Re: Decocting Herbs

From my own recent experimentation with herbs, I did not start out with the single intention of saving money. For me it was more about becoming a bit more self-sufficient, and there is a significant feeling of empowerment that comes with this. Along the way I found that I am saving money, considerably so, and although I have no easy way of clinically "proving it" to anyone other than myself, I'm convinced that the quality of my own preparations are as good as any commercial variant.

Yes, for the average person on the street, sourcing grain alcohol has become more of a quest than it once was, in large part due to ever increasing regulations and control of all kinds of things; and, up front, it's not cheap, per se. Also keep in mind that while alcohol is generally an ideal menstrum for extracting the beneficial ingredients of herbs, it is by far not the only one. Depending on the herb in question, water is often a suitable alternative, as is ACV, as is Olive-Oil and other friendly oils.

A few weeks ago I made my second-ever batch of home made Tincture of Green Hull of Black-Walnut . I used an entire 1.75 liter jug of grain alcohol for this batch that cost me a little over $25.00 retail. The Black-Walnut s (gathered still in their green and unbroken hulls) were as close to being "free of charge" as one can find these days. I gathered a large sack of walnuts while walking the dog down a country off-road one day. I then mixed 1.75 liters of distilled water to the entire jug of grain. I do not currently make my own distilled water but intend to soo. I get distilled water at a small town retail bottling company sourced by a local spring and costs me about $5.00 for a 5-gallon jug. To roughly round off, I've now got about $26.00 in literal expenses, but there was also some driving involved to acquire these raw goods and I have not the foggiest how much money was spent in gasoline and wear & tear on the car. Add to this my own labor-of-love time and effort to produce close to 3.5 liters of tincture. For kicks, lets say I my labor was worth 4 dollars for the entire effort. So I've got roughly $30 in direct expenses to provide myself with 3.5 liters of tincture. Now compare this to what you are likely to find in our world of commerce anywhere you choose. Pick any commercial herb/health supplier you care to, from the smallest & nicest momNpop you know of, to the biggest, baddest on-line source out there. On a good day, how much in out of pocket expenses, roughly, do you think you'll spend for 3.5 liters of genuine Tincture of Green Hull of Black-Walnut ?

Also a few weeks ago, I made a little over 2 quarts of "cayenne" tincture using peppers - various strains of Cayenne, Chili and Habanero grown in my own back yard. I used the same self-purchased grain alcohol & distilled water as main other ingredients. I'm guessing I had about $15 - $20 dollars worth of pepper plants purchased at the nursery this past spring, and most of that crop is still in my freezer after makign these 2 quarts. Plus or minus a few more bucks for the grain and water, to yield a bit over 2 quarts of tincture.

As to the pressing & squeezing methods for improving the 'good to the last drop' experience, I too am still trying to hurdle this particular obstacle. I'm confident there are solutions out there, I just have not happend upon those that are best suited for my 'druthers, yet.

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