While you may already cook with herbs or incorporate them into your overall health regimen, it’s also easy to incorporate herbs into useful craft projects that make beautiful, healing and helpful products. Colorful and fragrant lavender can be used in many applications. Lavender sachets are practical and can last for years; a periodic crushing in your hand will help re-release the lavender scent. This old method of preserving lavender is ideal for use as a moth deterrent in lingerie drawers, linen closets and while storing your winter’s worth of wool sweaters. Honey can also be infused with lavender to take on just a hint of the herb’s taste and aroma. The honey can be used to sweeten tea or for drizzling over warm breads. The sachets and honey make perfect herbal gifts, and you can even combine the two to create a lavender gift basket. But, be sure to keep some of your handiwork so you can enjoy!

MATERIALS: For the sachet, gather a handkerchief (reuse an antique piece) or fabric scrap (about a 12-inch square) with hemmed edges, bulk lavender (available at herbal supply stores and natural groceries), and ribbon (about ten inches). For the honey, you’ll need glass jars with lids (small pint or half-pint jars work well) two quarts of honey (preferably local), a heat source like a hot plate or stove top, a muslin bag, bulk lavender (a half cup for two quarts honey), a fabric scrap (about four inches by four inches), and a spatula.

1. Start with the honey, as there will be time to create the sachet while the honey warms. Begin by placing a half-cup of lavender in a muslin bag. Then, pour your honey into a stainless steel bowl or saucepan, submerge the muslin bag of lavender in the honey and warm at a low heat for 30 minutes to one hour (can also be left overnight cold).

2. While the honey’s warming, place your antique handkerchief or fabric scrap on a flat surface to create your lavender moth deterrent. Carefully pour half a cup of loose lavender into the fabric’s center. Then, gather the fabric together and tie above the lavender bundle with a ribbon.

3. Remove the muslin bag of lavender from the honey and carefully pour the honey into your jars. Clean the edges with a damp cloth to remove excess honey and place the inner lid on the jar, making sure it has good contact. Then, place the center fabric square on the lid and screw down the outer ring of the jar lid.

4. Label the honey and give it and the sachets as gifts to friends and family. Be sure to put some sachets in your sweater stack as well!

Marilyn Cade is the owner of Mountain Farm, a lavender, u-pick blueberries and pasture-based dairy goat farm in Yancey County. The farm started with sustainable agriculture practices 30 years ago and now also makes a variety of natural products for the home, kitchen and bath. You can visit to experience the fun and beauty of farming in the mountains; www.mountainfarm.net.

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