Herbal medicine is one of the great gifts from the earth. It is abundant and free. Everyone who is unwell should have full access to the healing powers of the earth.
Capitalism interrupts this. We who know the herbs are forced to commodify our labor, to order packaging from faceless companies and to spend hours in front of glaring computer screens making websites.
I put up a quart of cleavers tincture the other day. I spent only a few minutes picking the cleavers, but several hours cleaning the drying screen (cleavers are one of the few herbs that tincture best from a dried state. But since I feel there is so much more life energy in fresh herbs, I have taken to tincturing half dried and half fresh cleavers), arranging them to dry, checking on the air flow, and washing and sterilizing the jar, not to mention all the hours spent over years reading widely about herbs, talking with elders, and sitting to listen to the plants themselves.
I spent $29 (plus Maryland’s insane bottle tax) on a 1.75 of organic vodka and used much more than half of in on the cleavers. That vodka is only 40% alcohol, so I supplemented with a few oz of Maryland-made grain alcohol to bring the total up to 50% alcohol. The quart sized Ball jar, fresh cap and ring cost a little over a dollar. The tincture bottles and always-fresh droppers cost over a dollar each.
So we have to charge for the medicine. But that doesn’t mean we have to charge the person who is unwell.
We all share this planet. An injury to one is an injury to all, no matter where the injury comes from. I am proud to say I will never refuse medicine to anyone who needs it.
If you are out of work, underpaid, overstretched, or unable to pay FOR ANY REASON, just contact me via the form on the website. Let me know what you need and I will get it out to you.
In solidarity,
Iris
