Herbal medicine. Wild food. Education.
Spruce resin has been recorded as being traditionally used by Indigenous peoples of the Americas for dental hygiene. Resin is very anti-microbial, trees produce it in order to protect themselves from invading microbes. I particularly enjoy making mouthwash from the
White Spruce (Picea glauca): Key identification features: Conifer trees that have single needles that can be rolled between the fingers. Branches are very rough and stubbly as the leaf (needle) stalks remain on the branch. Medicinal usage:Spruce is antimicrobial against
One of my favourite recipes over the past couple summers has been to make an oxidized Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) tea. This is frequently described as fermented tea, however, technically the process is oxidation. Oxidation refers to the sum of chemical
Lamb’s quarters also known as fat hen, goosefoot or pigweed (not to be confused with redroot pigweed) are common names for a plant called Chenopodium album (literally white goosefoot). This wonderful wild edible is found worldwide. Formerly in the Goosefoot
Juniper berries (actually fleshy cones) are a popular wild harvested spice. They are often used to flavour meats and are used to flavour gin. Medicinal usage centres around their aromatic and antimicrobial properties. Juniper berries are useful in treating digestive
I absolutely love stinging nettle, it is one of my favourite spring time greens. Why? Because it is absolutely delicious. Nettle is also a plant that doesn’t give up its leaves without a fight – it has stinging hairs that
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) is an iconic evergreen tree of the west coast. It’s beauty has made it a popular ornamental, and it can now be found growing in gardens, parks and yards all over the world. This time
I recently became intrigued about making real marshmallow while reading John Kallas’ book Edible Wild Plants. John has some great ideas and practical recommendations if you are interested in turning so called weeds into delicious, abundant sources of foods.
This article first appeared without references July 12, 2017 on the Light Cellar blog: http://thelightcellar.ca/native-nervines-wild-plants-that-calm-the-mind/ Nervines are plant medicines that act to re-establish balance in the nervous system. The nervous system comprises the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
This article was originally written in 2016 regarding the research I was completing for my Master’s dissertation at Middlesex University. The article was supposed to appear on the Sensory Solutions website , but has not quite made it into the