The Cultivated Apothecary Week 11- Edition 2: Calendula Petals For Soapmaking & Lemon Balm Vinegar Update

in #steemitbloggers5 years ago (edited)

As I sat here on this chilly and rainy first day of November, I looked over at my gardening table that sits adjacent to my work desk in the little corner nook of my homestead kitchen, and saw some incomplete tasks waiting to be finished. Since it is just starting to sprinkle outside with a forecast of rain showers all day long, it seemed like the prefect day to tackle a few small chores.



First on my list was finishing harvesting the dried calendula petals from the flower heads I picked two weeks ago. They are completely dried out; so it was time to get them done and stored in a glass jar for when I make my next batch of homemade soap in a few weeks.

These are the calendula flowers I picked a few weeks back



I had more out in the side flower garden, but I only picked these to use in my soap. In hind-sight, I wish I had picked more so I could make some calendula vinegar, but I do will add this to my planning for 2019.

Since I will be making a double batch of soap, as I will be giving some away for Christmas gifts, I know I'll have enough petals to do what I want; and I am a firm believer in not taking more than I'll need.

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Just the dried up flower petals. I was going to harvest some calendula seeds too, but after looking at my inventory and realizing I still have one unopened package of calendula seeds (which has a minimum of 100 seeds) I decided I won't need any seeds harvested... yet. Maybe at the end of next year.



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Judging by how full the half-pint jar is above, I know I picked the correct amount of flowers I'll need to make my soap. I may even have a little extra that I can use in my herbal tea mixtures.


Since calendula tea is known for its anti-oxidant properties and helps to boost your immune system, this is the perfect time to consider adding a little to my daily tea drinking. Winter is upon us and I am ALL for adding a little kick to my immune system right now.



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UPDATE On Lemon Balm Vinegar



Just three days ago I did a Cultivated Apothecary post about my first attempt at making homemade vinegar; but not just ACV (Apple cider vinegar), I went off the norm and made some lemon balm vinegar.

I did research after research before venturing forward with the unusual vinegar.



Today was the fourth day for the lemon balm vinegar's fermentation stage and the last day I will be adding an additional tablespoon of pure cane sugar to the mixture. It was fizzing beyond words when I removed the paper napkin to stir in the sugar. And I leaned into the jar and could definitely smell fermentation occurring. You know... that subtle sour smell that invades your nose when you are proofing something like sourdough bread dough. Yeah, that essence

You can actually see some of the bubbles in the jar before I started to mix up the newly added sugar. This just makes me happy!



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I am intrigued by the fermentation process. I learned how to make yeast this year at the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA this year. I was totally taken last year with it and knew I had to go back.

So many people believe homesteading is for poor, dirty hippies OMG How ignorant is that?? It may have started the movement there, on some level, but, everyone should be joining the movement in some way.

I am impressed with your skills and I am taking this home with me! I hope you will be doing a video on the soap making!! Thank you!

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Love this post @goldendawne got some in the garden that im going to have to pick and dry while there still flowering :D thanks for sharing

Dan

I need to learn to make soap but I have to much going on right now and really no room as of yet.

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How do you make your soap? Last year we made Christmas gifts by mixing a plain high quality softsoap that we purchased with various scents and salt to produce a bath scrub. I was surprised, but it was even a hit with the husbands of the women we gave it to. The purchased soap was really expensive though.

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@goldendawne, you really do make some cool stuffs!

I would love to see the entire soap making procesd. ..pretty interested to have some

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Great work @goldendawne! I look forward to seeing more on your calendula soap. I have never made soap before so I am intrigued about the process!

That lemon balm vinegar is inspiring - it's always more fun to do something unusual than stick to the norm. What sort of dishes will you use this vinegar for?

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