Herbal tid bits, plant talk, medicine making, ooing and awing of wilderness findings, updates and stories.
Here's how I fell in love with Alfalfa. One time, in crop class, I was taking notes from Dr. Cluff and he was going on and on about forbs and fodder and then he went off on a tangent about his beloved alfalfa; going into how this delicate little legume sends its roots down 30, 40, even 100 feet into the earth, drinking up those deep down impossible to reach minerals. I didn't believe him. I thought no way. How in the world does a two foot tall purpley bean pole have super plant strength? He explained it better than I could, but they do. And they do it well!
Can't sleep? Bitters....get some bitters! Or eat the bitters. Remember: the liver likes it when we’re asleep from 1-3, so make it happy! According to TCM, the liver filters all our blood through the night, especially between 1-3 am (when we're asleep) and it's working hard. A weak or congested liver means that it has to struggle through the night often producing hot flashes during this time and effecting our sleep. Poor quality sleep, difficulty falling asleep, tossing and turning, waking up easily, can't sleep at all, waking unrested; these are often the result of a sluggish liver. You see, the body’s qi and blood pass through and nurtures each organ system throughout the day and night. During the day when the body is active, blood flows to the tendons and muscles and then returns to the organs at night. Different times of night have a greater impact on different organs, like the liver between 1-3 am, and blood and qi are strongest in the liver organ and its meridians at this time when a significant portion of detoxification, regulation and nourishment is happening. If a person wakes or has some unusual symptoms at the same time every day, it is probable that there is an imbalance in the organ system that is highlighted at that particular time of day. Like waking up every night between 1-3 am. We know that sleeping during this time is critical for the liver to be able to function normally. And a good functioning liver is a lover of the bitters. They really like the bitters. So make friends with those dandelions, chicory and mustard greens or any other bitter greens and the thistles and docks, because they will help you and your liver stop looking at the clocks!
Waste areas, roadsides, and meadows...my gardens, that's where you'll see the Tansy Fairy. My common 'vulgare' friend and her petal-less humble yellow buttons with tattered leaves and pungent humor have adorned many of my gardens and roaming paths since I could remember. And she always will. Because she's immortal. She's tall, strong, feisty and youthful.....and sometimes very pushy. She goes where she wants. She spreads out and leaves a trail. She tells it like it is. She magical and likes to mingle....and her clean, camphorous scent has followed me to all of my gardens. And to my neighbors. 
Our storm took down half a juniper at the old church on the corner, so needless to say, I've been busy dragging sweet juniper boughs home across the snow this beautiful Sunday morning. I give thanks to the church, the Juniperus gods and the mighty storm..... shake off snow, kiss the sky and drag.... I'm always grateful when my old friend calls to me. Seems like a good pristine day for making juniper hydrosol. And probably juniper some-of-this and juniper some-of-that!
I like to wander through the juniper like the deer, quietly nibbling and scenting myself. And I like the way the deer watch me.... You know, we can learn so much from the land if we just learn to watch and listen. We know juniper smells good and is yummy, but it’s also a well known folk remedy for arthritis, rashes, and skin ailments. It’s great for inflammation and lymph congestion and it’s perfect for mental exhaustion too. I think it makes a nice stimulating body oil right out of the shower as well. I like to make it with wild-gathered juniper infused apricot, extra virgin olive and grapeseed oils and EO’s of cypress, juniper and lemon.
I’m a big fan of dry brushing and a big fan of salt scrubbing! These kinds of rubdowns really stimulate the body’s circulation and lymphatic systems which is not only invigorating and makes for smoother skin, but it can also help improve digestion, liver function and gets toxins moving out of the body. This stimulating scrub is also great for mental exhaustion, minor muscle aches, soreness, stiffness, inflammation and lymph congestion. Always lovemade with all kinds of salts, hempseed and grapeseed oils, wild-gathered juniper berries and rose petals, poppy seeds, allspice and EO’s of juniper, balsam fir and clary sage. 
Soaking in water is precious. And soaking in herb infused water is a bath for the soul. It can wash away debris and wash away hurt and it can fill up our heart and fill up our soul. Who doesn't like to take long steamy mystic ceremony soaks and have their soul filled up with the smells of the wilderness. And what is better than a dark candle lit steamy aromatic bath, a long soak and deep breaths to revitalize and release our chattered mind. A bath to help us relax and let our senses go back to the wild. Rewild is a handmade blend of rosemary leaf, eucalyptus leaf, horsetail herb, juniper leaf & berry, yarrow leaf and flower, pine, prairie sage, chrysanthemum & calendula flowers.
The humble juniper is said to encourage a sense of balance and calm. I simply have to agree as i tend to crave their company when I need solace and peace of mind. But we’ve known for millennia that burning incense is good for the soul and it certainly means alot of different things to alot of different people. So it is my hope that you find your inner harmony and a sense of balance in the burning of humble little juniper cones. 
Morgan Botanicals Summer Herbal CSA memberships are now open for registration! Enjoy 3 months of homegrown and wildgathered handmade herbals such as teas, tinctures, syrups, oils, creams, oxymels, incense, flower essences, hydrosols, essential oil blends and other herbal miscellany. Monthly payments and international shipping is available, please inquire.
Do you notice you feel better when you walk barefoot on the Earth? That it makes you feel good? Like when you're hosing down your feet in the wet grass after you've been gardening all day. Well there is no question that walking barefoot is healing and ancient healers believed Earth's energy could be easily absorbed through our skin and through the soles of our feet, thereby stabilizing the electrical environment of our organs, tissues, and cells.
Morgan Botanicals is owned and operated by Jessica Morgan, a life long lover of plants. She is a community herbalist and environmental horticulture and crop science graduate, garden coach and consultant, a certified CA master gardener, junior master gardener instructor, snail whisperer, forager, plant tickler, joke teller, wild foodie, teacher and writer and reader of all things interesting. Jessica offers medicine-making workshops, children’s classes, plant walks and talks, garden and crop advice as well as handmade herbals and custom blends. You’re most likely to find her roaming the wilderness oohing and awing and botanizing, wildcrafting, twig collecting, tree climbing, plant pressing, plant tickling, brewing and photographing, teaching in her food and medicine garden surrounded by children or crafting herbals in her herb shop.
Lilacs. Lilacs everywhere. Ahhh, Spring lilacs. Yes, it’s true, the smell of dreamy lilacs in the breeze just doesn't last long enough. So that’s why I love to preserve its floral essence in a delectable, wiggly jiggly, spreadable, sticky sweet jelly. It’s perfect smeared atop some crunchy buttery toast or biscuits, but I like it on warm lilac muffins with steamy black tea.
I was recently invited to be interviewed by the sweet folks over at Poppy Swap! Thought I'd post it so you can read it here.
Enjoy!
Jessica Morgan
Jessica Morgan is a community herbalist and environmental horticulture and crop science graduate and a certified CA master gardener and junior master gardener teacher. Before creating her own line of herbal products, Morgan Botanicals, Jessica worked as a botanical research biologist for CSU Stanislaus as part of an effort to protect endangered CA native plant species of California. She now lives in the beautifully green and water filled Loveland, CO area with “her crazy adventurous twig and rock collecting worker bee husband and our four children, three of whom were born at home accompanied by their midwife.”
She offers medicine making workshops, children’s classes, plant walks, garden and crop advice as well as private consultations and custom blends and can be found on here on Poppy Swap!
What was your first inspiration to become an herbalist?
