The idea behind this oxymel was to make the most of the abundant spring greens that are first to come up after the winter. These herbs are usually high in minerals and vitamins, so a vinegar based preparation is the perfect way to get the most out of these prolific plants. The dandelion leaf & flower, chickweed, violet leaf and flowers, cleavers, dead nettle and strawberry leaf were all harvested from my own garden, and I also added in some wood nettle and wild strawberry leaf that I harvested from one of my favorite forest foraging spots.
I also chose to include some lemongrass, fresh mint, and lemon balm from my garden for flavor, and lemongrass also happens to be a very high mineral herb. Think of the texture of lemongrass, how brittle it is. That's from it's high silica content, which is great for improving hair and nails (among other benefits).
A few weeks of vinegar maceration is perfect for getting those minerals and nutrients, and then I blended in specific proportions of molasses and maple syrup in addition to honey, the traditional sweetener used in oxymels, to result in an even more mineral & nutrient rich end product. With molasses being quite rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, as well as vitamin B6, and maple syrup containing manganese, zinc, calcium, thiamine, potassium, and copper, as well as abundant polyphenols, this oxymel is a well rounded multi-mineral supplement.
The high mineral content of this oxymel gives it a depth of flavor that might surprise you! It is rich, eathy and bold, not quite a fresh and fruity as my other oxymels. It is also chock full of other vitamins and nutrients that aid in gentle detoxification and rebuilding of nutrient stores in the body.
Suggested Dosage: take 1-3 droppers-full daily for an extended period of time, or for as long as you feel you need it. Or, take as much as you want as often as you want ;)
Ingredients: organic apple cider vinegar, organic raw local honey, organic maple syrup, organic molasses, cleavers, dandelion leaf & flower, chickweed, violet, strawberry leaf, dead nettle, lemongrass, wood nettle, wild strawberry leaf, field garlic, lemon balm, mint
This oxymel comes in a 4oz dropper bottle.
*Keep in mind that tannins can bind to minerals, so if you are taking other tannin-rich herbs, like red raspberry leaf for instance, take this oxymel at a different time of day.