Okay, not whiskey, Vodka (but whiskey would have worked too). Penny and I went fishing this week at one of her stomping grounds. Unfortunately we found the biting flies out in full swing. But to my luck, the ever-wise and herbally-prepared Penny had a quick fix; yarrow tincture bug repellent. She even had it in a nifty (although non-primitive) spray-bottle!
The repellent worked so well that I had to make some. Penny showed me the ways and I documented it for a quick and simple photo series!
First, you’ll need to know how to identify Yarrow. For that I suggest you check out the rewild.info page for Yarrow.
Second, you’ll need a knife, alcohol, yarrow flowers and a jar. Penny says she prefers this kind of Vodka because it says “100 Proof” which Penny says works best for making tinctures.
Next chop up the flowers.
Put the chopped flowers in a jar.
Fill it with alcohol.
Seal it and you’re done!
Just wait a few weeks and then you can put it in a little spray bottle and you’ve got yourself some quality insect repellent!
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9 responses to “Whiskey in the Yarrow!”
Yeah, I let my tinctures sit 6 weeks for full strength. Shake it up whenever you think of it. Especially during the first week. Keep out of direct sunlight.
You rock, Scouts!
I had wondered about the 6 week thing, Penny, as I had read that somewhere else (susun weed, i think).
Does the alcohol bother your skin at all, if you have to keep applying it every two hours?
[…] The recipe calls for a two week period before straining the plant matter out of the oil. It also calls for leaving the jar in the sun for this fortnight. Everything else I have read about herbs cautions to keep them away from direct sunlight, as it destroys nutrients. So I have kept my oil in the kitchen, away from windows. You could also keep it in a cupboard or inside a paper bag to prevent sunlight from breaking down the plant’s properties. Susun Weed’s book also recommended letting the infusion work for six weeks as opposed to two–information that Penny Scout backs up on Urban Scout’s blog post for making a yarrow tincture. So I have decided to try for six weeks in the dark as opposed to two weeks in the sun. […]
I don’t think it does. But I don’t have dry skin or anything to begin with.
[…] Another big thing that happened is Urban Scout came to visit me! We’ve known eachother online for awhile in various contexts: internet stalker and stalkee, turned friends, turned online boyfriend and girlfriend.  Now you could consider us star-crossed lovers who because of our stubborn roots on opposite sides of the continent, have to settle for being creative business partners. You can read Scout’s verision of the story here: An Anarcho-Primitivist Romance, here: Week12: From Cave to Grave With Penny Scout, here: Whiskey in the Yarrow! and finally here: Week13: Smokin’ Peace With Penny. But really no blog can do the week justice. […]
[…] Tincture Feature Published September 14th, 2007 jewelweed , tinctures , wildcrafting , comfrey , yarrow , medicinal plants , plants After reading about the Scouts’ adventure in making yarrow tincture, and after injuring my toe and needing the healing properties of comfrey, I decided to do a little wildcrafting and get some herbs together to make some tinctures and oils. […]
If you warm some oil in a pan (olive oil works) add the alcohol tincture and then slowly heat until the alcohol evaporates you end with a better and longer lasting bug spray and cover scent.
I have lots of Yarrow growing, I can’t wait to try this beg repellent remedy. Thanks
Hi I made the yarrow tincture however I am wanting to sell some to my friends and was wanting to make sure their is no staining of clothing…this also smells very strong scent of alcohol so I added some lavender oil however still smells quite strong do I need to add water? Or what other info should I know…otherwise everything was followed exactly…thanks