This conversation with Tina from Die Kräutermacherin is part of a series of interviews with women who, like me, feel particularly connected to nature. I will talk to different women and find out more about them and their approach to nature.

These are exactly the stories I will pass on to you here so that you too can discover the most diverse insights and approaches to nature.

The herbalist
Herbal walks and workshops for homemade natural products

Tell us something about yourself

My name is Tina and I am a self-employed herbal teacher. After that I also did a few other training courses. I am also a green cosmetics teacher, naturopathic teacher and Hildegard von Bingen expert. A few years ago I started my own herbal business in this area. This is also my passion project and I now offer workshops on a wide variety of topics. Herb walks, and since the end of last year also webinars, so my offers are available online and offline.

But I am also a youth worker and have studied education and a master's degree in social education. I am also active in extracurricular youth work in this area.

I live with my partner on a mountain farm in Murau in Styria and we run an organic farm, which I support. This is where I discovered my passion for plants. Here on the mountain at 1100 meters, we have an extreme variety of plants that never cease to fascinate me. My mother-in-law was very interested in herbal medicine and taught me in the beginning. That was also the starting point for herbalism as it exists today. It is still as fascinating as ever and there is still a lot to learn. I am really fascinated by the subject and am always happy to be able to pass on the knowledge in workshops and seminars.

How did you get started with the topic of nature?

Many years ago I was stung by a bee or wasp. My mother-in-law immediately collected a few leaves of ribwort plantain from the garden and pressed them into my hand, saying: "Now rub them properly between your fingers and put them on your foot." Of course I did that straight away and the great thing was that it helped straight away! The pain was gone and there was no swelling. I was really impressed.

That was the point at which I started to look into the topic more closely and intensively.

Unfortunately, my mother-in-law died very early, and my knowledge of herbs went with her. She did show me and explain a lot, but of course that was only a fraction. My first training was as a herbal teacher. At that time, however, I had no plans to be self-employed. But then friends and acquaintances started asking me more and more whether we could go on a herbal walk together or whether I would like to show them how to mix different oils or tinctures.

The herbalist is born

That's when I decided to actually start my own business. But it was all very spontaneous and full of coincidences. It developed over the years and was very well received. The topic is very special and many people are interested in it. They want to know what's growing around them. Maybe also what they can do with it and how they should use it.

Green cosmetics | one of my favorite topics

I am also a trained green cosmetics teacher and that is one of my subjects that I really enjoy. Gabriela Nedoma founded this special form of cosmetics. Only natural products are used as raw materials and no additives of any kind are used. You go to the fridge and look at what you have in stock: fruit, berries. You go out into the garden and get wild herbs and medicinal plants and make your cosmetics from them. It is another nature-based form that fascinates me a lot. Gabriela Nedoma's credo is also based on Ayurvedic wisdom: "only put on your skin what you would eat."

I recommend that everyone do a workshop like this at least once, because it is something special and can really inspire you. Green cosmetics do not contain any surfactants or emulsifiers and do not use anything synthetic. It conserves resources and is very kind to the skin, so it can be used by everyone.

Ingredients that have travelled further, such as shea butter or cocoa butter, are also avoided. We look at what is available locally and how we can use it.

How exactly can one imagine this?

In a shampoo, for example, you can use horse chestnuts or rye flour. Simply mix rye flour with water to the consistency of pancake batter and then wash your hair. You can make a simple deodorant from water and baking soda. You can make a lot of products with simple ingredients that you often already have at home.

This is an area of ​​my work that is also close to my heart. But I also have other areas of focus such as the green medicine cabinet or the wild kitchen and I always try to link all areas together. What grows outside and how and where can I best use it.

In all three areas it is important to me to use few ingredients and few raw materials in order to make things as simple as possible.

How long do green cosmetic products last?

There are recipes that should always be prepared fresh, but of course there are also ointments and oil extracts that can be kept for up to six months or a year.

What is the basis of green cosmetics?

You can use local oils like sunflower oil very well. In principle, you should make sure to use oils that have a longer shelf life. You should be a little more careful with linseed oil and hemp oil, because they don't last very long. However, it is less important that the oil contains the many active ingredients, because this is enriched with herbs and plants.

For example, you can make a lavender oil extract and then process it into a lip balm or cream. You could also make a deodorant or many other products from it. That's exactly what's so great about it - you can be very creative and have lots of options for further processing.

You are very open and free in what you do. In the green cosmetics workshops, you learn the basics and then you can continue working at home and let your creativity run free. You can then continue experimenting with the plants around you.

Tell us more about the green medicine cabinet

There are many great recipes for everyday ailments, such as mosquito bites, headaches, and sore throats. Nature is very useful here and you can find quick relief with simple remedies. Secondary plant ingredients are also the starting point for modern conventional medicine.

My approach is based on old medicinal recipes. I look at how people used to work and what ingredients they used. Monastery medicine with Hildegard von Bingen is one of my main focuses, because there are many interesting recipes and ideas that I can research.

Here, too, the work is very simple and involves only a few ingredients. I work with plants that grow almost everywhere and that you can find in many places. You can also grow many of these plants at home in the garden or on the balcony and then use them for these recipes.

A simple remedy for sunburn is to collect some ribwort plantain. Then either rub it in your hands or roll it over a few times with a rolling pin. Then place the leaves on the affected areas; this cools well and reduces irritation.

Tips for collecting wild herbs and medicinal plants

Do not collect on very busy roads or where a lot of dogs are walking. It is best to drive out into nature and stay away from paths.

After collecting, you can also make tinctures and oil extracts to preserve the effects of the plants. Then you don't always have to collect fresh plants, but have a supply for the cold season.

The easiest option is to simply dry the herbs and then store them in jars. That way you always have a supply for your teas.

What is your favorite plant?

Ribwort plantain is still my favorite plant that I have stuck with. You can use it universally and I like it a lot. I use it in almost every dish, both the flowers and the leaves.

I also use it to make a roll-on for insect bites. I make an alcoholic tincture for this. I chop up the ribwort plantain and put it in a glass and then fill it with 38% vodka. I leave it for 2 to 3 weeks and then strain it and the tincture is ready. To thicken it a little more, I use transparent xanthan gum, which you can easily buy at the pharmacy. This tincture is also very long-lasting, it can definitely be used for 2 to 3 years.

Ribwort plantain is also great and healthy to eat. In addition to lots of vitamins and minerals, it has an extremely high mucilage content which has a soothing effect on inflamed mucous membranes. This helps with dry coughs, for example, as the mucilage covers the inflamed areas.

What is an oxymel?

This is a remedy that was known in ancient times and is a mixture of honey and vinegar. It is made in a similar way to an alcoholic tincture. You use chopped plant substances and place them in the mixture of honey and vinegar. The great thing about it is that you don't need alcohol to dissolve the plant substances and it is therefore also very suitable for children or pregnant women. Oxymel with ribwort plantain is an excellent cough syrup that is very useful for children.

The mixing ratio is always 3:1 - you use 3 parts honey and only 1 part vinegar. If you like it less sour, you can also mix 4:1. Then you cut the plant parts very, very small, the smaller the better, and then place them in the honey-vinegar mixture. You seal the whole thing airtight and let it steep for 2 to 3 weeks. Then you strain the mixture and it is ready to use. Use as natural and organic products as possible for the vinegar and honey.

The shelf life of oxymel is definitely between six months and a year. Honey and vinegar are two substances that preserve food very well.

Do you also give workshops?

Yes, there are a wide variety of offers that you can find on my homepage . It is very important to me to share and pass on my knowledge so that it can be preserved. You can also find Tina's Instagram profile here.

You can find more interviews about great women and their approach to nature here:

Karin from Naturspirit
Stephanie from Atempause
Susanne from Naturzauberwerke
Tina from the herbalist
Melanie from Mint
Anja from Daisy & Sunshine
Andrea from Fermentista
Andrea from Yoga Cuisine
Marlies von Quendelgrün
Christine from Textpoterie
Doris from Made with Love
Alex from Die Kräutermadame
Bianca from Naturespiritauraspray
Gerda from Green Power