|
Pages: [1]
|
 |
|
|
Author
|
what's available for wildcrafting this time of year? | (Read 3111 times) |
|
paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1343
|
 |
April 03, 2005, 08:43:38 AM |
|
what's available for wildcrafting this time of year?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Marilyn Queiroz
Administrator
Posts: 59
|
|
April 03, 2005, 07:03:18 PM |
|
What is wildcrafting?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Lisa A
Guest
|
|
April 06, 2005, 08:21:33 AM |
|
Is wildcrafting mostly collecting medicinial herbs from forests, or
collecting edibles or herbs that you haven't planted yourself?
We have dandelions and curly dock growing, and I hear scotch thistle
root is edible but haven't tried it; and wild blackberries are putting out
shoots, which I also haven't tried...
Lisa A
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
maria
Posts: 19
|
|
April 06, 2005, 07:46:35 PM |
|
Yep, it's both. When done sustainably (not harvesting something that is endangered and only taking part of what you find, asking permission of the plant first, etc.) and with intention it is called wildcrafting --harvesting something that was not cultivated -- wherever that may be.
Right now in Issaquah, WA the nettle, and dandelion flowers are divine. Earlier (before blooming) the dandelion leaves aren't as bitter and are great for salads and stir frys.
Also great now are oxeye daisy leaves, chickweed, plantain, Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquafolium) flowers and salmonberry petals are VERY ready for salads!
I'm sure there are a lot more!
Have fun!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
~ Spiralmama Herbal Magick ~
Supporting vibrant health in my community by providing education, nutrition, herbal connection and ritual through grateful interaction with Gaia.
|
|
|
|
|
Lisa A
Guest
|
|
April 07, 2005, 09:28:50 AM |
|
What does the average person do with medicinals, anyway? I've heard
about lots and lots of wild plants with medicinal uses (Tom Ward), but
I'm mostly healthy and don't feel particularly in need of medicinals; and
for general health, I'd first just eat more garlic 
Last year I learned that dock (basicaly sorrel) was allelopathic and
started pulling it out aggressively. This year I learned that it's edible
and not bad, and now I feel much more kindly to it. Still worried about
oxalic acid and calcium if I eat much - and we have an abundance, when
those guys go to seed they don't mess around.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Anonymous
Guest
|
|
April 09, 2005, 01:23:46 PM |
|
good question Lisa.
We are blessed to know plants in our community and they need us as well. In my wise womyn way of healing I basically see plants as serving MANY functions yet medicinally they can be nutritive, tonifying, stimulating or sedating or combinations of this.
Each person needs to listen to her/his body to determine what we need. For me, my food is my medicine (nettle, dandelion, burdock, chickweed). In the case of yarrow and plantain (usually), I gather them for more first-aid-type situations (topical use). Many plants cross over and can share their gifts both internally (food medicine) and externally. Other allies are helpful to have around when needed (curly dock- rumex crispus) for iron supplementation via tincture, etc.
good luck!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
mike
Guest
|
|
August 05, 2005, 01:29:42 PM |
|
i want to get into hunting for ginseng and other plants , i live in indiana . if anyone knows a good website that has a list of plants that you can find and sell to dealers and has a price list on it , i would greatly appreciate it . i have only had a computer for about 2 weeks and im not very good with it yet thank you
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
jeangaut
Posts: 4
|
|
June 17, 2007, 08:51:21 PM |
|
One thing to consider is collecting ethically and with plants like ginseng and goldenseal, these are huge issues. I believe in one of the first few Foxfire books there is an interview with a Ginseng harvester. It was eyeopening for me to read when I found that book in the late 1980's....if he collected from a ginseng plant, it had to be a certain age which he could tell from its form...number of branched leaves, I believe. And he would replant fruit from the plant in the same spot. And he was VERY concerned about keeping his activities secret and protecting these plants for the future, not just for his own use. Sure there is money to be made by selling them and collecting large amounts...until you tap out the resource, and then the plant and the world suffers.
There is such a huge mystique surrounding certain plants, they can be driven to extinction if we are not careful. Instead a good thing to do is learn what medicinal plants have synonomous chemicals and uses. If a more common plant that can regenerate quickly has the same qualities you desire in Goldenseal, switch to help reduce that huge pressure and market that exists presently for Goldenseal. In the lowest form, I have seen Ginkgo trees vandalized because someone knew they had medicinal value, so they just ripped a branch off the tree to take with them. This was a tree at the Washington Park Arboretum, not one they planted and owned. I would hope someone would not do that to a tree they owned regardless.
To me this is analogous to the use of animal parts in asian medicine. Yes, there are many traditional uses for parts of tigers, rhinos, etc etc etc. But ethically, is it worth it? Well, this is an issue with plants. Learn about your plant, rather than just saying since it is wild, I can harvest it at will. Plus learn local regulations and how exactly how rare it is in your region.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
pixelphoto
Posts: 44
|
|
June 20, 2007, 01:16:05 PM |
|
we have plenty of wild muscadine vines that i trim back each year and it doesnt seem to hurt them they flourish just fine.
I use them to make the vine wreaths for christmas and other holidays.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Pages: [1]
|
|
|
|
|
