Ziva Rain Botanicals

09/30/2026

I am a local PNW herbalist and herbal medicine teacher. I have been learning, practicing and making medicine for over 30 years. I love to share what I know.
Join me for a 10 month program in and around the Hood Canal- Kitsap, Mason and southern Jefferson counties. We go to where the plants are- the forest, the beach, riverside- wherever. You learn plant ID, when to harvest which parts of the plant, how to harvest, how to process the herbs and how to make various types of medicine. You will learn traditional uses and current day medicinal benefits. I teach folk medicine making and scientific method. We meet one weekend a month February through November in the field and at my lab/apothecary in Union.
This is real life, hands on herbal medicine.
Financial info:
$2500 full price.
10% off if paid in full before class starts.
5 month payment plan available. Must be paid in full by June to continue program.
One work trade spot available for half price tuition.
One full scholarship available for older teen.
Half price teen/preteen tuition with paid adult.

09/19/2026

I take Dandelion tincture daily (for many reasons.)❤️🙏🙌

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DcXnqunBR/?mibextid=wwXIfr

A study published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications investigated taraxasterol, a naturally occurring bioactive compound found in dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), for its potential effects on endometriosis. Researchers first used network pharmacology to identify 148 potential molecular targets of taraxasterol and compared them with 1,180 targets associated with endometriosis, finding 71 overlapping targets.

From these, they identified 10 key targets and used molecular docking, GO analysis, and KEGG pathway analysis to investigate how taraxasterol might interact with biological pathways involved in the disease. They then tested these predictions directly in ectopic endometrial cells—the abnormal endometrial-like cells that form endometriosis lesions outside the uterus. Using cell-viability, colony-formation, scratch-migration, and protein-analysis experiments, they found that taraxasterol inhibited the proliferation and migration of these endometriosis cells and increased apoptosis, or programmed cell death.

The experiments indicated that these effects involved suppression of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, a major cellular pathway that helps regulate cell growth, proliferation, survival, metabolism, and resistance to cell death. By altering this pathway, taraxasterol made the ectopic endometrial cells less able to multiply and migrate while making them more likely to undergo programmed death. This is potentially relevant because the persistence and expansion of endometriosis lesions depend partly on abnormal cells surviving, proliferating, and spreading within tissues outside the uterus.

PMID: 39642711

09/18/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/16Cp2ocyeGm/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Red clover is one of those plants most people see growing in fields, yards, and roadsides and never realize how much value is sitting right there in front of them. Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) is a member of the pea family, and those pink-purple flower heads have been used for generations as food, tea, animal forage, soil builder, pollinator plant, and old-time medicine.

Traditionally, red clover has been known as a blood-cleansing and lymph-moving herb. Old herbalists used it when the body needed help moving waste, clearing the skin, and supporting the natural drainage systems. It was often used for skin eruptions, eczema-type issues, psoriasis-type dryness, boils, sluggish lymph, and chronic skin complaints. This is why red clover became one of the classic herbs in old “spring tonic” formulas. It was not because the plant magically cleans the blood overnight, but because it supports the body’s natural routes of elimination — especially through the lymph, liver, kidneys, skin, and bowels.

Red clover has also been traditionally used for the lungs and coughs. The blossoms were made into teas and syrups for dry coughs, irritating coughs, bronchial discomfort, and lingering chest congestion. It has a gentle soothing quality and was often paired with herbs like mullein, marshmallow, violet, plantain, elecampane, and licorice depending on the need. It is not a harsh herb. It works more like a gentle helper.

One of the biggest reasons red clover became famous in modern herbalism is because of its connection to women’s health. Red clover contains natural plant compounds called isoflavones, including compounds such as genistein, daidzein, biochanin A, and formononetin. These are often called phytoestrogens because they can lightly interact with estrogen pathways in the body. Because of this, red clover has been studied for menopause support, especially hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and bone health. Some studies show benefit, some show mixed results, but there is enough research behind red clover that it cannot be dismissed as just an old wives’ herb.

Traditionally, red clover was used for women during times of hormonal change, especially when the body felt dry, hot, irritated, or out of rhythm. It has been used in teas for menopause, PMS-type imbalance, breast tenderness, and general female support, but this is also where wisdom is needed. Because red clover can affect hormone pathways, people with estrogen-sensitive conditions, hormone-related cancers, or those taking hormone medications should be careful and speak with someone qualified before using it medicinally.

Red clover has also been studied for bone and heart support because of its isoflavones. Some research has looked at whether red clover may help support healthy cholesterol levels, blood vessel function, and bone density after menopause. The results are not perfect across every study, but they do show that red clover has real compounds with real activity in the body.

Modern research has also found red clover contains flavonoids, phenolic compounds, coumarins, minerals, and antioxidant compounds. These explain many of its traditional uses. Red clover has shown antioxidant activity, meaning it helps fight oxidative stress. It has also shown anti-inflammatory potential, which lines up with its old use for irritated skin, lungs, joints, and tissues. Some studies also show antimicrobial potential, meaning certain extracts may help slow or fight some microbes in lab settings. That does not mean red clover is an antibiotic, but it does show this plant has more going on than most people think.

For the skin, red clover has been used both internally and externally. Internally, it was used in tea blends to help the body deal with stubborn skin issues from the inside. Externally, the blossoms can be used in washes, poultices, infused oils, and salves for irritated skin, dry patches, itchiness, minor wounds, and rough skin. It is especially beautiful when blended with calendula, plantain, violet leaf, chickw**d, or comfrey for skin preparations.

Is red clover edible?
Yes, red clover is edible. The flower heads are the main edible and medicinal part. They can be used fresh or dried in tea, added to salads in small amounts, made into syrups, infused honey, vinegar, jelly, or even ground into flour blends in survival situations. The young leaves are also edible, but they are usually not the favorite part because they can be tougher and more green-tasting. The flowers have a mild, sweet, grassy flavor when picked fresh and healthy.

Red clover is also one of the best homestead plants because it is a nitrogen fixer. That means it works with soil bacteria to pull nitrogen from the air and help feed the soil. It is excellent for cover crops, pasture, pollinator strips, orchard rows, garden edges, and soil repair. Bees love it. Butterflies love it. Livestock love it. The land loves it. This is one of those plants that gives medicine to people, food to animals, nectar to pollinators, and fertility back to the ground.

Parts used: mainly the flower heads, sometimes young leaves.
Best harvest time: harvest fresh pink-purple blossoms when they are fully open, bright, and healthy.
Do not harvest: brown, moldy, old, roadside-sprayed, or mildew-covered blossoms.
Drying: dry quickly with good airflow because clover flowers can mold if packed too tightly. Store only when fully dry.
Common preparations: tea, tincture, syrup, infused honey, vinegar, poultice, skin wash, infused oil, salve, and food use.

A simple red clover tea can be made with about 1–2 teaspoons dried blossoms per cup of hot water, covered and steeped 10–15 minutes. For a stronger mineral and lymph tea, some people steep it longer. It blends well with nettle, raspberry leaf, oatstraw, violet, lemon balm, peppermint, dandelion, burdock, and calendula.

This plant is a perfect example of why we teach people not to despise common plants. Red clover may look simple, but it is food, medicine, pollinator support, soil fertility, pasture value, and women’s health support all wrapped up in one flower. Father put medicine in the field long before man put it in a bottle.

09/17/2026

Love Mullein❤️

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ELc4Kk7Ku/?mibextid=wwXIfr

This right here is Mullein, and Mullein is most often known for the leaf. The truth is the leaf, flower, and root have all been used in traditional herbal medicine. Each part has its own direction, and that is what makes this plant so amazing.

The leaf is the part most people know. Mullein leaf has traditionally been used for coughs, dry irritated lungs, bronchitis, asthma-like tightness, sore throats, chest congestion, and stubborn mucus. It is considered a classic demulcent and expectorant herb, meaning it helps soothe irritated tissue while also helping the body loosen and move mucus. That is why so many old-time herbalists reached for Mullein when someone had a deep cough, a rough throat, or lungs that felt heavy. Research reviews on Verbascum thapsus show that the plant contains compounds such as mucilage, saponins, flavonoids, iridoids, phenylethanoid glycosides like verbascoside, and other plant chemicals that help explain its traditional use for inflammation, irritation, and microbial issues. The strongest science today is mostly lab, animal, and phytochemical research, not large human clinical trials, so I always want to be honest: Mullein has strong traditional use and promising scientific support, but it is not a guaranteed cure-all.
One of the biggest reasons Mullein is loved for the lungs is because of the mucilage in the leaf. Mucilage is that soothing, slippery plant compound that helps coat dry, scratchy, inflamed tissues. When you make Mullein tea, you are not just making a “lung tea”; you are making something that can help calm the throat, settle irritation, and support the body in getting mucus moving instead of letting it sit heavy in the chest. The saponins in Mullein are also part of why it has been traditionally used as an expectorant, helping loosen phlegm so the body can clear it better.
The flowers are another treasure. Mullein flowers have traditionally been infused into oil and used for ear discomfort, especially when combined with herbs like garlic or calendula. The flowers have also been used for soothing inflamed skin, minor wounds, irritation, and delicate tissue. The flowers are gentle, but powerful in their own way. They have been studied for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory potential, and Verbascum species have a long history of use for infections, pain, inflammation, respiratory troubles, and skin conditions.

The root is the part that gets talked about the least, but it should not be forgotten. Traditional herbalists have used Mullein root very differently than the leaf. While the leaf is more about lungs, mucus, and soothing tissues, the root has been used traditionally for the back, spine, bladder, urinary tone, nerve-type discomfort, and structural support. Many herbal traditions speak of Mullein root as a plant for the lower back, hips, pelvic floor, bladder weakness, urinary urgency, and the kind of body weakness where things feel like they are not “holding” like they should. I want to be very clear here: this root use is mostly traditional herbal knowledge, not heavily proven by modern clinical trials. But in the herbal world, Mullein root has a strong reputation as a deep tonic for the body’s support system.

Mullein has also been traditionally used externally. The soft leaves have been used as poultices for skin irritation, swelling, bruises, sores, and painful areas. Some traditions used the leaf for wounds, burns, rashes, and inflamed skin. The leaves are soft like lamb’s ear, but those tiny hairs matter. Those hairs can irritate the throat if the tea is not strained well, so anytime Mullein leaf is used as tea, it should be strained through a very fine cloth, coffee filter, or tight tea bag. That is not optional in my opinion. You do not want those little hairs scratching your throat when you are trying to soothe it.

For tea, Mullein leaf is usually made as a gentle infusion. A simple way is to use dried leaf, pour hot water over it, cover it, let it steep, and then strain it extremely well. Some people prefer a longer steep because they are trying to pull more of that soothing mucilage out. Mullein can also be made into tinctures, syrups, infused oils, salves, steams, and smoking blends, though I personally do not encourage smoking as the best way to use herbs, especially when the goal is healing the lungs. Just because something has been smoked traditionally does not mean that is the cleanest or safest way to use it.

Mullein also has a history as a plant for the homestead beyond medicine. The tall dried stalks have been called “torches” in old traditions because they could be dipped and burned. The flowers were used for dye. The plant also brings pollinators when blooming, and it thrives in poor soil where many other plants struggle. It is one of those plants that shows up in disturbed ground, fence lines, fields, roadsides, and forgotten places like it was sent there to repair something.

Now for the safety side, because we do not play around with herbs. Do not use the seeds. Mullein seeds have been used historically as fish poison because they contain compounds that can be toxic to fish and possibly harmful if misused.

At Yahuah’s Farm, Mullein is one of those plants we love because it teaches people to look again. What the world calls a w**d, Father may have placed there as medicine. The leaf speaks to the lungs. The flower speaks to the ears and skin. The root speaks deeper to the back, bladder, and structure of the body. This plant is soft, tall, humble, and powerful, and once you learn what it is, you will never look at it the same again.

Mullein is not just a plant.

09/16/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DfvtbfdEm/?mibextid=wwXIfr

If the grocery shelves went empty… if food prices doubled again… if the world went into another crisis… one of the plants I would want growing close to my home is Stinging Nettles.

Most people see nettles as a w**d that hurts when you touch it. But our ancestors saw food, medicine, fiber, minerals, tea, survival nutrition, animal feed, and a plant that could help carry a family through hard times. This is one of those plants that proves Yahuah put provision right in the field, and sometimes the very thing people avoid is one of the most valuable things growing.

Stinging Nettles, also called Urtica dioica, is one of the greatest wild superfoods there is. It is loaded with nutrition. Nettles contain protein, fiber, chlorophyll, antioxidants, amino acids, and minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, and silica. It also contains vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and different B vitamins. This is not empty food. This is deep green, mineral-rich, blood-building, strength-giving food.

Traditionally, nettles have been used as a spring tonic after winter when fresh greens were scarce. Many cultures used nettle tea to support the kidneys, urinary system, joints, skin, hair, seasonal allergies, and overall strength. Nettle leaf has long been used as a nourishing herb because it is so rich in minerals. It was also used historically for weak bodies, tired bodies, women after childbirth, and people needing to rebuild strength. The root was used in traditional herbalism for men’s urinary and prostate support, while the leaf was more used as a food, tea, mineral tonic, and everyday nourishing herb.

Modern science has also started confirming why this plant was so valued. Stinging nettles have been studied for their antioxidant compounds, anti-inflammatory properties, seasonal allergy support, urinary support, and prostate support. Nettle root has been studied for enlarged prostate symptoms in men, and nettle leaf has been studied for allergy-type symptoms and inflammation. This does not mean nettles are a cure-all, but it does show that the old people were not foolish when they kept this plant close.

Historically, nettles were not only medicine and food. The stalks were used for fiber. People made cordage, thread, rope, cloth, and textiles from nettle. It has been used much like flax and h**p. In hard times, this plant was not just something for tea; it was survival material. Food, medicine, fabric, animal feed, fertilizer, and more from one plant.

Now let’s talk about eating it, because this is where nettles really shine.

When nettles are cooked, dried, or blended properly, the sting is removed. The tiny stinging hairs are what cause the burn when fresh, but heat and drying take care of that. Young tender nettle tops can be cooked like spinach. They can be added to soups, stews, eggs, casseroles, stir-fries, rice dishes, pasta, pesto, breads, biscuits, crackers, muffins, pancakes, and even desserts.

Yes, desserts.

Here at the farm, we have personally made cakes and different baked goods using stinging nettles. Once dried and powdered, nettles can be turned into a green superfood powder and added into flour. You can mix nettle powder into your regular flour for cakes, muffins, breads, pancakes, biscuits, crackers, and other baked goods. It gives the food extra minerals, extra nutrition, and a beautiful green color. This is one of the ways we take something most people call a w**d and turn it into real food for the family.

To make nettle “flour,” you harvest clean young leaves, dry them completely, and grind them into a fine powder. Then you can mix that powder into regular flour. I would not replace all your flour with nettle powder, but adding a little to your baking is a powerful way to increase nutrition. This is survival food hiding in plain sight.

You can also use dried nettle leaf for tea. Nettle tea is one of the best mineral teas to keep around. It has an earthy, green flavor and can be mixed with mint, lemon balm, raspberry leaf, red clover, or other herbs. Many people drink nettle tea during allergy season, during times of weakness, or when they want a nourishing daily herb.

Nettles can also be used in vinegar. A nettle vinegar pulls minerals from the plant and can be used by the spoonful, added to dressings, or used in food. This is one of the old ways to preserve the strength of the plant.

For animals, nettles have also been traditionally used as a feed and mineral plant. Once dried or wilted so the sting is gone, it can be used in different feed mixes. Chickens, livestock, and homestead animals have all benefited from nettles in traditional farm use. It is one of those plants that feeds the soil, feeds the animals, feeds the people, and feeds the medicine cabinet.

Nettles also make a strong garden plant. They can be used for compost, fermented plant fertilizer, and mineral-rich garden teas. They pull up minerals and build biomass. For a homestead, that matters. A plant that gives food, medicine, fiber, seed, compost, and fertility is not a w**d. That is a provision plant.

Harvesting matters. Always wear gloves when harvesting fresh nettles. Harvest young tender tops before the plant gets old and tough. Do not harvest from sprayed areas, roadsides, ditches with runoff, or polluted places. Once harvested, nettles can be dried for tea, powdered for baking, blanched and frozen, or cooked fresh like greens.

Stinging Nettles are one of the most underrated plants on earth. They are food. They are medicine. They are minerals. They are fiber. They are survival. They are history. They are science. They are something our children should know how to identify, harvest, dry, cook, and use.

When the world teaches people to depend on shelves, systems, and stores, plants like this remind us that Yahuah already placed provision in the soil.

Do not overlook the plant that stings you. Sometimes the sting is guarding the treasure.

In the comments I will be leaving you a recipe on how to make a honey cake.

09/16/2026

This past weekend’s Wild Medicine class was about Hawthorn Berry and Artist’s Conk mushroom. For Hawthorn, we revisited trees that we harvested flowers from in the spring. Hawthorn is great for many heart and cardiovascular conditions as well as being a mild nervine. Artist’s Conk is a great love of mine. It is said to be used interchangeably with Reishi, having what seems to be endless benefits. Many studies done on it in the last 20ish years. I love it for respiratory health, immune support, and hoping it helps me never get cancer! I have both of these herbs available in tincture form available for purchase.

09/06/2026

Hands on, in person, real life Herbalism.
Wild Medicine is a 10 month program meeting one weekend a month February- November. We meet ”in the field” around the Hood Canal in Kitsap, Mason & southern Jefferson counties. We go to where the plants are, whether it’s the beach or forest. We also spend time in the Ziva Rain Botanicals lab & apothecary in Union.
You will learn endless plant identification throughout the year, seeing plants at various stages of growth. You will learn when to harvest, what part of the plant to harvest, how to harvest. You will learn how to process the herbs and how to make various types of medicine. You will learn historical medicinal uses and current medicinal uses. You will learn how to make “folk” medicine as well as “scientific method.”
Full price is $2500.
10% off if paid in full before class starts.
5 month payment plan available.
One 1/2 price work trade tuition available.
One full tuition scholarship available for older teen.
Half price tuition for teen with paid adult.
All payments plans must be paid by June to continue program.

09/03/2026

This is the book that began my herbal medicine life. The seed that was planted. I am not sure why my grandma had this book, but she gave it to me when I was 18. At 19 with a head cold, I opened it, wrote on this yellow sticky note and went to the local health food store to start my journey. I had no idea that yellow sticky note was still marking the page!
I healed myself with the herbs and felt better in two days. I was empowered and a believer. Words can not express how thankful I am for that experience. Words can not express how thankful I am for the random gift from my grandma. Words can not express how thankful I am for her. She’s been gone for almost 30 years, but impacted my life so much.
What book was it for you? Who gave it to you?