There is something deeply ancestral about chopping garlic with intention.
About grating horseradish until your eyes water and you laugh at yourself. About packing roots, citrus, and herbs into a jar and pouring apple cider vinegar over the whole bright, spicy mess… and letting time do its alchemy.
This is Fire Cider.
Fire Cider is a traditional folk remedy — an herbal infusion steeped in raw apple cider vinegar (with “the mother,” because we love living medicine around here). It blends pungent, warming, circulation-boosting plants like garlic, onion, ginger, turmeric, jalapeño, horseradish, lemon, and fresh herbs. After it steeps, it’s strained and sweetened with honey into a fiery tonic that supports the immune system, stimulates digestion, and wakes up your whole body.
Historically, fire cider rose to popularity through Appalachian and folk herbal traditions, and was widely taught by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar in the 1970s as a simple, accessible remedy anyone could make at home. It’s not magic in the “wave a wand” sense — it’s magic in the “plants have chemistry and chemistry works” sense. Garlic contains allicin, a compound studied for antimicrobial properties. Ginger and turmeric support inflammation balance. Horseradish and hot peppers stimulate circulation and help clear sinuses. Apple cider vinegar extracts plant compounds beautifully and supports digestion.
It is hot. It is bright. It is alive.
And beyond the science — it feels powerful to make your own medicine.
In this hands-on morning workshop, Erica Jo Shaffer — Reiki Master/Teacher, horticulturist, and the Wildly Crafted Woman herself — will guide you step-by-step in crafting your own jar of Fire Cider. You’ll receive an ingredient list ahead of time (you’re welcome to double it and make two jars). You’ll chop, layer, pour, bless, laugh, and leave with something steeping on your counter that will be ready to support you through cold season — or simply transform into the most incredible salad dressing or marinade you’ve ever tasted.
This is practical herbalism. This is kitchen witchery. This is community medicine. And this is what the Moon + Stone Healing Studio + Academy is all about - empowering you to create your own earth medicine.
If you’ve been curious about working with herbs but didn’t know where to begin — this is a perfect doorway. If you already love herbal remedies — this is a chance to deepen your practice and learn from someone who truly lives it.
Let’s not outsource our wellness entirely. Let’s remember how to make things.
Come stir the cauldron with us.
Register here for this in-person workshop!
February 28th from 10 am to 1 pm. Only $26. Spots are limited, and we’d love to see this class filled with warm bodies and bright spirits.
