A plant at a time: Goldenrod

[WindDrinker]

Kiva-
Thanks for bringing it all together! I have been working on condensing my notes from volumes of print and handwritten down into a concise, easy to read reference and its a JOB!
Yes, Goldenrod is one of my top favorites too! Such a VERSATILE weed!

[Lady Alinor]

~*BUMP*~

Hey, it's that time of year!!!! Woo Hoo!

Just a couple days ago I was boo hooing at LadyB that I couldn't find any Goldenrod...except for a small patch along the highway.
Well Monday my husband and I were dashing to the coast to buy a whole Tuna and boy oh boy we came across a whole field full of lovely Goldenrod!
We didn't get greedy, we only took what we could hold in one hand each. I have some in oil and am drying the rest for tea and such....don't have enough to tinc. ( may get more if we go to the coast this weekend for more Tuna at $2.00 a pound)

[WindDrinker]

YES! I noticed her here about a week ago and at first thought I was mistaken. It seemed soooo early!

[lindasu]

lots of plants have bloomed early this year in my area too (philly area). i've been wondering why that is? anyone have a guess?
as for goldenrod...i've started thinking about her a lot lately. i'm down to my last pint of oil from last year's harvest and about a half pint of tincture, which is really all we will need for another year, i imagine.
but, so far, i've seen no goldenrod in bloom yet. we usually see her in full force around the end of sept through october. last year i found a huge huge stand of her in wild, untended strip of land between where i worked and the railroad station. i'm planning on going out there to harvest again.
i just can't live w/out goldenrod oil.

-linda

[WindDrinker]

Me too, Linda - I use it for so much!
But, yes - this year it is very early. Sept into early Oct is when I usually harvest. August first is a full month early for our area. Makes me wonder, but I have no answers. The stretches of intense heat this summer? I just don't know

[WindDrinker]

Bump for Julier

[true blue]

I noticed this thread back in Aug. and have been watching & waiting for the GR here to be in full bloom. The time has finally come! I'm soooo ready to head to the field to harvest the tops for tincture & oil.

But . . . a couple quick questions first:

This will be my first time tincturing fresh. How much fresh herb do I put in the jar? With dried herb (c/s) I normally fill the jar about 1/3 of the way. When using fresh herb, do you fill it more - and if so, how much?

LadyB - you mentioned 'chopping' the flower heads - why? If I just 'strip' the flowers from the head, will that work as well?

Thanks

[lindasu]

Hi True blue. When tincturing fresh, fill the jar to the top with herb. Don't pack it down hard, it should be "bouncy." Then pour the vodka or whatever you're using into the jar, filling it again to the very top. I poke it through with a chopstick, cap, shake and then check if I need more vodka -- you want it pretty much to the rim. Give the jar a good up and down shake everyday, and check the first week or so for evaporation, continuing to top off if necessary.

This is pretty much the same for oil, but don't shake it up....you need to poke it a lot to get rid of air bubbles, and continue to poke it everyday until all air has been expelled. The stuff will blubber up and make a mess, so put the jar in a dish or bowl to catch the oil. make sure the oil is covering the herb completetly to guard against mold. I usually lay a piece of plastic wrap over the oil to keep keep air and moisture out.

Chopping up the herb opens more surface area to the vodka/oil.

[true blue]

Thanks, lindasu. I thought that's what I've heard/read. You mentioned you top your oil with a piece of plastic wrap - that makes good sense to keep the mold off, but doesn't it also trap in the bubbles? Or is letting them out once a day OK?

I went to the field and picked my GR - 3yo DS came with me and had a ball, running down the path, running through the grass/weeds and occasionally picking a flower to bring back to me. I also have some more flowers to identify! What fun!
After reading this thread and checking out some pics on the web, I now know what ragweed is. (It was a 'so THAT's what that is!' moment! ) I've pulled plenty of it out from around flowers never knowing what it was, and since I don't suffer from allergies I've never bothered to look it up before.

[lindasu]

No, the plastic wrap is just loosely draped over the the oil...resting on top. I put the lid on but i don't tighten it. The oil slobbers out all over the place!
Sounds like you and your son had a grand time!
-linda

[WindDrinker]

I realised yeaterday that our goldenrod is about done - and she should just be in full swing now! Weird year

[Lady Alinor]

When I make oils...if not using the DB method....I have learned not to fill the herb and oil to the top, that way it doesn't slobber and waste any precious oil or herb.

Oh...the Vodka doesn't evaporate....The Faerie folk are taking nips and sips

If you want a more accurate extract weigh out your fresh herb then add twice as much Vodka or whatever, 1 part fresh herb to 2 parts alcohol (1:2) and dried herb comes out to 1:5

Out walking I found a small stand (2 flowering and 3 will flower next year)of Goldenrod, I'm digging her up and bringing her home tomorrow because that field is to be burned this year.

[lindasu]

Oh...the Vodka doesn't evaporate....The Faerie folk are taking nips and sips

thank you for correcting me. i always knew there was a rational explanation!!

-linda

[Lady Alinor]

A couple of months ago I made up some Honeysuckle flower tinc...the Faeries must have had a party because I had to replace over a quarter of the vodka....wish they would've invited me

Back to the GR...my husband went trout fishing last weekend, he did alot of rowing (the motor wouldn't go slow enough for trolling). so all week long he's been hitting the bottle of Goldenrod oil.
We just got the tendons in his elbows 'healed'...here we go again. I'll have to go with him next time and row for him.

[Luvmyweeds]

BUMP! Question for my fellow weedies... I just picked golderod this afternoon that was faded yellow to light brown. Is this too far gone to oil? I've been too short on money to buy the oil until this week. Hoping I can still get some use of this as I have very severe arthritis. If not, I had a very good time with my 10 yo old son who enjoys going with me to gather.

Lisa