winter foraging can be quite fun and rewarding. plus this is a great herbal craft for kids. they love to see the vinegar turn different colors as it infuses. if you don't live near a conifer forest you can use your christmas tree or other shrubberies. this is just a guide feel free to experiment and explore. this can also be a great herbal teaching moment, kids of all ages but especially those in the 6-11 range are so eager to do what we do and learn. cleaning vinegar can also be a wonderful gift. i had the privilege of playing grandma the other day and this is what we did. kids sure do love those brightly colored harvest baskets and clippers. we set off on foot to some conifers growing nearby.
ponderosa pines are very prolific in my bioregion so we collected some of those. along with some fir needles.
we also found some ripe juniper berries and rosehips. it was nice to walk around and see what presented itself.
take everything home and loosely chop or cut the needles and place in a jar. there are no rules around this you can use as much or as little as you like. citrus peel is nice if you have it on hand and any fresh or dried herbs. we just used the items foraged on our walk. top with white vinegar and use a plastic cap or wax paper between the lid and vinegar.
there aren't a lot of rules around infusion time either. it should infuse for at least two weeks but doesn't have to. i have had some cleaning vinegar infuse for over a year. when you are ready strain and give the plant material back to the earth. bottle in clear spray bottles, you can mix a little water with your vinegar in the spray bottle. i do this depending on how much vinegar i have on hand, if i have a lot i won't water it down. it is nice to see how the infusing bottles of vinegar evolve through the seasons. i always have a jar or two on the shelf.
happy holidays and happy cleaning to you all. please share with a friend and stay in touch by subscribing to www.simplyjosephine.com
here is a tiktok video on cleaning vinegar i made last year https://www.tiktok.com/@simply.josephine/video/7040076102311709998?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en
Commentaires