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According to the tale, the fable of the Pussy Willow goes; a mother cat was crying on the bank of a river, as her kittens had fallen in while chasing butterflies and were drowning. The willow trees along the riverbank wanted to help, so they dipped their branches into the water to save the kittens, allowing them to cling to the limbs. The kittens were saved, but they left their soft, furry fur behind on the branches. Since then, willow branches sprout tiny, kitten, fur-like buds every spring in memory of this rescue. As the old poem goes; A Polish legend tells the tale, of tiny kittens, ohs o frail. Along the river's edge they chased. Whith butterflies, they played and raced. They came too close to the river's side, and thus, fell in. Their mother cried. What could she do but weep and moan? Her babies fate were yet unknown. The willow, but the river, knew just what it was that the must do; They swept their graceful branches down Into the waters, all around. To reach the kittens was their goal; A rescue mission, hears and soul. The kittens grasped the branches tight. The willows saved them from their plight. Each springtime since, the story goes, Willow branches now wear clothes. Tiny fur like buds are sprung where little kittens had once clung. And that's the legend, so they claim, How Pussy Willows got their name!  Other Willow Folklore
The Quiet Power of Willow Bark: From Ancient Medicine to Modern Herbal CareWillow trees grow across much of the world, from Europe and North America to northern Asia and parts of Africa. For thousands of years people have turned to this quiet tree for relief from pain and fever. Nearly 2,000 years ago the Greek physician Dioscorides recommended “willow leaves, mashed with a little pepper and drunk with wine” for lower back pain. During the Middle Ages, willow bark continued to be used throughout Europe to reduce fever and ease aches. In 1899 the Bayer Company in Germany introduced a drug based on a synthetic compound similar to the active ingredient found in willow bark. That product eventually became one of the most recognized medicines in the world… aspirin. Like aspirin, willow bark is a proven pain reliever, though it works more slowly and tends to last longer in the body. Traditionally it has been used for fever, colds, headaches, minor infections, and rheumatic aches. On the farm, willow bark has found its way into several of our products including our Rosemary Hair Oil, Peppermint Hair Oil, White Fir Beard Oil, and our Easelixer ~ Create your own Elixer. Willow contains a natural compound called salicin that gently exfoliates the scalp, helping remove dead skin, balance excess oil, and reduce dandruff. Its anti inflammatory plant compounds soothe irritation and help create a healthier environment where strong hair can grow. You will also find willow bark in our Easelixer blend, a plant that herbal traditions have long turned to when the body needs a little extra support. Each spring we harvest the young willow shoots at the same time the maple sap begins to run. The days rise above freezing while the nights still dip below zero. During this brief window the sap moves through the trees as they awaken from winter’s sleep. This is when the bark is richest and most potent, and when we gather what we need for the oils and elixirs we craft through the year.  Our registered White Willow tree at Mingle Hill Farm, one of the largest in Canada.
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🐾 From Cats to Cleansing: A New Tea is Born - CuriTea Our sweet little fur babies in the farm store have been hard at work lately—keeping mice at bay like the true farm MVPs they are. But with all that mouse-catching comes a downside… worms. 😬 Tomato (our brave little representative) took one for the team and went to the vet, and sure enough, everyone got a round of worm meds. They're now happily back to their routine—napping in their beds by day, patrolling for mice by night.  Photo of Tomato the Cat 📸 by Zach Rozema But that whole situation got me wondering: Can humans get parasites from their pets? Well, the rabbit hole I went down was both fascinating and kinda gross. Turns out, studies suggest that up to 85% of humans may be carrying some form of parasite. Ewwwwh. Yep. I said it. Gross. So I did what any herb-loving human would do... I Googled: “What herbs help get rid of parasites?” And to my surprise, I came across a scientific paper that confirmed something herbalists have said for generations: 🌿 Oregano, rosemary, thyme, cumin, and sweet marjoram have all shown effective anti-parasitic properties. Read the study here. And of course, I couldn’t resist adding Wormwood (a.k.a. Sweet Annie)—I mean, the name alone screams "get rid of worms!" right? 🌕 Introducing Our Newest Tea Blend Inspired by this little adventure, a new tea has been born. Rooted in folklore and backed by science, the traditional way to use these herbs is to drink the tea five days before the full moon and five days after. (One 40g tea bag will last you two full months of this lunar cycle cleanse.) I tried it last month and felt so much better—especially digestion-wise. And the best part? These herbs don’t just support parasite cleansing—they come with a whole host of other health benefits too. That’s the magic of plants. Order Here Are We the Only Ones Who Think Herbs Are This Fun? Because honestly… learning weird facts, reading ancient folklore, testing teas, and watching cats do weird stuff? That’s the dream life over here. 🐱🌿✨  Photo of the CuriTea testing
Making Rosemary Hair Water at home is easy and inexpensive. This is a different process than we process on our farm, however for the at home DIY enthusiast this recipe below is a great way to support your hair, create stronger, healthier hair along with assisting in hair growth. At Mingle Hill Farm we harvest our Rosemary at the heat of the day from July to September. We then dry our Rosemary in a warm but very dry dark space to prevent molding and to harness the highest oils in the plant. Once the Rosemary is dried, we then infuse it into our hair oils, crush it into our spice mixes and teas and we steam distill it using our cooper distiller from Austria. Using steam distillation in a copper distiller is the optimal form of extracting the finest oils from a plant. On average, it takes 3 kgs of plant or flower to produce 20mL of oil. During the process of steam distillation, we are also creating a floral water. This is created by the passing of the steam through the plant materials, condensing the vapor and capturing the water soluble compounds from the plant. Our final product; Rosemary Water. Of course this is difficult to produce in the average home, but the next best thing can be made easily on your kitchen stove.  Rosemary Hair Water RecipeIngredients: Fresh Rosemary Water Things you will need: A pot A strainer or cheese cloth A spray bottle Place the fresh rosemary in a pot. Use as much or little as you desire. Fill the pot with double the amount of water. My suggestion would be to use at least 1 cup of rosemary to 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then take off the heat. Let cool to room temperature. Strain out the rosemary using cheese cloth or a fine strainer. Pour carefully into a spray bottle. This should be used within 3 month to avoid molds. Enjoy the wonderful smell of Rosemary in your hair and begin feeling the benefits of herbal healing. Works brilliantly as a perfume as well. Enjoy.  |
AUTHORMeet Emily Rozema: The Heart Behind Mingle Hill Farm CATEGORIES
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