Hello herb friends! It’s raining here in the Midwest! FINALLY!!
We have been in a severe drought. It seems like every time there is rain in the forecast, it splits and goes right around us. Water bills have been high do to all of the watering of gardens and herbs here. Therefore, we are super grateful for this rain that started last night and has continued throughout the day.
So what types of herbs are available to us and do we grow? My youngest son and I forage around our property for elder, golden rod and other herbs that we may stumble across. I have been teaching him the proper way to identify plants. I have been letting him research to find out if they are plants we can use or plants we should stay away from. We have coined the term “touch me not”. Every new plant we come across is a “touch me not” until we have identified it and learned whether it can be beneficial or not. He has had a growing interest this year in foraging, but also in growing plants.
We have many plants in the greenhouse and herb gardens such as rosemary, thyme, lavender, ginger, oregano, echinacea, etc just to name a few. He has “his” plants that he takes care of as I have my plants. He is learning watering, fertilization, pollination and many other lessons in growing plants.
The reason I bring this up is that I feel it is important for the younger generations to become involved in growing and harvesting plants and herbs. I can count on my son to know what he needs when. For example he knows when he gets a bug bite that Plantain oil will relieve the itch. If he gets a cough that he will drink some of our mullein tea. He also frequently asks for Golden Seal salve for cuts.
Teaching our children not only helps them learn about the plants and their properties, but also brings us closer together. I believe that teaching my son about herbs this summer has decreased his screen time which I feel is a huge accomplishment these days in our society. So get out there with your family and enjoy what nature is providing for us!