Author: witchcraftapothecary

Sorry it’s been so long since I checked in! I’ve been spending the spring taking a little time off from the garden and the herbs…just intervening enough to clear out the invasive annuals and get some trees and perennials in the ground while it’s raining. I did a lot of planting before the first rains, in keeping with my mission to over plant the yard with stand forming plants and get a layer of small trees growing in our back 40.

Here’s some photos of my garden from the third day of the third month! Also make sure to check in on my apothecary list as I’ll be updating it today! I just started pouring tinctures again today mostly, but I did a lot of work in fall and early winter setting things to steep…mostly focusing on nervines, adaptogens, bitters, and getting some of the last hanging berries of fall into menstrum <3.

 

 

I heard that the Korean market nearby had acorn flour….and what they have is acorn starch…which is a little different then the flour. But, I have a baking project and starch is just not going to do!

So I decided to go up into the hills and see what was left of the acorns. It’s pretty late in the season…but it was a really big acorn year following the rains. Luckily, I found some trees far enough away from the squirrels that still had lot of plump little acorns still on the mast.

These are Coast Live Oak acorns…one of the staple acorns of many indigenous people of the coastal west. Maybe when I get home I’ll make a post of how to leach the tannins and process them…

there’s something so satisfying about collecting acorns…and they’re SO YUMMY!

I missed the application for this years Queer Magic Makers event, and I was feeling a little like I’d missed a pretty good opportunity to work my own queer magic…especially after not being accepted to the East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Fair.

…but then I got a call from my friend Nia King that morning, about how she had too much table space and would I want to come and table with her! Of course I did! So I grabbed a few flats of plants, flowers, my zines, and my most utilitarian tinctures and drove over as the event opened!

This was the second time I’ve sold tinctures at an event, and the first event dedicated solely to that end. It’s also the first time I sell my plants! Which maybe means I’m on my way to one day opening my own nursery and wild, witch filled farm!

I should mention, that ‘selling’ is not what I’m about. I’m not about the capitalism that stands in the way of the equal and equitable sharing of resources. What I’m excited about, is seeing this as a step in my development as a healer, and opportunity to introduce others to the healing work of the plants themselves, and spread some of these native plants around…and to have my zine out there for other queer and trans people to find and access.

I think my zine, the yarrow plants, and bleeding heart tinctures really ruled the day.

Thanks to everyone I met and who supported my creative life and herbalism <3.

 

well, I suppose this is the least embarrassing photo of me from the workshop!

Thanks to everyone who came out to learn about medicinal California native plants <3. I was really only able to get to a few of the more obscure plants…but I learned a lot from everyone who shared their knowledge of the plants that were presented, and really appreciate the attention and space everyone gave me to share what I know about some of my favorite plants, their medicinal values, and how best to cultivate and propagate them.

Hopefully soon, we’ll have more workshops at Oaktown! I’m hoping an al POC lead botany event comes to pass, and a more in depth herbal medicine series that will tackle the really commonly unknown yet essential medicinal CA plants, and also a study solely on the craft of processing and making the plant medicines.

Thanks again ❤

 

find out more at:

https://www.gofundme.com/help-nicole-get-to-herb-school