Willow Bee Herb Farm

05/10/2022

Girls out working the horehound! I found this horehound plant out in a friend’s pasture and transplanted it in my herb garden. It has really taken off and the bees love it! I don’t use it a whole lot but will probably make a cough syrup blend with it for next winter. I’m thinking horehound, mullein leaf, elecampane root, and maybe some licorice root. 🐝

03/12/2022

We are living in unprecedented times. So much of our world as we know it has changed over the last year and a half. There are so many unknowns in our new world. So many uncertainties – jobs, churches, family, health, finances, education. This has left many of us feeling unsettled and anxious.
Anxiety. We have all felt anxious at some point in our lives. More than likely, we have experienced it more often than we would like to admit. As a Christian, how should we deal with anxiety? Let’s discuss a few things and see what Scripture has to say.

05/14/2020

It's a YARFA (Yet Another Rose Family Astringent), as the late herbalist Michael Moore would say! Many of these rose family astringents have similar properties, but are used for different tissues and body systems.
Hawthorn has long been revered for its affinity for the heart and the cardiovascular system. Many consider the flowers to be the better medicine, but because they must be tinctured immediately after picking they are not always readily available in commerce.
Hawthorn is an energetically cooling herb with a sour taste. This makes it an excellent remedy for heat conditions or conditions of over activity. Hawthorn is also considered a relaxing nervine. A hawthorn berry compote or solid extract would be a great afternoon snack for children with ADHD. The cooling effect helps to slow things down, lower the energy level, bring on a little calm.
Would love to hear how you use hawthorn!
Hawthorne berries and flowers
(Crataegus spp.)

05/11/2020

Not much to add to this one. I really just need to let it soak it.
🌦🌈🌱🌸

05/09/2020

Nobody likes to talk about it or admit it is "their" problem. Instead they quietly search the internet..."natural remedies for toenail fungus". 🙋🏻‍♀️
And what you will find is a plethora of remedies that don't work.
Or they may work, but only if you stick with it for 6 months to a year. And some of us don't have time to do foot soaks EVERY day for 6 months to a year.
This is my story. I had done the searching. Tried a few things but couldn't remember or make time to do them every single day. I lived in south Texas and wore flip flops 9 months of the year. But I was always embarrassed about my toenails. I really wanted to find something that was non-toxic and natural.
I was looking through the doTerra website trying to decide what to order one month, when I had an "Aha!" moment.
doTerra sells a plain lotion base that you add your choice of essential oils to. I could create a custom lotion blend specifically for my feet. I just fill up my small little bottle with lotion and add in the essential oils I use to combat the toenail fungus. I make it in small batches 1) because it is easy to change up the next time I make it if I feel the need to change it up, 2) its convenient to stick my little bottle next to my daily toiletries, and 3) I can use the lotion base to create other lotion formulas if needed.
I think my little bottle probably holds 2 oz. of lotion. To this I add: 15 drops of tea tree, 10 drops oregano, and 5 drops clove essential oils. This might be a little bit of a high dilution rate, but it has worked tremendously for me and I don't have any kind of reaction to it so I am sticking with it.
I put the lotion on everyday when I get out of the shower. In less than 6 months time all of my toenails are back to normal including my big toenail that had developed a huge diagonal ridge across it. They have all grown out nice and smooth and strong!

05/08/2020

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Take a look at the beautiful yellow blooms of St. John's Wort. It is crazy to see the red pigment come from such vibrant yellow!
A tip for you, if you are making St. John's Wort oil make sure to use fresh flowers. Dried flowers do not yield the red hypericin. Your oil should be a deep, dark red color when you strain the flowers from it.
Love St. John's Wort with it's delicate little flowers, and yet what a powerhouse of an herb it really is!
St. John's Wort gained popularity in commerce as a "depression" herb. There are certain types of depression that St. John's Wort works well for, but it really is one of those herbs that does SOOOO much!
When I was pregnant I suffered from sciatica. Rubbed SJW oil on my lower back and it helped so much!
Sunburns...rub SJW oil and the time it takes to heal up is unbelievably quick.
Liver stagnation...SJW helps the liver process toxins.

05/04/2020