Using Ingredients Not Local

Jane123 · Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 2:13 pm Post subject: Using Ingredients Not Local

Living in Sunny South Fla I find that often an herb I need I cannot grow myself, nor get from the wilds (urban girl...), so I order from the internet. Does anyone feel these mass-produced and often not magically handled herbs have less virtue?

sleekseek · New Member Joined: Aug 15, 2008 Posts: 4

I do think there is some merit to nurturing a plant yourself to use for magical, medicinal, sustenance, etc. because of the care and effort you put into it's growth. The same goes with handcrafted materials. However, sometimes it is just not practical to do these things yourself (As you explained). I don't think that just because you bought something from a store/Internet means that it won't work for your purposes or not possess its inherent qualities. If you're still concerned, perhaps you could order fair-trade products and organic plants from craftsmen and smaller farms. I suppose you could even find some merchants that prepare and handle their products with the same intent for use as you do.

Jane123 · Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:03 pm Post subject:

Yes... I have ordered some seeds at one time from a place called Alchemy Works... don't know them, but they did seem very magically inclined, but without the horse-and-pony show, which I liked. I believe they have dried herbs, also... not sure but I will look and see.

woodwose · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:01 am Post subject:

When using such herbs, and if following a local tradition, it is probably pertinent to ask:"Is there a local substitute?". The process of growing a plant from seed, interacting with it and the inner spirit through to it's sacrifice if an important aspect for me personally but saying that I do have a few ingredients that have, as yet, no local or British equivalent. If I do have to order an ingredient, I make sure that I order it from a well- known herbalist..tends to be no interference in the sense of someone gathering it at the full moon, drawing a banishing pentagram over it and charging me double what it is worth for the privilege. Example Sage -buy it in it's most basic form(e.g. whole leaves) and prepare it (pestle and mortar, knife, ripping by hand.) yourself-that way you are connecting with it even if it is towards the end of it's journey. Smile

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Draighnean · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:49 am Post subject:

I don't think so for reasons similar to what Woodwose said....
I know you said you're an urban girl Jane, and I understand the difficulty living in a city centre myself, but I'm fascinated with "foreign" herbs and plants that are transplanted or grown by those that want them, in areas not natural to them. Unfortunate for us, they don't seem to last too long in wee pots. At least not for me anyway.

Starstone · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:07 am Post subject:

sarasuperid · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:18 pm Post subject:

It might be a matter of looking into Mediterranean herbs rather than Northern European, if you are in Florida.

Here I am trying to grow a plant that would like love Florida (the mandrake), and you are struggling with cold weather plants that love my stomping grounds (the Pacific Northwest).

Jane123 · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:37 pm Post subject:

lol - maybe we should do a swap!!!

sarasuperid · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 3:44 pm Post subject:

I'll keep that in mind this spring Wink