We are so excited to share that after 1 year of our payment processor being down on The Hemp Witch Website, we are finally able to offer credit card processing via Invoicing! As a high-risk business, things are about as much of a pain in the rear as they could possibly get when you’re small potatoes. Thankfully, we’ve found a solution to better serve you this upcoming holiday season!

Simply place your orders as usual, and check your e-mail for an invoice from Tessa Rose LLC via Square. It may take up to 48-hours to receive your invoice after placing your order on my website, as I have to create each one manually (and I don’t work round’ the clock like Amazon, ok?!) It should look something like this:

You will open this invoice and click the blue “Pay Invoice” button to complete your payment. See a preview below:

Next, you will receive an itemized receipt for your purchase, in addition to tracking for your shipping shortly. Here’s how your invoice and receipt will look:

If you are still struggling to pay your invoice, or have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out and I will walk you through the process.

Not your ordinary cider, but a twist on the typical spicy-hot Fire Cider you may see swirling about on the internet this Fall. This nourishing vitamin & mineral packed Oxymel will keep your immune & nervous systems cool and supported on those gloomy winter days!

What the heck is an Oxymel, you may be asking? Think of this sweet and tangy herbal medicine as a fancy little elixir, of sorts. An Oxymel is Herbalist-speak for an extract that is made using vinegar as the menstruum, or extract medium, to absorb water-soluble ingredients (such as vitamins, antioxidants, & minerals). If you stopped at vinegar, you would be left with a regular Acetum, a simple vinegar-based extract.

An Oxymel would never; She knows you suffer enough with those bitter tinctures & pungent medicinal teas. With the addition of a quality Honey, an Acetum can be transformed into her delicious, picky-kid approved, & much more spirited cousin- the Oxymel. If I lost you somewhere between Menstruum and Acetum, an Oxymel is, more simply put, the combination of a vinegar-based extract with sweet and sticky honey to deliver a highly delicious and potent punch of herbal nutrients & therapeutic compounds!

There are at least 3 methods to making an Oxymel that I teach in my Herbal Oxymel’s Workshop, but for this recipe, we will be using the traditional method, which takes about 2-4 weeks to macerate (or infuse).

If you’d like to learn how to make a potent Oxymel in under a day, the medicinal benefits and uses for the herbs in our recipe below, How to source high-quality herbs, and special hacks to ensure stable shelf life of your herbal remedies, be sure to read my upcoming newsletters. In the coming seasons, I hope to be offering workshops and medicine making courses that will be available both online and in person.

Now, enough chit-chat. Let’s get down to the good stuff! Here is a delicious, nervous system soother loaded with the very nutrients we are often lacking in the dead, dark winter months. I first introduced this recipe in the spring of 2023 to some Herb students I had the pleasure of teaching in the unforgettable historic School House in Paradise, Montana. I have made some recipe modifications since then to really ramp up the nutritional benefits of this tasty little elixir.

Blending increases the quality and potency of your finished Oxymel, as well as the speed of maceration. If you choose not to blend your maceration, you may opt to shake your jar vigorously once per day for 4 weeks. Shaking is not necessary if blended, however.

If adding more than 50% honey to the total volume of your Oxymel, it is recommended to store in the fridge and use within 7-10 days for optimal shelf life.

Source your herbs from a quality supplier where possible. Avoid large box stores for bulk herbs, as they tend to be of lower quality and devoid of medicinal benefit. Check with local, organic herb farms or small companies that ship online (who also grow the herbs they sell).

If you live around Montana, you can also harvest your own Red Raspberry Leaf and Rose Hips Right Now as they are perfectly in season. Be sure to harvest from areas not sprayed with pesticides and herbicides, get permission to harvest from private lands, and never over-harvest from an individual plant. You can learn more about ethical foraging in an upcoming workshop I hope to host, so stay tuned!

Some of the herbs are available on my website in our new Home Apothecary. For others, here are my favorites (non affiliate):

Always use a clean spoon or dropper, and never double dip to ensure shelf life.

Adults: take 1-2 teaspoons up to 2-4x per day for a boost of Minerals like Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium, and Zinc. Smile to yourself while delighting in some tasty Vitamins A, B Complex, C, E, and even K!

Kids over 3: Start low and slow for younger kids with 15-30 drops, or 1/4-1/2 tsp. Monitor all children under 12 closely when administering herbal remedies. If well tolerated, the dose can be increased up to 1 tsp 2x per day for older kids.

This soothing remedy can cause drowsiness, so experimenting around bedtime could be beneficial. Remember that each and every one of is is different, and responds differently to nervine herbs. Oat Straw and Scullcap can promote feelings of calm and relaxation, both due to the high magnesium content of Oat Straw, as well as the plant compounds and how they interact with our nervous systems.

You may see warnings and fear mongering all over the internet regarding the potential of Scullcap to cause liver injury, but these issues are more likely to be the result of a different plant, American Germander. American Germander is an ornamental plant that is often sold by garden centers with the incorrect nomenclature, Scutellaria lateriflora. This is a common theme among herbal fear mongering on the internet (mis-use or improper identification). Always ensure you are purchasing your herbs from a reputable herb supplier, and never use ornamental plants from garden centers as medicinal herbs.

That being said, Scutellaria lateriflora, or true Scullcap, has no known contraindications. It is said to be safe during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding in appropriate dosages.

Never combine large doses of nervous system relaxant herbs with Benzodiazapenes, Sedatives, Tranquilizers, Blood Pressure Lowering, or Narcotic Pharmaceutical Medications, as a general rule. Always speak with a professional herbalist or your pharmacist if you are starting a new supplement, especially if you take prescription medications. Monitor your blood pressure if you are at risk or use blood pressure lowering medications when using nervous system relaxant herbs.

The rest of the herbs in this formula are generally considered safe, even in high doses, as many are considered food herbs. The delivery of an Oxymel is a gentle & approachable form of herbal medicine that is appropriate for sensitive groups.

On the countertop, away from light and heat, or in a cool, dark cabinet (not above the warm fridge or stove). Alternatively, in the refrigerator, sealed well to protect against moisture.

Disclaimer: This information is strictly for educational purposes, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent illness or disease. The information contained within this newsletter has not been reviewed or approved by the FDA, and is neither intended or implied to be a substitute for medical advice.