Dandelion Infused Oil

(Reminder: I'm no doctor & this isn't medical advice)

My Great Pyrenees is shedding EVERYWHERE, Easter has come and gone, and the weird April snow situation has passed us. I *think* it's safe to say spring is upon us.

Here in the PNW, dandelions are among the first flowering plants to crop up early spring. While most of us consider dandelion a weed, I've recently learned about the medicinal properties and uses for this abundant plant and have decided to enjoy the bounty in our yard, versus passionately spraying and uprooting them.

MEDICINAL VALUE OF DANDELIONS

Dandelion leaves are a great source of vitamins (A,C, & K), minerals (iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium) and fiber. But today we will be focusing on the blooms. Dandelion flowers are not only edible, they also are high in antioxidants (polyphenols and beta carotene), have anti-inflammatory properties, and prevent skin damage from UV rays, inflammation, and irritation. They're also extremely moisturizing. Who knew a lawn annoyance had so much going for it?!

All that to say, dandelions are surprisingly awesome. Since moving to Washington, my husbands hands have been increasingly more irritated during winter time. The cold (to us Californians) temperatures have caused them to become so dry that they crack. We've used a couple of over-the-counter products with no luck so I'm hoping to use this dandelion oil to make a dandelion & dead nettle salve for him to try out--especially now that gardening season is upon us and his hands have yet to recover.

MAKING DANDELION OIL

First things first, if you have sprayed your yard's dandelions (or don't know if they've been sprayed), do not use them! No one wants an herb salve with a side of Round Up. If you know your dandelions have grown untouched, then let's get to foraging.

You don't need anything fancy for this project but you do need to have a couple items on hand.

You'll need:

• Basket or container for collecting

• Sunlight or dry indoor space for drying

• Clean jars (number dependent on how much oil you're making)

• Carrier oil (I use olive oil)

• Mesh strainer or cheesecloth

And that's it! Promise this is simple.

First you'll want to collect your dandelion blooms. Aim for flowers that are fresh & haven't been trampled on yet.

It's important to note that these herb infused oils will only have a shelf life of one year so you don't want to pick more than you can actually utilize in that time. I personally collected half a jars worth for an oil & then my boys and I gave our chickens some as a treat.

Once you've picked your flowers, you'll need to briefly dry them. On a sunny day it's easy enough to spread out your pickings on a clean surface in the sun. The heat will effectively dry the dandelion flowers after 6-8 hours. If you don't have that much sun available, drying them indoors will work but will take more time. I'd suggest 24 hours.

Now that your plants have lost some of their water content, they're ready to be oiled! Not sure if that's a verb but we're gonna go with it haha.

All you've got to do is place your dandelion blooms in a jar and add your carrier oil on top. You'll want to ensure that the oil is covering them entirely.

Once your blooms are covered by your carrier oil, you can loosely screw on the jar's lid. I'm using Weck jars (wider mouth = easier access) so I'll be leaving the metal brackets unfastened.

From here all you've got to do is label your jar and put your jar in a dark & dry indoor space. In two weeks time you'll need to strain out the plant material via a mesh strainer or cheesecloth so be sure to set a reminder on your phone.

(Helpful Tip: If you notice any mold forming on top, it's most likely due to the bloom's moisture. If it hasn't gotten into the oil, you can simply scrape it off and keep infusing. If it's gotten down into the oil, you'll need to toss it and try again.)

After straining, you'll be left with a dandelion-infused oil! Like I mentioned earlier, now that gardening season is upon us, I plan to use my dandelion oil with some dead nettle oil & beeswax to make a hand salve (recipe to come!). However, there are loads of uses for dandelion oil.

ADDITIONAL USES:

• First Aid: Use the oil directly to nourish skin or help heal injured skin

• Use it in homemade bath bombs

• Diaper rash (really wish I had known this a couple years back)

• Massage oil

I hope this post is an encouragement to only notice what's happening outside your window, but also a helpful aid in learning more about dandelions & how we can utilize them. Put down the Round Up & get to pickin!