Wild Vitality!

Fall, Transition, and the life of your dreams.

2011-09-28T15:03:00.000-06:00

Fall is upon us. A time of great change and transition. The energy is sinking, down, down, into the earth. Our focus turns inward, and it's a time of internal housekeeping. What's working in your life, and what isn't? Let what isn't working fall away like the leaves fall from the trees when they're no longer needed. Live the life of your dreams :)

When you find yourself in this time of transition, do you know where to look for support? There are many allies in the plant and mineral kingdoms who are happy to help us. Here are two:

Walnut flower essence is my best and favorite ally for transition. Walnut helps us to move forward gracefully, free of the influence of what holds us back.

Dandelion root is a great herbal ally for deep nourishment, and unsticking the emotional crap that can hang out in our Livers. Did you know that when we hold onto things, our Livers are where they go? When you start working with Dandelion, it's important to know that emotional stuff will be dredged up. The trick is to feel the feeling, but let go of the story. Just let it flow through. Acknowledge it, and let it go. It's harder than it sounds, but you can do it! You may want to give your loved ones a heads-up before you start working with Dandelion. A bit of fair-warning :)

There are many helpers in the mineral kingdom, and for the most part, our allies will be different, depending on what we have going on personally. Do you work with gems? I would love to hear from you!

Green Blessings,
Heather

Traditions in Western Herbalism 2011

2011-09-23T15:37:00.000-06:00

Thank you ~ It's not enough, there aren't really words, to accurately express how I feel about all that Kiva Rose and Jesse Wolf Hardin are doing for our community. It's so nice to feel that we have a community, when we are usually scattered to the winds. To feel understood, accepted and heard when I usually wonder if any of my friends think of me as the healer that I am.

I came to this year's conference thinking it would be my last year, as I am moving to Ohio soon. I left realizing that I must always find a way to come back. I intentionally did not pour over the schedule in advance of registration. I didn't plan my experience, and yet everything I needed to coalesce the filaments of my longings, dreams, and desires into a cohesive goal was offered, and received. Grassroots, edgy, and exactly what I needed to satiate my thirsty soul. This Conference, this movement, they are like gravity. The law of attraction is vividly at work here, answering the spoken and unspoken pleas of grassroots healers.

It was a blessing to reconnect with those familiar to me, and meet new kindred spirits. I am so grateful for life changing experiences such as this one.

Howie and Kristie taught me about teaching in tandem and keeping what could be a dry topic alive and interesting in their Adrenalin Stress class.

Sean Donahue gave my exercise-induced asthma a new perspective when he said that "Breath is the thread that connects us to the world."

I learned a few tips and tricks from Juliet Blankespoor's class on Growing At-Risk Medicinal Plants.

Susan Leopold from United Plant Savers provided a new face to an organization I've been interested in joining for a long time, and is a goat farmer to boot! I am looking forward to learning from and joining their Botanical Sanctuary Network.

Rising Appalachia gives a welcome flavor to the soundtrack of my life. There is a nostalgia to their sound that speaks to my soul in ways I didn't know I was missing.

I shared my first office with Lisa Ganora, and am so pleased whenever I have an opportunity to learn new things from her. She always has something to offer, new layers to add to what I already know. The world needs more teachers who teach from a place of love instead of ego.

I thoroughly enjoyed Sean Donahue's Plants of the Underworld class. Part of it was experiencing a teaching style that was comfortable, and knowing that I could do that, too. Part of it was that you don't get topics like this at other conferences. He took us on a journey, and shared it in a way that made the experience accessible, real, and inspiring.

Wolf's talk on the Wild Herbalist, Tips & Tools for a more intensely effective & satisfying life and practice is the hardest for me to turn into a pearl. Wolf delivers his messages in a compelling and thought provoking way. I dare not blink or cough, lest I miss a vital point of messages spoken directly to my Wild Soul. We Herbal Outlaws, we are not alone.

Lunar Fire kept me awake and moving long past when I would normally have hit the hay. I stepped outside and marveled at the wondrous beauty of the heavens whilst feeling the deep, earthly connection of their percussive sound.

Jim McDonald's Teaching Herbcraft was the lynchpin for melding together my desirous filaments. Yes, I can do it, and here's how!

The conference end was a bittersweet event. I am one of many who found themselves moved to tears multiple times during this conference. I am so very grateful to have time to spend in community, with others who hear a similar call, and speak similar languages. Plant people, with dirt under their nails, stars in their hair, and roots growing out of their sacrums.

What's in the works

2011-09-06T16:46:00.000-06:00

This last year has been a time of great transition for me. I've had a lot of challenges, and have had to pull up my roots more times than I care to.

So, like many people in these times of change and challenge, I am reevaluating my life. All of this transition has given me the opportunity to look at my life and decide what it is I really want. Where do I want to be? What does that look like? How will I support myself in this new life, and what will I have to offer in service to the World?

I am answering the call to go home. Not exactly home, but regionally home. Northwest Ohio/Southeast Michigan is home for me. There I will start my herb farm, build my clinical practice, and make an effort to be as sustainable as is practical. I am especially interested in heirloom vegetables and heritage breeds.

Look for my Etsy store to be back up and running in the winter/early spring. I will be available for herbal/nutritional consultations again soon, both in person and over the phone or video chat. If there are herbs you would like me to grow, please send me an email. I will start with what I use in my practice, and at risk herbs that grow well in my micro-climate.

Thanks for checking in, I'm excited for what's in store!

Green Blessings,

Heather Luttrell

April's Special is 1/2 off Flower Essence Consultations

2011-03-28T10:43:00.000-06:00

"Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here." ~Marianne Williamson

Did you know that there are flower essences to help with fears?

If you are troubled by fears you can name, Mimulus will bring you back into balance with the courage and confidence to face the challenges in your life.

If your fears are vague, hidden, without name, or come to you as nightmares, Aspen will help you to have trust and confidence, and will help you find your inner strength.

April's Special is 1/2 off Flower Essence Consultations. Consultations are offered in person or over the phone, in which case your formula will be mailed to you.

Flower Essence Consultation ~ 30 minutes/ $20.00, 60 minutes/ $40.00

Flower essence consultations are designed to offer emotional support at any time it is needed or desired. Essences offer support and structure to help bring us back into balance. I primarily work with Bach Flower Essences, Perelandra Garden Essences, and Alaskan Gem Essences.

Please email Heather@WildVitality.com to make an appointment.

Love in the month of February, will you join me?

2011-02-04T18:59:00.005-07:00

February is famous for it's Hallmark Holiday - Valentine's Day. All month we are surrounded by definitions, descriptions, expectations and longing. How much of this is real for you, and how much of it is manufactured? What does spreading the love mean to you?

Part of my personal work this month involves reclaiming February - my birth month - and exploring love.

What is love? What actions, words and signals do I interpret to mean "I love you"? How do I love myself? Where in my life do I need more love, and where does love already live? How will I encourage love in myself, and how will I work to show more love to others?

Health is about so much more than our bodies. How we relate to, interact with, give and receive love affects us all day, every day. Love comes in many forms, scents and flavors. Love can be intellectual, physical and ethereal.

This week, part of my exploration involves reading a book I've had for awhile, but haven't made time to read, Gaia Eros by Jesse Wolf Hardin. Have you ever had a book jump off the shelf at you? This is one of those books.

Then there are acts of self-love that need doing. Nurturing myself is love, being the good parent to myself is love.

So, this month, I will explore red and pink, work with yummy herbs like rose, sandalwood, damiana, ylang-ylang, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom, and relate with rose quartz, Montana rhodochrosite, rhodochrosite and ruby. I will eat a good breakfast, take my vitamins, smudge, affirm, meditate, and move. I will call my loved ones and take pleasure in the details. I will color and paint. I will love.

I would like to invite you to join me on the journey! Make your commitment to love yourself more, and let's talk about what that means for you! Share your story here if you'd like, and inspire us all to love more and more often.

Green Blessings,

Heather

Taste of Place

2010-11-30T20:17:00.003-07:00

I will be vending at the next Taste of Place market by Root Sellers. This event is December 11th in Niwot at the Left Hand Grange. Please come out and support local foods and entrepreneurs! Mention that you heard about the market here or on Facebook and I'll give you a free treat!

I plan on bringing Kava beverages, Guarana Fudge, Herbal hard candies, Teas, Flower Essence Sprays and Tinctures.

Taste of Place: A Holiday Artisan Food and Craft Market will be held on December 11 from 10:00am-2:00pm at the Left Hand Grange in Niwot. The market will feature a wide variety of foods and crafts made by local artisans, so come ready to do some holiday shopping!

Roast Chicken

2010-08-04T20:01:00.003-06:00

Do you remember the commercial with the mom in the kitchen, reading her romance novel, who then throws flour in her face and flounces out with a perfectly cut plate of rice krispy treats? Her family is vastly appreciative of her hard work producing such a culinary delight. They're so good, they must take skill and effort!

That is what roasting a chicken is like. To those who don't know how to do it, it must take great skill to produce! They are tasty, but they are also ridiculously easy to prepare.

Roast Chicken

I heat the oven to 375 F, rinse the chicken, place it in a roasting pan, sprinkle it with whatever spices catch my fancy that day, and put it in the oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Sometimes I get all herb-lady-fancy and smash fresh herbs in a mortar and pestle with sea salt and olive oil. Those herbs get tucked under the skin, or you can cut into the flesh and tuck them away inside the bird.

I wrap a few sweet potatoes in foil and put those next the chicken.

This dinner is always well received. Being allergen-free, there is no food coma, despite the tryptophan content of the chicken. This is a happy belly meal!

The best thing about this meal, is that you can use the carcass to make a nourishing bone broth, which will help to feed you for the rest of the week.

Broken Bone Soup

chicken carcass, with larger bones cracked or cut to expose marrow

Onions

Garlic

Veggie Scraps

Splash of Vinegar

Tonic herbs like Shiitake, Astragalus, Codonopsis

Place all of the above into a crockpot, cover with water. Heat on low for 12-24 hours. Strain to remove solids.

You can freeze this in ice cube trays, and pop a cube into anything else you cook to boost the nutrition. You can add a cube or more to grains, other soups, stews, casseroles, etc. Heat and sip when you're feeling a little off, and with the minerals from the bones, it is especially good for you when you've broken a bone of your own.

Paleo economy

2010-06-14T18:53:00.007-06:00

Sometimes concessions are made in efforts to balance a Paleo diet with economic realities. Subsidized grains make dinner immediately cheaper, but don't pay off in the long run. Tonight's dinner is ALMOST Paleo, I stretched things a bit with Lentils. I'm also using up some older spices in the pantry, and random ingredients that I find tucked away. This is free of Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy and Nuts.

Soak 1 C lentils in filtered water overnight. Drain and rinse. Soak several handfuls of dried mushrooms in filtered water overnight. Do not drain. Add drained lentils and undrained mushrooms to Crockpot, along with lots of dried onions, dried minced garlic, a can of green chilies, several shakes of chipotle hot sauce, diced sweet potato, 1 C chicken broth, and 2 C filtered water. Let that cook all day.

In a separate skillet, brown 1 pound of ground meat, I used goat. When cooked, remove all but what you need for your meal, refrigerate leftovers. Add washed and torn spinach to the meat you've kept in the skillet. Put in more than you think you need, it cooks down. Cook until spinach is just cooked, and is a dark yet bright green. I didn't season the goat and spinach, as I put a lot of flavor in the crockpot, but I could have, it would have been fine.

Mix together enough of the crock pot concoction and your goat with spinach to make a hearty serving, add a splash of your favorite vinegar, and enjoy! The leftovers keep well, and can feed a single person for 3 or 4 more meals.

In this recipe I used dried mushrooms, garlic and onions, and canned green chilis because I am making way for this year's fresh ingredients. Economy is using what you have, and everything was hiding in the freezer, pantry or came in today's CSA share. Vinegar gives your dish some sparkle, and increases the availability of the minerals in the spinach.

Ingredients:

1C Lentils

1C Mushrooms

Sweet Potato

1 C Chicken Broth

Onions

Garlic

1 can Green Chilis

Chipotle hot sauce

1 pound Ground Goat

Spinach

Vinegar

Brown Sugar

2010-05-22T14:34:00.004-06:00

Are you still using sugar to sweeten your foods and beverages? While I don't promote sugar, I do understand that sometimes it's the most appealing or appropriate option. What can we do to change white sugar from the highly processed, nutritionally bereft crystalline powder it is into something better?

Add Blackstrap Molasses! Blackstrap Molasses is part of the sugar refining process. Blackstrap contains all of the minerals that have been removed to make sugar white. The problem is that Blackstrap Molasses isn't very sweet. It's actually pretty potent stuff. I love it, but it doesn't help me sweeten my tea on the hot summer days when sugar is what I want.

So, I make my own brown sugar, for those occasions when Stevia, Xylitol or Honey aren't my first choice.

I pour a cup or so of sugar into a jar, and then pour some blackstrap on top of that. Mix together with a fork until you've done the best you can. The bottom will be lighter, but you can put the lid on the jar and shake it until it mixes the rest of the way. Make it as dark as you want!

Blackstrap contains minerals, including Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium. There are also trace amounts of some B Vitamins.

Commercial brown sugar and turbinado sugar have slightly more nutrition than white sugar, but it is a slight difference when compared to what you'll have when you make your own with Blackstrap.

A Call to Healers

2010-05-21T02:07:00.004-06:00

A Call To Healers ~ The energy is shifting, changes are accelerating, and it is time to get it together. Wrap up your loose ends and deal with the obstacles that prevent you from authentically offering your gifts to the World in Service. Be ready, make a difference, change. What are you waiting for? Love, Pachamama

Sometimes I feel so helpless in the face of things like Natural Disasters and Politics. The scope of what's happening compared to the size of just one person can be daunting. There is fear, and a lack of control. Sometimes there is also a feeling of victimization. Sometimes I get sucked into the political thing, and sometimes I believe the corporate media machine. Sometimes I would prefer to pretend none of it is happening, but that doesn't gel with my solution-oriented personality.

So what do we do? How can we make a difference in the face of such magnitude?

I am reminded that there are many ways to make a difference, some subtle, and some overt. For me, it's the subtle ways that make me feel better. The subtle ways hone my skills and strengthen me.

There are countless forms of energy work. Some are learned, some are gifted, some are intuitively known. All have the ability to make the world a better place, through improving the health of Earth's inhabitants and/or Earth herself.

It can be simple or complex, and I'll be the first to admit that I prefer simple. Here are some of the things I do when I have a problem or challenge that needs my attention, that you can do, too:

Light a candle with an affirmation and focused intent relevant to the problem you want solved
Reiki given to yourself, others and the Earth
Prayer in all forms
Visualizations of your desired outcome
Pray to running water - the hydrolic cycle will take that energy around the world. Check out Masaru Emoto's work: Dr Masaru Emoto's Water Crystals
Tonglen is a meditation technique for relieving suffering. This can be applied to Natural Disasters.

Everything helps, and I encourage you to do whatever works for you!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Gandhi

Gem Essences

2010-05-16T21:21:00.003-06:00

I had a beautiful time this weekend working on my continuing education. I participated in an Advanced Gem Essence Workshop in Boulder with my Mentor and Herbalist Sisters. It was a wonderful reconnection to the Pachamama, the Cosmos, the soul, and sweet Sisters.

Stones, Crystals, Gems, Rocks - they have so much medicine to share with us. The more you try, the more time you spend asking and listening, the clearer the messages are.

Gem Essences are similar to Flower Essences, in that they help us with our mental and emotional "stuff". Gems differ in that they offer more foundational/structural support, with some of them directly affecting the Chakras.

I use Gem Essences along with Flower Essences in my practice. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in learning more about how essences can help you with your process!

Energetic Self-Care and the New Moon

2010-05-13T14:58:00.005-06:00

I have found that when I am working with the cycles of Nature, instead of stubbornly trying to forge my own path, life flows gracefully, and I am able to accomplish what I want with ease. Here we are, with the energy of the New Moon reminding us to look within, and clean house. I am shining light on my dark corners, clearing and organizing cluttered spaces, and facing my personal demons head on.

A smudge a day keeps the Hucha away. Hucha is heavy energy. Everyone has "stuff", and that stuff can build up the same as the way dust bunnies accumulate in the corners of your home.

What do you do for your energetic self care?

My self care changes from day to day, but I try to pull from the following:
Affirmations
Smudging
Eating wild foods
Eating breakfast outside
Flower and Gem Essences to help with balance
Herbal Infusions
Carrying/wearing stones and crystals
Gardening
Soaking my feet
Reiki
Meditation
Singing to plants
Painting
Maya Spiritual Baths
Time in Nature

If you'd like help coming up with some self-care options that work for you, please don't hesitate to call or email. I would be honored to help you.

It's Just A Plant

2010-05-05T12:06:00.000-06:00

I still can't wrap my head around how we've become so far removed from Nature that a single plant can be considered a threat worthy of testimony, prohibition, regulations, fear and armed police response. Why do people feel the need to fight against nature? There are enough real things to fear in this world, I see no need to create more bogeymen.

Verna L Luttrell 1926-2010

2010-01-23T00:27:00.005-07:00

It's undeniable that my Grandma Verna was loved by so many who knew her. As a child, I remember that everywhere we went, she knew people. She was always running into former students, and they were so happy to see her.

My Grandma Verna was a big part of my childhood. She taught me about conservation, energy efficiency and the difference between a want and a need. She taught me to stand my ground, and hang onto what's important. She pointed out what it meant to be idealistic. She told me to treat myself once a week. She taught my Mother how to cook when my parents got married, and for that and much more, I was given her middle name. I have her nose, her eyes, her stature, and her metabolism. She told me once that I reminded her of her Mother, which I took to be an enormous compliment.

I think the most important thing that I have learned from my Grandma Verna is that I have choices. I may choose how to be affected by what happens in my life. I may choose my situations, my perspectives, my actions. Life is what you make of it. I was fortunate to have such a strong woman as a role model.

I have long thought that to make a difference in this world, you can do the most good by working locally, and working with kids. My Grandma Verna did exactly that. I will continue striving to live a life she would be proud of.

Article published January 20, 2010 VERNA L. LUTTRELL, 1926-2010
Teacher served on neighboring district's board
By MARK ZABORNEY
BLADE STAFF WRITER

LAMBERTVILLE - Verna L. Luttrell, 83, a retired Whiteford home economics teacher under whose watch boys and girls learned parenting and consumer skills and nutrition, died Friday in Marwood Nursing and Rehab, Port Huron, Mich. She had heart and other health problems, her son Bradley said. Mrs. Luttrell retired in 1991 after 23 years at Whiteford Middle School/High School. "She was very dedicated to her profession," said Jerry Wing, Whiteford superintendent from 1985 to 1991. She aced the transition from all-girl classes centered on home skills to the co-ed umbrella, "life-management skills." She once was honored as Michigan consumer educator of the year, said Richard Gunn, Whiteford Middle School/High School principal from 1976 to 2004. Sex education was part of her family living classes. She was on the committee to develop the curriculum. "Her kids respected her," Mr. Gunn said. "In the classroom, a lot of them called her 'Mom.' They would come to her with personal problems, because she created the climate of being open to them."

She volunteered readily for after-school committees, Mr. Gunn said. Next door in Bedford Township, where she lived, she served on the Bedford Board of Education from 1976 to 1984. After her last term, she received the Keys to Boardsmanship Award of Merit from the Michigan Association of School Boards.

Mrs. Luttrell was born Aug. 2, 1926, and grew up on a farm near Secor and Sterns roads. She was a graduate of Whitmer High School and Bowling Green State University. When her sons became Cub Scouts, she was a den mother. She continued to volunteer as they became Boy Scouts, and she received an award for her leadership, her son Bradley said. She and several BGSU classmates traveled the world. "Once she retired, she had a passion to go everywhere," her son said. She was formerly married to the late Hugh Luttrell. Surviving are her sons, Bradley, Richard, and Rodney, 10 grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. The body will be in the Reeb Funeral Home, Sylvania, after 4 p.m. tomorrow. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Lambertville United Methodist Church, where she was a member. The family suggests tributes to the church or the Whiteford high school library.

2010-01-08T19:48:00.001-07:00

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. ~ Henry David Thoreau

Menu of Services

2009-11-01T21:51:00.001-07:00

I am currently available to see clients by appointment.
(720) 323-7319

Heather Luttrell CCH

Certified Clinical Herbalist, Reiki Practitioner, Nutritionist

Herbal Nutritional Intake ~ 2 hours ~ $150.00

During your initial appointment, a complete medical history is taken, and your reasons for consulting me are discussed in detail. Some initial suggestions may be made on this day, although this appointment is primarily for gathering information, which I will then spend time analyzing, and I will research and put together a customized plan of action for us to negotiate at your follow-up appointment. A flower essence formula is offered for emotional support at all appointments.

Acute Herbal/Nutritional Intake ~ 1 hour ~ $80, additional time is prorated in 15 minutes increments @ $20 each.

During your initial appointment, your reasons for consulting me are discussed in detail. Some initial suggestions and formulations may be made on this day, although this appointment is primarily for gathering information, which I will then spend time analyzing, and I will research and put together a customized plan of action for us to negotiate at your follow-up appointment. A flower essence formula is offered for emotional support at all appointments.

Herbal/Nutritional Follow-up ~ 1 hour $80, additional time is prorated @ $20/15 minutes

At your follow-up appointment, we will go over your customized plan of action, and negotiate where you would like to begin. These suggestions may include diet and lifestyle changes, herbal formulas, and essences.

Flower Essence Consultation ~ 30 minutes/$40.00, 60 minutes/$80.00

Reiki Session ~ 1 hour $60

Clients are fully-clothed during a Reiki Session.

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy". So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy."

A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and around you. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing. Many have reported miraculous results.

Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use. It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.

Combination Herbal/Nutritional Follow up and Reiki ~ 1 ½ hours/$110.00

A combination session involves a conversational follow-up, where we will talk about the work you are doing with your diet and lifestyle changes, essences are offered to support you with what is going on in your life, and the appointment is then ended with a Reiki session.

Space Clearing ~ $80/hour, 1 hour minimum charge

I offer my space-clearing services at your location, within 10 miles of the co-op. Longer distances are possible, with my hourly rate applied to all time in excess of the 20 round-trip miles of included travel. Space clearing is an energetic cleaning of your space, and is especially helpful during times of transition or strong emotions. Please contact me directly to schedule these appointments.

Wild Vitality Products Available!

2009-10-18T17:48:00.004-06:00

My product line is growing every day! Call me directly or email to purchase any of the following:

Flower Essence Sprays and other liquid Remedies
5 Flower/Rescue Spray
Caregiver Spray
Copal Room Clearing Spray
Damiana Tincture
Echinacea Tincture
Holy Basil/Tulsi Tincture
Itchy Spray
Lobelia Tincture
No More Bugs!! Spray
No More Monsters Spray
Road Rage Spray
Sore Muscle Oil
St. John's Wort Tincture
White Sage Room Clearing Spray

Salves
Sore Muscle Balm ~ 2oz jar or 1/2 oz tube

Teas and Herbal Blends
Antioxidant Bomb
Aphrodesiac Infusion
Chill-Out Smoking Blend
Demulcent Drink
Nutritive Tea
Peace Tea
Tonic Soup Herbs
Tummy Tea

Smudges & Incense
Cedar Tips
Charcoal Disks
Copal Resin
Dragon's Blood Resin
Frankincense Resin
Frankincense & Myrrh Resins
Lavender Buds
Myrrh Resin
Nag Champa sticks ~ 15 gram boxes
Rosemary Leaves
Sweetgrass Braids
White Sage Bundles

Crystals
A Grade Crystal Balls
Amethyst
Apache Tears
Black Tourmaline
Blue Apatite
Blue Lace Agate
Carnelian
Celestite
Chrysocolla
Citrine, Tumbled and Points
Fluorite Octahedrons
Garnet
Hematite
Malachite
Pyrite
Quartz, Tumbled and Points
Rose Quartz
Shiva Lingams
Sodalite
TigerEye

Jewelry
A selection of one-of-a-kind semi-precious stone, sterling silver, pearl and glass beaded necklaces and bracelets.

Miscellaneous
Mini Candles ~ white, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, silver
Candle Holders

Flower Essence Sprays and Other Liquid Remedies

2009-10-17T15:21:00.004-06:00

Flower Essence Sprays and other liquid Remedies currently available:

5 Flower/Rescue Spray ~ 1oz spray bottle $7.00, 2oz spray bottle $12.00, 1/2 oz dropper bottle $5.00 ~ 5 Flower/Rescue Spray is for stress, trauma and shock. Simply spray on and around yourself when you need to calm or soothe. 5 Flower/Rescue Spray contains the same 5 flower essence as Rescue Remedy, with added lavender essential oil to further assist with stress relief and soothing.

Caregiver Spray ~ 1oz spray bottle $10 ~ Spray liberally around self and room after seeing a Client. Helps to clean up the energetic "stuff" that naturally gets left behind after a consultation.

Copal Room Clearing Spray ~ 1oz spray bottle $9.00 ~ for when you need to smudge, but can't. These sprays are especially great for practitioners to use in between clients, for asthmatics, and for anyone who uses a space with shared ventilation. Avoid spraying in eyes, on varnished surfaces or fine fabrics.

Damiana Tincture ~ 1oz dropper bottle $9.00

Echinacea Tincture ~ 1oz dropper bottle $9.00

Holy Basil / Tulsi Tincture ~ 1oz dropper bottle $9.00

Itchy Spray ~ $9.00/oz ~ available in 1oz spray bottles and 2oz or 4oz refill bottles are available by request. ~ Are mosquito or spider bites driving you crazy? Itchy Spray is an herbal alternative to over-the-counter medcations. A combination of Echinacea, Lavender and Plantain, Itchy Spray is safe for children and adults! Simply spray onto itchy bug bites as often as needed. This is a must-have for anyone who is plagued by insect bites.

Lobelia Tincture ~ $9.00/oz ~ available in 1oz, 2oz and 4oz bottles with a dropper ~ Lobelia tincture is wonderfully effective when applied topically to sore muscles, knots and trigger points. Internally, Lobelia has traditional usage in low doses as a respiratory relaxant for conditions like bronchitis and asthma and in higher doses as an emetic. Lobelia is contraindicated in pregnancy, lactation, and congestive heart failure.

No More Bugs!! Spray ~ 1oz spray bottle $9.00, 2oz or 4oz refill available by request ~ From the Rainforest of Belize to the Old Growth of Oregon and the sanitation truck sized skeeters of Ohio, this bug spray has proven itself against mosquitoes. A pleasant smelling natural solution to scary chemical repellents, it will need to be reapplied more frequently than longer lasting man-made chemical sprays. Lavender and Cedarwood provide the punch, and this spray is available in either an alcohol or oil base. An alcohol/oil blend is available by special request.

No More Monsters Spray ~ 1oz spray bottle $7.00, 2oz spray bottle $12.00 ~ No More Monsters Spray was developed specifically for children who experience fear and resistance with bedtime due to bad dreams, fear of monsters, and fear of the dark. It is also excellent for night terrors, and works for people of all ages.

Road Rage Spray ~ 1oz spray bottle $7.00, 2oz spray bottle $12.00 ~ Road Rage Spray was inspired by a road trip, where I knew that I would encounter frustrating road construction, less-than-enlightened drivers, stress and fatigue. The essences and essential oil in Road Rage Spray all address those issues.

Sore Muscle Oil ~ 1oz dropper bottle $7.00 ~

St. John's Wort Tincture ~ 1oz dropper bottle $9.00 ~

White Sage Room Clearing Spray ~ 1oz spray bottle $9.00 ~ for when you need to smudge, but can't. These sprays are especially great for practitioners to use in between clients, for asthmatics, and for anyone who uses a space with shared ventilation. Avoid spraying in eyes, on varnished surfaces or fine fabrics.

Herbal Blends Available

2009-05-05T13:29:00.006-06:00

While my favorite way to provide teas for people is custom formulation, I do have some teas already prepared and ready for purchase. For custom blends, give me a call @ (720) 323-7319!

Antioxidant Bomb ~ oh, yum! Fill a small jar 1/2 full of this herbal blend, then fill the jar to the top with a blend of low-glycemic fruit juices like cranberry, blueberry, pomegranate or black cherry. Let the jar hang out in the fridge overnight, and you will have a wonderful, jammy, flavonoid rich concoction to be enjoyed by the spoonful ~ straight or as a condiment.
Aphrodisiac Infusion ~ Damiana and ginger help spice things up! The herbs in this blend feed your nervous system, move energy to your reproductive organs, increase circulation and make use of the symbolism of love. Share it with your sweetie!
Chill-Out Smoking Blend ~ Catnip, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Marshmallow, Peppermint & Spearmint combine to make a wonderfully soothing, non-addictive alternative to tobacco cigarettes.
Demulcent Drink ~ a little of this goes a long way! Drink as a water replacement to help you hold onto your moisture and keep your cool in Colorado's semi-arid climate.
Nutritive Tea ~ Nutritious and delicious! A long infusion will help free the minerals in this pleasant yet rich brew.
Peace Tea ~ the herbs in this tea are mild enough to be safe for all ages. Great before bed or anytime you're searching for a little more peace! This tea will also help to soothe an unhappy belly.
Tonic Soup Herbs ~ these herbs are meant for slow cooking in a soup kettle or a crockpot. Ask me how to make broken bone soup!
Tummy Tea ~ this tea is mild-tasting and soothing to an agitated digestive system. This tea is especially helpful for anyone eliminating a food allergen.

Fear

2009-04-29T20:58:00.000-06:00

“In this age the fear of disease has developed until it has become a great power for harm, because it opens the door to those things we dread and makes it easier for their admission.”

Edward Bach, Heal Thyself

Bio

2009-04-18T16:20:00.005-06:00

Heather Luttrell is a Certified Clinical Herbalist, Reiki Practitioner and Nutritionist. She is a 2008 graduate of the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism, traveled to Belize in 2007 to study Maya Spiritual Healing with Dr. Rosita Arvigo, and through apprenticeships in Boulder has deepened her commitment to her own healing process.

Heather has a holistic non-suppressive approach to healing. In working with Clients she co-creatively develops comprehensive personalized programs, addressing the root cause of symptoms with diet, lifestyle and herbal formulas. Heather offers Reiki as a healthy way to promote relaxation and relieve stress. Heather also incorporates flower and gem essences into her personal and clinical practices, finding them to be valuable allies in restoring balance and offering us the resources to deal with our "stuff".

An avid gardener and animal lover, Heather can often be found with her hands in the dirt and a dog by her side. She plants heirloom veggies in the front yard and eats weeds.

Spring

2009-03-21T08:51:00.005-06:00

Self care. Henna. Meditation. Love. Trees. Earth. Worms. Birds. Spring growth. Movement. Water.

This morning I'm pondering the emotional and spiritual root of/connection to dysbiosis. Intestinal yes. More though just -dysbiosis-.

The dandelions are growing, and my bronze fennel has ferny leaves growing from the base, dark, beautiful, promising. I spent some time yesterday, jumping from rock to rock in Boulder Creek, standing in the middle, my arms stretched wide, welcoming this glorious spring. Welcome! I am filled with joy - the birds, the spring growth, and rising feelings of hope and increase.

Soon there will be weed walks, and dandelions in my breakfast. Seeds will be sown and the grass will grow.

Farewell Old Bear

2009-02-21T12:56:00.002-07:00

Michael Moore passed yesterday. He will be dearly missed. His presence shall ripple throughout the world for generations to come. He has directly educated a legion of hebalists, who in turn have educated many more. He was generous and real with his knowledge, and I feel so fortunate to have set before him the one time I had the opportunity.

Michael Roland Shaw Moore
January 9, 1941 - February 20, 2009
Husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, teacher,
musician, herbalist.

Self Care

2009-01-13T18:31:00.004-07:00

Superwoman!!! Da dat da dah! I'm not Superwoman, but sometimes (lots of times), I forget that I am a mere mortal, and can't do anything and everything that crosses my mind or path. I like to be busy, I love getting things done, racking up accomplishments, being resourceful. And then I start to notice that I am always tired, my sense of humor is wearing a little thin, and all I really want to do is stay in bed with my dogs, watching cartoons. It's hard to pay bills when you stay in bed and watch cartoons, and the dogs aren't any help at all when it comes to rent.

So, times like these (now) are times when I try extra hard to remember to take my vitamins, and eat a really good breakfast. (high protein, what most people would consider to be dinner) I think I'll thaw out some lamb for tomorrow, and cook some sweet potatoes and lentils. Mmmm....... comfort food, nutrient dense, warm, delicious, building. I'll remember to meditate and do my self-care.

I may even go to bed early, and stay in bed just a little late, but instead of cartoons, I think I'll be dreamy-eyed over seed catalogs, plotting and planning for when the Earth starts to wake up again, and the soil is ready for seeds. It'll be here before I know it, seed sowing time.

That's the problem with staying busy, life moves faster when I move faster, and spring will be here in a blink. Even sooner is the co-op, we open February 3rd, and there are herbs to order, tinctures to make and cabinets to paint. Much much more to do, but that will suffice for now. Smaller to-do lists, and more naps. And breakfast.

Detox - It's the New Year!

2009-01-05T14:34:00.004-07:00

Interesting post on Skeptoid about detoxification programs. Very timely, what with New Years Resolutions still fresh on our minds. This guy obviously doesn't like Natural Medicine, and that's a bummer, but his take on detoxification is right on.

Detox is a booming business, making lots of money from a lot of people who all suffer from the same delusion - that we are inherently dirty, and must be cleansed!

Yep, your bowels look like the inside of your cheek, that mucoid plaque is a result of the "cleansing products" you take as part of the cleanse, and it's all really expensive.

So, are you tired, sluggish, run-down, digestion is out of whack, your appetite isn't so good, you experience cravings, maybe your skin reminds you of your teenage years, lots of aches and pains, and the brain fog has you wondering what happened to your smarts?

These are not symptoms indicating the need for a cleanse. These are symptoms indicating the need to re-evaluate your diet, eliminate the foods that make you sick (it's different for everyone, but there are common themes), support your liver, move around more, find more joy, and love yourself. Eat food that looks like food, nothing from a bag or a box, produce in season (this is the season of root vegetables, warming spices and soups), organic grass-fed meats, and drink plenty of good water. Reduce the load on your liver by limiting or abstaining from caffeine, alcohol and stress. Drink a nice cup of chamomile tea, make getting enough sleep a priority, and don't forget to go out and play! (think back to when you were 7 if you've forgotten what that means)

If you need more, or would like to work one-on-one with me, I am available for consultations. We can work together on a nutritional program that works for you. One that you can actually stick to.

Green Blessings,
Heather Luttrell

Ahhhhhhhhhhh

2008-12-29T14:00:00.005-07:00

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh................

That was what I needed! Wild time, quiet time, peaceful time, precious time, loved time.

It's another world down here, in the humid, salty, corrosive, restorative, refreshing presence of the Atlantic. I dug my toes in the sand, and allowed the waves and the foam to wash over me, cleaning away all that has built up, all that was getting in my way and needed to continue on. It was scrubbed off with every step I took, barefoot on the beach, navigating the waves and sandbars. I observed the birds, chatted with fishermen, smiled at children, digging holes to China, foiled by the Ocean. I nourished myself with fresh, vital seafood and local produce. I learned about Datil Peppers and green peanuts. I ate yams. I drank red wine. I shared long-overdue conversations with beloveds, and entertained children. I drove a fast banana :)

Now I am journeying home, eager to dive back into co-op planning and development. There are members to recruit, cabinets to refinish, and a practitioner room to build. I am so excited! This is a worthy project, and I love what we are creating - together.

Embracing the descent, and ways to cook squash

2008-10-23T19:13:00.000-06:00

Today was gorgeous. I went to visit my friend at the organic farm where she works, and was finally able to settle into and embrace the descending energy of Fall. I walked the fields and harvested spaghetti squash, buttercup squash, pumpkins, kale and plantain. Organic farms are a far cry from the "conventional" monoculture farms that use NPK fertilizers and pesticides. Here there was bounty everywhere. Nature irrepressible! The kale volunteered from a previous year's crop, and everwhere there was amaranth and lamb's quarters. Motherwort. Plantain. Grasshoppers!

Now I'll be racking my brain to come up with varied and clever ways to put the bounty to good use. I would love to hear your ideas!

I have visions of a squash and coconut soup with green chilis and purple potatoes.
A squash coconut curry sounds nice, too. With chicken!
Roasted squash with olive oil, rosemary, hot pepper flakes and brown sugar like they make at Whole Foods.
Canned squash for later.
Baked squash with brown sugar, cinnamon and coconut oil.
Some wicked garlic squash shredded like hashbrowns.
I'd like to turn at least one of the pumpkins into a casserole with sausage, mushrooms, onions and nuts. I'm going to bake that one in the shell :) Maybe for Turkey Day?
Another pumpkin will be soup that tastes like pumpkin pie, with cinnamon, coconut milk, nutmeg, clove, ginger and just a bit of extra sweetness.
Spaghetti squash like spaghetti! Mmm, with buffalo sausage, oregano, mushrooms and onions.

There is something deeply comforting about aligning one's rhythms with those of the Earth. I've been out of sync lately, and I have missed the primal ebb and flow of nature. I sing when I harvest, to honor the plants and their generous gifts, and also to remind myself of the Sacred Nature of food and medicine. I think it is easy to forget that food is Sacred and Healing, when we get busy, and nourishment becomes something to check off our to do lists, instead of a deeply connected and thankful act of love. Love for ourselves, love for those we feed, and appreciation for the sacrifice made by that which feeds us.

Pumpkins and Squash are sweet foods, and Traditional Chinese Medicine has a lot to teach us about the flavors and energetics of foods. Loosely quoted ~ "Sweet flavors are associated with Earth in TCM, and they have influence over Stomach and Spleen Networks. Sweet has Yang qualities. Sweet flavored foods are warming, strengthening, harmonizing, relaxing and moistening. These foods strengthen Spleen Chi, and help with acute weakness. They also nourish body fluids, relieve inner tension and stabilize one's inner center." To help warm the Stomach when eating energetically sweet foods, use a warming cooking method like roasting, baking, adding warming spices, frying or grilling.

*Source ~ Chinese Nutrition Therapy by Joerg Kastner, M.D. L.Ac.

I could have rested in that field all day, but work and dogs were calling. The sadness of Fall was profound, but so was the gratitude that I feel for the harvest and knowing that I will have good food to see me through the winter.

Green Blessings!

Preparing for the cold...

2008-10-07T13:43:00.005-06:00

It's getting cold! I'm not really ready for fall, but I don't think it will wait for me to be ready, so I am embracing the descending energy, and preparing for the cold.

I'm so reluctant to let go of the bounty of the harvest. I am spoiled. I love walking outside and picking most of my breakfast every day. Today I harvested Amaranth leaves, basil flowers, a purple bell pepper and a tomato, and cooked them up with half of an onion from the farmers market, a clove of garlic, a can of kippers, and some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I will miss fresh greens when they run out.

I have been cleaning up my neglected tomato plants, collecting finished compost and starting a new batch in the tumbler. That compost is black black black! It's beautiful, and the next round of crops are sure to love it.

Speaking of the next round, I am going to cover my tomatoes with a very low tech hoop house to extend the season a bit, and am considering what to plant underneath them. Broccoli? Kale? Chard? Leeks? Spinach? The tomatoes won't last too far into winter, even with the hoop, but I'd like to make the most of the subclimate the hoop will create.

I was at the Resource Sales Yard yesterday, hunting for PVC pipe for my hoop, and happened upon a great old door instead. It has 5 panes of glass, and will make a fantastic top for a cold frame. That old door is going to save me a fair amount of measuring, cutting and assembly. Now I just need to figure out the ideal angle and build myself a box! I also lucked out with a roll of chicken wire to contain the leaves that won't be fitting into my compost bins.

The first light frost is coming up quickly, and afterwards will be the ideal time to plant the heirloom garlic I ordered from Seed Savers. I've never grown my own garlic, and I'm really excited about it! I ordered 3 different varieties, and need to prepare their bed. More about garlic later!

So, what are you doing to extend your growing season? Who out there has built a cold frame or a hoop house? What tips and tricks do you have to share?

Green Blessings!

My Thoughts On Death, Dying And Love

2008-08-26T14:02:00.010-06:00

What a difficult post to write. The quotes may not be exact, but you get my drift.

When you find yourself in Hell, keep walking. ~ Winston Churchill

You are made to survive this. ~ Doug Jones

People don't talk much about death as a real event, have you noticed? We as a society (well, not me) make games out of human murder. We abstract death, put it on a video screen or on the TV, and desensitize ourselves to the painful reality of what it means when Humans die. There are video games like grand theft auto, and sniper games, the mobsters game on myspace, and a vast assortment of others. Kill another human, score points, gain status. There are horror flicks, full of blood and gore and gruesome, painful death. These are all meant to entertain us, to stimulate us, to initiate a cascade of stress hormones. Are we really so jaded by our lives that this is needed to make us feel alive?

I have learned that for me personally, death is on the level of politics and religion. I know how I feel, sometimes, and I don't want anyone else to tell me how I am supposed to feel or what I am supposed to believe. I have to figure it out for myself, search deep and feel deep and think deep, and keep moving. This is a sobering, foundation-shaking, life altering REAL experience. I am embracing this process. I can't avoid it, I don't want to put it off. There is no pretending it hasn't happened, although there is disbelief, and the waves of realization and denial and anger and grief and sad and ok but still sad alternate at their own rate.

What I have found, what I am so thankful and grateful for, is the revelation of a previously silent network of friends, family and acquaintances. I feel like I have been initiated into a new level of experience and understanding. Those who have never lost a very close loved one, despite their best intentions, can not relate to how I feel, and so I could not previously relate to how my silent network feels about grief, about death, about still being amongst the living. It has been so comforting to talk with these precious people, these surviving fellow suffers, about what is normal, and what I can expect as the future unfolds. This is different than being told how to feel. This is the sharing of deeply intimate pain, grief and suffering.

Love doesn't die. People die. Love is outside of that phenomenon. What is death, anyway? The body dies, but life is so much more than the body. I don't have answers for all of this, but I don't believe that death is the end. It's counterintuitive. I also don't believe that our short time on Earth earns us an eternity anywhere. I think it's a process, a cycle, an evolution of time and space and matter and energy and experience. We are such an integral part of nature, and nature shows us the cyclical nature of life, if we take the time to watch, look, learn, observe.

So, for now, for me, I am focusing on Life and Living and Love. Death is a lesson, a natural part of our process. All life dies. Plants and Animals give their lives so I may live. One day, if my wishes are followed, my body will feed the cycle. Until then, I consciously enrich the soil wherever I am planted. I want my dash to be significant. The love doesn't die, it swells and takes on a richer meaning, providing opportunities for understanding and appreciation and nuance.

It is so gratifying to meet people with stories about my Dad. He did so much in his life, helped so many, and worked so hard. He wasn't perfect, nobody is, and it doesn't help me to dwell on his shortcomings. He was loved by many, and he will be Dearly Missed Every Day. I am proud to be my Father's Daughter, and I treasure all that he taught me, and all that he is still teaching me now.

Please, if you don't have a will, do it now. This week. No later. It will spare your loved ones from unnecessary pain and troubles after you are gone.

Basil ~ Materia Medica and Unconventional Usage

2008-08-11T08:32:00.004-06:00

Mmmm, basil :) I planted a lot of basil this year (too much?) and am now fully involved, as Shawna said, in "sexually frustrating my basil." I hate wasting those fragrant blossoms, and the tiny leaves that come with them. So, I have been cooking with basil flowers, and adding them to really awesome teas. By themselves, they are divine, and as a compliment, they are unequaled. Today's tea is simple - basil blossoms muddled slightly in my mortar and pestle, add hot water. Wow.

Let's see, I promised unconventional uses, didn't I? In Belize, Rosita taught us the magic of Spiritual Bathing. That's one of the reasons I planted so much basil, actually. For my spiritual baths. The Maya call Basil Ca-cal-tun, and it is used in baths "to cure spiritual ailments such as susto, envy, grief and evil magic." Basil, Rue and Marigold are a powerful combination for this kind of therapy. Their gifts go deep, and I find them to be invaluable allies.

I have more plans for those lovely flowers. On the docket are: infused oil, infused vinegar and tincture. I have visions of using the oil in a lovely bug repellent recipe next year.

Watch at the market for fresh snipped basil to put in your pasta!

Ocimum basilicum; Labiatae

Common names ~ Basil, sweet basil, garden basil

Part used ~ aerial parts

Dosages: Tincture ~ 10-30 drops, Tea ~ standard infusion

Vitalist Actions and Energetics ~ spicy, warm

Meridians / Organs affected ~ lungs, stomach

Clinical Actions (properties) ~ diaphoretic, antipyretic, antispasmodic, carminative, stomachic, galactagogue, aromatic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic

Biochemical Actions ~ antimicrobial, choleretic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic

Primary uses

Internal ~ fevers, colds, flu, stomach cramps, vomiting, indigestion, intestinal catarrh, constipation, enteritis, whooping cough, headaches and menstrual pains, loss of appetite, nonulcer dyspepsia, minor inflammations of the GI tract, genitourinary tract, and upper respiratory tract. flatulence, colic, nausea, nervous irritability, fatigue, depression, insomnia, anxiety, epilepsy, migraine

External ~ as mouthwash or gargle for inflammation of the mouth and throat, as mouthwash or chewing for bad breath, as wet compress, poultice or ointment for wounds and as a hair rinse for hair loss, insect repellent, insect bites

Cautions ~ not to be used during pregnancy or lactation

Sources:
Arvigo, Rosita and Balick, Michael ~ Rainforest Remedies
Chevalier, Andrew ~ Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine
Tierra, Michael ~ Planetary Herbology
Skenderi ~ Herbal Vade Mecum

Excellent Read!

2008-08-07T16:03:00.003-06:00

I just finished reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Wow. Just Wow.

You'd think the story of a family eating locally for a year would be dry, but not when it's written by Barbara Kingsolver! Many things impressed me about this book: specifically, it is full of recipes :) and the sidebars written by her husband, Steven Hopp, are informative and full of resources for further learning. Her chapter on Harvest Day is insightful, practical and compassionate. This book is inspiring, and an invaluable catalyst to raising awareness about local and sustainable food sources. This is a "we can do it" kind of story, and it leaves me with a greater-than-before desire to do more. I want chickens, and a bigger garden!

I'm this week's featured vendor at the farmers market! Come on down!

2008-07-23T14:22:00.004-06:00

This week's write up for the market! Check out the farmers market crop report for what everyone will have this week! I'm this week's featured vendor! Isn't that exciting?! Come on out and see me! I'm giving away FREE travel sized rescue remedies with the purchase of any bagged tea or herbal blend!

Heather Luttrell CCH of Wild Vitality is a Certified Clinical Herbalist, Reiki Practitioner and Nutritionist. She is a Louisville resident and small business owner, with an office on Main Street where she sees clients by appointment for herbal/nutritional consultations and Reiki. Sign up with Heather to stay in the loop for class offerings this fall, and don't forget to enter the drawing for a FREE Reiki Session! (an $80 value!) Heather specializes in custom formulas, so please ask for what you need if you don't see it offered!

This week Heather has a special offer for all farmers market attendees! Buy one bagged tea or herbal blend, and receive a FREE travel sized bottle of Rescue Remedy! (while supplies last!) Rescue Remedy is a flower essence formula developed by Dr. Edward Bach, and is indicated in the patterns of imbalance of panic, disorientation, loss of consciousness, acute trauma or pain. The positive qualities that it conveys are calmness and stability in any emergency or time of stress. This is a great remedy to keep in your purse or car, for any circumstances when someone needs immediate help, before and after moments of difficulty, and for accidents or upsets. Its calming influence is especially helpful for children, animals and plants.

This week at the market, Heather will have:

· An assortment of culinary and medicinal herb plants

· Teas & herbal blends ~ tummy tea, nutritive tea, peace tea, demulcent drink, aphrodisiac infusion, tonic soup herbs and the much loved antioxidant bomb!

· Flower essence sprays ~ 5 flower/rescue remedy spray, Road Rage spray, No More Monsters spray

· White Sage Room Clearing Spray (think liquid smudge with extra goodness)

· No More Bugs! ~ no scary chemicals here! Reapply often to stay mosquito-free without DEET.

· White Sage Salve

· Handmade semi-precious gemstone beaded jewelry

I have a dream...

2008-07-22T18:37:00.005-06:00

Somewhere in my future lies a charming, warm, inviting little healing center, surrounded by lush gardens, and filled with a multitude of delightful medicines. I envision a little cottage made of cob, a bit like a hobbit house. There will be a clinic room or two, a small foyer, a bathroom, a kitchen with a health department approved triple sink, and an herbal pharmacy. Nothing so large as to be cumbersome to maintain or pay for, but a place just right, just big enough for all who need it. The thickness of the cob walls will be a blessing, blocking out the sounds of the busy town around it, staying cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Maybe the foyer will be bigger, and not be a foyer at all, but an herb shop. I could see clients in the mornings, before the shop opens, and there would be classes and events, herb walks, and celebrations.

I would like to build that little healing center, and promote health, vitality and localization in my community. We could have a summer day camp for kids, where they could learn all about how to plant seeds in a garden, watch how the different plants grow, and learn what gifts those plants have to offer.

What a pleasant dream, this dream.

This week's Farmers Market feature - Tummy Tea!

2008-07-06T22:03:00.013-06:00

The crop report is up! Here's my write up for this week, but do check out the link for all that will be offered!

WILD VITALITY- LOUISVILLE, CO

Heather Luttrell CCH of Wild Vitality is a Certified Clinical Herbalist, Reiki Practitioner and Nutritionist. She is a Louisville resident and small business owner, with an office on Main Street where she sees clients by appointment for herbal/nutritional consultations and Reiki. Sign up with Heather to stay in the loop for class offerings this fall, and don't forget to enter the drawing for a FREE Reiki Session! (an $80 value!) Heather specializes in custom formulas, so please ask for what you need if you don't see it offered!

This week Heather will have:

an assortment of culinary and medicinal herb plants
teas & herbal blends ~tummy tea, nutritive tea, peace tea, demulcent drink, aphrodesiac infusion, tonic soup herbs, and the much loved antioxidant bomb!
Flower essence sprays ~ 5 flower/rescue remedy spray, Road Rage spray, No More Monsters spray
White Sage Room Clearing Spray (think liquid smudge with extra goodness)
Bug Spray ~ no scary chemicals here!
White Sage Salve
handmade semi-precious gemstone beaded jewelry

This week's featured product is Tummy Tea! Tummy tea, a favorite recipe amongst my colleagues, is a wonderfully healing blend of Calendula flowers, Chamomile flowers, Plantain leaves, Marshmallow root, Peppermint leaves, Fennel seeds and Licorice root.

Tummy tea is helpful for those with digestive upsets, leaky gut, food allergies, dysbiosis, flatulence, diarrhea, and really most digestive "stuff". Tummy Tea won't get to the root of what's going on with you, but these herbs are great allies while you're figuring it out! I suggest drinking Tummy Tea 20 minutes before your meal, and/or after your meal. I recommend a quart a day for my clients with digestive maladies. For best results, use anywhere from 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon of herbs per cup of nearly boiling water, and brew covered for 20 minutes or so. I like my herbs floating freely in the water, and I strain them out right before drinking my tea. You can use the muslin bag that comes with your bag of Tummy Tea, or a simple kitchen strainer. French press pots and travel mugs are fantastic for brewing herbal teas! Sweeten to taste with honey or stevia and enjoy! The package is re-usable, compostable and biodegradable! Call me for a refill and I'll give you a discount!

Solar Cooking

2008-06-04T10:01:00.005-06:00

I don't have one, but I want one! I remember reading a lifetime ago about a woman who used her solar oven to cook everything, including her Thanksgiving Turkey. Really? That's pretty cool, I remember thinking. And off I went, busy busy busy, working too much and living too little, to pay for life.

Life takes us a lot of places, and lately I've been trying to really go with the flow, and learn what I can along the way. I'm meeting interesting people, and the prevailing theme has been one of localization, sustainability, simplification, conservation, nourishment and love. Love for ourselves, love for each other, and love for the Pachamama. Gaia. Earth. Our very special Blue Planet.

They are compelling, the problems facing the environment and humanity. How do we lessen our impact? Of the many baby steps, many small changes, many meaningful actions that can be taken to make a difference, which ones speak to me? Which ones sound the easiest to implement? That's how I approach dietary changes with clients - what works best for you? What can you see as the easiest to integrate? We start from there, and the client makes more changes as he or she is willing and able. So, back to our environment - what can I do today that will make a difference? One of the experts who spoke in The 11th Hour said that "people are doing the best that they can within their awareness." So raising awareness is crucial. There are so many people raising awareness, and it is heartening.

I think it is important to acknowledge what we are already doing, and build from there. I recycle, compost and use compact fluorescents, I try not to buy very many packaged foods, and I think about the lifespan of a product as I'm making my consumer choices. I bring my own mug to the coffee shop. I'm learning about cover crops and carbon sequestering, and this is the year of the organic market garden for me, with the goal of growing most of my produce and selling my surplus. I will preserve what doesn't sell. I try to support local businesses, and I buy grassfed meats. I eat wild greens (weeds!) as my first choice when I'm harvesting for meals.

That said, I have a lot of room for improvement. I was only barely aware that compact fluorescents are recyclable. I would like to use less gas. I'm trying to walk and ride my bike more, and drive my old beater truck whenever I can, instead of my Blazer. That old beater gets pretty good gas mileage. I would love love love a scooter (84MPG!), but that's a years in the future acquisition.

I think a solar oven is a really fun way to consume less fossil fuel! It has the appeal of a crockpot, with a set it and forget it kind of thing. I like that. I'm busy, and have lots of gardening to do! And then there's the farmer's market, continuing ed, and building my practice! What a cool way to spend less time cooking! The Solar Oven Society is a not for profit working to distribute solar ovens to sun rich but fuel poor countries around the world, and purchasing your oven through them furthers that goal. For the frugal do-it-yourselfers, I found plans for making your own solar oven online. Choices! I am especially fond of the cob solar oven, as it matches my cob dream house. I will probably make one of the box style ovens, they seem to be cardboard lined with foil. If I can acquire enough scrap lumber and an old window, I might make a sturdier oven. It ought to look a lot like a cold frame. Another benefit of solar cooking is that my kitchen will stay much cooler this summer!

So, lots of room for improvement, but a solar oven and more self-powered transportation sound like a good start to me, along with the continuing garden projects.

What do you do already, and what are you going to do?

Dandelions and other Wild Foods

2008-05-22T13:22:00.007-06:00

I should start off by saying that my yard is a haven for dandelions. In fact, I encourage them ;) I'm sure my neighbors are horrified by the wildness of my lawn, but it makes my heart happy every time I lay eyes on it. I've long seen the importance of having a safe, pesticide and herbicide free place to harvest wild foods. I met a woman last week at the market who was so fearful of harvesting dandelions! She kept saying how you had to be so careful of pesticides. Well, there is truth to that. What are your neighbors doing, and does it run off into your lawn, or does the wind carry the vapors to your neck of the woods? These are important considerations. I am fortunate that I have rentals on both sides of me, with an alley out back. I purposely rented a house with a neglected lawn, that had been a rental for about 10 years before I moved in. Renters tend to neglect lawns, and the presence of dandelions and bare spots in the grass confirmed this for me. We also had just come out of several years of water restrictions. So, I earnestly set about encouraging my dandelions. (ha, I wonder how they would feel about being "mine"?) I water the dandelions, and make wishes whenever I can. This spring, as I sat in the front yard harvesting blossoms, I was delighted to discover that I was actually sitting in the middle of a nursery! There were big grandmother plants, and tiny little baby dandelions all throughout the lawn.

There is such a different energetic in wild foods. My breakfast today consisted of buffalo stew meat cooked with fresh shiitakes, onions, olive oil, garlic, barbeque sauce and greens! I wandered around my yard looking for the greens, and feel such deep gratitude that wild, nourishing, free food is there for the asking. I harvested some dandelion greens, and supplemented with spinach, kale and chard from my garden. It felt like a feast!

I have been weeding my garden, preparing to put in summer vegetables. It bothers me to weed. It feels so wasteful, to pull out perfectly happy plants. There is so much to weeding. It is compassionate, making room for others, and nourishing if you can find another use for those misplaced beauties. So, while I ate my breakfast I pulled out my beloved copy of Steve Brill's Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants. I love this book! He gives very good and detailed information, along with common sense cautions. The illustrations are amazing. Also, there are recipes! They are structured to be a guide, and to help you be creative in coming up with recipes of your own. He even breaks it down into habitats and seasons. According to Steve, I can make a salad with those wild lettuce leaves that I have been pulling out of my garden. I think I will include them with my cooked greens for dinner instead, and see how that goes. Some of them, the ones who have volunteered to grow in convenient places, places where veggies don't need to grow, are welcome to stay and grow to their full glory. They get big, at least 5 feet tall, and they make very good medicine. That post will be later in the summer.

As for now, I have leftover buffalo with fresh wild greens to eat for dinner, an old favorite book to read over, salves to make and gardens to build!

Green Blessings!

Living Ritual and the Power of Intent

2008-05-21T11:43:00.005-06:00

Last night was the first gathering for the advanced apprenticeship I am participating in this summer. It is a 12 week journey, entitled Living Ritual and the Power of Intent.

We are in a time of great transformation, as individuals, as communities, as a society, and as a planet. The veil is thinner now, and our abilities to create and co-create lasting change are very real. We contribute to and co-create change every day, and as a result, the future is uncertain. Rather than feeling helpless due to this reality, feel inspired! It means that we can make a difference! The Call has gone out, and there are many who have heard and are responding, and many more who would like to respond, who feel the pull, but don't know what to do about it.

Live consciously, give back to your community, and conserve resources. Eat local, support small business, compost! There are many many ways to make a difference, and everything adds up. Look around you, and see the people in your community who are trying to make a difference. Talk to them, see what you can do to help! Maybe you have a great idea, and need resources, or maybe you are the resource. Be a part of the solution, in whatever small (or large) way works for you, speaks to you, feels good to you.

My homework for the next two weeks, until we meet again, is to actively engage in my daily personal practice, which involves meditation, movement and personal practice. To devote time to myself and my process daily will be a challenge. I am not used to taking such good care of myself. I am looking forward to building the discipline necessary to stick to it, to learn to stay, as there is a piece of my soul, ever growing and straining to occupy more space, that craves this activity, this devotion. I look forward to working with my commitment to deepen my connection to the Earth and making the world a better place through sustainability, education and becoming more involved with and in my community. I am so thankful for the web of support we have created in our group, and love the holding of that space.

The last piece of our homework is to watch The 11th Hour, a movie produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio about the state of affairs here on our Blue Planet. We are to watch with a friend, to share the process, because awareness and change is for everyone! Have you seen this movie? I would love to hear your thoughts, feelings and ideas about it! Please share!

Green Blessings,
Heather

Graduation

2008-05-20T16:55:00.006-06:00

Wow. It's so hard to believe that I've graduated! I think I've gotten lost in the process, and can't see the forest for the trees. It's been all about plugging away, learning, writing up cases, reading cases, writing feedback, writing my thesis, etc for so long, that I don't quite know what to think now that it's finished. The learning continues eternally, of course, but the structure has fallen away to leave me with a glorious springtime in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Our ceremony was unbelievably lovely. It's been 15 years since I have graduated from anywhere or anything, so I really didn't know what to expect. Penny organized the lovely space, Bobbie and her Mom did a fabulous job decorating, and Karen organized the compostable place settings. We all pitched in for a Nutritionist potluck, and I have got to say, the spread was amazing! I made Michael Moore's perversely decadent guarana fudge and a kava beverage to balance us out. It was a nice party! Family and Friends came out to honor us and celebrate with us, and for that I am truly thankful. There was so much love and support in the room.

It moves me to tears to realize that our graduation ceremony may be the last time I sit before Paul Bergner as he tells us wonderful stories to inspire us, bring us to deep reflection, and help us remember the lessons. He is a gifted storyteller, and would have made a very successful Bard, in those times. His generosity, compassion and vision are integral to the impact he has made upon all of our lives. I know that mine will never be the same. What a wonderful gift to humanity, to be a Teacher. I know that his rewards will be great.

With hardly a moment to breathe, or process the transition, my first day at the Louisville Farmers Market was Saturday. The weather was perfect Colorado Springtime, and it was the best opening day I've ever had at a market. I am inspired and hopeful. To be sustainable is my goal, and it will be lovely to make a go at it with the market and my private practice.

I've had my hands in the dirt every day, and have given up removing the last bits of soil from under my nails. I have been planting seeds, dividing and transplanting herbs, cleaning last year's dead wood, and hauling cinderblocks for my new veggie garden. I've eaten fresh, wild greens almost every day, and last night shared a meal of barbequed buffalo, greens and fingerling potatoes with a dear friend. I feel good about the work ahead of me, and hopeful. I meet more people every day with the vision of a greener, more sustainable life. It is heartening, and I welcome my place in this grassroots evolution.

My logo is done!

2008-05-05T22:41:00.003-06:00

It's done! The logo is fantastic, and the business cards have been ordered! I'm excited, and it was absolutely worth the wait!

I've been seeing purple and green everywhere. My office, my tomato seedlings, the grape hyacinths that hypnotize the honeybees. Everywhere!

Graduation from NAIMH is May 15th, and the first day of the Louisville Farmer's Market is May 17th! Whew! There's enough to do for myself and clone, but it'll get done!

Last weekend I went to a really cool workshop put on by Mary Barnes, RH (AHG). I like her, she's one of my favorite teachers, and she's a formulation whiz! We percolated licorice root, infused comfrey oil and formulated a really nice muscle balm. Her tips and tricks were great, I learned new things! I love learning new things about topics I think I already have handled. I've been infusing oils and making tinctures for about 10 years, but I have never percolated a tincture before last weekend. The physics of it are really cool, and it's a great science project! Also, it solves the problem of how to get the last drops of precious tincture out of the marc. Delightful! Since the workshop, I've been dreaming of percolating tinctures, and it solves the problem of how to make what I need to make in time for the market.

What is this market I speak of? Louisville is finally getting a farmer's market! The organizers are organized, and understand the magic of good marketing. I'm hoping for a good turnout on May 17th, our first day. Come see me if you're in the area! I'll be set up on the corner of Walnut and Front Streets in Old Town Louisville, just off of Main Street. Head east when you see the barbershop! The hours are 9-2, and we are open every Saturday until October 25th. I am bringing herb and heirloom veggie plants, teas, tinctures and salves. Later I will have organic produce from my garden. It's going to be a great opportunity to meet and greet my community!

Come out and see us!

Green Blessings,
Heather Luttrell

Dandelions

2008-04-29T20:49:00.007-06:00

Dandelions rock! I love them. I remember living in Michigan, and sitting in my Grandmother's front yard with the dandelions, just hanging out and getting to know them. It was a magickal feeling, communing with the dandelions, and pondering the gift of their medicine. As a little girl, we rubbed the flowers on our chins to see if we liked butter or not!

This sweet little dandelion lives in my front yard next to the walk, and I couldn't resist a picture, cozy the way it is with that grape hyacinth. They are two of the first flowers for the bees, and make me so happy. I "encourage" the dandelions in my yard, and this year there really are a lot of them. I always make a wish before I blow on the puffballs :)

Dandelions are an invaluable wild food, prolific and early, and full of vitality. I try to eat some almost every day as we come out of winter. The first day is a little odd, I'm never really sure how I feel about that bitterness. A funny thing happens to me on the second day. I can't stop thinking about dandelions! I begin to crave them.

Bitter is cold and dry energetically, the perfect flavor and energetic to lift the dampness and "stuck" feeling I have by the end of winter. My body craves fresh, wild foods.

Cooking with dandelions is so easy! I go outside with my steamer basket or a strainer, whatever I have handy. Look out across your lawn, and notice which plants call to you. You may think that some look brighter than others, or feel inexplicably drawn to some over others. These are the dandelions that are offering you their medicine. Be respectful of these beings, and thank them sincerely for their offerings. I always say "thank you" as I am harvesting. Take some from each plant, being careful to leave enough greenery behind to feed the plant.

Dandelion greens get more bitter as the season progresses, so later, when the bitterness becomes too much, you can pickle the leaves. Now, while the bitterness is tonic and pleasant, they make a nice addition to sauteed onions and mushrooms with garlic. I like to chop them and put them in soups, or make pesto! Dandelion pesto is fantastic! There are many many ways to prepare Dandelions. Be creative!

Last week I sauteed an onion with coconut oil in a saucepan until the onion was translucent. Then I added a can of pumpkin, a can of coconut milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. While the soup was warming back up, I went out to my front yard and picked a basket of dandelion greens. Rinsed and chopped, they went into the soup. My friends raved about that soup! It was tasty, and was adapted from a recipe I found in Susun Weed's Healing Wise. She has a really nice chapter on dandelions.

I also baked a salmon with rice and dandelion greens last week. I had high expectations, as everything that went into that pan was yummy! Turns out, according to my friend with a culinary degree, that I actually poached the salmon instead of baking, and that's why it came out kind of bland. I sprinkled Old Bay, Dill and Garlic powder liberally over the salmon fillet (wild caught Alaskan), then poured 1 C of rice around the salmon, covered the rice with 2C of hot water (should have been something with some flavor, like veggie stock) and then put washed and chopped dandelion greens on top of the rice. Yum, right? Not so much. The fish was bland, as was the rice. I put tamari on it and that saved the day. Had I used veggie stock instead of plain water, it would have come out the way I had anticipated. Now I know, and so do you! I baked the salmon at 350 for about 45 minutes. Next time it will be as fabulous as I imagine.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a gorgeous day, followed by a cold and rainy/snowy day, so I'll be out bright and early to harvest dandelion blossoms. Susun Weed has a recipe for Dandelion Cordial that is calling to me! I'll stop by the liquor store on the way home for some really nice Vodka, and keep you posted on the results!

Green Blessings!

2008's first sunburn

2008-04-20T19:00:00.002-06:00

It's spring!! I know we've all known this for awhile now, but I am finding myself filled with the realization and reveling in this crazy season. Spring here is contrary, sometimes we experience 70 degree days followed by cold snowy days, or frosty nights. I love it! The second round of tulips are up, the grape hyacinths are all abuzz with happy honey bees, and the lovely little Lemon Balm in my garden has woken up.

I planted pansies as soon as I could, and some violas just went in. I tucked spinach and swiss chard amongst the blooms, hidden in plain sight on my front porch. Kale babies are nested in the holes of the cinderblocks that make up my garden. The dandelions! I love them :) Today I picked dandelion greens to doctor up my soup, and they were stupendous! There's just something about that bitter goodness that makes me wonder the first day of spring that I visit with them, and crave them every day thereafter. I even overheard an older couple walking down the sidewalk comment about cooking dandelion greens, as they witnessed me harvesting in my front yard.

Yesterday I took Athena to the dog park, wandered briefly at Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat, and walked to work in the evening. This was enough to earn me my first sunburn of the year :) It's just a little burn, and not painful at all. I am happy for spring and my war paint to prove it!

Walden Ponds is an interesting place, and I hadn't visited it before. Funny, I've lived in Boulder County for 6 1/2 years now, and haven't ever been. It's beautiful, and another of those great dichotomies of our culture. "Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat is located 5 miles northeast of Boulder, ½ mile south of the Jay Road and North 75th Street intersection on the west side of North 75th Street." link ~ The site used to be a gravel pit, and is now reclaimed, having turned into a very important wildlife habitat. It is fed by Boulder Creek, and is the transient home to many species of migratory birds. While I was there yesterday, there were red winged blackbirds singing, lots of Canadian Geese, an otter and a flock of really cool looking white birds with black edges on their wings. These were big birds with long legs, and without binoculars, I was clueless as to their actual identities. Gorgeous in flight. As you drive in, this beautiful sanctuary is on your right, you've just driven past a verdant pasture with horses grazing, and then there are piles of reclaimed asphalt and dirt on the left. Dichotomy. Regardless, this is an excellent place to go for fishing, birdwatching and simple enjoyment of nature. It could make for a nice out and back hike, as well. I'll be back on a day when I have good shoes and a hat!

My Speciality...

2008-04-11T12:47:00.007-06:00

I am a very busy woman, and I wear many different hats. I am a Healer. Student. Gardener. Entrepreneur. Daughter. Doberman’s Person. Friend and Sister. Conservationist. Feminist. Environmentalist. Idealist. Worm lover! Musician. Wise Woman. Vitalist…

I don’t have time for things that don’t work, or that take so long to work that you’re never really sure if they’re working at all! I like to see and feel results. I am a fan of what works. Reiki works. Flower and Gem essences work. Herbalism and Nutrition work. Spiritual bathing works. There is much in the world that works, but I can only speak to what I know.

I love it when after a Reiki session my client is riding out the door on the Bliss Train. I love the wonderful allies we have in essences, and their bringing-us-back-into-balance medicine! I love the life-altering effects of getting to the root of chronic illness through Diet, Lifestyle and Herbs! I love the way Spiritual Bathing can touch the things we often do not have names for, but sometimes do, and wash them away with warm, messy, colorful buckets of Sacred Water. I love the Magick and Wisdom of Wild Places, and the insights gained from quiet moments spent in solitude.

I am often asked what I specialize in. People want to know what I prefer; Reiki, Herbs or Nutrition. I have difficulty answering this question when put on the spot, as I have been busy following my heart along the Student/Healer path, and hadn’t really thought about a specialty before. I thought I should spend some time and really think about what I would like to say.

"I am a Healer, and I have many tools in my Medicine Bag. The tools that are brought out depend upon what that Person needs and is open to receiving. Everyone is unique, and so I specialize in plans, formulas and strategies tailored to the needs of the Person in front of me. My approach is Wholistic, and my intention is to treat People like People, instead of like a presenting set of symptoms."

You could say I specialize in making the world a better place, little bits at a time.

Green Blessings,

Heather Luttrell

Composting

2008-03-25T20:40:00.004-06:00

I read somewhere once, so long ago that I don't remember where it came from, about a woman who improved the soil everywhere she ever lived. That idea has stuck with me ever since. Grassroots movements need good soil to grow, and I think we're all a grassroots movement in our own little ways. It's when we find each other and join forces that the movement, well, moves!

Composting, in all it's dusty, dirty, damp, wormy and rotting wonderfulness is a small way each of us can improve the Earth, in a very literal way. When we bag our grass clippings and leaves and send them away, be it to the landfill (please don't!) or recycling center, we are effectively mining our properties of nutrients. The chemical fertilizers many of us resort to to put those nutrients back into our soils actually degrade our soils, and reduce the nutrition in what we grow in those soils. Why pay someone to mine our yards and then pay another company to give us back the nutrients we just sent away, but of a sub-standard quality?

This tumbling compost bin was my birthday present to myself. It is a batch style composter, which means you fill it up, add a bit of activator, moisten and tumble it daily for 4-8 weeks. Voila! Compost is done and ready to be added to your garden, enriching the soil, and making for bigger tomatoes. This is great, but then what do you do with your yard and kitchen wastes while a batch is cooking? Costco to the rescue, with a very reasonably priced and enormous compost bin, pictured on the right. A pile works just as well, but I have a precocious dog (Athena) who loves to eat anything she can get ahold of, and even better if it's in some stage of decomposition.

Google provides tons of information about the hows, whys and why nots of composting. It can be as simple or as complicated as you have the time and inclination for. A big pile in a corner of the yard works just fine, and it'll be done when it's done. Nature doesn't need our help to make things rot, it's the way of things!

What if you're impatient to get that black goodness, like I am? I have veggies to plant this spring, and they will be happier with a nice top dressing of compost. Well, then there are guidelines. Ratios of greens vs. browns. Greens are things like fresh grass clippings, kitchen scraps and, yes, even coffee grounds. Greens are fresher, moist, and nitrogen-rich. Browns are things like dead leaves, dry grass clippings, and shredded paper. They are carbon rich and dry. Ideally, you are looking for an equalish parts of greens and browns, and you should water your compost to be moist, but not soggy.

Air is important for decomposition, so don't soak your pile! You can turn your pile periodically to keep it aerated, which is why the tumbler is so fantastic. It's much easier that turning with a pitchfork, and less messy. Some people set up a three bin system with pallets and chicken wire, turning the pile from one bin into the next, with finished compost ending up in the last bin. I like this method, both for it's simplicity and containment, but Athena would like it even more.

Compost piles that sit directly on the ground have an advantage over piles that are contained in a tumbler. Critters. Microbes, insects, worms, and other miscellaneous and extremely valuable agents of decomposition. Help out the helpers by converting what you put in the compost into as small of pieces as possible. More surface area = faster decomposition. They've got little mouths! Consider putting your kitchen scraps in the blender before you dump them in the pile, if you're impatient like me :) You can buy compost activators at your local garden center. The one I found is made by Age Old Organics. Soil Bio-Activator & Compost Accelerator (Kelp Meal Granular) We'll see how it works, but this is a good company, and the product came highly recommended.

OK, so what can't go in the bin? Basically, anything that rots will, given enough time. Sticks, however, take a very long time. It's best to save them for the chipper or take them to the recycle center. That said, don't put meat, dairy, greasy scraps or pet wastes into your bin, or you're likely to attract vermin, and it's going to smell pretty rank. However, waste from herbivores can go in the compost. (rabbits, hamsters, goats, sheep, etc.) A healthy pile shouldn't stink. If it does, it probably needs to be aerated, and make sure your food scraps are buried.

Your compost is done when it doesn't look like what you put in it anymore! It should be dark, moist, and smell like the earth in the springtime. Forget oil, this is the true black gold! Crumbly and dark, you can use it to top dress existing plantings, or mix into the soil in preparation for a new garden. Backyard composting is the ultimate localization of resources. You don't use any fossil fuels to transport anything, unless you buy a prefabricated bin (made of recycled plastic), and the rewards are substantial.

What are you waiting for? Go get dirty!

Wild Vitality!

2008-03-22T15:39:00.003-06:00

Wild Vitality

After much consideration, brainstorming, soul searching, thesaurus utilization, meditation and dreaming, I have decided to name my practice Wild Vitality.

It’s a tough thing, finding words to express in a "pearl" all that I am offering, but Wild Vitality does it! I was meeting with Amber, my highly skilled metal smith and web designing friend, www.lootbox.com when I realized that Avena’s Herbs sounds like an herb shop (5 year plan) and would be misleading once painted upon my office window. How to wrap Herbalist, Nutritionist, Reiki Practitioner, Vitalist, Fun, Organic, Growing, Movement, Healing, Change and ENERGY all into one little pearl? One little pearl with the big job of being the name for my website and my clinical practice, and having the ability to grow with me for 10 years or more?

Wild Vitality

Heather Luttrell
Certified Herbalist
Reiki Practitioner
Nutritionist
Providing Momentum for Personal
Evolution on All Levels

What better day to decide upon such a great name? The moon is full and the Spring Equinox today is full of the promise of flowers and verdant green. There are crocuses blooming in my garden, along with the spring shoots of Valerian, bronze fennel and Comfrey. There was a tough little catnip volunteer, but Medea ate it a week or so ago. I planted some purple pansies last week, and this weekend’s projects involve assembling the stand for my compost tumbler, spring cleaning in the yard and garden, planting onion sets and sowing seeds for kale, spinach, beets and carrots under a floating row cover.

Today is the day the Earth wakes up, although many of us have noticed her stirrings for awhile now. Today the Wheel of the Year turns with a Wild Vitality. Green Blessings!