Score!

When the tree crew started trimming the cottonwoods yesterday, I couldn't help but notice all the buds on the branches that were coming down.  I learned how to make healing cottonwood salve from the folks over at the Simple Green Frugal Co-Op ( http://simple-green-frugal-co-op.blogspot.com/ ) so I thought I'd take advantage of nature's bounty and make up another batch.


Cottonwood salve is simply put, the best thing I've ever used for wounds of all kinds -- punctures, cat scratches, burns, and rashes.  I've also heard it's a great rub for sore muscles, but have not used it for this purpose yet.  The cottonwood bud has an active ingredient that has antibacterial and well as anti-inflammatory properties.


Here's what the buds look like:

And once I put one cup of them into a quart mason jar with some good olive oil, they look like this:

You can make the salve immediately if you heat up the buds and the oil together on the stove, but the buds contain a very sticky resin (the active ingredient) that's almost impossible to get off the bottom of the saucepan once you're done, so I wouldn't recommend it.  It's easier to just add the buds to some room temperature olive oil, seal tightly with a lid, and let it rest in a dark place for a couple of months, occasionally turning the jar to help mix the ingredients.  Then when you're ready, strain off the buds and use the oil, or if you wish, heat the olive oil on the stovetop, add some beeswax (maybe a teaspoon or so) to give it a slightly more firm consistency and pour it into some smaller jars you probably have laying around.  The tiny jelly jars made by Ball are great for this. It should stay good for up to a year, maybe longer.