A modern medicine making book and formulary with its roots in original herbalism designed for every medicinal herb gardener to cultivate the full potential of the plant-human relationship.
A modern medicine making book and formulary with its roots in original herbalism designed for every medicinal herb gardener to cultivate the full potential of the plant-human relationship.
Richo Cech tells very good stories that are based on his experiences as a global wanderer, herbalist and medicine maker. In the context of his lifelong love of gardening, he has produced this long-awaited book that is original, amusing and absolutely useful.
Part 1: Medicine Making
· drying and processing herbs
· making tinctures the easy way
· the mathematics of tincturing and solubility factors
· basic formulas for fresh and dry extraction, including dosages
· vinegar extracts, glycerites, herbal succi and syrups
· teas, decoctions, herbal oils, salve and cream
· poultices, compresses and soaks
Part 2: A Gardener's Formulary
This section covers well over 100 herbs that are readily cultivated
in North America. The listings include: conservation status, parts
used, specific formulas, practical uses, dosages, contraindications and
an overview of alternate species.
Softcover, nearly 300 pages.
$14.95 (US) plus shipping
ISBN 0-9700312-0-3
From the 'Forward' by Michael Moore
"Thank God for Richo and folks like him.
I was born with a brown thumb (somewhat akin to a tin ear). I cannot
grow things. I have come to realize that without growing and nurturing
some of our plant allies, they are doomed. Richo views plants the
same way I do, as life forms with quirks and needs, thrumming their green
energy off in some alternate universe that I can only vaguely understand.
Richo seems to understand their language rather well (at least for a human)
and, like the older traditional humans, coaxes them and thrums at them
in turn. I have always said that an herbalist needs a good brain
and dirty fingernails. For me, the dirty fingernails come from digging
up and garbling wild plants.
Richo has gone much further in this book.
For him, the dirty fingernails come from nurturing and coaxing plants to
grow for themselves in a place that he has access to. This book is
far more than it seems. Don't underestimate what Richo has accomplished.
He has taken some of the most difficult plants imaginable, plants that
sometimes find even the breath of humans to be anathema, and figured out
what they need in order to grow near us and by our leave.
He has a good brain and dirty fingernails."
Inspirational, in-depth, timely and much-needed book on these significant and valuable indigenous medicinal plants: American Ginseng, Black Cohosh, Bloodroot, Blue Cohosh, Echinacea, Goldenseal, Hawaiian Wild Kava, Lady's Slipper Orchid, Lomatium, Osha, Slippery Elm, Sundew, Trillium, False Unicorn, True Unicorn, Venus' Fly Trap, Virginia Snake Root, Peyote and Wild Yam.
Richo provides the environmental preferences, growth cycles, germination, cultivation and processing requirements for the plants highlighted by the United Plant Savers At-Risk list. Sen Cech's beautiful and accurate botanical illustrations do much to further the cause of plant protection, inviting every gardener to bring this plant energy home.
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