The Southeast Missouri Farm and Homestead Girls is an online group created by Holly Yarbro, owner of Indian Creek Bee Co. located on W Highway in Poplar Bluff.
The all-ladies group, which is partnered with the Cornerstone Ladies Ministry, gathered at the Cornerstone Tabernacle Church Saturday to share knowledge, socialize and have a few laughs.
During the class, they discussed how to forage for edible foods in nature, how to make several different types of salve, ear candles and kombucha as well as many other useful skills.
According to Yarbro 72 ladies were in attendance at the informative class.
Guest speaker Debbie Hadler Statler demonstrated how to make salves for bug bites, burns, sleep, calm and pain. She also explained how to make herbal-infused oils and demonstrated how she constructs her ear candles, which are intended to help with earaches and said to help remove ear wax with a suction effect.
Statler is well known for her useful home remedies and homesteading information. She taught a homesteading series at Southeast Missouri University, spoke at the Great Appalachian Homesteading Conference and is the owner of Grandma Bea’s Natural Products in Perryville.
“Wild violets are high in vitamins A and C and they make beautiful edible decorations,” said Statler. She also mentioned using violets to make tea. “It starts as this awful green and you add a little lemon juice to it and it turns this beautiful shade of violet. Science, it’s pretty neat.”
Spring foraging is something the ladies’ group takes the opportunity to do together every year. Statler discussed how to properly identify many of the edible plants that will be popping up in the springtime in this area, such as wild garlic, plantain, wild violet, chickweed and lambs quarter.
Several of those in attendance set up tables during the meeting to sell and display their natural products like homemade soaps, baskets, tinctures and infused honey.
Stacy Anderson was in attendance and said, “We literally had so much fun, it’s so informative and such practical information. I cannot wait to get out and start foraging, water glass some eggs, get this kombucha going and make some mayonnaise.”
Statler also introduced her Grandma Bea’s subscription box which offers anyone interested the opportunity to learn how to make her home remedies and natural products in the comfort of their home.
Hannah Morey said she just received her first box and she was excited to get started.
Donna Reynolds of Ellsinore sells her hand-woven baskets at The Mill Vintage Market. She expressed her gratitude for those who purchased baskets from her during the class, saying “I thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many people today. The sessions were so informative.”
Anyone interested in attending a class can find information on the Facebook page for Indian Creek Bee Co.