List of Practices an Methods

• Gathering:

*Try not to gather plants for preserving in dew soaked or wet conditions! They well may turn modly as you dry them.*

• Roots; are best to gather for preservation before the sap rises in the Spring. Roots may also be collected after the leaves fall in Autumn.
• Barks; like roots should be gathered in early spring or autumn. The tree comes off less damaged and the medcinal properties are higher at these times.
• Leaves; are at their most potent when newly sprouted. Yellow leaves may be disregarded and may the stalks and stems of the desired leaves. Leaves with insect bites have less insecticides sprayed on them making them better for medicinal uses than toxic plant leaves
• Flowers; are better like leaves are better gathered young, as they unfold them selves to the world. Pale and wilted flowers can be disregarded as can the stalks and stems of the flowers.
• Seeds; please leave seeds to sun rippen on plants but collect them before their wind disperal, this will wind disperal doesn't usually happen until the leaves of the plant have yellowed in a healthy plant.
• Fruits; pick when ripe.

• Preseving;

*Don't pack to tightly if you can help it.*

• Roots and Bark; these require a long and carful drying period. Dirt should be removed cleanly and campher camphor balls or a camphor box can be used in the drying process to avert other small beasts eating away good stock.
• Flowers and Leaves; leave in a cool dray place hanging upside, air flow is a bonus as is the dark to keep the medcine from losing potentcy an which canbe oserved in the paling of flowers when looked for in sun soaked drying. Fast drying should not be used as in over a fire or microwave as these high heats signfivantly damage the plants powers
• Seeds and Fruits; its ok to use heat or smoking to dry fruits but still be gentle with the heat you do use. Slicing may help with larger fruit. A dehydrator in modern day can be put to good use here

• Preparation:

*Herbs should be replenished every year and not kept and stored for more than two years. You can sprinkle the old herbs on new plants as mulch to help them grow if you find yourself keeping more than you needed.*

*Nost herbs can be given raw if availble and fresh to a beast as it is in their nature to eat a raw and full diet.*

• Flowers and Leaves:
• Shredding; slice flowers and leaves into shreds before near boiling to realease more of their power when near boiled
• Covering; be sure to cover the herbs you are using while heating them as the plants oils and aromatic properties and escape with vapor
• Boiling (or close to it): actually boiling your herbs is not recommended but brigning them from cold to near boiling is, and this state of heating should last between two and three minutes
• Brewing; after removing from heat allow the herbs to steep in the water for at least three hours, overnight if prerable.
• Use By: 12 hours from preparation for best results


• Seeds:
• Soaking: soak for 24 hourse or more until the seed germ cracks open read to begin growth, follow guid fpr leaves and flowers after this.


• Roots:
• Slice: as done with follers and leaves you can slice the roots to get more from the
• Simmer: leave on an almost boil for 1 or two hours and let the roots stew in the mixture for another three to six hours


• Barks:
• Grate: use a chess crater and great the bark before use. then follow the instructions for leaves and flowers

• Storage

• Brown paper bags and dark glass containters are suitable for storage.
• Platic an most metals you will find are not.

Fasting

The use of fasting as prescribed on this website, that is, along side drinking honied water for energy, can be greatly beneficial to an animal that is sick. By limiting food intake the body reduces its and so logically does the disease as the body works to flush the unwelcomed guest out through natural pathway.

Poultices

For a first note the best materials by which to bind herbs to the skin are either cotton or linen.
Synthetic fabrics will leach their chemical by products into the body if interacting with potent herbs, while they remain safe for every day wear.
Following is a recipe for a poultice which can have herbs added to it but the base formula is very effective on its own, for drawing out poison, and reducing swelling and inflamttion;

Linseed Poultice

Means:

• A Bowl
• A Cup of Linseed
• A Cup of Water
• A Linen Cloth (or small tighly swen linen bags)

Method:

1. You may begin by warming the bowl first under warm running water and boiling some water a bit more than a cup of water in the kettle
2. When the bowl is warm and the water is boiling pour the water into the bowl
3. Sprinkle the linseed into the water so that it coagulates from the heatand begins to form a paste, be, hard, fast, and strong in your mixing to avoid lumps
4. When the paste is ready before the mixture has cooled too much spread the paste onto a linen cloth with its sides corners folded back or into a small linnen bag
5. You can then take the line by its edges and apply it, (not with too much pressure, depending on how hard and fast a linseed mixer you are) to the area which needs affecting.
   Alternatively give the linnen bag a small sqeeze to test how hot it is before application, the intention is to not burn the animal but heal it with warmth