Herbal Studies

hqueen13

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wish I had a buddy to study with, I don't do so well with regular "classroom" type learning structures.
 

rhoda_bruce

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Well our plan was I was going to officially go for the certification, but DH was going to be my buddy. I thought that was a good plan seeings as we have the same 7 days off and he is really knowledgeable about plants, growing thing, wildlife, etc....It hasn't much happened yet, but there is still time and now I have a text book, I'm pretty much finished with that he can have, unless I require it for checking back on something.
I would think someone can do this on their own, providing they have a keen interest in this kinda thing and a few good field guides. I was doing some independant studying on this subject prior to this official study. Anyone considering this might want to do the same. DH knew what all I was considering and surprised me with a few new field guides. We already had about 5 reference books relating to the subject, but I began checking out library books and re-borrowing them again and again, because I wasn't just breezing thru....I was trying to absorb them and taking notes and using the info to write things I wanted to obtain for emergencies and such. But all that was just sparking my interest. I was freaking out over case studies against meds that I have given to patients for years and apparently the herbals were comparable to them. But until I put my foot down and started playing with the recipes....trying to apply what I'm learning to cement it in, I didn't feel like the info was going to stick.
(oh man.....I wonder if 20 or so people claim they heard about the program from rhoda_bruce, if they would waive my fees...lol...it don't work that way...just kiddin)
 

hqueen13

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That is fantastic for you. I agree that there are a LOT of remedies out there that work BETTER than the majority of the drugs on the market. Mother nature knows. Working WITH her makes life sooooo much easier than trying to reinvent what she's already done!
Someday... it is on my todo list.
 

rhoda_bruce

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Half way thru studying for test #3. I think I'll continue, test and then hold off for about 2 weeks, while I concentrate on doing a few of the recipes and a little field work. I don't want to learn, learn, learn and not apply and have nothing cemented in.
I have what would be considered a huge yard, but small in farming terms....maybe an acre and 1/2. I already have garden space, some room devoted to bee keeping, a fairly large coop/barn, goose/duck pen and plain old yard. I think I could make my yard smarter. I"m thinking about using a form I have to make concrete walkways...kinda looks like stonework. DH is telling me we will have to have a truckload of sand to put the sand between the 'stones.' One way or the other, I am thinking I want to get started doing this soon, so I have less yard....more managed herb gardens...you get it right?: something easier to take care of.
I'm not sure exactly sure just how many herbs I want to start with. I suppose I'll start with very basic things and things that grow locally (free) and build from there. Kinda invisioning something in a courtyard type setting...something that will be pleasant to work and be in, as well as something that won't kill me when I get to be 30 years older.
Of course, I already have raised beds as my gardens, so I can start by making walkways around them and just add on as I venture out. So much easier to use raised beds. Always work to do.
 

hqueen13

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Pretty neat way to do it if you have the resources:
labeled-herb-spiral.png


http://frugalkiwi.co.nz/2012/01/building-a-herb-spiral/

http://frugalkiwi.co.nz/2012/04/herb-spiral-update/
 

rhoda_bruce

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That certainly is different. It would be an awesome conversation piece. Not sure I have enough bricks. I'll probably end up using bricks for some of my herbs, I have an old concrete double sink, I thought I'd use for something, and I'm toying with the idea of making planters out of old tires....tractor and standard. I know someone will tell me something about leaching problems with the tires. Its just a consideration and something readily available. If I get cancer, I highly doubt it that it will come to me from my garden.
I got all fired up yesterday. I was reading various remedies and one of them required ivy for swollen glands.....didn't specify the type. I really think its the common type I've seen all my life. But I could kick myself because a while back I had a nice one and don't know what happened to it. Just to be safe, I'll have to e-mail my instructor. Now I have to beg cuttings from my friends/relatives to start over. But if I start an ivy, I think I'd like to have other things growing with it.
Some of the plants that I want to grow as herbs might not be exactly what most people think on when they thinking about herbs. I plan on collecting some really strange seeds. I'm thinking about dandelion, elder, plantain, mullien, as well as the common herbs like garlic, sage, thymes, mints, catnip, stevia, etc....I'd feel like I'd like to keep some things separate, so I don't have any invasion problems. Would you believe that since I started studying, I only saw one single dandelion? And I'm hot after trying it (but its growing at a place, I'm not supposed to harvest from...grrr).
We have a lot of wildlife. And I have 9 more tests to go before I'm finished my current study, so I'm hoping that I can learn many useful things I could do with our extensive vegetation supply. I will be acquiring a nice piece of property, which has a lotta woods.....2 decent clearings and an orchard with about 100 orange trees of various types. I'm pretty sure I can transplant a lotta edible perineals that will take care of themselves as well as introduce some herbs, which I can tap into when needs arise.
I tell you what.....I almost wish I would get fired, so I'd have an excuse to do this full-time.
 

so lucky

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I tried to get fired for two years. I have this thing called conscience that kept me from trying hard enough to get it accomplished. I finally had to just up and quit.
 

rhoda_bruce

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Thats funny....:lol:
I'd consider quitting, eventually, if I do really good with this stuff and if I can see that by working, I'm actually losing out on more value at home. But I have a job that isn't even really a job, so for now, I'll stay put. Want to put myself in a way that it wouldn't kill me if I did have to do without a normal job though.....but then again, thats what we all are trying to do on this forum.
 

Wannabefree

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I'm doing without a normal job, not necessarily by choice at the moment. I say that to say...KEEP what ya got for now!
 
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