Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Chickweed grows in my parents yard here in Anaconda, Montana. To my parents it is a weed, to me it is medicine. Today I harvested a basket full of this beautiful weed to dry to make infusion and to make a tincture.

On hand, I was able to find 80 proof vodka to make the tincture. I chopped the aerial parts of the herb into a clean jar filling it, yet, leaving about one-inch room, then filled the jar with the vodka. I created a label that includes the following:

CHICKWEED
Stellaria media
8/27/2014
Fresh aerial parts in 40% alcohol from Anaconda backyard
dosage: 30 drops, 2-3 times per day for 2-16 months (per Susan Weed)
Actions: anti-rheumatic, vulnerary, emollient (The New Holistic Herbal by David Hoffmann)

From day-to-day I will greet my tincture, shake it and send it love, I will do this for 6 weeks before it is ready to be strained and used as medicine. It will be kept in the kitchen cabinet.

• Emollient: applied to skin, to soften, soothe, and protect
• Vulnerary: applied to skin to aid in healing of wounds and cuts