Southern Indiana Homesteaders Association

02/07/2022

Hey y'all, us gardeners and herbalists are feeling the urge to get a move on with Spring activities. I (Shannon) wanted to remind you that our Seasonal Herb Classes are getting ready to start. Don't miss this opportunity! Limited space available due to small class sizes.

Sign-up for the Spring Seasonal Herb Class ends March 1 and we have a few spots left.

The seasonal herb classes are hands-on and interactive, classroom instruction each class, foraging to learn to identify medicinal herbs and fungi in our area, you will learn techniques for preservation and medicine making, you will have access to many medicinal herbs, students receive a detailed herbal manual that will become a keepsake for you and your family.

Sign-up ends on March 1st for the Spring class. Typically those who take the Spring class return for the Summer and Fall classes. Sign up soon so you don't lose this chance for 2022. Visit my website for more information.
https://www.walkinfloatout.org/seasonal-herb-classes

10/28/2021

Some of y’all may know that I’ve been writing an Herbal Reference Guide. I’ve been breaking down the individual monographs into PDF’s to sell. If you or anyone you know is interested in herbalism check them out or share with folks you know who are.

My Seasonal Herb Classes are now updated on my website for next year. I’m also offering them individually for those who can’t make it to the group classes, as well as my Herbal First Aid Class. They can be scheduled when it’s convenient for you at the Salon through the week or on Saturdays in the classroom at Willow. If interested let me know I can send more information or any pertinent links.

Shop Recipe eBooks | Gift Cards | Wheel of the Year eBooks | Herbs, Incense and Resins | Classes | Herbal Monographs | All Recipe eBooks Gift Cards Wheel of the Year eBooks Herbs, Incense and Resins Classes Herbal Monographs Valerian Herbal Monograph eBook 8.00 Yarrow Herbal Monograph eBook 5.00 Mug...

05/01/2021

Here's a new one for ya! Let's see how many have seen it.

Lyre Leaf Sage ~ Salvia lyrata

Its a perennial and belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It is native to Eastern and Central United States. This specimen was found in Harrison County, IN, while foraging.

Fun Bee Fact

Lyre Leaf Sage is especially loved by bees. The plant is designed with a platform on the lower lip of the flower, so when the bee in search of pollen, lands on the platform, the bee's weight tips the stamens, which dump their precious load of pollen all over the bee.

Power: Peace, Strength, Uplifting
Deity: Gaia, The Little People

The essence of this amazing overlooked medicinal particularly her flowers is uplifting, helpful in brightening the spirits when low and overworked, especially for those who ignore the call for rest. Moreover, this plant is for those who selflessly serve but ignore the call to serve themselves. Its applications are wide and varied, it can be used as a hydrosol, consumed as a tea, its essential oil diffused, decoction used in a ritual bath or its aerials burned when one needs to be more in tune with their innate need to rest and rejuvenate.

Edible Uses

Lyre Leaf Sage is closely related to Common Garden Sage with a milder taste, it is less earthy and musky compared to common sage, with a light minty flavor. Therefore, it can be used any way one would use any edible sage. Once used as a common pot-herb, used in many preparations in cooking, cooked or served raw, tossed in salads, the leaf or flower is edible. Can be used in stir-fry as well as using to cook tougher cuts of meat, it will help to tenderise and cut the otherwise long cooking times.
It is wonderful chopped and added to ground meat, or made into meatballs, used in tzatziki, used instead of mint for cocktails, made into syrup, cordials, and can be used for flavoring alcohol.

Medicinal Uses and Actions

Its herbal actions include; anxiolytic, anti-allergenic, anti-cancer, anti-diarrhea, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiviral, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, mildly laxative, nervine, restorative, stimulant, and tonic.

Its medicinal indications include; Internally, allergies, asthma, anxiety, canker sores, colds, cough, fever, flu, digestion issues, gently loosens phlegm in the lungs, mouth infections, nervous disorders, PMS, restorative for recovery of serious illness or surgery, and sore throat. Externally, infection, insect stings, poison ivy, scrapes, skin cancer, sores, venomous bites, warts, and wounds.

Photo Credit, Shannon Nava, 2021.

04/25/2021

I remember when we first moved into this little house and the yard was so barren. The yard has morphed in many ways. Here's a list of what we have now. 1875 square feet transforming into an urban oasis full of trees, fruit bearing trees and many perennial medicinal herbs.
https://siha.squarespace.com/blog/list-of-trees-and-perennials-on-the-homestead-2021

Trees/Shrubs American Plum Prunus americanus Apple Malus domestica (Jonamac) Elderberry Sambucus nigra Forsythia Forsythia suspensa  Highbush Cranberry Viburnum opulus V americanum L. Ait formerly Viburnum trilobum Katsura Maple Cercidiphyllum japonicum Silver Leaf Mapl

04/04/2021

03/31/2021

Looks like we’re going to have another great summer!

02/05/2021

Help me share this information. If you are interested please feel free to contact me, if you know someone who would love to take the class, be sure to share this post. I have 3 spots left.

The Spring Seasonal Herb Class is getting close. The deadline is March 1st for sign up to hold your spot.

I seen the importance of not only being able to identify the wild medicinals we encounter while foraging but also the information that goes along with it. New this year for 2021, the students will have access to a 500 page reference guide covering most, if not all, of the herbs that we will see while foraging. Also a secret bonus medicinal has been added to each season.

I really tossed around the idea of adding another herb, due to the fact, that each seasonal class is 48 hours in total, I wanted to make sure that everything was covered. Each class, each week is packed with hands on experience from the time you walk through the door until you leave each day.

Enjoy a sneak peek of the students manual.

01/14/2021

Come on over and join us ❤
https://www.facebook.com/groups/herbalroundtablestudygroup

01/13/2021

Anyone up for a FREE Foraging Workshop in early April?

01/03/2021

Faith or Fear?

We're no longer able to send seeds to Australia. The "Office of Biosecurity" destroys all seed shipments. It's a new thing. They used to allow through anything that was on the "White List," now they don't. On one level I'm rather relieved they've gotten rid of their white list, I always thought it was a wrong list and wrongly named. That aside, when I search myself about Australia destroying seeds, it makes me feel sad for the people who live there, that they can no longer purchase diverse seeds from abroad. I hope there are plenty of domestic sources for them to regreen the many burned acres. . .

"Biosecurity" is, in my book, on the fear side of things. One is concerned not about building healthy environment, one fears that something awful will come from abroad. I pray for the poor folks in biosecurity. Can't they find a better job than destroying the life force--must be depressing!

Faith is a lot more fun. I do have a lot of faith in the power of a seed to exert positive influence on environment--everyone and everything. Those of us that have access to seeds and dirt, and have the will power and the faith to put those things together, well, we're the lucky ones. Today its cold in Williams, and the blue jays, the crows and other birds were hungry and agitated. I took the seconds from our Painted Hills Corn, about 5 lbs worth, and scattered them on the lawn. It is a small thing, you know, but big change is from the accrual of many small acts, small decisions, prayers from the faithful. The birds have settled down.

Plant seeds, people, seeds of seed-saver friendly plants and trees. We don't need biosecurity, or politics, or fear. We need the faith to know that we have the power to make a change!

01/02/2021

Herbal First Aid anyone?
sihomesteadersassociation.com/blog/herbal-first-aid

I have seen a lot of folks asking how to build an herbal first aid. I wanted to share how I built mine, hopefully my suggestions will ease your mind and set you on a path of strength. An upper hand if you will. I am offering this as a PDF download. BUT Squarespace says the file is too large. If y

01/01/2021

https://sihomesteadersassociation.com/blog/creating-an-edible-landscape

Where do I start? A common dilemma I hear from many people interested in starting their homestead. There is a simple answer; OLPPA O bstacles - Figure out your obstacles L ayout - Choosing your layout P lan - Creating a plan P lants - Choosing your plants, trees, herbs A ct

12/29/2020

Have you ever wondered how SIHA got started? https://sihomesteadersassociation.com/blog/where-it-all-started

Humble beginnings. Isn’t that how all cool stories start out? 2010. In all seriousness, SIHA did have humble beginnings. This is a story not many people know. We the NAVA family had made some unhealthy, hasty decisions and we ended up homeless. Our family was separated, staying in different home