Did you know there are dozens of wild herbs you can forage? Find out the best herbs to find growing wild throughout the year.
Self-heal is a common herb, a highly nutritious edible plant, and a medicinal powerhouse that is also known as heal-all or woundwort.
Did you know there are dozens of wild herbs you can forage? Find out the best herbs to find growing wild throughout the year.
Horsetail (Equisetum sp.) is a common edible and medicinal wild weed that grows just about everywhere. It's been around since the time of the dinosaurs, and it knows how to thrive in a variety of
There's a theory that the tastiest things need the best defenses. If you've ever stepped on or brushed by a bull thistle, you've experienced their robust defense system. What on earth are they hiding behind
Harvesting, drying and using broadleaf plantain as medicine for cuts, bug bites, rashes and IBS. Plantain grows wild all over the country and is probably growing in your backyard right now. Most people consider it a weed but it's extremely useful.
The goldenrod plant, also known as solidago, blooms in the late summer and early fall with yellow flowers, and is also edible and medicinal.
Have you ever foraged chickweed? This common wild plant is tasty and medicinal. Learn more about chickweed benefits and uses in the kitchen and home remedy toolkit.
Medicinal plants have been used for millennia, and science is just beginning to validate many of their traditional uses. This basic overview of medicinal plants and their use focuses on herbs you can find or
Common purslane is a highly nutritious edible and medicinal plant that readily grows. Learn to find, identify, use and purslane!
Commonly mistaken for a weed, purslane is one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet. Find out how to identify it and use it in 20 delicious recipes! #purslane #verdolagas #foraging
There's a theory that the tastiest things need the best defenses. If you've ever stepped on or brushed by a bull thistle, you've experienced their robust defense system. What on earth are they hiding behind
Clover is a widely available edible wild plant with medicinal uses. Here's what to know about identifying and using edible clover.
Like the fresh herb, plantain tincture is an excellent soothing, anti-inflammatory remedy for bug bites, stings, and other skin irritations. It also has some impressive properties for internal health. Plantain tincture may help support digestive
Commonly mistaken for a weed, purslane is one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet. Find out how to identify it and use it in 20 delicious recipes! #purslane #verdolagas #foraging
Mullein is an important plant of waste places and spent pastures. It thrives in harsh environments. Learn how to use mullein as a local herbal ally.
Foraging for edible wild plants is an invaluable skill for preppers as survival will often depend on eating what's available.
Just about everyone knows what ginger looks like and that it's a tropical plant. Before modern international trade, fresh ginger was a real treat. Early colonists in the US found a tasty substitute that that
Taking care of your bladder and urinary health is important.
Edible weeds are all around us, and they are often medicinal too. Here are 12 easy to forage for, wild-growing, strong, and nutritious weeds!
Common mallow (Malva neglecta) is a useful edible weed you may find growing in your garden. Here's what to know about foraging & using it. #ediblewildplants
As the opioid epidemic worsens, people are desperate for natural pain relief options. Wild lettuce has been used for millennia as a natural herbal pain reliever, and now survivalists are touting it as a form
Learn how to identify and forage for plantain, a valuable first-aid “weed” that’s easy to find- perfect for beginning foragers and medicine makers! (This post was contributed by Melissa Keyser.) I just returned home from traveling
Wondering if that plant in your garden is yummy purslane or toxic spurge? Check out this detailed guide to help you correctly distinguish between spurge and purslane. #foraging #poisonous plants
What is chicory? From its vibrant purple leaves to its culinary use, here's everything you need to know about chicory. Get a comprehensive guide on all the wonders of this amazing plant and discover why it is so popular.
Foraging for wild edibles has seen a resurgence in recent years as people seek a deeper connection to nature and a more sustainable way of sourcing food. One such wild treasure is sumac, a versatile and flavorful plant that has been used for centuries in various culinary and medicinal applications. In this blog post, we […]
The medicinal uses for mullein are vast and extensive. Learn about smoking mullein for cough and respiratory ailments, plus other medicinal values.
Queen Anne's lace is a pretty flower also known as wild carrot. It's edible and medicinal with distinct identifying factors and many uses.
Some of the most nutrient-rich foods can be gathered for free in your yard or neighborhood. Check out the many edible wild greens you can forage!
As the opioid epidemic worsens, people are desperate for natural pain relief options. Wild lettuce has been used for millennia as a natural herbal pain reliever, and now survivalists are touting it as a form
The genus Lactuca (wild lettuces) is a large group of edible weeds that look like a mix between lettuce and dandelions. Often confused with dandelions,
Make the most of common yard weeds by using white clover for food and medicine with these easy tips and recipes.
Gathering, drying, and using clover is so simple! If you are a beginner at using wild edibles, then learning how to preserve white clover is the place to start! #foraging #foodpreservation #whiteclover #wildedibles #howtoforage #homesteading #eattheyard #eatthelawn
Lady’s Thumb (Persicaria maculosa and other Persicaria) is a common everyday garden weed that's both edible and medicinal. What is Lady’s Thumb? Lady’s Thumb (Persicaria maculosa) and other members of the Persicaria genus, often known
A rich, protein-packed loaf with nuts, wild rice, garbanzo beans, and savory herbs, perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Symphytum officinale NL: Smeerwortel / F: Consoude Comfrey is another amazing perennial herb, essential to any herbal first aid kit as well as to any healthy organic and permaculture garden. Comfrey in the garden: it contains more Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) than most commercial fertilizers. Its long roots draw nutrients from deep in the soil and transfer it all to the leaves. The nutrient-rich leaves can then be used directly as a mulch, added to compost piles as a compost activator or chopped and added to a container with rain water to allow it to ferment and be later used as liquid compost. Comfrey not only enriches the soil but it can also speed up heat processes, which is pretty handy to have near and around fruit shrubs and other fruit trees or larger crops that require higher soil temperatures. Do not allow it to grow near to smaller plants, as it is a pretty strong, large and rather dominant plant. it also comes in white Comfrey as first aid herb: it has been used in folk medicine to help reduce bruising and to speed up tissue repair: broken bones and ligaments, damaged cartilage or connective tissue. Its tissue healing properties (mainly attributed to a substance called allantoin) are so strong that it is not advisable to be used in case of open wounds, as it risks “closing” the wound much faster than the time the body might need to get rid of any harmful microorganisms. It is also useful externally in the treatment of varicose veins, joints inflammation, to stop bleeding and in eye injuries. Its tincture or tea made out of the dried leaves or roots have been used internally to reduce heavy menstruation flow and to relieve gastric ulcers. The leaves can be used freshly squeezed, dried and made into a strong tea or macerated in oil for 3-4 weeks, the drained oil can be used to make salves to be applied in bruises and rheumatic joints to help relieve pain and swelling. hairy leaves and stems Comfrey in the kitchen: it has also a long history of being used as an edible but in the light of recent studies this is no longer advised, since the plant contains varying amount of pyrrolizidine alkaloids - which are toxic. The young leaves contain little amounts of the harmful alkaloids and can therefore be consumed in moderate amounts (I personally would do that only in case where there is no other food source available). Dried leaves and roots can be made into tea and its roots can be roasted into coffee, such as with dandelion and chicory roots. More on Comfrey: Comfrey -Symphytum officinale - Knitbone, Bruisewort, Miracle Herb Comfrey Comfort - Lesley Tierra - PlanetHerbs Comfrey - The Superfood for Plants Medicinal & Poisonous Plants to Livestock - Comfrey Montana Plant Life: Comfrey Nice videos: Common comfrey Symphytum officinale - Sylvanbotanical Why permaculture folks love comfrey - Paul Wheaton
Make a quick and easy throat spray using herbal tinctures (or tea) and honey. A delicious way to treat sore throats, coughs, and colds!
Botanical Name: Scutellaria lateriflora. Other Common Names: Blue, greater, hairy, hooded, American, European western, maddog and side-flowering skullcap. It is also called scullcap, helmet flower, blue pimpernel, quaker bonnet, hooded willow flower, mad-dog weed, mad weed, hoodwort and hoodwart. Habitat: This herb is often found in partially shaded, wetland areas. It prefers light shade to full sun and wet to moist soil with plenty of organic matter. This perennial plant is native to North America. Plant Description: Skullcap grows to a height of 45 to 60 centimeters tall. It has a light green to reddish-green square stem with occasional branches.
