Nettle Herb Seasoning ~ Apothecary Clean Up

 

In working on my home "apothecary" clean up, and re-organization, I found one lonely jar of dehydrated, wild picked stinging nettles.  I decided to grind them, and create a homemade herbal seasoning.

To the seasonning, I brought in some dandelion greens and dehydrated those, and ground them as well.  I added that to the nettles, and added homemade garlic powder.

Finally, I will be adding parsley and salt to the mix and using that for meals.

I did not measure anything.  I just sort of eye-balled the amount I ground in even amounts, and in actuality, the salt could be left out.  I tend to salt lastly.

It's my little herb seasoning experiment.  If we like the flavors, we may be trying it with more options - mint, thyme, rosemary, lemon balm, ginger etc.

The rain continues here, and it's hit or miss with picking more wild violets,  wild violet leaves and dandelions.

We had a really bad storm come through the area early evening, and of course we needed to run to town for errands (chicken feed etc.).  Thankfully, the storm tapered off, but the flooding is a problem.

Nettle Herb Seasoning ~ Apothecary Clean Up ©  April 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

More Wild Violets and Leaves ~ Asparagus

 

Dehydrated some wild violets and leaves.  However, my 15+ year old smaller dehydrator (for small batch) died on me.  Good thing I did not turn it on when I ran out for errands.  Sheesh.  Any who, I'm already on the job for looking for a new smaller one.  I use it often for herb seasonings and small batch items like the violets.

I have also been out in the flower beds, and they are filled with purple dead nettle.  I have chickweed too.  Hm.  Lots of ideas are spinning away.

Ordered a bunch of recipe books from the library (again).  I will never learn, ha ha!  I'm on the hunt for a specific recipe we would like to have for grill out meals.

Picked the first of our spring asparagus, and boy it feels so refreshing to get something from the garden again.

More Wild Violets and Leaves ~ Asparagus ©  April 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Spring Blooms

 

A few tulips are starting to bloom.  

Tulips are not the only spring life coming to life right now.  Although most people would yank these and toss them (as weeds), I see cleavers, purple dead nettle and some chickweed. 

The spring herbs and flowers are working my creative mind.  I've been dehydrating, infusing and such.  I'm also doing more reading (herbal books).  There is much to learn yet.  I am learning of two new salves I may make and try, and have been learning more with creative herbal seasoning mixes.

I keep forgetting to get a photo of the purple shell blanket progress, but it's the slowest going project yet. The photo is an earlier photo of the beginning of the blanket.

It's not time consuming because of the stitch, but because the weather outside is nicer (so much we can do now, and jobs to work on), and I am spending a lot less time with the crochet hook.  

The yarn was in the mass amount of yarn given to me last year.  I know the variegated yarn in this blanket is discontinued, so I dug through the stash she gave me, and came up with a rotation to use up 4 of the colors (using up all of the variegated, and darker purple I added in with a few rows).  I am using the shell stitch and a "J" hook for the blanket. It's a bit too large and thick for a baby blanket, so I will donate this one to an area assisted living facility per a request.  I'll get a finished photo as soon as it's finished.  

We are getting more 80 degree days, but we are also getting more rain.  Our tornado warning alarm went off due to an area spotted tornado last night.  We are getting more rain, which will put a damper in my herb collecting, garden clean up, and garden prep work.  

Spring Blooms ©  April 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Wild Violets

 

Although 18°F early morning, and only in the 50's, the wild violets are making an appearance after a very long winter. 

We love homemade wild violet jelly, but I have other possibilities this Spring.

Wild Violets ©  April 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Cold Again ~ Tidbits

 Brisk 14°F and high of 38°F.  I used my clothesline yesterday, but the wind was crazy.  

We are seeing wild ramps on our walks lately.

Planted:  Mullein (very hard to seed start, so we shall see)

Harvested:  Green onions, Yarrow

Purchased:  Flower seeds

A small, removeable fence has been placed around the "weed" and herb garden.  Thankfully, I had the fencing, and did not have to purchase any.  Hopefully, it will keep the rabbits out of it, but I have seen a chipmunk who runs among the outdoors. 

Ordered a few books and DVD's from the library inter-loan program.  Just doing my part to keep the library open, but also to use the free resources.

Speaking of resources, you never know what freebie you can utilize, and one fell right into my lap last week.  More on that later.

                

Finished this book.  As a result, I learned a few new fun facts.  Like the fact that Elvis sang with Kitty White in a duet to make a movie.  You never know what you'll learn in any non-fiction book.  

I am 3 granny squares behind on my crochet book blanket.  Lacking the crochet mojo.  It could be that, I have been making blankets all winter and I am burned out.  Seriously burned out, so my attention will be elsewhere for a bit.

We finally found some organic buckwheat honey.  I also picked up some lemon infused honey for summer salad dressings.  They had so many different honey options, but many I can make myself.  

Cold Again ~ Tidbits  ©  April 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

April Begins

 We ended March with a high 77°F with an evening of thunderstorms.  We started April with temperatures in the low 30's, with a lot more rain.

I've started my infused oil with horsetail.  I'm reading through my herbal books, watching Youtube videos and the like.  It's an herb/weed new to use.   I did not buy my horsetail online.  I purchased at an herbal health store.  However, the one store nearest us, does not carry it, and another apothecary does not grow it or carry it (40 minute drive). 

We are very limited to access to stores or apothecaries with medicinal herbs, tea herbs, and the like.  It's frustrating, but in some cases, forces me to simply grow some of them myself.  It is depressing to not have any like-minded folks in our lives.  Most people we talk to about it, just laugh and act like it's all a waste of time or a joke.

Speaking of Youtube, I'm watching several videos on spring wild violets right now (tinctures, teas, lemonades, and so forth).  I'm watching them in between moments of sit time or coffee time.  I did learn something about which type of alcohol to make a tincture with one specific wild plant.

By the way, I used my homemade goldenrod tincture 3 days in a row recently, due to bad sinus pressure.  It worked great to drain the sinuses and the pressure.  I also used my mullein tincture once).  My research, by reading books borrowed from the library, and books I own, state that goldenrod is great for treating sinus infections (or sinus issues).  

Ended March with harvesting more green onions in the herb garden.   It feels so good to get outside and do this again, especially after a very, very long winter.

  

Baking and cooking from scratch, as well as the dish washing, drying and putting away take a good chunk of my daily time.  I am still using up the blueberries we froze last summer (Einkorn flour pancakes - upper photo), and I mixed another batch of black bean and corn "salsa" for any meal or in between meals.  I like to have a healthy go-to light meal on hand each week.  Or for those moments of needed a quick snack to eat before a hike/walk or when needed..

Our daffodils are mostly up now, and the hyacinths are right behind.  Not the best photo, but it was raining out and dark.  It's so nice to see the flowers in bloom again.

Speaking of spring colors, I have one more lap afghan on the hooks in the colorway of purples and white.  I'll try and get a photo for you.  It will be the last blanket of the season, of this size.  It's been a very slow going crochet project, with spring weather here now (spending much more time out of the house).

Before the rain, we hiked a new-to-us trail, and we loved it. A little background info on these hikes/walks.  It's all part of my physical therapy, and also for my husband's.  We don't have the liberty to walk on the road where we live, so as a bonus, we get to travel for our walks, and locate new and more interesting places. 

One of our area libraries started a seed library.  It's not the first one to come across, but it is nice to see more libraries offering this to patrons.  I have not visited this one yet, so I do not know if they are organic/heirloom varieties of seeds.

April Begins  ©  April 2026 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart