Hooked on Hickory

Shagbark Hickory ~ Carya ovata ~ "the oval nut"

I've fallen madly in love with the Hickory tree.

I'm not sure exactly when it began, but a series of events has slowly lured me in.

Of course, I have always admired this beautiful , eccentric style tree for it's likeness in my mind to the Lorax. I wonder how on Earth I missed the telegram that the nuts were edible. Even with the ten acre parcel of land my parents owned when I was a child, which they dubbed "Hickory Haven", I was too busy with the Mulberry trees.

Last December, our Homeschool staff member brought back a bushel of Pignut Hickory nuts and with the students he made an intoxicating warm Hickory milk. Yet since the nuts were from Tennessee, I dismissed them as a local harvest possibility.

About five weeks ago I sent my Jr. Herbalist class to scout an appropriate habitat to plant the Bloodroot cuttings we were learning about and propagating. They returned with a confession of partial distraction after planting, when they discovered a mast of nuts on the ground and proceeded to target one another. My son, who happened to be involved in the aforementioned Hickory milk project, knew the nuts and announced they were better to eat than throw. Of course that resulted in children shape shifting into squirrels and filling pockets and packs so full that they all returned heavy and looking even more like hamster cheeks.

I watched one student sit himself down and feverishly smash a nut and pick out the meat, little by little, as though it were the most exquisite thing he'd ever eaten. I just watched, trying to figure out what nut it was. Of course, the kids already knew.

A little over a week ago, I went out behind my beehive looking for sweet fern. I'd been enjoying this as a lovely, Sage-like tea, and wanted to dig a root for my friend and mentor Kiva Rose, so she could plant it in her garden. However, when I got there I saw that my memory had not served me, and what I have growing is Maidenhair fern, not sweet fern. So I puttered around in the woods for a few minutes and took some photos of the trees.

I'd recently been lamenting about our New England acorns and the fact that I really don't even try to use them for they are so extraordinarily bitter that they require several leaching steps before they are palatable enough to use. Bother.

Slowly did I walk back from the beehive, as my camera often elicits slower walking, and what did I see before my very eyes?

A nut.

Light hazelnut in color, and a pretty oval shape. I picked it up to ponder. Towering in front of me were three, beautiful Shagbark Hickory Trees.

Something in that moment clicked and I wish I could remember what words accompanied my epiphany, but next thing I knew I was tickling the leaves all around me and filling my basket with nuts.

As I gathered, the squirrels around me took it upon themselves to target me with falling twigs, Hemlock bits, and nuts, just as the children had done to each other. This spirited, mischievous play was clearly part and parcel of Hickory's message. Go on, get a little nutty. It's fun!

So who, then, would I ask how to prepare these morsels? My kids, of course. "Smash the nut and boil 'em. The bad ones float to the top." I was instructed - correctly. I have to interject here with honor for our previous instructor and co-founder of our Whole Earth Home-school program, the wonderful Ethan Elgersma, and his sweetheart wife Melissa, for bringing back those nuts from the South and teaching the kids how to use them. Will they know in their hearts the wisdom they gifted has grown and flourished? Perhaps, like the Hickory, many of the seeds they have planted won't bear fruit until 15-40 years have passed.

My daughter was the first to crack the nut with a heavy bread knife. This quartered the nut nicely, but as we soon discovered, the nut needs a better smashing to render a good strong brew. It turns out our lucky rock, a quartz from the riverside which fits nicely in the palm, was just right. This same rock is a beloved tool in my apothecary, as it holds layers of grape leaves so they stay submerged in brine, and used similarly to other fresh, floating plant material.

Now it's a treasured nut smasher, and has been working diligently, day after day, for the last 8 days.

From the moment I first inhaled the steam of this brew, I knew I was hooked. There is nothing like it. It's rich, maple-y, hazel-nutty, and utterly mouth watering. Not to mention, free for the gathering in my very own backyard - now that just takes the cake.

Lucky for me, Kiva has been making exquisite creations with her native acorns, and so along this journey I have had the blessings of like-minded inspiration and side-splitting laughter to accompany me.

If you have Hickory trees near you, well get to it because the season is closing and those squirrels and chipmunks are very busy.

Hickory Brew

~1 part smashed hickory nuts, shell and all

~3 parts water

~Simmer for 30 + minutes

~Strain a cup at a time, leaving the rest to continue steeping.

~Add milk and sweetener if desired

Hickory nuts are among the most delicious and nutritious of the tree nuts. They are especially rich in protein, healthy fats, amino acids, Vitamins A, B6, E and K, Calcium, and vital minerals. As a Native Tree of North America, it has been a valued food source throughout history. Native North Americans, particularly the Algonquins, favored their winter survival food of Hickory butter; a smooth, fatty-sweet spread they rendered from skimming the top layer off a multi-day long process of reducing a concentrated brew.

Mammals are dependent on Hickory for both food and habitat. Birds nest in their high branches, as this tree can grow to 100 feet tall, between 200 and 300 years old. Opossum like to make their homes inside the base of larger Hickories, and bats use the shingles of the bark for their shelter. Omnivores of the forest including black bear, snack on the nuts, but for the Eastern Chipmunks and Eastern Grey Squirrel who depend on them for up to 25 % of their diet, they are vital.

For their slow growing and long wait before nut harvest, they are often (sadly) disregarded for landscaping projects. Considering the ratio of building to replanting, this is a grim outlook for Hickory trees. Lucky for us, there are plenty of them for the time being, as long as we take notice of land clearing and work to stop it, to prevent future devastation. Another pressure which adds to this concern, is its remarkable lumber. Hickory is prized as a flavorful smoking wood; hickory smoked ham and BBQ sauce might remind you of summer parties with the yummiest of meals. The wood is extremely hard, and treasured as fuel for it's high B.T.U. output and long burning time. Natives fashioned precise hunting bows from Hickory wood, and many generations of craftspeople have made durable furniture to pass down to their own descendants. Easy kitchen cutting boards can be acquired by purchasing a slab of untreated hickory lumber from your local lumber yard, or should you have enough abundance to cut one of your own for you and your family, you could fashion a number of long lasting household objects.

The striking, shaggy bark of this tree (my particular spp., Carya ovata) has also been used in special recipes to flavor maple syrup as well as for a delicious syrup in it's own rite. I wanted Hickory syrup too, so I made up my own version using the nuts.

Hickory Syrup

~1 part smashed Hickory nuts, shells and all

~2 1/2 parts water

~Simmer down (the nuts and water) for at least an hour, or until very rich and almost creamy looking. You will see the yummy natural oils swirling on top

~Strain the brew, reserve the nuts for a second round later

~Return the liquid to a pot, and add 3/4 part brown sugar

~Simmer well while stirring until reduced a little more and a little more syrupy

~In a separate bowl, mix some corn starch with a little cold water.

~Drizzle the corn starch/water mixture into the syrup while whisking to combine. Use just a little at a time, as it thickens quickly.

~ When you have the consistency you want (pourable like maple), transfer to a cream pitcher or gravy boat.

~Use right away on top of pancakes, oatmeal, or however you like.

~Your syrup will thicken now throughout the day. You can rewarm to use again, or use is as a jelly-like spread on cookies or banana bread.

~Store remainder in the fridge.

The trick to getting the best nuts is not to use the bad ones, :) When collecting or just after, look at each of the nuts, remove the husk and compost or throw back any of the following:

*Nuts which have a small hole. This means it is home to larvae - which, if you like, you can eat, but most do not like that.

*Nuts that have a damaged shell implying rot or larvae

*Moldy nuts

The darker colored nuts and even the ones with a slimy coating between shell and husk have proven inconsistent in their goodness, so I harvest those anyway.

Store your nuts in shallow flat baskets and check on them each day, removing any critters who may have hatched and checking again for nuts with small holes.

I always smash them one at a time, so as not to mix any bad ones in with the good. Which isn't too big a deal if you're making a big batch as they will float - but not as reliably as I would like. Plus I just don't want to taint the incredible flavor.

And it *is* incredible.

Quite near my Hickories are more medicinal trees. This made it easy for me to be inspired to create my own Wild Woodland Morning Brew, inspired by Kiva Rose who I mentioned above. Kiva has been sharing with us her delectable Acorn recipes, including Acorn infused butter! And if you live in the Southwest, you'll appreciate her Woodland brew before mine. Our acorns here in New England are simply for those who have more time that I, to put through rounds of boiling water.

For my tonic I use Black Birch twigs, Hemlock tips, and Hickory Nuts. It's a complex, wild woman's tonic, not for the tamed senses. Clearly this is a gift of Fey.

Wild Woman's Forest Brew

~1 cup smashed Hickory nuts (yep, you guessed it, shells and all!)

~3 small Hemlock tree bough tips or hand full of fresh White Pine needles

~1 small handful of Black Birch twigs

~3 cups water or until covered fairly well

Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Strain cup by cup, adding more water and continuing to steep a warm brew. This pot can render at least a few rounds of rich flavored Forest Brew for up to 2 full days without refrigeration.

Sip savoringly under the trees or by the fire. Add milk or honey as desired, and of course tweak the recipe to your preference as well. More delicious tree magic additions are: Wild Cherry bark, Slippery Elm bark, or Sassafras roots. Chai spices are perfectly suited as well.

One of the most wonderful, surprising benefits of this brew, is the serious energy and endurance I feel when I drink it. Really! For you herbal readers, I'll put it like this: it feels like when I eat a high protein meal and chase it with Oatstraw infusion and a spoon of Ashwagandha honey. Yep, real, solid energy - but not a stimulant. This is the perfect reminder of adaptability. How many winters has this one tree seen? 200? Far more than me. I believe one of the secrets to adapting to the winter season is sweetly delivered in the package of a nut.

Speaking of special deliveries, I took full advantage of my Hickory obsession and used it as my topic and activity for this week's plant class. It's the perfect choice for those who teach kids about plants, especially because noticing different tree barks is relevant this time of year, and kids will notice the shaggy bark easily. They love the interesting facts about Hickory trees, and of course, will go to the ends of the Earth to gather as many nuts as possible, even before they think of asking what you will do with them!

It's also a great topic because, as many herbal lessons do, it does not divert you back into the kitchen. you can make the delicious brew right over a campfire, thus keeping the kids immersed in nature, fun, learning, and a little hands on history. Not to mention, what could be more fun than finding rocks to smash nuts with? It's a satisfying art form tailored for kids.

What you'll need to bring as the teacher are:

A Large pot to be used over the fire

Another large pot to rinse nuts in (and a hand towel for a cold day)

Bags/baskets for the kids to put nuts in

Heat tolerant cups or lightweight camping mugs

A Ladle

A large mesh strainer

Milk and Honey or Cream

Flat trays or baskets to hold clean nuts

Reference book - I use The Tree Identification Book

Pot Holders or something to do the job
Access to water

Allow a good three hours for this segment, and pre-scout the area for a good mast and safe fire pit area. Here are a few more Hickory facts you can share with your students:

The botanical name is Carya ovata, meaning "oval nut"

It is in the Juglandaceae, or Walnut family.

It's relatives include the Black Walnut and Pecan.

It is a deciduous hardwood tree.

It's branching pattern is alternate, with opposite, odd pinnate leaflets; 5-7 per leaf.

The leaflets are larger towards the end of the leaf.

Leaflets bear little to no petiole, and have toothed margins and slightly tapered points which almost curl like a frosting tip.

The base of the lateral leaflets are lobed and asymmetrical, similar to to Witch Hazel.

The Bark of the younger trees or younger portion of a mature tree is much less furrowed, possibly smooth.

The trunks are extremely straight, compared to a curvy cherry or apple.

~~~~

Hickory brew can be used for any recipe you like. Cookies, breads, or coffee can be made using the brew in place of water. Yum. You can also roast the nuts in the oven to help dry the shells for easier nut meat removal and to bring our the aroma and flavor. Experiment and get to know this strengthening woodland gift.

References from the web:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carya_ovata

http://www.hickorytree.net/

http://www.cirrusimage.com/tree_shagbark_hickory.htm

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/carya/ovata.htm

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CAOV2

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/DENDROLOGY/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=20

Fall in a corridor of color

This place is a beautiful trail entrance where I work, leading to two sweet spots I call otter bridge and bear river. Along the way, you pass the field of knotweed where epic games of deer and coyote have gone down, and kid-sized paths are matted down in clever loops and lookout piers. On the left beyond the treeline but before the river, is a magnificent meadow with countless herbaceous treasures and troves of goldenrod, as well as prolific small willows coppiced perfectly for weaving. Each step along this trail holds an eye and heart full of frolic and memory.



As part of my 'leaf stalking' project, I am taking repetitious photos of this beautiful spot over time, and will return here to add more as the colors continue to turn.

9.24.09

10.15.09

10.29.09

11.5.09

11.19.09

Blog Party: Your Morning Cuppa

This months blog party is a fun and unusual one in which all these amazing herb folk will explore and share with us their favorite morning beverages and ritual drinks, ranging from the morning cup of joe, to herbal creations and anything in between, it is sure to be a feast worth waking up for!! Hosted by Tansy at Dancing in a field of tansy

Most mornings I fix myself a nice cup of really fine chinese tea. I'm lucky to live within walking distance to Seven Cups Tea House in Tucson, AZ. There I purchase the finest imported chinese and some japanese teas I've ever tasted, smokey puer tea, to bright floral jasmine pearls, to chinese herbal combinations like Eight Treasures Tea. My favorites though are the oolongs, which land somewhere between green and black in flavor, but have a depth and capacity for unique flavors that I just love. My favorite of late has been the Golden Water Turtle Oolong. Here's the description from Seven Cups.

"This medium roasted tea has a strong dark chocolate aroma but sweet floral aftertaste and flavor that never goes bitter. Compared to other medium roasted tea, which have a heavy concentrated taste, Shui Jin Gui gives you a clean slippery feeling that allows you to appreciate the character of this bush. A story tells of exceptional tea bushes cultivated by monks living high on the slopes of WuYi Shan. A torrential storm washed a few of these cliff-dwelling bushes down onto another farmer's land. The monks wanted the bushes back but the farmer refused. The local court decided in favor of the farmer claiming natural forces had favored him. The bushes grow on two square meters with a constant stream of water following through resembling a turtle thus the name "Water Turtle" was given to these bushes. Although there are still three original bushes remaining, no tea is picked because of the age of the bushes. All Shui Jin Gui was cultivated from these original bushes."

My other favorite cup of tea for morning wake up in a simple green gen maicha, with toasted brown rice. Simple, delicious and suits me perfectly, it never needs sweetening and that toasty flavor lends a heartiness and warmth that green tea alone doesn't quite manage.

But on the days when a cup of tea doesn't cut it, I mean those mornings when I have to be up and at work at 5 am long before the sun is up, I resort to something slightly more stimulating, and more creative!

My famous ChocaMacaMateLatte!

The variations on this are endless, and I come up with something new almost every time I make some, but the the basics are thus:

1 qt jar

2-3 tbsp mate leaves (how strong do you like the flavor and the buzz?)

1 tbsp maca powder

1-2 tbsp Cocoa powder

Milk, cream or non dairy milk of choice. I use almond most often, but coconut is extra creamy and yummy.

Honey to your taste.

Mix all the ingredients, and pour hot boiled water over the whole mess, top with your milk of choice. Stir well, and grab a bombilla and a lid and go!

Clearly this is a buzz buzz buzz of a drink, with two sources of caffiene, mateine, theobromine and numerous other stimulating alkaloids, but the maca powder really smooths out that buzz, makes it last much longer, evens out the plateau, and helps prevent a caffiene crash. I never feel jittery from this combination, but your mileage may vary. More or less mate, milk, or maca may influence your experience, and I definately vary the proportions depending on my morning.

Often times I'll turn this into something of a chai latte with the addition of cardamom, ( which an ayurvedic practitioner once told me protects the adrenals from the caffiene), cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and clove. Or some extra cocoa and some chile powder. Sometimes I throw in some tulsi leaves, or some orange peels. Sometimes I even drop a scoop of coconut oil into the jar for extra goodness.

I definately don't reccomend this as a regular every day drink, but it is yummilicious and works better for me than coffee when I need some even and long lasting energy without the jitters!

Sensing

Autumn is a calling.

If nostalgia could be a gift, it would unwrap the glorious memories of childhood, moments of being held tight by your first love, and of dreams not yet realized but still vibrating with hope.

The leaves are at their peak of beauty before swaying to their death.

The air smells of apples and wood smoke.

I've been out harvesting nostalgia; collecting memories that buzz in the middle and then reverberate each time I smell the same season's breeze or catch the same angle of sunlight. In my hot tea before bed I stir these thoughts of wonderment as the honeyed steam rises up.

The summer's floral display is changing into spikes and burrs and puffs. The tree trunks are showing shades of gray and black hardly noticed before. The skies are furious and haunting with clouds only October can boast. I've been watching closely. I gathered a thick bushel of the sweetest goldenrod flowers, small bundles of sweet everlasting, and hug-fulls of my dreamy mugwort. I have many magic potions from my summer's course, glistening on my countertops in shades and textures not unlike the autumn trees.

The last of the determined flowers have bloomed. I admire with sharp feelings the unusual juxtaposition of pink flowers, colored trees, and October snow. I am grateful for Elderberry elixir and my Monday hot soup tradition.

Grateful for working in a place where the land speaks to me, and the people are wise and humble. For where else would I learn how to respectfully dress a groundhog?

Grateful for the copious boughs of Thuja that I made into oil.
And while my Anima Medicine Woman Mentorship is coming along, it brings many surprises with it. It's going slower than I planned, and with different emphasis. I envisioned spending much time on herbal learning, but in fact I am spending more time on my own healing, paradigms, and sensory gifts. I work slowly in general, not because I am slow, but because I take in an enormous amount in each moment and that requires time and assimilation. I am allowing myself to be slower with less punishment. One of the delicious benefits is simple observation and receptivity. This has been perhaps the most exquisite Autumn I have ever seen; the colors are beyond spectacular. Is this because of weather and patterns? Or is it simply because I am watching so carefully the turning.....

from greens.........

to pinks............to golds..............
I am awestruck by Autumn this year. Despite my very busy schedule, (and my ruthless hatred of winter present or pending) timeless moments have blessed me often.

Like the day the bobcat walked through.

And the day we found fresh black bear scat in our front yard.

And the day we took a twilight hayride through sacred land.
And prayed and laughed in the corn maze.

And the day the honey came.
The Anima pulses through me a little stronger each day as I write and rewrite myself. I'm inviting back in my muse and prepared to let her take me over, trusting she won't let me fall. I see her in the flowers of the boneset, the breathing mist on the river, the cascades of leaves everywhere. I see her in the innocent eyes of my dance and herbal students. She is leading me again to poetry, to movement, to feeling. She guides me to before; before the chopping and blending, before the herb articles are written, before any assumptions are made.

She seduces me into the bittersweet nostalgia of receiving beauty right now.

~~~~

Feet planted firmly in the hurt

I sprout tendrils from the dirt

Grounded heart

Receptive mind

I open to the gifts I'll find

In waves of curling shadow grief

Surrender into risk

~is relief~

In bowing prayer

Twisting faith

In moving love, my heart is safe.

Plant Spirit Medicine Workshops

Please join me for an evening exploring the world of the plant spirits. Learn about communicating with and understanding the messages and guidance the plants have for us, and using the plants as spiritual healing allies. We will use various techniques to guide us into the ways of the plant spirits, including drum journey, plant essences, sensory experience, and plant oracles. No experience necessary, this circle is open to all, regardless of experience with plants, herbalism or shamanism. We will explore and experience the plants together. We will delve deeply in how to approach and use plant spirit medicine as a healing tool for yourself and loved ones, including how to prepare plant essences, work with plant spirits in journey work, medicine bags, oracles and more.

This workshop is offered by Spirit Guided Donation.

Oct 23 2009 @ 6:30pm

Nov 5 2009 @6:30 pm

Offered at the Healing Cave @

The Institute for the Shamanic Arts

Woman Kraft Art Center
388 S. Stone Ave
Tucson, AZ 85701

Calling us into Relationship, October Blog Party: Bio-regional herbs for Colds and Flu

Click on this link to visit Rosalee de la Foret's blog and links to many other herbalists who has written their blogs with the theme: Bio-regional herbs for Colds and Flu
http://methowvalleyherbs.blogspot.com/2009/10/october-blog-party-bio-regional-herbs.html

When I moved to Whidbey Island, just over 7 years ago, I had a good relationship with a few plants that boosted my immune system and helped me release viral and bacterial infections, helped me soothe myself through being sick and support me back to wellness. Some of these plants didn’t grow where I lived and so I depended on buying the fresh root and at times the dry root to make tincture. I had no idea what I would find here, on this precious island, and I am still amazed every time I think about it.

At a recent plant walk I offered on the island, I spoke to participants of how we don’t need to worry so much about colds and flus on Whidbey Island because we are surrounded by amazing immune system plants. I will share a bit about a few of these plants, how to prepare them simply at home and then at the end offer a few ways to nourish your immune system so that you are less likely to contact a cold or flu in the future.



Wild Rose Rosa nutkana and other species:
We have wild roses here on our land on Whidbey Island, almost an acre of them. They are in abundance all over the island as well as all over Western Washington, into the mountain and beyond. Wild Rose is anti-viral to name just one of many ways this plants offers itself to us. I met a man years back at an herbal conference who had done significant research on Pacific Yew as an anti-cancer herb. He told me that at University of British Columbia in Canada, they were testing some native plants for their anti-viral properties and the wild rose rosa nutkana, leaf and flower tincture killed the cold virus in the laboratory.
I was amazed and excited, I had some wild rose tincture at my booth, which is what sparked the conversation. I had not utilized it in this way. I began to make the tincture as he suggested and have utilized it now when I have a cold. It has been gentle and very effective in my healing. Students of mine have used it and we have found that it strongly supports healing, and can turn what appears "bad" to "not so bad "in a short amount of time. This “Pacific Yew Man” as I call him, said that he believed that wild rose hips tincture would have a similar effect. My husband and I now utilize both of these preparations for healing our upper respiratory infections. One of the beautiful things about this herbal preparation of wild roses is that it also supports the relaxation of the nervous system, which is beneficial when we are sick. It helps bring us into a more positive perspective about our health.

You can easily make wild rose tincture and wild rose hips tincture yourself at home. Right now, the wild rose hips are ripe and ready to offer themselves to you for healing.

• Find a stand of wild rose hips from which to harvest. Spend some time with the plants and breathe in their oxygen, breathe out offering your breath. Listen and see what these plants specifically have for you.
  
• Ask their permission to harvest and gather the wild rose hips in a basket or cloth bag. Say thank you for such beautiful medicine. If these rose hips are in abundance, gather enough to dry as well for infusions full of Vitamin C and pectin.
  
• Place your wild rose hips in a jar, filling it 2/3 full with these ripe red berries. Fill the jar again with 100 proof vodka. (You can now find organic vodka at the liquor store) Put a lid on your tincture and label it with name, date and perhaps something the plant spoke to you. Let this brew sit for six weeks, the turn of a season.
  
• Strain it through a sieve with a clean cloth draped over it. Squeeze out the liquid, as much as you can and place this incredible life giving medicine into a beautiful bottle.
  
• My husband and I use 25 drops about every 3 hours when we are right in the middle of a cold and then lessen it to once or twice a days as we are getting better.
  
• Next year, when spring is turning to summer, you can gather the wild rose flower and leaf tips and make a tincture in the same way.

One of my practices that keeps me connected with the compassionate wisdom of the plants that I utilize for medicine is to continue to thank the plants for their healing. And so I return to the plants again and again and wish them well, say thank you and remember what they have offered me.



Lomatium Lomatium nudicale: I found out about this plant from Ryan Drum, www.ryandrum.com, at an herbal conference. I had heard of Lomatium dissectum, a plant that is strongly overharvested. Ryan talked about how traditionally, the seed of the lomatium nudicale was utilized by the native first people here around Puget Sound. He said it was much more sustainable to harvest the seed than the root and really, the root is not a traditional medicine. I was intrigued with his stories.
I had just moved to Whidbey Island and asked him if he thought this plant grew on our island. He said “Yes” that he had seen it up near the central part of the island on the beach. I purchased lomatium seed from Ryan so that I could make tincture with it and begin to bring its medicine into my life. I have found the place where Lomatium nudicale grows on the beach. It is a member of the carrot family, and has a beautiful low growing umbel of seeds that ripen in late summer. I am excited to share this medicine with others, passing on its gentle and effective healing of upper respiratory infections. I also discovered that it has been called the “Indian Consumption Plant”
There is one more bit about it that is significant here. The Lomatium nudicale seed is a spirit healer as well. It was given to another when the giver wished to be heard. This to me represent relationship. And I have found in my studies and journeys that the immune system is about just that, relationship.
This plant is a little more elusive than wild rose. But if you do happen onto it, gather the lomatium seeds in late summer and make a tincture very similar to the directions above. Infused honey is another preparation that can be helpful when we are in need of support in healing a cold or flu. In this case, fill a jar half full with the lomatium seeds and pour local, raw honey over this to the top. You can use this preparation in a week or two, but do wait for at least six weeks for it. It will be worth it.
Tinctures are such a great way to make herbal medicine last for long period of time. I like to advocate that people also make infusion with plants. The mineral richness of the healing herbs will be extracted in a strong tea that sits for a long time. This is also the more traditional use of the herb.
Infusion of Wild Rose Hips:

• Pour one quart of boiling water over one ounce of dry rose hips.
  
• Let this sit for 4-8 hours.
  
• Strain off the liquid and put the wild rose hips in a saucepan with more water.
  
• Boil this for a long time.
  
• Strain this through a cloth draped sieve (so you don’t get the little hairs inside the hips)
  
• Add the two liquids to each other.

This is an exquisite infusion and full of goodness.

There are two , two weeds, that grow in my garden and on our land with which I make nourishing herbal vinegars. They are Dandelion Root Taraxacum officinale and Burdock Root Artium lappa. Now is the time to harvest these roots. They are filled with inulin, a starchy substance that nourishes your gut flora. It is becoming more and more widely known that most of the immune system is in the gut. When you have a healthy gut, you are well. Here is a link to a blog post I offered awhile back with instructions for harvesting dandelion root and making an herbal vinegar with it.
http://crowsdaughtersherbs.blogspot.com/2008/01/dandelion-has-been-potent-ally-of-mine.html
You might think the dandelion root would be bitter, but right now it has sweetness in it. I put this dandelion root vinegar on my salads, in my soups and on my well cooked greens.

The healing plants are calling us into relationship. "Come outside" they say, " And discover a whole new world of nourishment and healing at your doorstep."

May it be in Beauty.

Blog Party: Bioregional Allies for Influenza: Butterfly Weed

Blog Party: See all the amazing entries at www.methowvalleyherbs.blogspot.com

One of my favorite wildflowers that is widespread across much of the country, in patches, and grows quite well in the southwestern Sky Island mountains is Butterfly Weed, or Pleurisy Root (Asclepias tuberose). Not strictly limited to the Southwest, and certainly a very commonly cultivated plant, I choose it as one of my prime allies for influenza.

Influenza is primarily a respiratory illness, and

beautiful Butterfly Weed, is a versatile and complicated plant which has a strong affinity for the respiratory tract. Known in herbal circles more commonly as Pleurisy Root, this plant from the Milkweed family was often used for exactly that, Pleurisy, a very painful, acute inflam

mation of the pleural lining of the lungs, in which there can be fluid build-up between the pleura and lungs. Pleurisy usually occurs from an acute infection like influenza, pneumonia, or in autoimmune conditions with widespread inflammation. Pleurisy aside, Butterfly Weed (the name I prefer to call it by) is definitely a good choice in any respiratory condition with inflammation and dampness, including influenza.

Butterfly Weed, in the Asclepidaceae family, is named for Asclepias, the Greek god of healing. Its virtues are many and diverse, and thus was well respected throughout history as a healing medicine plant. Butterfly Weed is one of few plants in the milkweed family that doesn’t have a milky white sap and is a primary food source for Monarch butterflies. It can be very locally abundant in the right environment, but it is less com

mon than one might suspect, and due to this fact, and its ecological importance, one must wild craft this healer with care. Here in the Southwestern mountains I find it in the regions of transition between oak/juniper woodlands to ponderosa pine forest, often growing among the rocky banks of dry arroyos. Its brilliant orange flowers in early summer are a tell tale giveaway to its identity and location, but is otherwise a non-descript green plant easy to overlook.

Butterfly weed is relaxant, stimulant, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, lymphatic tonic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and emetic. One of the finest relaxing diaphoretics in our western materia medica, I usually turn to Butterfly Weed when my other favorite relaxing diaphoretic, Elder flower hasn’t been as effective as hoped. It is specific to feverish conditions where the skin is hot and dry, and the individual is tense, and experiencing inflammation, pain and fluid congestion in the respiratory tract. It relaxes tension in the tissues of the skin, mucous membranes (think respiratory, digestive and urinary systems), and allows fluid balance and movement to be restored. It will readily produce a sweat in those hot, dry and tense feverish folks, dilate the bronchials, ease expectoration of mucus, and ease pain and inflammation. This can be especially helpful in influenza which is characterized by hyper immune response resulting in inflammatory cytokine storm, with fluid build up. I also fin

d it to be extremely useful in those feverish cases when the person really needs to relax and sleep, Butterfly weed eases those individuals into a relaxed state where sleep will come easier and they will get the rest they need to recover.

Butterfly weed is most effective when given as a warm tea, 1 tsp of root per cup, taken 2-3 times per day. Though I find administering smaller portions 2-3 tablespoons or a few swallows at a time, over the course of 30 min to an hour can be quite effective as well, and far more tolerable to most folks, as the taste of butterfly weed is hard to swallow. A tincture of the fresh root is also an effective medicine, and I like to administer it as such: 2-3 droppers of tincture in hot water, sipped slowly over 30 min to an hour.

Butterfly weed can be very useful in bringing down a high fever to a healthy level, by opening pores and stimulating circulation to the surface of the skin and away from the core. I like to put the feverish person in a tepid bath ( 98 degrees F) as they sip their tea. I’ve seen a fever nearing 104.5 F respond quickly to this combination of herb and hydrotherapy, and return to a healthy 102 F.

William Cook informs us that the effects of Butterfly weed are slow to take effect but are lasting, but the usefulness is enhanced when given with another circulatory stimulant which is quicker acting, like ginger. In the interest of bioregionalism, I’d likely combine it with Monarda (Bee Balm), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) or even Osha (Liguisticum porteri) depending on the case and the person.

“The chief employment of this agent is in febrile and inflammatory affections, where the

perspiration needs to be decidedly promoted, and excitement of the heart relieved by a full outward determination of blood. It secures a slow, steady, and free perspiration, at the same time suitably diminishing excessive heat of the surface; which action renders it highly serviceable in typhus, scarlet, bilious, puerperal, lung, rheumatic, and other forms of fever, with a hot skin and rigid pulse. Measles and catarrhal fever may be added especially to this list; and so great is its service in pleurisy, that pleurisy root is one of the most popular of its names among the people. In acute dysentery, with fever and tormina, it secures that free circulation to the surface which affords great relief to the bowels; and in the acute stages of inflammation of the womb, bladder, and kidneys, it is of equal advantage. In all these cases its use is followed by not only an increased perspiration and softening of the pulse; but the action of the kidneys becomes better, the mucous surfaces act more firmly and naturally, and the nervous system obtains a soothing impression that is very desirable.” William Cook

This is just the tip of the root of this amazing and versatile plant, and I plan to write more in depth on it in the future, but its application in influenza can’t be faulted. Stay well!