Hydrosols & Floral Waters

What is a Hydrosol?

A hydrosol, also known as a plant water, hydrolat, essential water, and herbal distillate is the liquid byproduct of steam distilling an essential oil. Hydrosols have many of the same therapeutic benefits as essential oils, but are much gentler and have a softer aroma than essential oils.

In other words, it is the water that is distilled with essential oils. When the steam from the distilled water passes through the plant material, it takes with it the volatile oils from the plant. The two travel through the tube at the top of the steam vessel (typically copper) and down through the condensing tube. Once the water and oil have separated, the essential oil is siphoned off the top and what you have left is the hydrosol.

Hydrosols are moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, mildly antiseptic, and are a wonderfully fragrant addition to skin care. Due to their benevolent nature, hydrosols offer a myriad of treatment possibilities when essential oils might be too strong.

Our Hydrosol's are currently available in Rose & Lavender 2oz Spray, 2oz Refill, 4oz Refill & 8oz Refill.

Can be used as the liquid in any of our Clay Masks!

Come see us at:

Crafter's Mega Show

March 6-8, 2020 St Albans, WV

Daffodil Festival

April 4 & 5, 2020 Gloucester, VA

       

  ©Copyright 2015-2020 J&J Farm; JnJFarmKY; JnJFarmVA

Simple Syrup Recipes

Try it in iced tea or combine with rye whiskey, lemon juice and bitters for an amazing cocktail. We use a splash in Lemonade or Hot Herbal Tea!

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup dried Rose Petals or Lavender Buds

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir in the rose petals/lavender and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a mesh sieve, reserving the syrup in a clean glass container.

Store in the refrigerator and use within one month.

You can also substitute Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Calendula, Chamomile, Dandelion, Hibiscus, Peppermint, Spearmint or any other herb you like!

 Tip: For a more tart flavor with the benefit of an abundance of vitamin C, add ½ cup Rose Hips to the ingredients.

 Sweet & Spice Juniper Simple Syrup is so flavorful people will think it took a lot of effort. Use this syrup to create your own signature cocktails and mocktails.

1 cup water
3 tablespoons dried juniper berries
3 cardamom whole pods or 1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1/2 c Orange/Lemon Peel or One whole fresh orange/Lemon

Using a mortar and pestle, lightly crush the juniper berries to break them open. Toss the berries into a medium saucepan. Repeat with the cardamom pods. Cut the orange peel into strips and add to the pan. Add the water and heat over medium heat to just bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in sugar. Simmer the mixture on the lowest heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Strain and refrigerate the reserved syrup. Use within 2 weeks.

 Lavender & Thyme Simple Syrup incorporates a botanical combination that compliments in baked goods, or in lemonade. In cocktails, pair it with vodka or gin, sparkling soda and fresh lemon juice. Placing the herbs in a small muslin bag makes straining the mixture much easier.

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
¼ cup lavender flowers
2 teaspoons dried thyme

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan. Place the lavender and thyme in a muslin bag and tie the top. Drop bag into the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes. Remove bag and transfer syrup into a clean glass container.

Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.

Black Peppercorn Simple Syrup is an earthy, robust syrup that partners beautifully with the flavors of orange, grapefruit, persimmons, ginger and lavender.

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed or 10 drops Black Pepper Essential Oil

Combine water and sugar in a sauce pan. Crush peppercorns slightly using a mortar and pestle; add to pan and bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain, reserving the syrup in a glass jar.

Store in the refrigerator and use within one month.

  

copyright 2015-2019 J&J Farm; JnJFarmKY; JnJFarmVA

Basic Roller Ball Recipe

I've had several customers ask me HOW to make their own roller ball roll-on with our amazing Gemstone Rollers

Gemstone Roller
Carrier Oil
Essential Oil

1) Chose your favorite roller; mine is the Amethyst roller

2) Fill 3/4 full of Carrier Oil; I like Argan Oil which is perfect for your skin

3) Start with 10 Essential Oil drops, put thumb over opening and shake well.  Take a quick sniff.  If it's not strong enough add a few drops more. 

YOU can make it to YOUR preference!!  Perfume roller or stress relief or insect control.

Happy Essential Oil experimenting!!

copyright 2015-2019 J&J Farm; JnJFarmKY; JnJFarmVA

Arnica, A Sports lover’s dream

Arnica, also called Arnica montana, is a plant that is native to the mountainous regions of Europe and southern Russia. Arnica is an herb that grows mainly in Siberia and central Europe, as well as temperate climates in North America. The flowers of the plant are used in medicine.

We ONLY use Arnica from Germany NOT Mexico, which is subpar product.  We believe in quality, period. One seller I know of sells Mexican Arnica! True Arnica comes from Elevations over 2700 feet! We carry ONLY Arnica Montana; We get ours from Germany between Nuremberg and Munich.

Don't be fooled by cheap imitations anyone who sells Heterotheca inuloides shows their poor quality. What else are they selling you that is poor quality?!!

There is a major difference between Arnica grown in Europe and “Arnica” from Mexico:

‘That grown in Mexico is not Arnica at all. The species name for Mexico-grown “Arnica” is actually Heterotheca inuloides. Although both plants share similar uses, Heterotheca is not an Arnica plant species. Additionally, this plant is more readily available and far less expensive’ It is also known as “False arnica, Árnica mexicana, Árnica del país”

We also use it in our Bengal Balm, our organic muscle rub.

The flowers and leaves of this plant have many traditional medicinal uses. People take arnica by mouth for sore mouth and throat, pain such as pain after surgery or wisdom tooth removal, insect bites, painful and swollen veins near the surface of the skin (superficial phlebitis), bruising, muscle pain, vision problems due to diabetes, stroke, and for causing abortions.

Arnica is applied to the skin for pain and swelling associated with bruises, aches, and sprains. It is also applied to the skin for insect bites, arthritis, muscle and cartilage pain, chapped lips, and acne.

In foods, Arnica is a flavor ingredient in beverages, frozen dairy desserts, candy, baked goods, gelatins, and puddings.

In manufacturing, Arnica is used in hair tonics and anti-dandruff preparations. The oil is used in perfumes and cosmetics.

How does it work?

The active chemicals in arnica may reduce swelling, decrease pain, and act as antibiotics.

Osteoarthritis - Early research shows that using an arnica gel product (A. Vogel Arnica Gel, Bioforce AG, Switzerland) twice daily for 3 weeks reduces pain and stiffness and improves function in people with osteoarthritis in the hand or knee. Other research shows that using the same gel works as well as the painkiller ibuprofen in reducing pain and improving function in the hands.

What is it used for?

People use Arnica as a cream or gel for soothing muscle aches and inflammations and healing wounds. When applied to the skin, it may improve healing by decreasing swelling and pain and speeding blood reabsorption.

People also apply arnica to the skin for treatment of acne, boils, and rashes.

Is it safe?

Arnica is recommended for external use only. Do not put Arnica inside your mouth or swallow it. The plant is poisonous and, if swallowed, it can cause stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, cardiac arrest, and death.

How to use

Speed up healing. Following accidents, surgery or sports-related injuries, use homeopathic arnica to relieve soreness, bruising, swelling and pain when used on unbroken skin.

Make compresses:  Use on sore muscles, sprains and joints.  Mix 1 oz. of homeopathic Arnica tincture with 10 oz. of warm water. Soak your compress in the mixture, and then gently wring out and apply to the painful area. Save your mixture; you can continue to soak and use the compress to treat an injury for 24 hours.

Make arnica oil:  Mix 1 oz. of homeopathic Arnica tincture with 5 oz. of carrier oil to make arnica oil for topical use.

Make a liniment using rubbing alcohol:   Place 4 oz. of dried Arnica blossoms in a pint size glass jar. Add 16 oz. of rubbing alcohol. Tighten the lid. Store at room temperature for 14 days. With the lid intact, gently swirl the contents once daily. After two weeks, filter the liquid through a mesh kitchen strainer.

Make a liniment using Vodka:  Crumble Arnica flowers with your fingers.

Add the crumbled flowers to a jar into which you have measured a quantity of vodka. The ratio is one part arnica flower to five parts vodka. The actual quantities you use will depend on how much arnica gel you want to make.

Shake the jar to mix in the Arnica flowers. Put the jar in a cool, dark place such as a cabinet or closet where it will remain for the next four weeks. Shake the jar vigorously at least once a day.

After four to six weeks, strain the contents of the jar through a paper towel or coffee filter over a colander into a bowl. The strained liquid is the Arnica  extract. Pour it into a small jar, preferably amber-colored to protect it from light.

Arnica is often listed as an ingredient in homeopathic products; however, these products are usually so dilute that they contain little or no detectable amount of arnica.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Don't take Arnica by mouth or apply to the skin if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It is considered LIKELY UNSAFE.

Allergy to ragweed and related plants: Arnica may cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to the Asteraceae/Compositae family. Members of this family include ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and many others. If you have allergies, be sure to check with your healthcare provider before applying it to your skin. Do not take Arnica by mouth.

Broken skin: Don't apply arnica to damaged or broken skin. Too much could be absorbed.

Digestion problems: Arnica can irritate the digestive system. Don't take it if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcers, Crohn's disease, or other stomach or intestinal conditions.

Fast heart rate: Arnica might increase your heart rate. Don't take Arnica if you have a fast heart rate.

High blood pressure: Arnica might increase blood pressure. Don't take Arnica if you have high blood pressure.

Surgery: Arnica might cause extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using it at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate Arnica in the same way it regulates medicine. It can be sold with limited or no research on how well it works or on its safety.

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination!

Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with ARNICA

Arnica might slow blood clotting. Taking arnica along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.<br/><br/> Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.

Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative product or if you are thinking about combining one with your conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical treatment and rely only on an alternative product.

As with any herbal remedy, Everything in Moderation including Moderation!

copyright 2015-2019 J&J Farm; JnJFarmKY; JnJFarmVA