Monday 21 December 2009

Grow Your Own Drugs!

I’ve never seen this series before. I saw it advertised on the Radio Times website but didn’t read the blurb about it. Just shows I should have bought a hard copy!

The title created images of cannabis plants with tinsel or Christmas lights. However late last night after a film finished it came on and we watched it. Have to say it was fascinating stuff, nothing like I’d imagined. Just shows how you can be misled.

Ethnobotanist (didn’t know there was such a job and me an ex careers adviser!) James Wong, took an organic approach to the festive season using lots of Christmas plants to create remedies, gifts and wonderful decorations. The programme culminated in a winter garden party of all things.

He showed you how to use winter plants from your garden make things such as ivy toning cream, holly truffles and an anti inflammatory orange, clove and myrrh massage oil. To help those who have a tendency to over indulge, he created a rosehip sherbet fizzy drink remedy, and fennel and peppermint rice just in case you’ve eaten too many sprouts! Then there was a stress busting egg nog, a hot toddy made from a Christmas tree and cystitis relieving cranberry mince pies.

I loved his presenting style, enthusiastic and humorous. I’ll watch out for his next series.

If you want to see his recipes they’re available here Grow Your Own Drugs Christmas Recipes and the programme is available to watch on iPlayer for the next seven days.

Information about his previous series is available here and you can get his recipes such as lemon balm for cold sores, plantain cream for bites and stings, thyme breath spray and herbal body scrub. Grow Your Own Drugs Series 1

I didn't get to see the Victorian Farm Christmas which I had intended to watch. Never mind, no doubt they'll show it again.

Post 136

11 comments:

  1. Sounds interesting Winifred. I clicked on your link, but it said "Not available in your area"...so I guess I can't grow my own drugs...ha! I have a few books that may have some of the similar recipes. For everything on the earth there is a purpose for it I suppose. Even dandelions are suppose to be good for things other than to aggravate suburian people's lawns. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

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  2. Thanks Brenda - I know you may not be able to access the iPlayer but I don't understand why you can't get the link to the programme information. It's just the BBC website www.bbc.co.uk . Maybe if you access the main site then search for the Grow Your Own Drugs programme.

    Weird!

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  3. Well, I guess we could do that and save our money.lol
    Merry Christmas Hugs
    Patsy

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  4. Sounds interesting. I found a book in a library once with herbal beauty product recipes. I somehow never got round to actually making any of them though. The commerical versions are easier to come by. :) Happy Christmas.

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  5. The things ladies washed their hair with during the war years ranged from raw egg yolks to vinegar and lemon mixtures. Plus old lye soap. And the hair glistened like streams of diamonds. I was young and didn't go round smelling ladies hair but I suspect it had a smell not smelled since.

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  6. Interesting, I never heard of such things before. But I don't grow anything, so why would I? If I can't buy it already in a bottle I don't have it. haha

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  7. Catchy title you've got there, Winifred.

    Maybe career advisers don't have much to offer ethnobotanists. I picture them (ethnobotanistss, not career advisers) in some remote jungle (that took two months by foot and canoe to reach) sampling hallucinogens with the natives. Yep, that's what I picture. Must take a special kind of person to have the guts for that.

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  8. Thanks for the nice comment on my blog, I love your photos of the Amalfi Coaast, what a wonderful place.
    Warm Christmas wishes.

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  9. The old remedies are the best Winifred.

    A very happy Christmas to you and your family and best wishes for 2010. A x

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  10. How fascinating this sounds, I will check it out! Have a great new year...

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