Kuwesi-medicine News

Old plants, old medicine
Gather and make your own horsetail succus,
or contact us to order.

Ahas ‘soqon [ah-HAHS-s‘gw’n] means "horsetail" in Passamaquoddy

Fredda: My grandmother was incredibly strong, both in spirit and body. She was a Passamaquoddy medicine woman. When I was about 14 years old, we were out in the woods looking for medicine, and had to cross a creek. My mother had told me not to get my feet wet or I would have to pay the consequences. Without a second thought, my grandmother picked me up like a log and carried me across.

Horsetail is an ancient plant, dominating the forests during the time of the dinosaur. During that time – 300 million years ago – they grew to the size of giant pine trees.

Healing qualities in spring

Most of the healing qualities of horsetail are attributed to its high silica content. Several species common in our area are used in herbal medicine: Equisetum arvense, E. hyemale and E. sylvaticum. If you look closely at any of these plants, you will see similarities to joints, blood vessels, vertebrae, hair and whatever a person’s perception allows. Even further, study how the plant operates – pulling water up from the ground – might draw an analogy to the kidneys. Standing strong, the often hidden, low-lying spring shoots make me think of having courage with a quiet resolve.

Because the silica in horsetail is bio–available, and especially potent in the spring shoots, it has shown to be effective at helping a wide array of health problems – including achy or injured joints and ligaments, broken bones, osteoporosis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Horsetail strengthens hair, nails, teeth and skin. It helps restore kidney function. Juice from the spring shoots is known to help metabolize calcium better than taking manufactured calcium supplements. Horsetail has a range of anti-fungal uses and helps chelate heavy metals from the body.

It boosts our spirits to hear from friends who are going out in their yards to gather their own medicine. Often the "weeds" growing in our own yards have the potential to take away our aches and pains and allow us the freedom to choose an alternative to prescription drugs.

The Equisetum family – gathering your own

In previous years we have gathered E. hyemale in southern Indiana. Spring shoots should be picked when they are 8 to 10 inches tall, brilliant green and full of juice. In Kentucky, optimum gathering time is late April to mid-May. In southern Maine we have gathered this variety beginning in early to mid-June.

Farther north, in our area of Maine, we start watching for the little pink shoots of E. arvense early in May. We gather the pink along with the first green growth. Later in the summer it is hard to imagine these asparagus-like shoots are related to the more mature plant that resembles a small pine tree and grows prolifically in fields and roadside ditches.

All horsetail should be gathered close to sunrise when the plants are radiant and full of juice – they should have a crisp snap when picked. Medicinal plants should never be picked where any form of chemicals or pollution has been present.

Methods in the making – getting the juice

For each 4 ounces of juice, add 2 ounces of vodka (or brandy) to preserve. Stored in the refrigerator, shelf life should be about 16 months.

Processing E. hyemale can be done in one step with a Green Power juicer. (We’ve tried other juicers but it is extremely labor intensive.)

If you pick the tender pink shoots of E. arvense early enough, it is possible to process them in a blender. Just add a small amount of water, blend and squeeze out through cheesecloth.

We prefer a combination of the pink shoots and the first green growth of E. arvense. This produces a very concentrated juice, but processing is more labor intensive. The first step involves slowly grinding the plant material into a pulp. It is then put in a press to squeeze out the dark green juice. After using a labor intensive hand-cranked model for the first few years, we are looking forward to using our new hydraulic press.

As Fredda says, "It’s a lot quicker and you get all the major medicinal properties out." Fredda’s gram is still with us in spirit – she was a very strong woman.

First thing in the morning, for a good feeling in your bones

Average dose is 1 tsp. of horsetail a day. Because horsetail acts as a diuretic, cleansing the kidneys, it is often necessary to supplement with potassium. This is why we like to take minerals right along with the horsetail – adding them both to a small amount of water and taking first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Combining horsetail with minerals and an herbal tea made with alfalfa and nettles also gives a complementary package to strengthen the body.

If taking the average dose, a quart of processed horsetail succus will last a year. To avoid irritating your kidneys and intestines, do not use horsetail for more than two weeks in a row, followed by a week of rest.

For more information on dosage and cautions, contact us by e-mail. wildwoodleslie@hotmail.com.

Osteoporosis

Horsetail is not a magic potion for re–calcifying bones, but it certainly has the potential to help. According to the National Institute of Health, bone loss can be attributed to the following: *Sedentary lifestyle, consuming excessive caffeine, soft drinks, alcohol, tobacco; too much protein.
*Long-term use of certain anti–seizure drugs, thyroid hormone supplements, antibiotics, anti–depressants, anti–histamines.

To order Spring Horsetail Succus
The season begins May 5 – please call or e-mail before then!
Though E. hyemale and E. arvense have both proven their worth as healing plants, this year we will be gathering only E. arvense, a very concentrated juice.
We no longer will have a surplus of horsetail succus later in the year.
$40 per 8 oz. $25 per 4 oz. Shipping extra We ship via priority mail.

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 traditional medicines made from locally harvested plants.