Sunflower Apothecary Farm

Friends that love sunchokes: I have a bumper crop this year... Waaaaaaay more than I can use. Message me if you want to come get some!

There's some great research here that has guided my elderberry syrup process. My goal: to extract and preserve the best medicinal properties.

I steam juice fresh elderberries- I NEVER use dried elderberries for syrup. Then, I infuse the fresh juice with other ingredients overnight in the refrigerator. After 24 hours of infusing, I gently heat, strain, add honey, and water-bath can for 5 minutes. Why? Because the shelf-stable product will stay fresh until you need to use it, and research has demonstrated that there is only 10% loss of medicinal benefit by a 10-minute water bath can.

The added benefits of having a shelf stable product to bring to market outweigh the very small loss of properties by a 5 minute boil.

The takeaway if you make your own syrup: Don't boil away all the goodness. If you need to use dried elderberries, you can rehydrate and soak those at room temperature or even in the refrigerator. Keep your heat to a minimal, and you will preserve the most medicine!

https://cedarmountainherbs.com/the-truth-about-elderberries/?fbclid=IwAR2nyen0kAsMzNt21y5_GmnsVSPUXqDolU3XHhdwOAu-KfSOuusJ-W-pByY

Gorgeous day for a market!!

I've made two kinds of bath salts, one for relaxing and one for muscle aches, for market tomorrow!!

There's a cool in the air... It's time for fire cider! What is fire cider? It's an amazing folk remedy for colds and flu. There are a lot of ways to make it, but the base starts with the goodness of garlic, onion, horseradish, ginger, turmeric, lemon, orange, and cayenne.

I add rosemary, oregano, thyme, rose hips, astragalus, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and juniper berries. It all steps in raw apple cider vinegar for at least a month, then I filter and add raw honey.

Take it anytime you feel a little under the weather, or as a daily nutritional boost! Available at the market this Saturday, our in the online shop!

WSFM & Bootstrap Coffees Pumpkin Patch Market!

Hey friends!! Saturday is the West Side Market Finale at Bootstrap Coffee Roasters, from 12-4pm. I hope to see you there!

WSFM & Bootstrap Coffees Pumpkin Patch Market! Sat Oct 23 2021 at 12:00 pm, Enjoy a warm beverage and support local farmers and artisans by shopping local for your fall festivities! See your favorite vendors from the West Side Farmers Market, enjoy Bootstrap's delicious fall drinks, and pick your perfect pumpkin! Get $1 off eac

It's fire cider time! What's fire cider, you ask? It's an amazing infusion of immune-boosting super foods, steeped in apple cider vinegar, with raw honey. You can add it to juice, or take it like a shot, whenever you feel like you need a boost. I've made my own handcrafted, small-batch recipe with organic ingredients for several years.

Read more about this favorite here: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-fire-cider-recipes-from-the-kitchn-199972

I'm taking pre-orders for both spicy and non-spicy varieties. They will be ready by the end of October! Order here: https://forms.gle/B6i2cbxZbaLNBLHR8

Come visit me at West Side Farmers Market this morning! It's a beautiful day out here. 😘

Goldenrod Tincture: A Sinus Formula for Allergies, Colds, and Flu

I make a goldenrod tincture based on this recipe. Read more about how goldenrod can be used! Also, I have a glycerite for those who prefer alcohol-free formulas, which is great for kids too!

Goldenrod Tincture: A Sinus Formula for Allergies, Colds, and Flu This goldenrod tincture blend is helpful as an internal remedy for sinus congestion due to seasonal allergies, head colds, or sinus infections.

Just finished a fresh batch of dog paw salve! It's an emollient salve for dry pupper paws, including h**p seed oil, coconut oil, calendula, lavender, and plantain, beeswax, and vitamin E. My testers approve.

We will be at the https://www.facebook.com/WestSideFarmersMarket/?ti=as Saturday!! Hope to see you there!

Late season harvest of echinacea flowers and leaves destined for a whole-plant tincture. Roots to be added in a couple weeks!

Handcrafted herbal goods for your health by SunflowerApothecare

Drumroll Please... The Etsy Shop is NOW OPEN! It's called "Sunflower Apothecare"- Don't worry- you're in the right place. Apparently "Sunflower Apothecary" was already taken. Take a look around- I welcome any shop critiques. I'm new to this whole Etsy thing.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SunflowerApothecare?ref=l2-about-shopname

Handcrafted herbal goods for your health by SunflowerApothecare You searched for: SunflowerApothecare! Discover the unique items that SunflowerApothecare creates. At Etsy, we pride ourselves on our global community of sellers. Each Etsy seller helps contribute to a global marketplace of creative goods. By supporting SunflowerApothecare, you’re supporting a sma...

Evening Primrose — Kiva Rose

Today's harvest : Evening primrose, for a whole-plant tincture, to be combined with mullein for lung support and with a couple other herbs to support people with PCOS and menstrual challenges. (I have the yellow flowers...)

Evening Primrose — Kiva Rose Evening Primrose is most popularly known in its seed oil form frequently sold in health food stores for its high gamma-linolenic acid content. While I’ve seen the commercially produced oil be very useful for many people, what I’ll be talking about here is the whole plant, including leaves, buds,...

Beautiful morning to be out at the market!! Come have coffee and listen to some of the live music, and shop a bit!

Also at market this weekend: elderberry syrup! I make my syrup from fresh berries, never dehydrated. This produces an amazing concentrated juice full of immune-boosting goodness. Also available in the online shop!

Cherry vanilla jam... With real vanilla bean paste! This is an all-time customer favorite. Coming to the market Saturday.

Just a handful of the calendula blossoms I'm picking every day. Calendula is so beautiful!

Sunflower Apothecary Farm added a View Shop button to their Page.

Sunflower Apothecary Farm added a View Shop button to their Page.

The effect of drought on our micro farm (in MN) is real... Even with supplemental watering, the elderberries are thirsty and dry. Some of my plants that are dry-farmed are really suffering. We have a harvest, but less than usual. Hopefully this rain will help them get ready to make it through winter.

Hi friends, unfortunately I need to cancel my spot at market this coming Saturday (8/7). I broke my elbow yesterday and need some healing time. See you on 8/21!

20 Inspiring Ways To Use Marshmallow Root – Herbal Academy

Marshmallow is one of my most favorite plants. We have it growing in abundance. I use it in skin and lip products and in tea for Sean's occasional heart burn. This is a great read on the history and uses for marshmallow!! (Spoiler, the plant doesn't grow fluffy, white, sticky puffs of goo.)
I also have plants for sale, if you want to grow some yourself!!

20 Inspiring Ways To Use Marshmallow Root – Herbal Academy Did you know that marshmallows, those sweet, fluffy treats that are popular for roasting at bonfires, were originally made from the root of a beautiful plant? Marshmallow is a versatile root that can be used in teas, tinctures, and hair balms as well as to create delicious marshmallow treats. Here a...

We're OPEN!!

We're makin' the signs! Huge thank yous to my sign-idea crew!!

Shout out to Potter's Pasties, my friends lending me some commercial kitchen space for my tincture-making!! supporting !!

The Joy of Harvesting and Using Elder Flowers

Elderberries are one of my staple ingredients. This is a lovely description of how to use the flowers as well! You can find me, with products using elderberry and elderflower at the West Side Farmers Market this Saturday (July 24th)!

The Joy of Harvesting and Using Elder Flowers Elder is named appropriately, surrounded by mystery, magic, and superstition. Using elder flowers can be done in cosmetics, food, or medicine.

I've been up to my elbows in Nettle today, with these cool new sleeves from Farmers Defense . I was totally accurately targeted by their Facebook ad. 😂😂
They survived the nettles test, but I think they would snag on woodier thorns like black raspberry or rose. Still, I give them a thumbs up for the price, and honestly the design is cool enough to just wear.

https://www.facebook.com/386352341547541/posts/1826077910908303/

Herbalist Brandon Ruiz amidst the glory of black cohosh in bloom.
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Brandon is a community herbalist and urban farmer living in Charlotte, NC. He runs Atabey Choreto Medicinals and directs the CLT Herbal Accessibility Project—a community-inspired network of food and medicine gardens that reflect local relationships with ancestral plants.
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The gardens include plants from Central America, Japan, Laos, Polynesia, India, and more. Brandon himself works mainly with culturally-significant plants of the tropics, specifically those from the Caribbean and Boriken (Puerto Rico), his ancestral homeland.
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Collectively, we must continue elevating and amplifying Black, Indigenous, and People of Color herbalists, foragers, and growers in our community and beyond. There are SO many and we will continue to highlight them here.
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We want to have meaningful connections with the folks we follow on social media, and this means supporting their work and livelihoods. If you follow folks like Brandon, please also buy their books and products, take their classes, and donate to their work.
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You can donate to the CLT Herbal Accessibility Project and learn more about their work via their website:
https://www.cltherbalaccessibilityproject.org/donate-sponsor
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Donations will fund occupied gardens (seeds, plants, soil etc), the purchasing of medicine making equipment and materials, and outreach to get this medicine to the people to who need it the most.
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📷 via Brandon Ruiz https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=clt%20herbal%20accessibility%20project

Today, a friend asked me what I've been able to harvest myself so far, vs having to purchase.
It's a great question, so here's the list of things I've been able to grow and/or wild harvest from trusted friends' land:

Catnip, lavender, hops, yarrow, goldenrod, elderflower, elderberry, red raspberry leaf, forsythia, dandelion, plantain, nettles, mullein, lemon balm, calendula, red clover, blackberry leaf, marshmallow leaf and root, comfrey leaf and root, cleavers, burdock root, rose, rose hips, basil, sage, chive flowers, garlic, pineapple sage, oregano, balsam fir, rosemary, prickly lettuce, and motherwort!

Drumroll please.... Introducing The Clucks and Quacks Owie Balm! Specially formulated for soothing chicken (and other feathered friend) owies!

Made with neem oil and sweet almond oil infused with chicken-safe organic plantain, calendula, marshmallow root, and mullein, lavender and beeswax. 1 oz containers, $8.

We don't have our own chickens anymore, but we love feathered friends!!

Meow! We've got you covered, kitties! Fresh and dried catnip will be available on market days!! This is kitty-tested and approved!

Did you know catnip is also useful for humans? It has calming, soothing properties and makes a great tea.

Contact me if you want some sooner!

(Don't worry doggos, I've got something up my sleeve for you. Chickens too!)

Grateful for the rain

Here's my with cherries! He picks, pits, and of course samples for quality control.

We'll be making our famous cherry vanilla jam for market!!

There is nothing quite so satisfying as pulling yards and yards of quack grass roots. The cooler weather gave me the opportunity to clear this new space.

Now, what to plant at this point in the summer?

The lavender is coming along nicely!! She loves the heat we've had! Really hopeful we can sample lavender lemonade at the Farmers Market this year!

The elders are blooming! These are drying for use in a tincture to support relief from seasonal pollen. And, elderflower cordial!