Imagine Utopia.
What does it look like to you?
To me, Utopia is a place where home and nature are seamlessly joined. I imagine a world where everyone has access to abundant remedies crafted from the natural world. Every person has a home, every home has a garden, and every garden has a person who transforms the garden into medicine!
Sadly we are far from Utopia. But, that doesn't mean I won't try. And as part of my herbalist duties these past few weeks I have been working on organizing my parent's basement apothecary.
Years ago this apothecary was often used and well organized. But, as my mom has been recently engaged in full-time work outside of the house it is now neglected. Jars of herbs steeping in oil, vodka, or brandy fill the workspace and the shelves are a jumbled mess of all kinds of things.
Seeing the apothecary in such a state doesn't entice anyone to actually use the space. The finished remedies are mixed in with the unfinished ones. Clean jars and jars that need washing co-mingle and create a stressful environment rather than a healing one.
So, I spent a few hours each day clearing everything out and bringing back only what is useful and necessary. Many cardboard boxes went into the recycling. Dirty jars were cleaned.
and old dried herbs went to join the land from where they came from originally ::
the end result ::
After a few hours each day over the course of my work week I have transformed this messy workspace into an orderly apothecary.
Finished tinctures have been bottles and labeled. All ready to use remedies are in a single cupboard where they are ready to use when needed. Mostly these are remedies for relaxation and sleep like valerian, and lavender but there are also others like feverfew which is a wonderful medicine for seasonal allergies!
Skincare products, like this collection of calendula salves, are on another shelf next to body and massage oils. Over the next few days I plan to write posts about each type of medicine, tinctures, oils, and teas in the Herbal Hive Community. So, stay tuned for that!