#WildHarvesting

[soupcancont]

I've been flipping through one of my books on edible wild fruits, berries, fungi, weeds, etc., etc. This one's called A Taste of the Wild by Blanche Pownall Garrett (James Lorimer & Company: Toronto, 1975). There's so much in here that I want to try: White Clover Cream, Violet & Avocado Salad, and Rosehip Butter are just a few.

#WildHarvesting #Foraging #Cookbooks #Canadiana #1970s #Cottagecore #Reading

[blossomofthespirit]

Nettle: Nature's Remedy for Food Intoxications

Nature has a way of hiding its treasures in plain sight, and the nettle plant (Urtica dioica) is a perfect example of that. Often dismissed as a common weed, this unassuming herb is a true gem in the world of holistic health and natural remedies. In this extensive blog post, we’ll dive deep into the extraordinary world of nettles, exploring their potential for combating food intoxication,…

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#FoodIntoxication #Foraging #HerbalMedicine #HolisticHealth #NaturalDetox #NaturalRemedies #NettleRemedy #NutrientRich #Preservation #SustainableLiving #WildHarvesting

[growninhaiti]

Have you ever tried raw, wild harvested honey?! It is by far the most delicious way to have it. So grateful for nature’s gifts 🍯 Lol at my mom in the background telling me to make it drip 😅 #growninhaiti #honey #wildharvest #fresh #organic #natural #delicious #pureanduncut #honeybees https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj-1DDyOPIH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#growninhaiti #honey #wildharvest #fresh #organic #natural #delicious #pureanduncut #honeybees

[fusionessentialsllc]

@citygatesevent

#makersgonnamake #certifiedorganic #wildcrafted #wildharvest #essentialoilblends #essentialoils #salves #balms #lipbalm #aromatherapy #wellness #selfcare #love #health #healthylifestyle #dog #rescuedog #rescuedogsofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #instagram #etsyshop #etsy #etsystarseller #Instagram

[welovetoheal]

Let boundless joy radiate within you 💜

#welovetoheal #healing #adaptogens #herbalsupplements #wildharvested #wlthwellness #holistichealing #mood #wlthmoodlift #vibes #joy #happiness #brewthemagic #herbalproducts #organicproducts #healthandwellness #holistichealth #adaptogen #adaptogenic #naturalproducts #naturalsupplements #stressreliefproduct #anxietyreliefproduct #plantbasedsupplements #onlineherbalstore #herbaladaptogens

[cotswoldforagingexperience]

🌱 Forage for Flavor 🍴 Have you ever tried wild chives? These little herbs pack a punch of flavor and are easy to find growing in fields and meadows!🌿 Not only are they delicious, but they are also completely edible and have been used in traditional medicine for centuries to support digestive and respiratory health. 💊 So why not head outside and see what wild edibles you can find in your area? 🌿 Trust me, the flavor and health benefits are worth the hunt! #ForageFood #WildEdibles #WildChives #Foraging #HerbalMedicine #WildFoodLove #EdiblePlants #NatureFood #HerbalRemedies #WildHarvest #WildKitchen Let me know if you've ever tried wild chives and what you think of their flavor! 💬 https://www.instagram.com/p/Coj91g3sQHw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#foragefood #wildedibles #wildchives #foraging #herbalmedicine #wildfoodlove #edibleplants #naturefood #herbalremedies #wildharvest #wildkitchen

[fawnlilybotanica]

☀️ Happy Summer Solstice! ☀️ It's the longest day of the year, officially summer, and the perfect time to relish the warmth, energy, vitality, power, and light of the sun! ✨ To celebrate the Solstice, we’re harvesting fresh botanicals for a new bio regional salve! We picked so many plants for the salve today, it’s going to be amazing and so incredible for the skin! We’ll solar dry the plants (further utilizing & harnessing the power + energy of the sun), then infuse them into organic olive oil, then blend that powerful infused oil with beeswax, cocoa butter, and vitamin e oil for the ultimate skin-loving balm! 😊 In our gathering basket, we have fresh: yarrow flowers & leaves, ginkgo leaves, oregano, helichrysum flowers, lemon balm, thyme, sage, rosemary, wild violets, California poppies, blueberry leaves, strawberry leaves, Oregon grape leaves, lavender, spruce tips, Douglas fir tips, pine tips, pineapple sage, and two varieties of cedar tips (western red and port orford)! 🌿 This salve will be part of our limited-edition Summer Collection which is available now for pre-order! See link in bio or visit our website for more info. #bioregionalmedicine #plantmedicine #summerskincare #salve #herbalsalve #botanicalsalve #harvest #wildharvest #sustainableplants #gather #gatheringbasket #howtomake #salvemaking #medicinemaking #herbal #herbalharvest #fawnlilybotanica #greenliving #naturalskincare #plantbased #herbalskincare https://www.instagram.com/p/CfE89F0v2Cw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#bioregionalmedicine #plantmedicine #summerskincare #salve #herbalsalve #botanicalsalve #harvest #wildharvest #sustainableplants #gather #gatheringbasket #howtomake #salvemaking #medicinemaking #herbal #herbalharvest #fawnlilybotanica #greenliving #naturalskincare #plantbased #herbalskincare

[circleofdrink]

Fresh Dandelion and Mint for this week of delicious Matecitos! #wildharvested #ervamate #yerbamate #dandelion #mint #fresh https://www.instagram.com/p/CeM9KzQIR4z/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#wildharvested #ervamate #yerbamate #dandelion #mint #fresh

[witch-of-the-creek]

I’m so very sick of plant blindness in conservation, and in the wider world in general

If you buy or ‘wildharvest’ an endangered, threatened, or protected plant, you are a trophy hunter.

It doesn’t matter if it’s for spiritual reasons. It doesn’t matter if it’s already been harvested. You are bankrolling the destruction of a species. You are contributing to the growing demand.

The loss of any plant species can cause a trophic cascade, a having a devastating impact on the ecosystem it was a part of.

#witchblr #plant medicine #herbal medicine #herbalism #green witch #botany #herbal witch #herbal wellness #herbal witchcraft #plant magic

[carolinayourspiritmaster]

Last wildharvesting of the year, since it seems that rain will finally arrive this week: Eucalyptus and Sumac. Each of these bundles is around a yard and a half long. I can't tell you which one of these trees I love more 😊.

#carolinagonzalez

[deartreadmill]

thinky thoughts

So I’ve just had ice cream because my throat is still a little sore from the strep throat.

However. I either read it somewhere in the last couple of days or heard it on the radio and I can’t remember where. So I’m going to post it here to remind myself. And maybe someone else, if anyone still reads this thing. Vegetables are vegetables. Fruit is fruit.

The overwhelming media noise about food is that clean eating is the only way to eat, and it’s led us to deconstruct our meals to the point that we have this brainfuck about vegetables and fruit that they only count if they are raw and fresh, and not mixed in with anything.

Look. Veggie and fruit prices are going through the fucking roof. Frozen mixed berries cost less, and they are still fruit. Frozen peas and carrots cost less and they are still veg. Making pasta sauce from tin sauce and adding vegetables counts as veggies. Blending up 45 pounds of zucchini that your grew in your garden and freezing it to add it into literally everything you cook through the winter counts as a fucking vegetable. Wildharvested saskatoon berries that your brought home and carefully frozen count as fruit. Even if you cook them into a fucking pie.

It’s about balance. 

Fruits and veg are loaded with nutrients our bodies need. Your body doesn’t care HOW, it just needs. So take them as they come.

By the way, no coming for me about how fruit is full of sugar/carbs. I am a type 2 diabetic and I am still going to eat my goddamn fruit. It’s better for me than ice cream, chocolate bars or whatever sweet treat will wind up in my face if I don’t have fruit. We need to start thinking about the value all of our food has. I need my A1C to be better, and I want my liver healthier. That means more balance in my diet, more veggie and fruit snacks, less ‘fixate on this macro to fix things’ behaviour.

Oh, and Jo? drink some more goddamn water.

[soupcancont]

I bought some Peace River Bourbon Hot Honey to try out. After tasting it, I thought it might be good in cranberry sauce, and guess what? It is!

I also used wild blueberries because I still have lots left from my picking adventures last summer.

Cranberry-Blueberry Sauce with Orange & Bourbon Hot Honey

1 cup of cranberries

1 cup of blueberries

1 orange, fruit and zest

1/2 cup of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of Bourbon Hot Honey

1/3 cup of water

Put everything in a pot and cook on high until it starts to gel. I gave this about ten minutes.

I prefer to let the fruit have some time to break down a bit before adding any sweeteners, so I added the sugar about halfway through my cooking time, and the honey near the end.

I jarred this up but didn't process it, so it has to go straight into the fridge once it cools.

#JamsJelliesAndPreserves #WildHarvesting #FreezerForaging #WildBlueberries #Cranberries #CranberrySauce #Oranges #Zesty #Spicy #BourbonHotHoney

[klubkratom]

[growninhaiti]

Wild harvested wood ears 👂🏽 Wood Ear mushrooms, botanically classified as Auricularia auricula-judae, are an edible ear jelly fungus that is a member of the Auriculariaceae family. Also known as the Cloud Ear, Jew Ear, Black fungus, and Jelly Ear, Wood Ear mushrooms are found in humid, temperate forests. Wood Ear mushrooms are utilized for their chewy texture rather than their mild taste and are a popular textural element in many Asian soup dishes. When cooked, Wood Ear mushrooms are firm, crunchy, and toothsome with a mild, musty flavor. Wood Ear mushrooms contain iron, protein, fiber, and vitamins B1 and B2. In Asia, Wood Ear mushrooms are known as Yung ngo, Kikurage, Mokurage, and Aragekikurage. The Chinese call it "Hei mu-er,” and consider the Wood Ear mushroom to be both edible and medicinal as it has been used since the Tang dynasty from 618-907 BCE. In China, Wood Ear mushrooms are added to dishes to help improve breathing, circulation, sore throats, and wellbeing, and to help reduce colds and fevers. #growninhaiti #woodears #fungi #mycology #forage #wildharvested #mushroom #haiti #ayiti #organic #soilhealth #regenerativefoodsystems https://www.instagram.com/p/CkYDP-bOReA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#growninhaiti #woodears #fungi #mycology #forage #wildharvested #mushroom #haiti #ayiti #organic #soilhealth #regenerativefoodsystems

[tipsycad147]

Smoke Cleansing Around the World

Smoke cleansing—burning botanicals, resins, wood, etc. for health and/or spiritual purposes—is an ancient practice that is common in a wide variety of cultures and faiths around the world. For instance, I was introduced to smoke cleansing through the practice of “fire saining,” a Celtic tradition that resonates well with my cultural and personal history. However, the form of smoke cleansing that most people are familiar with today is “smudging.” The commercialization of smudging is unfortunate on multiple fronts—it is cultural appropriation of North American indigenous practices, it has created serious issues around illegal and/or irresponsible wildharvesting of traditional smudging herbs, and it disregards the wealth of other forms of smoke cleansing that are just as ancient and powerful. Many times, looking to our own culture, faith, community, or heritage in our relationship to the botanical world can help us identify herbal allies that are particularly aligned with us as individuals. Our ancestors had personal relationships with these plants; they have been part of our people—our DNA—for time immemorial. Smoke cleansing can be a powerful, renewing, and healing practice for many people, particularly when they are embracing a form that resonates with their genuine self.

SMUDGING VS. SMOKE CLEANSING

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the verb “smudge” is an English word from the mid-18th century that originally meant to obscure or smother something with smoke and was often used in terms of filling an area with smoke to get rid of insects or to protect plants from frost. However, in the late 19th/early 20th century in the United States, the word became associated with the smoke cleansing ceremonial practices of some First Nations People, in which other rituals are also employed along with smudging in preparation for spiritual ceremonies or personal rites. Increasingly, the term “smudging” is considered specific to those people’s spiritual practices.

Other smoke cleansing rituals from around the world often have similar goals and outcomes as smudging, but also can be used to achieve a wide variety of different purposes. Whereas one smoke cleansing practice might be used to connect with a spirit world or as a purifying act in preparation for a ceremony, others are intended to eliminate negative energy, to bring together a community, to create a sacred space, or simply to provide herbal support. What they have in common, however, is that they use burnables that are regionally, culturally, spiritually, or historically significant to the people performing the ritual.

SMOKE CLEANSING IN THE ANCIENT WORLD

One of the earliest written records of smoke cleansing comes from the Vedas. These ancient Hindu texts written in Sanskrit detail the use of incense as a healing tool to support recovery from illness and, equally important, to create a clean, peaceful, nurturing space in which to heal. We know, however, that long before the Vedas documented this use of smoke cleansing, people throughout the ancient world burned herbs to create sweet-smelling smoke in their temples, in their home alters, and in places of healing.

The Minoans and the Mycenaeans in Mesopotamia burned ladanum and saffron. The Assyrians burned cedar, cypress, juniper, boxwood, and fir. Ancient Romans burned cinnamon at funerals and rosemary for healing.

In Africa, traditional healers and spiritual leaders burned herbs on charcoal or threw herbal powders into the fire so that the smoke spread around a person, and they “bathed” in it. Depending on the herbs used, the goal might be a purely healing one and/or it might be part of rituals to connect to the spirit world. The burnables vary by region. In West Africa, there are long traditions with N'tabanokò (Cola cordifolia), Ganianka (Combretum mole), and Nèrè (Parkia biglobosa). In South Africa, Imphepho (Helichrysum odoratissimum) continues to be a burnable for ritual.

In ancient China and across Asia, incense was ever-present in Buddhist, Taoist, and Shinto temples and in the veneration of ancestors. Jìngxiāng 敬香, “offering incense with respect," was a fundamental element of ancestor veneration, often using joss incense sticks made from a variety of botanicals and the roots and barks of trees like magnolia, peony, and cypress. Incense was also used by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners to support emotional and physical wellness. Agarwood and sandalwood were considered particularly potent and precious. Another TCM burnables therapy with a long history of use is moxibustion; often used in conjunction with acupuncture, practitioners burn ground mugwort that is formed into sticks.

Smoke cleansing in the form of incense was a significant element of ceremonial worship in ancient Egypt as well. A particularly popular incense of the day was called kyphi. There were versions of kyphi that were intended for the home—to purify the space, give a pleasant aroma, and help people sleep well—and others intended specifically for the temples, particularly those honoring the goddess, Isis. Depending on which recipe one used, the ingredients included a mixture of herbs and resins (ground myrrh, frankincense, calamus root, juniper berries, spikenard, cinnamon, etc.), often mixed with raisins, wine, and honey.

Smoke as part of ritual was also important to the ancient Israelites, so much so that God gave Moses an incense recipe. Exodus 34-35 tells us it included storax, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense in equal parts, which was to be blended and salted in such a way that it would be pure and sacred. And of course, in the Biblical birth-of-Jesus story, frankincense and myrrh where two of the three precious gifts given by the wise men.

SMOKE CLEANSING IN INDIA: HAVAN SAMAGRI

Perhaps you heard about an issue that came up a few years back that started when a number of popular American media outlets featured smoke cleansing articles with titles like, “The Science Behind Smudging” and “The Benefits of Burning Sage Include a Better Night’s Sleep (no wonder it’s an ancient ritual).” The articles referenced a 2007 study, “Medicinal Smoke Reduces Airborne Bacteria,” published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. The media outlets used this study to make a case for the health benefits of smudging, particularly with white sage. The problem however, beyond the obvious cultural appropriation involved, is that the study had zero to do with smudging as a practice and did not include sage of any sort.

The study took place in India, looking specifically at “havan samagri,” a mixture of ceremonial and Ayurvedic herbs, wood, and roots used throughout India in fire oblations. Havan samagri includes botanicals like rose petals, sandalwood powder, agar, lotus seeds, turmeric, mango wood, etc. It is not burned in the form of a bundle or a stick, as in smudging or moxibustion, but is burned loose in a bowl or dish so that the rising smoke fills the space. And yes, the research did show that this form of smoke cleansing—specifically burning havan samagri for one hour—significantly reduced the bacterial count in the air.

Other smoke cleansing burnables used in India include star anise, cedarwood, vetiver, valerian, patchouli, clove, etc.

SMOKE CLEANSING IN OCEANIA

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have also utilized traditional smoke cleansing for thousands of years to support health, wellbeing, protection, community, and connection with their land. Smoking ceremonies mark rites of passage; they are used to protect a newborn or a mother who has just given birth. In naming ceremonies, elders put their hands in the smoke over the ceremonial fire and then on the hands, feet, and eyes of the baby. Smoke cleansing is also used as an act of goodwill to welcome and protect visitors. This is done with a smokey outdoor fire, and uses a number of different plants, depending on region and availability. Emu bush (Eremophila longifolia), eucalyptus, cauliflower bush (Cassinia longifolia), mints, and Australian sandalwood are all traditional. This smoke cleansing tradition is so much a part of the culture of these people, the National Museum of Australia produced this video with Ngunnawal man, Adrian Brown, to help people better understand the cultural significance of the smoking ceremonies and the plants used—enjoy!

EUROPEAN SMOKE CLEANSING TRADITIONS

Saining is an age-old Celtic practice. Through the medium of fire and water saining, people bring the spirits of the botanical world to their aid in safeguarding, purifying, or healing a person, an animal, a place, an object, or an entire community. Seasonal holidays in the Celtic calendar like Beltane and Samhain traditionally included a fire saining. At this time, communities would build a ritual fire, often with juniper, rowan, or elder. The members of the community would take turns “jumping the fire” through the smoke to cleanse (purify), heal, and protect. They would also run their livestock through the smoke and bring the smoke into their homes. Throughout the rest of the year, saining was and continues to be used to mark life’s passages: births, handfastings, funerals, etc. Also, individuals or families practice smaller, simpler saining ceremonies at home as the mood or need arises.

Smoke cleansing was traditionally used in Europe in much more secular ways as well. In the 14th and 15th centuries, people burned rosemary in their homes as a means to protect themselves from bubonic plague and other contagions. Into the 20th century, French doctors recommended burning rosemary and thyme in sickrooms and hospitals to purify the air. They also recommended herbal smoking mixtures to address respiratory problems. These herbal blends would be burned on charcoal or thrown into a heating or cooking fire to fill the space and be inhaled.

CREATE YOUR OWN SMOKE CLEANSING TRADITIONS

The vast record of smoke cleansing in cultures throughout the world makes this ancient practice incredibly inclusive and accessible without needing to encroach on traditions that are sacred to others. There are many ways to find the burnables that resonate best with you. You can research your family’s history or culture, you may be on a spiritual path that has botanical traditions, or you may have a longstanding relationship with particular herbal allies that have served you well time and again. Aim for sustainable herbs, ones we can grow or which the earth offers us in organic abundance.

Also look at the means by which you burn your botanicals of choice. “Smudge sticks” are pretty specific to North American indigenous traditions. Around the world, traditional smoke cleansing rituals are more commonly performed with incense or loose botanicals and resins burned on charcoal or thrown into campfires and bonfires.

My people are mostly of northern European descent. Our ancestral record shows we have been farmers and gardeners of one sort or another for centuries. While others were exploring and conquering, we apparently realized early on that working with the earth’s bounty fed our souls. This is reflected in the botanicals I bring into my saining traditions. The burnables that resonate with me at a cellular level are the coniferous evergreens common to the northern forests, as well as fruitwood from my orchard and the protective garden herbs that my people have grown, and harvested, and cherished over centuries: comfrey, elderberry, valerian, lavender, rose, etc. I’ve also added Oregon grape just recently, which I grow in my yard, because this powerful ally has been part of my personal life since the moment I could walk.

Smoke cleansing can be profoundly beautiful, empowering, and supportive. Explore your history and your herbal allies so you can avoid cultural appropriation and move closer to your genuine self.

WANT TO LEARN HOW TO RESPECTFULLY WORK WITH AT-RISK PLANTS?

https://witches-moon.ning.com/forum/smoke-cleansing-around-the-world

[welovetoheal]

Unseal the ancient healing power of herbal adaptogens🌱

#wlthwellness #healing #adaptogens #herbalsupplements #welovetoheal #wildharvested #holistichealing #mood #wlthmoodlift #vibes #joy #happiness #brewthemagic #herbalproducts #organicproducts #healthandwellness #holistichealth #adaptogen #adaptogenic #naturalproducts #naturalsupplements #stressreliefproduct #anxietyreliefproduct #plantbasedsupplements #onlineherbalstore #herbaladaptogens