Dragon's Wort or Why I Feel a Little Like Daenerys Targaryen Today or the Post in Which I Refer Heavily to the Game of Thrones

 'Tis highly cordial and friend to the head, heart and liver.'~ John Evelyn on Tarragon

If George R. R. Martin had included more herbs and plant medicines besides Milk of the Poppy in his book series A Song of Ice and Fire, he might have written about Dragon's Wort aka Tarragon aka Artemisia dracunculus.  Even the names sound right. A little Tarragon for the Targaryens, possibly to season their cod cakes.  Maybe a poultice a A. dracunculus could of saved Khal Drogo from his fatal wound.  And if Dany had just put a few drops of Dragon's Wort tincture into Drogo's water bowl, he might not a roasted and eaten that poor child.  Who can say? It can not be known.

What is known however, is that tarragon, French tarragon especially, is a lovely herb that is highly aromatic with a unique flavour much used for its culinary properties, especially in Eastern Europe and also as one of the four fines herbes of French Cooking.  A traditional use is to infuse the herb in vinegar, to which it will impart its flavour and aroma.

Last summer I was gifted a little bit of fresh French tarragon that I immediately put up into vinegar and then forgot about until it resurfaced recently in the move.

Now I think many of my readers know that I haven't used shampoo to wash my hair in years.  Instead I use baking soda with an apple cider vinegar rinse.  Today as I was about to get in the shower I realised that I was out of regular apple cider vinegar (ACV).  Then I spotted my jar of infused tarragon ACV and decided to give it a try. 

Guys!  It was heavenly.  Like borderline inappropriate Herbal Essences commercial heavenly.  I felt like Daenarys coming out of the Red Waste and stepping into the palatial dwellings of Xaro Xhoan Daxos.  Only, if the tarragon vinegar asked me to marry it, I totally would!

The sad things is, I only had a little of the infused ACV and I used most of it in the shower.  So now my project for the summer is to get my hands on some French tarragon plants and grow as much as I can and put it up in ACV.  Even if I have to cross the Narrow Sea to find some!

It is written.


 

On Whole Plant Medicine

Given yesterday's post, I thought it quite timely that this short piece on whole plant medicine showed up in my FB newsfeed today. 

"The belief that whole plants are used to treat whole people is the heart of traditional herbal medicine...Traditional herbal medicine...treats underlying imbalances in the body that are believed to cause disease. Herbalists use medicines made from whole plants, which, with their complex mix of chemicals are believed to be the most effective way of addressing these imbalances...

Whole plant medicines have the ability, as Isla Burgess says in the film, to "nudge a person back to wellness. They don't do it fast, and they don't do it overnight, but they have an effect on the body that is sustaining and ultimately is healing."

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.  Whole plant medicine for whole body healing.  One cup at a time.

Sooth.

Just What the Herbalist Ordered

Pictured above are some of the recommendations from the herbalist I'm working with. Simmering on the left, is a big pot of fish bone broth, and on the right, a decoction of astragalus, reishi and ginger.  I'm to drink cups of each preparation every day for many months.

Every day I measure out the ingredients for the decoction.  I have to chop the reishi mushroom into smaller pieces.  I pour the water into the pot and keep an eye on it from time to time while it simmers gently on the stove.  It's best for this preparation to decoct for a long time.  To make the broth I cycled to the sustainably sourced fish retailer in town, where I got frozen fish bones and scraps very cheaply.  The broth too needs to simmer gently for hours.  In fact, both preparations require patience, time and attention to detail.  Sure it would be convenient and take less time to simply pop a pill on my way out the door, but that's not how this works.

Folks, this is my kind of medicine.  It's largely food based.  It's something our ancestors, even our ancient ones, would probably recognise.  I like to think of it as slow food meets slow medicine.  And really, what could be more nourishing and healing than a carefully made cup of tea or broth?

Medicinal and Edible Plant Walks

A reader asked about where to find out more information on the plant walks I mentioned in the last post.


If you're on facebook you can check out the event page here.  It is also posted on the Transition Ottawa site here.   


Learn the basics of plant identification, safe and sustainable harvesting practices, preparations and uses of locally growing, wild plants.


This series of informative plant walks will run once a month from May to September.  They are two hours each and will focus on edible and medicinal plants that grow all around us, right here in the city.  Each walk will cover different and new information on how the plants are used by peoples past and present.  Though I may talk about a plant more than once, you will learn something unique about it depending on where we're at in the season.  I will also have at least one sample snack or beverage prepared, of the plants covered, for you to try.

Thoughts on Urban Foraging

The unpacking continues, but we're getting there, and I'm quickly falling in love with the space and the neighbourhood.  The ADG put weather stripping around the doors, I borrowed an air purifier and we've added plants, with more being donated by friends to come!  These measure have greatly improved the air quality in the apartment and I only notice the smoke mixed with air 'freshener' in the stairwells, which is a huge relief for me.  I've since met the woman who smokes, and she's very nice.  She loves plants and maintains the little garden out front of the building.  I'm sure we'll have lots in common to chat about.

Once the space is set up I'll get around to posting some pictures, but that will have to wait until some time next week because we're getting the living room painted.  When I told the property manager that I would pay the extra cost for low VOC paint, he looked at me and said, "Well I don't really believe in that kind of stuff, but I'll do it for you."  What with the paint request and asking about smoking in the building, I'm probably well on my way to cementing my reputation with him as the 'crazy lady in apartment 5'!

My Jane's Walk on Sunday was really well attended and I enjoyed leading the group through the park, introducing them to fiddleheads, Virginia waterleaf, violets, wintercress, garlic mustard, nettles and more!  I've got more weed walks planned for the rest of the summer and people are slowly starting to register for them.  One of my favourite things about doing the weed walks is witnessing the moment when an urban environment with nameless green stuff that gets ignored suddenly transforms into an ecological system where food and medicine can be found and where humans, plants and animals coexist.

So I was delighted to read this interview with urban forager Nance Klehm whose reflections on foraging really resonate with me.  I like how she answered when asked why she shares her experience of foraging with others:


"Well, to create a sense of wonderment with people and [spread the knowledge] that we share this environment. It’s humans’ plus everyone else, from the invisible to the large. When I teach it I am not just staying put this in your mouth, I talk about how it got there. Is it ethical? Whether it is something that has escaped a garden. It’s awareness and a sort of magical aspect I try to expose people to, to get them away from the TV set."  

And when asked to give advice to people who'd like to try foraging she says, "You are in a relationship with these plants, so practice ethics."  Which is basically just what I said to my group on Sunday and reflects something I read recently by Rosemary Gladstar:  "If we choose to use plants as medicine, we then become accountable for the health of the wild gardens. We begin a co-creative partnership with the plants, giving back what we receive -- health, nourishment, beauty and protection. We have reached a time in history when ignoring this relationship with the resources we use would be disastrous." 


I just had to pop in and share those lovely thoughts!

New Digs

Posting has been and will continue to be light for the next little while because I just moved! Yep. After 6 years of basement living, I have joined the ranks of above ground dwellers. I now call a lovely, bright two bedroom apartment home. It's in a 6 unit building next to the river, which I can see from every window in the place. The building is still within good biking distance of the garden and even closer to where I work. There is a market about 30 seconds away that carries a decent amount of local produce. I'm closer to my library branch too! Through a lovely coincidence my next door neighbour is the girlfriend of one of my dearest friends. The day I moved in, I ran into a downstairs neighbour, the yoga instructor I did my restorative yoga training with. We gave each other a big hug. The best part of it all is that the ADG has moved with me! It's been a long time since I've lived with someone else and no doubt there will be adjustments to make and bumps to smooth out as we navigate our shared living space, but I'm excited to have his awesomeness around day to day, and not just because I now have someone to share chores with!

Speaking of bumps, there are a few drawbacks to this new place that will require some creative thinking. I no longer have access to a backyard. This means I might not have a space for my sun oven, and composting my urine is no longer an option. Also, there's a smoker in the building which I was not aware of. This is upsetting, because I thought I asked about smoking in the building when I first looked at the place. I do know that strong or offensive smells was on my list of things to watch out for, and all seemed fine the two times I viewed the apartment. I'm disappointed in myself for not being more diligent about this.  What's particularly troublesome about this situation, is that I believe the smoker is trying to mask the smell with a strong, chemical air freshener, so both stairwells are quite heavy with cigarette smoke mixed with a sickly-sweet, perfume-y odor that permeates into our apartment.  Sigh...  Thank goodness the lease is only for one year.

But, thinking like a permaculturalist, I'm going to try and mitigate this surplus of toxic air and my houseplant deficiency, by bringing in a veritable jungle of NASA approved, air purifying houseplants! I'm also going to look at weather stripping around our two access doors and research air filters. Hopefully this will take care of things.

 In the meantime, the epic unpacking will continue. The kitchen is mostly set up now, as is the bedroom. There is some painting and minor repairs for the property manager to take care of. Everything that is still in a box is in the spare room right now. Our plan is to have this room (with the best view of the river) as minimal and open as possible for yoga and meditation, a small desk and a couple of bookshelves and a space for crafting and drying herbs.

 I'll take a break from the unpacking for a couple of hours on Sunday to lead a Jane's Walk on wild edibles and medicinal herbs. And you can bet I'll be talking about garlic mustard among other wonderful plants!  If you're local, I'd love to see you come out.  :)

I think this story about the Hemloft is fascinating, and I love the tiny, egg-shaped dwelling in the trees.

You Light up my Life

I read about this ultra-simple, DIY oil lamp over at Root Simple recently and immediately made one. It's awesome. I brought it to the yurt I stayed in last weekend with a couple of friends. It works really well, and just like the post says, it's a great way to use up stale or off herb-infused oils.

It makes we want to break out into song.

Sometimes it Happens

Sometimes it happens like this.

You have something else in mind for the afternoon, like gathering stinging nettle, and you're biking along the path when a carpet of purple catches your eye. The violets are blooming! You slow down just enough to get a sense of size and readiness and suddenly you are enveloped in sweet, heady perfume. Yes, without a doubt it's violet season. Your heart sings and your brain effortlessly switches gears to process this new information.

Ok, the nettles will stand being picked first and do just fine waiting in the bike basket. The delicate violet flowers definitely need to be picked last and returned home as quickly as possible. This decision gets made in a split second. The bike carries you on, you haven't stopped. You gather the nettles and are mildly relieved to see they haven't grown as much as you thought since your last visit, due to lack of rain. There is still a long season to harvest ahead of you yet. At the same time, you worry a little and hope the forecast for rain the next day comes to pass.

Then it's back to the violet patch. You fold your body down onto the ground in the middle of them all, inhale the scent deeply and happily settle to your task of gently plucking the cheerful, little flowers. You become aware of the sound of the wind in the trees, various birds calling, squirrels chirruping. You vaguely register other people passing by. You feel the space where your thighs rest on the cool, damp earth. You watch a bee stop to gather nectar. You slip into a state of utter relaxation and peace. You think, "I am so content right now."

And sometimes it happens like this.

You take the way home through the woods and see a carpet of trout lilies. And there through the trees a patch of ramps, and another over there. And there, the trilliums are up but not yet blooming, and are those...? Yes, in amongst the trout lilies the spring beauties are in full bloom. You don't harvest a single thing. Instead you take it all in and admire the diversity of this fragile, forest eco-system in the middle of the city. The sun comes out from behind a cloud washing everything in a late afternoon glow and you think, "I am so grateful that this place is here and that I am a witness to it."

And sometimes it happens like this.

You take an early morning walk along the edge of a lake. The first thing you notice is that you can't hear the sound of single vehicle. Something inside of you relaxes a little. You feel the warmth of the sun on your back as you make your way along the narrow path. You watch the wind send ripples across the water, a bird circles overhead riding an updraft. You come to a stand of alders growing right up near the water's edge. Drawn to them you approach carefully, picking your way over the sodden ground. You notice both the male and female flowers, the catkins having already released their pollen. You see the beginning leaf buds and pluck one. Tasting the bud you think, 'Bitter. Cooling. Maybe stimulating too.' You have been wanting to work with the medicine of this tree for a while now and wonder if this is the right time. You reach out and place a hand on a slender trunk, close your eyes and ask a silent question. The answer is 'no'. Respectfully you move along the the next tree. This time the answer is 'yes'. You gratefully take out your trusty leatherman tool and start making clean cuts of the smaller side growth, snipping the twigs right at the growing node. You move through the stand asking, leaving some, gathering from others. The sun climbs. This being the first time getting to know the tree, you only take a small amount. Just enough to make a half-pint each of tincture and oil. You take comfort in the fact that this is just the beginning of a relationship that will hopefully last for many, long years. You retrace your steps along the edge of the lake deeply relaxed, at peace and filled with gratitude.

And sometimes it happens like this.

The world outside is dark. The light shines out of your window into the night. Inside is warm and cosy. Dinner dishes dry next to the sink. Music plays. You choose two jars, clear a space on the counter and spread out the alder twigs onto the cutting board. Using a pair of scissors you meditatively cut up the twigs into small pieces that fill the jars. Into one jar you pour in olive oil, into the other 90% alcohol. As you are doing all this, sometimes singing along to the music, you realise that a growing feeling of joy is filling you up until you're practically bursting with it. You let the feeling wash over you as the reddish brown twigs pass from your hands into the jars, trying not to think too hard about what makes this moment different from all the other moments of you standing in the same spot with plants in your hands. You understand that this is not a moment for thinking, but for quietly observing and experiencing, simply being. For one fleeting instant you move beyond thought and knowing, language leaves, time stops.

Your new favourite song comes on, you put lids on the jars, label them and think, "There is sunshine and lake water and joy in this medicine." You fill up the kettle for tea.

This is how it happens, sometimes.

Easter Lilies

One of the bonuses to visiting family is the opportunity to forage in different environments. I visited this patch of daylilies on my dad's property last weekend and harvested some bulbs and shoots.
Later in the day, my dad took me to his ramps patch. They are growing on a sold lot in a new housing development area and are probably going to get destroyed when construction begins.
My dad has been digging them up and transplanting them into his bush as well as collecting seeds. And of course we gathered some to eat too.
The patch was full of trout lilies, so I harvested a handful while there.
And stopped to admire the blue cohosh in bloom.

The flowers, though small. Are stunning. My dad is going to try and transplant some of these as well.

In the kitchen I set to cleaning and preparing the day's harvest.









And lightly sauteed everything in olive oil, seasoned with just a touch of salt and pepper. My dad, step-mom and I enjoyed a tasty dish of wild, lily family plants!

Tales from the Dirt Side

I love this book! I'd had it on hold at the library for some time and it came available just in time for the long hours I logged travelling to visit family for the holiday weekend.

It is sooo good. It's the tale of three women who each run their own successful, organic farms on Vancouver Island and together own and operate Saanich Organics which distributes local, organic food through a box delivery program and to restaurants and grocery stores.

The book literally gives the reader "all the dirt" on how they do it. There is a chapter written by each woman, devoted to their own farm enterprises, how they started out, what they learned along the way, mistakes they made and rewards they reaped. Rather than being repetitive, these chapters reflect the individual personalities and styles of the women, and their unique approach to how they farm. Chapter four is a discussion of organic farming in general and why they are so passionate about it. Chapter 5 covers the details of their co-owned business.

This book is incredibly rich and full of so much invaluable information, but it's not at all a dry nuts and bolts manual. It is alive with personal stories, humour, blood, sweat and tears. It feels almost as if you are an apprentice on one of their farms, working along beside them while they share their wisdom and experience with you.

I love how open and forthcoming they are with all that they know. There is no hoarding of proprietary knowledge or trade secrets. They genuinely want to see more farmers growing healthy, organic food and make a decent living from it and they are happy to support the movement every way that they can.

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in small-scale, organic agriculture. Even if that is not your plan, it's still a great read for learning about organic farming, getting good gardening tips or just to be inspired by three beautiful, strong, smart ladies who are doing amazing work in the world.

Wes and Wendell

Early morning yoga by candlelight + a conversation between Wendell Berry and Wes Jackson = a blissed out way to start the day!

Some particularly blissful gems:

"We have to look to nature to learn how to farm."

"If we can begin to think about running agriculture on contemporary sunlight with no soil erosion, I think we have the basis for a new set of metaphors and we can begin to think about the end of economic growth."

"We are the environment. We are embodiments of the environment...We take our measures of the work we do...from the place we're in."

"We are embedded in a structure that gave rise to us. We didn't give rise to it."

"The only safeguard of abundance is temperance."

Two great minds there. Verily.



Image Source

Plants are Animals Too! Wait. Huh?

Check out this great Nature of Things episode that explores the oft unseen world of plant behaviour. Behaviour that is so complex, it is almost animal-like.

From the highly sensitive parasitic dodder that can sniff out its preferred host, to the wild nicotine plant that gives munching caterpillars the slip with their ability to attract a completely different pollinator, to the amazing community connections between firs and fungi, this episode is a fascinating look into the plant world. You might even find yourself sitting alone on the couch saying things to your laptop like, "Whoa, no way!" "Ha! That's awesome." "Plants are so the coolest."

And that's ok. I'm here to tell you this is a totally normal response.

Right?

In the Garden

Here are some of the herbs and wild plants coming up in my garden.

Yellow dock (Rumex crispus)

Mullein and catnip (Verbascum thapsus, Nepeta cataria)

Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris)

I love how raindrops sit on the leaves, sparkling like jewels.

Wintercress (Barbarea vulgaris)

Look at this cutey! I think it is a wood frog.


The nettles are up too. (Urtica dioica) Yum!

Bloody dock (Rumex sanguineus) This is a new edition to the garden, just added last summer.

So much was up that I was able to gather my first wild greens harvest of the year with the dock, nettle, wintercress, dandelion and daylily shoots. Hurray for fresh, free, local greens! I declare the 2012 foraging season officially open. :)

A Kitchen and Garden for Hard Times

Unfortunately, not all episodes of this series are available for viewing on the youtube. But the final episode is up in three parts and it's a fascinating one.

There is an absolutely ingenious method of saving fuel and space while cooking food, that starts around the 3:48 mark. I'm dying to try it out. I love the idea of tying food to the lid of a steam pot! And if you look carefully you'll notice that Ruth takes her tea saucer to use as a cover for the bowl of gravy that gets heated up in the bottom of the pot. Clever!

At 8:20 there's foraging for elderflowers and using them in pancakes.



Be warned that the second part contains a very graphic skinning of a rabbit. But the 'waste nothing' message at the 6 minute mark is valuable and relevant today. Although if I were Ruth I'd reserve the bean water she pours out for a soup stock, to water plants or at the very least put into the compost. Tsk tsk Ruth for pouring it down the drain!

I think the discussion of black markets 8 minutes in, is important and useful too.


Part 3 three is all about community and celebrations and sharing what you have, however little, with others.