Learning About Herbs

One of my favorite things to study is herbalism. I love the manuals, the field guides, the recipes. I have several books lined up on my bookshelf, all of which I consult regularly for personal use, as well as for information for sharing with you.

But one thing I go back to again and again is a set of podcasts on Herbal Ed's website. Herbal Ed (Ed Smith) is the guy behind the popular Herb Pharm extracts you see in many health food stores. (You know, the fascinating little brown bottles all lined up and labeled in orange.) I wanted to share the podcasts with you because if you're really looking for some great herb information from a talented teacher, this is the place to go.

To listen, go to Herbal Ed's homepage and click the Education tab on the top. Then knock yourself out! But make sure you have a notebook and a pen handy - there's a lot you'll want to remember!

(Note: This is not a paid posting. I just like the guy and his product a whole heap. Ed, if you're out there, feel free to send samples!)

A Good Listen for the Natural Mom

For those of you not familiar with podcasting, think of a radio show that's delivered to your computer. You listen to it whenever you're ready to. The shows are produced by anyone and everyone. Professionals, yes. But lots and lots of people who just plain always wanted to have their own radio show, and many people who have a passion for something that they'd like to share. From the moment podcasting first became available on iTunes, I was hooked. If you've never listened to a podcast before, you're missing out on a wealth of information and entertainment. One podcasting topic that seems to be growing in a wonderful way is parenting. I listen every day to some really great ones, and I've put some of my favorites as links in the Podcasts Perfect for Mommies section in the sidebar of this blog.

One of my new discoveries is Natural Mom's Talk Radio. This show fits in line perfectly with the things I talk about on my blog, and I highly recommend it. Every week, the host Carrie Lauth interviews someone new - authors, experts, creators of products, and more. Carrie focuses on topics like breastfeeding, babywearing, and nutrition. I've really been enjoying the show, and I'm sure you will too.

Each week, I'll be focusing on another podcast perfect for mommies! If you've got one you really enjoy, leave it in the comments here or email me at themommyspot@gmail.com.

A Helpful Podcast For Parents

The day I found out I was pregnant, no one knew but my husband and me. I remember sitting at my desk at work, overwhelmed with excitement, questions, and above all, the great desire to talk about it.

I had just discovered podcasting, and so I did a search on my iTunes. I found a podcast called Baby Time featuring a married couple, Kerry and Dan, who at the time were expecting their first child. It felt like I'd hit gold.

Every week they talked about what Kerry was going through in her pregnancy and how their lives were changing. Even though they were months ahead of me in the pregnancy, I stuck with the show that corresponded with my stage.

It was a wealth of information, and now that their son Jack is 4o weeks old, it continues to give helpful advice and entertain. I still listen to the podcasts corresponding with my son's age (22 weeks), and it's amazing what a support it's been.

I've added a link to their website in my Podcasts Perfect for Mommies section. If you want a true highlight, listen to the podcast on the birth of their son. I listened to that one just weeks before my own son's birth, and it eased my fear of the unknown. It was such a touching podcast that I cried at work with my headsets on. But I don't think anyone noticed. If they did, I was 8 months pregnant, after all. Chalk it up to hormones.

Overall, this podcast is a real treat, and I look forward to continuing to listening each week. Check it out - you'll be glad you did.