Before the First Frost: Preparing Your Winter Wellness Cupboard

October has a way of reminding us that winter is closer than it seems. The garden is drying up, mornings are getting cooler, and the daylight is beginning to fade a little earlier.

While we are checking the pantry, preparing the animals and getting the property ready for cold weather, it is also a good time to prepare the family’s winter home apothecary.

Many traditional herbal preparations cannot be made at the last minute. Extracts need several weeks to steep. Fire cider needs time for the vinegar to draw out the goodness, and the heat, from its ingredients. Elderberry syrup takes less time to prepare, but making and preserving it now can save valuable time later - especially if you get sick and don't have it in you to make batch.

This is not about expecting everyone to get sick. It is about doing a little work now so we are not trying to gather ingredients when someone in the house is already feeling run-down.
Many times you can nip it in the bud with the correct items on hand.

Get Those Herbal Extracts Steeping

Alcohol-based herbal extracts, traditionally called tinctures, commonly need six to eight weeks to steep. A jar started on October 1 should be ready to strain and bottle sometime between the middle and end of November.

That makes October the perfect time to prepare extracts for:

• Everyday immune support

• Bronchial and respiratory comfort

• Seasonal wellness support

• Restful sleep

• Digestive support

At Prep‑Mart, our primary winter preparations are Defender Blend, Lung Shield and Outbreak Armor—the three extracts included in our Winter Defense Trio.

Defender Blend was created for everyday immune support. Lung Shield combines herbs traditionally used to support bronchial and respiratory comfort. Outbreak Armor was developed for additional seasonal support during times of increased exposure.

When steeping extracts at home, always use a dependable formula for the herbs you are working with. Different herbs and plant parts may require different ratios and alcohol strengths.

Once a jar is prepared, make sure all of the plant material remains submerged. Label the jar with the ingredients, extracting liquid and date started. Store it in a cool, dark place and shake it regularly.

Most importantly, write down the date when it will be ready. Mystery jars may be part of the unofficial homesteading experience, but properly labeled jars are much more useful!

Start a Batch of Fire Cider

Fire cider is a spicy herbal vinegar preparation popularized by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar. There are countless versions, but they generally begin with a combination of onion, garlic, ginger, horseradish, hot peppers and apple cider vinegar.

Fire cider can be taken by the spoonful, diluted in warm water or used in soups, marinades and salad dressings. It is warming, spicy and easy to customize.

Basic Fire Cider

For a quart-sized jar, gather:

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• About 10 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped

• ½ cup freshly grated ginger

• ½ cup freshly grated horseradish

• 1–2 jalapeños or other hot peppers, chopped

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• Apple cider vinegar labeled 5% acidity

• Raw honey to taste, added after straining

Optional additions include rosemary, thyme, turmeric, black peppercorns, orange peel or cayenne pepper.

Place the chopped ingredients in a clean glass jar and completely cover them with apple cider vinegar. Keep all of the ingredients beneath the vinegar.

Use a plastic lid or place parchment paper between the vinegar and a metal lid to prevent corrosion. Label the jar and store it in a cool, dark location for approximately four weeks, shaking it regularly.

Once it has finished steeping, strain the vinegar and stir in raw honey until it has the balance of spicy, sour and sweet that you prefer.

Because fire cider is a folk preparation, there is no rule saying every family’s batch must taste exactly the same. Start with the core ingredients, make notes and adjust the next batch according to what your household will actually enjoy.

This formula was adapted from the traditional fire cider recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Granny’s “Amish Snake Juice”

My mother-in-law calls one of her old-fashioned winter preparations “Amish snake juice.”
(For the record, this is not a treatment for an actual snakebite. A venomous snakebite is always a medical emergency requiring immediate professional care.)
But it has the bite of a snake in both taste and potency! 

A commonly shared version includes:

• 1–2 onions

• 2–4 lemons

• 1 pint honey

• 1 pint peppermint schnapps

• 1 pint blackberry brandy

The onions and lemons are sliced and layered in a clean glass jar. The honey, peppermint schnapps and blackberry brandy are then poured over them.

This mixture contains a significant amount of alcohol and should be treated as an adults-only family folk preparation. It should not be given to children or used during pregnancy, by anyone avoiding alcohol or by someone taking medications that may interact with alcohol. Keep it clearly labeled and refrigerated.

But if you have a cough or congestion, this will clear you right up!

The quercetin of the onion acts as an anti-inflammatory and onion has natural expectorant properties.  Honey coats the sore throat and acts as a natural cough suppressant. We also use our Honey Garlic Cough Syrup for this reason.
The lemons high citric acid content can cut through mucus, and, of course,  lemons are packed with vitamin C.

While this recipe CAN BE MADE WITHOUT ALCOHOL, the peppermint schnapps has a cooling menthol effect to open up congested airways, and the alcohol itself will preserve this to be shelf-stable much longer.

Fermented Honey Garlic

Another simple winter preparation we keep on hand is fermented honey garlic. We reach for it when someone develops a cough because the honey coats and soothes an irritated throat, while garlic has traditionally been used to support the respiratory system.

Garlic has demonstrated antimicrobial activity in laboratory studies, but that does not prove homemade fermented honey garlic can treat an infection. It is best described as a traditional home preparation for seasonal and respiratory comfort.

Fermented Honey Garlic Recipe

You will need:

• The cloves from 1 bulb of fresh garlic

• Local raw honey

• 1 clean, dry half-pint jar

Peel the garlic cloves and place them whole in the jar. Cover them completely with local raw honey, leaving approximately one inch of headspace to allow room for bubbling.

The garlic may initially float to the top. Gently turn the closed jar regularly to keep the cloves coated in honey.

Fermentation creates gas, so do not tightly seal the jar and forget about it. Burp it regularly by briefly loosening the lid, use a proper fermentation lid or cover the jar with a clean coffee filter secured with the jar ring.

Small bubbles will begin forming around the top of the honey. This is good—fermentation is underway!

Over time, the honey will become thinner, the garlic will darken and the cloves will often sink toward the bottom as the mixture matures.

We use the finished honey by the spoonful as needed. You can also eat a whole clove of the fermented garlic—if you are brave enough!

Cold temperatures slow fermentation, and raw honey may crystallize in the refrigerator - for this reason, we recommend fermenting it on the counter or in a cupboard.  Crystallized honey is still usable and can be gently softened in warm water.

Make Elderberry Syrup for the Refrigerator and Freezer

Elderberry syrup is another familiar preparation for the winter home apothecary. The following recipe is adapted from Wellness Mama’s homemade elderberry syrup.

Ingredients

• 3½ cups water

• ⅔ cup dried elderberries, or 1⅓ cups fresh or frozen elderberries

• 2 tablespoons grated ginger

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 cup raw honey

Directions

Add the water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon and cloves to a saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer it uncovered for approximately 30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about half.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool until it is lukewarm. Carefully mash the berries, then strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Discard the used berries and other solids.

Once the liquid is no longer hot, stir in the raw honey. Pour the finished syrup into clean containers, label them and refrigerate or freeze promptly.

Only use correctly identified, fully ripe elderberries. Remove all stems, leaves and other plant material. Raw or unripe elderberries should not be consumed; proper cooking is an important part of safely preparing them.

Preserving Elderberry Syrup Safely

We typically store homemade elderberry syrup in the refrigerator for no more than two weeks or freezing it for six to eight months.

Freezing the syrup in small portions allows you to thaw only what you need. Small freezer-safe jars work well as long as you leave enough headspace for expansion. You can also freeze the syrup in ice cube trays and transfer the frozen portions to a labeled freezer container.

We also pressure can elderberry syrup in half pint jars WITHOUT HONEY and then it remains shelf stable for years.  We add honey to the batch or individual cup of tea once we open the jar - proceed to store it in the refrigerator.

As a mama, I have made up Elderberry Syrup Kits for years due to the fact that if I get sick, nobody else in my house knew how to make the elderberry syrup!  These kits have been an absolute lifesaver for going into "germ season" with little kids!  Whether I felt under the weather or we just needed the convenience of it not feeling like a big project!  I absolutely recommend keeping a few of these shelf-stable kits in your pantry to aid in your winter preps.

Preparedness Begins With What You Can Do Today

You do not have to prepare every remedy in one weekend. Begin with one jar.

Start the extract your household reaches for most often. Gather the ingredients for fire cider. Make a batch of elderberry syrup and freeze a few small containers.

If you would like to make your own extracts but are unsure where to begin, Prep‑Mart’s DIY Herbal Extract Kits include the ingredients and supplies needed to steep, strain and bottle your own batch. If you prefer something ready to use, our Winter Defense Trio brings together Defender Blend, Lung Shield and Outbreak Armor for convenient seasonal support.

Preparedness is rarely one dramatic action. It is built through small, intentional steps taken before the need arises.

The jars we start in October may become some of the resources that help our families remain resilient throughout the winter.

This information is provided for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products and preparations are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before using herbal products, especially for children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, if you have a medical condition or if you take medication.