Fire Tonic from The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders

The weather is finally starting to feel like fall. I love that we can open the windows and freshen up the air in the house. But, I know it won’t be long before it gets too cold for that. The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a cold and snowy winter for us. Truly, I love that, as well! But being closed up in the house or work or school more means germs will be more readily shared. Today, we are going to make Fire Tonic from The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders by Abby Artemesia. It takes several weeks of sitting in the pantry to be fully ready, so now’s the time to prepare our herbal medicine cabinet and get our immunity boosted.

The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders

I love and appreciate this book for many reasons.

I have the privilege of knowing the author. She is a very sweet person. Of course, that’s not the best reason to buy a book such as this. I have worked side-by-side with Abby at a local farm and have had the fortune to go on a number of plant walks she has lead. She is a degreed botanist, an herbalist, a mycologist, a farmer, a teacher, and a mom. She has excellent qualifications and a breadth and depth to her knowledge that makes listening to her very much worth the time.  Moreover, she cares about the plants and the people around her.

The book itself is an excellent work.

Many of the prescriptions people take are synthesized versions of the plants God has created. Why not use the real deal? Some are invasives that, if used, we reduce the negative impact they have on our locale. Some are native wild plants God has put in this perfect place for our use. And some can be cultivated, providing us with a more hands-on knowledge of His creation and us with the many benefits of gardening. This is what homesteaders do, live closer to the land, rely more on God and His provision, use what’s available. Of course, doctors and modern medicine have their place, but I personally want to keep it as small as possible.

The first things I noticed when I opened the book

Firstly, the chapters in the book are broken down by use – teas, immunity, insect repellant, allergies and pain and food. Often, herbal books are broken down by season or by identifying factors. And those are certainly useful books worth having. But, like so many people, farmers and homesteaders are busy people. Being able to find the right section without a lot of flipping through is makes light work when you want a solution to something quickly.

Secondly, the photographs in this book! There are so many and they are beautiful. They show the beauty of the plants and recipes as well as making it easier to identify foraged plants. And it is so very important to be sure you have identified a plant properly before you consume it.

Lastly, each chapter ends with a materia medica on each of the plants discussed in that chapter. This is a thoughtful and extremely useful inclusion. I can’t say how much I love this. A materia medica gives information on a plant such as how to find it, which parts of the plant to use for what purpose, how to prepare it, which parts not to use, and contraindications (reasons you might not want to use this for yourself). Additionally, Abby has included uses for children and animals specifically. Homesteading mamas, there ya go!

Not to mention the wonderful herbalism basics included, such as harvesting tips and preparation techniques.

Fire Tonic

Today we’re going to make the fire tonic from the book. You might also have heard it called fire cider.

Abby gives some background on each recipe. For this one, she tells us the formula was co-created by one of the grandmothers of American herbalism, Rosemary Gladstar. And while fire cider recipes vary by person, they generally include apple cider vinegar, hot peppers, and garlic. It is good for boosting immunity and for many of the ailments that come around in the colder months.

The Fire Tonic Recipe

Her recipe makes a gallon, but today we will make a quart. You can easily scale the recipe up or down.

3 cups of raw apple cider vinegar

2-3 cayenne peppers (we grew our own)

1 chopped garlic clove (this, too)

½” piece each of fresh ginger, turmeric, and horseradish

Abby’s recipe calls for a small piece of burdock root. You can be forage or cultivate it, but, if like us you don’t have any immediately available, you can skip it.

Use caution in handling especially the hot peppers. Wear gloves or wash your hands immediately. If you forget and touch your eyes, you probably won’t forget again. Ask me how I know.

Combine all of the herbs in a quart size jar.

Add vinegar to an inch below the mouth of the jar.

Cover with parchment paper or wax paper before placing the lid on to prevent the vinegar from rusting the lid.

Place the jar in a warm place for 2-4 weeks. Some recipes say 4-6 weeks. Just begin tasting it at about 2 weeks until it tastes good and strong.

Strain the solids from the liquid and store the liquid in the fridge for several months, also with parchment or wax paper between the jar and lid.

Consume in small portions, a teaspoon to a tablespoon. Maybe a little more, if you’re feeling something coming on.

If you are like us and not made with the same mettle as Abby, you might like to add a bit of honey to the cider before consuming. We add about a quarter cup to the quart jar.

Tips

While you can compost the solids after you strain them out, Abby has a great tip in her book. Puree the solids with enough of the vinegar to make a hot sauce. You can put it into a bottle with a bottle funnel.

You can make your own variation of this recipe by adding other hot peppers or vegetables and other herbs. Last year, we made a batch with onions, rosemary and lemon.

We have made large batches and frozen the extra in ice cube trays and put the cubes into freezer bags to have a ready supply as the winter wears on and the work never stops. The herbal remedies version of leftovers.

When buying fresh ginger, turmeric and horseradish, if you have extra pieces, these can be sealed up and frozen for future use.

You can find out more about what Abby has to teach at The Wander School.

Watch the Fire Tonic Video