St. John's Wort Oil



St. John's Wort Oil labeled for storage
and dried St. John's Wort for tea. 

      My husband burned the palm of his hand picking up a spoon that was hot from laying on a hot burner.  Nothing that major, about the size of a quarter, but it wouldn't stop stinging.  He had it under cold water and put something on it (I can't remember what it was), but it was still stinging like crazy.  That's when I remembered my St. John's Wort Oil.  I had him swab some on with a Q-tip.  The stinging stopped immediately.  He was impressed, and I was impressed :-) 
     I've made St. John's Wort Oil for a few years in a row, but this was the first I'd actually used it.  It's not hard to make.  Someone was selling it for $10.00 a 1/4 oz. at the farmer's market last summer.  I had made a pint of it, so I figured it was worth $320.00..... :-)
     St. John's Wort blooms in late June around here.  I pack the flowers tightly in my jar (whatever size you want).  Don't use the stems or leaves -- just the flowers.  Then I pour the jar full of olive oil and prick open a vitamin E capsule and squeeze it in (to help preserve it).  Cap it with a nice screw on lid.   Now, put it in a sunny window where you will see it often, and shake it every day for 2 weeks.  When it's done,  use a strainer to get out the flowers.  It will be a beautiful rusty red color.   Now label it, and store in a cool dark place.  Mine is stored in my "medicine" cabinet.  It is now my official "go to" for a burn.
     More to come on St. John's Wort when it's growing this summer.