Ladies of the Lake Apothecary

interesting events coming up in the heart of Krakow for children :)

Przyrodnicza Świetlica startuje już w czerwcu! Bartek z W pobliżu W pobliżu zaprasza dzieci w wieku 5-10 lat na 3h warsztaty przyrodnicze. Szczegóły https://forms.gle/DzQHnKcYoQSQk8xd8 Osoby zainteresowane mają możliwość się spotkać i porozmawiać już 26 maja na Rodzinnej Wyprawie za ptasim śpiewem.
https://fb.me/e/5P5poz0vA

A w lipcu zapraszamy dzieci w wieku 6-11 lat na Dzikie Letnie Warsztaty immersyjne z językiem angielskim https://fb.me/e/5j1i8Z2x8

Zapraszamy do wspólnego czerpania radości z bycia w naturze

🌿Pine top Syrup 🌿

(I'll share more pictures later when the maceration time is over and the syrup bottled :) )

My friend took a trip to visit her relatives in the countryside and asked if these pine tops would be something I could use and immediatelly I saw pine top syrup in my eyes. This delicious syrup used in culinary and medicinally can be done basically with any conifer cones and young and tender tops, but be aware that there are toxic species as well all around the world so it is very important to know what is the tree you're harvesting from and always asked permission from the land owner when foraging from the trees.

Medicinally Pine syrup is often used to treat upper and lover respiratory tract inflammations, other cold and flu symptoms and to relive sore throat and of course not to quick mention in culinary way too. It goes well and it is delicious dressing for pancaces, ice cream, pannacotta just to name few examples but also with cheese and meats.

Pine cone or top syrups are usually expensive to buy, but you can easily make one yourself, it's very simple and doesn't take too much time to prepare.

Ask permission of the land owner if you can forage
Make sure the land where you forage is free of pollution,
pesticides, far away of big and busy roads, train tracks.

🌿Add two cups of cones or tops in a jar with equal ammount of brown sugar, mix well and add the lid on.

🌿You can either bury the jar in your garden for a year to macerate or do as I do, leave it outside where the sun will warm it each day. The warmth of the sun will help prevent mold. Stirr it occationally.

🌿After one month of macerating, pour and scrape the jar of the syrup into a pot.

🌿Bring the mixture to a boil to dissolve the sugar, strain, then bottle and store. Discard the spent tips, and thank Mother Earth for providing you this delicious and healthy syrup that will help you during the cold and flu season.

🌿 Store in the fridge up to a year or even more.

On the time of the longest nights and the darkest days December full moon known as the Cold Moon that's occurring near the winter solstice is inviting you to take a closer look what lies beneath the cold and frozen surface. Some animals are hibernating and seeds and bulbs underground are preparing to sprout in the coming spring. Nature is resting and also to us humans it is important time to rest, and do self-care rituals, explore the stillness of the nature, breath the cold and fresh air. Give yourself time as this is the time for renewal, rest and shadow work ❤️

Homemade marshmallows coming up, super simple to make 😋

Blueberry dream, rose petal love & hibiscus cloud 🥰

Hot chocolate 😋

3 tbsp raw cacao
500g coconut milk
2 tsp cinnamon
+ Honey to taste

So good! 🥰

Cacao has been used for millennia by the Maya, and it brings the people who consume it incredible benefits. It can be considered a top superfood for the incredible variety of physical effects it brings us, including the deep work it does in our cardiovascular system, the relief and relaxation of the muscles, the ability to open up the lungs so we can breathe deeper, its incredibly high amounts of antioxidants, etc.

But cacao goes deeper than that, it has the ability to cross the blood brain barrier and regulates the neurotransmitters of the brain such as dopamine and serotonin, which creates a sensation of happiness and relief. Fully bringing us clarity of mind and the consciousness to go through the day and interact with others in a mindful way.

And the Maya say that this is one of the few foods that has the ability to touch the spirit, activate our empathy and connection to Mother nature, and heal us from the inside out! ❤️✨🙏✨❤️

Stock is filled with this amazing Amatilda which is warming, pain relieving, and stimulating herbal salve. It can be used to help ease occasional aches and pains associated with all kinds of sport activities. Also, to help warm up the joints, muscles and to help relieve nerve pain and back ache.

Apply this ointment where you’re experiencing the pain, avoiding broken skin as needed..

Avoid contact with eyes, wash hands after use!

Ingredients:
Capsicum annuum (Cayenne), Zingiber officinale (Ginger),
Amanita muscaria (Fly agaric),
Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort),
Organic olive oil & beeswax.

50ml, 70 PLN

🍁🍂🔥 Blessed Autumn equinox to all 🔥🍂🍁

When harvesting sunlight you can transmute it into liquid red gold. Yes, St John's Wort it is!

"Restorer of inner light , but also lost vision and inspirer of dreams. The plant might cut through layers of mental fog that distract us from our purpose, in time restoring the bright-browed, bright-eyed clarity of one whose dreams and visions guide their path through life" 🙏

"Distilled gold
Beads of bright vision
Lighting our way
Through confusion and doubt."

From ancient Greeks down through the middle ages and onward, the herb was considered to be imbued with magical powers and was used to ward off evil and protect against illness. St John's wort was also used for sciatica and other nerve problems. And it was also used for external wounds and cuts. 🌿

St John's wort can be very effective for treating mild depression, anxiety, stress, tension, nerve damage etc if used correctly. While this herb is very potent, it is not a drug and it does not have druglike instantaneous actions and like many herbs, it needs to be used over a period of time for full effect. 🌿

Contraindications:

St John's wort can cause photosensitivity in some individuals. Not to be used together with any antidepressants.

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding please seek guidance of a qualified health-care practitioner before taking the herb internally. 🌿🌻

Field full of meadowsweet 😍

Blessed Litha / Happy Summer Solstice! May you feel the summer solstice night as a perfection of thought. Let the energy of the summer solstice help you to balance, release & recharge 🍀✨🙏✨🍀

//Piknik Rodzinny Letnie Przesilenie//25 czerwiec
Kolejna odsłona warsztatów
*Warsztaty zielarskie 16.00-17.00
Naturalne kosmetyki - maść na skaleczenia i siniaki/ balsam do twarzy z kwiatów czarnego bzu/ z Maarit Ladies of the Lake Apothecary Koszt 35 zł/os
I am Maarit, a herbalist and forager. I am inviting you to enjoy nature and its gifs with me! I will lead you through the process of making salves and the participants can take a jar each home along with my herbal relaxing tea blend as a gift.
Together we will make the elderflower face balm and calendula-chamomile-St John's wort salve for bruises, wounds, scars, itchiness etc. Also I would like to show you how to make a bath glow - sort of pealing, moistening and relaxing skin mask, with epsom salt, lavender infused oil. I hope to see you there!

It's Elderflower season now! You can fry flower heads in the pancake batter, prepare syrup, cordial, oxymel, jelly, jam, skincare products, dry them for winter and use the dried flowers in the tea to reduce cold and flu symptoms ;)

🍃🌱🌿Garlic mustard & Chickweed 🌿🌱🍃

🌿Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is biennial flowing herb in the Brassicaceae family.

It's native to Europe and nowadays it can be found many places abundantly outside the native range as it's considered very invasive.

You can identify and find it easily particularly in wooded areas and hedgerows and by following your nose due to its garlic-like aroma. If it's windy, the wind will guide you right up there where it grows. Garlic mustard leaves are heart-shaped and toothy, the flowers are small and has four white petals, the stem has hair at the base. You can use all parts for food, roots included, they taste like horseradish.

Garlic mustard greens are extremely nutritious as they have substantial amounts of vitamins such as A, C, E and some of the B vitamins. In addition it also contains calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and manganese and not to mention omega-3 fatty acids. 🙏🌿

It can be great help with controlling weight, lower cholesterol, improving heart health and strengthen the immune system.

Medicinally it's been used as an antiseptic herb for treating coughs and colds, bruises and sores, leg ulcers (if you have cramp in your leg, rub some fresh leaves on it for relieving the cramp), colic and kidney stones.

🌿Chickweed (Stellaria media) is annual flowering herb in the Caryophyllaceae family.

It's native to Europe and nowadays it can be found many places abundantly throughout the world, it's considered invasive.

You can identify Chickweed easily. It's common in lawns, meadows, waste places and open areas where the soil is cool and moist. It has hairy stems and oval-shaped leaves. The flowers are small and white with five sepals and five petals. Chickweed flowers are said to look like a star and that's where the Latin name refers to, Stellaria media means star-like ☺️

Chickweed is a powerhouse of medicine and nutritious food. It's hig in many nutrients, calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C.

In herbal medicine this cooling little star has been used in rashes, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, fevers, dry cough, stagnant or swollen lymph and eye infections 🙏🌿

Now let's get to the final treat which is delicious pesto made out of these beauties:

2 cups of fresh and chopped garlic mustard
1 cup of fresh and chopped chickweed
Around 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine greens, garlic and walnuts in a blender or food processor by addin olive oil to desired consistency then parmesan cheese and last salt and pepper to taste.

Eat it as you would eat any other pesto 🥰

I'm already preparing for the winter 😅
Foraging garlic mustard, cleavers, mullein leaves and blackthorn flowers 🥰

Monday fun, I crafted body lotion bars of plantain, lavender and rose! Heavenly smell 🥰

Sweet Violet (Viola odorata, Viola spp.) This sweet little purple heart flower is one of the first herbs popping up in the spring time that brightens your eye and to bring you joy. Native to Europe and Middle East growing abundantly in the meadows, lawns and moist and shady woods. The aerial parts are traditionally used such as respiratory support, dry coughs, sore throats, and to reduce fevers. Also used in people with insomnia. Violet’s moistening, cooling, and mild pain-relieving properties can calm inflammation such as arthritis. Studies have shown that violet has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant activities.

Violets are also full of nutrients, the leaves and flowers contains high amount of vitamin C and the leaves are also high in beta-carotenes. You can add young leaves and flowers in salads, make pesto, prepare syrup, oxymel and vinegar of the flowers.

Violet is considered safe but the roots are toxic to humans. Roots are emetic which means it can make you vomit. Leaves of some species can make you feel nausea or diarrhea if ingested too many as they can be high in saponin content.

Coltsfoot, beautiful like a sun! Also one of the first signs of the spring when the nature is coming back to alive after a long cold winter.

Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) is native to Europe and parts of Asia and it's long used in herbal medicine to treat respiratory conditions, gout, flu, colds, and fever. Scientific studies link it to several health benefits, including reduced inflammation, brain damage, and coughing.

However the plant is toxic and it could cause damage in liver and increase risks of cancer but mostly in healthy adults with healthy and balanced food diet can brake pyrrolizidine alkaloids before doing any harm. Coltsfoot usage is limited up to 6 weeks max with small dosages.

Do not use Coltsfoot if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or you already have liver disease's/damages, do not give Coltsfoot preparations to the children.

Also it's always best to consult professional practitioner first before using herbal preparations in therapeutic meaning, some herbs, like some allopathic medicine may have contraindications when used together with other herbs and medicines, including the state of ones health, not all plants and herbs are suitable for everyone 🌿✨☀️

Spring is here!!! Happy Spring Equinox!
Time of balance, renewal, and welcoming new life into the world. 🥰🌿🍀🌱✨

Greetings Dandelions!

I'm inviting you to enjoy beautiful nature and it's gifts with me!

You'll get to ID couple of wild plants and to know how they are used culinary and medicinally and sometimes even in cosmetics.
Please remember to wear weather-appropriate clothing and bring note-taking equipment with you.

Walks takes around 2,5h in the beautiful surroundings of Lake Zakrzówek, Krakow. (Exact meeting point will be emailed you before the event)

Up coming Events:

29.04.2023 at 10AM
06.05.2023 at 10AM
13.05.2023 at 10AM

Reserve your spot now for one of those available days!

Price per person is 55 PLN (Paid by Blik or cash)
Registration to: [email protected]

All looks so delicious! Maybe there's something new to try this year ? Something from another culture to bake in your Yule table?
What are your favourites in your feast table in this coming festival? 🙃

https://adamantkitchen.com/christmas-cookies/?fbclid=IwAR1QuTzgTNxp3pMP3A-fN_88PnSXHcQHXa9XHzqIx_ZelSG6jBNdmRAT7jk

50+ Christmas Cookies from Around the World Christmas cookies are one of the best parts of the holiday season! No matter the corner of the world you dwell in, if you celebrate Christmas or any other holiday this season, you're likely to

I call this Soothing Winter Cream for sensitive skin.

I have used:

🌻Calendula which is skin-supportive and has soothing nature that is helpful for many different skin types. Useful for irritated skin.

🌹Damask Rose hydrosol which is toning, revitalising and soothing. It moistens dry skin.

💙 Butterfly pea flower which is also helpful in treating skin irritation, redness, itching and allergies due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-glycation properties.

Aloe Vera, Shea butter, Sunflower seeds oil, beeswax, Vitamin A & E, DHA BA preservative.

Swab deodorant coming up 🥰

Pachamama is a word from the Quechua language that means Mother Earth. The video talks about the connection of human beings with nature, the connection for consciousness is necessary to rise to the level of nature. The performance is about to build concept of MOTHER EARTH through its 4 elements Earth, Fire, Water and Air, through its various environments and characteristic movements, a beautiful whole.

Pachamama es una palabra de la lengua quechua que significa Madre tierra. Esta pieza del video habla se la conexión de los seres humanos con la naturaleza, conexión necesaria para que la conciencia se eleve al nivel de la naturaleza. En el vídeo, construimos el concepto de MADRE TIERRA a través de sus 4 elementos Tierra, Fuego, Agua y Viento, a través de sus diversos entornos y movimientos característicos un todo conjunto hermoso.

Pachamama on Quechua Inkojen kieltä ja tarkoittaa suomennettuna Äitimaa. Teos kertoo ihmisen yhteydestä luontoon. Yhteyttä tarvitaan, jotta tietoisuus kohoaa luonnon tasolle. Videoteoksessa ÄITIMAA luodaan 4 elementin kautta, MAA, TULI, VESI JA ILMA eri elementeille ominaisen ympäristön sekä liikkeen kautta yhdeksi kauniiksi kokonaisuudeksi.

Pachamama Äiti Maa Pachamama on Quechua Inkojen kieltä ja tarkoittaa suomennettuna Äitimaa. Teos kertoo ihmisen yhteydestä luontoon. Yhteyttä tarvitaan, jotta tietoisuus kohoaa...

Quince Syrup 😋

Quince is native to Middle East and parts of Mediterranean and the fruit looks like half apple and half pear but definitely has its own unique flavour.

Made this tasty and beautiful syrup for deserts and suits well with strawberries, liches and many other fruits and berries. It's also medicinal and treats well dry cough 😉

Quinces are rich in nutrients they contain fibers, minerals, vitamins such as C, B1 and 6 etc. They also offer a rich supply of antioxidants, which may reduce metabolic stress and inflammation while protecting your cells from free radical damage.
May relieve digestion issues, treat stomach ulcers, reduce reflux (acid) symptoms. And they may support better immune function.