July/August 2025 Essential Herbal Magazine

 I don't know if I'll ever get used to starting out with an empty folder, adding in my own contributions to an issue, and then watching it get fat and juicy as others join in.  We try to keep it to a size that our readers can easily print out - as we've found that many do - and that means we fill the 32 - 40 pages to bursting.

We've heard terms like "white space" and fancy, space gobbling techniques, but instead we fill the available space with great info.  Maryanne manages to make the tight space visually pleasing.  So far, it's working out.  Run over can go into the next Extra! 

We checked all the boxes with this one.  There are remedies, recipes, monographs, how-tos, lore, and more!  Enough to keep any herbie happy.  Something for everyone to try!

SUBSCRIBE!

or Single Issue Only

Without further ado, here's what you'll find inside:
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Crossword Puzzle, Sweet Summertime

Summer is our time to shine!

Field Notes from the Editor, Tina Sams

Some opinions. I don’t expect everyone to agree, but being out among lots of people reminded me of some pet peeves.

About the Cover

A little information about one of our favorite uplifting herbs.

The Humble Weed Anti-Itch Salve, Connie Byers

Simple weeds – jewelweed, plantain, and nettle combine to soothe summer itches.

Transpiration, Absorption and FUN! Tina Sams

A fun craft that instills knowledge just in the action of dyeing Queen Anne’s Lace blooms.

Make Your Own Flower Essences, Debra Sturdevant

How to make your own essences. Lilac is made in this example, but the instructions apply to other flowers.

Tea (Camillia Sinensis) History and Parties, Jackie Johnson, ND

Prepare to learn some things about the history of tea!

Linden: A Gentle Ally for Summer, Amy Jeanroy

This beautiful tree gives us shade, the bees adore it, but wait! There’s more!

All Washed Up - A Series by The Twisted Sisters

Some of our more memorable road trips. The journey is always half the fun.

Simple Summer Suppers, Alicia Allen

A baker’s dozen of vibrant, fresh dishes that make evening meals special.

Word Find, Walking on Sunshine

Searching for summertime!

Lavender Soap, Marci Tsohonis

Marci is a very precise soapmaker, so when she has a blooper, it’s a rare thing – and she’s sharing it with us so we can learn with her.

Stargazing Tea Recipe, Maia Wisher-Warren

Delicious, beautiful, and caffeine free tea, perfect for watching the night skies.

Cooling, Preserving & Savoring, An Herb Lover’s Guide to Late Summer, 
Marci Lautanen-Raleigh

Lots of great ideas for the cornucopia of herbs that are overflowing in the gardens.

Book Excerpt, Feed Us with Trees, Elspeth Hay

Excerpt from a new book, we read about the bounty of the chestnut tree. The book shows how many ways nut trees benefit the earth, and everything that lives here.

Fresh Tomatoes, Caprese Salad, Maryanne Schwartz

A summer staple. Cooling, and delicious, this treat packs flavor and protein into a snack.

Meet Our Contributors

A little about our writers.

Puzzle Solutions

That's it until the Extra comes out July 20th.  Enjoy the projects!

 SUBSCRIBE!

May June '25 Extra!

 I completely forgot to post this, but it was such a great Extra! it needs a brag.  Before too long we'll be compiling another couple years of Extras - and if you weren't a subscriber and didn't get them, you might need to have it.  The first one is HERE.

What's inside?

-  What is happening to the costs of herbs, oils, containers, and all the things we use with our herbal projects and/or products?

 - Delicious Peach Sangria recipe

- Excerpt from the new color edition of the Modern Herbal Dispensary

- Excerpt from Plant Energy Medicine

- Cucumber Salsa time!

- All Washed Up, More Adventures of The Twisted Sisters
   The Big Spill - learning experiences involving colossal spills, explosions, and soap diving.

- Crossword and Word Find puzzles

The only way to get the Extras is to subscribe or wait a couple years until we pull a book together.