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free herb lessons
about
  • mission and vision
  • about Jenna
herb lessons and programs
More
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  • free herb lessons
  • about
    • mission and vision
    • about Jenna
  • herb lessons and programs
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  • free herb lessons
  • about
  • herb lessons and programs

Herbal Foundations

free herb lessons for everyone 

Herbal Research

Where can you find reliable information about herbs?

Don't worry.

Stick with me. 

This lesson gives you a solid foundation of both books and online resources that you can come back to again and again. 

my favorite free online herbal resources

finding reliable sources for herbal information online

There is so much unsourced and questionable information out there regarding herbal therapies. It concerns me to think that people are following all the bunk advice out there about herbs.


That's why I created this lesson.


There is a storehouse of free, useful herbal information out there, if you just know where to look. 

A  big part of being a responsible herbalist is doing your research to determine which herbs are right for you and your family. It can seem  like an overwhelming task to weed through the astounding amount of  misinformation out there on the web about healing plants. 

But don't worry. Like I said, I've got you on this.


This  is by no means a complete list of online herbal resources, but this  will give you a solid jumping off place as you begin your own herbal  research. 

Between them, the links on this list cover over 350 years of herbal knowledge. 

Whaaaat?!

Did she just say 350 years of herbal knowledge at my fingertips?

Yep. That's what I said.


These  resources can help you feel comfortable to start doing your own research and building your own solid foundation of herbal knowledge.


It’s so important to feel confident and empowered about your budding  relationship with herbs. These resources should help.  

We know that it's so important to be well informed, so we can make responsible choices regarding our health.

I'm handing you some pretty powerful herbal information, today.

Have fun with it. 

You get to decide which resources seem most meaningful for you. You get to decide which plants are worth trying. You get to decide the path of your  own healing.


When I'm researching a plant that's new to me, I  consult every source I can think of. I err on the side of caution, and I  always consider any possible contraindications. I suggest you do the  same. 

The idea, here, is that you become comfortable doing the  research yourself, and making your own decisions about each of the  plants you want to work with.

Some of the information linked below is very, very old. 

Some has been compiled by modern-day doctors and scientists.

The more resources the better, I think. 

Are you a lover of the old knowledge? Are you looking for some modern science?

Start with what seems most exciting and relevant to you, and go from there.

I’m focusing on the free online resources, here, because I want everyone to  have somewhere to start, but I do hope that, eventually, all of you  will get at least 3 reliable herb books (called herbals) to keep on your  bookshelf at home. 

It’s so important to keep at least a small herbal library at home that you can easily refer to when you have a question. 


There’s some  really good stuff in these links. Give them some time and attention,  and see what you think. Some of these resources could continue to  nourish your relationship with plants for a long time to come.

Enjoy!

Some of my favorite free online herbal resources:

Culpepper's Complete Herbal, originally written in 1652

Herbal Simples by W.T. Fernie, MD, published in 1895

King's American Dispensatory, Volume 1 and Volume 2, published in 1905

A Modern Herbal, by Mrs. M. Grieve, originally published in 1931

Michael Moore's guide to Herbal/Medical Contraindications, written in 1995

Michael Moore's Herbal Materia Medica, which gives suggested dosages

The German Commission E Monographs, published in 1998

The Herb Reference Guide, by Gaia Herbs, currently available

The United Plant Saver's list of At Risk and To Watch Plants

Some other useful online herbal resources:

Herb Research Foundation

American Herbalist Guild

American Botanical Council

Over 20 of my favorite books about herbs

highlighting the importance of having your own herbal library

There's so much information online about herbs. Unfortunately, a lot  of that information is not sourced or backed up, in any way.

Looking for solid herbal information with a search engine can be ineffective, at best, and potentially dangerous, at worst.

Now,  don't get me wrong, there certainly are reliable sources of herbal  information on the internet. Unfortunately, these reliable sources often  get lost in the popularity contest of search engine algorithms.

And,  actually, a lot of the information that we're looking for about herbs  has been around a lot longer than the internet, anyway.


A book about herbs is called an herbal, and a good herbal will take you a long way.


The  reality is, a shelf of herbals that you can rely on will win over a  random google search almost every time. With a shelf of trusted  reference books, cross referencing is quick and easy.

Books are  there for you, even if the power goes out, and they don't need to be  charged. Or you can just slip the book in your backpack and take yourself off the  grid. It's so lovely to study the plants when we're are surrounded by  nature.


Now, I'm not talking about filling up a bookshelf with  random herb books that you find at yard sales (although, believe me,  I've got my share of those, too). I want you to have a reference library  filled with books written by authors you have researched and whom you  respect.


Here is a little review of three of my favorite books from my own herb library:


New Holistic Herbal, by David Hoffman

This is the very first herbal that I ever got. I bought it with my birthday money from my Nana, way back when, in my early 20s.

For  a while, this was my only herbal. I slipped it in my backpack and took  it everywhere. It's now tattered and stained with dirt and spilled  tinctures, and the cover is held on with masking tape.

It remains one of my go-to herbals to answer my questions and inspire my projects.

David  Hoffman is a fantastic resource. He's just rock solid. He comes from  the European tradition of herbal medicine. The European tradition didn't  experience the break between medicine and herbs that we have  experienced in the US due to the influence in the US of the American  Medical Association. 

This means that, from the beginning, David Hoffman has been talking about the meeting place of science and tradition.

He  has a deep and profound respect for our relationship with the natural  world, and our place in that interconnected web, which adds another  facet to his wisdom.

I recommend all of his books and teaching materials. Top notch. 5 stars.


The Illustrated Herbal Handbook, by Juliette de Bairacli Levy

Juliette  de Bairacli Levy is one of my all-time favorites. She is considered by  many to be the grandmother of the modern herbal renaissance. She's  traveled, lived with, and learned from people in many different cultures  from many parts of the world. Her gentle and powerful wisdom is an  example of how herbs can be a link to our interconnection with both the  natural world and the world family. This lovely little book is packed  full of traditional herbal knowledge.

Any time you see a book by her, grab it. You'll thank me, later.


The Herbal Medicine Maker's Handbook, by James Greene

This book gives you everything you need to get started making your own herbal extracts.

I  mean, seriously. If you are interested in making tinctures, infusions,  salves, lotions, syrups, honeys, and more, this is the book for you.


I did have a hard time choosing just three books to review.


In  case you're still hungry for more, here are some more of my favorite  herbals and reference books from my own library, and a few other books  that I look forward to adding to my collection, some day.


Some More Herbals That I Love:

Any book by Rosemary Gladstar

Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West, by Michael Moore

Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West, by Michael Moore

Healing Wise, by Susun Weed

The New Menopausal Years, by Susun Weed

The Modern Herbal, 2 volumes, by Mrs. M. Grieve

An Herbal Guide to Stress Relief, by David Hoffman

An Elder's Herbal, by David Hoffman


Herbs for Animals:

The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable, by Juliette de Bairacli Levy

The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat, by Juliette de Bairacli Levy

Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, by Pitcairn and Pitcairn


Botany:

How To Identify Plants, by H.D. Jarrington and L.W. Durrell

Botany In A Day, by Thomas J. Elpel


Plant ID:

Peterson Field Guides (for your region)

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers (for your region)


Old Timey Books:

Somebody,  back in the day, told me that if I see an herbal that's telling me  something that I have never seen before, go ahead and grab it, because,  chances are there is going to be some information in there that is, at  least, worth looking into.

And so began my love of random, very  old books about herbs. These are full of recipes and woodcut drawings  and old-time life hacks. These books blur the line between medicinal  plants, dye plants, spices, and herbs for cleaning.

These books  remind us that, in the "olden days", being an herbalist was simply part  of being alive and managing a household and a family.

It's so fun  to cross reference the information in these old books with some of the  cutting-edge science of the day, and look for any connections.

Personally, I love these old books. They are some of my most cherished herbals.


For the more serious student:

1898 edition of King's American Dispensatory, 2 volumes (https://archive.org/details/kingsamericandis01kinguoft/page/n5)

Therapeutic Herbalism, by David Hoffman

The German Commission E Monographs

This is, by no means, an exhaustive list. 

Certainly not.

In fact, this barely scratches the surface of the herbals out there, these days. There are tons of other herbals out there.

Like  I said, this is just a little slice of my herbal world, to show you how  important these books are to my personal herbal experience.

Don't get me wrong. 

I'm  not saying that you need to become an herbal-hoarding bookworm like me.  However, I do strongly suggest that you get at least two or three  herbals, that you know you can rely on, and put them on a shelf in your  apothecary.


Choose well, and these books will serve you for years to come.

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this herb lesson created by Jenna Beatrice

Important note: The information contained here is not intended to  diagnose or treat any disease or imbalance. This lesson has not been evaluated by the FDA. Nothing here attempts to replace the advice of a  trained medical professional. Your healthcare choices are your own. 

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