Turmeric

Where does one even start with turmeric? This little powerhouse root needs to find its way into your kitchen AND apothecary today.
With a benefit list as long as this you won’t waste any time

• Anti-inflammator

• Soothes Sore Throat

• Immunity Booster

• Brain Booster

• Soothes Headache

• Alleviate Hot Flashes

• Relieve Allergies

• Treats Auto Immune

• Liver Support

• Blood Thinner

• Gastritis

• Eczema

• As well as support for Diabetes, Dementia and Cancer

Warnings:
Beware of Turmeric if you have gallbladder conditions Do not take therapic doses if you also take anticoagulants or blood thinners

Black Pepper

Black pepper contains piperine which aids in the absorption of curcumin. While very beneficial to pair the two, your body is able to process turmeric without the black pepper. The best ratio is 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper to every 1 tsp of turmeric powder.

Best Way to use it

Powder: Most well known as a cooking spice, the powder can also be mixed into tea (here are the wooden spoons we use for our powdered spices)
Capsule: An easy to way to take theraputic doses
Dried: Keeping the root sliced and dried on hand is another option for tea
Raw: Slice fresh turmeric into rice, lentils or other grain dishes. Use grated turmeric in egg dishes and in meat marinades. (Peel the rhizomes before preparing)
Fermented: Make a turmeric bug for naturally carbonated soda or in kombucha . Dry and powder the pulp for a flavor enhanced spice in your cabinet.

Fermenting fresh turmeric is making a “bug”
Your bug is the living base to natural soda or beer.

We keep both a turmeric bug and a ginger bug alive and on rotation for ginger beer.

*you can either use a cheese cloth and rubber band or we like to use these fermenting lids for wide mouth mason jars.

Turmeric in the Coop

Your backyard ladies are going to benefit from the turmeric as well. Not only is it anti-inflammatory, it is going to help with brain and eye function as well as digestion. Make the same paste below, just mix it in some rolled oats - feed to your chickens a couple times a week
Don't forget your meat birds! Keeping them healthy and free from inflammation will keep them less stressed and that means healthy meat. *Don't over do it, turmeric's blood thinning qualities applies to poultry as well.

Canine Arthritus Support

1/2 cup organic turmeric powder
1 cup water 2-3 teaspoons freshly cracked ground pepper (not pre-ground)
1/3 cup coconut oil (raw, unrefined, cold-pressed)
In a saucepan, bring the turmeric powder and water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 7-10 minutes (until you have a thick paste).
Remove from heat and cool down for 10 minutes.
Then, stir in the ground pepper and oil. You can store it for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Start slowly with 1/4 of a teaspoon twice a day mixed in with your dog’s food. You can build up to 3-4 times a day.

Growing Turmeric

To grow turmeric, you will first need a rhizome start. If you do not have fresh turmeric available in your local grocery store, you can order starts from various farmers across the internet. Unless you live in a warm winter climate, you’ll want to plant your turmeric in a large pot that can move indoors or into the greenhouse during the winter months. They take approx 9 months to mature for harvesting, similar to ginger and garlic. I like to plant my roots all at the same time in October, so I am harvesting them all in July. Once our greenhouse is built we’ll be able to rotate the crops so we harvest multiple times a year.

Click the picture below to get your printable version of this fact sheet for your herb journal