A New Heartsease...

To Go A' Walkin' In the Woods - Walk #5 - Foraging For Chanterelles

 

An Idaho chanterelle emerges large and robust!

 

    Compared to the chanterelles one sometimes finds in markets and online, Idaho chanterelles form and emerge large and robust. They're an easy-to-see presence in the Idaho woods during the second week of October.

    So yesterday, I drove 18 miles to my fungi collecting sites where in Spring I gather morels and coral mushrooms and in the Autumn - tasty chanterelles. Chanterelles are often referred to as "chanties" by their fungi gatherers.

 

Eighteen miles from my beloved Forest Trail, is this section of woods where I gather gourmet fungal secrets!

 

    The second week of October into the third - best after a rain if possible - chanterelles emerge in golden resplendence. Of course, this timing will depend upon your area and elevation. Chanties in Idaho don't start out small, they form large under the soil and emerge in triumph as likely the largest chanties on the planet!

    One can almost hear them trumpet their presence. And, sometimes can even smell their rich, fungal aroma before finding them. Who needs a mushroom hunting canine for these beauties!

    Upon arriving home after the hunt the chanties must be cleaned. A cheap paintbrush used only for brushing off forest duff from "shrooms" is ideal. An old, clean tooth brush aids in removing the final bits of detritus from their ridges (ridges, not the gills common to many other types of mushrooms) which helps to distinguish chanties from other forest "almost" look-a-likes.

   

Now cleaned, these chanties are ready to place on a clean kitchen towel to drain.

 

    I allow the chanties to drain and evaporate moisture for about an hour, then they're chopped and placed in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil and a handful of chopped shallot. Saute the mixture until the chanties release their internal moisture.

   

The chanties will release internal moisture as they cook.

 

     Allow the released moisture to cook off. Once cooked off I add a pat or two of butter and saute the mixture for a few more minutes.

 

Now I make "chantie pucks"!

 

    After a brief saute in butter, the chanties are ready to be frozen for future incorporation into recipes calling for delicious mushrooms.

     Chanterelles are a highly-prized gourmet edible so I save them for specialty soups, pilafs, and pasta dishes...even quiche, crostini, and omelets. They also go well alongside steaks and as a garnish on roasted asparagus.

    The easiest way to make recipe- or serving-sized portions of cooked chanties is to spoon them into cupcake tins. I freeze the tins several hours until the chantie mixture is completely frozen. Briefly running a little hot water over the bottom of the tins loosens the butter/oil they were cooked in and they pop out of their tins easily with the aid of a knife.

 

 

Sauteed chanties ready for the freezer.

 

    After the chantie pucks are frozen and popped from the tins, I put them into a Ziploc baggy and store them in the freezer until needed. To use them simply remove a puck or two from the baggy for use in a recipe. Thaw or defrost, and use! Frozen pucks may be added directly to soups and stews. They'll thaw as the recipe cooks.

    Not all areas of the forest contain fungal treasures. It can take years to find those areas that do. The search is made easier by asking and watching what others are doing in the woods during the proper seasons, or joining a mushroom club where you'll be introduced to some spots, but maybe not the super secret spots each club member has discovered for himself or herself. 

    Just beneath the forest duff magical mycelium lies unseen. At particular times of year certain types of mycelia "bloom" and produce gourmet fungal treasures that people have foraged in nearly all parts of the world for eons.

    If you live in an area that is a producer of edible treasures, take a class - as I did - to learn how to identify them and the types of places to look for them.

    Nature can produce poisonous or gastro-upsetting mimics, but with knowledge, a forager can unerringly identify the goodies from the baddies.

 

Each foraging season I dry/dehydrate some of the chanties in addition to freezing some.

 

    To dry or dehydrate chanties, clean them and allow to air dry for a couple of hours. Thinly slice the chanties and layer them singly on a wax-paper or parchment-covered baking tray. You may dry them in a warm spot (such as on top of the fridge) until completely dried, or...in a dehydrator checking every hour or two for doneness, or even in an oven on the "keep warm" setting until dried. Just check them every hour until completely dry and stiff.

    Store your dried chanties in a baggy or lidded jar. They may be re-hydrated by pouring on boiling water and allowing them to sit for 30 minutes, or longer.

    Covered with just enough water to submerge them and heated on high in the microwave for 30 seconds, allow them to sit for 30 minutes, as well. Drain and use, but save the rich soaking broth to add to recipes as part of the water. This broth may be saved and frozen, too.

    The dried chanties may be added directly to soups without re-hydrating if the soup is to cook for 30 minutes or longer.

    I love Autumn! The heat of Summer has departed. Leaves put on red, burgundy, orange, and golden colors and fall to the ground surrounding trees with deep, leafy blankets. Wood smoke from fireplaces perfumes the air which is crisp with the nip of coming Winter. 

    It's time to picnic in the woods around a stone-bordered fire pit to roast "somemores", marshmallows, and barbecue on a grill set just above glowing coals. We gather in front of the roaring campfire and sip hot tea and cocoa. It's just a lovely time of year! The gathering of chanties simply adds to the magic of Autumn!

 

 

To Go A' Walkin' In the Woods - More Secrets of the Forest Trail

 

The first half mile of the Trail is fairly steep and where I gather most of my edibles and medicinals.

 

    Over several posts I've shared photos of the Forest Trail and the herbal and edible items I forage there. Yet there are a couple more miles  of varied terrain to this Trail and its paths that I haven't yet shared.

    The Trail is an interesting mix of environs...hilly, flat, open, urban and wild.   

    To access it, I walk out the door of my condo, cross the street and the Trail begins as a graveled urban walking trail passing through a couple of blocks of residential area. Crossing the street again, I come to a sign that says "Forest Access Trail". To access the Trail, I pass between the rear yards of a couple of homes, then make a right turn before coming to a steep precipice. I'm now on the Forest Trail.

    One side of the Trail at the base of the precipice is the rear property of a farm and another trail that descends further to the lake road. The opposite side of the Forest Trail is a steep hill with a few homes dotted along the crest.

    The first half mile of the Forest Trail has some "pantingly" steep ups and downs. It's along this portion - I call it my "cardio hike" - where I find most of the items I forage except the recently discovered apple tree.

    On one of the flatter portions of the Trail the forest management agency has placed a wooden bench. Sometimes I come here to sit and listen. Other times I bring a journal to jot down my thoughts and "gratitudes". Sometimes I'll just sit and meditate surrounded by the lushness of Nature. Its upon this trail that I spend a lot of time over the course of the three temperate seasons - Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Perhaps soon I'll invest in some snowshoes so I can traverse the Trail in Winter! 

    I find here a deep abiding and simple Grace that is nurturing and balancing. Perhaps this is one of the subtlest and most profound secrets I've found along the Forest Trail.

    I'm deeply grateful for my condo which sits on the boundary of a busy urban area AND the soul-enriching beauty of the Forest!

    I never know what the Forest Trail will teach me. It seems each Season I learn something new. For example, today after visiting and sitting a spell on the bench, bright red berries caught my eye. I'd never seen them before. What were they?

 

 

   These bright berries, what were they?

 

    I'd walked this way many times in past seasons, but don't recall every seeing these. I stepped in for a closer look...

 

 

Suddenly I realized that these are the "berries" of honeysuckle!

 

    Thinking of what I saw here in this exact spot last Spring, draped over this small pine tree was...honeysuckle! These then, are the "berries" that form as the vine goes to seed. Eventually these toxic little fruits will dry and scatter their seeds upon the Forest floor. Another Forest secret revealed! (I did go online after returning home to verify that these are indeed honeysuckle berries). 

    The Forest Trail is a place of wonder and abundance. It's also a patient Teacher, as well. I'm continually learning - and finding - new things. Even though I've trodden this Trail many times, there's ongoing discoveries being revealed. 

    After the ups and downs of the first half mile the Trail again exits between two homes to the road which I cross a third time and again pick up the urban walking trail.

    Following this trail takes me to a small community park where folks like to toss Frisbees for their dogs. There used to be a grassy baseball field and one picnic bench. However, the field has gone to seed and weed and is now an un-fenced, but still mowed, dog park. The picnic table is still there, too. No trash cans are on site except for a large trash bag on a hook. 

    Walking across the dog area, I come to an extension of the Forest Trail which winds through conifers, small meadows, and is populated with mahonia bushes, mullein, black hawthorns, pines, wild tansy, chicory, St. John's wort, and a newly discovered apple tree. The Trail alters between being a trail and a pine needle strewn path. It crosses a mostly dry creek in a couple of spots.

 

This behind-the-park portion of the Forest Trail is very flat, narrower, and covered with pine needles. 

 

    Here the grassy meadows are grazed by deer and their sleeping patches, which amount to flattened grass "nests", may be found in the denser copses of pine trees.

    The Forest Trail here forks, winds around, and loops back upon itself, again crossing a small, dry creek which only has water in the Spring or after heavy rains.

 

A cracked board comprises the first crossing.

 

    This area of the Trail is a great spot to gather mahonia (Oregon grape) berries in summer. And, about a quarter mile back is where I found the apple tree!

 

A sturdier couple of boards spans the deeper channel of the second crossing.

 

    Eventually, the Trail leads past the "Dog Smile Tree". This tree is one, that by common, but unplanned consensus, became a memorial to beloved pets who've passed on. Pictures, collars, leashes - even pheasant feathers (in memory of a hunting dog? Or, a pet pheasant?) adorn the branches of the tree.

 

    

The Dog Smile Tree

 

    I think I'll create a memorial to hang on the tree for my beloved, Shadow, who passed away shortly after I moved to Idaho in 2015. She was farm dog, traveling companion, and house pet. I still miss her.

 

This past Spring someone added this "smile worthy" quip by Groucho Marx to the Smile Tree!

 

    The Trail meanders around, forking here and there, eventually coming back upon itself where I exit back onto the urban walking trail. 

    I can either recross the road and head home via the steeper portion of Forest Trail where I forage or I can continue along the urban walking trail all the way back to where I cross the road to the driveway of my condo complex.

    I can gather nearly all of my "foragables" close to home...except edible mushrooms. I've never found them (yet) along the urban walking trail or the Forest Trail :(

    To gather morels and coral mushrooms in Spring I need to drive about 18 miles to access other forest trails at Farragut State Park. In a few days, I'll be driving to Farragut to forage for chanterelle mushrooms! 

    I'll post on this fungal treasure soon!

    Additionally, look for an upcoming post about a skin-nourishing, anti-aging face oil you can make yourself! Why spend money on a chemically-created, expensive "serum" formulas when you can save money by making it yourself. And, it smells divine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Go A' Walkin' In the Woods - Walk #4 - Apples, Elderberries, Rose Hips

 

A small sampling of some of the bounty foraged along the Forest Trail.

 

    In the photo above are few apples, ripe rose hips, and some mahonia berries. Missing is the bag and a half of elderberries I harvested a few days later and the entire basket of apples.

    Because the mahonia (Oregon grape) harvest was scant this year I gathered just a few to dry for adding to herbal tea mixtures for a fruity, berry note. The rest were left for the birds and other wildlife.

 

Wild rose with ripe hips. The furry growth is call a "moss gall" and is caused by a tiny wasp that lays its eggs along the stems.

 

    Rose hips are said to be best gathered after a light frost to "sweeten" them - so says popular lore - but I've never noticed any difference and since I'm making rose hip syrup which will be sweetened with honey any negligible amount of extra sweetness isn't needed.

    The hips are ripe and I'm more interested in their Vitamin C content for use in making Winter tea blends and rose hip syrup. Rose hip syrup is delicious on cornbread and pancakes.

    To make rose hip syrup, simmer clean hips in honey to cover in a lidded pot until the skins begin to soften and wrinkle - 30 to 60 minutes. The hips contain seeds and tiny hairs, which you don't want in your syrup so don't crush or break open the hips. The usable part of the hip is the skin.

    Allow the honey-hip mixture to cool slightly and strain out the hips. The syrup may be stored in the fridge for a couple of months or steam/water bath canned for longer storage.

    The hips may dried and added to tea blends. Clean, whole dried hips may also be infused for 20 minutes in boiling water to make a delicious Rose Hip Winter tea.

        

A harvest of fresh elderberries and a filled up basket with gathered apples.

 

    

Elderberries "combed" from their stems with a fork.

 

    After the slightly tedious task of combing the elderberries from their stems, they're ready to dehydrate for Winter use for making an immune enhancing syrup (sold expensively as Sambucus in health food stores). The syrup may be also used to create elderberry-champagne cocktails, elderberry-cider vinegar-honey shrubs, elderberry martinis, or hot mulled elderberry juice around the Holidays.

    Of course one may preserve the berries by canning, but to save room in my pantry I dehydrate the berries. They reconstitute beautifully by adding three cups of boiling water to 3/4's to one cup of dried elderberries in a pot, covering them, and allowing them to sit and re-hydrate for an hour. Then bring the pot to a boil and allow to simmer 30 minutes with or without spices.

    After straining off the berries and pressing to release any juices, you can simmer the juice, uncovered, to reduce it by half. After cooling to touch, I'll add raw honey (optional) to taste and refrigerate the syrup. It thickens more in the fridge. 

    With dehydrated berries in my pantry I can make a new batch of syrup, as needed, throughout the Winter.

        Elderberries must be cooked for at least 30 minutes before consuming or canning the fresh berries. They shouldn't be eaten raw as the seeds contain a cyanide derivative that is neutralized by cooking. Additionally, the raw berries aren't tasty and may cause a stomach ache eaten raw.

    Some folk add flavorings to simmering elderberries, such as cloves, cinnamon, anise, ginger. Taken by the spoonful every day ahead of Winter cold and flu Season the syrup - plain or flavored - strengthens the immune system.

    Instead of adding spices - except to mull the liquid -  I add only raw unfiltered honey to enhance the berry flavors nicely and add the goodness of raw honey to the mix. The "honeyed" version is more palatable to kids...and me.

 

After four to six hours in my American Harvest Dehydrator (factory set at 145-degrees) the elderberries are dried and resemble small black peppercorns.

 

 

Six pints of foraged apples were canned - skins on - for Winter dessert making. These remaining apples will be made into an apple pie for my nephew and a galette for me to celebrate Autumn.

 

    I prefer to make galettes, instead of fruit pies most of the time, as they require only one crust and can be made any size I want.

    Additionally, I don't peel apples and pears used in desserts I make for myself because I enjoy the texture and fiber the cooked skins add to the dish. However, I will make a traditional two-crust apple pie with peeled apples for my nephew for helping me to gather the apples. 

    Some years I'll dehydrate apple slices for snacks and to take camping, but instead I canned this Season's apples due to a sufficiency of dried apple slices.

 

 

This newly discovered apple tree bears tasty sweet-tart, crisp apples for eating and cooking with.

 

    The forest trail is continually surprising me! For as many years as I've walked it, I've never seen this tree!

    Walking along the densely conifer-lined part of the trail I happened to see an apple lying on the trail. I first assumed someone had dropped it by accident.

    Then it occurred to me to look up. At first I didn't discern it among the green boughs of conifers. And, as the apples are mostly green there was little to give away their presence.

    Suddenly, a change of perspective revealed the tree and its dangling fruit. I picked one and bit into it. It was delicious! I noticed that the sides of the fruit exposed to sunlight had a red blush.

    Where had this tree come from? 

    Had there once been a cabin or homestead - now long gone - and this tree had survived?

    Or, had some long ago settler thrown down an apple core and one of the seeds had sprouted?

    There was no one to care for this tree. It wasn't on private property. Feral apples from seed aren't always tasty and can be fibrous and sour. Not this one!

    Henceforth, I will gather apples here instead of driving to another location where I used to gather apples.

    What a find! What a boon! What a treasure! The Forest Trail is a continual gift of bounty and abundance!

 

* * * * *

 

My wild apple galette with unpeeled apple slices, a Grand Marnier/powdered sugar glaze, and topped with toasted, slivered almonds. I will cut it in quarters which yield four small slices just right for...ME!

 

 

 

 

 

To Go A'Walkin' In the Woods - Walk #3: Summer's End

The forest trail at Summer's end is no longer lush and green.

 

    Hot weather has brought forest fires, smokey days, and air-quality alerts to avoid outdoor activity.

A day's rain temporarily cleared the air and I visited the trail. It's amazing what just a few hot days can wrought upon the natural abundance along the forest trail. Heat has brought Summer's bounty to a close. And, shorter days have brought a seasonal silence to the woods.

    Birdsong has quieted with the needs to nest, mate, and raise their young now met. Presently, it seems only occasional tweeting over territorial boundaries breaks the gathering quiet...oh, and that of the chittering squirrels as I walk under "their" trees. 

 

 

Speaking of squirrels and "their" trees, maple seeds are one of their favorite foods to "squirrel" away for winter.

 

        The winged seeds of wild maples are ripening and drying. Soon squirrels will be too busy gathering them to scold me! Instead they'll be racing around the forest collecting maple seeds and stockpiling them in knot holes, abandoned birds nests, and other nooks and crannies along with pine seeds.

    There are few nut-bearing trees, such as oaks, in our woods. I suppose that squirrels also make use of dried fruits and various other types of seeds to get them through the Winter.

    The disappearance of Summer's plenty is heralded by the drying and going-to-seed of the forest's bouquets of lovely flowers. However, with the coming of Autumn, Nature puts on a last "harvest" of elderberries, rose hips, and chanterelles.

 

 

Rose hips are beginning to turn from green toward red-orange and will soon be ready to gather.

 

    Rose hips are rich in Vitamin C and make wonderful tea and nutritious syrups for beverages, pancakes,waffles, biscuits, and cornbread.

 

 

A lovely, healthy cup of rose hip tea.

 

 

Berries of Mahonia, also known as Oregon grape.

 

    The Mahonia berries put on a poor showing this year. The tall variety didn't produce either flowers or fruit. The ground hugging type produced a few berries which I left for the forest critters.

    In abundant years, I gather the berries to make syrup and sauce. Wine,jams and jellies may also be made. As with elderberries, Mahonia needs the benefit of sweetening to make the berries bloom with flavor, otherwise their tartness makes them unpalatable.

 

 

    Already some of the deciduous under-story shrubs are starting to put on their Autumn colors.

 

 

Normally green and lush, mosses have grown pallid and dry.

 

    I'll miss the abundance along the forest trail, but I've learned that each Season has its function, its beauty, and that the forest reveals her secrets to those who strive to know her. For me the forest is not only a source of food and medicine, but one of wonder and revitalization.   

   There'll be another forest walk post in late September/early October where I'll share the last harvests before she puts on the dormancy and deeper silences of Winter.

    In the meantime, I'll share some of the ways I beat inflation through lifestyle changes and making many of my own household and body care products! 

    

    

    

 

 

To Go A'Walkin' In the Woods - Walk #2

 

A steep, narrow path branching off my main forest trail eventually leads to a road that leads to a lake.

 

    There's good reason to occasionally take this steep path...there are more black raspberries growing down there! It's also less trodden by other hikers and there are species of plants that don't grow along the main trail.

 

This young mullein hasn't completely sent up its tall, sturdy flowering stalk.

 

    Mullein grows on both trail and path, and I harvest its yellow blossoms to steep in olive oil. I only gather a few flowers from each plant.

    After six weeks, I strain off the oil to use as an earache remedy. I also make a tincture by steeping the leaves, roots, and stalk for six weeks in vodka. 

    The tincture may be taken by the dropper full for lung and respiratory issues and for strengthening the bladder, and as a wound healer. 

    I've recently learned that mullein's stalks and roots may be tinctured to alleviate backaches, as well. I've made a tincture just for this purpose and am interested to see if it works!

    Some herbs are "multi-talented", meaning they heal more than one health issue. Mullein seems to be one such herb.

    Another more "down to earth" use of mullein is as Nature's toilet paper. For this, the big soft, slightly hairy leaves are used. I've never used mullein for this purpose - and hope not to - as it seems disrespectful of the plant. However, in an emergency situation...

 

 

Oxeye daisies are related to our garden daisies! They grow all along the forest path, seeding in gardens, and popping up in road verges.

 

    I haven't gathered any of the daisies yet as they grow all season and into Autumn. They're usually steeped in olive oil and made into a salve to rub onto achy muscles and joints similarly to their other daisy family counterpart - arnica. 

    My store bought arnica salve is nearly gone and now that I've learned that Oxeye daisy works similarly, I'll save some money and make my own salve hence forth. To that end, I'll gather some and dry them for future use.

 

A welcome sight along the trail are the Oxeye daisies!

 

    The rose hips aren't ripe yet and neither are the huckleberries and elderberries. The black raspberries are done for the season, but coming along nicely are the Oregon grapes - also called, Mahonia. 

    Mahonia berries are now turning from green to dark purple and almost ready to harvest.

 

Preceded by fragrant, yellow flowers, these berries make delicious wine, jam and jelly, sauce, and syrup. Notice the holly-like leaves?

 

    Like elderberries, Mahonia aren't sweet or particularly tasty when eaten raw. Sweeten them, however, with sugar or honey and their "berry-licious" flavors become deliciously evident.

 

 

Last year I made a delicious sauce to adorn cream cheese schmeared Ritz crackers! A perfect "tasty bite" for guests.

 

    The yellow roots of Mahonia are a rich source of an antibiotic and antimicrobial substance called, berberine. As pharmaceutical antibiotics lose their efficacy against bacteria and microbes developing an immunity against them, berberine is being studied as an alternative.

    Here in Idaho two types of Mahonia grow. One is ground-hugging, and the other grows into tall shrubs. Both types grow useful berries and medicinal roots.

    I use elderflowers to make cordial, elderflower sugar, syrup, and mead. Elderflowers combined with in-bloom wild mint and yarrow - all dried - yield a healing soothing tea formula for colds, flu, and allergies.

    From the elderberries which ripen in a few weeks, I'll make wine and mead, a syrup, and dry some of the berries for winter use.

    I make my own Sambucus elixer to strengthen my immune system rather than buying the expensive health food store's version. Sambucus is simply the botanical name for elderberry.

    Here in Idaho, the elderberries appear blue, instead of almost black, due to a "bloom" similar to that which grows on grapes.

 

Elderberry trees can become quite tall.

 

    Earlier this season I gathered plantain...not the banana-like fruit of the tropics...but the low-growing herb that's common to wild places and sometimes lawns. It comes in a broad-leafed variety and a narrow-leafed form, called ribwort.

 

This is the broad-leafed variety. It's edible and medicinal.

 

This ribwort is in bloom!

 

    Both varieties are edible and medicinal. The broad-leaf variety is a more tender choice for a salad, but both work equally well as medicine for treating wounds and as a drawing salve.

    A few weeks ago I dried the plantain leaves I'd gathered. When they had dried I ground them finely and infused them in olive oil just to cover. I waited six weeks for them to steep.

    Then I measured out two tablespoons of the infused olive oil into a heatproof measuring cup, added 3/4's teaspoon of beeswax granules. I didn't strain out the herb but left it in the oil.

     I heated up this mixture until the beeswax melted and stirred the mixture thoroughly, then poured the liquid into a small, clean tin and allowed it to cool. 

    As the mixture cools it hardens into a salve that I'll use as a drawing salve when I get a splinter or to soothe insect bites and irritated skin. 

 

My herbal notebook of herbal medicines and the newly made and labeled plantain salve.

 

    The forest is a rich source for wild edibles and medicines all season long. My forest trail and adjoining path are not only a verdant feast for the senses, but pantry and medicine chest, too!

    In addition, studies have shown that spending time in nature reduces stress and strengthens the immune system simply by walking or sitting, camping, fishing, hiking, etc. 

    Stay tuned to this blog for our next forest walk to see what's going on as the Season matures toward Autumn!

 

 

    

   

    

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

    

 

 

 

 

 

To Go A' Walkin' In the Woods - Walk #1

 

The forest trail near my condo is a study in natural abundance!

 

    Along this trail I forage for medicinal herbs and edible wild plants. I walk the trail three out of four seasons. In winter the plants are dormant and so am I...sitting by the fireplace sipping hot tea or cocoa, knitting, reading, pondering. My three season strolls give way to more of a focus on yoga.

    I'll share some of the seasonal pleasures I encounter walking the forest trail.

 

Wild Idaho-native honeysuckle is a feast for the eyes.

 

    Honeysuckle is also a sweet mini-sip if I pull one of the tubular flowers, raise it to my lips like the wee trumpet it is, nip off the end, and suck a drop of sweet nectar. Of course, it's favored by the hummingbirds, so I only indulge in one blossom.

 

In the spring bunchberries bear a single, white four-petaled blossom.

 

    At this time of year bunchberry flowers have disappeared and the plants recede back into the general green of forest undergrowth.

 

In fall the bunchberry comes into predominance again with its crown of bright red berries.

 

    Bunchberries may be eaten raw or cooked. However, they aren't particularly tempting to humans because of their pulpy texture. The flavor isn't great either. Tiny in size, a lot of these berries would have to be gathered, so I leave them to the wildlife and simply admire them visually. I think of them as more of a survival food and a harbinger of autumn.

 

First small white flowers, then green, hairy fruits. With anticipation I await the ripening!

 

    All along the forest trail grow black raspberry brambles. When first I saw them years ago, I assumed they were a small blackberry. Not so!

    Black raspberries have always held a particular mystique for me because I'd heard of them but never chanced upon them in the wild, in a plant nursery, in mine or in anyone else's garden! Now, they're an abundant gift of nature that I particularly enjoy. 

    In June they begin to ripen and I begin to harvest! There are plenty for both the critters and for me. I freeze them for smoothies, eat them fresh out of hand, and always make a quart of black raspberry brandy to sip on snowy winter nights alone or with friends.

 

The black ones are ready to pick!

 

    I took the photo above only a couple of weeks ago. Within days the majority of the berries had ripened to a sooo deep a purple that they appear to be black. I harvested a bunch of them.

 

A jar filled with black raspberries and topped off with brandy rests for six weeks to allow berry-goodness to leach into the brandy. Some of the color has already been leached from the berries into the brandy.

 

    On August 19th the soaking will have finished and I'll strain off the berries, possibly using them to make a galette or pie. To the brandy I'll add honey or simple syrup to sweeten to taste and pour the deep garnet liqueur into a pretty decanter. It will be served in wee cordial glasses. 

 

White roses adorn a huge wild rose bush at one end of the trail.

 

    On another forest trail I sometimes frequent most of the wild roses range in color from light to dark pink. All are of the same variety and delight my eyes in early to mid-June.

    Now, in mid-July, the blossoms have fallen and in their place green "hips" are forming. In the late summer the hips begin to change color.

 

In autumn I'll gather the bright red hips.

 

    The  bright red to orange-red hips are a powerhouse of Vitamin C! I gather them to simmer them fresh in honey to make a delicious syrup to sweeten herbal tea or pour onto pancakes, crepes, or French toast. I can dry them to make rose hip tea, too. 

    To make rose hip syrup, rinse the hips of dust and set to drain on a clean towel. Place the hips in a saucepan and pour in just enough honey to cover them. Simmer gently until the the hips soften. Strain out the hips - don't press them you don't want the tiny interior hairs in your syrup. Store the rose hip syrup in a jar in a cupboard or pantry.

    The hips are full of tiny hairs attached to tiny seeds, so I dry the hips whole for tea. A refreshing soda may be made from rose hip syrup by adding a tablespoon or two to a glass, tossing in some ice cubes and pouring on sparkling water. 

    Today's walk has come to a close all too soon. In the next post we'll take another stroll and see what the Forest trail has to show us!

 

 

 

 

    

Foraging For Herbal Medicines: Elderflower, Yarrow, Oregano and Field Mint

White Yarrow is hung to dry between oregano.

 

    Each year towards the end of spring and beginning of summer, I forage along the forest trail near my home for a variety of edibles and medicinals.

   A couple of weeks ago I gathered elderflowers, yarrow, and oregano. These have since dried, but the wild mint wasn't in bloom yet, so I wasn't able to gather that until last week. It's now dry so I can now strip the leaves and blossoms from the stems for adding to the dried elderflower and yarrow.

 

The wild mint is now dried. I'll add the leaves and blossoms to the previously dried elderflower and yarrow in the canning jar. Once mixed together I'll add the completed Winter Cold Tea mixture to a larger jar and label it so it will be handy at the first signs of sneezes, sniffles or a scratchy throat.

 

   With the elderflowers, yarrow, and wild mint I make an herbal tea that will soothe winter colds and flu, and more.

    Elderflowers relax coughing and reduce congestion. As an infusion (a strong tea) it tones the mucus membranes making them less prone to infection and drying up excess mucus.

    Elderflower causes mild perspiration helping to reduce a fever. It also aids arthritis suffers by removing toxins through increased sweating and urination, and reducing inflammation. If taken as a tincture a few weeks ahead of hay fever season, it will lessen the severity of attacks. Elderflowers have a mild taste in a tea mixture.

    Yarrow is useful for healing wounds when used as a poultice or salve. When dried and powdered it may be applied to nicks, abrasions, and to shaving mishaps as a styptic (or alum) to stop bleeding. For colds and flu it aids in lowering fevers and drying up mucus. Yarrow has a slightly pungent taste and aroma.

    Wild mint and peppermint have similar properties so if you cannot find wild mint (also called "mountain" or "field" mint) you can use peppermint. It should be gathered when the tops begin flowering. Gather the upper five, or so inches - aerial parts - so you get leaves and blossoms. 

    Wild mint is antispasmodic to the digestive system. It soothes the lining of the stomach and colon calming the nauseous feeling that can arise from the post-nasal drip of colds. 

    Mint is cooling, antiseptic, and antibacterial due to the menthol component of its oils. It will soothe headaches associated with colds or flu. Mint also makes any medicinal tea blend taste better.

    

Returning home with fresh yarrow and oregano in one of my collecting bags.

 

    Oregano isn't a native plant here in Idaho, but along the trail where I walk it has escaped/naturalized - likely from a nearby garden. It lines both side of the trail and each year I gather some for culinary and medicinal purposes. 

    Oregano is a powerful antiseptic, antiviral, and antibiotic. It's used to treat respiratory conditions such as colds, flu, bronchitis and asthma. Infused in oil for six weeks, strained, then diluted one to one with plain olive oil, it may be rubbed onto painful joints caused by arthritis. Oregano oil may cause skin irritation hence having to dilute the infused oil with more oil. It is said that this diluted oil will also relieve toothache, although I haven't tried it for this.

    Taken as an infusion it reduces flatulence and stimulates the flow of bile.

    My Winter Cold Tea is made made from equal parts dried elderflower, yarrow, and wild mint. It doesn't generally include oregano. 

    Instead, I'll make a tincture using fresh oregano and brandy or vodka and let it soak (macerate) for six weeks. After straining off the spent herb, the infused liquor is bottled. I'll add a dropper full of oregano tincture to an infusion of my Winter Cold Tea if I feel I  need to add oregano's healing properties to the tea.

    To make a Winter Cold Tea infusion (strong tea) I'll add one heaping tablespoon of the tea mixture to an 8 oz canning jar and pour on 6 oz of boiling water. Top with a lid - I use a canning jar lid - or something flat to keep the steam in. Let it steep for 15 to 20 minutes. Wrap a towel around the jar to keep the heat in.

 

Cover the jar - I use a fitted canning lid - to keep in the steam. Next, I'll wrap a towel around the jar to keep the infusion hot until its 15- to 20-minute steeping time is over.

 

    Strain the infusion into a warmed cup or mug, add a teaspoon of raw, unfiltered honey to sweeten - for its throat-soothing and antiseptic qualities - and a squeeze of lemon juice for some Vit C and to reduce inflammation.

    Inhale the steam rising from the cup. It'll soothe your nasal passages. Sipping the tea will ease the symptoms of a cold or flu and settle the stomach while relieving that stuffy-head feeling. The tea tastes a little bitter, slightly astringent, and pleasantly herbaceous. It's a very comforting brew.

    You can also "toddy" the tea by adding a tablespoon or two of brandy.

 

A steaming cup of comfort!

 

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Notes:

    Pregnant women should not use either yarrow or oregano. Mint is generally deemed safe to use, but it's always wise to check with one's physician.

    While I choose to self-treat with herbal remedies, this is a decision one should make for oneself, preferably in consultation with one's medical professional.

    Collect responsibly. Never take more than 10% from any given plant or more than 20% from a grouping of plants. 

    Collect with a grateful heart these gifts of Nature.

 

    

 

   

    

 

Foraging For Herbal Medicines - St. John's Wort Oil, Salve, and Tincture

St. John's wort tinctures, oil, and salve.

 

    The jar on the left is a tincture in "becoming" from St. John's wort gathered today. The jar in the center is the remaining tincture made three years ago. In the dropper bottle is tincture handy for immediate use. In the "Adams" jar on the right is a St. John's wort oil I made several years ago. And, in the small white jar is a salve, just made, from the St. John's oil.

 

The early morning sun at my back casts a long shadow on the forest trail near my condo where I gather an abundance of edibles and medicinals.

 

    Things are growing and blooming! And, it's the perfect time to admire flowers and forage for medicinal herbs that grow along the forest trail. Come with me and I'll show you what I've gathered on today's walk, and what I'm making!

    St. John's Wort!

    It's native to this part of Northern Idaho and is a great bee plant, too. St. John's is used internally in tincture form  to treat mild to moderate depression. Externally, as an oil or salve, apply it to wounds, itchy spots, rashes, external inflammation from scrapes, abrasions, and insect bites.

 

St. John's Wort grows right along the forest path. It's bright yellow flowers exude a red juice when crushed.

 

    I gather the "aerial" parts which are the top four to five inches of the plant - flowers, stems, and leaves. I use St. John's wort to make an infused oil, a salve, and an alcohol-based tincture. 

    When infused in olive oil, the rich, red oil - with a slightly chocolaty scent - may be applied directly to the skin and rubbed in. It may be heated and mixed with beeswax to create a salve.

    In ancient times St. John's wort was used to heal sword wounds. As an oil or salve I apply it to cuts and scrapes. The salve is used similarly and is a easier application than the oil when applying it to one's hinter parts to soothe the irritation of hemorrhoids or the sting caused by bladder infections and other irritations and chafing.

    I use St. John's to reduce the pain of backaches, sore muscles, and arthritic inflammation by applying it in combination with arnica salve or cream. Arnica quickly removes the pain, however, the effect is short-lived. St. John's works more slowly penetrating deeply to the cause of the discomfort. They seem to be synergistic when used together. It's as if the St. John's wort "carries" the arnica cream more deeply into the tissues.

    A great combination for treating my occasional back spasms is to rub the area with a combination of both arnica cream and St. John's salve or oil, and additionally take oral, under-the-tongue homeopathic arnica Montana or a homeopathic backache remedy such as, Hyland's Backache Relief. Relief from back pain is pronounced in 24 hours and usually completely gone in about four days as opposed to the excruciating two weeks  of recovery when using over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.

    While I do visit my doctor, dentist, and vision specialist for regular checkups, I also self medicate my non-serious bumps, bruises, and "owies" with my own homemade remedies. They're way less expensive, and easy and fun to make. They add to my efforts toward greater self-sufficiency, and get me outside and into Nature's abundance and bounty!

   

I will snip these aerial parts into one-inch pieces to make them easier to add to a jar and to provide more access points for the "menstrum: (usually alcohol, vinegar, or glycerin).

 

Recipe: St. John's wort Oil

Fresh or dried St. John's wort, cut into one-inch pieces, if fresh

Olive oil (avacado, almond, jojoba, etc.)

Mason jar

     If using fresh material, fill your jar to just below the shoulders, lightly packing it down. If using dried herb, fill it about half way, pressing it in. 

    Fill the jar with oil up to the shoulders. Use a knife to release any air bubbles caught in the material and oil. Screw on a lid and allow the material to infuse (macerate) for about six weeks. Shake it every so often and check to be sure fresh herb material is submerged in the oil.

    After six weeks strain off the red oil, pouring it into a clean, dry jar, and discard the herb. Store your oil in the fridge or a cool pantry or cupboard.

 

St. John's wort oil after infusing (macerating) for six weeks, then straining off the used herb. I'll use some of this oil made a few years ago to make a salve.

 

    The following recipe may be increased to make make several jars of salve.

 

Recipe: St. John's Wort Salve

1/2 cup St. John's wort oil

3 tsp grated or pelleted beeswax

4 to 5 oz jar

    Pour the oil into a small pan. Add the beeswax. Heat gently until the beeswax is completely melted. Stir occasionally to be sure oil and beeswax are well mixed.

 

Heat the oil and beeswax on medium-low until the beeswax is melted, stirring occasionally. 

 

 

Pour the mixture into a clean, dry jar. Four-ounce Mason jars work well, too. Add a label.

 

    Allow the salve to completely cool. As it cools it will begin to turn opaque and harden. Initially, it will look like it's not going to harden, but it will.

 

Solid and opaque, - shadowing and reflection makes it look loose but it isn't - your salve may be stored at room temperature, and is ready for use.

 

    I seldom suffer from depression, but I do make and keep some St. John's wort tincture on hand when my mood needs a lift. I used it  often during the Covid years.

    I take a dropper full - about .50 to .75 ml - three times a day in tea, water, juice, wine, or directly under my tongue holding it for a few seconds then swallowing. It may take up to a week to notice a lifting of mood. 

Recipe: St. John's Wort Tincture 

Pint or quart jar

Fresh or dried St. John's Wort

Vodka or brandy (vinegar or glycerin, if preferred)

    If using fresh herb, lightly pack it into the jar to just below the shoulder. If using dried herb, press it into the jar filling it halfway. Dried herb is twice as potent because all the water has been removed and it will soak up more of menstrum.

    Pour your menstrum of choice to completely fill the jar to the shoulders whether using fresh or dried herb. When using fresh herb be sure the menstrum covers the herb. Poke with a knife to release any bubbles or air pockets. Add more menstrum, if needed.

    Screw on a lid and place the jar in a dark spot - cupboard or pantry - for six weeks. You may need to add a bit more menstrum as the herb soaks it up. Shake the jar occasionally and check to make sure any fresh herb is covered so it doesn't mold.

 

    In upcoming posts I'll share how I make most of my own household cleaning, medicinal, and cosmetic products!

 

 

Realizing that half a pint jar wasn't going to make enough tincture to last until next spring, I went back out and gathered enough to fill the pint jar to the shoulders. This way I'll be sure to have enough to use and share, if needed.

 

* * * * *

 

Notes:

    St. John's wort is known in many areas as a noxious weed, sometimes called "Klamath weed". A weed is simply a plant whose efficacy and virtues remain unknown to us.

    I only gather as much as I think I'll need of any herb or edible. Dried herbs retain potency for only about a year - unless infused in oil or tinctured then they'll last for years. I simply plan to gather new material each season.

    I always leave some flowers, seeds, roots, leaves to allow the plant to propagate itself and to photosynthesize sunlight.

    I never gather all the plant, but only about 10- to 20% that's present in any patch.

   When using fresh herb, you'll need twice as much as if you're using dried. If you dry the herb it will shrink by about half as the water evaporates away.

    When making an infused oil, I generally use dried herb as the water content of a fresh herb may cause the oil to mold. There is a process by which to extract the water but it's simpler and more natural to simply dry the herb first. Molding isn't a factor when using alcohol as the menstrum.

    I prefer to use olive oil to make my herb-infused oils because I "feel" and "sense" that it penetrates into the skin layers more deeply. Also, olive oil doesn't go rancid as quickly as other nut, flower, or seed oils. I do use almond oil, or in combination with olive oil, for making cosmetic products.

    As the prices increase due to inflation it becomes a real money saver to make as much of your own medicines, body care items, and cleaning products as you can.

 

Making a salve is so simple. All that's needed is infused St. John's wort oil (made with dried herb and olive oil), some beeswax, and a jar!

 

 

 

     

Homemade Horsetail-Rosemary Shampoo and Two Hair Rinses!

 

Horsetail & Rosemary shampoo and Nettle Hair Rinse are natural products you can make yourself. Rosemary herb flanked by basil both of which aid hair growth.

 

    It's springtime! Time to gather and forage for ingredients to make hair- and scalp-healthy shampoo and rinses!

    Commercial shampoos contain chemicals that aren't friendly to your scalp or gentle on your hair. Yes, they get your hair clean, but they also dry your hair and scalp, stripping away natural oils that give shine, body and bounce to healthy hair. We want our hair healthy and clean of dirt, styling products, and excess natural oils, but not stripped and desiccated! 

    If you follow the instructions on some shampoo bottles they'll tell  you to wet your hair, apply shampoo and massage it in, rinse, re-apply shampoo, lather, and rinse again.

    This "twice shampoo' strategy insures that your hair will be dry, brittle, tangled, and lifeless.  It also means that you'll need additional products to moisturize and add body, to de-tangle and meld - temporarily - split ends. Furthermore, commercial shampoos destroy the natural ph balance of hair resulting in a dry, itchy scalp and exacerbating dandruff.

    Chemicals and the intense heat of dryers and hot rollers aren't good for the scalp or the hair. They burn and dry the cuticles at the center of the hair shaft causing your hair to become brittle, the ends to split, and encouraging frizziness. There's some evidence that chemicals and excessive heat may cause hair loss due to weakening of hair follicles under constant assault. Daily use of hairdryers and curling irons was particularly implicated.

    There was a time when I would dilute commercial shampoos by mixing them with an equal amount of water in order to reduce their harsher effects. Some manufacturers caught onto the Internet advice to dilute shampoo to save money and to create a gentler product...and the effect of this was...

...to create a bottle top that couldn't be removed to prevent customers from diluting the product! Not all manufacturers have done this, but the manufacturers of the two brands I used once-upon-a-time have done so.

    I found a way around this bit of chicanery by simply making my own homemade shampoo. As a result my hair and scalp are happier and so is my wallet.

    I've been making my own housecleaning  products for decades, so it seemed reasonable to consider making at least some of my body care products, as well.

    There are several herbs that are good for your hair and smell nice, too. Peppermint, spearmint, lavender, and rosemary add a lovely scent to shampoo. Rosemary and basil have the added advantages of stimulating hair growth by nourishing the follicles.

    Nettle and horsetail strengthen hair as both are rich in hair-, nail-, and tooth-strengthening silica. Chamomile is gentle and soothing for those with damaged hair. 

   While it's satisfying to gather your own herbs to make shampoo and hair rinse, it isn't always possible. I can gather horsetail, but I need to purchase dried rosemary and nettle.

    Living in a condo, I'm subject to gardening restrictions. So, I end up purchasing some of the herbs I use and foraging for others.

    The local health food store sells bulk herbs and I also order from Mountain Rose Herb Co. (see the link below) in addition to foraging.

 

Horsetail grows wild along one of the forest trails near my condo.

 

 

 I'm snipping the freshly gathered horsetail into more manageable lengths for making shampoo and for drying some for winter use.

 

Recipe: Horsetail & Rosemary Shampoo (recipe may be increased)

2 TBS each of dried horsetail and rosemary/basil (or 4 TBS each for  fresh herbs)

1/3 cup of Dr. Bronner's liquid soap

1-cup distilled water

1/4 tsp oil (jojoba, almond, olive, grape seed)

20 drops of essential oil of lavender, chamomile, peppermint or rosemary, or a combination you like (rosemary & peppermint is my favorite combo)

    Heat the water in a small saucepan. Add the herbs and bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. 

   

Horsetail and rosemary simmered and ready to drain.

 

    Strain off the herbs reserving the water in a bowl. The used herbs may be added to a compost pile or dug into the garden. Add a bit more distilled water, if needed, to equal one cup of herb liquid and gently stir in the liquid soap. Add the essential oils and the 1/4 tsp of oil (jojoba, etc).

    Mix and pour into a plastic squeeze bottle. 

    To use, gently rock the bottle to remix the ingredients. Wet hair thoroughly, then squeeze a small amount on top, sides, and back of head. Work into the roots and pull it down the length of your hair several times. Rinse out thoroughly.

    Homemade shampoo won't be as pretty or come in lovely colors (chemical dyes) as commercial varieties - and it won't suds up as much either - but it will get your hair just as clean without stripping hair of shine, body, or the natural oils that keep hair healthy and resilient. 

    It's not the volume of suds that get your hair clean! It's the  surfactants in soap - plant oils or animal fats - that are "saponified" in the process of making soap. Or, in the case of commercial detergent shampoos, it's the petroleum-based surfactants. Real soap doesn't create as much lather as detergent-based shampoos and is much easier to rinse out of your hair. 

    When using your own homemade, soap-based shampoo you'll want to follow with a rinse of an herb-infused, undiluted apple cider vinegar, or diluted - one-to-one with water - freshly squeezed lemon juice with a few drops of essential oil

    Soap-based shampoo cleans the scalp and hair and is somewhat alkaline. Following with an acidic rinse conditions hair making it less likely to tangle and nourishes the scalp, as well. This "one-two" shampoo/rinse regimen maintains the proper ph balance of the scalp reducing itchiness and dandruff.

    For the vinegar hair rinse you may substitute other herbs such as rosemary, lavender, chamomile, or mint and add your choice of essential oils. Don't use eucalyptus essential oil ! It is too strong even in tiny amounts!

 

Recipe: Nettle Hair Rinse

1 quart apple cider vinegar

Approximately 4 cups Fresh herbs, or 2 cups dried herbs

10 drops each rosemary and peppermint essential oil 

    Fill a quart Mason Jar completely with fresh herb material...or fill it halfway with dried material.

    Pour cider vinegar into the jar over the herbs until the jar is full. Stir with a chop stick or skewer to remove air bubbles. Add a bit more vinegar, if needed to fill the jar up to the neck. Don't add the essential oils yet.

     Screw on a lid and allow the mixture to soak/macerate for about six weeks. Then, strain off the herbs and add the essential oil to the jar and stir in.

    Pour some of your herb mixture into a plastic squeeze bottle or a spray bottle. Store the rest in its jar in a dark cupboard or pantry until needed to refill your "use" bottle.

   After shampooing and rinsing your hair, pour a palm's worth of herbal rinse into your cupped palm - or spritz it directly onto your hair all over - and massage it in pulling it down the strands of hair. Leave it on your hair and towel dry. The vinegary scent will fade as your hair dries. Your hair will be shiny and nourished and your scalp invigorated!

Recipe: Lemon-Chamomile Rinse

Half of a lemon squeezed and strained

1/3-cup distilled water

5 drops chamomile essential oil

    Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and strain it through a fine-meshed strainer or several layers of muslin or cheese cloth.

    Add the water and essential oil of chamomile. Pour into a plastic cup and massage into hair after shampooing. Don't rinse it out. Towel dry as usual.

 

    With continued use of your natural shampoo and herbal rinse regimen, your hair will recover it's body, bounce, and shine. You'll find that you don't need conditioners, thickeners, repairers.

    If you can avoid hairdryers and hot rollers, do so. Seek a style that doesn't require heat and chemicals to attain. Love the hair Nature gave you. It's part of your unique, personal style.

    Your hair and scalp will thank you!

 

Mountain Rose Herbs

https://mountainroseherbs.com/

 

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  I gather and dry extra horsetail for winter use. It quickly dries on top of my fridge on wax paper lined trays.

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Happy and Prosperous New Year!

May all the "eggs" in your 2023 "basket" hatch!

 

May your New Year be Kind, Prosperous, Happy, Blessed and bring all your wishes to fruition!