Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera grows in many places in the world. It is a member of the Lily family with tall upright thick, strap like leaves growing from a central crown at ground level. It thrives in warm, sunny climates, in well irrigated, mineral rich soil. Here is a photograph I took in early Spring of Aloe growing wild at the west bank of the Nile at Luxor in Egypt.

 The flowers offer up beautiful tall poker like spikes of  yellow or orange petal clusters. Each long tubular petal hangs down full of nectar and pollen, perfectly designed for small insects and birds.

Nile Valley Sunbird feeding on Aloe nectar

Close up individual petal tubes.

At home, Aloe can be used on burns, minor wounds and bumps.  Simply cut off an outer leaf from the plant, split the leaf open; squeeze or scrape out the fresh gel.  Aloe pulp and juice contain a purgative that is removed when it is processed; this enables the liquid to be taken as a nutritional drink. Processing the Aloe plant needs to be done carefully  to retain its considerable properties. Heat, chemicals and poor storage all cause damage to plant nutrients. 

Finest quality Aloe juice has a natural golden colour that varies slightly according to the local growing conditions. This Aloe is grown in Mexico, high up in mineral rich volcanic soil. Once carefully processed it can be used as a liquid food or with the addition of a natural thickener, Aloe is a brilliant stand alone skin product and a wonderful base for plant extracts, natural gels, creams and shampoo.

My hand-made Aloe products for Humans and for Animals.

 Small sample pots are free, just pay £1 p&p UK only.

From December gift packs for Pets, Horses & Peeps!

In the USA use Coats Aloe for supplies.
 

Adventuring on!

Calendar dates are funny things aren't they? they cause parties, celebrations, they revive memories, set chapter beginnings and ends, celebrate our births, marriages and ultimately our deaths. Every day is one or more of those to someone somewhere, many someones I guess.

In the northern hemisphere, the end of October is fast taking us into Winter, traditionally a time of taking stock of the year, taking time to reflect, time to celebrate, one has survived another year. Bizarrely, it's usually the complete opposite for me, October has often been a time of new beginnings, in the middle of that month in 2007 I decided to go live in Egypt, ten days later on Hallow'een I landed in Luxor. There have been other Octobers though none so far have brought the awesome feel of leaving the UK for a new life in Egypt.  
This October sees me opening for business in the UK, the business bit is still coming together but the work is ready and so am I. Leaving life in Luxor was absolutely heart wrenching even thinking it would be for a few weeks. When I then tripped over breaking my jaw after only 4 weeks in the UK, life just stopped me in my tracks. Life in Luxor mostly worked for me, the street work and times helping the animals at ace egypt, the amazing daily sunsets, moon rises, the luscious fresh sun ripened fruit. Just a few minutes walk ... in & out of shafts of stinging hot sun rays, along dusty streets filled with taxis & the most patient Donkeys harnessed to wooden carts, all this just on the way to my bank. All this and more, every day alongside the Nile and the Luxor Temple via lots of little shops and at least one egyptian man shouting "be my wife"! It's taken me a while to land back & find some sanity back near Mum in the north west of England in a small industrial town.

Website is coming soon ....

I offer info, support and lessons that focus on using raw foods, fresh herbs, essential oils, berries & food oils along with the instincts of your animals for their food & medicinal forage needs. Any health issue can be supported using the animals own instincts for nature.ALWAYS something can be done to make animals more comfortable & raise their quality of life experience. Frequently, this approach becomes a way of life leading to a normal life span and rude health.

I have always kept animals this way and for the last 18 years have studied, researched, trialed products and practiced in the UK, EU, Egypt & around the world. This work; supporting people supporting their animals naturally, somehow encompasses all my previous work in Animals Care, Food, Nursing, Counselling and Alternative Medicines. It is my joy, every day I learn more. The animals & their people who come my way are just wonderful to know & support.

Online will be all my services, products & events.
Here on the blog I'll be sharing photos of animals, case histories and more

For now, if you would like an appointment or a chat, you can e mail me kryssie@kryssie-francis.com, skype kryssieluxor facebook message and connect with me kryssie francis 

Home visits available in the north west of England, Workshops available anywhere. Lessons/appointments also online and via skype.

Online charges
Ask me one question for £5 for a 5 minute skype, phone, FB chat or email response.
Book me for 30 mins for £25 or an hour for £45

Pay me via paypal or electronic transfer :)

This work is about Natural Feeding & practical Animal Self Medication (also known as Applied Zoopharmacognosy) For more information about the science and it's pioneering founder, my teacher Caroline Ingraham go to http://www.ingraham.co.uk

growing forage herbs & plants for animals & yourself

In their natural wild pastures, animals have a whole range of plants to forage. Over millions of years, at their mothers sides they have learned and evolved highly developed instincts for the foods they need whatever their situation. Animals are often nomadic, regularly visiting certain areas at specific times of the year, drawn by habit, instinct and the need for food of the season in a particular location.

In her groundbreaking book "Wild Health" Cindy Engel published much research on the subject of how animals self-medicate at times of ill health and how they also cleanse themselves of parasites and worms.

Whenever we remove animals from their wild forage food supply, we need to look at how we can continue to meet their natural food needs. Fencing and single species grasses are not sufficient to supply all of the nutrition of forage animals such as Horses, Cattle, Donkeys, Goats and Sheep. Dogs, Cats and other small animals also require a diversity of fresh seasonal forage food to remain well.

The season of winter and start of Spring is a wonderful time to browse plant nurseries, seed catalogues & to ask family and friends to bulk buy or swap seeds & plants to help you establish fresh forage for all your own use and for your animals.  Autumn is the best time to plant hedgerows, shrubs & trees.

Growing can be very simple, a few different herbs can be easily grown in old feed buckets, troughs or around the stable in hanging baskets. Many can also be directly planted in the ground in grazing fields, or placed in buckets around the edges or for small animals, planted into a small accessible patch in the garden or by the back door. Cats especially enjoy a lush area of herbal plants growing together, they like to roll in the leaves which releases aromatic oils and scents into their fur and often lie snoozing in a herbal plant bed occasionally waking to enjoy nibbling a leaf or two. Depending on your situation, the animals you have and your time and budget it is easy to give them at least some fresh forage.

Some plants can take hold pretty fast and can spread out of control, read up on what you intend to plant, find out if it is better planted into a bucket/pot or put into the soil freely able to spread. Mints are always better contained whereas Chamomiles can spread slowly in a meadow or garden.

Start with the basics and be sure to check the variety of plant carefully with it's Latin name; this will ensure the plant has the correct properties you want. Buying from specialist nurseries and seed companies will tap you into more knowledge and a basic guide to Native plants of your region or country will give you plenty of ideas.

Check out plants bursting with helpful nutrients and natural healthful properties such as English Chamomile, Red Thyme, White Thyme, Peppermint, Spearmint, Cat-mint, Lavenders, Golden Marjoram, Oregano, Wild Garlic, Wild Roses for their berries, Hawthorn for berries and leaves, Nettles for a useful supply of Iron in their Spring growth tops; animals love to graze nettles, a handful is great for us too in a Spring soup.

Herbs in pots need watering and herbs grown straight onto land will need some weeding and water as they establish.

Growing such plants for your animals to help themselves to is one of the BEST things you can do for their long term health.
You are gifting them their birthright, to self medicate and feed from their natural world.

Next blog, choosing quality plants and the most helpful ones for your animals and how to attract pollinating insects and butterflies.