Wildcraft Herb

Feels like I’m under the spell of a St. John’s Wort forest…

25 pounds later…

27 pounds later…

5th grade botany

The Dandelion makes the only flower representing three celestial bodies during different phases of its life cycle – sun, moon, stars. The yellow flower of the plant resembles the sun, the dispersing seeds of the plant resemble stars, and the puff ball of dandelion plant resembles the moon.


Every part is useful – roots, leaves, flower. Its uses include dye for coloring, food, and medicine.


Dandelion seeds can be carried away to up to 5 miles from their place of origin.

They’re also called pioneer plants or ruderals because they are the first plants to grow on land that has been disturbed (like land after a wildfire

They are important for the insects

Ryan Drum is going home.
Before he leaves, while he can still hear me, I want to tell him: No herbalist has impacted me more deeply and profoundly than Ryan Drum.
His single drop crystallized so much in me. (Chemists will understand. If you don't, ask one about saturated solutions.)

Decades ago, at Breitenbush Hot Springs, my love relationship with Ryan began. Not a day has passed since that I have not felt his love for me and mine for him.

I visited him and Waldron briefly. He fed me duckling. We harvested seaw**d. I slept in the drying shed. We swapped stories when we had the breath. (Lugging buckets of wet seaw**d uphill took my breath away.) Ryan and I intersected, shared, loved, and lived with green attitudes we thought we were "alone" in.

Because of Ryan, I dared to be a Simpler. It's not just me saying "one at a time," Ryan hears the same message.
Because of Ryan, I dared to speak in "plant." His attunement to nature was so finely wrought, so subtle, so vigorous that it convinced me I was hearing the plants.
Because of Ryan, I dared to demand respect for myself, for women, the plants. His unflinching, unconditional respect for woman/nature/earth made me bolder.
Because of Ryan, I know I am held in a chain of green consciousness without beginning or end.

I hereby declare Ryan Drum to be the patron saint of the Red Clover Conference.
No one loves her more than Ryan. Being cut off from her by the Nature Conservancy seemed to me to be one of the great loses of his life. And I believe he was drawn to Waldron because of her.

Let’s honor Ryan's special relationship with red clover by writing down — or making a video of — anything you remember Ryan saying, sharing, teaching about red clover.

I would that we had Ryan and red clover in his own words, first hand, but I'm not too proud to accept second hand. Your hand. Your recollections of Ryan sharing his love of red clover. I accept them.

Search your memory banks. Mine your dream caches. Find your old class notes.
Let’s hear Ryan in our own words if we can’t have his.

Your words and short videos will be shown at the Red Clover Conference and create a loving red clover heart for Ryan's ease, to pillow his head as he becomes everything, as he becomes green blessings. I love you Ryan.

Susun W**d
December 2023

By far my all time favorite. My grandfather emigrated from Germany in the early 1930’s and learned to love these best. My mother made sure he had a 1/2 bushel # every Christmas from Delicious Orchards. It wasn’t long before I,I too found this the most perfect eating apple…and yes, there is a very Big difference in a cooking apple.
Long story short. Barter pays bigger and better. Thankyou Mazi magic and Montgomery farm.

Kula Farm Fire Cider Workshop.
Saturday November 11 at 11…
Sign up on their site. Bring your own jar.
Once again, bringing medicine from the earth to your healing hands.

As I turned back time last night I thought about how I could’ve done more to share my gardens and wisdom this past spring and summer…Now as we move into the season of quiet reflection amidst the dark nights, along the way still moving faster for a rush of holiday competitive perfection…(exhaustion) I thought I’d like to offer a workshop gathering on Bitters. Not too complicated, but enough depth to give you a little more than just the basics.
Looking for those deeply interested in plant medicine who are currently taking an online herb course first and foremost. Limit 12. Cost 15$ (covers my materials)
Tuesday November 28th. 5:30 pm.

Unfortunately I have to cancel tonight’s herb walk. Think I spread myself too thin in the gardens during the heat wave…one would think I would know better at this point in my life. Always learning the hard way…
For me a simple virus seems to always turn to a bacterial infection, despite myself and my herbal protocols.
We can try for next week if you’re all still up for Augusts’ sacred stories.
Extremely sorry to disappoint. Tonight will be a beauty to take in the moon by the sea and the stars…

‘Bout time!

and this is what I know…

Since I was very young, the Earth has been one of my greatest teachers. A place that I return to again and again to soothe my heart and spirit. It is a great gift to live so close to Nature in our mountain forest. I love the words below, said to be a Ute prayer. Each sentence...more beautiful than the last. Wishing you a blessed day.

Earth teach me quiet ~ as the grasses are still with new light.
Earth teach me suffering ~ as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility ~ as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring ~ as mothers nurture their young.
Earth teach me courage ~ as the tree that stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation ~ as the ant that crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom ~ as the eagle that soars in the sky.
Earth teach me acceptance ~ as the leaves that die each fall.
Earth teach me renewal ~ as the seed that rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself ~ as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness ~ as dry fields weep with rain.

It’s a good day when winter woodland foraging turns itself into a heart warming elixir…

“Here’s to the fallen, the broken and the shattered.
To the warriors who know that to be cracked is to let the light in deeper.
Who know that the best fruit is on the very tip of the branch and the brightest jewels are hidden within the roughest of surfaces.

Here’s to the ones intoxicated by the burning of the winds of change in their lungs and who live in the lands that others fear to tread.

Here’s to the ones who raise their voices to the heavens even though they don’t always know the words.

Here’s to the rare beings who walk the road less travelled, taking the adventure that rises on this path with purpose and passion.

Here’s to the rebels, the heartsick originals, and the bittersweet loneliness that fuels their spirit.
To the ones who won’t conform, back down or step aside. To the ones who were not born to fit in but to gloriously stand out. To those who are here to be midwives of the genuine.

Here’s to the awakened ones whose purpose is to feed their soul and not starve it. Whose mantra is the drumbeat of their own heart

Here’s to the magical, the mystical and the misunderstood.
To the wise ones who move between the shadows and the light.
To those who read the compass written on the walls of their hearts and follow the North Star etched upon their spirit.

Here’s to the brightly coloured patchwork of divine visionaries that won’t stand down, play small or sit out. To the stargazers, the storm-chasers and the Old Souls that walk this Earth.

Here’s to the wild ones. Here’s to you.”

~Ara Campbell

🌀Nicole
Sacred Wild Woman Medicine

Humbled and honored to be the first in Monmouth County to display this in recognition of not only the dedicated work of United Plant Savers, but the fruits of my labor, the land beneath my feet and the support of all of you who grace this path.
Don’t let me be the last. Tend your land.
Grow your own medicine. Pollinate and protect the wildlife. Teach a child.
And always know the land remembers.

…and yet there is more to learn.

Here are some interesting facts about the dandelion flower:

The dandelion is the only flower that represents the 3 celestial bodies of the sun, moon and stars. ☀️ 🌙 ⭐️. The yellow flower resembles the sun, the puff ball resembles the moon and the dispersing seeds resemble the stars.

The dandelion flower opens to greet the morning and closes in the evening to go to sleep. 😴

Every part of the dandelion is useful: root, leaves, flower. It can be used for food, medicine and dye for coloring.

Up until the 1800s people would pull grass out of their lawns to make room for dandelions and other useful “w**ds” like chickw**d, malva, and chamomile.

The name dandelion is taken from the French word “dent de lion” meaning lion’s tooth, referring to the coarsely-toothed leaves. 🦁

Dandelions have one of the longest flowering seasons of any plant.

Dandelion seeds are often transported away by a gust of wind and they travel like tiny parachutes. Seeds are often carried as many as 5 miles from their origin!

Animals such as birds, insects and butterflies consume nectar or seed of dandelion.🐦 🐛 🐜 🦋 🐝.

Dandelion flowers do not need to be pollinated to form seed.

Dandelion can be used in the production of wine and root beer. Root of dandelion can be used as a substitute for coffee. 🍷 🍺

Dandelions have sunk their roots deep into history. They were well known to ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, and have been used in Chinese traditional medicine for over a thousand years.

Dandelion is used in folk medicine to treat infections and liver disorders. Tea made of dandelion act as diuretic.

If you mow dandelions, they’ll grow shorter stalks to spite you.

Dandelions are, quite possibly, the most successful plants that exist, masters of survival worldwide. 💪

A not so fun fact: Every year countries spend millions on lawn pesticides to have uniform lawns of non-native grasses, and we use 30% of the country’s water supply to keep them green.

Bee Happy Gardens 🐝

Read more: http://bit.ly/3Lseaoa

I’ve got more than me and my girl need to soothe our souls. Who needs this Chamomile flower medicine? Offering this and Lemon Balm…. Saturday morning 9am.
Come and get your love… while we w**d and wander….wonder.

Have you harvested your Hawthorn flowers yet?

Have you harvested your Hawthorn flower?

Agreed.

THE WORST WEEDS ARE YOUR BEST MEDICINE

Our reliance on so small a Pharmacopoeia has caused a number of problems to develop. Many once common herbs are now threatened or endangered species. As our materia medica shrinks, so do our options for treatment and the chances of adulteration increase.

Reasons:
• GMPs have made it much more costly to produce herbal products.
• Overharvesting has made some herbs scarce or expensive.
• Many popular Eclectic remedies are little-known and rarely used today.
• Many western trained medical practitioners are uncomfortable using herbs that have little or no research data, even though they have an extensive history of traditional and ethnobotanical usage.
• Herb users (layman and professionals alike) often find it much easier to give an “astringent” or an “adaptogen” assuming that herbs with the same generalized properties will have the same action.

Benefits:
Adventurous, hardy w**ds that are common throughout much of the USA and are abundant and easily procured:
• reduce herbicide use
• prevent habitat destruction due to invasive species of plants

Common and W**dy Plant #2:
Barberry –Berberis vulgaris, B. thunbergii, B. aristata

• Can be used to treat UTIs, gastritis, gastric ulcers, sore throats, bacterial diarrhea, acne rosacea, aphthous stomatitis, fungal or bacterial sinusitis ), thrush, periodontal disease, bacterial vaginosis or vaginal candidiasis, athlete’s foot, conjunctivitis and Otitis media
• Bitter tonic and cholagogue used to “dredge the liver”
• Used for hepatic torpor with clay colored stools, impaired fat digestion, dyspepsia, and large red pimples on the back, neck, or buttocks
• Barberry fruit is used in Middle Eastern medicine for hypertension, diarrhea, to reduce allergic response, and to protect the liver against acetominophen and carbon tetrachloride-induced damage

This blog is intended as an informational guide. The remedies, approaches and techniques described herein are meant to supplement, and not be a substitute for professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat a serious ailment without prior consultation with a qualified health care professional. Image: Atlas des plantes de France. 1891

Absolutely.

"I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anybody could ever want to own' ~ Andy Warhol
Artist ~ Alla Tsank

THE MOMENT
The moment when, after many years
of hard work and a long voyage,
you stand in the centre of your room,
house, half-acre, square mile, island, country,
knowing at last how you got there,
and say, I own this,
Is the same moment the trees unloose
their soft arms from around you,
the birds take back their language,
the cliffs fissure and collapse,
the air moves back from you like a wave
and you can’t breathe.
No, they whisper. You own nothing.
You were a visitor, time after time
Climbing the hill, planting the flag, proclaiming.
We never belonged to you.
You never found us.
It was always the other way round - Margaret Atwood
*Image - Ghost of a nurse log this tree set root upon and grew from

Blessed with age old knowledge.

PLANTS OF THE YULETIDE
History shows that the botanicals we used for holidays were those thriving in that season. Symbolic Yuletide and Solstice botanicals used for decorations include:
•Evergreens (spruce, arborvitae, Christmas fern and wintergreen) as symbols of immortality since they were among the only botanicals to stay green when all others lost their leaves.
•Yews represented the death of the old year and were a connection between this world and the next.
•Oak trees were revered for being long-lived. Even though they were not evergreen, they were symbols of eternal life and considered a source of protection, strength, and endurance.
•Rosemary, an evergreen shrub in warm climates, was called the herb of the sun.
*Bay, an evergreen herb used in holiday garlands and comforting teas. Bay laurel also signifies achievement and celebration.
•Birch trees symbolized new beginnings.
•Mistletoe stood for peace, happiness and smooches.
•Holly was used for magical protection and good luck.
•Ivy symbolized fidelity, faithfulness, and healing and was made into wreaths and garlands to decorate during the winter.
•Pine symbolized peace, healing, and joy.

Artist ~ Carlton Alfred Smith (1853-1946)

In virtually every traditional system of medicine including Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kampo, Unani-tibb, Ayurveda, Tibetan medicine, etc., there are two important components that help separate it from a simple collection of folk remedies. The two foundations of traditional medical practice are a system of constitutional energetics (hot, cold, damp, dry, excess, deficient, etc.) and a method of classifying herbs as to their energetic effect on the body. In most systems the taste of the herb is the most effective and easiest way to accomplish this. This system also helps to prevent exacerbation of illness due to incorrect prescribing and is especially useful when used along with systems of practice such as western herbal medicine/Phytotherapy which do not have an energetic basis.

As a wrap-up to The Ten Tastes posts, here is a handy printable guide you can download or print out.

This blog is intended as an informational guide. The remedies, approaches and techniques described herein are meant to supplement, and not be a substitute for professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat a serious ailment without prior consultation with a qualified health care professional. Image: Karla Parker Design

Should I quick make a little Harry Potter Potion to ward off the werewolves tonight?
Aconitum napellus or wolfsbane/monks hood is a perennial in my garden that blooms every Halloween without fail.
There is a fine line between healing and hell with this plants roots. One dose too many and you cross the veil….

I’ve got more than I could ever use.
Who needs to make a little healing medicine for the home apothecary?
Elecampane, Gotu Kola, Lemon Balm and Lemongrass…
Come and get your love…

On this wind driven autumn day, the Green Man reminds me again that nothing is constant except change.
Just as the seasons, so is my spirit.
At peace with nature, learning more with every falling leaf.

Did someone say Grilled Cheese and Tomato Jam?!
AP Sunset Market till 1pm.
Come and get your love…then head over one block to Cameo Love Market and get some more….

“Heal yourself with the light of the sun and the rays of the moon. With the sound of the river and the waterfall. With the swaying of the sea and the fluttering of birds. Heal yourself with mint, neem, and eucalyptus. Sweeten with lavender, rosemary, and chamomile. Hug yourself with the cocoa bean and a hint of cinnamon. Put love in tea instead of sugar and drink it looking at the stars. Heal yourself with the kisses that the wind gives you and the hugs of the rain. Stand strong with your bare feet on the ground and with everything that comes from it. Be smarter every day by listening to your intuition, looking at the world with your forehead. Jump, dance, sing, so that you live happier. Heal yourself, with beautiful love, and always remember…you are the medicine.”
~ María Sabina (1894-1985). Sabina was a Mazatec sabia, or curandera, who lived in Oaxaca, Mexico. She was a respected visionary, healer, and mushroom medicine woman. This beautiful quote inspires me to care for myself in all the most important and beautiful ways. Thanks to Anima Mundi Apothecary for sharing these words!!
Photographer unknown (does anyone know?) 💚

Organeleptics. Tomorrow night 5:30pm. Not sure what that is, are you?
As a spirit of nature, a herbalist in name,
as your journey into integrative healing continues into your family and community… we’ll maybe you should find out why this is another paragraph in your education.