Chigger Cream

Many may not know what chickweed (Stellaria media) is much less what it can be used for or the healing benefits it contains. This amazing plant is used every year by my family for the terrible itchiness that the chigger, the terrible arachnid that plagues the landmass we call home, leaves during its visit to the poor victim. Is it an herb or a weed...? To explain the difference between a herb and a weed, a weed is an undesirable plant in a given area. A herb is a plant that is desirable and is approximately where you want it or something you are willing to transplant to where you want it. As for chickweed, I very rarely bother transplanting it, it is a cool weather plant and it dies back in the hot months. As for whether or not I think it is an herb or weed, it depends on what I am trying to get to grow in the given area that it sets roots and then I just try to keep it harvested to the point that the other plants can get a head start. We use chickweed in an ointment all year round for all minor topical wounds (i.e burns, dry skin, cuts, abrasions, and bug bites, it heals/relieves itching from bug bites including itching or contact dermatitis from other plants like stinging nettle). There isn't truly a surplus of this herb on hand regularly to be a weed in my garden, yard or pastures. Historically it was used not only as medicine and food for humans but also as feed for chickens because of its high nutritional value. Most livestock will eat chickweed while it is still succulent and full of water. After the wet, cooler seasons of the year are over it turns into a stringy, brown, seeding mass that travels everywhere and in everything and livestock are more prone to tread it into the ground at that stage rather than eat it.

As for some of its properties, it is astringent herb, helping to draw stingers and toxins out of bites in particular, while also edible and can be used in salads, vinegars and teas (best harvested before it seeds if salad is your plan). Internally it can be used as a digestive stimulant and to calm an uneasy stomach. For this purpose, I have not needed to use it because out of all herbs it is not the first on my list to grab for stomach ailments and I prefer to keep it for ointments, but it can be used as such. My family primarily use it for bug bites, those being bee/wasp, ticks, mosquitoes and/or chiggers to relieve swelling and itchiness.

In ointments I make, I use animal fats and one specific herb, normally the fat base will be either lamb or beef tallow for human use and pork lard for animals. Lamb and beef tallow are typically mellow and have very low fragrance whereas the pork lard has a much stronger fragrance. When I just started out in remedy making I used pork lard in most ointments because that was what I had, but it was not readily used and then not well received by my sisters when it was in a body lotion, especially when it was carried around in a handbag or pocket in the heat of summer for a few days. So I do not use or recommend to use pork lard for humans unless you do not have anything else or do not care about the smell. On another note, animal fats can last a long time if they are kept in a cool, dark place, but once exposed to heat and light regularly they can spoil and go rancid. If the smell does not bother you too much it can still be used but it will eventually start to separate and get gritty over time. It is made 100 percent naturally, so it will eventually go bad and/or become less effective after 1-2 years of age. As for pork lard ointments for animals, the longer it stays on the affected area the more it benefits them, but if it gets rubbed or licked off it will not bother them in small amounts. They don't seem to care about the smells of good or slightly spoiled pork ointments, unless it is of a canine persuasion ... they will try to lick it off immediately and try to eat it until they are quite bloated if they get into a pail (much to someone's dismay...) and it is best that they stay outside for at least 24 hours... but a little doesn't hurt most dogs or other animals if consumed by licking it off the wound, even vegetarians.

As all plants and remedies, know what you harvest or buy before you try to make a remedy and know how to use it before trying it out. We at the Norsemen Ranch do offer Chickweed ointment in our store, check it out if you are interested!

A word of caution... the smell of ointments on your skin may cause your pets to follow you around non-stop especially if they are given the opportunity to lick it off...

-The Norseman's Wife