Comments on: Practical Skills: Insects and How You Can Keep Them Away http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/ Hope and Options for the World Post-Collapse Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:18:44 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Aftermath http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-8768 Aftermath Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:52:08 +0000 https://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-8768 Monk, Sorry for the long delay! http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/05/27/practical-skills-how-to-make-essential-oil/ tells how to make essential oils the easy way. You can certainly make essential oil out of mint with this! - Miranda Vivian Monk,
Sorry for the long delay! http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/05/27/practical-skills-how-to-make-essential-oil/ tells how to make essential oils the easy way. You can certainly make essential oil out of mint with this!

- Miranda Vivian

]]> By: Monk - Rental Bali http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-8752 Monk - Rental Bali Sun, 03 Feb 2008 15:12:24 +0000 https://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-8752 Dear Miranda, I like this blog. it's very nice to read. Actually I have an ample of mint leave. Do you have any info how to make essential oil by this leaves, Monk Bali :) Dear Miranda,
I like this blog. it’s very nice to read. Actually I have an ample of mint leave. Do you have any info how to make essential oil by this leaves,

Monk
Bali :)

]]> By: Rix http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-647 Rix Sat, 17 Feb 2007 22:20:32 +0000 https://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-647 Whenever I'm out in the field and realize that I need something to keep mosquitoes or flies off, I use wild onion or sassafras. Just crush the leaves and rub it on your skin. It's probably not as effective as the essential oil methods you shared, but they're both easy to find in my area and handy in a pinch. Apply liberally and often for maximum effectiveness. I've heard that farmers used to use sassafras wood in making chicken roosts to keep ticks off their birds. I usually just use the leaves, stuffing a few into my pockets, socks and under my hat. I've also heard that sulphurous water when drunken regularly will cause your body odor to be offensive to all bugs. I grew up near Heber Springs, Arkansas, and the springs for which the town was named were very sulphurous. The locals would swear by the water. (They also said it would cure myopia, though I never found that to be true.) Whenever I’m out in the field and realize that I need something to keep mosquitoes or flies off, I use wild onion or sassafras. Just crush the leaves and rub it on your skin. It’s probably not as effective as the essential oil methods you shared, but they’re both easy to find in my area and handy in a pinch. Apply liberally and often for maximum effectiveness.

I’ve heard that farmers used to use sassafras wood in making chicken roosts to keep ticks off their birds. I usually just use the leaves, stuffing a few into my pockets, socks and under my hat.

I’ve also heard that sulphurous water when drunken regularly will cause your body odor to be offensive to all bugs. I grew up near Heber Springs, Arkansas, and the springs for which the town was named were very sulphurous. The locals would swear by the water. (They also said it would cure myopia, though I never found that to be true.)

]]> By: Aftermath » Blog Archive » Practical Skills: Medicinal Plant Walk http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-112 Aftermath » Blog Archive » Practical Skills: Medicinal Plant Walk Sat, 24 Jun 2006 20:28:07 +0000 https://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-112 [...] Mint is also a common one you might hear about. There are over 50 species of mint and all can interbreed with one another. All may be used as insect repellent, as well as a stomach soother and taken for mild fevers (as a tea is best). You may also use heavy doses for headaches and menstrual pains. You may also use the leaves as a wash for muscle aches and sores. Note: A wash is when you boil the plant down and then apply topically, sort of like a tea for your skin. To help stabilize blood sugar, for diabetics and those with hypoglycemia in particular (though good for anybody), adding mint leaves to your water in the morning and drinking mint water throughout the day will help. [...] [...] Mint is also a common one you might hear about. There are over 50 species of mint and all can interbreed with one another. All may be used as insect repellent, as well as a stomach soother and taken for mild fevers (as a tea is best). You may also use heavy doses for headaches and menstrual pains. You may also use the leaves as a wash for muscle aches and sores. Note: A wash is when you boil the plant down and then apply topically, sort of like a tea for your skin. To help stabilize blood sugar, for diabetics and those with hypoglycemia in particular (though good for anybody), adding mint leaves to your water in the morning and drinking mint water throughout the day will help. [...]

]]> By: Aftermath http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-53 Aftermath Sun, 04 Jun 2006 14:18:32 +0000 https://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-53 Oh the preferrred method is always distillation to get essential oils. I didn't really want to explain that method before I actually did it myself, which is why I talked of the cheapo, easy method! =) - Miranda Vivian Oh the preferrred method is always distillation to get essential oils. I didn’t really want to explain that method before I actually did it myself, which is why I talked of the cheapo, easy method! =)

- Miranda Vivian

]]> By: Janene http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-52 Janene Sun, 04 Jun 2006 13:57:36 +0000 https://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-52 Hey -- I was bored, so I started researching it myself... From what I am seeing, it looks like the prefered method for extracting the essential oil is steam distillation. Buying a rig would run into the hudnreds of dollars, but I'm thing a trip to my local science surplus store, we may be able to build one pretty cheaply. They also suggest harvesting the lemon balm before flowering in the spring... and a second harvest in late summer (assuming mature plants.) With that, maybe I can get a rig set up by August and give it a try...and I think I will try distilling it fresh as the oils decrease with drying... Janene Hey –

I was bored, so I started researching it myself…

From what I am seeing, it looks like the prefered method for extracting the essential oil is steam distillation. Buying a rig would run into the hudnreds of dollars, but I’m thing a trip to my local science surplus store, we may be able to build one pretty cheaply.

They also suggest harvesting the lemon balm before flowering in the spring… and a second harvest in late summer (assuming mature plants.) With that, maybe I can get a rig set up by August and give it a try…and I think I will try distilling it fresh as the oils decrease with drying…

Janene

]]> By: Aftermath http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-51 Aftermath Sun, 04 Jun 2006 13:40:56 +0000 https://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-51 To get the most lemony freshness out of it, right before it flowers is best, yes, though it can still be used after flowering. I know for the bug repellent, the lemon balm leaves need to be dried, hung in a bag in a dry, cool, dark place. We've been drying all our herbs in the oven for times sake though, and you would have to keep a pretty close eye on it, not increasing the temp. over 150 degrees and keeping the oven door opened. For the medicinal properties though (mild sedative, antibacterial, antiviral), I would use the leaves in tea. I'm sort of partial to that method, but that's just me. - Miranda Vivian To get the most lemony freshness out of it, right before it flowers is best, yes, though it can still be used after flowering.
I know for the bug repellent, the lemon balm leaves need to be dried, hung in a bag in a dry, cool, dark place. We’ve been drying all our herbs in the oven for times sake though, and you would have to keep a pretty close eye on it, not increasing the temp. over 150 degrees and keeping the oven door opened. For the medicinal properties though (mild sedative, antibacterial, antiviral), I would use the leaves in tea. I’m sort of partial to that method, but that’s just me.

- Miranda Vivian

]]> By: Janene http://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-50 Janene Sun, 04 Jun 2006 13:08:25 +0000 https://aftermathblog.wordpress.com/2006/06/03/practical-skills-insects-and-how-you-can-keep-them-away/#comment-50 Hey -- Do you know when its best to harvest lemon balm... and how best to prepare it? For medicinal use, I know it should be harvested before flowering... which means I already missed it for this year. I'm just wondering if the same is necessarily true for aromatics... J Hey –

Do you know when its best to harvest lemon balm… and how best to prepare it?

For medicinal use, I know it should be harvested before flowering… which means I already missed it for this year. I’m just wondering if the same is necessarily true for aromatics…

J

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