Beneficence of Nature
The indescribable innocence of and beneficence of Nature — of sun and wind and rain, of summer and winter,–such health, such cheer, they afford forever! Henry David Thoreau
Herbe de St. Joseph (achillea millefolium)The legend is that St. Joseph hurt himself while at work and the Child Jesus brought him a sprig of this herb to stanch the bleeding. It is used today for bleeding wounds as well as for fever, inflammation, and menstruation. It is also used as a decongestant and expectorant. How blessed we are to have ample supplies of yarrow here on the farm. It is a very useful herb for the home apothecary. The essential oil from this plant is a brilliant azure. It is wonderful how God has hidden such surprises all around us!
I love teaching our children about the uses of the plants that grow here on the farm. It seems a shame to undo what God has so perfectly cultivated here. We are doing our best to plan to leave wild areas or to propagate natives to place within our gardens.