The hops is ripening on the vine as the days get shorter and the Autumn chill permeates the air. It's actually a bine rather than a vine, as bines twisted stems have hairs that wrap around branches, poles and fences, whereas a vine uses tendrils and runners. Named for the wolf, it acts like a wolf, suffocating other plants in it's path - precisely the reason that I pulled out the other six that were wrapping around apple and gum trees alike. I'm not even sure whether I'll let this one stay, but hops are so useful medicinally that I keep it for now. And I love putting a shout out to local home brewers who gush effusively about how fresh and wonderful they are, a far cry from the pellets they order online. It's definitely a plant that gifts.
It's hard to choose a favourite herb when I love them all - and I wouldn't say hops is a favourite, only one of them. The soft white sage is sticky with resin at this time of year, joining clary sage as the most pungent, and the mugwort whispers dreams at me from near the elder trees who self seed themselves everywhere. The mullein towers above me like huge triffids that have rooted themselves in the ground. All kinds of herbs have reached their peak and have begun to die at this time of the year, and I'm busy tincturing, drying and absorbing their energy through all my senses.
Hops is definitely all consuming currently as I have people await their packages of dried hops I exchange for various things. They sit drying in the loungeroom on a hanging rack and stink out the house. For me, they are the stuff of dreams, added to chamomile tea to relax at the end of an evening. They're the only thing that help me sleep when I have a thumping headache.
Last year's hop harvest for gifting and bartering
Although associated with beer, to me a more masculine drink, I've come to see hops as a more feminine herb and value it as such. A feminine plant is often one that induces sleep and thus is of the dark night and the moon, like lemon balm, and that's what hops is all about - restful sleep. Thus it's good for menopause too, just at a time when I need all the help I can get in sleeping.
Full of phytoestrogens, they mimic estrogen's actions, and thus help with fatigue, sleep, hot flashes, and other menopausal symptoms. It's exactly what I need as I struggle through this time of my life. Plant will arrive on the scene just when you need them the most, I find. It's definitely a plant for woman, and worth looking into if you're a lady of Hive.
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Hops is a truly amazing plant. We grow and harvest it every year!
In England during the middle ages brewing was often done by women and hops were very much associated with them.
Love that you trade yours fresh.
Oh I didn't know about brewing by woman!! That adds a whole other element to my theory of their feminine energy! Thankyou.
It looks nice and adorable.😍
What does? I'm not sure what you mean by 'it'. Try to be more specific when you comment on Hive.
And it is beautiful too.
you know, in Portuguese, a tree is feminine (uma árvore) which I find to be so natural, so proper.
thank you, as always.
That is really lovely. It has a nice ring to to it also.
Yet in French, war is feminine too, no? Which strikes me as so odd. I don't understand masculine/feminine nouns but it is fascinating to me..
I think it says a lot about the culture that uses each language. it goes so much deeper.
Spain for example is a very masculine oriented. a tree is Spanish is masculine (Un Árbol) whenever you go in to a corridor to a public toilet, male will always be first.
But it's woman who need to pee more! 🤣🤣🤣 fascinating.
With it being helpful in making you sleep better, it sounds like a great alternative to sleeping pills. It did come right on time when you needed it.
My curiosity was piqued so I did a quick research and found out we don't have the plant here in my country. Also, Wiki says hops have separate female and male plants and female are the only ones used commercially.
Yes! That's right!
I had no idea!!!! When I think of hops - yep - beer comes to mind! hehehe
and I don't like beer - nor can I drink it (because of wheat and barley) but my gosh - 1. they are pretty and 2??? they help you sleep???
hehehehe well now i want to find out more about what it would do for me!
I had no idea it was a phytoestrogen either! and they really are beautiful in their... bines? you called them? those pretty little clusters... though - deadly to other plants ...I'm sure its really difficult to know when to pull them out and when to let them stay! hehehe
well i guess less so if its threatening another plant LOL beautiful post here! and where are you at that it's autumn??? southern hemisphere yes - but where! hehe
South of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia!
Yes I think there's only two bines...hops is a famous one.
The botanical name is humulous Lupus (wolf)... Hence why it's the 🐺 wolf bine!!
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No wonder I sleep well after having 2 beers. xD But I am not sure if it's hops or the alcohol content.
I cannot imagine such a beautiful plant being used in brewing and then having medicinal properties at the same time. Looks like you are doing it right River.
Oh no it's the hops!!! A really hoppy beer makes you feel stoned, no?
It's a pretty amazing plant!
Not just plants!!!😂
Hahahahahaha
👍
The dreaded thumbs up
im just lazy 👌
🤣🤣🤣 Me too. I GET IT.
But thumbs up... ? From now on I expect more creative acknowledgement from you.
I'll start.
🥪🧟♂️
ah FFS! Now I have to put my thinking head on😩
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