Nettles, Treadles and Love

I knew when we were getting near the Summer Solstice last year (2020) that it was time to harvest St. John’s Wort to make oil. I had recently signed up for Kami McBride’s Herbal Oils course and was excited to try to make it, but I had never seen the plant in person, and wasn’t sure where to find it since I was new to the Chico area. I posted on the local Permaculture FB page and asked about it. Friendly Froggiey (PASS-A-FIST permaculture | Facebook) invited me to pick some out on his property and I was able to make my first small batch of St. John’s Wort infused olive oil.

A week or two later Sean and I were out in the Mendocino Mountains escaping the heat and scoping out places to camp and I was able to recognize a whole field of St. John’s Wort growing. We stopped and while I was harvesting some a family of wild Elk ran by! Quite a sight. Amazing.

I was on the herbal oils kick and went on to make some Yarrow infused oil from a huge field of mountain Yarrow.

The unique smells of these medicinal oils is really incredible and is medicine in and of themselves I would say. Not only that, but the COLOR. Three months later and I was able to strain the oils. St. John’s Wort is the beautiful red color, Yarrow is the green.

I also made some tiny jars of salve with the oils.

I was able to make a bigger batch of St. John’s Wort oil this year. There was a lot growing along the outskirts of Paradise.

I also spontaneously decided to try to make some natural plant dye with SJW. It was staring to dry up and at the end of it’s fresh plant stage but I gave it a shot anyway. I had pre-mordanted some cotton fabric and wool yarn in Alum and just played around with the dye bath to see what color I could get. I used the flowering tops – a combination of the flowers and the leaves and stems.

This picture shows the contrast between the original color of the yarn and fabric before and after dyeing. I love it!

St. John’s Wort is a plant of many uses. The oil is incredible for muscle pain and inflammation. I still want to make a medicinal tincture as well as a simple cup of tea with it. It is known for its ability to lift the spirit and bring in the sunshine. It certainly has done that for me.