Herb Remedies from Colonial Period Can Be Found in Queens
In the colonial era, Queens women kept herb gardens behind their homes.
These gardens were carefully cultivated and the contents were dried, pressed, pounded and steeped to create medical cures for common ailments. Much of our medicine today originates form these very same plants.
Tucked between Union Turnpike and the Grand Central Parkway is the Queens County Farm Museum, a Dutch farm dating back to 1697. The farm is home to both animals and sustainable farm practices, preserving the historical heritage of the site.
Catherine and Jacob Adriance built their farmhouse in 1772 and the colonial herb garden was planted, a garden that is still maintained today.
Diane Squillari, an employee of the Queens County Farm Museum, has maintained the herb garden for 10 years.
Today’s garden was designed to replicate the aesthetic patterns of English herb gardens and planted with traditional colonial herb. Flowers, including Rose of Sharon, a weed by definition, were added for charm.
Squillari said of her work: “It is important that children learn that what goes into their food for flavoring was important for medicines and teas as well. Herbs are used in school cooking classes here at the farm.”
The garden is planted year-round. Winter herbs include sage, thyme, lavender, and spearmint, Squillari’s favorites.
“The smell of the herb is comforting, calming to me, even though spearmint is supposed to wake you up,” she said.
For those interested in a back to basics lifestyle, herb gardens can easily be planted at home. Squillari recommends easy to grow herbs such as garlic chives, rosemary, and parsley, all of which can be grown on windowsills.
For larger outdoor herb gardens, careful planning is important. Perennial herbs – mints, oregano and fennel – return year after year.
Squillari advises leaving space between plants for easy access and planting taller, hardier plants in less accessible places. Once established, fresh, garden-grown herbs can add excellent flavor to food. Or, you can try some of the colonial uses of herbs.
Mint leaves can be dried and brewed for tea, a common colonial cure for indigestion. Mint was even added to wine during colonial times to help women with childbirth, according to Historiccamdencounty.com.
Garlic was, and still is, used as a remedy for inflammation and infection. Ground cloves of garlic (4-5) would have been ingested once daily to fight infection or inflammation.
For external use, garlic can be ground and make into a poultice, a collection of herbs mashed and wrapped in fabric. The fabric pouch is dipped in warm water and applied directly to the problem area.
Catnip, another easy to grow herb, is a great way to repel insects, according to Cherylsherbs.com. A 2001 study by the American Chemical Society found that concentrated catnip repels more mosquitoes than did DEET.
The catnip repelled 49-59 percent of mosquitoes, whereas the DEET repelled 40-45 percent.
Ehow.com recommends steeping a handful of finely chopped leaves in 2 cups of boiling water. Liquid strained from leaves can be put into a spray bottle and applied to clothing before leaving the house.
Other herbs notable for repelling insects are eucalyptus, witch hazel and citronella.
The Queens County Farm can be visited year round and general admission is free for families.
Kristin Allocco was raised in Bayside and works for the Queens Farm Museum. She also teaches fitness and dance classes. Read more about her by viewing her ?Patch Profile .
Bill & Sheila’s A-Z of herbs
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