Mullein is a beautiful large plant that thrives in disturbed areas. Mullein is also full of medicinal and beneficial components like mucilage, flavonoids, iridoids, sterols, and sugars. Mullein as a Medicine Medicinally, mullein is traditionally used for lung and bronchial ailments such as coughs, asthma, congestion, and colds. Additionally, it is thought that mullein has…
Who doesn’t enjoy a refreshing, sparkling soda? We’ve noticed that lately, more and more independent artisan sodas are appearing in our local grocery store. Most of them use organic (or even local!) ingredients, cane sugar or stevia, fermented starters, or even herbal extracts. This is awesome! We can join in the artisan/homebrew movement and easily…
Read More “How to Make Sparkling Elder Herbal Soda (Two Recipes!)” »
Ox-Eye Daisies (also spelled “oxeye” daisy) are an abundant wild edible that thrives in fields, meadows, and other disturbed areas. It is a familiar plant with a sun-yellow central disc and spreading white ray florets, found in backyards, parks, and out in the wild. Ox-eye daisies are edible: the leaves make a nice (but somewhat…
Dandelions thrive in meadows, fields, the side of the road, and in our backyards. The happy sun-colored flowers are a common sight, and are even (unfortunately) considered a weed. Despite the weed classification, dandelions are a prized wild edible — all parts are edible and contain a variety of medicinal benefits. The root of a…
My first taste of ‘real’ root beer was during one of Wolf College’s day camps. I had never had homemade root beer before, only the commercial soda, so this was a real treat. I love fizzy drinks and herbal root beer was unlike anything I had tasted before. It had a complex taste, with the…
Book Review by Hannah John Kallas’s Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods from Dirt to Plate is one of my favorite wild edible field guides. I like to think of this book as a primer in foraging because it details how to find, harvest, process and eat over 23 different wild plants. Edible Wild Plants is…
Read More “John Kallas’s “Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods from Dirt to Plate” Book Review” »
Spring and summer mean an abundance of Stinging Nettle. Stinging Nettle grows all over the Pacific Northwest, and this spiny friend can be used for food, medicine, technology (rope, craft, dye), and even for natural beauty products. → Click here to read Wolf College’s comprehensive Stinging Nettle guide, including how to find, identify, harvest, eat…
Book Review by Hannah Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use is a staple book to have at home. It is suitable for all levels of herbal experience and contains recipes applicable for all members of the family. If you are a beginner herbalist or curious to…
Cattails are pretty amazing plants! The common marsh, lake, pond and ditch plant is actually a very valuable and multipurpose plant, with technology, food, permaculture and even medicinal uses. → Click here to read Wolf College’s comprehensive Cattail guide, including how to find, identify, harvest, transplant, and cook cattails. Cattails: Top Survival Food At Wolf…
No first-aid kit is complete without a medicinal salve. A salve is an ointment used topically (externally) that helps to heal and protect our skin. It is a natural herbal remedy that is easy to make and can be used for a variety of skin troubles — from sunburns to bee stings to eczema and…
Lorraine Olivas-Romey with Hericlum Abietis – Lion’s Mane Mushrooms[/caption Guest writer Lorraine Olivas-Romey is treasurer of the Snohomish County Mycological Society through which you can join her and other members on mushroom forays and their incredible October Mushroom Show. Wild Edible Mushroom Hunting Foraging for mushrooms has recently become quite popular. Is it due to…
Read More “Top 5 Wild Edible Mushrooms for Wilderness Survival in the Northwest” »
Living near the Pacific coast, we have the luxury of being in close proximity to countless numbers of seaweed (edible algea) including kelp species, each with their own flavors and uses. One of my all-time favorite seaweeds to use is kelps such as kombu (laminaria spp.) in the creation of dashi stock – the flavorful base…
Read More “Making Healthy Natural Miso Soup with Kombu Kelp Seaweed” »
Check out other cooking blog posts by Wolf College wilderness chef Charles Borrowman including How to Cook for Backpacking Trips and more. When on a backcountry wilderness or backpacking expedition, it doesn’t take much more than the thought of yet another night of eating half soggy, half crunchy freeze-dried disaster to wrinkle one’s nose up…
Beaked Hazelnuts (corylus cornuta) also cultivated and sold by the name Filberts, are found throughout much of North America, and they are one of just a couple native nuts available in Western Washington. Assuming you can beat the squirrels and jays to the harvest, or if you cultivate hazelnuts in your yard and protect them…
Read More “Filbert / Hazelnut Milk & Truffle Dessert Recipes” »
Those of us living in the Pacific Northwest (and many other regions around the world) are fortunate to be gifted every spring with an abundance of Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). While it’s sting can be unpleasant, it teaches us to pay attention to our surroundings and I believe that’s a good thing. It also offers…
Read More “Stinging Nettle: Harvesting, Processing and Recipes” »
What are herbs and why might my chickens need them? An herb or herbaceous plant is generally defined as “any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume.” Herbs can be used to prevent both internal and external parasites (via ingestion or externally when a chicken rubs against/brushes when walking by…
Read More “Herbal and Critter Forage for Healthy Chickens” »
Clam chowder is a New England specialty and perfect for a foggy day down by the shore. Being the prestigious dish that it is, it must be complicated, right? Not necessarily so. With a few tips and tricks, anyone can make a delicious chowder! First we’ll start by preparing the clams. Fresh cooked clams will…
A day on the seashore is fun, but a if you know some basic information about seaweeds and shellfish, then a day is never enough. In fact, you could live on the beach always discover new things. “Edge” areas are always the places where the greatest number of species cross paths, and there is no…
Read More “Eating From The Seashore: Seaweeds & Shellfish of the Salish Sea” »
Please click here to read critical introductory material in Top Native Plants To Learn for Herbal Medicine, Part 1 of 2 including the non-flowering plants, and my article on the Tenets of Herbal Medicine. These articles are designed to help the beginner cut the chaff, and start studying plants that will give a solid foundation of…
Read More “Top Native Plants To Learn for Herbal Medicine: Part 2 of 2 – Flowering Plants” »
The following plants which are native to the Pacific Northwest either 1) are scientifically proven to effectively treat health issues, or 2) I have personally tested to work. However, many of them should only be used under the care and advice of a naturopathic physician. Please seek medical advice and never rely on internet advice…
Read More “Top Native Plants To Learn for Herbal Medicine: Part 1 of 2” »
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