We’ve enjoyed meeting and working with all of you throughout our virtual conference this weekend. For our final giveaway, we’re giving away a full enrollment to our Family Herbalist program! This program covers everything you’ll need to know to turn your home into a completely healthy environment from top to bottom. It includes environmental health, botanical studies, aromatherapy, natural health philosophy, and much more! Retail cost: $445

Here’s how to enter:

1. Get your first entry by leaving a comment below.

2. For each share and review you’ve posted during the conference this week, add an additional comment to earn additional entries. If you haven’t shared your favorite VR products this weekend, you can do so by clicking through our website to your favorite products and using the share buttons found beneath the price.

3. The prize *is* transferrable. So you can increase your chances of winning by asking your friends and family to comment and share on your behalf!

UPDATE: Congrats to Heather for winning comment #264!!

Our next giveaway is valued at $285! You can win this free copy of the Skin Care Development study materials! These materials comprise a complete self-study home option for formulating your own skin care products and lines using the best quality natural and safe ingredients!

To enter,

Leave a comment for your first entry

For a second entry, leave a review for your favorite VR product on our website. (The review tabs are found on the product pages.) Be sure to leave a comment to earn your entry!

For a third entry, share your favorite VR product on your favorite social network. (To do this, click through to the website and you can find the buttons located on the product page.) Be sure to leave a comment for each share!

UPDATE: Congrats to Sheri for winning comment #70!

Here’s how to enter:

Get one entry by simply leaving a comment below.

Get additional entries by sharing Natural Wellness program on your favorite social media site. You can use the convenient buttons for twitter, facebook, and pinterest next to the product description. (Note: you will need to click through to the VR site to share on social networks.)

Be sure to leave an additional comment for each share!

UPDATE: Congrats to Sallie for winning comment #172!

Vintage Remedies for Tweens

Are you parenting kids aged 7-12? These tweens are the perfect age to begin learning why to make better health decisions with The Vintage Remedies for Tweens book. In this fun curriculum, they will learn about healthy and natural habits in the kitchen, for health, and in the environment. Each lesson includes several hands on projects that help to implement the practical information. Projects are simple and include a wide variety of interests from making homemade cheese to making your own lip gloss or deodorant to reusing old clothing for other projects. Each lesson focuses on stewardship, health, and natural living. It’s perfect as a homeschool health class or a project book for the summer months. Retail price $29

Here’s how to enter:

Get one entry by simply leaving a comment below.

Get additional entries by sharing The Vintage Remedies for Tweens on your favorite social media site. You can use the convenient buttons for twitter, facebook, and pinterest next to the produce description. (Note: Be sure to leave an additional comment for each share!)

UPDATE: Congrats to Michele for winning comment #97!

The Aromatherapy Course $49 retail

Some of our most popular workshops this weekend are on the subject of aromatherapy. So it’s only fitting that our first giveaway is a copy of our fun and interactive project book The Aromatherapy Course. This resource guide / workbook is a great way to introduce yourself to some new essentials oils and ensure that you’re using aromatherapy safely and effectively in your home. Retail price: $49

Here’s how to enter:

Get one entry by simply leaving a comment below.

Get additional entries by sharing The Aromatherapy Course on your favorite social media site. You can use the convenient buttons for twitter, facebook, and pinterest next to the produce description here.

UPDATE: This giveaway has now ended. Congrats to Scarlet for winning comment #42!

To serve for breakfast on Good Friday, begin these Wednesday. For Wednesday you’ll need:

1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 stick butter
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup starter
2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup almond flour or almond meal
1 t salt

Bring the milk to a boil. Once it begins boiling, remove from heat and add the butter. I slice mine into approximately 7-8 pieces to ensure that all of it melts. Set aside until completely cooled. (This is important because we’re adding the starter in the next step and the scalding milk can negatively affect the microbial activity.)

In another bowl, combine the honey, starter, flours, and salt. Stir to combine. When the milk/butter mixture is room temperature, add it to the flour mixture and stir to combine. You can fold it over a few times in the bowl to ensure that everything is fully combined, but it doesn’t really require any kneading. It will be a very sticky dough, but shouldn’t be runny. Cover the bowl and leave to sit overnight.

dough while rising

The next morning (Thursday if you’re planning these for Good Friday), the dough should have risen a bit. Now we’re going to add the fun stuff and shape the dough into buns. Today you’ll need:

1 green apple, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1/4 cup currants OR 1/4 cup raisins, finely chopped
2 t cinnamon
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon

Add all of this to the dough while it is still in the bowl. Stir to combine, then remove it to a clean counter-top. Knead until the dough holds together well and the apple bits stop popping out each time you fold the dough over.

*the dough will be slightly sticky*

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Depending on how you want the end product to look, you can divide those among two pans (for rounded buns) or you can place them all in a single pan (for roll-like buns.) You can use 9×13 (greased) baking dishes or (parchment lined) quarter size sheet pans. Shape your rolls and place them in the pans. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for 24 hours.

hot cross buns before second rise

If you know you’ll have a busy morning tomorrow, you can also make your frosting today. Combine 4 ounces cream cheese with 1 T butter and 2 cups powdered sugar. Add the seeds from 1 vanilla bean, 1 t vanilla extract, and 1 t cinnamon. Mix until creamy and store, covered, in the fridge.

hot cross buns ready to bake

Friday morning, brush the tops with an egg wash and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown on top. (During this time, you can make the frosting or if you made it yesterday, you can bring it to room temperature so it’s ready.) In a piping bag (or a plastic baggie with the corner cut off), pipe crosses on top of each bun AFTER they are completely cooled. If you put the frosting on too soon, the crosses will turn into a huge mess. Serve and enjoy!

(These also store really well so if you don’t have time to bake, let cool, and frost on Friday morning, consider bumping everything up a day to begin Tuesday night. Shape Wed morning, bake Thursday morning, frost Thursday night and serve Friday morning. You’ll need to store them in an airtight container to preserve freshness.)

The prize: This giveaway includes complete enrollment in our new course, The Phytotherapy of Food!! (Remember winners, this program is pre-order right now; prize will be shipped in early March.)

How to enter: You get your first entry just by leaving a comment below telling us why you want to win!

You can get additional entries by sharing any the new course on your favorite social media network. You can find quick buttons for pinterest, facebook, and twitter by clicking on the book title above and clicking on the appropriate button to the right of the image. Leave a comment below for each share.

You can also earn an entry by posting another comment telling us which food you’re eager to learn more about!

Details: The winner will be randomly selected at 80pm (central time) tonight. We will post the winner’s first name on facebook and email you this weekend for shipping info.

UPDATE: This giveaway is over. Congrats to Erin for winning comment #287!! We will contact you via email for your shipping info.

How to enter: You get one entry just by leaving a comment below telling us what you want to do with your gift certificate if you win!

For another entry, head on over to our website and leave product reviews for each of your favorite products. Leave a comment here for each review you leave.

Want even more entries? Head on over to Amazon.com and leave reviews of any of our books over there. (Hint: You can find these easily by searching for “Vintage Remedies” and/or “Jessie Hawkins” Leave another comment for each of those reviews.

Details: The winner will be randomly selected at 7:40pm (central time) tonight. We will post the winner’s first name on facebook and email you this weekend for shipping info.

UPDATE: This giveaway is over. Congrats to Jenn for winning comment #51!! We will contact you via email for your shipping info.

The prize: This giveaway was provided by J&M Botanicals. The lucky winner will take home full sized bottles of 5 organic essential oils including tea tree, lavender, peppermint, tangerine, and lemon eucalyptus. Total prize pack worth $97.

How to enter: You get your first entry just by leaving a comment below telling us why you want to win!

You can get additional entries by sharing any of the items in this prize pack on your favorite social media network. You can find quick buttons for pinterest, facebook, and twitter by clicking on the book title above and clicking on the appropriate button to the right of the image. Leave a comment below for each share.

You can also earn an entry by posting another comment telling us which EO in this list is your favorite and/or which EO in this list you’ve never tried before.

Details: The winner will be randomly selected at 7:200pm (central time) tonight. We will post the winner’s first name on facebook and email you this weekend for shipping info.

UPDATE: This giveaway is over. Congrats to Barrett for winning comment #27!! We will contact you via email for your shipping info.

The prize: For the aspiring  aromatherapist, this prize pack includes a copy of one of our newest books, The Aromatherapy Course AND set of pure, organic essential oils (lavender and sweet orange) provided by J&M Botanicals. Total prize pack worth $81.80.

How to enter: You get your first entry just by leaving a comment below telling us why you want to win!

You can get additional entries by sharing any of the items in this prize pack on your favorite social media network. You can find quick buttons for pinterest, facebook, and twitter by clicking on the book title above and clicking on the appropriate button to the right of the image. Leave a comment below for each share.

Details: The winner will be randomly selected at 7pm (central time) tonight. We will post the winner’s first name on facebook and email you this weekend for shipping info.

UPDATE: This giveaway is over. Congrats to Kaly for winning comment #121!! We will contact you via email for your shipping info.