Plantain salve is one of my very favorite salves and I have been making it for several years now. I use it for any type of bug bite or sting and all sorts of cuts, scrapes and burns, with nine children, family and friends bumping around the place that means a lot of salve. During the summertime plantain can be used fresh, but it isn’t always convenient, chewing up a leaf, applying and covering a mosquito bite with a band-aid isn’t as simple as dabbing on a bit of salve. It is also nice to be able to keep a small pot in my purse or bag to have on hand when I am not where plantain is growing. So every fall and winter I am sure to make plenty of salve to have on hand and some to sell to family and friends. The process though starts in the summer time when the days are long and the plantain is thick under the apple trees.
Handfuls of plantain is harvested, washed, cut and packed in quart bottles, then pure olive oil is poured over the top until all the plant matter is covered. It then sits in my sunny kitchen window for at least six weeks, being shaken daily, sometimes longer. This makes a beautiful green infused oil. this oil itself is nourishing and healing for the skin, but a bit messy.
When the oil is properly infused it is poured into a fine wire mesh colander that is lined with a clean cotton cloth to slowly drip for several hours. After all the oil has dripped through I will take and ring it tight, getting every last drop of the oily goodness. My hands are so happy after these days of wringing oil out, the plantain infused oil is so good for the skin.
After the Plantain has been strained out of the oil it is stored in quart jars in the refrigerator to keep it as fresh as possible until salve making time. I, using low heat, slowly melt beeswax in with the oil. As soon as the bees wax is completely melted I take the salve off the heat and let it cool some more, then I add lavender essential oil and yarrow essential oil. While still warm is it is poured into jars and closed tightly. They are kept refrigerated until used.
My family uses this salve exclusively, even my littlest kids know where the “green salve” is and know to put it on cuts, scrapes and burns. Plantain salve mixed with calendula salve is very effective when dealing with suborn diaper rash. We always have a little jar sitting by my tinctures and herbs ready for use and usually you can find a jar in my purse or diaper bag.
This year we will be sharing our favorite “green salve” with our customers in our shop and at the farmers market. This green goodness is too wonderful not to share!
