This is what I'm talking about!! Today while out taking a look at the river, which was running very high, I found a windfall! A small Poplar tree had recently fallen down across the path, and I harvested a nice pocket full of leaf buds, which I brought home and have begun infusing, by putting them in a jar, filling it with Olive oil. Right now, there is a pint jar with Poplar buds and Cedar tips infusing in the yoghurt maker, and it is starting to smell very good. I will probably combine these two in a larger jar, and infuse for several weeks. Not everyone leaves the mix to ripen as long; you can simply warm the oil and buds for several hours on the stove (low heat).
It's helpful to have a notebook handy in the kitchen; be sure to make a journal entry, so you know when you picked your buds and when you started infusing. I also label the jar with the name of the herb or mix of herbs, and both the starting date and the projected finish date. By the way, Poplar buds are so loaded with resins that they are sticky and brown. They will stain your hands and clothes. But the fragrance is so lovely! Poplar, as I mentioned before, is analgesic like Willow, and good for temporary pain relief and reduction of inflammation, which makes it a wonderful choice for massage. It's great for general skin care as well; I use a good food grade Olive oil.
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