Yarrow
One Herb I’m Glad I Know
Yarrow is one of those plants that I think is worth knowing.
Not just knowing its name.
Knowing what it looks like. Knowing where it’s growing. And knowing how you might actually use it someday.
Because one day at the river, knowing Yarrow became pretty darn useful.
Learn It. Grow It. Use It.
The Day We Actually Needed Yarrow
I was at the river with a friend and our kids.
The water was rushing pretty fast that day, and this is a popular spot for people to canoe and kayak. There’s a bend in the river with a HUGE tree that people kept nearly getting caught up in.
Several managed to escape it.
Then a few older gentlemen came through.
One wasn’t so lucky.
He got caught up near the tree and was nearly pulled under while two of the other guys were trying to help him get back up and out.
And we couldn’t get to them.
The water was moving too fast.
I took off trying to find a rope or SOMETHING we could use to help, but to no avail.
Eventually, after quite some time, they managed to get out and make their way over to our side.
That’s when I noticed one gentleman’s leg.
Blood was dripping down his leg.
And then I remembered something.
Earlier, my daughter had casually pointed out a plant growing nearby.
“Hey Mom, there’s Yarrow here.”
Cool.
At the time, it was just another plant she recognized.
Now we needed it.
Get the Yarrow!
I told him there was Yarrow growing right there and that it’s an herb I know and personally use for minor bleeding.
I told him he could chew some up to make a quick poultice and place it on the area.
And unlike most men…
HE ACTUALLY LISTENED TO ME.
He did it.
And voila…
The bleeding stopped.
He was impressed.
And honestly, so was I.
Not because I hadn’t learned about Yarrow before.
But there’s something completely different about reading what an herb has traditionally been used for…
and then actually knowing the plant when you need it.
Learn It.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is one of the herbs I want my kids to recognize.
That day at the river is exactly why.
You don’t have to memorize hundreds of herbs and every possible thing people have ever used them for.
Start with one.
Learn what it looks like.
Learn where it grows.
Learn how to positively identify it.
And learn the ways you might actually use it.
Then when you see Yarrow growing somewhere, it’s no longer just another plant.
It’s knowledge you get to carry with you.
Meet Yarrow in My Garden
Here’s what Yarrow actually looks like growing here on our Northern Michigan homestead.
Grow It.
I grow Yarrow right here on our Northern Michigan homestead.
I have both white and pink Yarrow, and it’s absolutely beautiful when it’s blooming.
It’s also one of those plants that, once it’s happy…
Well…
You have Yarrow.
Mine can be pretty darn prolific. Like I swear it was not here on the property, now it’s everywhere!
But when something is beautiful, useful AND the pollinators enjoy it, I’m perfectly okay giving it some space.
Use It.
That day at the river is probably one of the most memorable times I’ve actually put my knowledge of Yarrow to use.
But that’s the bigger lesson here.
Don’t just learn what an herb is supposedly “good for.”
Learn the plant.
Know how to recognize it.
Know where it’s growing.
Know how you personally intend to use it.
Because there’s a big difference between reading about an herb…
and looking around when you need it and saying,
“There’s Yarrow right over there.”
That’s Learn It. Grow It. Use It.
We use it in a salve as well as a spray in our first aid kit.
Money in the Bank
Recognizing a useful plant when you actually need it?
That’s knowledge you get to carry with you wherever you go.
You don’t have to order it.
You don’t have to wait for it to arrive.
And in our case that day, it was already growing right beside us.
That’s what I mean when I say these skills are:
Money in the Bank.
Want to Know What to Actually Do?
Knowing that Yarrow has traditionally been used for bleeding is one thing.
Knowing what to actually do when someone is bleeding is another.
Inside the Food Prood Academy, I have a deeper lesson on how to stop bleeding, including the practical knowledge I want my own family to know.
Because that’s the whole point of learning this stuff.
Not just knowing it for trivia.
Knowing how to put it into use.
MONEY IN THE BANK
Recognizing a useful plant when you actually need it? That’s knowledge you get to carry with you.
That’s money in the bank.
A Note From Laura
The information shared here is for educational purposes and reflects my own experiences using herbs. I am not a medical professional. Always positively identify plants before using them. Yarrow is not a substitute for appropriate first aid or medical care. Deep, serious, contaminated or uncontrolled bleeding requires prompt medical attention. Consult a qualified healthcare provider when appropriate, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a health condition.
