Herbal Events at Madison Earth Care
More details coming soon...
A free lecture series with Rachel Blundon, 2nd Generation Owner
CANP, AOLCP, MSW
Sometimes the prospects of Waking up your Garden for Spring can feel overwhelming.
Where should you start?
What needs to be done to make sure that your garden is beautiful and functional this growing season?
Come and join us to find out how you can get your garden off to a fabulous start this year.
What will be covered?
- What plants need to be cut back and when
- Fertilizers and Compost, who needs what
- Why do you need to mulch, which plants and how much
- When and how to divide mature perennials
- What to plant and when
- A basic guide to successful container planting
- Which Hydrangeas need to be pruned and when
- Rachel’s favorite gardening tools, products and tips
Rachel will also have a time reserved for questions at the end of her presentation. Come prepared with your Spring project questions for Waking up Your garden this season.
At Madison Earth Care we love to support the home gardener
For 48 years we have been a leader in quality landscaping on the Connecticut shore line. We are available for all of your landscaping, lawn and garden projects from property maintenance, landscape design and construction.
For all of the DIY gardeners and homeowners out there, our Garden Center is a one stop shop for everything that you’ll need.
Now in it’s 4th season, The Garden Center at Madison Earth Care carries a wide range of tools and products to keep your lawn and garden looking their best.
With great brands like Coast of Maine, Espoma, Jonathan Green and The Vermont Mulch Company we have all of your planting and fertilizing needs covered.
All of our fertilizers and soil amendments are organic gardening approved and we are here to help you get a jump on pest control this season with our range of environmentally friendly products that are guaranteed to work!
We also carry a range of bulk products sold by the yard, which are available for pick up or delivery;
- Hardwood Bark and Cedar Mulches
- Topsoil
- Compost
- Stone
You can also order any of our bulk goods directly through our website, here.
Come and Join us on March 4th at 6 p.m. at The Scranton Memorial Library, right here at Madison Earth Care
Space is limited, so please contact us to sign up.
What is Herbal Medicine?
Herbal medicine is the use of plants and other natural substances to treat a wide range of health conditions. Its practitioners are called herbalists. There is an extensive worldwide history of people using plants as medicine. Herbal medicines may be used by themselves or along with other treatments or therapies.*
Using herbal medicine is not mutually exclusive to using traditional medicine, the two coexist wonderfully and can support each other in supporting a persons health and well being.
Common Forms of Herbal Medicine
- Tincture-Plants extracted in alcohol
- Glycerite-Plants extracted in vegetable glycerin
- Tea-Plants extracted in water; hot water is either poured on the tea (infusion) or the tea is cooked in water (decoction)
- Powder-Plants reduced to a powder and taken internally
- Capsule-Powdered plants put into a capsule
- Compress-A strong tea with a cloth soaked in it and applied externally
- Infused Oil-Plants extracted in a fixed oil and applied externally
- Salve-Plant infused oil with bees wax added as an external preparation
- Oxymel- Plants infused in a vinegar and honey solution*
In this class we will focus on water based extractions; teas, infusions and decoctions. These three variations of water extractions vary in the length of time the herbs are infused and the methods by which they are heated. We will be sampling herbal teas, infusions and decoctions made with the herbs that we will discuss in the class. There will also be tinctures and glycerites available to try.
You will go home with:
An Herbal Materia Medica, which is a list of plants and their actions and attributes which are used in the composition of herbal remedies. For this class we will speak in depth on the following plants and how they can nourish and support both physical and emotional heart health:
- Oats- Avena sativa
- Reishi Mushroom- Ganoderma lucidum
- Hawthorn Berries-Crataegus monogyna
- Schisandra Berries-Schisandra Chinensis
- Rose- Rosa spp.
Everyone take home a copy of their own mini Materia Medica detailing the above plants and and how to use them. We will also discuss how to responsibly wild gather plants to make herbal medicine, which plants are best suited to growing at home and reliable and ethical sources to buy plants to make your own medicine.
In class we will each custom blend our own 8oz jar of Herbal tea. Using the plants discussed in class and an assortment of various herbal aromatics we will each mix a personalized blend of plants to create a tea that speaks to and nourishes our hearts. Depending on how strongly you brew your herbal tea, one 8oz jar will make between 15-20 cups of tea.
Class will be lead by Folk Herbalist Taylor Gendron
Taylor Gendron (she/her pronouns) is a folk herbalist practicing in South Eastern CT. She has a very small batch herbal medicine company, Esmé Botanicals which focuses on using plant medicine to enhance pleasure and works privately with clients to easily incorporate herbal medicine into their lives. Taylor teaches medicinal plant identification and use along with herbal medicine making in Madison and New London. She manages the Garden Center here at Madison Earth Care.
What is an Herbalist?
An herbalist is a health care practitioner who uses plants, herbal preparations, and other natural products as medicine. Herbalists are generally holistic in their approach to health care. This entails looking at many aspects of a person’s health with the goal of finding underlying causes and addressing them as well as treating symptoms. It is very important to note that Herbal medicine is not a licensed practice in the United States, and there is lot of variation in education and practice among herbalists. Without a legal definition, anyone may call themselves an herbalist. When choosing an herbalist, ask questions and consult with your physician to find one that suits your personal needs.*
Wednesday February 12th at 6 p.m at The Garden Center at Madison Earth Care
Class Fee $30
Please pre register with us as class size is limited. Call or Email to sign up.
FDA Disclaimer: These statements and products have not been evaluated by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. If you have a health concern or condition, consult a physician. Always consult a medical doctor before modifying your diet, using any new product, drug, supplement, or doing any new exercises.
*Definitions and explanations adapted from the Herbalist 7Song at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. Their website holds a wealth of information on plants and herbal medicine.
With winter weather, inevitably comes the Common Cold. One of our Favorite natural remedies to ward off colds and flu and shorten the length of illnesses, is to mix up a big batch of Fire Cider.
What is Fire Cider?
Fire Cider is a name first made popular by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar in the 1970’s. Fire Cider is a blanket term to describe any number of herbal preparations involving vinegar, honey, and spices. Almost always raw garlic, onion and ginger are used along with cayenne pepper. We like to add Fresh Turmeric when we have access to it for its bright flavor and anti inflammatory properties.
Because we Care what goes inside
Here at Madison Earth Care we spend the majority of our time in the presence of and caring for plants. It is our love of plants and the environment that has lead us on the path to providing completely natural and organic landscape care and maintenance to may of our clients. We feel that it is important to treat our bodies the same way. Just like using natural products to manage plants, we love finding natural remedies for us, as well.
But being natural isn’t enough though, it also has to work.
We first started making Fire Cider here a few years back at some of our first herbal winter workshops and we’ve been hooked ever since. The seemingly simple combination of onions, garlic, spices and herbs packs a powerful punch when infused with Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and Raw Local Honey.
The resulting tonic is both Spicy, Sweet and effective. We like to keep ours at hand all winter. A bottle stashed in the desk drawer and one on the kitchen counter.
How is Fire Cider used?
Fire Cider can be taken by the dropper, shot or sip. It can also be used in the place of regular vinegar in salad dressings and marinades.
Please Join us
Make your own custom jar of Fire Cider at our “Make Your Own” Class here at The Garden Center on January 29th at 6 p.m.
You will go home with:
- 1 Pint Jar of your Own Custom Blended Fire Cider
- Recipes and use instructions
Class Fee $30
Please pre register with us as class size is limited. Call or email to sign up.