We love using, growing and foraging for yarrow.
Yarrow, Achillea milefolium L., is a green fern-like foliage with tiny flowers ranging in different colors. It can grow between ankle and knee height, and may allude you if you blink. Named for the reference to Achilles, the hero of the Trojan wars for its widespread use in stopping bleeding, yarrow commonly flowers in June to September, depending on location. It is found among grass, in meadows and along open pastures. Yarrow leaves and blossoms are both edible, and is a great source of Vitamin B1.
Some of yarrow medicinal uses include helping with liver function, helping with kidney stones and also assisting with stabilizing blood pressure.
To see what you need when foraging, read the post here.
Yarrow flowers are disk shaped, and can be white to pink. Flowers will be approximately 2-4 inches in size and appear in flattened, loose heads, called cymes. Flowers appear on the plant in Spring through the Summer and are useful in medicines, teas, and are edible.The smell of the blossoms are similar to mum flowers.
Make your own styptic pencils with yarrow, read the post here.
Yarrow can grow to be 24 inches in height, and has a deep well developed rhizomous root. It’s stalk is a single stem, that is fibrous and rough. Leaves are even distributed among the stem, and the ones near the middle and bottom will be the largest. Leaves will appear to be almost feathery. The name “millefolium” comes from the fact that it looks like it has a thousand leaves. Leaves are edible and often used in teas or flavorings in recipes. In culinary use, it can be used interchangeably with tarragon.
For how to make a yarrow tea with dried yarrow, read the post here.
Try the recipe for roasted carrots and yarrow flowers below to see what YOU think!
Roasted Carrots With Yarrow
1 pound carrots
¼ cup fresh yarrow flowers and stems
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
To make:
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Peel carrots, and leave long.
3. Rub down with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.
4. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Chop the yarrow flowers and stems into small pieces and top carrots.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, until just slightly soft.
Make a wonderful skin healing salve with this dried yarrow recipe:
This is a summertime must in our family. After a long day of chores or other homestead projects, it’s just a fact that we get sore knees, or sore backs. Yarrow helps to soothe those achy joints.
1 ounce dried yarrow (where to buy yarrow)
.5 ounce red raspberry leaf
3 ounces tallow
Carefully melt tallow and add herbs. Place in 200° oven for 2 hours, then strain herbs out using a cheesecloth, squeezing to get all the goodness. Allow to cool completely and use externally on sore joints, bruises or hemorrhoids. You can also replace the tallow with lard if you choose, or 2.5 ounces coconut oil and .5 ounce beeswax melted together. I prefer the tallow because it’s cheap and since it’s a solid fat, it is easier to store in hotter summer months, when I seem to need it more often.
For how to make yarrow tea using dried yarrow, try this recipe:
This is great when you are feeling under the weather, but you need to use it as soon as you recognize symptoms to get the most benefit. It can help settle an upset stomach and supports your immune system in speeding healing.
3 parts red raspberry leaf
1 part nettle
1 part alfalfa
1 part mint
1/4 part yarrow
Mix herbs together and store in an airtight jar. Use 2 T. per quart of boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. Drain and sweeten as desired, preferably with raw honey. Drink hourly at onset of symptoms to help assist body in healing.
What are some ways you would like to use yarrow? Will you forage for it this Spring and Summer? Be sure to pin this for later!
the post first appeared on thehomesteadinghippy.com See it here
