Welcome back to part 2 of our post on Herbal solutions for Preppers. In this final part, we will cover making your own infused oils as well as a few recipes that every Prepper needs to know. These are keys to long term survival and you should have a copy of the recipes on this page in your preps if nothing else. Let’s get started then shall we?
Where to Buy and Tips
When you purchase your oils, please be sure that you buy a therapeutic grade oil. A good thing about using essential oils in your preps is that they don’t expire because they are preserved in the carrier oil. You can research places to buy essential oils online by doing a search for essential oils. One of my favorite stores to buy from can be found here.
Making Your Own Infused Oils
Once you plant your herbal seeds and have the herbs, you can make your own essential oils using your herbs and carrier oils. Carrier oils are oils made from the fatty parts of vegetables such as seeds, nuts and kernels. Types of carrier oils include coconut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil, jojoba, hemp seed, and sweet almond oil. A complete list of carrier oils can be found here.
When you are getting the plant material to make infused oil, use the following instructions:
For herbs: use 1/4 cup of herbal leaves and flowers and chop roughly.
For spices: use 2 tablespoons of whole spices and crush in a mortar and pestle.
For flowers: use 1/4-1/2 ounce of only the petals.
To make infused oil you need:
- A small crock pot works great but a double boiler on low heat works too
- 1 cup carrier oil (I included a link above to carrier oils.)
- Herbs, spices or petals (see necessary amounts above)
- Place the carrier oil in the crockpot.
- Wrap plant materials in several layers of cheesecloth or place them directly into the oil.
- Set your crock pot to the lowest setting and allow to heat for six to eight hours. ( Remember if using a double boiler, add water as needed to the bottom pot) If the fragrance is not strong enough, cook for a couple of hours more, not to exceed 12 hours. If the fragrance is still not strong enough, remove the spent plant materials and add fresh in the same ratio, taking care to not overcook.
Here are a couple of recipes for starter SHTF medical care.
First-Aid Antiseptic Ointment
- 0.5-1 ounce (approx. 1-2 tablespoons) raw beeswax, grated
- 8 ounces (approx. 1 cup) olive, almond, or coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon non-GMO vitamin E oil
- 20 drops tea tree (Melaleuca) essential oil
- 15 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
Over very low heat, in a small pot or double boiler, melt oils and beeswax.
- Remove from heat and add vitamin E oil and essential oils. Stir until well combined.
- Pour mixture into small sterilized jars (or a mason jar). Allow to cool on counter.
- Store in a cool, dark place. Use as needed on wounds. Will keep for approximately 5 years.
For those who do not like the smell of lavender…you may substitute chamomile essential oils for lavender and fir essential oils for lemon.
Burn Cream
- 1 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ounce organic comfrey leaf
- 1 ounce organic calendula flowers
- 1 ounce organic plantain leaf
- 1 ounce organic St. John’s Wart flowers
- 1 ounce beeswax
- 50 drops of lavender essential oil
- In a double boiler, pour olive oil in top pan followed by dried herbs.
- Heat over low heat for 60 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Strain and compost herbs, reserving infused oil.
- Melt beeswax in a clean pan over low heat.
- Once melted, add herbal infused oil and lavender essential oil.
- Mix well and quickly pour salve into tins or glass jars and allow to cool before placing lids on and labeling.
Well, I hope you have enjoyed this post oh Herbal medicine and how to make a couple of creams and salves for use in an SHTF situation when nothing else is available. These are also useful to keep around the house for now as well and I hope you find them useful. Well, as the Sargent would say; Until next time just remember that prepping is a direction of travel and not a destination!
-The General- 🙂
