Last week I was lucky enough to take a tour of the Highlands Mansion gardens and wild areas with members of the Pennypack Farm Herb Study Group, led by forager Sarah Murray. Sarah lived for over 20 years in France, and developed an interest from her former husband François Couplan, a renowned expert on the edible plants of the world. We met in the evening and, knowing we had limited light, tried to get as much in as we could even though we could stop every few feet in just the tended CSA beds to find wonderful edibles! Right away Sarah pointed out Evening Primrose with her precious flowers and edible leaves, growing all by herself near the garden gate, and a lush hedgerow of Mugwort that led us to a discussion of Mugwort cake in Korean culture. Interesting note: Mugwort looks like Feverfew when it's young. Lamb's Quarters was standing near the Basil rows, and Sarah explained she much prefers to call it by another common name, Wild Spinach, since that makes people more likely to try it! It's a relative of Quinoa, and the seeds can be used in the same way. A distinguishing feature is a white bloom, or powder, on the very young leaves. And yes, it tastes like spinach. Wild Carrot IS Queen Anne's Lace! I didn't know that! She's a biennial, so the first year has low growing, ferny, carrot-like leaves and tiny carrot-like taproots that smell STRONGLY of carrot. In the second year, the flower stalk shoots up into the familiar white umbrel with the dark drop in the center. She has hairy stems and very aromatic seeds, unlike Wild Hemlock, a potential look-alike that is VERY TOXIC but has no smell (seeds, roots or otherwise) and no hairs. We came upon Velvet Leaf, a relative of Marshmallow that I wasn't familiar with before. It develops a fun pod with edible seeds that taste a little like green peppers. The leaves are also edible, and lend an interesting texture to a pesto. There was plenty of Red Clover all over the CSA beds as well, and we discussed the white chevron on the leaves that marks the medicinal plants. Next, we found Galinsoga, a weed I have seen many times and one that Sarah didn't have a common name for. It makes a nice salad green and has edible flowers, too. Finally, we searched out a patch of Ground Ivy that Sarah had scouted earlier. It's great for allergic sinus issues, but tonight we were going to make Ground Ivy Chips! After it got too dark, we went back to one of our fellow walker's homes for snacks. We had a nice salad with all sorts of greens and flowers, a superb pesto and the chips, with some crackers and a fantastic tea of Hibiscus, Cinnamon, Stevia and Nettles. More Foraged Plants from Fellow Walker Hilarie Foraging Recipes Ground Ivy Chips:
Dressing - 2 tbs balsamic vinegar, pinch of salt, pinch of garlic powder, olive oil. Mix ingredients in that order, then coat the washed and stemmed leaves Place the leaves one-by-one on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, smoothing out so they are open and flat. Place in oven preheated to 400º, and leave in exactly 3 minutes. Remove leaves from sheet immediately and enjoy! Pesto: Garlic Mustard leaves, Velvetleaf leaves, and any other aromatic leaves work well (Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, etc.). Soak 1 cup raw almonds overnight and remove the skins. Place them in a food processor, and add the leaves, washed and stemmed (about 2-3 cups) and salt. You can also add fresh garlic for flavor. Add 2-3 tbs coconut oil and blend. Add water or coconut milk to obtain a smooth texture.
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These Healing Herb monographs are based on my experience and my research. Some are my common 'weed' herbs, and others are 'imported' herbs from Europe, Asia, etc, that are starting to pop up in more places like medicinal boxed teas and specialty supplements, so it's worth getting to know them. In the introduction to David Winston's Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief, he describes this class of plants simply: "...[they] help the human body adapt to stress, support normal metabolic processes, and restore balance." This is strong medicine. Tulsi, or Holy Basil (so much fun to say! Holy Basil, Batman!) is an adaptogenic herb that is becoming more familiar to us Westerners, and is an important part of Ayurvedic medicine. It is closely related to the basils more familiar to us, including popular Italian Basil, and newly popular Thai Basil. Adaptogens help your body adapt to stress, and by definition are non-specific. This means that Tulsi doesn’t just
Traditionally, people keep a Holy Basil plant outside their front door, and chew a leaf every time they pass. This practice qualifies as “food medicine,” and would give you a frequent, tonic-level dose of constant care. Tulsi powder could be added to your food as well, in smoothies or nut-butter herb balls or anywhere else a little powder could be tucked in, like butter or ghee- use your imagination! How to Take Your Holy Basil:
Good quality Tulsi is available online, say from Herbiary in Philadelphia, and it’s easy to grow your own- it will be an annual, unless you live in a very tropical clime. I have found good seeds at Herbiary, and actually got some seedlings from my CSA this summer. My sources for Tulsi information were: classroom lectures and discussions with Lynn Roberts (Ayurveda practitioner), The Ayurveda Encyclopedia by Swami Sada Shiva Tirtha, Herbal Therapy and Supplements by Winston and Kuhn, Adaptogens by Winston, and HorizonHerbs.com. Plantain is a wonderful, sturdy, useful herb. It draws, it soothes, it cools, and it's so much fun to teach people about making a 'spit poultice' with it! Like most of our common weed herbs, Plantain came along with European settlers, and many sources claim a folk name for it is "white man's footstep" since it appeared everywhere settlers did. I've heard that the seeds, which are much easier to gather from Broad Leaf Plantain, P. major, are high in Vitamin B. I have P. major stalks ripening in my garden now, and I will be adding them to my diet after I've collected some! It is also rich in Iron, so it goes in my 'mineral vinegar' jug. I've also heard that Plantain will balance Kapha dosha. But what I know, what I've learned and tried and seen, is that Plantain is a super-herb. Plantain draws. This is powerful medicine. Think about what needs drawing, and you'll see that topical remedies almost always benefit from Plantain. Stingers, thorns, dirt, infections, mucous, most skin eruptions like boils, shingles and herpes, all will see relief. It also soothes and lowers inflammation, so cuts and scrapes, bug bites and stings, ulcers and the digestive tract, dry sinuses and sore throats will also be happier. These are my notes from my first Plantain tasting, made with well-boiled plant: " dark and earthy- not “green”, mineral tasting, no mucous- clean, wiped everything." My teacher Maia has said that Plantain has an affinity for warm damp places, like the head, mouth, mucous membranes, and genitals. This makes sense- since these areas readily absorb (think sub-lingual medicines), they can also readily extract or excrete and plantain will draw through them. Plantain can be found everywhere. Just look at this map- the green indicates where P. major is present. Only the far northern, interior regions of Canada are missing out. This means that it's simply a matter of identifying and collecting your local Plantain to make a simple preparation. Teas are good for internal healing, as is a tincture, which can also be used externally. A vinegar tincture will be mineral rich, especially in Iron. Infused oils would be for topical treatments, and a salve or balm or even lotion will make application more even and precise. But for pure ease of use, an old fashioned "spit poultice" works wonders. You can mash up the leaves with water and apply that to the skin, but an even easier method has been described perfectly by Rosalee de la Foret, in her Healing Herbs e-Book: -Gather fresh clean Plantain from a clean area -Place one leaf into your mouth and chew it slightly so that it releases its juices. Chew it into a ball and then spit it out. -Place the Plantain spit poultice onto the affected area. I like to change the poultice every twenty minutes. If I notice it getting hot I change it sooner. Really! Chew it up, spit it out, smear it on! And it works. The first time I was stung by Nettles, through the back pocket of my jeans (I was almost backing into her, and she took offense!), my teacher handed me a Plantain leaf and directed me to chew and smear. The sting went away, and as it reappeared I reapplied. After a few 'treatments' I was pain free. Find your Plantain, nurture it in your flower beds and use this strong medicine to help move and soothe. I love summer! Long days, warm evenings, fresh from the garden food, drinks with friends in the breeze, bare arms and loose hair. It's a happy time. Summertime comes with its own challenges, though. Here are the top 5 remedies you can easily find in and around your home and garden to help you navigate sunburns, bee stings and other not-so-fun experiences. 1. Calendula Calendula officinalis Calendula is a bright, cheerful flower that does wonders for your skin. Infuse the flower heads in oil, like olive oil, and you will have an ointment that works on cuts, scrapes, bruises, hangnails, dry cuticles, and other wounds that need healing. Half-fill a jar with flowers, cover with oil, and give it a stir with a clean chopstick to let air bubbles release. Now label it, and let it steep for at least 4 weeks, or up to 2 months. Strain through a clean cloth and store in a dark, cool place. If you want a more solid ointment, beeswax will give you a spreadable salve- just remember this will melt in a hot car, purse, or beach bag! In general, melt about 1 tablespoon grated beeswax in 1 ounce warmed oil. Test for hardness by cooling a drip of the mix on a plate, and add more oil or wax to reach your desired state of spread-ability. (This isn't a great remedy for fresh burns, however, because oil will trap heat and you need to let burns cool. More on them later.) Calendula also moves lymph, so it's great to add to teas for stuffed-up summer colds, and to foot baths when you want a spa treat. The flower heads produce a resin at their base that is the source of their healing properties, so it's not just a matter of using the petals but rather the entire top of the flower. Calendula is a pretty garden plant, and it readily reseeds itself every year, spreading around and filling in between your perennials. There are many varieties, but many are bred for color and not medicinal quality. Horizon Herbs offers several kinds that are both colorful and useful. 2. Lavender Essential Oil Keep a bottle of this in the kitchen, and near the grill. Lavender EO is an analgesic- it takes away pain- and it stimulates cell repair, both VERY necessary for burns! It is also antiseptic, should you develop a blister. Use sparingly, a drop at a time, until the whole burn is treated gently. A drop massaged onto your temples is also wonderful when headaches strike, from too much sun or too much fun. Buy the good stuff, from a reputable company that doesn't cut their oils to make them cheaper. Mine is from Peace Valley Lavender Farm. Workday Weeds is an ongoing project to introduce our common, everyday medicinal "weed" herbs. Hang out with these hard-working herbs and get to know your ground-level medicine better! Dandelion is such a dear, dear friend. I know, sacrilege, right?? Really, though, this is an amazing plant. The root makes a fantastic liver tonic. The leaves, a kidney tonic. Notice, those two things go together- build up the strength of the liver and kidneys and you'll purify your blood, which will remove junk from circulating to every cell in your body and bring all sorts of goodies to them, since of course you'll also be digesting and assimilating better! Folk knowledge says you can use the sap from the flower stems to kill warts, and to make henna-like tattoos. The flowers make a mean wine, and I've read they fritter up nicely too- I have yet to try that but will update when I do. Henriette Kress says the flowers bring joy, which is a lovely gift, and that flower syrup tastes nutty and of vanilla. She also says some other pretty great things about this hardy survivor (as do her commentors!):
The second thing is that where the roots meet the rosette of leaves, the plant produces a dark purple color indicative of oxalic acid. When harvesting, I always remove that bit to prevent unnecessary buildup. I am amazed at the tenacity this plant shows. Have you seen where she grows?? Out of solid walls, in stones, places where there's barely any soil. And with that cheerful bright yellow smile, at the same time! This tells me something about the strength of her medicine. She gives deep, foundational support to those livers and kidneys, digging way down to anchor their strength and draw up their energy and light. All in all, though, I love my dandelions and carefully weed around them in my garden. Try it! |
Fun Fact: I'm an herbalist and a movement coach. Not a doctor, or a pharmacist, and not pretending to be one on TV.
This is a public space, so my writing reflects my experiences and I try to stay general enough so it might relate to you. This does not constitute medical advice, and I encourage you to discuss concerns with your doctor. Remember, however, that the final say in your wellness decisions are always yours- you have the power to choose, you are the boss of you. And, some of my posts may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them I'll earn a few cents. Thank you for supporting my work. This website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical, mental health or healthcare advice. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose, treat, heal, cure or prevent any illness, medical condition or mental or emotional condition. Working with us is not a guarantee of any results. Paula Billig owns all copyrights to the materials presented here unless otherwise noted. Categories
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