Pickin' up Chicks

Yesterday I went on a community herb walk. Summer is usually not the best time for herb walks because everything is dried up and herbs are always best fresh. Still the walk was great and we got to be re-birthed and receive everything we didn't get the first time we were born. Most importantly I learned that there is a great alternative medicine to pink eye, a somewhat common ailment in goats that everyone recommends an antibiotic for. I don't want to use any antibiotics for many reasons but especially if people are going to be drinking the milk.

On our journey home from our short walk around the hood we found a small patch of sad chickweed or scientifically Stellaria media. A woman in the group said that she had boiled some in water and applied a few drops to her son's pink eye and later that day it had cleared up entirely. I hope that my goats don't get pink eye but now if they do I won't have to worry about using antibiotics on them.

I also learned the difference between some of the lichens around here. Usnea is a great preservative because it has antibiotic and antifungal properties. And if you're hungry enough you can eat it.