supermarket herbs

[Shanti]

Herbs for magic, wild picked!!
Local tribal people that used herbs, only could use what grew in the region and we can too!!
They are commonly called, weeds!
Nature provides them in abundance in almost every location that has dirt!!
They are free too!
I call them natures gifts!

[Terra Mater]

Originally Posted by Philosophia

True. However, non-organic have unknown chemicals inside of them that the person buying them may not know about it.

And organic herbs do not list what type of manure they were grown in for those that have certain allergies, which they should considering the great many number of people that choose to go organic because of a variety of sensibilities.

[AmberMaiden]

Originally Posted by poze

Hi! is it ever ok to use supermarket herbs in magick? I don't have a garden and there are no shops that sell herbs around where I live. thanx

I dont see why not? Sure, home grown are the best because they were grown and harvested with your energy. But lets face it...not everyone has that option!

[TuathaSidhe]

Yup yup.

I dont by that homegrown is the only way or better. Yeah its great, but for those of us who work within practicality, its not always possible and you have to work with what you have.

I think as long as cleansing is done and your own energies and stuff is in the right place, it'll be just fine.

[Philosophia]

Originally Posted by Terra Mater

And organic herbs do not list what type of manure they were grown in for those that have certain allergies, which they should considering the great many number of people that choose to go organic because of a variety of sensibilities.

Yes, they don't but that also goes for non-organic herbs as well.

[hunter*]

For right now I'm using "Wicca in the Kitchen" and my local grocery store for my herbal needs.

I just cut my working crystal collection down to a well rounded set of 12 crystals, that I want to learn to know intimately. The collection and meanings are strongly based on the "Crystal Wisdom Kit" and complimented by various studies.

I think I will pick 12 from "Wicca in the Kitchen" and do further study on them.

I need to simplify and prioritize right now if I want to stop wandering around getting nothing done because it's isn't the "right" way.

[Juniper138]

Please define "nasty results" when working with store bought herbs. I'm curious what they might be?

Some culinary herbs do not make great subsitutes an example would be burning culinary sage for incense as opposed to the typical incense White Sage, as its much harder on the lungs and can smell a bit like you're smoking pot.

However, while you may need a wee bit more dried rosemary for the same effect, or to draw out as much essence for oil etc, than fresh, its really not that different.

Not everyone has a green thumb or has the time and space and such to grow herbs, plus not all herbs will grow everywhere. Having lived in some of the northern reaches of Canada, as well as in more arid regions of the USA I can attest to this. Somethings just won't grow in your climate zone.

Also if you are picking from the wild (wildcrafting) please do so as ethically as possible or not at all. And know what you are doing as far as identifying the herbs etc ... don't just go wandering into some vacant lot beside the highway and pick what you think is Labrabor Tea and go home and make tea, only to find out its one of its poisonous cousins that has been sprayed with bug-killer!

If you are worried about store bought herbs why not look into where you can find locally (or close to locally) produced herbs to be bought? Local greenhouses, farms, farmer's markets etc ... if buying direct then you can just ask us (the farmers) what type of manure etc we use to grow them.

You can also buy fresh herbs at grocery stores, not just dried. Or you can buy small potted herbs.

If you only need a little often greenhouses will have cuttings of herbs or potted herbs that are going to be tossed into the compost heap for one reason or another, and you can rescue them

As a farm girl I can tell you that many hours of back breaking labour, blood, sweat, tears and love go into producing those store bought herbs. Thank you very much Store bought herbs also put food on farmer's tables, clothes on their backs and presents under the Yule tree for their kids. Not to mention the people between the farmers and the buyer who also earned a living! Chew on that you anti-store bought herb people you!

My family would like to thank everyone who bought grocery store herbs, dairy products and beef last year, since it meant we didn't have such a lean Yule season this time around as we did last year!

*HUGS*

[Philosophia]

Originally Posted by Juniper138

Please define "nasty results" when working with store bought herbs. I'm curious what they might be?

If you're talking about me, the nasty results I've had with store brought herbs include receiving pesticide soaked herbs (not exactly great for burning, especially when I can still smell the pesticide), wrong herbs in packets, a mixture of herbs when it wasn't meant to be (happened to a friend of mine, who is allergic to Basil and ended up ingesting it when she brought a packet of rosemary), some of the time they were "mouldy", etc..

As a farm girl I can tell you that many hours of back breaking labour, blood, sweat, tears and love go into producing those store bought herbs. Thank you very much Store bought herbs also put food on farmer's tables, clothes on their backs and presents under the Yule tree for thier kids. Chew on that you anti-store bought herb people you!

Like I said before, you can buy from the store but to just be careful. Not all herbal manufacturers are good.

[MoonChild78]

I have to admit... I've used the cheap, dried dollar store herbs. I figure that the God/dess doesn't care where/how much/what kind/ect. kind of herbs I have. Hell, I don't They care if I have 'em or not. I Prefer the herbs that I grow and dry and put my time and love into. However, I can't grow all the herbs I'd like to (As in catnip... my local cats go ape in my yard when I tried that. I swear cats from miles around where tripping in my back yard... didn't sleep till I pulled it up!! ). Like, I will never be able to grow cinnamon... so I buy it. I've read it's bad luck to grow chamomile so I buy it (And I believe it... grew it, lost my job when it bloomed.... ooo! spooky!!).

I'm not a purist, I believe you do what you need to with what you got!! If all you have are dried, store bought go for it... if you have access to fresh, all natural picked from Goddess's green Earth... go for it. What is more important is what is in your heart when you use them... not how much you paid or where you got 'em!!

Hope that helps!!