September 1st
continued… Talk with Paul Strauss~
Paul, like
many things he says that I admire, and find much wisdom in, he said “Trees give
us many things besides the shade”, the idea similar to the book “The Giving
Tree”, or even like a cartoon I saw about someone cutting down a tree with
birds flying out of it, to make a birdhouse…I mean really?? Trees can ground
the earth, slow and minimize erosion, give birds homes which can help minimize
unwanted bugs, and can give us fruit and medicine as well. Paul goes on to show
us the other buildings and structures at his property that utilize nature, like
his root cellar. He has the door of it facing South, and the earth surrounds
the other directions, with two solid doors shut so it needs no A/C in the
summer. In the winter he sprouts poke root for fresh food, along with many
fermented, canned items and crops he has harvested in the fall. He than showed
us his greenhouse, where in late winter and early spring he grows seedlings,
than transplants them, and later in the summer uses this greenhouse to dry
herbs; he says that, “the earth works in never-ending cycles, you best use it
to your advantage”.
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| The majestic standing Goldenrod |
Also, he even has a solar powered RV,--imagine that, which has
a small cabin next to it, that he built entirely out of fallen down trees, cut
to lumber! After
seeing his simple, reused material –based buildings, we got on a very nice and
long herb walk throughout the majority of his 300-some acre property. In the
beginning of this hike, he first points out Pleurisy Root, also known as Butterfly Weed,
is an excellent remedy for the lungs. Next he pointed to Fringe tree, saying
the roots are a very good liver remedy, Goldenrod, is an herb very good at
treating respiratory ailments and allergies, and should become a lot more
popular because it is very successful in it’s healing and is very underused (see later blog on Goldenrod from Herb
School). A side-note related to Goldenrod, many people assume that when
Goldenrod blooms that is what causes the majority of summer allergies, this would
make sense if many were allergic to it, but the unexciting –Ragweed is what
does so. Agrimony is for healing liver and spleen ailments, gather in
Mid-August and only use the aerial parts.
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| gorgeous Goldenrod prarie view in the sunset of the sanctuary...
Multiflora Rose is a major invasive, whose rose hips are
full of Vitamin C, so good for getting over colds and such, and when the entire
plant is burned smells very good. Another interesting plant he pointed out, was
a “Milkless Milkweed”, Odamalla……, which
he stated has more licopene content than tomatoes! Grapevine’s actual vine part
is very good for weaving into things such as baskets, Smooth Sumac is a great
aromatic, and Indian Hemp is very useful for making thread and rope out of,
where you peel small strands off of the stalk and roll or braid them together. As
we later went past some Jewelweed on a hike, being known to also be called
“Touch Me Not” for it’s flower explodes-almost upon contact, being useful for
treating stings, bug-bites and poison ivy, the flowers are loved my
hummingbirds! Related to Appalachian lifestyle, how they build a spring
essential…dig a hole, than once you find fresh water coming up constantly, put
plexi glass over it, and a water line in a ditch below the freeze line, have
the fresh water run through a charcoal filter. Also…never dig this hole where
your spring might be in direct sunlight. And the latter advice, “Simplicity is
the key to live with the earth”, and Appalachian’s tend to do more with less,
and can.
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Back to
more herb walk information, Joe Pye Weed, I believe also being called Culvers’
root, is good for kidney ailments, Slippery Elm, (see lower for picture) being an Elm so it’s becoming almost extinct
here, it’s inner bark is very demulcent (internally soothing) for lungs, coughs
and other respiratory-like ailments. Black Walnut treats fungal diseases, such as
athlete’s foot, use the green outer shell of the nut. O’Sage Orange, also know
as Bow-wood, stands ground contact meaning mules can’t pull it out, thus
historically it was used to make bows and arrows, because it didn’t break
easily, this was worth a horse and saddle historically. Red Aromatic Cedar
doesn’t attract bugs, so good for linen closets, but Paul learned the hard way
that carpenter bees love and eat it! Oak forests are made and spread further by
none-other than blue jays, they spread the nuts, and Walnut trees are spread by
squirrels hiding the nuts. The Black American Cherry tree, contains a compound
known as hydrosolamic acid, which is very good at treating coughs and
respiratory ailments, why it was so historically, and still currently, popular
for cough syrup.  |
| Girls in my group harvesting the bark of a dead Slippery Elm tree |
Baptisia
alba, (or white??) ostralis—prarie—blue flowers with black seed-pods, (in the Eastern Wildflowers Book), has a strong immune
response when you ingest it, so use the root for the most potent part. Another
popular Appalachian tree, the Paw-Paw with festivals after it, also has the
common-name in this local as “Custard Apple”, and the ones in more light
develop fruit, which tasts interestingly like an over ripe bananna and mango
together, the ice cream, phenomenal, beer…not so much. Sweet Gum trees in the
fall have a good 5-6 color leaves, which
look somewhat like a Maple leaf. Native River Birch bark is healing, and he mentioned that
native peoples (specifically Native American in most of his references), used
to sweat before any major life-occurrence, such as a battle, hunt or giving
birth. Yarrow and Boneset are good medicine, Yarrow for bleeding and deep cuts
(see further information in my Lise
Wolff class notes later), and Boneset for ‘bone break fever’, since these
herbs’s most potent medicine is the flower, harvest just when they are in
full-bloom. Poplar woods are a major tree in permaculture, quickly grow back
after cut. Wild Yam root for cramping, such as menstrual and constipation,
Maple Sap for kidney disorders; Native Americans ate young Sugar Maple and
Basswood tree leaves as a ‘first spring green’ , and Reishi Mushroom as a
tincture for immunity-ailments, and lastly Stone Root, or….., for “preachers
throat”, use root or aerial parts.
***GOOD Raisin butter
recipe…1 lb raisin soaked overnight, blend in blender, (high in iron—good
for periods and pregnancy than)…add peanut, almond butter and tahini…small
handful of chia seeds. Good source of energy, protein, and phytochemicals. Heat
all in double-boiler…add chopped walnuts, eggs, cornmeal and wheat flower…mix
is a complete amino acid. Cook in 9 by 9 pan till done***
“If you have a positive outlook, you can take your mind and learn for
medicine, and learn about a plant…and remember it” ~ Paul Strauss
Virginia Snakeroot is very useful in treating small pox, the
measles and mumps, though toxic in large doses, though anything technically is.
Japanese Honeysuckle, a very invasive plant, especially throughout the south,
is useful for weaving (as is Virginia Creeper). White Snakeroot, (see picture), known primarily in
history as what killed Abe Lincoln’s mother, having happened by cows ingesting
the plants root, when turned-over after plowing, and thus if you drink the milk
it becomes very toxic. On the other hand, cows used to be feed Sweet Melliot
and when not fully dried it developed a mold and became a major blood-thinner.
“Herbalism isn’t just known what [herb] is good to heal or treat what
ailment…it’s how you use the materials that are given to you” ~ Paul Strauss
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| White Snakeroot |
A trees
bark changes with age, so you have to learn it at every stage of it’s life,
like a person really (Paul Strauss). Speaking of trees…here is about a new
favorite one of mine, Sassafras. Being in demise now very sadly, this tree was
traditionally used to make and flavor Root Beer! Sassafras is in the Avacado
family, as are Spicebush and Cinnamon, we were lucky enough later in this
internship, at another farmers property (Paul Neidhart) to find an uprooted,
very-large, Sassafras tree, that had been ripped up during a huge wind storm.
The root and it’s bark is what’s used to make the tea, or root beer, and best
harvested in the fall when the plant’s energy is in the ground. Sassafras has
three different-shaped leaves…mitten, closed hand, and pinkie-and-thumb out
(rocker leaf). The leaves are mucilaginous (quenches thirst), bark looks like
small hooves and are orange and green in color. The leaves are demulcent, so
it’s good for someone whose mouth is dry from talking. The root bark is used as
spring tonic to prevent ‘spring fever’ after traditional Appalachians’ ate meat
and dried fruit all winter long, their bodies would literally get the feeling
of having a fever from their bodies being ‘shocked’ with fresh vegetables
again. Take this plant internally to cool blood, and externally is a warming
herb—ironic. English colonies in Virginia exported about 40 tons a year to England Ohio
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| a hill of just-opened Bloodroot on a hill near an ex's house |
“Have a talk with ‘Mother Earth’ first, to be a good enough herbalist
in her mind…because you have a HUGE responsibility” ~ Paul Strauss
