 Are you hugging? That’s what my friend, Lori, co-owner of the Yaupon Teahouse in Savannah, Georgia (a delightful shop serving up the only native North American source of caffeine, along with herbal products including yaupon, and classes I’ll be teaching [a podcast and blog on the incredible yaupon research they’ve done soon]) asked as we saw each other again. It was mid March and the reality of the Corona virus was starting to set in, along with the accompanying fear, for a lot of people. I’ve been wanting to write an article about it since then, but have been waiting because more resources keep surfacing, and I want to include them all. Then I realized that they’re multiplying faster than anyone can keep up with, so I’ll just keep updating this article as they come in. Please add any good articles/resources you’ve found to the comments below. First I’m going to tell you what I don’t want this article to be, and then what I do. I do not want this article to be a list of herbs that you can take and specific protocols for fighting the virus. Why not? Because: 1. I feel that there are lots of articles, many from highly reputable herbalists, already doing that, and you can look below or easily do a search and pick and choose what makes sense to you. And I really do encourage you to do your own research. As herbalism is a holistic science, I think it’s always important to remind ourselves that not every herb/remedy works for every body. 2. I feel like the general media and big agencies are putting a big emphasis on a few tactics we can use for prevention, i.e. social distancing, handwashing, cleaning surfaces; and are ignoring so many other simple, natural, and available options. I do want this article to give you those simple options in an accessible way, along with some awesome resources for you to feel empowered. The words “social distancing” have been making me cringe every time I hear or read them. The R in WANDER School stands for “Reconnection”. I believe that the biggest issues in the world today, causing dis-ease and unhappiness, are disconnection, of people to each other and to nature. Creating more isolation and loneliness seems like one of the worst things we can do right now. Connection keeps our immune symptoms more highly functioning. Don’t get me wrong, I support everyone’s right to handle this the best way we all see how. If you want to quarantine yourself, please do, no judgement. And minimizing our contact with others, especially large groups, could help a lot to contain the virus. My friend Lori created a term I love to describe one way of looking at this situation, “unintended opportunities”. Here’s some unintended opportunities that I can see:
For me, an unintended opportunity is time to focus on getting online education finished and launched. I’ve been wanting to do this for years, to answer your requests for more accessible botanical education, no matter your location or schedule. Stay tuned for my foraged e-cookbook, The Wild Foraged Life, and my herbal medicine making video series, The Wild Herbal Life. Speaking of which, now more than ever your support of small businesses is needed, if you’re able. And it’s the perfect time for home education. (If you’d like to continue your wild edible and herbal education while you’re sitting at home, check out The WANDER School’s Patreon site for ongoing education in the form of botanical ID videos, foraged cooking classes, podcast bonus material, and workshop summaries.)  My students (Lisa and Allison) who became friends, and me, after an amazing sound therapy experience with Max of True Resonance, experiencing the medicine of sound and friendship connection Here’s some suggestions from what I’m doing myself to keep myself and my family healthy and prevent illness. If you are pregnant, have health conditions, or are taking medication, please check with your health practitioner before trying anything new. And remember that we are all individuals with different bodies, chemistry, and needs. Your body may react differently and not like some of this. The best thing you can do for your health is to listen to your body.
 The magic of simple chamomile tea As promised, here are a bunch of articles for your own research on what to be aware of and what to do/herbs and supplements to take for prevention and if you get the virus:
COVID-19 Resources - American Herbalists Guild - A huge collection of articles and resources from a wide array of herbalists and others COVID-19: An Integrative MDs Commonsense Approach - Aviva Romm - A collection of articles written by MD, Herbalist, and Midwife, Aviva Romm, including info on the virus and pregnancy and breastfeeding, autoimmune disease, general symptoms, and how to talk to kids about the virus COVID-19 Community Care Center - Herbalista Free Clinic - As always, an incredible breadth of knowledge on a wide variety of topics, from dealing with the virus in community, to sanitation guidelines, and a plethora of recipes (including hand sanitizer) Herbal Treatment for Coronavirus Infections - Stephen Harrod Buhner - A good explanation of how the virus works, many suggestions for specific herbs and formulas, though some herbs are Asian and may not be readily available in the US An Herbalist’s Note on the COVID-19 Virus - 7Song - A helpful resource for herbalists, especially those who work with clients/in clinics Coronavirus Disease (COVID 19) - Oscar Sierra - some great preventative measures that you might not have heard, with helpful herbs for the virus, and some good info on zinc and how to take it What’s the Deal with Elderberry and Cytokine Storm? - Larken Bunce - answers questions that have been coming up lately about possible adverse effects of elderberry, with folks with autoimmune issues and the general public. Coronavirus Resources - Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism - various resources and a free webinar with Matt and Phyllis Light 3/23 COVID-19 Resources - Heartfelt Tidbits - Info on the virus, activities for kids, how to get or give help (from a fabulous nonprofit in SW Ohio that supports immigrants and refugees) To close, I want to let you know that I understand what you’re going through and support you. I’m sending you my love, virtual hugs, and healing herbal energy. Please comment with your thoughts, what is working for you, and any resources you’ve enjoyed that you’d like to share with our community. And if you appreciate this information and you can, please support this important work, especially now when it makes the biggest impact, by becoming a patron on Patreon (as low as $5/month) and the upcoming online education I’ll be offering. Are you on the WANDER School email list? If not, sign up now so you’ll know when all this cool education is released. In the meantime, thanks for being you, being awesome, and stay healthy.
2 Comments
You can now check out the latest episode of the listener-supported podcast I dreamed up: wildcrafters and foragers around the world share their stories, tips and tricks to empower you on your wild path.
Give it a listen below (or listen and subscribe to Wander, Forage & Wildcraft on your favorite podcast platform).
If you like what you hear, you can become a patron on Patreon for as little as $5 per month to support production of the podcast and get extras, like the recording Bill did with me about The Nutty Buddy Collective, a multi-generational project he helped co-create with the "goal of working with community partners to bring native crops to local tables at an economically viable scale, in an ecologically viable way."
About the Episode: It was nuttin' but a pleasure and honor to interview Bill Whipple, who came up with the title for himself of "Disruptive Hybridizer" while we talked. He was one of the intiators of the Acornucopia Project , of which he says (in this episode) their dream is to, "foster small independent, autonomous nutteries in the region that can support one another." Bill was a street performer in the past. This, along with his love of nuts as a way to inspire community relationship, shine through in our impactful and entertaining conversation.
Here (above) Bill sits, cutting x's into chestnuts from West Virginia for us to snack on while we talked in his hand built tiny home, surrounded by the literal fruits and nuts of his labor. I felt right at home! We drank his signature beverage, "Trea", tea from tree leaves grown on his farm (listen to hear all about it) on his birthday, while he wore a pink tie under what he calles his "elf jacket" with a slice of bitternut walnut that he made into a button.
Bill, before his class at Villagers in Asheville, NC, which was alternately titled "Stool School"
Acorn Chocolate Pudding
(the gateway to acorn consciousness) From The Nut Book - A Manifeasto of Community Nut Processing by Bill Whipple Acorns aren't just for baking. They stovetop into amazing soothing and nourishing foods, like rues and puddings. Use it as a thickener to make a savory version of this called "forage porridge". ACORN FLOUR- 1 CUP (I prefer red oak) H2O - Start with 4 cups (hickory broth is best) powdered chocolate - 8 tbs (roasted dandelion is more authentic) sugar - 8 tbs (maple syrup would rock the boat here) salt - 1/2 tbs cinnamon - 1/4 tsp (spicebush would be the real deal but use less and work up, its potent!) vanilla - 1/4 tsp (from native, temperate, vanilla trees of course! ;) Coconut oil - 2 tbs (black walnut pulverized into a butter would leave the competition at the gates at any county fair contest) Simmer cracked hickories and strain off meats from the top. Blend with a little hickory broth. Add rest of strained broth and blend. This is your base to slowly add acorn flour while humming: "Stir, stir, stir the pot gently o'er the flame. if you won't, or if you don't, there's no one else to blame" Add everything else to taste. The more creamy yummy added, the better it will be. This will set up and jiggle just like real store-bought jello!
Bill's Bio: Bill Whipple considers himself a "disruptive hybridizer". He has made it a life's work to transform contradiction into compliment. He has been commercially growing biologically grown fruit on his West Virginia farm for 33 years. He moved to Asheville in 2000 and began to revive and develop the Edible orchards in public parks. In 2014 a band of these enthusiasts created the Nutty buddy Collective who are growing select native nut genetics in what he calls "Forchards" (forest/ orchards). These orchards will become models for the perennial tree crop agriculture that will replace the travesty we call annual commodity agriculture. Tying this together is the Acornucopia Project which is a "nutwork" of visionaries who are developing processes, products, and infrastructure that will make the nuts crops accessible to the people.
Episode #7 of Wander, Forage and Wildcraft is here!
You can now check out the latest episode of the listener-supported podcast I dreamed up: wildcrafters and foragers around the world share their stories, tips and tricks to empower you on your wild path. Give it a listen below (or listen and subscribe to Wander, Forage & Wildcraft on your favorite podcast platform). If you like what you hear, you can become a patron on Patreon for as little as $5 per month to support production of the podcast and get extras, like the recording Kelly did with me about piñon pines. About the Episode: I've been following Kelly's work for awhile and, honestly, having a little bit of travel and plant nerd envy of the work she does. Her work with the Ground Shots Project is nothing short of freaking amazing! Our podcasts share similarities of interviewing and spreading the word about folks doing cool work with plants, however she travels the world doing it. More specifically and in her own words, "The Ground Shots Podcast is an audio project that features conversations and storytelling about our relationship with ecology through the intersections of activism and creativity. This includes field recordings of folks in their element, music recordings, interviews, story captures, and more." She asks the important questions, like, "How do we do our work in the modern age, when the urgency of ecological and social collapse sometimes feels looming? How do we creatively and whole-heartedly navigate our relationships with one another and the land?" In our interview, we talked about this and more, including Madrone berries (a fave tree of mine in California), the land-based web of interconnection, how farming led her to foraging, how foraging revived her grandmother's traditions, how wild foods reflect the regional flavor, how she learned to forage sustainably with United Plant Savers (a fantastic organization) and the risk of foraging in the western U.S., along with reseeding as a way to wildcraft ethically. I loved our conversation how our foraging and wildcrafting can actually benefit plants if done in an ethical way. We also talked about the piñon pine and its edible nuts, how to forage and process them, and the medicine you can make from the resin. We finished the episode with her story of a Juneberry/serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) foraging adventure. We talked about her love of foraging piñon pine in California. She generously shared her recipe for Savory Winter Squash Pie with Pine Nuts (below). Kelly's Bio: Kelly Moody grew up in rural southern Virginia near the border of North Carolina in tobacco and muscadine country. She went to her grandma's house daily as a child, where fresh biscuits and iced tea were a regular necessity. Her other grandma was a determined plant lady who started a nursery business on the outskirts of their small rural town, which remained open for almost 50 years. Kelly grew up hiding with her sister in the tropical greenhouses, taking craft classes in the small nursery workshop, shelling green beans and canning tomatoes. These experiences of being on the family farm, working with plants and creating followed Kelly into her adulthood. Much of the past decade she has spent living in different places and studying plants, ecology and craft, writing about the land, growing food and herbs, or honoring her wanderlust and love of learning new plants by traveling cross country in various incarnations. She received a B. A. in Philosophy and Religious Studies in 2009 from Christopher Newport University in Virginia. For over a decade she has studied herbal medicine, ecology and botany with teachers like Rebecca Golden in southern Vermont, Paul Strauss and Chip Carrol at the Goldenseal Sanctuary in southeast Ohio, Luke Learningdeer and Marc Williams in western North Carolina. She apprenticed with Juliet Blankespoor and attended the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine in Asheville, NC in 2013. She helped manage the gardens at Dancing Springs Farm in Asheville, NC from 2014-2016. She studied book arts and paper making at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. She has taught hide tanning techniques for classes held by the medieval bookbinder Jim Croft at his rural Idaho homestead from 2017-2019. She has completed a handful of ecological activism focused artist residencies and workshops including Signal Fire's month-long Wide Open Studios program during the summer of 2017 in the Pacific Northwest and in the fall of 2019 in the Southwest. Her teaching over the years has included classes on hide tanning, plant ID, wild foods, medicine making, natural dyes, nutrition and gardening. Kelly’s interest in both storytelling and cross-cultural dialogue comes from both an upbringing in the rural south filled with story, and by the inspiration of meeting people on the road during large periods of nomadism. Links: Of Sedge and Salt, Kelly's website, blog, and Ground Shots podcast episodes Of Sedge and Salt Patreon site to support the podcast and her work Kelly's Piñon Pine Plant Profile Find Kelly on Instagram @goldenberries The Ground Shots Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, TuneIn, etc. Links to organizations mentioned in the episode: Zach Elfer's Nomad Seed Project United Plant Savers Signal Fire 
Piñon Pine cone (pic courtesy of Kelly Moody)
A delicious regional recipe from Kelly: Savory Winter Squash Pie with Pine nuts First, bake several favorite winter squashes cut in half, open face in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Take squashes out of oven. Chop bacon into small pieces and sauté to brown. Remove bacon, and leave oil in pan. Sauté leeks, black walnuts, piñon pine nuts and garlic in bacon fat. In a separate bowl, smash winter squash into a consistent mush, removing skins if you desire. At this point I add some salt to taste, as well as melted butter or ghee into the blend. After this, add leeks, bacon, pine nuts and walnuts to blend. I generally don't do gluten so I improvise different kinds of interesting crusts. In this case, I had a few wild foods to add to my crust mix. I mixed a half of cup of honey and a pinch of salt to homemade Yampah root Perideridia gairdneri flour, blue corn grits and gluten free baking flour. I slathered the crust mix into a an oiled glass dish pushing the dough up the sides (its more of a honey paste than dough). You could add pine nuts to the crust here, too. Pour the winter squash mix into the open crust, smoothing over the top. Crack a handful of pine nuts and place them on top of the pie. I also add walnuts here! Bake on 400 F for 30 minutes or so. Take out, let cool before eating. If you want to learn more fascinating piñon pine details, become a patron on Patreon to hear our bonus interview material. Whether you're decking the halls, lighting the menorah, preparing for a feast, or hibernating this time of year, I wanted to make sure you knew about all the great gifts from The WANDER School - this is a small yet mighty woman-owned and operated business that exists to inspire nature reconnection and health empowerment. So, for anyone on your list who is wild food or herb curious...look no further. It's never too early to start planning your holiday gift giving, and with Small Business Saturday right around the corner we wanted to get you thinking about gifts we have available. Read on, let us know if you have any questions, and as always...green blessings. Abby's Book |
 | If you are a super-generous plan-ahead kind of gift-giver.. ...and you know (or you ARE) someone that wants to learn in person the art of Appalachian plantcraft, folk herbalism and wild foraging... You're in luck because enrollment is now open for The Sassafras School of Appalachian Plantcraft 2020, a collaboration of Abby Artemisia and Becky Beyer for students to learn the folk ways . |
This 98-hour program is one weekend a month (May to November) from 10 AM to 5 PM at the Hawk and Hawthorne, 20 minutes outside of Asheville, North Carolina.
Two women foragers, medicine makers and craftswomen, have come together to offer a folk understanding of herbalism and foraging. They see the folkway as the way in which working with plants for food and medicine every day can become a natural ritual of life. It can become a lifeway. The curriculum is extensive.
Admission to the Sassafras School Class of 2020 is $1280 before 1/1/2020 and $1480 after.
Two women foragers, medicine makers and craftswomen, have come together to offer a folk understanding of herbalism and foraging. They see the folkway as the way in which working with plants for food and medicine every day can become a natural ritual of life. It can become a lifeway. The curriculum is extensive.
Admission to the Sassafras School Class of 2020 is $1280 before 1/1/2020 and $1480 after.
Have your heard of this crazy cool thing called Patreon? Patreon is a crowdfunding platform that allows creative people to do creative work. Patrons commit to a monthly financial contribution that supports work they believe in, kind of like public radio, but without the annoying pledge drives.
I just revamped my Patreon site to make it more fun and valuable for you, with the goal of making wildcrafting, foraging, and herbal education accessible for all, along with my podcast, Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft. I know not everyone can afford to go to herb school, or can even afford $5 a month to get the education bonuses I'm offering on Patreon, but everyone deserves knowledge. Won't you please support me, by doing good to help me do good in the world?
And if you can afford just 5 bucks a month or more, you'll get herbal education all year long, plus as a heartfelt thank you, patrons of The WANDER School get...
Patrons join us in inspiring nature connection and health empowerment in a way that’s accessible to everyone despite background, experience, location, or financial status.
You wouldn't believe how much it costs to bring free education to the world! There's paying a podcast editor to edit every episode, and my assistant to post it to all the platforms and get it out to you, the cost of paying a site to host it, and website costs for the blog, plus graphic designers and more. Every little bit you give helps so much and keeps this education available for all of us.
Will you become a patron today?
Support starts at just 5 bucks a month!
Check out all the different tiers and herbtastic rewards at
www.patreon.com/thewanderschool
I just revamped my Patreon site to make it more fun and valuable for you, with the goal of making wildcrafting, foraging, and herbal education accessible for all, along with my podcast, Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft. I know not everyone can afford to go to herb school, or can even afford $5 a month to get the education bonuses I'm offering on Patreon, but everyone deserves knowledge. Won't you please support me, by doing good to help me do good in the world?
And if you can afford just 5 bucks a month or more, you'll get herbal education all year long, plus as a heartfelt thank you, patrons of The WANDER School get...
- Access to patron-only blog posts, vlogs, and videos, including wild & herbal cooking classes
- Tips from Abby’s Kitchen
- Herbal medicine-making tutorials
- A behind-the-scenes look at The WANDER School's classes & events
- Bonus clips from the Wander, Forage & Wildcraft podcast
- Extended footage from Abby’s IGTV videos chock-full of botany and foraging know-how
- Foraged Recipes not available anywhere else
- The heartwarming knowledge that you're helping out a single mom-owned business with single mom employees and small business contractors
Patrons join us in inspiring nature connection and health empowerment in a way that’s accessible to everyone despite background, experience, location, or financial status.
You wouldn't believe how much it costs to bring free education to the world! There's paying a podcast editor to edit every episode, and my assistant to post it to all the platforms and get it out to you, the cost of paying a site to host it, and website costs for the blog, plus graphic designers and more. Every little bit you give helps so much and keeps this education available for all of us.
Will you become a patron today?
Support starts at just 5 bucks a month!
Check out all the different tiers and herbtastic rewards at
www.patreon.com/thewanderschool
Episode #6 of Wander, Forage and Wildcraft is here!
You can now check out the latest listener-supported podcast I dreamed up: wildcrafters and foragers around the world share their stories, tips and tricks to empower you on your wild path.
Give it a listen below (or listen and subscribe to Wander, Forage & Wildcraft on your favorite podcast platform).
You can now check out the latest listener-supported podcast I dreamed up: wildcrafters and foragers around the world share their stories, tips and tricks to empower you on your wild path.
Give it a listen below (or listen and subscribe to Wander, Forage & Wildcraft on your favorite podcast platform).
About the Episode:
Cindi is a dear co-teacher friend of mine and owner/operator of Cindi's Sacred Garden.
We met a couple of years ago at the Southeast Wise Woman Herbal Conference, here in Western North Carolina. I connected immediately to her open, generous spirit, and her immense knowledge and love of native herbal medicine. We have so much to learn from the people who originally inhabited this land (the United States of America).
This episode begins with Cindi telling us a charming and hilarious true story about her introduction to herbal medicine. Then, she tells us about the Menominee and her own practices of sustainable and ethical wildcrafting. One of the things I admire most about Cindi's teaching is her inclusion of ceremony, in the tradition of her Menominee elders. She'll be practicing and teaching this during our Tree Medicine Walk & Workshop that we're co-teaching in Marshall, NC on October 26, 2019 (get your tickets here). She tells us a little about a harvest ceremony she performed with a local plant and how the medicine comes when we or others need it.
We also talked about one of both of our favorite herbs, goldenrod, and its health benefits. She graciously shared her recipe for goldenrod oil (below).
Cindi's Bio:
Cindi Quay, Traditional Herbalist, descendent of the Menominee Nation, and Founder of Cindi’s Sacred Garden, located in Black Mountain NC, has been practicing her respected Native American Traditions with our plant nation for most of her life. Opening herself to being a Student with Nature, Cindi has learned “hands on” to identify many herbs during all growing seasons, and for greater than 30 years, she has traveled around the USA to identify many different healing plants. Cindi went into business full-time in 1997 and has develop organic and natural Skin Food skin products and Fresh Earth Medicines. As an instructor, Cindi teaches many groups about herbs, growing, connecting to and healing oneself through our plant nation. She has deep knowledge of not only the plant allies but of other healing modalities that can be incorporated into daily healing and deeper understanding of our vital connection to Earth Mother. Cindi teaches with Native American Spiritual groups, Indigenous Tribes, Woman Gatherings, Holistic Practitioner’s, Garden Clubs, Plant Savers group and school groups.
Some of her other many offerings and leadership roles:
• Herbal Plant Teacher, New Echota State Park, GA “Take a Walk With Cindi”
• Herbal Plant Teacher, HERBalachia Herbalist lifestyle program, Erwin TN
• Herbal & Woman’s Health Educator, Unity Gathering, Dover NY
• Spirit Plant Walk, Southeast Wise Woman Conference, Black Mountain, NC
• Board Member of Indigenous Woman’s Knowledge ~ Advisor
• Cultural Exchange & Education, Charleston, SC
• Instructor of Herbal Studies & Plant Identification, USA/Turtle Island
• Spiritual Intuitive Native Healer
• Private Consults and Herbal Walks to learn traditional herbs
• Herbal Workshops for the professional for detailed help on making products
Cindi maintains her deep connection with her Native Nation, learning and sharing with Medicine people the plant knowledge that needs to maintain oral traditions. You can find more information at:
Cindi's Sacred Garden website
Cindi's Sacred Garden Facebook Page
Email Cindi
An Herbal Recipe from Cindi:
Cindi told me about one of her favorite herbs: Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) and how she loves it for colds, flus, allergies, and sinus infections, along with UTI's. She also gave us her lovely recipe for traditional goldenrod oil, which she makes from the leaves and flowers for muscle spasm, arthritis, and more.
Goldenrod Oil:
*Has been shown to improve circulation, known for anti-inflammatory & antiseptic benefits
*Great massage relief for muscle cramps, sprains, sore muscles, powerful on sore neck muscles, uterine cramping & chest colds.
*Great for all sorts of skin infections, eczema, psoriasis, acne, sores, scabs, dermatitis & wounds.
*Very beneficial in promoting restful sleep, calming & soothing to the mind, relieves stress, anxiety & nervousness.
*Brings Circulation to areas congested, such as extremities, ankles, fingertips.
*Helps inflammation of edema symptoms.
**Aroma is reminiscent of fresh, balsamic, peppery notes, which makes it a relaxing oil.
What you will need:
1 - Quart Jar – cleaned
4-6 ounces (by volume) of fresh picked and dried Goldenrod flowers/leaves
Organic Olive Oil to fill the Quart Jar.
Unbleached wax paper
Make sure your goldenrod, if harvested fresh, is not wet and has had time to dry any moisture from the flowers/leaves. Add to your cleaned quart jar.
Cover the entire plant material with olive oil.
Place unbleached wax paper cut to cover top of quart jar, and then apply jar seal. This helps keep any interactions between the plant/olive oil and the metal of the jar seal.
Mark your jar with the date you made your oil, and then mark the date 4 weeks later to strain.
Strain through unbleached cheesecloth please.
Your oil is now good up to 2 years if kept in a cool, dark dry place.
By Cindi Quay/Traditional Native Herbalist & Owner of Cindi’s Sacred Garden.
That Workshop...
Join us on October 26th for our Tree Medicine Walk & Workshop in Marshall, NC, where I'll be teaching the botany and western medicine of the many tree species on this gorgeous land, and Cindi will teach us the traditional Native American medicine, along with how to harvest in a cermonial way. We'll make some tree medicine to take home for our winter first aid kits.
Register now and watch for future class we'll be co-teaching!
Tis the season . . . for spicy lattes! As the temps drop and a chill fills the air, there's nothing better than a cozy sweater, a bowl of nourishing soup and a warming beverage. Why have a pumpkin spice latte, filled with tons of sugar and who knows what in the ingredients list, when you can create your own tastier, foraged latte with a much cooler name and health-supporting ingredients practically for free?
I call the fire engine red berries of the Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), "spiceberries," mostly cuz it sounds cool. They are easy to harvest, if you can find them at exactly the right time (that bright red is important), right around the autumn equinox (now) in Appalachia. Though it can take awhile to harvest plenty, because they're small. The most important point of processing them, is to do it quickly! They have a lot of volatile oils, meaning they go rancid super fast.
It's hard to dry them enough without a dehydrator, but you could try it in an oven on the lowest setting. Dry them until they are dark red to black, feel completely dry all the way through, and you can bite through them easily. They should taste like allspice, which they were substituted for way back in the day when the spice trade was difficult. Though I'm sure native folks were aware of them much before that.
Here's my recipe for Spiceberry Spice:
Be aware that the taste of spice berries is strong. Some people are more sensitive to it than others. Start with a smaller amount first, if you wish. Also, feel free to change the amounts of any of the other spices to your personal taste.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp* powdered spicebush berries
2 tsp powdered cloves
2 tsp powdered nutmeg
2 tsp powdered cinnamon
2 tsp powdered ginger
Simply mix together and pour into a spice jar with a shaker lid.
It seems spiceberries go rancid faster once they are powdered, so I usually don't make any bigger batches than this for personal use.
I'll let ya in on the secret of how I make my lattes. Be aware, every forager I know, including myself, is a foodie!
- Make cold brew coffee (plenty of recipes on the internet). For a 12 ounce latte, I use 8 ounces of cold brewed coffee.
- Heat the coffee if you want. I love the taste of cold brew, but like it hot.
- Add a decent dash of your Spiceberry Spice to 4 ounces of warmed milk of your choice (coconut is especially yummy), realizing that you might have to try some different kinds of milks or brands because some froth easier than others.
- Add some sweetener, if desired. A teaspoon of local honey is my preference.
- Froth to your heart's content! My inexpensive workaround for this is an immersion blender (possibly my favorite kitchen tool).
- Pour the milk on top of the coffee slowly.
- Add a small sprinkle of Spiceberry Spice on top to make it fancy!
- Enjoy!
This is also an awesome spice for roasted squash or pumpkin/squash soup.
Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Spicebush shrub
Other fun things to do with spicebush:
- Trim the twigs and dry them for a tasty simmered warming tea all winter long.
- I don't like the taste of the leaves as much as the twigs, so I like to dry them and add them to a pot of water on the kitchen stove or wood stove for some natural aromatics to keep my respiratory system moisturized during the dry indoor days.
Wanna learn more about spicebush? Check out my friend and co-founder of our Sassafras Appalachian School of Plantcraft (2020 applications now being accepted, hint hint) Becky Beyer's blog all about it (on her website, Blood and Spicebush). Then, go harvest some yourself, of course making sure you have 100% positive ID, or get someone like me to show you.
Other cool tidbits about spicebush:
- It's in the same family as sassafras (Lauraceae, or Bay Laurel, like bay leaf) and their flowers look pretty identical.
- Both sassafras and spicebush are host plants for the native spicebush swallowtail butterfly. (Check it out; they're gorgeous!)
- The plants are male or female. So only the females get berries.
Happy Foraging!
Episode #5 of Wander, Forage and Wildcraft is here!
You can now check out the latest listener-supported podcast I dreamed up: wildcrafters and foragers around the world share their stories, tips and tricks to empower you on your wild path.
Give it a listen!
(You can also listen and subscribe to Wander, Forage & Wildcraft on your favorite podcast platform).
You can now check out the latest listener-supported podcast I dreamed up: wildcrafters and foragers around the world share their stories, tips and tricks to empower you on your wild path.
Give it a listen!
(You can also listen and subscribe to Wander, Forage & Wildcraft on your favorite podcast platform).
About the Episode:
It's very possible, especially if you're from Appalachia and interested in plants, that you've already met Marc Williams. He's known the world round as an expert in many things botanical. But not only that, he's a good friend and a respected teacher of mine!
It was such an honor to interview ethnobiologist, Marc Williams, at his home in Weaverville, North Carolina. Marc explained what the title ethnobiologist means to him, along with sharing his journey to becoming one. He, of course, talks about foraging, but goes deeper into some of the complexities, like how do we know what quantity of native plants are sustainable to harvest, and foraging invasive plants isn't as simple as we'd like to think sometimes.
Marc and I discussed academic education versus life education and our experiences in each. He's had some amazing teachers through his many years of education and shares about them, as well as his own tips and tricks for foraging, especially in such a biodiverse region as western North Carolina. He was kind enough to share this unique recipe for wild bean dip (aka hummus), along with some good botanical and herbal info on its ingredients.
Marc is always a wealth of information and we had so much to talk about that we couldn't fit it all in. He'll definitely be back soon! Let us know what you think of the episode and your experience with the recipe in the comments below. Thanks for listening!
Wild Bean Dip (aka Hummus) Recipe
by Marc Williams
Ingredients:
4 c Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas or other type of bean
2/3 c Oil (Olive, Sunflower, Safflower)
1/2 c Lemon Juice or 1 c loosely packed Wood Sorrel (Oxalis species)
1/3 c Tahini
1/4 c Fresh Herbs (2 Tbsp dry) i.e. Parsley, Queen Anne's Lace*, Cilantro, etc
2 Tbsp Spices such as Paprika, Cumin, Turmeric
2 Tbsp Miso
2 Cloves of garlic or similar amount of other Onion/Allium family member
Sea salt to taste
Instructions:
Puree ingredients in food processor, adding oil and water, if necessary, while the machine is running to help with blending.
*As Marc talks about in the podcast, Queen Anne's Lace is in the Carrot family, a family that has some deadly members (like Poison and Water Hemlock). Please only add it into this recipe if you have 100% positive identification! If you are uncertain about identifying it, substitute one of the other named herbs. Always forage safely! You can check out my video about Queen Anne's Lace on Instagram here.
More about Marc Williams:
Marc Williams is an ethnobiologist. He has studied the people, plant, mushroom, microbe connection intensively while learning to employ botanicals and other life forms for food, medicine, and beauty. His training includes a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies concentrating in Sustainable Agriculture with a minor in Business from Warren Wilson College and a Master’s degree in Appalachian Studies concentrating in Sustainable Development with a minor in Geography and Planning from Appalachian State University. He has spent over two decades working at a multitude of restaurants and various farms and has travelled throughout 30 countries in Central/North/South America and Europe and all 50 states of the USA. Marc has visited over 200 botanical gardens and research institutions during this process while taking tens of thousands of pictures of representative plants. He is also Executive Director of Plants and Healers International www.plantsandhealers.org and on the Board of Directors of United Plant Savers. He has taught hundreds of classes to thousands of students about the marvelous world of people and their interface with other organisms while working with over 70 organizations in the last few years and online at the website www.botanyeveryday.com Marc's greatest hope is that this effort may help improve our current challenging global ecological situation.
Thanks for being here!
If you like the stories, tips and tricks on my listener-supported podcast AND want to hear more from wildcrafters and foragers around the world, please consider making a one-time or recurring donation here.
Until next time, I'm off to find new ways to empower YOU on your wild path.
Botanical Property Surveys are one of the most fulfilling parts of my job: seeing landowners and stewards gain a whole new perspective on their land. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "Wow, I walk past that plant every day and never knew it was edible/medicinal! Knowing what they can and, just as importantly, shouldn't eat, is a true moment of enlightenment.
I always tell folks, "Make it a party! Invite your friends, family, neigbors, whoever you want." My botanical property surveys include at least two hours of a private plant walk on your land, learning what's edible, medicinal, and poisonous. Some people bring small flags to label the plants or a map of the property to help jog their memory after the walk. Then I send you a spreadsheet after the walk, including all of this information, plus notes on the edible and medicinal aspects we discuss and more. (Find out more info and schedule here.)
On the property survey pictured above, in North Carolina, the host invited his neigbors and had a barbeque afterwards. Near the end of our walk on the late summer mountainside, I started talking about hen of the woods mushroom and how delicious it is. As nature magic often happens, within minutes we were walking on an old, abandoned logging road next to a giant red oak tree when it was impossible not to notice the cluster of hen of the woods growing right in the middle of the road! They love to grow on red oaks and were growing on the roots under the road. We had a delightful lunch of barbecued mushrooms!
I always tell folks, "Make it a party! Invite your friends, family, neigbors, whoever you want." My botanical property surveys include at least two hours of a private plant walk on your land, learning what's edible, medicinal, and poisonous. Some people bring small flags to label the plants or a map of the property to help jog their memory after the walk. Then I send you a spreadsheet after the walk, including all of this information, plus notes on the edible and medicinal aspects we discuss and more. (Find out more info and schedule here.)
On the property survey pictured above, in North Carolina, the host invited his neigbors and had a barbeque afterwards. Near the end of our walk on the late summer mountainside, I started talking about hen of the woods mushroom and how delicious it is. As nature magic often happens, within minutes we were walking on an old, abandoned logging road next to a giant red oak tree when it was impossible not to notice the cluster of hen of the woods growing right in the middle of the road! They love to grow on red oaks and were growing on the roots under the road. We had a delightful lunch of barbecued mushrooms!
 Hen of the Woods mushrooms | "We recently had Abby out to our property in Marshall, NC for a spring time botanical survey and we found over 83 species in under 3 hours! Abby was extremely knowledgable and made learning about the plants fun and tasty! She also offered up a wide variety of uses as well as recipes for many of the edibles we discovered. We are already planning visits with Abby for each of the seasons to see what other treasures are just waiting to reveal themselves. If you are looking to learn more about the bounty that awaits you right outside your door and have a spirit for adventure, we highly recommend you give Abby a call, we’re sure glad we did!" Magical Mountain Farm Tracey and Peter |
"Magical Mountain is truly an appropriate name for Tracey and Peter's Farm! I was amazed at how agilely they scaled the mountainside. They wanted to find a way to live on their land full time and were thinking of creating a native nursery. They wanted to know what plants were already growing that they could propagate. They're pretty knowledgeable and already knew a lot about the plants that are there. But, there were some surprises...like this big witch hazel grove! We found some edibles they didn't know about and some rare medicinals, along with identifying some dryad's saddle mushrooms they had been wondering about. They were excited to know what they were and cook them up for dinner! I love dryad's saddle because a dryad is a tree nymph. It's so fun to imagine them riding on the mushrooms!
"Abby is amazing!!! She surpassed all my exceptions for my land survey! We can now use our property to its full potential since Abby has identified our edible and medicinal plants! She is an expert and was able to answer all of our questions thoroulghy. I would recommend this for every house hold and also makes a great fathers day gift!" - Rachel E.
Rachel and her husband got a survey for themselves and one for their parents in Kentucky, too.
On another property survey in North Carolina, for two next-door neighbors, we were in a lush, biodiverse forest by a flowing stream. The owner said she had just bought some pawpaw trees to plant and thought that area seemed like the perfect place. A feeling of nostalgia came over me as I'm originally from Ohio and have sweet memories of foraging midwestern pawpaws . I told them I'd never seen pawpaws growing wild in this region. More magic! Her neighbor looked down at a big-leaved plant and asked what it was. I racked my brain in disbelief, thinking it must be a magnolia. I rolled the leaf in my hand and sniffed, a pawpaw! There was a whole patch of them right where they wanted to plant some! Later we found lobster mushrooms and much more.
"Abby is amazing!!! She surpassed all my exceptions for my land survey! We can now use our property to its full potential since Abby has identified our edible and medicinal plants! She is an expert and was able to answer all of our questions thoroulghy. I would recommend this for every house hold and also makes a great fathers day gift!" - Rachel E.
Rachel and her husband got a survey for themselves and one for their parents in Kentucky, too.
On another property survey in North Carolina, for two next-door neighbors, we were in a lush, biodiverse forest by a flowing stream. The owner said she had just bought some pawpaw trees to plant and thought that area seemed like the perfect place. A feeling of nostalgia came over me as I'm originally from Ohio and have sweet memories of foraging midwestern pawpaws . I told them I'd never seen pawpaws growing wild in this region. More magic! Her neighbor looked down at a big-leaved plant and asked what it was. I racked my brain in disbelief, thinking it must be a magnolia. I rolled the leaf in my hand and sniffed, a pawpaw! There was a whole patch of them right where they wanted to plant some! Later we found lobster mushrooms and much more.
This lovely child wanted to learn more about plants from a real-life "sage". That was quite a title to live up to! They really enjoyed learning about how they could eat sassafras leaves directly from the tree like the animals, and it would actually help the tree to heal faster. Thanks to her teacher for recommending me! I have high hopes for her herbal future.
"Spending time with Abby is a gift. She is of-the-Earth. She helped us get to know a property that was new to us. Our survey piqed our senses and helped us to plan how we would move forward with loving on the land. So thankful for Abby bringing people and nature closer together." - Virginia R.
Ready to learn what food and medicine is growing on your land? Get all the details and schedule here.
"Spending time with Abby is a gift. She is of-the-Earth. She helped us get to know a property that was new to us. Our survey piqed our senses and helped us to plan how we would move forward with loving on the land. So thankful for Abby bringing people and nature closer together." - Virginia R.
Ready to learn what food and medicine is growing on your land? Get all the details and schedule here.
My good, old (in time, not age) friend, Doug Crouch and I catch up on the world of permaculture and his new incarnation of it, along with all things pawpaw in this episode of Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft. Doug's the owner of TreeYo Permaculture and has been managing his family's land at Treasure Lake in Petersburg, Kentucky for pawpaws and spicebush for 17 years now! He'll tell us all about what he's learned over those years about propagating and nurturing spicebush for the best yield. If you don't know what a pawpaw is (the largest native North American fruit) or want to grow some of your own, or are just curious, then this is the show for you!
Doug's Bio: Trained as both a Permaculture Designer and Fish and Wildlife Manager, Doug has extensive knowledge surrounding landscape planning and food production systems. This regenerative design and implementation work spans the globe ranging in contexts and climates, including tropical agro-forestry, Mediterranean organic gardening, and temperate suburban edible landscaping. To facilitate this work he founded TreeYo Permaculture, thus building off his other formal training in small business management. Incorporating this knowledge and experience into sustainability educational programming has now become Doug’s main focus as he continues his ecological design and holistic development primarily at Treasure Lake in Northern Kentucky and its bioregion.
If you're intrigued to learn more, join Doug and me at Planting Abundance, a day long learning adventure at Treasure Lake on May 18th.
Doug's Bio: Trained as both a Permaculture Designer and Fish and Wildlife Manager, Doug has extensive knowledge surrounding landscape planning and food production systems. This regenerative design and implementation work spans the globe ranging in contexts and climates, including tropical agro-forestry, Mediterranean organic gardening, and temperate suburban edible landscaping. To facilitate this work he founded TreeYo Permaculture, thus building off his other formal training in small business management. Incorporating this knowledge and experience into sustainability educational programming has now become Doug’s main focus as he continues his ecological design and holistic development primarily at Treasure Lake in Northern Kentucky and its bioregion.
If you're intrigued to learn more, join Doug and me at Planting Abundance, a day long learning adventure at Treasure Lake on May 18th.
The beautiful pawpaw tree with its characteristic cluster of fruit
Pawpaw fruit is always harvested by gently shaking it from the tree to guarantee it's ripe.
Doug mid-harvest, Treasure Lake, KY, 9/2018
It may look weird, but it tastes delicious!
Doug's Pawpaw Ice Cream Recipe
Paw paw pulp
Some sort of milk - dairy, almond, coconut, or hickory
Some sort of sweetener (Doug prefers maple syrup from his land)
Put the pulp in a blender and add milk a little at a time, blending in between, until it's the consistency you like (custard-like is good).
Add sweetener, also a little at a time, blending in between, to taste.
Place in ice cubes trays and freeze.
Empty trays, filling a big freezer bag. Freeze and serve when needed.
Enjoy.
Try it? Like it? Have something to add to the recipe or share about your experiences with pawpaws or thoughts on the podcast? Please leave a comment below.
+Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.
+Subscribe to the podcast on Spotifty.
+Subscribe to the podcast on Google Play Music.
Paw paw pulp
Some sort of milk - dairy, almond, coconut, or hickory
Some sort of sweetener (Doug prefers maple syrup from his land)
Put the pulp in a blender and add milk a little at a time, blending in between, until it's the consistency you like (custard-like is good).
Add sweetener, also a little at a time, blending in between, to taste.
Place in ice cubes trays and freeze.
Empty trays, filling a big freezer bag. Freeze and serve when needed.
Enjoy.
Try it? Like it? Have something to add to the recipe or share about your experiences with pawpaws or thoughts on the podcast? Please leave a comment below.
+Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.
+Subscribe to the podcast on Spotifty.
+Subscribe to the podcast on Google Play Music.
About Abby
Founder of the WANDER (Wild Artemisia Nature Discovery, Empowerment, and Reconnection) School, Botanist, Herbalist, & Professional Forager, Abby Artemisia, lives in rural Appalachian North Carolina. She learned about plants playing in the Midwestern woods of Ohio, working on organic farms, an herbal apprenticeship, a bachelor's degree in Botany from Miami University, and running her own tea business. She teaches about plant identification, native plants, and working with plants for food and medicine throughout the country. Her mission is offering nature and herbal education to create healing through connection with the natural world and each other. She is the author of The Forager's Wild Edible and Herbal Plant Cards and The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders. She is the host of the podcast Wander, Forage, and Wildcraft, founder of The WANDER School, and co-founder of The Sassafras School of Appalachian Plantcraft.
Archives
March 2020
February 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
June 2019
April 2019
February 2019
December 2018
September 2018
August 2018
June 2018
May 2018
March 2018
February 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
RSS Feed