the wild times newsletter Issue 20

Transcription

1 Of thefield the wild times newsletter Issue 20 From The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide by Linda Runyon Matricaria chamomilla Composite Family, Asteraceae Other names: Ground apple, Roman chamomile, mayweed, German chamomile, pineapple weed. History: Some varieties native to North America; many naturalized from Europe. Used throughout Europe. Also cultivated for commercial use, such as in shampoos and teas. Oil is extracted for many products, including hair rinse and insect repellents. The fragrance is called manzanilla in Spain. Used especially in Italy, England, and Germany. Habitat: Roadsides, people places, walkways, gardens. Characteristics: Biennial herb. Height average of 3 inches; may reach 12 inches or more. Tight-budded flowers, tiny yellow daisy; sweet, pineapple-like smell. by Linda Runyon (Continued on pg. 2) The wild grape is a native of North America, and g r o w s i n t h i c k e t s, o n streambanks, pond edges, roadsides, and in open woods. The forked tendrils that grow at the ends and (Continued on pg. 4) by Linda Runyon Can you imagine a vegetable that tastes like steamed pineapple and is high in minerals and calcium? Chamomile, or pineapple weed, is that backyard wild plant. For me, the pineapplelike fragrance of this plant conjures up the tranquility of walking through fields on a cloudless summer s day. A people-loving plant, chamomile can be found growing along pathways, as well as in open spaces and along the road. From the (Continued on pg. 2) In This Issue - Chamomile 1 Chamomile for Me and Thee 1 Grape 1 Poem Patches of Love 3 Wild Tea Tips 4 Rules of Foraging 4 Testimonial 6 info@ Page 1

2 cont d from pg 1 Primary Uses: Culinary, medicinal, cosmetic. Twigs are dried for crispy treat. Leaves are eaten raw; steamed; sautéed; cooking liquid drunk. Steeped raw or dried for tea. Flowers are eaten raw; steamed; sautéed; cooking liquid drunk. Entire plant is steamed; boiled; used in soups and stews. Steeped raw or dried for tea. Nutritional Value: High in minerals; calcium, iron, potassium, and niacin. Medicinal Value: Stomatic, diuretic, chapped skin ointment, root used for toothache. Cosmetic Value: Compress for eyes, shampoos, rinses for hair luster. Collection and Storage: Grows near pathways, and a winter s supply can be picked in a few minutes. Shear with scissors. cont d from pg 1 Greek words meaning fruit on the ground, it s a relatively small plant that grows close to the ground, and has little daisy-like flowers and feathery l e a v e s t h a t s o m e w h a t resemble parsley. For many of us, our familiarity with chamomile began in the books we read as a child, where everyone seemed to be sitting down to a cup of chamomile tea. If you ve only read about it and never tried it, gather a handful of flowers, put them in a teapot, add some boiling water, and let steep for 10 minutes. You ll discover that this delicate, golden tea makes a soothing drink that calms frazzled nerves on a hectic day, and soothes the nervous system as well as the whole body. I n t h e s u m m e r I f r e e z e t h e c h a m o m i l e flowers in ice cubes and then serve the cubes in the chamomile tea I made. This way my guests get an edible bonus with their drink! You can also make delicious chamomile popsicles (using wild twigs as handles) for an additional and fun summer treat. You may dry chamomile by placing the plants on a screen for a day or so until the leaves crumble easily. Store the dried plants in glass jars out of direct sunlight and you will be able to keep the stored c h a m o m i l e f o r y e a r s. Chamomile is cultivated commercially, primarily for the essential oil extracted from the flowers. This oil is used in the food and cosmetic industries. To use as a hair rinse, simmer the entire plant (leaves, roots and flowers) in water until the water is green, about 15 minutes. Cool the water, strain and apply. Let this sit in your hair for a while, then rinse. Not only does it soften your hair and make it more manageable, but it leaves a wonderful, fresh fragrance there, too. The chamomile plant itself is a good insect repellent and ointment made from chamomile works well on chapped skin. Many is the time I was so grateful to have access to this amazing and very valuable wild plant, and I a m s o p l e a s e d a t i t s popularity. Linda@ Page 2

3 T Patches of Love by Ken Heitz Excerpt from Why Not LOVE? he sun smiled a friendly grin through dark and looming rain-spent clouds of gray, shining hope on the remaining day. The jubilant warmth purveyed on storm-drenched soil, gave comfort to Earth s laborious toil. Like an eternity indulged in worry and grief, came the sun s welcome relief. Patches of brightness laid down from above, like a huge quilt blanket, stitched by heaven s hands of love. Threatening shadows of darkness and gloom, breaking and fading so flowers may bloom. From eyes smoked and teary, a face that s so sad, to visions seen clearly for hearts now are glad. Linda@ Page 3

4 cont d from pg 1 joints of the stalk allow the vine to climb. The branches have a brown pith; there are 1 to 4 pear-shaped seeds in several colors, from purple or black to amber. The leaves grow from tiny to large size, are coarse, saw-toothed, lobed, and heart shaped. The leaves may be eaten raw, stir-fried, or steamed, and could be used for stuffing or as a wrapper for main dishes. You can freeze leaves for use later by laying them between sheets of wax paper, and folding the paper over after each layer. l. When drying a natural substance such as leaves or stems, it is necessary to bring out a stronger taste and strength to the tea being prepared. Natural leaves will not have the flavor of a concentrate of dried plants. 2. I am in the habit of rinsing the dried leaves once. This is wise, because dust can gather on the plants when they are drying. Just fill a cup with ½ cup hot water and pour out the liquid, leaving the leaves or stems. Then pour the boiling water over the substance for a cup of wild tea. 3. For a stronger flavor, cover the cup of tea and hot water with a saucer for 5 minutes. 4. Remember, the stems of wild plants, broken up and steeped, can also make tea. You can enjoy making a "twig Linda@ Linda Says- I wandered the hills of Syracuse, New York, with a famous gourmet cook looking for grape tendrils, which can be picked all year. And there they were, curling down from yards of grape vines. I rolled and sniffed them first to identify their characteristic grape smell, then used scissors to clip hundreds of tendrils into a bowl. Later, my friend and I stir-fried the tendrils into delicacies, as well as froze them for use later in the year. The tendrils make me pucker. tea" from the mints, herbs, etc., using just stems. 5. Roots are best left in the ground for another plant to grow, but they could be used separately as a tea. Dry the roots well and keep them for a rainy day in winter. I loved my tea storage area, where strings of roots hung down from tacks. Page 4 Rules of Foraging 1. Positively identify all plants you intend to ingest as food or medicine. 2. Use three photographic r e f e r e n c e s w h e n e v e r possible. Roll a tiny bit of the plant between your fingers and sniff. Does this smell good? Then, run that tiny bit of plant on your gums. WAIT 20 minutes. Look for burning, numbing, nausea, itching, or stinging. If no reaction, take a TINY bit of plant, pour a cup of boiling water over and drink slowly, over a period of 20 minutes. Look for symptoms of nausea, upset stomach, burning, etc. 3. People with allergies should juice up a small piece, and place on inner arm using a band aid and wait for several hours. If your skin has no redness, proceed with small amount of plant. 4. Keep all samples away from children, pets, storing seeds, bulbs out of sight. 5. Teach children to keep all plants out of their mouth. (See our new coloring book, The Wild Foods and Animals Coloring Book, for a dozen safe, common plants that kids can learn about.) 6. Avoid smoke from burning plants. 7. Call and report chemical spills resulting in contaminated areas. 8. Keep plants in separate bags when foraging and collecting. Smells and other contents can be picked up by other plants touching each other.

5 Iin this 3 hour DVD, Linda Runyon gives you first-hand experience and expertise in the primitive art of foraging for Wild Edible Food. This valuable resource compliments Linda's other materials perfectly. Linda is the real deal because she lived it. In your one-on-one Master Class, you will receive the same insider data that Linda has taught to many thousands of people, from the complete beginner to the seasoned expert. Linda has even taught most of the other teachers in this subject today at one time or another! Included with the DVD is a 48-page transcript & glossary, a bonus in a power outage! Linda's core plants are covered. You will find the majority of these plants in all 50 states, and, indeed, in most of the world. A few are unique to the Eastern or the Western US. Learn Linda's legacy directly from her. info@ Page 5

6 I had been looking into wild edibles for awhile, but Linda's book The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide is what got me actually foraging. I have my wild edibles and a few volunteer plants from natural seeding. I have ground cherries that I actually bought the seeds for, bayberry aka southern wax myrtle for flavorings, cat brier in the spring, wild strawberries and more...just lots to choose from. They grow great under gravel, too. I probably have enough crabgrass, if I picked and dried and ground it, for my entire block! I don't do a lot of what we think of as cooking recipes because I live on my own. I do a lot of spontaneous creative cooking. I put the greens I gather into my smoothies, into eggs, with rice and potatoes, pasta and with other veggies, in sauces, soups. I'm not sure if I ever have the same thing twice - unless I make enough for 2 meals. I have teas, especially mullein (I grow my own). I have clover, plantain, dandelion, wild violets, lots of crabgrass (I haven't done anything with it yet, but it's definitely in the future!), and oak trees, maple trees, other things. I gather my smoothie greens every day - I am having such a great time! After trying to tackle an organic garden...it's a great idea, but my oh my, what a lot of work. It is sooooo much easier to walk out into my back and front yards and gather what I need. And the bugs don't bother any of them - except the clover flowers which the bees generously share with me. from L.O. with thanks to Linda Disclaimer This newsletter is intended to be an educational tool for gathering and cooking wild plants. The information presented is for use as a supplement to a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle. The nutritional requirements of individuals may vary greatly, therefore the author and publisher take no responsibility for an individual using and ingesting wild plants. Copyright Wild Food Company This material may not be reproduced in whole or in part without express written permission from the copyright holder. Printing a hardcopy for your personal use is okay. Enjoy, but please don't share or redistribute. Please send interested parties to and we'll be happy to start them off at Newsletter #1. Unlike regular periodicals, these are progressively distributed like a correspondence course. This newsletter is free. If you paid for it, or were granted access to this newsletter as part of any paid scheme, this is against our terms. Please report abuse to CopyrightAbuse@. Linda@ Page 6