5 Medicinal Weeds That Everyone Should Know

5 Medicinal Weeds That Everyone Should Know

Author: Homesteading Family October 18, 2025 Duration: 51:42

Five “weeds,” tons of medicine. In today’s Everyday Homesteading episode, Carolyn sits down with herbalist Dr. Patrick Jones to unpack practical, safe uses for five common wild herbs: mallow/marshmallow/hollyhock (roots), plantain (leaf), burdock (root), stinging nettle (leaf/seed/root), and mullein (leaf/flower/root).

What you’ll learn:

  • Mallow family roots for soothing mucous membranes and calming “die lines” in stubborn wounds
  • Plantain for punctures, drawing out toxins, and gentle gut support
  • Burdock root for liver, skin, and daily prebiotic benefits
  • Stinging nettle leaf for allergies, seed for kidneys, root for male urinary support
  • Mullein to quiet dry coughs, make simple ear oil, and support back/bladder with the root
  • Best times to harvest roots of biennials, how to slice before drying, and what to stock in a starter herbal kit

Resources:

- For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/healing-herbs-and-plants/
- Check out Doc Jones' book here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/podcast-docjonesweeds
- Thanks to Lehman's for sponsoring this podcast. Be sure to check them out, and don't forget to request a FREE catalog at https://lehmans.com
- Check out Dr. Patrick Jones and everything he has to offer over at https://homegrownherbalist.net

Time Stamps:
- 0:00 - Introduction
- 2:29 - Lehmans
- 4:04 - How You Can Help!
- 5:14 - Main Topic

If you enjoy the show, please rate, review, and follow. Then, download the first five episodes of season 6 to help more homesteaders find us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us! 
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop

Meals on Your Shelf – Can along with me!  Learn to can and put jars of a delicious meal on your pantry shelf with this FREE video series: https://homesteadingfamily.com/MOYS-free-workshop


You know that every month, we send out a physical magazine to over 10,000 subscribers? Each issue has seasonal recipes, fresh inspiration for your kitchen, practical homesteading tips, and traditional wisdom from seasoned homesteaders. This magazine equips you to thrive on your homestead, whether you’re in the city, a suburban neighborhood, or on 40 acres. Subscribe today for just $9 a month.


There’s a quiet revolution happening in backyards and on small plots of land, where people are choosing to grow and preserve their own food despite busy modern lives. Everyday Homesteading, from the Homesteading Family, speaks directly to that reality. It’s for anyone who feels the pull toward self-sufficiency but is short on time, sorting through the noise to find what’s genuinely practical. This podcast focuses on methods that are tried and true, saving you from wasting effort and resources on well-meaning but unproven advice. You’ll hear honest conversations about fitting homesteading tasks into a realistic schedule-think five to ten hours a week-transforming that dream of a full pantry into a manageable weekly rhythm. Episodes delve into the nitty-gritty of growing food, cooking from scratch, and preserving your harvest, all with an eye on efficiency. The tone is less about achieving perfection and more about building confidence through simple, actionable steps. Tune in for a sense of community and grounded wisdom that makes the homesteading journey feel possible, starting right where you are.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 278

Everyday Homesteading
Podcast Episodes
Grow great ONIONS FROM SEED| Pantry Chat with Melissa K Norris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:34
This week's Pantry Chat we have a guest, and one of my best friends, Melissa K Norris! We're chatting about late winter in the garden and discussing growing onions from seed. Everything from when to start seeds indoors,…
Garden Planning Part 2 | The Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:02
We're diving even deeper into our garden planning strategies and sharing it with you so you can plan out your best gardens yet. We're talking about everything from the garden calendar, when to plant, how to avoid harvest…
Plan Your Best Garden PART 1 | The Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:58
Regardless of the space available to you, there are ways to maximize your garden space so you can grow as much as your area will allow. We're talking about garden planning basics in today's Pantry Chat!Learn practical wa…
Exposing OFF-GRID LIES: Should YOU go Off-Grid? | The Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:37
Should you go off-grid with your homestead? Maybe... or maybe not! What does going "off-grid" actually mean, what does it look like, and what are we doing to get there? We're sharing a few key concepts to consider before…
Are YOU Prepared for a Short Term Power Outage? | The Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:20
It's important to be prepared for emergency power outages whether you're living off-grid, on a large homestead, or even within the city. There are simple steps you can take to be prepared for short-term power outages.For…
Affordable Clothing for the Homestead | The Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:58
Living the homesteading lifestyle is definitely harder on clothing than suburban or urban living. So how do you source high-quality clothing that can be passed down from kid to kid, or even clothing that will last adults…
EASIER Homesteading | How to homestead SMARTER | The Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:13
Learning how to organize your property layout based on permaculture zones will help make homesteading an easier task without wasted energy. Learn about the permaculture zones and how to layout your own homestead in this…
How to Take A Vacation from the Homestead! | The Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:18
It's fall, harvest season is in full swing and the year has been long! Many of us are dreaming of a vacation. But how to you get away? Many of you have asked us about vacations and how to get time off from the farm.This…
How to Finance Your Homestead | The Pantry Chat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:13
Buying a homestead, whether it is 1/4 or 40 acres, is a big investment. What's the best way to go about it? Buy with all cash if you've got it and then develop it as more resources come your way, or is getting a mortgage…