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The WANDER School's Blog

Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft: Episode #13 - Tyson Sampson of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

11/23/2020

2 Comments

 
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I swear I didn't plan this, but the timing was serendipitously perfect! Tyson Sampson and I recently recorded this episode of the podcast, Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft, just before Thanksgiving. I have to say Thanksgiving used to be my favorite holiday. I saw it just as a day about being grateful and eating good food. Knowing what I know now, though, the greatness has tarnished. 
Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft · Wander, Forage & Wildcraft: Episode #13 - Meet Tyson Samson
I want to offer you some literal food for thought this Thanksgiving Day...
For many Indigenous people living in their tribal lands, Thanksgiving Day is a painful reminder of the forced policies of oppression resulting in multiple generations of grief and trauma. 


If you don't already know, The WANDER School recently became a 501(c)3 registered non-profit organization to help acknowledge where the knowledge we have about wild foods and wild herbs originally came from (much of it from Indigenous people) and to give back for that knowledge, ie practice reciprocity. (Find out more here.) We've been going to Qualla Indian Boundary in western North Carolina to visit some of the Cherokee tribe's citizens. We've been helping Tyson and his relatives process their herbs to provide medicine for their extended circles of family.

I feel so honored to have been able to have this discussion with my friend, Tyson. He tells us he is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians as he introduces himself and then translates from the Cherokee language into English. He tells us about the land where he was born, has returned to, and what it was like before the modern effects of colonization. 

"The history that occurred here disrupted a very long-lasting living system of life. It's really hard to comprehend . . . . It's not really anything you can imagine . . . ."

Tyson was raised by the women of his family, especially his grandma, great grandma, and their sisters. He got to listen to his elders speaking Cherokee from the time he was five. He said there was lots of laughter. But, over time, hearing the language spoken became less common. It made him think about what life might have been like and learn what happened to the Cherokee people.

"All of my life's experiences . . . {have} always pointed back to who I am as an Indigenous person."

This became even more true for Tyson in 2001 when he started to meet other "plant people" in western North Carolina. He hadn't been in the woods much since his elders passed. Then he met white people who foraged for plants because they had learned how in herb school. He realized then that, though he had always thought his people gathered wild greens simply because they needed to eat, the lessons taught by his elders were of great value. However, when he asked his new friends if they were foraging sochan (aka cutleaf coneflower [Rudbeckia laciniata], a traditional Cherokee wild green) they hadn't ever heard of it before. He wondered why this gap in knowledge existed.

"Sochan is a staple food for us . . . .  In the springtime, when we're interfacing with Cherokee people, we say, 'Have you had any sochan yet?' . . . Nobody knows that plant like we know that plant."

For Tyson Sampson, food and language are the defining pieces of Cherokee culture. 

"We have names for the plants and mushrooms and trees . . . those things know their names when they're said in Cherokee. . . . I don't come from a pow wow family. . . . What makes my family Indian is our relationship to the foods and the language."

Tyson and I share about the first meal he served me, what he calls a "Traditional Indian Dinner," and what that means to him. To give you a hint about how amazing it was, my daughter asked me if I was going to cry as I took the first bite. Then he goes into detail about Cherokee traditional corn and how it's traditionally processed, what he cans and pickles from the wild, and one of all of our favorites, ramps!

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Heirloom squash grown in the garden on Cherokee land that the tribe bought back
We talk about some new buzz words, "Traditional Ecological Knowledge" and Tyson's take on them, along with what it has been like for the Cherokee in Qualla Boundary to be in the middle of a pandemic. 

"It's just a web. . . . I think we're entering into a time where . . . on the surface we're taught to be so self-absorbed: self-reliant, independent. But really, I've had to question that and question that. . . . It keeps pointing back to this: . . . People need people, people need plants, plants need people."

If you love this podcast episode, please like, comment, and share with all your plant people. And don't forget to support the production on Patreon for as little as 5 bucks a month. You'll get the bonus interview from this podcast where Tyson teaches us about some of his favorite edible and medicinal Cherokee plants and mushrooms. This bonus episode is free to all Indigenous people. Just send Abby an email and you'll be sent the link. 

Please thank Tyson for all he generously shared with us by:
  • purchasing the recordings of the workshops he taught with his aunt, cousin, and fluent Cherokee speaker friend, Charles, from the Organic Growers School Harvest Conference in September: Cherokee Foods: Gathering and Wildcrafting, and Cultivating Traditional Crops (click here).
  • getting your own Body Butter (click here) that Tyson makes with ingredients from the Patchwork Alliance and herbs he gathers and grows (store is only open Thursday through Monday. ​
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An elk bull foraging on the edge of the Cherokee garden

Tyson's Bio:
​Tyson Sampson is a two-hearted individual whom has descended from the local indigenous matriarchy called the ᎠᏂᎩᎶᎯ (A-ni-gi-lo-hi). Their homeland is referred to as The Beautiful Painted Earth. His family is based here in their aboriginal territory most commonly known as the Great Smoky Mountains. Tyson has a background in the healing arts and communications. He has been of service to connective circles/family for 20 years. In multi-faceted contributions, he has worked on everything from documenting endangered language, holding mindful awareness presence, to sharing wild food practices and cultural sensibilities about his grandmother's people. He has contributed to efforts for residents of the Qualla Indian Boundary to have more intimate and legally protective relationships to plants/wild foods in this indigenous bio-region. Currently, Tyson is cultivating an apothecary for ethnobotanical accessibility, called Bigwitch Botanicals. He is also developing a broader collective to support traditional ecological knowledge for his fellow tribesfolk, called the Bigwitch Indian Wisdom Initiative.​

​Email Tyson here.
2 Comments

Holiday Gift Ideas from The WANDER School

10/25/2020

1 Comment

 
Whether you're decking the halls, lighting the menorah, preparing for a feast, or hibernating this time of year, keep in mind all the great gifts from The WANDER School,  a small yet mighty woman-owned and operated business that exists to inspire nature reconnection and health empowerment. 

For anyone on your list who is wild food or herb curious...we have LOTS to offer.

As you may be starting to plan your holiday gift giving, we wanted to make sure you know about all the GREAT gifts we have available for you and yours.

Read on, let us know if you have any questions, and as always...green blessings.

Abby's First Book...
​The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders:  $27 (plus shipping)

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The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders: Farmed and Foraged Herbal Remedies and Recipes is a helpful cornucopia of herbal information and recipes for building health and tending to minor ailments out on the homestead, in your cozy  apartment, on the road, and everywhere else.

When you order the book here, there's a place where you can indicate who you want the book autographed for!

This book is a special, useful, and a great addition to any herbal bookworm's bookshelf.
Buy it now for that homesteader, or wannabe homesteader, on your list!
Click here.

Abby's NEW eCookbook...
The Wild, Foraged Life: $15

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This book of time-tested recipes from wildcrafter and professional forager, botanist, and herbalist Abby Artemisia includes over 40 pages of wild foraged recipes from her famed kitchen!!!

This widely anticipated foraged e-Cookbook presented by The WANDER School is available for direct purchase and an EXPANDED version is available featuring extra exclusive content as a thank you gift for patrons who support The WANDER School on Patreon at $10/month or more...which brings us to our NEXT awesome gift idea.

Buy it now for that foodie on your list!
click here.

Just 5 bucks a month = access to EXCLUSIVE foraging and wildcrafting education from The WANDER School 

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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.

Here’s how to sign your giftee up for a membership starting at just 5 bucks a month:

Step 1: Go to the Patreon page for The WANDER School!

Step 2: Decide which membership level you want to gift. Support starts at just 5 bucks a month, and Patrons get:
  • Access to patron-only videos and blog posts
  • 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

Step 3: After you select the tier that's right for you, you'll create a Patreon account. Use your e-mail address to keep the gift a surprise, or collaborate with your giftee and sign up together!

Step 4: Give that gift! Notify your giftee of the login info (your email and password) in a secure way, and make sure they know how to access their rewards. Patreon even has has a mobile app they can use to start digging into all the good information from The WANDER School to inspire nature connection and health empowerment.

www.patreon.com/thewanderschool
Buy it now for that lifelong learner on your list!
click here.

Gift Certificates: $10 and up

Gift certificates can be used for just about anything from The WANDER School, including Botanical Property Surveys, workshops, plant walks, or herbal products. They're a great way to treat someone you love or say thanks! Just get in touch to let Abby know the details of your desired certificate and we'll get it to you!
Buy it now for that very specific person on your list!
click here.

Handmade Appalachian
Wildcrafted Products

Stock up on The WANDER School's wildcrafted Elderberry Sumac Rose Elixir to build your cold and flu armor all winter long, and definitely don't miss out on the Wild Oregano Salt that adds a touch of wild to any savory dish. Since the whole mood of 2020 is crazy, the Harmony Tincture is a must-have.

Check out all of Abby's herbal products here or browse below.

Virtual Gifts

Virtual Plant Walk

$35.00

Explore the Appalachians from your couch, and learn how to empower yourself with your own free and vital wild food and medicine!


Join botanist, herbalist and professional forager, Abby Artemisia, to meander through the abundance of wild food and medicine that can be foraged in the late summer/early fall.


Abby believes nature education is so important, especially information on wild edible and medicinal plants, to help us survive in these tough times. That's why she adapted her plant walks to a virtual format, to help you continue to thrive whether you're far away or COVID is keeping you away from group activities.


This plant walk, in the gorgeous Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, features plants that you'll find throughout much of the central and eastern US. Plants included: Sourwood, Sassafras, Witch Hazel, Black Birch, Hemlock tree, Blackberry, Ragwort, Violet, and Mountain Mint. For a special treat, the following mushrooms are included, too: a variety of Chanterelles and Leatherback Milkcaps.


Abby teaches you how to harvest the plants and mushrooms, including tips for a sustainable harvest. She tells you about making formulas like teas, tinctures, salves, syrups, and spices, for conditions including coughs, pain, viruses, skin irritation, stagnation, and more. She teaches the Family Method of Identification, giving you patterns to make it easier for you to start to recognize plants and how they're related. 


You'll get a private link to the video that you can access anytime and as often as you want but please don't share the link - as we offer SO MUCH free education already and every purchase is important to our small business.


You can even email Abby about the virtual plant walk with your thoughts and questions!

Shop

Virtual Botanical Plant Surveys

$75.00

Take advantage of this seriously special offer!


When you’re walking around outside, and you think...

dang I wish I knew more about these plants!

More plant knowledge could help me survive, if it all came to that...

Your wish is granted. 


You can now join botanist, herbalist and professional forager, Abby Artemisia,

for a private virtual botanical plant survey customized FOR YOU.


HERE'S HOW IT WORKS!



  • Buy Your Session (or Gift), choosing as many hours as you'd like. If you are buying multiple gifts, please checkout with multiple orders, so each gift recipient receives a unique order number.



  • Schedule Your Session: Book a time slot with Abby via email. You will need the order number* to schedule.



  • Prep for your session: Test the videoconferencing options agreed on at booking. If you don’t have data reception where you live, or you’d rather do it inside on your computer, just bring the plants you most want to know about (or several pictures of each one). That is very common! Just make sure you walking around outside and note the plants you want to learn about.



  • LEARN! Join the videoconference at your scheduled time to begin. During your Virtual Botanical Plant Survey, Abby will focus on a few plants to help you understand your connection to them better through some practical tips on identification as well as the benefits those plants can provide you as food and medicine.



  • Grow! Each Virtual Botanical Plant Survey lasts (1) hour. You can do a 2 or 3 hour session also, if you have lots to learn! You'd be surprised how fast an hour flies!


*Your order number becomes available on the thank you page after purchase below, and in the email you'll receive after purchase with the subject "Your downloads are ready!" You will need to note this order number to schedule.


THIS OFFERING MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

If purchasing a Virtual Botanical Plant Survey as a gift, make sure to note the order number you receive, and give THAT to the lucky recipient when you give the gift. You can just print or email out the PDF you receive after purchase to give to to the lucky recipient once you've added the order number details!



HERE'S WHAT FOLKS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT VIRTUAL BOTANICAL PLANT SURVEY WITH ABBY...


  • "I was really curious about the trees that were growing outside my window. I felt pretty lonely during quarantine, and they seemed to just keep me company. Abby helped me learn more about them." -Angela G, New York



  • "I had no idea that I could eat the weeds that I was pulling out of my garden! I just wanted to know more about them, and turns out now I have extra free food!" -Susie, Ohio
Shop

The Bountiful Bonanza of Bitters Virtual Class

$20.00

RECORDED VIRTUAL CLASS



The Bountiful Bonanza of Bitters

Making herbal formulas to support your digestion and spice up your cocktails, mocktails, and sodas.


Though bitters are trending, they are concoctions that go way back! Back in the day, folks would eat wild, bitter greens because they were the first fresh food to pop up in the spring. Coincidentally, they’d tonify the body and kickstart the liver after a winter of eating preserved foods.


Today we have so many more choices for supporting our livers and protecting us from invaders like environmental toxins and hard-to-digest fatty foods and alcohol. Once you get used to the taste, you’ll actually start to crave it!


Did you know that citrus peels, coffeee, chocolate, vanilla, and reishi are actually bitters? Just think of all the tasty and tonifying combinations you can come up with!


In this class, you'll learn more about what bitters are, their history, and how they function. Plus, the best part: get a handout with recipes you can make at home for liver and digestive love just in time for the holidays, fancy drinks for entertaining, and they make tantalizing gifts! 


Shop

Investment Gifts

Get in touch with Abby if you know someone who might like a Botanical Property Survey (starting at $250 + transportation costs) or Short-Term Private Apprenticeship ($125/hour + materials) near Asheville, NC and beyond. If sponsoring an episode of the Wander, Forage & Wildcraft podcast as a gift sounds groovy, dedicated single episode sponsorships start at $400.
1 Comment

Wanna Go on A Virtual Plant Walk?

9/24/2020

0 Comments

 
Empower yourself with your own free and vital wild food and medicine!

Abby believes nature education is so important, especially information on wild edible and medicinal plants, to help us survive in these tough times. That's why she adapted her plant walks to a virtual format, to help you continue to thrive whether you're far away or COVID is keeping you away from group activities.

This VIRTUAL plant walk, in the gorgeous Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, features plants that you'll find throughout much of the central and eastern US. Plants included: Sourwood, Sassafras, Witch Hazel, Black Birch, Hemlock tree, Blackberry, Ragwort, Violet, and Mountain Mint. For a special treat, the following mushrooms are included, too: a variety of Chanterelles and Leatherback Milkcaps.

Learn more here and register today.

Virtual Plant Walk

$35.00

Explore the Appalachians from your couch, and learn how to empower yourself with your own free and vital wild food and medicine!


Join botanist, herbalist and professional forager, Abby Artemisia, to meander through the abundance of wild food and medicine that can be foraged in the late summer/early fall.


Abby believes nature education is so important, especially information on wild edible and medicinal plants, to help us survive in these tough times. That's why she adapted her plant walks to a virtual format, to help you continue to thrive whether you're far away or COVID is keeping you away from group activities.


This plant walk, in the gorgeous Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, features plants that you'll find throughout much of the central and eastern US. Plants included: Sourwood, Sassafras, Witch Hazel, Black Birch, Hemlock tree, Blackberry, Ragwort, Violet, and Mountain Mint. For a special treat, the following mushrooms are included, too: a variety of Chanterelles and Leatherback Milkcaps.


Abby teaches you how to harvest the plants and mushrooms, including tips for a sustainable harvest. She tells you about making formulas like teas, tinctures, salves, syrups, and spices, for conditions including coughs, pain, viruses, skin irritation, stagnation, and more. She teaches the Family Method of Identification, giving you patterns to make it easier for you to start to recognize plants and how they're related. 


You'll get a private link to the video that you can access anytime and as often as you want but please don't share the link - as we offer SO MUCH free education already and every purchase is important to our small business.


You can even email Abby about the virtual plant walk with your thoughts and questions!

Yes, Take me to the Plant Walk!

Virtual Botanical Plant Surveys

$75.00

Take advantage of this seriously special offer!


When you’re walking around outside, and you think...

dang I wish I knew more about these plants!

More plant knowledge could help me survive, if it all came to that...

Your wish is granted. 


You can now join botanist, herbalist and professional forager, Abby Artemisia,

for a private virtual botanical plant survey customized FOR YOU.


HERE'S HOW IT WORKS!



  • Buy Your Session (or Gift), choosing as many hours as you'd like. If you are buying multiple gifts, please checkout with multiple orders, so each gift recipient receives a unique order number.



  • Schedule Your Session: Book a time slot with Abby via email. You will need the order number* to schedule.



  • Prep for your session: Test the videoconferencing options agreed on at booking. If you don’t have data reception where you live, or you’d rather do it inside on your computer, just bring the plants you most want to know about (or several pictures of each one). That is very common! Just make sure you walking around outside and note the plants you want to learn about.



  • LEARN! Join the videoconference at your scheduled time to begin. During your Virtual Botanical Plant Survey, Abby will focus on a few plants to help you understand your connection to them better through some practical tips on identification as well as the benefits those plants can provide you as food and medicine.



  • Grow! Each Virtual Botanical Plant Survey lasts (1) hour. You can do a 2 or 3 hour session also, if you have lots to learn! You'd be surprised how fast an hour flies!


*Your order number becomes available on the thank you page after purchase below, and in the email you'll receive after purchase with the subject "Your downloads are ready!" You will need to note this order number to schedule.


THIS OFFERING MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

If purchasing a Virtual Botanical Plant Survey as a gift, make sure to note the order number you receive, and give THAT to the lucky recipient when you give the gift. You can just print or email out the PDF you receive after purchase to give to to the lucky recipient once you've added the order number details!



HERE'S WHAT FOLKS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT VIRTUAL BOTANICAL PLANT SURVEY WITH ABBY...


  • "I was really curious about the trees that were growing outside my window. I felt pretty lonely during quarantine, and they seemed to just keep me company. Abby helped me learn more about them." -Angela G, New York



  • "I had no idea that I could eat the weeds that I was pulling out of my garden! I just wanted to know more about them, and turns out now I have extra free food!" -Susie, Ohio
Yes, Take me to the Plant Walk!

The Bountiful Bonanza of Bitters Virtual Class

$20.00

RECORDED VIRTUAL CLASS



The Bountiful Bonanza of Bitters

Making herbal formulas to support your digestion and spice up your cocktails, mocktails, and sodas.


Though bitters are trending, they are concoctions that go way back! Back in the day, folks would eat wild, bitter greens because they were the first fresh food to pop up in the spring. Coincidentally, they’d tonify the body and kickstart the liver after a winter of eating preserved foods.


Today we have so many more choices for supporting our livers and protecting us from invaders like environmental toxins and hard-to-digest fatty foods and alcohol. Once you get used to the taste, you’ll actually start to crave it!


Did you know that citrus peels, coffeee, chocolate, vanilla, and reishi are actually bitters? Just think of all the tasty and tonifying combinations you can come up with!


In this class, you'll learn more about what bitters are, their history, and how they function. Plus, the best part: get a handout with recipes you can make at home for liver and digestive love just in time for the holidays, fancy drinks for entertaining, and they make tantalizing gifts! 


Yes, Take me to the Plant Walk!
0 Comments

Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft: Episode #12 - Jennifer Galbraith & Meadowlark Farms

9/1/2020

4 Comments

 
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Jennifer Galbraith is a fantastic Herbalist and owner/operator of Meadlowlark Farms School of Folk Medicine in South Carolina. She teaches folk medicine and grows herbs to make into delicious, nourishing herbal products. 

Catch the Patreon bonus interview with Jennifer where she talks about teaching kids about plants.

We have a special BONUS for YOU!

Usually, only patrons get access to bonus footage from the Wander, Forage & Wildcraft podcast. But THIS ONE is free to EVERYONE, so don't forget to check it out! You'll even get a special coupon code for Jennifer's homeschool curriculum designed to introduce kids to herbal medicine!

Listen to the episode and get the BONUS footage at www.patreon.com/thewanderschool
Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft · Wander, Forage & Wildcraft: Episode #12 - Meet Jennifer Galbraith
In this episode Jennifer tells us all about her journey into herbalism and what folk medicine means to her. She likes to focus on teaching to help others on their paths, as there weren't people in her area teaching when she wanted to learn about herbs. We share that mission of empowerment!
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We go on to let you in on the tips and tricks we've learned along the way about how to make a living as an Herbalist. Jennifer shares about a favorite herb, black walnut, and its medicinal benefits for people and pets. I share my secrets for processing them more easily. Jennifer says (about black walnuts), "Bitter isn't bad!" And I wholeheartedly agree, which leads us into a discussion of the importance of bitters and my favorite product in Jennifer's Herbal Apothecary Store, Roasted Roots Coffee Alternative. She tells us about the awesomeness of adaptogens and shares her super nourishing recipe for Adaptogen Tea, a necessity for most of us right now.

For even more herbal goodness, Jennifer teaches about a few more wildcraftable herbs, including one most people don't know is medicinal: sweet gum balls (those spiky things that fall off the tree).

I believe that a lot of Herbalism is really going and doing it and getting your hands on the herbs and plants and finding out what they do for you."

"I love to teach children, because I think it's so important to start young in learning {while} they're outside playing in the yard . . . with different plants . . . learning that those have a purpose . . . ."

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​Jennifer's Bio:

Check out Jennifer, her online herbal curriculum, and her apothecary store, at Meadowlark Farms School of Folk Medicine. 

From a young age, Jennifer has been drawn to the world outside her window. She has loved the way that the natural world can influence a person’s mood and fresh air refreshes the lungs. It was not until she was older and started to explore the concept of homesteading and natural living, that Jennifer came to find herself in love with the idea of herbal medicine.

Jennifer spent several years as a personal injury paralegal, watching the effects of modern medicine on injured clients. The passion to learn how to better help not only those clients, but also her own family and friends, led Jennifer to the Herbal Academy of New England where she immersed herself in her studies and began to seek out classes, books and any other source of information she could find to locate a more natural answer.

Once she started to see the more natural approaches, she started offering these herbal remedies to her family as well as others through her herbal company Meadowlark Farms. It has since been a great pleasure for Jennifer to see her husband, children and friends curb the side effects of prescription drugs including helping a dear friend recover during chemotherapy.

Jennifer is passionate about gardening, wild crafting, homesteading and raising our children in a chemical free world and teaching others to do the same. Knowing that with all of the new technology and discoveries, sometimes the best solution to a problem comes in the knowledge we learned at our grandmother’s side. She invites you to join her as she digs dandelion root and smells the aroma of salves, teas and poultices warming on the fire. 

Check out Jennifer, her online herbal curriculum, and her apothecary store, at Meadowlark Farms School of Folk Medicine. 
  • Join Jennifer on Facebook
  • Join Jennifer on Instagram
  • Join Jennifer on Twitter
  • Join Jennifer on TikTok
4 Comments

Plant Learn & Chill?

8/22/2020

0 Comments

 
So you've binged TV shows, RIGHT?
And you're so sick of Netflix?

GOOD. TV is boring. Plants are AWESOME.

We've got an EMPOWERING lineup for you to "Plant Learn & Chill" at whatever level you can support The WANDER School's important work of RECONNECTING people to the WILD.


  • Catch up on all the past Book Club recordings! Starting at just 5 bucks a month, become a Patron of The WANDER School on Patreon to get all the past and future book club recordings, plus all the other bonuses only patrons get (see the awesome list below). There have been 8 so far! Each book club session lasts about 45 minutes. Yes, you read that right. You'll get 6 hours of in-depth exploration and discussion about The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders with Abby Artemisia! For just 5 bucks a month! Sign up now.
  • Catch ALL the past episodes of the Wander, Forage & Wildcraft podcast! There are 11 episodes of the podcast MADE to empower you on your wild path. Each episode is SO good. Did we mention that access to this listener-supported resource is 100% FREE thanks to our patrons? We are  currently seeking 3 additional patrons at the "PODCASTING" level ($30/month) to support The WANDER School on Patreon to fund the upcoming season of post-production.

Ok? Ready to COVID-responsibly Plant Learn and Chill? Forward this post to your favorite friend(s) in a fun and flirty way, and start the most empowering binge EVER!

p.s. Now is a great time to
order your copy of The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders (if you don't have one yet). And hey, if you get your friend a copy too, this helps Abby AND the postal service. Order now.

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0 Comments

Rescheduling Our First In-Person Plant Walk Since Quarantine...

8/9/2020

0 Comments

 

Lately I hear myself saying and thinking two things daily, “It’s a difficult time to be alive,” and “Now more than ever.” I believe these both deeply in my soul. 

Over the last few months, every single event I was supposed to teach at through the end of the year has been canceled. That being about 90-95% of my income, has been a crushing financial hardship. And at the same time, I’ve been asked, by students and potential students, when I will start teaching. There is hunger for this knowledge as we need it, “now more than ever” to not only survive, but try to thrive through this uncertain and often scary time.

Sweet friends who wanted to support the important work of providing opportunities for people to learn more about the wild edible and medicinal plants growing in abundance around us, volunteered their new home, a 112 acre farm in Burnsville, NC. So I scheduled a walk and got excited to see you again and teach.


In-Person Plant Walk Rescheduled from 8/15 -> 9/12
Why the reschedule?
Well, a week before the event, I have discovered that I was possibly exposed to COVID 19. I have debated with myself the best way to approach the walk. I thought maybe if I got tested and the test came up negative, that would be enough. But the research on the accuracy of the testing is inconclusive and quarantining is still recommended for at least a week and a half. So even though I will get tested next week and I’m asymptomatic, I’m choosing to postpone this walk. 


As someone who teaches about natural health care, I feel it would irresponsible of me to do anything less. Plus, “now more than ever” I think we need to have as much compassion as we can muster. And if we can’t muster up compassion for each other’s wellness, safety, and getting our own needs met, then how can we continue to grow? 

One of my team members and I have been discussing the deeper meaning of the acronym WANDER in The WANDER School. The WAND part (Wild Artemisia Nature Discovery) is like a wand to help us magically create the ER, empowerment and reconnection, like an ER for good health to prevent emergencies. I want so badly to help you empower yourself with your own health, and by not offering this walk, I’m trying to do that, but also offering virtual options (on the website [that will continue to expand], discovering the  plants around your home and apprenticeships, and ongoing botanical education on Patreon). We have to be creative with our own wands, inventing new ways to reconnect, with each other virtually and in small groups, and in nature every moment we can. 

It’s a difficult time to be alive, but now more than ever, we have to band together to support and empower each other. What can I do to help empower you? How could you use more compassion right now? Let me know. Wishing you health, body, mind, and spirit. 

Green Blessings,
Abby Artemisia of The WANDER School

p.s. Here's a FREE spring botany walk I made for y'all!

0 Comments

Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft: Episode #11 - The Crazy Botanist: Derek Haynes

7/28/2020

1 Comment

 
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Derek is an ethnobotanist and he explains to us, in the eloquent way he speaks, what that means. He calls himself, "The Crazy Botanist" and you can find him at @thechocolatebotanist on Instagram where he posts a plethora of videos. My favorites are when he shows us the massive number of plants in his apartment and on his patio.

Listen now!
Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft · Wander, Forage & Wildcraft: Episode #11 - Meet Derek Haynes, The Crazy Botanist
(Check out the bonus interview we did on Patreon of Derek showing us his plants and talking about how to have your own Urban Victory Garden.) I found out about #blackbotanistsweek from him. Check out the hashtag on Instagram for lots of amazing posts from Black plant people.

When I asked Derek Haynes if he would expand on what I'd heard him say in one of his many knowledge-packed videos that he generously gives to the public on Instagram, he described the subject as "The plants' impact on Black people, and Black people's impact on the plants." Beyond hearing about that, I also asked him to speak because, we need to remember where the knowledge we've learned about plants comes from (often Indigenous people and slaves or slave descendants), and give back in gratitude.
We can do that by amplifying those voices and literally giving what we can. So, today I want to amplify Derek. I'm sure you'll be glad I did, after you hear what he has to say.

"If we put education out there in the world for all to get, then we all can grow and cultivate better connections . . . "
-Derek Haynes


From the relationship of plants with people in Africa before the American slave trade, to cotton, to the Gullah people in the southeastern US, rice, peanuts, and beyond, there's so much so many of us don't know or don't think about when it comes to the plants in our daily lives and how they got here and flourished. As Derek says, ". . . without the shipping of slaves, eleven and a half million bodies displaced from Africa and spread out like dice, we wouldn't have any of the American wealth or the generational wealth that some white people feed off of today." He talks about the vine threading through history that links the labor of Black people to the wealth of white people today. I invite you to listen, really listen, and think about how this affects your life today and how you can give back.

Derek tells us that George Washington Carver wasn't just the "Peanut Man," he was a proponent of Victory Gardens, crop rotation (which led to the peanut's fame), cooperative extensions, and organic gardening.

"I feel tasked with informing the world that, for Black culture, we have to be grateful that there was a slave who found a way to pollinate a vanilla bean . . . because you wouldn't have any vanillla-flavored anything if it wasn't for him: a twelve year-old slave figuring it out. You wouldn't have a lot of these grains and plant items that you enjoy if it wasn't for slaves, women braiding these seeds in their hair, because how else did the seeds make it over here from Africa? . . . We have to experience that. We have to be grateful for that." - Derek Haynes


"That's a big thing: to give back. . . . There has been . . . a history that has existed where Black ideals will be had . . . knowledge will be utilized, and Black hands will be left empty." You can give back by supporting Derek and donating to Haynes90 on Venmo and $Haynes90 on Cashapp and reposting his and other Black voices on Instagram and checking out and sharing the posts tagged #blackbotanistsweek


Derek also talked about one of his favorite things to do with plants: make fermented sodas. He gives us the down low on how to make them and his favorite plants to make soda from, including why he loves ginger so much. Then, he graciously shared his recipe for (non-alcoholic) ginger beer.

Derek Haynes's recipe for Ginger Beer

Making the ginger bug

Ingredients:

ginger
water
sugar

Instructions:

Shred or chop up ginger. Mix equal parts ginger and sugar into mason jar. Add enough water for the solids to float, and to dissolve the sugar.

Cover with cheesecloth or some breathable fabric.

Stir daily, adding a tablespoon of sugar. Ready when bubbly.

Making the ginger beer

Ingredients:

1-2 pounds of ginger
2 cups of sugar
1 gallon of water
1 lemon (juice and zest)
1/4 cup of ginger bug

In a pot, add shredded or chopped ginger, and 1 gallon of water.
Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Add lemon zest and juice.

You can refrigerate overnight or allow to cool to room temperature. Strain solution and add 1/4 cup of ginger bug.

Place in a warm dark area in a lidded container (mason jar, beer bottles, etc.)

NOTE: Check daily on the soda, opening containers daily to release built up pressure.

Soda is ready when bubbly.

If any foul smells arise, discard soda and retry.

Derek's Bio:

A graduate of North Carolina State University, Derek Haynes’s passion for Botany is readily seen by anyone who meets him. The Crazy Botanist, as he is known, found an allure for plants at a young age. The New Bern native utilizes his creativity, and background, to present botanical tenets on Instagram and Facebook. Haynes believes that plants can help foster community, and communication.

Haynes gives back to his community volunteering with local community gardens, and creating and maintaining relationships, especially within the community of Black plant enthusiasts.

Again, if you appreciate Derek and the knowledge he shared, please support him by sharing his posts on Instagram, and donating to his work at Haynes90 on Venmo and $Haynes90 on Cashapp.
Become a Patron!
or make a one-time donation via PayPal.


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Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft: Episode #10 - QTPOC Talks & Meet the Crew of SV Tulsi

6/9/2020

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Wow, y'all, the world has completely turned on its head! First coronavirus and now #BlackLivesMatter protests the world over. I hope you are safe and healthy and my biggest hope is that we come out of this better and more compassionate than before, more in touch with nature and love, and what really matters when it truly comes down to it. 

I'm so glad I waited to post this episode because it's so perfectly timely for what's going on in the wide world right now. This episode of the Wander, Forage, and Wildcraft podcast was conducted in a new and creative way. Back in early March, I interviewed the serendipitous crew of SV (Sailing Vessel) Tulsi, discussing many things BIPOC. Haven't heard the acronym "BIPOC" before? It stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. This interview focuses on my new friend, Owl, his podcast, QTPOC Talks,  and why he felt the need to start the podcast. 

Since this podcast was recorded, Owl and his partner, Brian, have lost their housing and been forced to move. Please help them by donating to their gofundme fundraiser to help them relocate.
Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft · Wander, Forage & Wildcraft: Episode #10 - Meet QTPOC Talks and the Crew of the SV Tulsi

​On this beautiful almost spring evening, SV Tulsi was anchored in Boot Key Harbor in Marathon, Florida. The hosts/captains of the boat are Erica Klopf and Greg Wilkerson.
Erica is doing fantastic work as a permaculturist focusing on spreading edible plants throughout Florida. Greg is moving from being a western medical nurse toward a more herb inclusive practice. 

Owl Rare, besides hosting the QTPOC Talks (QTPOC is an acronym for Queer and Trans People of Color) podcast, is an Herbalist, making herbal skin products that are especially suited for the needs of Black skin. They are also a yoga teacher, artist, and figure model. They and their partner, Bryan Oliver Green, are from Philadelphia. Bryan is a writer, filmmaker, and teaching artist. He tells about the organization that he has taught for, Scribe Video Center. Bryan says Scribe puts media in the hands of marginalized  and disenfranchised people who often don't have access to things like filmmaking. It also teaches them to tell their stories, something so important right now.

Melissa Honeybee has worked with indigenous people in herbalism in Hawaii and beyond and wants to support the plants and unity of all people. And then there's me. I want to be a better ally to all people. As my dear friend and co-teacher/co-founder of the Sassafras School of Appalachian Plantcraft, Becky Beyer, says: much of the knowledge we have about plants and their benefits originally came from indigenous people, slaves, and other marginalized folx. In exchange, for that knowledge, we can give gratitude by asking ourselves how we can be of service to their descendants. I love this! I'm currently getting ready to ship some herbs and herbal medicines to native elders in North Dakota and others on the front lines of the protests, along with trying to expose the work of BIPOC people to a larger audience. (Wanna help? Email me for more info.)

Owl started QTPOC Talks to "bridge the gap between media and artists." They say the algorithms are set to disadvantage a certain type of person. You don't see too many Queer/Trans People of Color glorified for what they're doing. Then they said that "anything that's easy isn't worth doing." And I totally agree. It's time to do the hard work, to stand up against racism and prejudice, and as Owl says, know when to use our voices and when to be quiet to give marginalized voices room to talk and be heard. 

"Being compassionate and understanding when another
human being is sharing their energy with me,
having an open heart and open mind,
is really what's needed." - Owl


There is so much more to say here and so much more to the interview, including the struggles of attaining education as a Person of Color, skincare for Black folx, and food as medicine. I don't want to go on, I want you to listen, really listen, to what is said and think about how you can go forth to create a better, more compassionate world.

Please donate to Owl and Bryan's relocation fund. 


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Click the pic to easily donate to their gofundme

​If you'd like to support this podcast, which I provide free of charge to help make the world a better, healthier place, please join the Foraged Family on Patreon. As a reward, you'll get my educational video of Erica Klopf showing and talking about prickly pear cactus, along with how to forage and cook it. 

To connect more with Owl and see all the amazing work they're doing, check out:
OwlRare on Instagram
Adventures with Owl website

QTPOC Talks

Check out the super cool project of SV Tulsi and their floating concerts on YouTube. 

I also want to be an ally by giving more exposure to People of Color's voices, so am including just a tiny bit of the huge amount of BIPOC resources and knowledge that's out there. Please include your faves in the comments, so we can all continue to learn. 

Knowledge from BIPOC folks:

The BIPOC Project -  "People of color have always understood the need for our own spaces without white people present, for our own safety and healing. The BIPOC Project expands on this fundamental understanding and seeks to directly address the gaps in building authentic and sustainable solidarity."

​Anti-racism for Beginners - "Diving into the world of anti-racism for the first time can be confronting. It may feel challenging to understand your place and where to begin with educating yourself. Luckily, there are endless resources online to help you learn about anti-racism work, dismantle the unconscious biases that exist within yourself, and take action to create a more just society." 

The Creative Root -  "Offering affordable online classes, one-on-one wellness consultations, and seasonal small-batch herbal products. We are a community-based & Black woman owned/operated company."

Botany Everyday - A by donation ongoing online botany course offered by my dear friend and incredibly talented ethnobotanist/biologist, Marc Williams. He also runs the nonprofit Plants and Healers International. 

@countrygentlemancooks - Offering botanical education and insights into what it's currently like to be a Black botanist (on Instagram)

On Being (NPR Radio Show) Notice the Rage, Notice the Silence - In this episode, Krista Tippett interviews Resmaa Menakem, author of My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies about the book and his work with intergenerational trauma, how it shows up in the body, and how we can heal it.

On Being Tending Joy and Practicing Delight - Krista interviewed writer Ross Gay. "The ephemeral nature of our being allows him to find delight in all sorts of places (especially his community garden). To be with Gay is to train your gaze to see the wonderful alongside the terrible; to attend to and meditate on what you love, even in the midst of difficult realities and as part of working for justice."


@iamtabithabrown - Fantastically witty, Tabitha Brown, shares her healthy recipes, moments with her family, and features products from Black-owned businesses. She is hilarious and has helped lift my spirits during these dark times. 

@sheinatacarnhall - Offers knowledge on Crystal Medicine Healing and Crystal Tarot Readings on Instagram

Farming While Black - Spotlighting the work of Leah Penniman, "educator, farmer/peyizan, author, and food justice activist from Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, NY. She co-founded Soul Fire Farm in 2011 with the mission to end racism in the food system and reclaim our ancestral connection to land." Check out the great webinar she presented for the American Herbalists Guild on The Plants of Black Freedom.

@inheritblooms - "Herbalist. Daughter of the dust & diaspora. I show you how to take charge of your health w/ plants, ritual & reverence, so you can live life on purpose." Also delicious recipes with herbs and foraged foods (on Instagram). 
​
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Wander, Forage, and Wildcraft: Podcast Episode #9 - Meet Audra Locicero

4/15/2020

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Disclaimer: Audra and I are both Herbalists, not doctors. As such, we are and will not prescribe, diagnose, treat, cure, or make claims about any herb or product. This podcast and article are not about any specific virus, they focus on our experience with herbs, especially in association with viruses, and what we've seen work in past experiences with ourselves and others.
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Audra starts off this episode of Wander, Forage & Wildcraft (the podcast for sharing stories, tips and tricks from foragers and wildcrafters around the world to empower you on your wild path) telling us about her healer's journey.

She came to herbalism as many of us do, by going through a healing crisis. She's grateful for her journey with Lyme because it's made her the Herbalist she is today and able to help others. As the founder of Beautyberry Apothecary, Audra is a big believer in bioregionalism.


My favorite product of hers is 
Florida Sunshine, a delicious, immune-supporting bioregional tincture. She ethically wildcrafts the herbs in her herbal remedies. She tells us about the plant that her namesake business was inspired by, the beautiful beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) and its herbal magic. 

Audra also talks about what it's like when your passion becomes your business and when it doesn't turn out the way you think it will. We talk for awhile about how important herbalism is right now, how it's like a puzzle, and what the definition of an herbalist is today.

Listen Now

Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft · Wander, Forage & Wildcraft: Episode #9 - Meet Audra Locicero
Audra and I go deeper into her fabulous article, Community Herbalism for Trying Times: Herbs for Respiratory Health. We discuss how prevention really is the best medicine, how it's the simple things that we often forget, like, "focusing on what's nourishing us." I love that we mentioned how important it is to remember about how this is affecting our nervous systems and giving ourselves permission to rest and not be productive. Please allow yourselves the space to do that, and know that I'm sending huge hugs to my virtual foraged family. Give yourself the gift of nervines, as we talk and Audra writes about. Audra's  floral nervine tea that she describes (so we can make our own) made me swoon!

Also included are Audra's favorite lung/respiratory herbs, recovery tips, resources for where to buy herbs, and an incredibly helpful summary of all the tips at the end. And I super apologize for saying "awesome" so much : )

If you want to catch the bonus interview I did with Audra all about demulcent herbs: what they are, why we need them, and some of her favorites; join our wild community at Patreon, support the podcast production, and get so much ongoing botanical education.

Become a Patron!

Now for two of Audra's favorite herbs as food tonic recipes:


Papa’s Chicken Soup and Herbal Bone Broth
Homemade chicken soup is my go-to food when I need deep nourishment, especially if I’m dealing with an acute respiratory infection. I also love it for times when I’m feeling generally run-down, stressed, or when my digestion is feeling a little weak. It’s just good preventative food-as-medicine! When I was growing up, if any family member came down with a cold or flu, my dad would make the whole house a big pot of chicken soup, hence this recipe’s name (and my nostalgic love for it!). I’ve since adapted my dad’s recipe to my own needs, adding herbs and mushrooms into the mix. I spent many years making this recipe regularly as a part of a healing protocol to restore my gut health and still find comfort in it seasonally. May it nourish you in these difficult times!
(This is a true folk recipe, one I’ve never written down before! It’s a two-part process that yields both a large pot of herbal chicken soup and a large pot of herbal bone broth. Use your largest stock pot and adjust the amount of water you use accordingly.) 
 
Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
2-3 onions, chopped
1 head of garlic, chopped
6-10 large carrots, sliced
1 head of celery, sliced
A splash of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons butter or cooking oil of choice
Black pepper and salt to taste
Filtered water, enough to fill your pot
 
Herbs and mushrooms (use what you have access to, but my favorites include) :

2-4 dried reishi slices
4-6 dried astragalus slices
6-8 dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms
A small handful of dried burdock root
A small handful of dried nettle 
A large pinch of calendula flowers
A large pinch of dried seaweed like dulse
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Any fresh kitchen herbs I have growing in my garden, chopped; I usually use a rotating cast of: parsley, cilantro, rosemary, oregano, cuban oregano (Plectranthus amboinicus), sage, thyme, dill, fennel leaves, spanish needle (Bidens alba)

Instructions
 Chicken soup:
  1. Place the chicken in your pot and cover with water.
  2. Add all your herbs and mushrooms, except the fresh kitchen herbs (we’ll add those in later); add a splash of apple cider vinegar here, too. 
  3. Cover and bring to a boil. 
  4. Once boiling, turn down to a low heat and allow to simmer until the meat is fully cooked, usually about 45 minutes - 1 hour but use your best judgement. (Alternatively, you could use a pressure cooker, which cooks the chicken while making an incredibly delicious stock in a very short amount of time. I love this method!).  
  5. Remove the chicken and allow it to sit until it’s cool enough to pull the meat from the bones. Once cooled, separate the meat and set it aside, and reserve the bones and cartilage, as well as the water which has become a rich chicken stock.
  6. Meanwhile, while the chicken is cooling, begin to cook the base of your soup. In a separate large pot, add butter, 2 chopped onions, and half a head of chopped garlic, and simmer until the onions become translucent. 
  7. Add the turmeric powder, celery, and carrots, and saute until the carrots are about halfway cooked/soft. 
  8. Ladle the chicken stock into the second pot over the veggies, filling it ¾ of the way. You’ll want to reserve all the herbs and mushrooms from the stock to add to the bone broth in part 2, so feel free to strain the stock through a sieve if necessary. 
  9. Add the cooked chicken meat and the chopped kitchen herbs. Allow the whole pot to simmer until the carrots and celery are fully cooked. 
  10. Add salt to taste, and black pepper as desired. 
 
Bone broth:
  1. In the original pot, add the chicken bones to the stock (if any of the stock remains). Add more water if necessary to fill the pot. If you strained the herbs and mushrooms out, add them back into the stock. Consider adding another chopped onion or half a head of peeled garlic at this point for more nutrition. 
  2. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar to help pull the nutrients out of the bones. 
  3. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer, covered (with the lid cracked) for up to 24 hours. (Alternatively, you could simmer the broth in a slow cooker for 24 hours, which would be very low maintenance, or make it in a pressure cooker, cooking it for about 3 hours on high pressure).
  4. Strain and store! Drink a cup, warmed, daily or add to recipes. Will keep in the fridge about a week, or much longer in the freezer (Pro-tip: if you intend to freeze the broth in glass jars, only fill them about ¾ of the way to prevent the glass from cracking; consider freezing in ice cube trays.)

Audra's Bio:
Audra Locicero is a community herbalist and medicine maker, and the proprietor of Beautyberry Apothecary, a seasonal, small-batch herbal products business based out of sunny Sarasota, Florida. Her passion for the natural world, her love of gardening, and her own personal healing crisis led her to pursue herbalism as a hobby and later a career. The focus of her herbal practice is two-fold: to provide information to her community about the ways gentle herbs, nourishing foods, and a balanced lifestyle can support overall wellness; and to create vibrant place-based remedies that highlight the unique plants that thrive in Florida’s many bioregions. Through this work, she aims to spark interest in earth-based medicine and empower individuals to take charge of their health; to make community-based herbal medicine affordable and accessible to all who seek it; and to foster a greater sense of connection, understanding, and care for the non-human world. Her herbal knowledge stems from years of self-study and self-healing, as well as her completion of a three-tier community herbalist training course from the Florida School of Holistic Living. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies from New College of Florida, has worked on farms and in plant shops, and has attended out-of-hospital births as a midwife’s assistant. Alongside her work as a community herbalist, she is currently pursuing a career in conservation and hopes that whatever form her work in the world takes, it is always forwarding her goal to protect and preserve the Earth’s greatest gifts. Her role as an herbalist is ever-evolving, and she’s excited to see where it will lead her next!

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Audra in her element with elderberry shrub
​If you like the podcast, please like, subscribe, comment and share!
Wander, Forage, & Wildcraft · Wander, Forage & Wildcraft: Episode #9 - Meet Audra Locicero

If you're able, support Wander, Forage & Wildcraft financially by becoming a patron starting at just 5 bucks a month or make a one-time donation, so I can keep this education free.

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or make a one-time donation via PayPal.


Please comment with your thoughts, how you're coping right now and the herbs that are helping you make it through, and share this with everyone who needs it (ie everyone).
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Viral Perspectives in a Pandemic

3/22/2020

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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 coronavirus/COVID-19 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.
3. As an Herbalist (ie a health practitioner that of an unlicensed branch in the US), I cannot make any claims, prescribe, treat, cure, or diagnose. Just by writing this article, I'm putting myself at risk. You might want to print it out, in case I have to take it down. 


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. 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:

  • Create community
    • Have more quality time, one-on-one, with friends and neighbors. This accomplishes two things: keep up our emotional health and allow us to take care of each other, the true meaning of the word “community”.
  • More real quality time with family
  • Rest and rejuvenation from the daily grind, including time outside (of course), in turn boosting our immunity
  • Time for projects at home
  • Space to learn things we’ve been wanting to
  • Get that garden started! Having your hands in the dirt boosts mental health and immunity
  • Think of and brainstorm how we can be better prepared in the future (i.e. expanded herbal first aid kit, extra food, clean water, support networks, etc)

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. Chek out my brand new foraged e-cookbook, The Wild Foraged Life (included for Patrons on Patreon at the $10/month level and above), and my upcoming 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.)

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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 (pre-pandemic)
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. 

  • Keep connections with people 
    • Hug your family and your pets 
    • Check on your neighbors, especially the elders and sick, to see if they need any groceries, medicine, etc; 
    • Connect through media (Zoom is a wonderful free app for video chatting, or Skype, FaceTime, Facebook Messenger).
  • Go outside! The fresh air, sunshine, and spring blossoms will do you good. And that sunshine has the amazing power of Vitamin D in it. Expose your skin and soak it in. 
  • Vitamin C and other antioxidants, like colorful fruits (berries of any kind are great) and vegetables
  • Eating healthy: lots of those vegetables, and little sugar, which can take your immunity down drastically
  • Big time hydration! Lots of clean water, plus tea and no sugar added juices (if you like)
  • Plenty of sleep! Sleep supports our body’s natural healing mechanisms
  • Take any measures you can to reduce your stress levels, including, but not limited to:
    • Deep breathing
    • Meditation
    • Hikes
    • Dog Cuddles
    • Kid/Play time
    • Limited exposure to media
  • Herbal steams with any of the antimicrobial pizza herbs (thyme, oregano, basil, etc) and salt, add essential oils if you want. You can steam your house (thanks to Leslie Williams for this reminder), by refilling the water in the pot, leaving it uncovered at a simmer on the stove or in the crock pot. Do this same steam with your head over the pot (after you take it off the stove) and a towel over you and the pot, if you’re starting to feel congested or sick.
  • Salt gargles 1-2 times/day or frequent use of a neti pot, especially after going out in public.
  • Washing hands frequently, of course. I avoid antibacterial soap because of the chemicals and their potential side effects.
  • Antiviral herbs, check the resources below, and be extra careful if you have autoimmune issues.
  • Medicinal mushrooms, like reishi. Once I get settled in my new home, I’ll have some of my wildcrafted tincture available for you. 
  • Fire cider, a traditional herbal remedy with traditionally immune supporting herbs (I’ll have some more of this soon, too)
  • Cleaning surfaces with and diffusing essential oils, or making your own cleaner with thieves mixes and other antimicrobial herbs, like white vinegar, thyme, and pine. *Please be especially careful with essential oils around children and animals, they are very sensitive to them. I recently heard a story of a dog that almost died just from being in a room where tea tree oil was being diffused.*
  • Add nervine (or extra nervine) herbs to your daily routine. All of us are probably feeling pretty frazzled right now from the fear of the virus (a lot of this is fostered by the media, so try to take breaks as much as possible), the financial implications, and the effects on resources and infrastructure. All of us, and especially those of us that are more sensitive to energy, are absorbing the collective fear and stress that surrounds us. A stressed nervous system can lead to a breakdown in immunity faster than just about anything else. Here’s a few nervines I recommend:
    • Chamomile: a gentle yet powerful tonic, sedative (that won’t put you to sleep, though could be helpful with insomnia), anti-inflammatory, digestive tonic, anti-anxiety, antimicrobial
    • Skullcap: I love the way I’ve heard its action described as a cap that is put on the skull to stop circular thinking, this is great for insomnia/anxiety when you can’t stop thinking. I’ve had good luck with it for pain and pain that causes sleeplessness.
    • Passionflower: stress, calming, anxiety, insomnia
    • Lemon balm: another gentle yet powerful soother, loved by children, mood supportive, antiviral (I combine this with chamomile as a bedtime tea)
  • A few herbs for mood support to help with feelings of isolation, sadness, and grief: mimosa, St. John’s wort (avoid if on certain medications), hawthorn, lemon balm (watch for my Harmony blend with all of these soon)
  • Music and sound therapy
    • This could include playing music, listening to something that makes you happy and/or calm, and healing sounds. One of my favorites is my friend Max Raphael’s magical True Resonance. He’s putting together some healing music to be played during this trying time. Check out his social media, too. 
  • Light therapy
    • Sunshine again
    • Warm tones of light that simulate natural light
    • I just found out about this cool NC light therapy company, Inner Light Journeys
  • Water Therapy
    • Baths with relaxing and/or antiviral herbs, like chamomile, ginger, salt, thyme
    • Time at the ocean, if you’re so lucky, waterfalls, rivers, creeks, rain/thunderstorms. This can be calming, and some say the resulting negative ions are good for our health. ​ ​
PictureThe 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. We're all feeling so much and it's important to let ourselves feel it, honor it, and make space for tons of rest. 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. 
​
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    About Abby

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    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

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