May 27, 2026

We just marched into May, and can you believe we're already about marching out? This month is special because we have two full moons, and one of these is the Blue moon, which will happen on May 31st. Blue moons are rare, and they're also farther away from earth than normal, too.

How is your garden going? I have some great news about DIRT!

We've had a LOT of rain here recently, for which I'm very grateful.

For one thing, the weeds are easier to pull. And for another, our watering systems for the hundred trees we planted last year on the property are not set up yet. We just got the drip lines set up in the garden beds, and I've got SO many medicinal plants growing out there now. Rain is a blessing.

Also, and I love this SO much for aromatherapeutic reasons:

When it rains, it releases an aromatic compound called "geosmin" from the soil. When raindrops hit dry soil, tiny particles and aromatic compounds are sent up into the air, then they hit our noses and olfactory system--then on to the limbic system (our emotional center).

When we smell that "fresh earth" scent (called petrichor), we feel better emotionally. Geosmin is produced by soil-dwelling bacteria, and we can also smell it on beets and other tubers that grow in the ground.

It's so helpful that in aromatics and natural perfumery, it even has a scent profile, or category. It's often described as "forest floor," or "rain," or "earthy."

This means?

Garden therapy is a real thing! It explains why gardening is so good for the soul. Natural triggers of feelings of peace and happiness is something I'll sign up for! How about you? Another win for Aromatherapy!​

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Milky Oats: A Kind and Gentle Medicinal (and Powerful) Food Herb to Add to Your Life

I'm working with a client who is struggling with decades of dealing with chronic stress and a very depleted nervous system, plus alcohol disorder.

In order to deal with the shut-down of her nervous system in terms of important brain chemicals (especially GABA), she has learned to self-medicate with alcohol on a nightly basis. She does this so she can "turn off her mind" and get rest.

This is a typical pattern in women under a great deal of stress and also going through perimenopause.

The problem is that alcohol, although initially helping with GABA release in the brain, over time shuts the system down so it's barely working. This creates more and more of a need for alcohol use.

One herb I always turn to in this situation is milky oats. Oats are great. Oatstraw is great. But what we need in this situation are the unripe milky oat tops---so fresh the latex is still viable.

Last week, I wrote about Wild Lettuce and the latex it contains and also what it does for us. I guess I'm stuck on latex-containing plants right now! Because of my recent work with this beautiful woman, I thought I'd write an article on milky oat tops to share with you, too.

It's good to know how to properly work with medicinal plants and for those very special ones, like milky oat tops, how to correctly prepare them so they can work for us.

In the article below, you'll find out about nervine trophorestoratives and how useful the simple but powerful oat plant (Avena sativa) can be for everyone, and especially for those with chronic stress and other nervous system needs, such as ADHD, grief, and more.

​All About the Benefits and Uses (and MORE) of Milky Oat Tops​

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Do you have an herbal question?

Hit "reply" and let me know!

I'll be going live on YouTube again this morning, to answer your herbal questions. I have to let you know that I've been getting a LOT of great questions (thank you!), and I just can't get to them all in one hour on YouTube. But, I welcome new ones!

I can't answer some of them legally without providing some herbalism training alongside, and these kinds of questions we discuss inside our Confident Herbalist Tribe during our live coaching sessions in there.

I would just LOVE to see you over on YouTube this morning!

I'll go live today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time; 11:00 a.m. Mountain; Noon Central time, and 1:00 p.m. Eastern time.

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Ready to Begin Working with Easy to Find and Effective Herbs for Your Family?

If you’ve ever wanted to care for your family more naturally, but you’ve felt overwhelmed by where to even begin, this FREE training is for you.​

Here’s the truth: You don't need a wall full of mysterious herbs, expensive tools, complicated formulas, or years of study like I have before you can begin using plants for your family in wise and practical ways.

​You can start with a few simple herbs.​

That's how I started!

In fact, some of the very best herbs I'll be sharing about for beginning a home apothecary are easy to grow, easy to find, and may already be sitting in your kitchen cupboard and are available at your local grocery store.

That’s why I’m teaching a special herbalism training on the five best herbs to start your home apothecary.​

These are herbs every aspiring family herbalist should know. They’re practical, useful, and very approachable. Once you understand what they can do, you’ll begin to see just how possible it is to bring natural wellness safely into your home without any fear, confusion, or guesswork.

This training is especially for you if you’ve been wanting to feel more confident reaching for herbs when your family needs support, but you’re not quite sure what to use, how to use it, or where to even begin.

We’ll talk about herbs that can support everyday wellness needs, herbs that are friendly for beginners, and herbs that help you build real skills instead of just collecting bottles, bags, and jars you don’t know what to do with. PLUS you'll come away from the training with a FREE 29 page guide that includes remedies!

This is the kind of practical herbalism that belongs in real homes, with real families, real budgets, and real life happening all around us.

So, if you’ve been feeling that you want to learn this beautiful, useful work of herbalism, I’d love for you to join me.

It's FREE. We'll have a question and answer time afterward. And you'll come away with a free guide at the end.

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An Herbal Tea Infusion for Nutrition & Stressful Moments

Here's a wonderful herbal infusion (water solvent) you can easily make at home to enjoy. This recipe is for a strong infusion, meaning it will contain a great deal of the nutrients and other nervous system benefits the plants contain.

Ingredients:

2 parts milky oat tops (They may be hard to find right now. Oatstraw, although not a perfect substitute, will still be super high in nutrition.)

1 part tulsi (holy basil) (This herb is great for stress resilience.)

1 part lemon balm (Fabulous for supporting a gentle calm.)

1 part nettle leaf (Filled with minerals and helps build the blood)

Directions:

Blend the dried herbs together. To make a quart, add about 3 tablespoons or a bit more to a wide-mouthed quart jar. Cover to the shoulder with just boiled water. Allow to steep overnight or for several hours.

Sip on it over a period of a day or two, and enjoy. Refrigerate once steeped. It will last in the jar for up to two days.

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"This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." ---Psalm 118:24

I hope you have a beautiful and blessed day! And...I hope you get some garden therapy and get your hands in the beautiful soil!

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Please forward this note to a friend if you know of one who would enjoy solid herbal education!