Behold! The White Deadnettle!

Get some fresh Melissa

Strip off the leaves

Chop them up

Put them in a jar!

Measure out the alcohol

Pour it on the herb

Next day, drain it out

Press it

Pour it into bottles

The squashed remains (the marc)

Making an iron tonic with apricots, molasses, red wine and herbal tinctures

Pour in the molasses

It gets nice and thick

And potentially very messy

Making salves and creams from infused oils

Elderflowers

Infusing calendula and eldeflowers

Pressing out the oil

Pouring salve into jars

Making fresh Melissa tincture in 24 hours.

Ragman’s weekend, June 2009.

Pics by Becky Beinart