Herbs R Us

[IdahoHerbalist]

I met Patrick online, what, 11 or 12 years ago (no, not one of THOSE sites!!!). It was actually an Irish Whistle site. When he found out we were thinking about moving to Idaho to be closer to our two older sons and would be coming to the Twin Falls area he invited us to visit and check out the Buhl area.

Well, we now live about 3 or 4 miles from Patrick and until recently attended church together. At first our friendship revolved around music, advanced to prepping and at some time in the last several years expanded to herbs and alternative healing.

When we first moved into our home 9 years ago (almost to the day) we had visions of a park like setting. We had access to water to make a waterfall, a year round creek with a pond already built. It was going to be SOOOOOO nice. Then the desert started telling us differently. We would clear an area of noxious weeds and the desert would send something else even MORE noxious to take its place.

THEN PATRICK CAME OVER.

No, can’t pull that because it is medicinal. So is THAT, and THAT. Oh, that one too.

So, we gave up and are in the process of creating a medicinal food forest. We have MANY established native and feral medicinal plants that were here or are now showing up. We are also putting in plants that can or should survive here. I am also experimenting with some of the really important herbs from back East: goldenseal , black cohosh, bloodroot, butterbur, wild yam to name a few. American Ginseng is HIGH on my list of new acquisitions. I just found a site that has them bare root for a REALLY good price. Time to build another Back East grow bed in my partial shade area by the pond.

I have even put in some production beds for echinacea, elecampane, milk thistle and still deciding what to put into the fourth section. Maybe dandelion?

We are now well over 100 identifiable medicinal plants on our 1.6 acre plot.

Patrick and I have collaborated on MANY important discoveries about herbs in this area. I think Teasel is probably the number one. Balsam Root is up there too. I think we make a really good team. He knows the terminologies and applications and I help with the ID and technical stuff. We hope you like the way we are setting up and running the forums.

Did you know that puncture vine, burr buttercup, MORNING GLORY and many other “noxious weeds” are medicinal?

Anyway, we are into this up to our eye balls and maybe even as high as I can reach.

Our new motto is “Don’t pull it until you have researched it!”

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

We’ll be visiting Steven’s spread during our June workshop. It really is a “must see”. He’s doing some cool stuff and really pushes the edge of the envelope on what can be grown out here in the desert.

Sorry about ruining your park. 🙄

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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