Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Pete Vukovich <pvukovic1@yahoo.com>]

Speaking of essential oil therapy - I don't pretend to know anything about it. It seems to me that from a living on the land perspective its something folks here would want to make for themselves. Maybe somebody on the list has tried this, or has a technique for extracting oils that works well for them they'd care to post about.

 I want to nominate one native plant I ran into while doing some milkthistle (another fine plant - just too much of it) removal the other day - coyote mint. Absolutely incredible smell (a strong mint citrus cross for those of you who don't have it where you live). I'm thinking of making it into a tea however I don't know if its potentially toxic yet, all I know is it seems to thrive and deer don't seem to get into it.  The topic at hand makes me think it might do well as an aromatherapy oil. Being a native I'm sure it would play well with the 'eat local'/'grow native' demographic.

Come to think of it I'm surprised someone hasn't devised a way to make a tincture from the humic acid in soil, I'm sure its an acquired taste , but nothing says aromatherapy to me like good rich dirt laden with fumic/humic acid. Maybe it could be a training aroma for growers who've lost their way (and their soil) via intensive chemical addiction.

I appreciate the condolences and apologize for not saying so earlier.