How To Make Salve From Pine Needles

How To Make Salve From Pine Needles FARM HOME Health If you’re willing to forage and cook you may find relief for dry winter skin in a nearby forest Pine trees have a long tradition of being natural healers and several websites and YouTube videos focus on recipes and techniques for using pine needles resin and other parts of the tree While most pine varieties except for yew are considered safe the Christmas tree you just recycled likely wasn’t a good choice as it may have been sprayed with chemicals It’s best to gather natural ingredients A good description and recipes for the process can be found at www growforagecookferment com For the salve begin by infusing needles to make a pine oil Cut dry needles into 1-in pieces and cover with olive oil 1 cup needles to 1 1/2 cups oil Adding a tablespoon of castor oil is optional Let it set one to six weeks in a cool place like a pantry Or for a quicker but less potent method put it in a pot and heat it on low heat for up to 12 hours Strain out the needles and put the remaining pine-infused oil in a double boiler with beeswax The ratio is 1 oz beeswax to 1 cup oil A couple of drops of pine fir or spruce essential oil can also be added Heat until the wax completely melts and pour into tins or jars Let it set undisturbed for several hours to create a salve that helps relieve dry and chapped skin Other methods for using pine resin to make salves can also be found online

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