To endure the extreme conditions of a survival situation, animal fats and proteins must be eaten regularly, and survival hunting is an essential skill. Such situations are a drain on a person’s energy. Potentially inclement weather forces your body to metabolize calories at an increased rate to stay warm, and performing the physical tasks needed […]
Ever wondered what kinds of survival foods you could eat if you were caught in a survival situation? When I first came to Washington, all I could see was a wall of green plants. I knew nothing about what I could and could not eat if I were to get lost in the woods. That […]
Herbal medicine is people’s medicine. And people’s medicines are the medicines of the earth: the common weeds. Weeds, though often reviled, are powerhouses of nourishment, medicine, magic, and beauty. Their medicinal qualities, when wisely extracted and used, can counter major as well as minor disturbances of health. But do beware! Eating weeds has been known […]
Medicinal mushrooms are continually grabbing the spotlight for their incredible health benefits, ranging from cancer prevention and treatment, to being anti-viral, to curing asthma and even prolonging life. Type in any of the medicinal mushrooms listed below into a PubMed database and you’ll see countless scientific studies validating their use as medicine. But while science […]
We found ourselves making these kelp energy bars so much this time last year, and thought it would be the perfect recipe to share with you. Kelp energy bars are easy to make, and the perfect snack for the colder months when your body craves more nutrient-dense foods. They also make a great holiday treat. […]
Much like an angel glowing in the light, the elk thistle (Cirsium scariosum – also known as meadow thistle) often glows in the sunlight reflected off its abundant silvery hairs and spines. We saw many of these glowing angels on a recent walkabout, crisscrossing the continental divide through the Anaconda-Pintlar Wilderness of Montana. As is […]
Part One of this article explained herbal vinegars’ many potent qualities as herbal home remedies, and reviewed the basic tools and simple process of making herbal vinegars. A journey into the author’s garden illustrated how we can reap nature’s rewards and harvest numerous herbs for herbal vinegars. Now, we get to the root of making […]
Herbal Vinegars: Aromatic Delights from your Garden A pantry full of herbal vinegars is a constant delight. Preserving fresh herbs and roots in vinegar is an easy way to capture their nourishing goodness. It’s easy too. You don’t even have to have an herb garden. BASIC HERBAL VINEGAR Takes 5 minutes plus 6 weeks to […]
In your herbal pharmacy you transform fresh and dried plants into natural herbal remedies, and making herbal tea remedies is a great way to do this. Learning to identify and use the common plants around you is easy and exciting, beneficial, and safe. Even one day’s work in the field, forest, and kitchen can provide […]
As summer nights lengthen into autumn, the forests of the Catskill mountains in upstate New York fill with magical, mystical, medicinal, and edible wild mushrooms. “Toadstool” is a quaint name for the many mushrooms that spring forth between rains, while “fungi” is the more technical term. Fungi are plants, but plants without flowers, or roots, […]