HOW TO USE CHAMOMILE FLOWERS
There is something so satisfying about getting your hands in the dirt, planting seeds, and watching as your little seed babies grow into strong and beautiful plants. You watch nature’s critters and the bees snuggle into the pollen that their plant friends have to offer and just find yourself sharing such a simple but blissful moment. It’s a beautiful give and take. The same is true for humans. Taking the time to nourish the soil, nurture the plants, and feed God’s creatures, including your own family, is more than rewarding, it’s fulfilling!
Chamomile flower bed at Sacred Roots Herbal Sanctuary
I didn’t know what to expect this past year when I started working at Sacred Roots Herbal Sanctuary in Shepherdstown, WV. The universe sent me one sign after another until I came upon a flyer requesting interns for the upcoming season!
After my first phone call with Hillary, the owner of Sacred Roots, I just felt in my gut that this was going to be a wonderful experience! I was beyond excited to start this new journey and learn all about growing plants, especially herbs. One of the most memorable herbs we learned about and harvested this year was chamomile.
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT CHAMOMILE?
If I’m being totally honest, I never understand the huge draw to chamomile. It just seemed like a fad or cliché to me. I felt like I was hearing everyone talk about how they’re using chamomile tea to help with sleep or to calm anxiety, etc. Maybe it felt too common to me, too popular, as snobby as that sounds, or maybe I thought it sounded too good to be true.. How could a plant really help with all of that?!
And that’s how I felt until I came to the herbology portion of my holistic nutrition coursework. And, even still, I wasn’t totally into it. I felt like there were similar herbs that were more potent or just brought more healing properties to the table than chamomile could! My opinion has since changed!
IS IT EASY TO HARVEST CHAMOMILE?
When you are looking after a plant, helping it to grow, it becomes a part of you… kind of like a mother to a child, in the sense of seeing something important grow through many different stages of life and is dependent on you, to a certain degree. This idea became true between myself and chamomile. I looked forward to seeing how many were in bloom that day and if they were dry enough to harvest.
Once the chamomile really started to flourish and bloom, we started harvesting! Chamomile looks like mini daisies because it’s part of the daisy family! Makes sense, right!? And how can you have a bad day when you’re knee-deep in chamomile beds?! It’s almost impossible to not get wrapped up in the beauty of the flowers and find yourself being so thankful for the moment you’re in. It’s especially exciting to see the cute little critters enjoying the flowers as well!
I will say, harvesting chamomile is tedious, though! Every day, a few flowers would bloom and those are the ones we’d harvest, then we’d wait until the next day to harvest the new ones that had newly opened.
The harvesting part is super easy though! All you do is slide some stems, with opened flowers, in between two fingers. Next, slide your fingers up towards the flower end until the heads of the flowers just pop right off and you’re left with a handful of chamomile!
No tools are necessary when harvesting chamomile. Of course, if you enjoy the feeling of pruning shears in your hands, then go ahead and use ‘em! My son, Ronin, is particularly fond of using pruning shears and it’s a great incentive to get him to help out in the garden!
If you are a chamomile tea drinker or bather or enjoy the skin benefits from creating and using your own salves or oils, it’s worth the work and the small investment of buying seeds or seedlings to plant them yourself!
ARE THERE MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF CHAMOMILE?
There are a few variations of chamomile to choose from, such as German chamomile and Roman chamomile. These are the more “popular” variations and although they are so similar, they are also SO different! Choose whichever one calls to you and that will fulfill your needs from the plant. In this case, you also have the option of planting chamomile that is either a perennial (comes back every year on its own after planting it one time!) like Roman chamomile, or an annual like German chamomile, that needs to be planted every year, as it usually dies in the wintertime.
***Want to learn more about the differences between Roman and German chamomile?
Pro Tip: If you are growing your own chamomile, you want to harvest when the flowers are dry. This means waiting until the morning dew evaporates or possibly waiting a day or so if it rained recently. Moist, fresh plants can breed mold if not harvested and dried properly.
WHAT ARE THE HEALING BENEFITS OF CHAMOMILE?
Helps with sleep and relaxation
Improves feelings of anxiety
Aids in digestion and inflammation
Alleviates skin inflammation and rashes (can be used on baggy eyes & even diaper rashes)
Reduces menstrual discomfort
Helps fight illness
Promotes digestive health
***Want to learn more about the medicinal properties of Chamomile? Click Here.
5 GREAT WAYS TO USE CHAMOMILE
Tea
Herb Oil
Salve
Bath Tea
Tincture
One morning’s worth of harvested chamomile at Sacred Roots Herbal Sanctuary.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN HERB-INFUSED OIL
I’m getting ready to whip up some chamomile salves soon with the chamomile oil I’ve had infusing for a while. I decided to go with the “low and slow” method, but that’s just kind of how I prefer to do most processes with natural ingredients. I feel like “low and slow” preserves the ingredients better too. Slow and steady wins the race in my book!
I really love making and using herb oil, it really is such a different feeling than something store-bought and it’s so easy to make! There’s a purity to it and you can instantly feel it nourishing your skin! It’s what I use after a shower, and it keeps my skin feeling nourished longer than any other skin moisturizer I’ve used before.
WHAT TYPE OF OIL SHOULD I USE?
Organic cold-pressed olive oil is my personal go-to. I know some people prefer to use coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, avocado oil, etc. I personally find olive oil to have a great consistency and long shelf-life. PLUS, it doesn’t break the bank as some other oils do!
Infused Chamomile Olive Oil for our Herbal Salves-
Slow Cold Infusion Process
WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO MAKE HERB-INFUSED OILS?
The quick heat method– This is where you let the herbs simmer in the oil, on low heat for anywhere between 30 minutes- to 5 hours.
A slow cold infusion– This is where you put the herbs and oil in some sort of container, such as a mason jar, and let the herbs steep into the oil.
I’ve used both above methods and they both work beautifully. So, if you’re crunched for time, then just go with the quick heat method. And then you can still always do the slow cold infusion if you’d like to try it out!
Although chamomile is one of the safest herbs, be sure to still do your own research and check in with your healthcare provider before adding herbs to your diet.
Lastly, have fun with it! There is so much to learn and so many different applications to use herbs in! Whether you decide to grow it in your garden to create a cute and friendly filler or use it to make herbal medicine, chamomile is a great place to start!
WITH GRATITUDE AND ABUNDANT LOVE
This past year of working on the farm has taught me so much about myself, the plants, and healing on so many levels. This year has been the most healing year of my life and I must give thanks to my mentor, Hillary, owner of Sacred Roots Herbal Sanctuary. She has taught me so much about growing herbs, food, and the medicinal healing properties, both physical and emotional, that the plants have to offer us. Hillary oozes happiness, love, and healing… it’s almost impossible to not have some of those qualities rub off on you! If you ever find yourself in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, Hillary’s land is worth the trip, especially during the peak of the season!
Next, I must mention Miss Holly, who I just met this year on the farm, but we instantly felt connected and shared so many similar outlooks and struggles in life. We just get each other and meeting a person like her is so rare! She lights up a room wherever she goes, and it’s truly a blessing to know her.
I wouldn’t be trying to create this business today if I hadn’t met these women and experienced their healing spirits, acceptance, encouragement, and genuine love. All people deserve to have friendships and support like this! I would love for this business to create a community just like that, where people come together to support each other as best and helpfully as they can, with being focused on their own growth as well. Although the three of us come from different backgrounds, we just instantly clicked together, understood each other, and felt so safe and loved by one another. This is the true meaning of sisterhood. I finally found my tribe and I have so much to thank these beautiful women for!
*The information on this site if for general and educational purposes only. The content within this site does NOT substitute medical advice or consultations with medical professionals. exercise caution when using any new product especially when pregnant or breastfeeding. The Green Mountain Mamas advise all parties to consult with their medical professionals before using any herbal products.
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