Ethical Wildcrafting Principles Ethical wildcrafting is the practice of harvesting plants and trees conscientiously, to avoid damaging the health of the population or the overall ecological system. It’s especially important for trees because if you don’t harvest bark properly, you’ll kill the tree, which is like killing a chicken for the eggs (also true for … Continue reading Ethical Wildcrafting Principles
Goldenrod: August Medicine Journal
Get ready for goldenrod! This much maligned plant is a wonderful ally for allergies, sinus issues, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, sore throats, and more. It is wonderful as a tincture, syrup, honey, or dried for tea. Allergy syrup is my favorite way to use goldenrod. I combine it with Tulsi, Nettles, & Schisandra, in … Continue reading Goldenrod: August Medicine Journal
Identifying Lookalike Forest Plants: June Wild-crafting Journal
Solomon's Seal and Blue Cohosh are blooming! This is a great time to practice differentiating look-alike plants. Remember that Solomon's Seal blooms from all its chakras, with flowers all down the stem, whereas Solomon's Plume only blooms from it's head, with the flowers protruding from the end of the stem. Another friend that is sometimes … Continue reading Identifying Lookalike Forest Plants: June Wild-crafting Journal
Preserving Mushroom Medicine
Medicinal mushrooms are often overlooked when we talk about solubility and the best ways to preserve things. We talk a lot about mucilage, berberine and the like, but not so much about considering solubility to make the most effective mushroom medicine. I personally think that's because a. folks get intimidated by the complexity (and weirdness) … Continue reading Preserving Mushroom Medicine
Preserving Water-Soluble Magic Beyond the Growing Season: Herbal Ice Cubes
This thing happens kind of a lot when you live in a place with significant seasons: you harvest some wonderful medicine, enough to last you a while--maybe all year--but then you have to actually do something with it while it's still good, knowing you can't get more until next year. Most people's gut reaction is … Continue reading Preserving Water-Soluble Magic Beyond the Growing Season: Herbal Ice Cubes
Homegrown Tea
As the snow piles up and icicles grow from the eaves, tea becomes a central part of my life. Drinking a steaming, fragrant cup of last summer’s bounty in front of the woodstove on these long winter nights is a cold weather ritual that resonates to my bones. I love the seasons; I love how … Continue reading Homegrown Tea
Bark Harvest & Ethical Wildcrafting
Autumn is the season for bark harvest, one of the most fulfilling medicine making tasks. A walk through the woods on a crisp fall day followed by several hours in the sun as the days grow shorter and the world goes to sleep—it is definitely worth the effort, and a few trees will provide a … Continue reading Bark Harvest & Ethical Wildcrafting
Old Ways Herbal: Juliette Abigail Carr 