Summer Solstice Fire Cider: Making Medicine From the Garden

Every year around the Summer Solstice, I try to make a batch of fire cider using whatever is growing in my garden and available on the homestead.

Traditionally, fire cider contains ingredients like garlic, onion, horseradish, ginger, turmeric, hot peppers, citrus, and apple cider vinegar. And those are all wonderful ingredients. But one of the things I love about herbalism is learning to work with what is available to you locally and seasonally.

This year I wanted my fire cider to reflect the season.

Instead of citrus, I added rhubarb. Instead of peppers, I left them out entirely because they simply aren't ready in the garden yet. I could have gone to the store and purchased peppers, ginger, turmeric, lemons, and oranges, but that wasn't the goal of this batch.

The goal was to create something that reflected this exact moment in time.

This year's Summer Solstice Fire Cider is made from horseradish, garlic, green onion, rhubarb, and a collection of herbs growing right outside my door.

Garlic and Green Onion

Garlic and onion are both rich in sulfur-containing compounds.

Sulfur is important for many processes in the body, including supporting healthy detoxification pathways. Sulfur compounds can also help thin mucus and have a long history of traditional use during cold and flu season.

Garlic is perhaps one of the most well-known kitchen remedies for immune support and has been used for centuries as a food and medicine. Green onions offer many of the same benefits while adding a slightly milder flavor profile.

Horseradish

If you ask me, it isn't truly fire cider without horseradish.

Horseradish brings the heat. That spicy kick is part of what gives fire cider its name, and it's one of the ingredients most people immediately notice when they take a spoonful.

Traditionally, horseradish has been used to support circulation and respiratory health. If you've ever eaten too much fresh horseradish and felt it clear out your sinuses, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It has a pungent, warming quality that makes it a natural fit for fire cider.

I'm fortunate enough to have a very large patch of horseradish growing on my property. In fact, I probably have more horseradish than I know what to do with most years.

There is an old gardening saying that horseradish should only be harvested in months that contain the letter "R," meaning September through April. Like many gardening traditions, there is some truth behind it. Historically, root medicines were often harvested in the fall or early spring when the plant's energy was concentrated underground.

That said, horseradish can absolutely be harvested during the summer. In my experience, summer-harvested roots tend to be even spicier.

I do make homemade prepared horseradish each year, but I only use about a jar myself. Most of my harvest ends up in fire cider or gets donated to my mother, Carol, who makes large batches of prepared horseradish to sell at the farmers market. It is consistently one of her best-selling products and rarely stays on the shelf for long.

So while some ingredients in this year's fire cider were chosen because they happened to be growing in the garden, horseradish was never really optional. Around here, it's simply part of the tradition.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb may seem like an unusual addition to fire cider, but it was one of the plants calling to me this year.

Traditionally, citrus fruits are often added for flavor and vitamin C. Since I wanted to stay as local and seasonal as possible, rhubarb felt like a natural substitute.

It adds brightness, flavor, and a little nourishment while celebrating what is actually growing in Nebraska right now.

Tulsi and Lemon Balm

These are two of my favorite herbs.

Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is considered an adaptogen and has a long history of traditional use for supporting resilience during times of stress. One piece of herbal folklore says that if you drink tulsi tea throughout the winter, you won't get sick. While I certainly wouldn't make that promise, I do appreciate its long-standing reputation as a supportive everyday herb.

Lemon balm is another gentle favorite. It has a calming nature and is often used to support the nervous system while adding a bright, pleasant flavor to herbal preparations.

Both herbs help balance the more pungent ingredients in this fire cider while bringing their own unique benefits.

Aromatic Herbs for the Respiratory System

Several of the herbs in this batch were chosen because of their aromatic qualities.

Russian sage, mint, hyssop, thyme, sage, and horehound all contain volatile oils that give them their distinctive smell and flavor.

Those aromatic compounds are part of what makes these herbs so valuable.

Horehound has a long history of use for sore throats and respiratory support. If you've ever had old-fashioned horehound candy, you've already experienced one of its traditional uses.

Mint helps support digestion while also bringing a cooling, opening quality. Russian sage and hyssop add aromatic notes that many people associate with easier breathing and clearer sinuses.

Kitchen Herbs Count Too

One thing I think is important to remember is that herbal medicine does not have to be exotic.

Some of the most useful herbs in this batch are herbs many people already have growing in their gardens or sitting in their kitchen cabinets.

Thyme is a wonderful example. It is one of my favorite herbs for respiratory support, and it also happens to be delicious in soup.

Sage supports both digestion and respiratory health while adding depth to the flavor of the cider.

Tarragon contributes a pleasant flavor and has traditionally been used to support digestion.

You don't need a field guide full of obscure plants to start working with herbs. Sometimes the medicine is already sitting on your spice rack.

In fact, if you wanted to make a simple fire cider using dried kitchen herbs, garlic, onion, and vinegar, you absolutely could.

Why Use So Many Herbs?

People often ask why I use formulas instead of single herbs.

The answer is that herbs rarely work alone in nature.

Many herbal traditions rely on combining plants with overlapping actions. Instead of relying on one herb to do all the work, multiple herbs support the body from different directions.

This often creates a broader, more balanced formula.

In this batch, we have herbs that support digestion, herbs that support the respiratory system, herbs that support stress resilience, herbs that provide nourishment, and herbs traditionally used for immune support.

There is a lot of overlap, and that's exactly what I want.

How I Use Fire Cider

Now comes the waiting.

Over the next four to six weeks, the herbs and vegetables will infuse into the vinegar. After that, I'll strain the mixture and blend it with raw honey from a local source to help balance the flavor.

Fire cider is traditionally used as a daily tonic or taken more frequently during times when extra immune or respiratory support is desired.

Some people take a small amount daily throughout the colder months. Others only reach for it when they feel the first signs of an illness coming on.

Personally, I enjoy having it available as part of my seasonal wellness toolkit and enjoy cooking with it (fire cider pickles coming to my fridge late summer 2026).

Seasonal Medicine

One of my favorite things about making herbal preparations is that they remind me to slow down and pay attention to what is happening around me.

The plants available in June are different from the plants available in October.

The needs of the body in summer are different from the needs of the body in winter.

This fire cider isn't just about immunity or digestion.

It's about seasonality.

It's about using what is growing.

It's about connecting with the land, the garden, and the rhythms of the year.

And honestly, I think there is something healing about that all by itself.

My 2026 Summer Solstice Fire Cider is currently steeping and should be available in limited quantities in the office in approximately six weeks.

Until then, I'll be patiently waiting—and trying not to open the jar every five minutes to smell it.