I began my love for Juniper several years ago. There is no interesting story for why I was drawn to it, only that one day I noticed them, and that was that. Specifically, I was drawn to the cedar berries of the Juniper tree, or as most people call them, Juniper Berries. In their fresh state, they are green and blue, and almost perfectly round, like tiny little peas. The shape, size and colors appealed to me first. Then the scent, and finally the uses.
The berries are actually tiny cones, and take two or three years to mature. The green berries are the youngest, and the bluish black berries are the older ones. They have an aromatic resiny fragrance.
Juniper berries can be wildcrafted easily. Junipers grow everywhere here, and you are likely to have one in your yard, or one nearby at a neighbors. They also grow at local parks, and a short drive or hike will get you there.
I find mine at several local spots. I have partnerships with a few people and neighbors around town who let me harvest their Junipers. One neighbor on the next block has a giant juniper tree that is plentiful and easy to access, and is happy to let me and my son visit anytime for berries.
I personally collect the needles, twigs and berries. Once home, they get separated and dried. The berries are too small to go into my dehydrator, so I lay them all out in a large cookie sheet and dry them outside on dry days for several weeks, occasionally moving them around so they dry evenly. Some of the supply goes into incense making, and others get used for other culinary, ritual/magickal and medicinal purposes.
*Note: Because it can cause contractions of the uterine muscles,
pregnant women should not use Juniper.*
Before drying, you can save some of the berries to make into beads. Poke holes through them when they are fresh, and then dry. Once dry, they will crumble if you try to drill through. The beads can be strung onto a string or sinew to make Ghost Beads. Ghost Beads are a Navajo tradition that uses a necklace or bracelet of strung juniper berries and other beads for children to wear. It keeps nightmares, evil spirits and bad energy away.
As incense, it makes a great sage or smudging alternative. Burn like a smudge stick or over a charcoal disc. The berries throw out oodles of smoke, making it perfect for rituals calling for such an effect. The smoke of the wood, needles and berries are perfect for cleansing and purifying your home of negative energy, illness, and banishing spiritual activity you don't want around. At Samhain / Autumn Equinox, it is said to aid in clairvoyance and connection with the spirit world.
During the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic, which tallied an estimated 20 million deaths, many hospitals found Juniper essential oil, sprayed into the air, to be particularly effective in preventing air-born infection from spreading. We know now that Juniper contains antiseptic and disinfectant properties.
You can eat Juniper berries, and grind them over food like peppercorns when dried. Many French and Southern European dishes use Juniper, and there is a Juniper-flavored beer enjoyed in Sweden. But Juniper is probably best known for being the ingredient used to flavor Gin.
Since I grew up in Concord, NC, and my favorite jelly is grape jelly, and because I always believed Concord, Massachusetts MUST be trying to copy us and that where I lived was the REAL Concord, and because they pronounced theirs like 'conquered', which seemed pretty arrogant, AND because they were considered Yanks by all who lived below the Mason-Dixon line, here is a Juniper and Concord cocktail drink recipe I believe you will enjoy.
Flight of the Concords
1/2 c water
1/3 c sugar
2 t Juniper berries, lightly crushed (fresh is OK, use half if using dried)
12 oz or about 2 c seedless Concord or black grapes
1 orange rind strip (about 2 inches)
1 rosemary sprig (about 2 inches)
2 c tonic water
1 c club soda
1/4 c orange juice
4 rosemary sprigs for garnish
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small saucepan.
2. Over med-high heat, bring to a boil; reduce heat to med-low and simmer 14 minutes or until liquid is slightly syrupy, stirring occasionally to break up grapes. Cool completely.
3. Remove and discard orange rind and rosemary. Place grape mixture in a blender or food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Strain liquid through a fine sieve over a bowl, pressings gently to extract liquid from solids (like when making loose tea). Discard solids.
4. To prepare each cocktail, place 1/4 c grape mixture in an ice-filled glass, or combine grape mixture and ice into blender for an adult slushy. Add 1/2 c tonic water, 1/4 c club soda, and 1 T orange juice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
Serves 4.
