Tinctures, solar-infused oils and wrapping it up with “Queen of Hungary’s Water”. All in all, a very busy day! Having infused products to use in my lotions, salves and various products makes such a difference in the quality of the end product. Just love the process!
Rosemary, Cleavers & Hawthorn Berry Tinctures
Solar-infused oils: Lavender, Rose, Sage, Lemon Balm & Rosemary
(Olive & Grapeseed Oils)
Mixing the herbs for “Queen of Hungary’s Water”. So pretty!
I love witch hazel and use it in many of my recipes. Decided to infuse it to make it even better. Love, love, LOVE the beautiful rose infused witch hazel!
Color gone from the poor roses, but preserved beautifully in the witch hazel.
Nice day today. Actually had clothes on the line!
The sap is running like crazy right now!
Had just a little bit left over, requiring a dish of vanilla ice cream with maple syrup.
So today I planned to render lard for the first time ever. Thought I’d get it all chopped up and going, then get some housework done. HA! Two and a half hours later, I only had about half of the fat chopped up and cooking. Tossed the rest back in the freezer. I’ll do that on another day for making my soap. Cooking down the leaf lard very slowly. This is the fat around the kidneys that is sooooo good for pie crusts and pastries. Don’t want to ruin that! It appears to be coming out snowy white, as it’s supposed to, so I’ll leave the heat low, but boy, is it taking a long time. Got a late start because, when I went out to take care of the chickens this morning, checked the sap buckets, and some of them were completely full! So, besides rendering the lard, I also spent the day cooking down sap! I did take a break this afternoon, though, and sit out on the deck. Then took the dogs for a walk. So beautiful today. 70 degrees and now I have spring fever! Trees are budding and the land is mudding. At least a lot of the iced pathways melted. It’s been dangerous this winter!
Tried this for the first time – Onions & Garlic infused in Honey. It actually tastes pretty good!
We still have the cough, so I kicked this batch up a notch. Added Licorice Root and Mullein Leaf. Oh, and a generous helping of Brandy!
Been working on soaps. Currently curing: Calendula and Lavender
Spiced Cider Soap now available for purchase. Call me directly or available on ETSY.
603-871-8080 or Cottonboro Farm on ETSY
Starting to infuse oils that I’m getting low on or out of. I’ll use these solar infused oils for lotions, salves, creams, etc. They look so pretty sitting in the sun.
Mullein-Garlic Ear Oil
(Mullein flowers and chopped garlic infusing in Olive Oil)
Arnica Oil, Calendula Oil, Mullein-Garlic Oil bathing in the sun.
Something interesting to note: Doing solar infusions always concerned me a bit, because if you notice on oil bottles, they always tell you to store in a cool, dry place out of the light. Well, I have since learned that while the oils are infusing with herbs, they do not go rancid. Once you remove the herbs, then you need to store away from the light. Kinda magical!
Cottonboro Farm 