Home Farm Herbery

Rue is a Good Herb Perennial for Zone 5-9

Recently we received this email question, “I was wondering if you know anything about the plant Rue and can I plant it here?”

Rue is an herb and it is a perennial plant that you can grow in zones 5 though 9. So we planted some in our Kentucky gardens here at Home Farm Herbery a long time ago and we sell the heirloom seeds worldwide and ship them free. 

Rue has a long history of use as a domestic remedy, being especially valued for its strengthening action on the eyes. The plant contains flavonoids (notably rutin) that reduce capillary fragility, which might explain the plants reputation as an eye strengthener. Some caution is advised in its use internally, however, since in large doses it is toxic and it can also cause miscarriages. The whole herb is abortifacient, anthelmintic, antidote, antispasmodic, carminative, emetic, emmenagogue, expectorant, haemostatic, ophthalmic, rubefacient, strongly stimulant, mildly stomachic and uterotonic.

The tops of fresh shoots are the most active medicinally, they should be gathered before the plant flowers and can be used fresh or dried. An infusion is used in the treatment of hysterical affections, coughs, flatulence etc. The juice of the plant has been used in treating earaches and chewing a leaf or two is said to quickly bring relief from giddiness, nervous headaches, palpitations etc. An alkaloid found in the plant is abortifacient, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic. A homeopathic remedy is obtained from the fresh herb, harvested in early summer shortly before flowering begins. This is used in the treatment of a variety of complaints including eye strain, headache and sprains. Known Medicinal Properties

Some important facts about Rue are it is used as an Abortifacient; Anthelmintic; Antidote; Anti-inflammatory; Antispasmodic; Carminative; Emetic; Emmenagogue; Expectorant; Haemostatic; Homeopathy; Ophthalmic; Rubefacient; Stimulant; Stomachic.

WARNING LABEL: Home Farm Herbery cannot take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of seeds and/or plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a seed and/or plant for medicinal purposes.

Plant some Rue in your garden now.

“Tread the earth lightly …and may the Creative Force always be with you.

Arlene Wright-Correll

 Home Farm Herbery 

Some Good Reasons to Plant Comfrey

Many years ago a good friend of mine brought me some Comfrey clippings for my herbery. Comfrey is a large, perennial plant that keeps on coming back every year.

 Comfrey (Symphytum officianale) is an attractive and useful plant, with large, hairy leaves and bell shaped purplish flowers. Native to Europe and temperate parts of Asia, it is in the same family as borage and forget me not.

Comfrey can be grown almost anywhere and in most types of soil, but is happiest with some shade. Comfrey is a fast-growing plant, producing huge amounts of leaf during the growing season, and hence is very nitrogen hungry so you can put animal manure on it.

Organic gardeners and herbalists love this plant. Mature comfrey plants can be harvested up to four or five times a year. They are ready for cutting when about 24 inches high and depending on seasonal conditions, this is usually in mid-Spring.Comfrey should be harvested by using shears, a sickle, or a scythe to cut the plant about 2 inches above the ground, taking care handling it because the leaves and stems are covered in hairs that can irritate the skin. It is advisable to wear gloves when handling comfrey.

The leaves and roots have been used medicinally for thousands of years, dating as far back as Roman times, and the plant is used as a fertilizer by organic gardeners. The following are just some of the reasons why comfrey is sometimes referred to as a “wonder” plant.

Comfrey has a high allantoin content, which increases cell production, helping wounds to heal rapidly and Comfrey poultices, salves and creams are recommended by herbalists for healing bruises, sprains, fractures, pulled muscles and torn ligaments.

Comfrey leaves can be used in the garden by placing them around your plants as mulch. As Comfrey decomposes it can be cultivated into the soil. Comfrey is a fantastic compost activator. It enriches compost, as well as encouraging it to heat up.

Comfrey contains mucilage, which coats and soothes irritated tissues.

Comfrey has more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) than most commercial fertilizers available.

Tread the earthy lightly and in the meantime may the Creative Force be with you.

Arlene at Home Farm Herbery.

 Lobelia is Good for a Lot of Things

First off Lobelia is a pretty annual herb. All its parts above ground are used and it is harvested in the fall. It has a pretty white, purple or pink flower in various shades, depending on which seed you plant, and it is a great addition to any garden.

Lobelia is perfect for severe muscular spasm, epilepsy and any other situation that requires a supreme relaxant and Lobelia is a very strong antispasmodic with a special affinity for the respiratory system. It is effective for emergency asthma treatment, congestion, asthma (exercise induced, bronchial and spasmodic), bronchitis, whooping cough, pneumonia and hiccups. In the digestive system it is effective for food poisoning, hiatal hernia, as an emetic and for heartburn.

It is not recommended for those with high blood pressure or heart disease and women who are pregnant or nursing should avoid lobelia.

You will discover that Lobelia likes to be combined with other herbs to mellow its effects and if you are using it alone, use only one to two drops of tincture at a time. You may continue to use these small doses until the desired result is achieved. Stop when salivation or nausea occurs.

If you are a holistic healer than any tinctures you leave around should be labeled clearly and carefully so they can be distinguished by any one other than your self and please note that these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.

Home Farm Herbery has been growing it for years and we sow the seeds each spring and harvest it in the fall. You can buy our Lobelia seeds at Home Farm Herbery.

Why not plant some in your garden this coming spring? This plant needs your help and when you sow a package of Lobelia seeds each year you are taking part in the preservation of healing plants worldwide.

“Tread the earth lightly …and may the Creative Force always be with you.

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery 

Olive Leaves (Whole) and it’s Uses.

We all know about olives.  In many parts of the world, including Morocco, Italy, Spain, France, Lebanon and Syria, olives are staple foods found on every table. The trees are at least 100 years old, the olives give us olive both green and black and we get olive oil from them. The first pressing of oil from olives, referred to as extra virgin olive oil, is highly prized among chefs worldwide, and is credited with playing an important role in the overall healthy nature of the Mediterranean diet. However, how many of us know the uses of whole olive leaves?

Whole olive leaves are the part of the olive harvest that is less known, yet imparts tremendous health benefits. This part of the harvest is called olive leaf which is a traditional medicinal herb whose therapeutic uses date back centuries.

Early references to the olive leaf as medicine can be found in the Bible: "The fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine." (Ezekiel 47:12) 

My research shows that early on the ancient Egyptians attributed heavenly powers to the olive leaf, and used preparations of it in the process of mummification and in traditional Moroccan medicine; an infusion of olive leaf has been consumed to stabilize blood sugar and control diabetes. This use has been corroborated in published studies.

Today, we find that olive leaf is becoming increasingly well-known and appreciated outside of olive-growing regions, as science on its benefits expands.

I discovered that one of the primary compounds in olive leaf, a substance called oleuropein, has attracted scientific attention since the early 1900s.

Years ago when I have cancer I discovered that Olive leaf is an especially good source of the anti-cancer compounds apigenin and luteolin, and is a source of the anti-malarial agent cinchonine. And oleuropein has also shown protective capabilities against breast cancer. As a victim of a double mastectomy in 1992 with a 50/50 chance of living past the next 6 months I decided part of my recovery was olive leaf oil and to this day I take to olive leaf capsules.

Olive leaf extract also acts as an anti-inflammatory. Like oxidation, inflammation is a key factor in chronic and degenerative diseases. Animal studies additionally suggest that olive leaf extract may protect against nerve damage, and may be of value in cases of stroke.

As an herbalist since 1998 I discovered in the world of medicinal plants, it is often the case that traditional use of plants precedes, by centuries, the science that corroborates the same uses and this is certainly true with olive leaf. Regarded as somewhat of a tonic cure-all in ancient times, olive leaf and olive leaf extracts appear to promote better health overall and help to ward off a variety of serious health disorders.

Now as a small herbalist that grows and sells most of its products we cannot grow Olive trees in Kentucky but we do import the best whole olive leaf and olive leaf powder

there is and you can order it at us at Home Farm Herbery

There is a steadily growing body of scientific research that points to the leaf as highly valuable and worthy of its ancient medicinal reputation.

Tread the earthy lightly and in the meantime may the Creative Force be with you.

Arlene at Home Farm Herbery.