Herbal oil and salve (for skin)

You need

• Dried herb (never fresh; its water lets mold and bacteria grow)
• Olive oil (about 1 cup)
• For salve: 1 ounce beeswax per cup of oil
• A double boiler or a bowl over a pot of water, cheesecloth, small tins or jars

Makes about 1 cup of oil, or 4 small tins of salve.

Good for

Calendula, Plantain leaf, Comfrey, Arnica, Chickweed, Lavender, St. John's wort, Yarrow

Steps

1. Fill a jar or the top of a double boiler loosely with dried herb, then pour in oil until the herb is covered by an inch.
2. Warm method: keep it over barely simmering water for 2 to 3 hours. The oil should stay warm, never hot or bubbling. Slow method: close the jar and leave it in a warm spot for 4 to 6 weeks, shaking now and then.
3. Strain the oil through cheesecloth and squeeze out the herb. This is your herbal oil.
4. For salve: warm the strained oil with the beeswax until the wax melts. Dip a cold spoon in. If it sets too soft, add a little more wax; too hard, a little more oil.
5. Pour it into tins and let it cool, uncovered, until firm.

Keeping it: Oil keeps about a year, salve one to two years, in a cool dark place. Throw out anything that smells rancid.

Be careful: For skin only. Comfrey and arnica go on unbroken skin only, never open wounds, and are never swallowed. St. John's wort oil can make skin burn more easily in the sun. Test a dab on your inner arm first.