In preparation for the upcoming Hanukkah, I was asked to come and speak to a group of lovely gardeners who operate anthroposophical gardens.
In the company of the country. I am publishing the summary for the benefit of other kindergarten teachers who want to enrich their children and develop more interests in them,
Or for the benefit of mothers who want to share with their children the beauty that is around us.
Drying plants from the garden -
Will be used to prepare a herbal tea mixture, herbal tincture for eating, or herbal infusion
As a base for external use or to prepare an ointment.
The plant should be picked and dried for about a week in a ventilated place. After that, it can be transferred to jars.
Plants and edible oil
Winter herbal tea and storage -
White thyme, rosemary, lemongrass, sage, chamomile
Plants for the mixture, it is not necessary to be too careful about separating leaves and stems, but it is advisable to at least cut the plant.
into pieces (by hand or with scissors) before drying.
You can keep plants separately or mix several types and create a wonderful mixture for a healthy winter.
A pinch of hyssop to be used as a side dish or as a spread for eating
Pick hyssop (you can from the garden or you can go on a field trip and pick it),
Check for small insects and snails that cling to the
When the hyssop is dry, you can separate the leaves very carefully. This is a great job for children.
Place dried hyssop in a jar and fill with olive oil to the top.
You can add garlic, salt, and black pepper.
The mixture is ready to eat immediately but improves with time.
Can be stored for up to several months outside the refrigerator.
You can put a small jar on the table and encourage children to add to their smoothie or salad.
It also strengthens the immune system and is good as a preventative medicine for intestinal worms.
Pesto spread from the greens growing in the garden
This spread can be made from parsley, coriander, basil, thyme,
Use fresh, clean leaves.
Add plenty of olive oil to the green leaves, walnuts (optional), garlic, salt, pepper, and grind in a stick blender.
The mixture can be added as a dip at the table or added to dishes.
Can be kept in the refrigerator for about a week or frozen in small portions.
Plants and oils for external use
When preparing oils and ointments for external use, you can use oils or oil infusions.
Which we infused with dried plants to create an oil with healing and fragrant properties.
For this purpose, the following oils can be used:
Almond oil, grape seed oil, olive oil
Plants that can be soaked in oil -
Calendula (marigolds), chamomile, lavender, rosemary
Fill a jar with dried herb and add the oil. It is advisable to keep the tincture for about 3 weeks and filter it.
You can prepare Tashreet using the 'bain-marie' method, like melting chocolate, and then strain it.
In this case, the oil will be ready after about 4-5 hours of cooking over low heat in a bain-marie.
Calendula-
A medicinal herb for the skin, very suitable for use on children and babies, warming and gentle. Can be used as a baby massage oil or as a body oil.
Lavender-
A medicinal plant that regenerates skin tissue, has a pleasant and relaxing scent, and can be used as a massage oil or body oil.
chamomile-
A stomach-soothing oil that can be used as a stomach massage oil for children and babies.
rosemary-
Fragrant oil and good as a strengthening oil for hair roots. Suitable as a body oil for women but too strong for children and babies.
Making fragrant body oil
After filtering the oil from the plant, it is best to store it in a glass bottle, preferably dark.
You can add essential oils and create a wonderful mixture as a fragrant body oil, a nourishing facial oil, or a massage oil.
100 ml oil or ghee
30-50 drops of essential oil or essential oil blend.
Suitable for use-
Lavender, Geranium, Chamomile, Myrtle
Preparing an ointment
An excellent substitute for face or body cream, lip balm, and a great and empowering activity for children.
The ointment should be made from oil or herbal tincture oil and beeswax.
recipe-
100 ml oil (almond, grapeseed or olive) or sesame oil (as I explained above)
15 g beeswax
Cook in a glass or stainless steel container using the 'bain-marie' method until the wax melts.
Add about 30-50 drops of essential oils. Mix and pour into small jars. The mixture should harden within a few minutes and be ready to use after about two hours.
If the ointment is intended as a lip balm, add about 30 grams of beeswax per 100 ml of oil.