Flax – one of the first domesticated plants

When I look at the plants and flowers growing in my Physic garden it’s hard to believe some of these self-same blooms have been helping people since ancient times. One such plant that I am trying to nurture up here on top of the high North Pennines is this pretty little blue flower called Flax ( Linum usitatissimum) or Linen (when manufactured into cloth). The pressed oil is sometimes known as Linseed and the Latin translation of the word usitatissimum is ‘most useful’.

All these different names are confusing and relate to the plant after processing of some kind so I will stick with Flax as this is the plant name. Present day cultivated flax is most closely related to the wild L. angustafolium which is still found throughout the Mediterranean Basin, North Africa, the Near East, Iran, Caucasia and Western Europe. There are other species of the Linum L. genus throughout the Mediterranean and China. So you can see that distribution is wide.

Flax was one of the earliest domesticated plants. It is an annual growing to around 3 ft tall with slender, straplike stems. The flowers are a pure pale blue like those of the Harebell (Scottish Bluebell) with five petals. The fruit contains several glossy brown seeds like an apple pip. Unfortunately the flower is short-lived with it’s petals falling as soon as bright sunlight hits them however there is an abundance of more to come.

Flax is amongst the oldest fibre crops in the world and use of flax for the production of cloth dates back to ancient Egyptian times. Dyed flax fibres found in a cave in Dzudzuana (prehistoric Georgia) have been dated to 30,000 years ago. There are pictures on tombs and temple walls at Thebes depicting flax plants in flower. Both the Greeks and Romans used this plant as a food, fibre and medicine with writings of that time (both ancient Greek and Roman) dating back to the 6th century B.C. mention flax cultivation. The literary works of Homer, Herodotus, Theophrastus and Pliny provide word references to flax and/or linen.

Gauls (the ancient tribes of France and Belgium) and Celts were the earliest flax growers in Western Europe, learning about flax from the Romans. In North America flax was introduced by the Puritans and quickly became a major cash crop. Flax is the emblem of Northern Ireland and it appears on the reverse of the British £1 coin to represent Northern Ireland on coins minted in 1986 and 1991.

Flax seed still has as many uses today – for food, fibres, medication and skincare. The oil is extremely rich in the Omegas 3 and 6 (essential fatty acids) vital for good skin health. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is one of the Fruit oils which benefits acne as the fatty acids present in flax seed help to prevent, not only the clogging of the pores, but thins the sebum which causes this build up.

Flax seed oil is useful for healing scars and abrasions and is used in the treatment of inflamed skin or skin disorders such as psoriasis and eczema. Flax seed oil is also useful for dry skin.

Saponification – the soapy facts……..

This Blog comes about from being caught in a lie – well two lyes really …….let me explain!

The first lie……
Last Summer at a local Plant Fair where we were selling our products I was explaining to a lovely lady customer just how we make our skincare products insisting that they were totally chemical-free, when a distinguished elderly gentleman leant over and said – ‘that’s not really possible’.

Slightly bristling with defensive fervour I started to assure him that our products were 100% natural when he smiled and said ‘humans are made up entirely of chemicals – oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. What could I say – it’s true…..

Human cells consist of at least 65–90% water (H2O). Therefore oxygen forms the majority of a human body’s mass.

It follows then that plants are composed of chemicals as well – carbohydrates, proteins, fats and chlorophyll are the primary chemical elements. Secondary elements (phytochemicals) are tannins, flavanols, volatile oils, alkaloids, caffeine and so on……

I surmise that there are ‘good’ chemicals which occur in nature and exist to promote life, good health and, in the case of plants, to act as a defence against enemies and pests and to encourage pollinators. ‘Bad’ chemicals are almost (but not entirely – think of Hemlock) manmade and have (mostly) a detrimental effect on the skin and the wider environment outwith the one it was designed to address – such as the watercourse.

So, our products do not contain bad chemicals!

Which brings me on to Caustisized Sea Salt -

The second lye……
In order to handmake cold processed soap with no chemicals a chemical reaction needs to take place – obscure – but bear with me…..

Saponification is the name given to the chemical reaction that occurs when a vegetable oil or animal fat is mixed with a strong alkali. There are two resultant products of this reaction – soap and glycerin(e). There is also water present in the equation but it is only a vehicle for the alkali which is otherwise a dry powder. The alkali we choose is Soda – Sea Salt which has been bombarded with electrodes (Sodium Hydroxide). This is called a mineral alkali and is used not only for making soap but in the glass industry, for dyeing, in medicines and for use around the home. The common term for this alkali became simply “lye”, which is not short for alkali, but originated in the Anglo-Saxon language.

In Roman times the alkali part of the process was achieved by using powdered wood ash, usually Beech or Birch.

Understandably there are some customers who are a little apprehensive at the thought of lye being used in their natural soap but be reassured there is no lye in the final product as it has reacted with the oils to form soap and glycerine and has completely left the finished bar.

Before our natural cold processed soap is offered for sale it is ph tested to make sure that it is neutral and it is cured for around 6 weeks after making until it is hard enough to sell.

Remember – you can’t make soap without lye……………

Witch Hazel – not really to do with Magic……

For those wishing winter fragrance in the garden Witch Hazel (Hamamelis) is a must. A member of the Hamamelidaceae plant family these low growing, deciduous shrubs are native to North America with one species each in Japan and China. They are best planted near a house or path to take advantage of the strong fragrance – warm spice with a hint of citrus. The horticultural name for Witch Hazel means “together with fruit” as the fruit, flowers, and next year’s leaf buds appear simultaneously. The ribboned, spidery-like flowers appear in winter on leafless stems and the seeds are ejected with such force that they can fly up to 10 metres away from the parent plant. The leaves of some of these alkaline loving shrubs turn from green to a glorious red in Autumn.

The name Witch in Witch Hazel comes from ‘wiche’ or the Old English ‘wice’ meaning pliant or bendable. The twigs were used, along with Hazel as divining rods (dowsing) thus influencing the “witch” part of the name.

Hamamelis virginiana was used medicinally by the Native Americans in poultices of leaves and bark which they used to treat hemorrhoids, wounds, painful tumors, insect bites, and skin ulcers. A Witch Hazel infusion was used as treatment for cuts, colds, heavy menstruation, and eye inflammation. The bark was boiled under cover and the resultant steam distillation or hydrolat was an intrinsic part of the Medicine Man’s chest.

Introduced into Britain by the plant-hunter Charles Maries from China in 1879 it languished in nursery rows for years until it was noticed, propagated and put on the market in 1902.

The bark and leaves of Witch Hazel are high in tannins, volatile oils, saponins, flavonoids, procyanadins and and small amount of resin. These properties make Witch Hazel soothing, anti-inflammatory, highly astringent, antiseptic and able to shrink and contract blood vessels back to normal size. It has no known side effects and can be used neat on the skin.

Today this valuable plant is used as a skin toner, especially good for those with oily skin or acne, for relief from the pain of varicose veins, haemorrhoids, cold sores, reducing inflammation in ezcema and for washing and healing of wounds.

Commercial products containing Witch Hazel often contain industrial alcohol which, although providing a stronger solution is also drying on the skin and can be too powerful for sensitive types. There is no need to add anything to this natural resource – Nature knows best………

It’s all about Choices……..and the Tree

It’s a glorious day up here on top of the High North Pennines with a ground frost sparkling the grass – we’ve been stock taking all this past week and deciding where we’re going to take our little family run business this year.

Not away from our roots and definitely not budging on our ethics and raison d’etre or compromising on quality, although like everyone, both consumer and business in these recessive times we need to rationalise and readjust. BUT still keep our lovely, loyal customers close and continue to give them the artisan products they expect from Woadworks.

Which brings me to the lovely tree you see in today’s photo. It sits majestically in the little field belonging to our property and you are looking at it’s ‘good side’ as the other side has been decimated by lightning strike in the past. We have been advised to cut it down as there is only a small amount of annual growth on her good side but we’ve had a tree surgeon look at her and he says she is still firm so we are keeping her - it’s definitely a girl. We are also naming her Bessie’s tree after a much loved elderly lady who used to live near here. If Bessie’s tree can survive and thrive with a little judicious pruning then so can we…….

Our product prices haven’t changed since 2009 and we would like to keep it that way but in order to do that something needs to give slightly as all our costs have increased alarmingly of late – if it’s not to be the quality of our ingredients or the price of postage and packaging (which has risen ridiculously in the past year) – the two things we are sure our customers will feel most strongly about, we need to make these savings elsewhere……

Therefore, and very regretfully, we have decided we will have to charge for our cream samples in future as the cost just to package and send these little pots is £2.33 – we will still supply them of course as they are an ideal way to test before you buy and you can always use the little pots afterwards…..one way to still get them for free is to ask for them to be included with an order!

We are also trying to source cheaper packaging for some of our items whilst still adhering to our policy of minimalism and recycling but will continue to supply our creams in glass pots as they are the most hygienic way to package this product and these can be recycled after use.

YOU TOO CAN HAVE A CHOICE

In the wake of the banking debacle we have seen a clear shift in consumer spending away from large corporations with (sometimes) unethical and often misleading claims and practices towards the little producer who still has to adhere to the same legislative codes and practices but who chooses to offer an ethically acceptable alternative to faceless multi-nationals. Every advertising campaign for skin-care will have some element of ‘natural, or ‘nature’ in it’s slogan even though the actual natural content may be minuscule.

This just proves we are in the right place at the right time to be able to offer consumers the choice to buy direct from the producer – cutting out the retailer – offering reduced prices for quality handmade products packed full of active ingredients –

good for the planet – good for your skin and good for your purse -

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    Goats Milk and Propolis Daily Moisturiser
    - for all problem and sensitive skin - including eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis (60g) NEW RECIPE - even more ACTIVE ingredients - now contains soothing Argan oil - renowned for it's beneficial effects and skin healing properties The addition of Organic Argan oil has made this cream slightly thicker in consistancy than previously but we feel the additional benefits outweigh this. I find that it takes a while to sink into the skin and would like to know what you think - if it's a problem we will need to think about revising the quantity...... drop us an email!! Dermatologists often recommend the use of organic whole, unpasteurised Goats Milk products to those suffering from skin complaints. As well as having the same ph as the human skin, Goats Milk contains Caprylic Acid which helps maintain a slightly acidic tenor to the skin, creating a highly effective anti-fungal action against the yeasts present in some skin conditions. The vitamins, proteins, minerals and alpha hydroxy acids contained in fresh whole Goats Milk are hugely beneficial for all skin types. Our new ingredient - Organic Argan oil is particularly rich in Vitamin E and the essential fatty acids (EFAs) as well as saponins and rare plant sterols important for healthy skin and is incredibly healing. We top it all off with Propolis - Natures perfect antifungal, antiviral and antibiotic complete system. This light moisturiser is unfragranced as the Propolis naturally adds a slight honey fragrance to the mix and also the natural colour. ...." I love this cream - it's really soothing on my face, feels rich and you only need a tiny amount which lasts all day...." - Sarah - Ethical Living ..... " I have psoriasis on my face and my skin gets very dry and crusty - it also itches but this cream really helps - itching gone and the redness has decreased - thank you so much.... " - Linda Anderson - Oswestry
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