Linking up with Hipster Homesteading today for her Self Sustainability for Everyone Weekend Blog Hop! Whew, that's a mouthful.
About a year ago we were introduced to the wonderful healing power of Calendula by our doctor. Ziva and I both have sensitive skin and mine can get extremely dry, especially on my hands. Not just during the cold months, and even to the point where they are swollen with cracks and it hurts to touch things. So yeah, you better believe that I need a hand cream that works!
I started using California Baby Calendula Cream maybe 6 months ago or so and it works wonders on my skin. However, it costs a fortune! I hesitate to buy it when I run out, then my skin suffers for it...
I'd recently toyed with the idea of growing my own calendula, but I really have a brown thumb...
Then I found this blog through Pinterest, and she just so happened to be doing a series on Calendula and how easy and beneficial it is to grow, harvest, infuse and make into things. You can even eat it or steep it as tea!
I just ran out of my California Baby cream so off to the natural foods store I went to get ingredients. Of course I can't grow the flowers overnight, so I was going to buy the oil, but wow, it's expensive! So I bought a bag of dried calendula petals and am infusing them in olive oil on my window sill. This method (Cold infusion, or Sun method) takes 4-6 weeks, so I'm probably going to have to speed that up a little by using the Hot Oil method (by putting the jar in a hot water bath in my crockpot.) I'm sure my hands will thank me!
I'm super excited to become self-sustained in our need for calendula!
Ps - Next time you buy green onions from the grocery store, don't throw out the white parts. Put them in a glass of water on your window sill and they'll grow like crazy! I've only had mine in that jar for about 2 weeks. Every few days I dump out the water, rinse the roots and put fresh water in. I may never have to buy green onions again!
