10/01/2026
Hi Everyone,
September is winding down, and that means cold and flu season is right around the corner!
As a mom of eight, I’ve seen a lot of colds, coughs, fevers, and flu bugs make their way through our house over the years! And when you have a large family, you quickly learn that being prepared before the first child wakes up with the sniffles can make a big difference.
Around our homestead, September is when I start looking through our medicine cabinet and making sure we have the things we like to keep on hand. Our approach has always been to support the body with plenty of rest, fluids, nourishing foods, and the herbal products that have become part of our family's wellness routine.
🌿 Our Flu Tea
One thing we don't like to be without is our Flu Tea.
When sickness starts making its rounds, we make a BIG pot. And when I say big, I mean a gallon at a time! With our family, a little pot doesn't go very far.
We keep it in the refrigerator and drink it either cold or warmed up throughout the day. We especially like to start drinking our herbal tea at the very first sniffle or sign that someone isn't feeling quite right, rather than waiting until they're already miserable. And we all start drinking it!!
There's something comforting about knowing the tea is already made and sitting in the refrigerator when someone wakes up feeling under the weather.
🌿 Chest Rub
Our Chest Rub Salve is another fall staple in our house.
We like having it ready when someone is congested and needs a little extra comfort, especially at bedtime. Flu Tea and Chest Rub are two of those things I would much rather have sitting in the cupboard and not need than suddenly need and not have!
That's why both are making their fall comeback.
🌡️ What About Fever?
After raising eight children, I've learned not to automatically panic at the first sign of a fever.
A fever is part of the body's natural immune response to an infection. Instead of looking only at the number on the thermometer, we also pay attention to the whole person. Are they drinking? Are they resting? Are they alert? Are they staying hydrated? Are there other symptoms that concern us?
In our family, we generally like to turn to the herbal products and supportive measures we keep on hand first, before reaching for Tylenol, when the situation is appropriate. Rest, fluids, and keeping someone comfortable are important parts of our routine.
We have also traditionally kept things such as Temp Assure, Herbal Calcium Tincture, and Oregon Grape Root Tincture, Emergen-C packets and/ or Vitamin C Tablets, Cherry Bark Cough Syrup, Elderberry Syrup or Chewables on hand as part of our family's wellness routine.
That doesn't mean medicine or medical care is never needed. There are absolutely times when they are. Herbal products can also have side effects and interact with medications. Babies, very high or persistent fevers, difficulty breathing, dehydration, seizures, confusion, unusual sleepiness, or someone who is becoming increasingly ill are all reasons to seek appropriate medical advice or care.
For us, it's about learning to watch the person, not simply becoming frightened by the thermometer.
🫐 We Start Thinking About Elderberry BEFORE Flu Season
Elderberry is another item we like to incorporate into our family's fall wellness routine, and **September is when we start thinking about it.**
Elderberry has a long history of traditional use for immune and respiratory wellness. Research into its effects on colds and flu is still limited, so I don't look at it as a guarantee that no one is going to get sick.
Instead, it's simply one of the things we choose to incorporate as part of our family's overall wellness routine **before cold and flu season gets into full swing.
❤️ Eight Children Have Taught Me to Prepare Ahead!
If there's one thing I've learned from caring for a big family, it's this:
Don't wait until everyone is sick to get prepared!
There's nothing quite like having one child with a fever, another coughing, two complaining that their throats hurt, and suddenly realizing you don't have what you normally use!
So September is my reminder to get the house ready.
-Stock the Flu Tea.
-Stock the Chest Rub.
-Get the elderberry syrup ready.
-Fill the pantry and freezer with nourishing foods. (Bone Broth etc)
-And make sure you know where that thermometer disappeared to!
Note:We certainly aren't against conventional medicine or appropriate medical care. We simply enjoy learning about herbs and traditional remedies and having supportive options available in our home. When illness comes knocking, I love being able to open the cupboard, pull out our tea, put a gallon on to brew, and settle everyone in for some much-needed rest.
🌿 Stock Your Medicine Cabinet for Fall
Our Flu Tea and Chest Rub are back for fall!
These items are available by **pre-order**, so don't wait until the first sniffle hits to discover you're out.
👉 [PRE-ORDER FLU TEA & CHEST RUB HERE]
📍 Pick Up Your Pre-Order
Choose the pickup location that works best for you:
Mentone Farmers Market
Friday • 3–5 PM
Madison City Farmers Market
Saturday • 8 AM–12 PM
Whispering Homestead Farm Pickup
Friday • 3–8 PM
Saturday • 9 AM–1 PM
When placing your order, please let us know which location you would like to pick up from so we can make sure your order is packed and waiting for you.
Here's to preparing ahead and taking good care of our families this fall!
Leon & Darlene Eberly @
Whispering Homestead
