Journal

Orange Blossom Hydrosol 

May on the mountain; orange blossoms, honeybees, transplanting starts + distilling plants under the sun. We are fortunate to have a few mature, abundant orange and avocado trees on the property that we live on. They seem to thrive with the central coast's climate - thick morning fog that clears up by the afternoon. Protected by the winds, they are nestled above a small canyon that sits beneath them, along with mountains in either facing direction, and the ocean to the West. Both trees benefit from their fruits being harvested starting from January and...

Happy Spring Equinox! A time of new beginnings, growth + coming out of winter hibernation. The canyon in the springtime is full of new life. Walking the roads with Yarrow, I notice all of the native plants alongside the road that are starting to bloom; vetch, ceanothus, hedge nettle, yarrow, yuccas, echium, etc. The smells are so strong, especially after the rains. This is a great time of year to incorporate herbal teas into my daily routine more. I find that they help me slow down, are nourishing + aid with nervous system. I rarely drink caffeine so...

Sweet, fragrant Elderflowers begin to bloom in the canyon and across the central coast around early May. The dense clusters of tiny, white flowers are one of the great offerings from an Elder tree, for after the flowers bloom, Elderberries are soon to ripen. Both the flowers and berries have so many beneficial medicinal + healing properties. They are full of antioxidants, vitamins, anti-inflammatory, etc. They both can strengthen the immune system and are great to turn to when the body is feeling run down. When fighting a cold, flu or dealing with seasonal allergies, ingesting elderberry syrup/drinking...

March 21, 2023

For some time now I have been wanting to experiment with making homemade Kombucha since I drink it regularly along with herbal teas.

Kombucha is fermented tea with a history that dates back thousands of years. It's made by adding a SCOBY (a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria—similar to the vinegar "mother") to sweetened tea. After picking up a Scoby from one of our local stockists, Happy Girl Kitchen, I started my first batch. If you know someone who is currently making Kombucha, ask them for a Scoby to avoid buying one! I followed the...