A Guide To Herbal Emergency Preparedness-What Herbs, What Forms, and How Much to Store

First off, emergencies usually fall into one of two categories: short term, and long term. Short term is the easiest: basic first aid supplies, any herbs you use on a daily basis, and whatever forms you prefer. These can be kept in smaller quantities, because they are replenished often, and there's not really any danger of shortages. There are many approaches to being prepared for both short term and long term, but in my mind, if I'm prepared for the long term I'm automatically prepared for the short term. So, let's look at long term herbal emergency preparedness.

What Herbs?

As an herbalist I keep a lot of herbs on hand. I have an entire cabinet as tall as myself  full of homemade extracts, dried herbs, and other goodies. This gets used by friends and families on an as needed basis. That in and of itself is pretty good preparedness, but there are twelve herbs that I consider my "core" emergency preparedness herbs. I've talked about them in other posts, but they are: angelica, bee balm, catnip, dandelion, elder, hawthorn, lemon balm, mullein, peppermint, rose, valerian, and yarrow.

What Forms? 

For each of these twelve herbs, I keep "everyday" stock that's part of my day to day uses, and "reserve" stock, which is for long term preparedness. I make sure to re-order or resupply that reserve stock as the "everyday" stock begins to get low, so that I can simply rotate "reserve" into "everyday" and have fresh stock in reserve.

In reserve, I make sure I have a bottle of homemade alcohol extract of each, and an unopened bag of each herb in dried form. That way I have a quick, already prepared go-to extract, and the versatility of the dried herb so that I can make whatever preparations I might need or want.

How Much to Store?

I chose 4oz as the default size for my emergency preparedness stocks because 1 oz of herbal extract will typically last for a full month at a standard serving of 15 drops, three times a day. Because these herbs are being kept on hand for acute rather than chronic needs (so they shouldn't be needed for more than a few days at a stretch), even 1oz is a fairly good supply. Especially if you are making your own extracts at home, however, it's just as easy to make 4oz as 1oz, and actually cheaper than buying a single 1 oz bottle at the store. So, why not? 

The smallest bag of dried bulk herbs usually is a also a 4oz size. One oz of dried herb will usually make 5 oz or so of extract, so as long as you also have plenty of vodka or other extracting medium on hand, you are all set to make more extract as needed, and can also make teas, oils, or salves as required.

The twelve herbs are also easy to grow, so I have many of them in my garden. Because of that, I feel comfortable keeping only those amounts on hand for both myself and my significant other. It would only take one growing season for me to realistically replenish my stores from my garden. I also have plenty of other herbs on hand in smaller quantities, so can pick and chose what I need from a wider selection of stored herbs anyway. Otherwise, if I were in a situation where replenishment would mean foraging  because of a fledgling or non-existent garden (such as in the event of a long term emergency that included shortages from retail sources), I would bump that amount up to one 4oz bottle of extract and a 4oz bag of dried herb per person that I expected to be in my household during such an event. It makes much more sense, though, to put in that herb garden you've always wanted- even if it's just a container garden on the patio. Herbs don't need much attention and give good yields even in a small space, so it's a good investment and won't take up much room or much of your time once they are planted.

Next week, we will take a look at using herbs for emotional support during a short term emergency.  

Herbs+What? The Quick Guide to Herbal Preparations

Probably the most familiar herbal preparations for most people are the little bottles of liquid extracts or bottles of capsules available at stores that carry herbal products. However, there are plenty of other options for anyone interested in using herbs at home or stocking an herbal first aid kit. Other options, even, that are less expensive and more versatile.

Starting with bulk dried herbs (some health food stores carry them, or they can be ordered online), a number of simple preparations can be made at home with the addition of a few other ingredients:

Herbs+Water
Makes a "Tea". In herbal-speak, we call this an infusion or decoction depending on the ingredients and the length of time it gets steeped. Herbs+Water can also be used on the skin by applying with a clean cloth and laying over the desired area, or as a soak or bath.

Herbs+Vinegar
Makes an "Herbal Vinegar," or a "Vinegar Extract" depending on the ratio of herbs to vinegar. Herbs+Vinegar can be used topically or internally, and as a flavoring agent in foods or drinks. An Herbs+Vinegar extract can as a substitute for an Herbs+Alcohol extract when alcohol is either not available or not desirable for a situation. Vinegar interacts with herbs somewhat differently than alcohol, and the shelf life is not as long (alcohol extracts, when done well, can last upwards of five years), but hey are still very well suited for the home herbalist.

Herbs+Honey
Makes an "Herbal Honey" or "Electuary." Can be eaten right off the spoon, stirred into water to make a beverage, or rolled into little balls of the appropriate serving size.

Herbs+Oil
Makes an "Infused Oil." Depending on the herbs used, the oil can be used as a cooking ingredient or applied to the skin for skincare purposes. Herbs+Oil+Wax= Salve/Ointment.

Herbs+Alcohol
Herbs+Alcohol usually means Herbs+Grain alcohol, which is the usual composition of herbal extracts available in commerce. Other possibilities for the home herbalist, though, include Herbs+Brandy or Herbs+Wine.

Stay tuned for next week's post: A Guide To Herbal Emergency Preparedness-What Herbs, What Forms, and How Much to Store

Twelve Herbs Every Prepper Should Know

Here at the Independent Herbalist, there are twelve herbs that I have fallen in love with over the years for their versatility and common availability. All of these herbs can be grown almost anywhere, and most of them are either native or have naturalized widely in North America (which means they are great candidates for foraging as well as gardening!)  

Below, I have made a list of the plants along with a link to the USDA plant database. By following the link, you will be taken to pictures of each plant, range maps of where it grows wild, and a related links tab. Under the related links tab, you can find ethnobotanical information (that's the recorded medicinal uses of Native peoples) and gardening information on each plant. Many of the herbs also have a PDF file put together by the USDA plant database people, but not all- so be sure to check out that related links tab!

There are an incredible range of uses for each of the herbs below, but think of this as an introduction or study guide to help learn how to visually identify each plant and learn a general overview of some historical uses. 
 
Angelica:  Angelic archangelica or Angelica atropurpurea (most herbalists consider them interchangeable)

Bee Balm: Monarda fistulosa

Catnip: Nepeta cataria 

Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale

Elder: Sambucus nigra or Sambucus nigra spp canadensis (American elder is considered interchangeable with the European Sambucus nigra)

Hawthorn: Crataegus monogyna

Lemon Balm: Melissa officinalis

Mullein: Verbascum thapsus

Peppermint: Mentha x piperita

Rose: Rosa canina

Valerian: Valeriana officinalis

Yarrow: Achillea millefolium

The USDA Database is a wonderful resources for many other plants as well- just bear in mind you need to have the scientific binomial for the plants you want to research (ie 'Taraxacum officinale' vs Dandelion). It can be a bit fiddly, but it's well worth it!

Stay tuned, our next post will be: Herbs+What?: The Quick Guide to Herbal Preparations