Okay, not whiskey, Vodka (but whiskey would have worked too). Penny and I went fishing this week at one of her stomping grounds. Unfortunately we found the biting flies out in full swing. But to my luck, the ever-wise and herbally-prepared Penny had a quick fix; yarrow tincture bug repellent. She even had it in a nifty (although non-primitive) spray-bottle!
The repellent worked so well that I had to make some. Penny showed me the ways and I documented it for a quick and simple photo series!
First, you’ll need to know how to identify Yarrow. For that I suggest you check out the rewild.info page for Yarrow.
Second, you’ll need a knife, alcohol, yarrow flowers and a jar. Penny says she prefers this kind of Vodka because it says “100 Proof” which Penny says works best for making tinctures.
Next chop up the flowers.
Put the chopped flowers in a jar.
Fill it with alcohol.
Seal it and you’re done!
Just wait a few weeks and then you can put it in a little spray bottle and you’ve got yourself some quality insect repellent!
Yeah, I let my tinctures sit 6 weeks for full strength. Shake it up whenever you think of it. Especially during the first week. Keep out of direct sunlight.
You rock, Scouts!
I had wondered about the 6 week thing, Penny, as I had read that somewhere else (susun weed, i think).
Does the alcohol bother your skin at all, if you have to keep applying it every two hours?
I don’t think it does. But I don’t have dry skin or anything to begin with.