Follow my tips and ideas on foraging and medicinal foods twitter.com/wildcrafting
And with this post, I’m caught up – next post will be the current tweets.
*****
Harvested about 30 pounds of Jerusalem Artichokes. They are kind of wild – they grow where I don’t want them and come back every year. 5:15 PM Nov 5th, 2009
*****
If you have greens that are tasty but bedraggled make them into herbal vinegars. http://www.holisticwisdom.org/hwpages/herbalvinegars.htm 12:33 AM Nov 4th, 2009 *****
Found what I believe is garlic mustard. Right place, right shape, more mustard than garlic taste, didn’t know it would grow 3 times in 1 yr. 5:00 PM Nov 3rd, 2009
*****
On my walk I found bee balm just beginning to regrow. It was very fragrant so easy to ID. Picked some to season dinner. Similar to oregano. 4:59 PM Nov 3rd, 2009
*****
Hickory nuts. Plenty of trees in and around Ann Arbor. Gather, crack with a hammer of shoe, pick out the meat, enjoy. They also freeze well. 9:03 PM Nov 2nd, 2009
*****
Also made it through my first frozen gallon of maple tree SAP. That worked really well. Took freezer space but otherwise very easy. 8:08 PM Nov 1st, 2009
*****
I label things with date, name, and place so I can remember picking. Today black rasp. July 7, from The Big Playground. So long ago now… 7:41 PM Nov 1st, 2009
*****
Already enjoying frozen black raspberries in oatmeal each morning. I add them right at the end of the cooking. Add raisins almonds earlier. 7:38 PM Nov 1st, 2009
*****
Comfrey leaves help heal cuts, general wounds, AKA “knitbone”. Applied externally or as a homeopathic remedy. Midwives often use for tears. 8:52 AM Oct 31st, 2009
*****
I’ll want comfrey in a few weeks after surgery. Pick leaves now before frost, infuse for a day, discard leaves, freeze infusion. Healing. 8:32 AM Oct 31st, 2009
*****
One option for misc. wild roots, leaves, and other is kim chi. Burdock and dandelion root with carrots, greens, wild onion is my best yet. 8:30 AM Oct 31st, 2009
*****
When the sap runs, maple trees will drip sap. So it is never too late to find a tree to tap. Just have to wait until Feb. or March! 9:44 PM Oct 30th, 2009
*****
ID those maple trees now – the leaves will soon be gone. I have a hard time figuring out trees in winter. 9:36 PM Oct 30th, 2009
*****
Ground Cherries seem to be ripening in the window, even in this dark wet weather. 9:33 PM Oct 30th, 2009
*****
I’m attending Ignite Ann Arbor 2 — http://bit.ly/iquTY and presenting about why I tweet. 15 speakers 5 min each 8:47 AM Oct 29th, 2009
*****
Tasted some rosehips and they were very bland, Needs more frost. 2:50 AM Oct 29th, 2009
*****
No dew berries this year so far. They are a pale blue raspberry like fruit that ripens in October. Found them along a creek last year. 2:48 AM Oct 29th, 2009
*****
Lunch of fried sweet potato, wild garlic greens, found onions, dandelion greens, with tahini and balsamic vinegar on pasta. Lovely. Yummy. 2:46 AM Oct 29th, 2009
*****
Picked ground cherries, not all of them are ripe. They are considered poisonous until they ripen, so I’ll try a windowsill and hope. 2:45 AM Oct 29th, 2009
*****
Yellow dock roots can be harvested now, made into oil, used for bruises, scrapes, bone bruises, and more. Oil takes 6 wks to make. 10:07 PM Oct 24th, 2009
*****
Yellow dock is still hanging in there, so you can make pesto from the leaves. It is OK that there are rusty looking spots. That’s normal. 10:05 PM Oct 24th, 2009
*****
I have been gifted with quinces. I don’t know yet what I will do to them other than cook and sweeten. Quince paste looks interesting. 10:32 PM Oct 23rd, 2009
*****
Made chamomile and calendula salves with my med school class. They had fun, enjoyed the hands-on part. Open minded positive group. 3:52 PM Oct 23rd, 2009
*****
The new issue of the people’s food co-op newsletter has my article on herbs used with cancer and heart disease 2:18 PM Oct 22nd, 2009
*****
Valerian grows very easily, spreads like crazy, root is used in the tincture for insomnia, muscle spasms, relaxation. It affects me strongly 10:23 PM Oct 21st, 2009
*****
Having back spasms, will take a little valerian tincture in water and sleep. We made it this week, too soon, so I’ll use last years. 10:22 PM Oct 21st, 2009
*****
Still time to sign up for Free class on Menopause – Thursday 7 pm Crazy Wisdom thanks to People’s Food Co-op 10:20 PM Oct 21st, 2009
*****
The last free event I’ll be doing this year is Nov 6 Ignite Ann Arbor on twittering about wild foods. http://igniteannarbor.eventbrite.com/ 1:01 AM Oct 21st, 2009
*****
Another free class Saturday at the Reskilling Festival, I’ll be helping people brainstorm about building a root cellar. 12:59 AM Oct 21st, 2009
*****
Free class Thursday on Menopause and Herbal Allies – the good news. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, 7-8:30, sponsored by The People’s Food Co-op 12:58 AM Oct 21st, 2009
*****
Dug up Echinacea and Valerian roots, my med school class turned that into tincture, 103 proof vodka. In 6 weeks it will be ready for use. 12:56 AM Oct 21st, 2009
*****
2nd year wild carrot has turned into Queen Ann’s Lace, tall flower, the root is woody, and beginning to deteriorate. No use at that stage. 11:09 AM Oct 20th, 2009
*****
It is a great time to harvest wild carrot roots. The first year plants will have a nice solid, pure white root. Smells like carrot. 11:08 AM Oct 20th, 2009
*****
Was invited to pick buckwheat. A little late, many seeds had fallen, but it was different. Now, to remove the hulls and have flour. 10:16 PM Oct 19th, 2009
*****
Found a few goldenrod flowers still, picked a few and missed the yellow jacket also enjoying them. She stung me, oww. Apis and baking soda. 10:15 PM Oct 19th, 2009