Public libraries are free. I would strongly suggest the books: The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook by James Green and Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech. The first is an excellent book for people just starting out making herbal medicines and the second is better once you understand the basics. These are better than *any* website I know of for this information. I would, when you find the money, add these to your bookshelf. By the way, you can save yourself tons of cash by buying pre-loved (i.e. used) books. Even large on-line booksellers offer used copies.

While I harvest and process lots of raw herbs for another to tincture, I don't make tinctures myself. I tend to put that in the same category with pills - it's nice for quick action but doesn't seem "natural" nor right. I prefer teas. I have mixed my own blends but I tend to like single herbs best that I can combine as I want or need. I also make salves using raw herbs, olive oil, and beeswax, can't get much simpler.

Really, check out Jim Green's book.

FataMorgana

FataMorgana,
thank you for the advise I will go to libary this week we are in a small town but you never know.That is a great place to start.and also you are right on the used online booksellers,that is a excellent way to save money,I am online on amazon.So that is pretty kewl for second choice when I have extra money.Thank you so kindly for responding that helps in my adventure.I did make a hyssop tincture,I was so excited as I just had one brown bottle and labeled it.I used it for coughs,colds and since I used it I literally feel beter with being sick a cpl weeks.I was checking other posts in Gw i did after post and read alot of infomation and saw some neat sites for bottles which I will get under .60 each.3.00 for 6 here where i live a half hr away she sells them 1.00 each plus tax.that saves me.
On your tea's which ones do you make-I tried a white clover and was hard for me to drink,have had mint,lemon verbena.

I'm glad if I could help.

Lemon balm makes a nice tea and easy to grow - people call it a "garden thug" it is so easy to grow! A good calming tea plus good during cold season.

Raspberry leaf (wild black raspberry too) is a nice tasting woman's tea. Unfortunately raspberry leaf tea and I don't agree with each other - it gives me a headache so I don't drink it.

Dandelion leaf and root (separately) make nice teas. The leaf will make you pea and the root is good for liver/gall-bladder issues.

Mints make nice teas.

etc......

Use the search utility for this forum and look for previous posts on herbal tea. You'll get all sorts of suggestions.

But do your homework on the specific actions of any of these or other herbs if you plan to drink more than the occasional cup of tea of it or plan to make tinctures from them. Herbs are medicines. Too much can be damaging or they can interfere with other medicines and medical conditions.

FataMorgana

I know one way to make tincture; and that is using 40% alc. vodka (60 % is stil water). According to my source you can make tincture from any thing you want. It is like making pickles. But with the medicinal things you have to observe how many drop,tsp etc you can/should take. If you dont like alcohol, just leave your dose in an open container, most of the alcohol should eveporate in short time.

I do -- I usually make teas out of things like mint, lemon balm, rosehips, bee balm -- I add in things like plantain or anise if I have a sore throat. I make tinctures out of anything that I would like to be fast acting -- mostly herbs that help with sleep, like Motherwort or skullcap. There is some information on tinctures on Michael Moore's site somewhere (http://www.swsbm.com/homepage/) and Susun Weed has a good deal of information on any sort of herbal preparation -- tea, tincture, oils, etc.

I had the impression that "tincture" is something that preserves not for immediate use like tea.For example, I have made tincture of St.Johns wort. I only take few drops of it daily.This is different from majing herbal tea or infusion.
Cyrus

Most dried herbs kept under normal conditions have roughly a 1 year shelf life. Tinctures are good for longer but they tend to be more concentrated than a cup of tea. In other words, I would exercise far more caution with taking tinctures than drinking the occasional cup of an herbal tea.

Tinctures work faster but do not offer the quiet moments that a cup of tea does - sometimes slowing down and taking some time for ourselves is very healthful too.

There are pluses and minuses to everything. You make the choice which you prefer.

FataMorgana