Grow Medicine For The Future

Bloodroot

We are now in a new era.  Life has taken a paradym shift and will not be the same.  As the scriptures say, "…if you put your hands to the plow, don't look back".
So how do we navigate unknown paths?   It is time for creative thinking and a new way of looking at life.  That would include how we look at medicine and where we get it.  As well as learning to grow our backyard gardens and raised beds, container gardens and microgreen beds; we may want to make space for our commonly used medicinals.  We need to start thinking ahead so that when there are shutdowns, or inventories of needed items are depleted, we have some access of our own that has been put away.  As you prepare your canning, freezing and drying methods for the summer; don't forget your medicinals.
Whether you are collecting medicinals in summer when they can be found in the wild, or growing them in beds and pots in your backyard, access will be key.  If you dry your herbs and wild edibles in a simple food dryer on low settings, you can place them in glass jars in your cupboards for use later when you have time to tincture or make them into salve.  I always try to keep some dried material on hand to make tea formulas which can be just as medicinal; making sure always to replenish the following summer with new and viable material.
Choose the herbs that your family needs for specific issues like allergies and blood pressure as well as those for first aid for cuts, bruising and the common cold.  And don't forget the anti bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-virals.  The preventatives are as important as those for immediate need.  And don't forget your kitchen herbs.  Some of them can be just as potent as the specific remedy herbs. Every family has a different needs list depending on whether you have children, elderly members or a specific chronic ailment. 
Herbs can be grown in pots or along house foundations; in little nooks and crannies of your property, under trees for shade, as part of the landscape or in a bed of their own.  And you will be surprised as you are close enough to keep an eye on them in all their seasons, just what you will learn about the plant kingdom.

Seed Saving
Just a quick note if you are into seed saving.  There are seed saving "banks" in many parts of the country where people keep and trade seeds and varieties.  You may or may not know that seeds labeled "heirloom" are seeds that are not treated with any suppressive chemicals or crossbred so that they cannot reproduce in kind.  Heirloom seeds can be saved from our own produce, dried, stored and used again.  If seed shortages are going to become a problem in your area, you may want to look for these varieties so that you always have your own ongoing supply.  You just have to make sure you save some plants out at the end of the growing season, so you don't eat them all and collect your next years seed source.

---