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Rose Barlow of Prodigal Gardens, Director 673 S. Washington Ave Viroqua, WI 54665 608-637-3074 dandeliongold22@hotmail.com
Jessie Conaway of Three Trees Herb Shop, Founder W5225 Quackenbush Road West Salem, WI 54669 608-786-4425 herbsareeverywhere@hotmail.com
Summer Dream
The wheel of the year has made another quarter turn and we find ourselves in high summer. The view from my window is every shade of green, backlit by a pure blue sky. Winter seems light years away in the eternal now of June.
The rush of spring has been tempered by the long, dreamy days, the balmy nights, the full sun. My harvesting activities have slowed considerably after the prodigal spring bounty. Already I have the satisfaction of a freezer full of seemingly exotic foods before my garden has even started producing much. For now I can sit back a bit, contemplating the advent of berry season.
My garden seems so young compared to the wildlings already so lush and profuse they fill every crack and cranny with their zest for life. I wonder why I bother sometimes but the mother in me finds some yearning satisfied in nurturing my little seedlings and having a hand in the act of bringing forth fruit from the earth.
My love for the creation grows deeper and more profound with each passing year. I become ever more fascinated by the subtleties and nuances of the plant world, with relationships between the varied lifeforms, with the spirit that hovers over the land. I am more painfully aware of my separate-ness and experience more vividly that holy longing to merge into one with the beauty all around me, to break the barriers�.sigh��.For now I content myself with the waiting.
I pray the summer gives you time to rest, to dream, to bask in the glory of the sun. May you walk in beauty���.
What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, a fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade� Gertrude Jekyll
CRHI Update
The Coulee Region Herbal Institute has moved into yet another season. We�ve emerged from the indoor classroom setting to exploring the vast and varied outdoors. The Coulee Region is such a rich treasury of plant diversity and assorted ecosystems. It would take a lifetime to explore this place.
The annual Paddles and Petals kayaking trip at Trempeleau Mountain drew around a dozen hearty souls. The weather took a turn for the worse with low temps and hard rain but the group persevered and studied both the plants of the water and the scenic hiking trail.
A couple of CRHI members were present at the Wild Food summit II event on the White Earth reservation in Northwestern Minnesota. Around 60 people attended the 3-day event for a very hands-on experience of foraging expeditions, cooking wild foods over the campfire, pit roasting, workshops and more. I am always delighted at the quality of people that are attracted to this sort of thing. Wild Food Summit III is already in the works, slated for the third weekend in June 2008.
Up and coming this summer is the CRHI annual Prairie Walk in Winona with Carl Lacher and Carol Jacobs, featuring a special session on tree identification with Mitch Cholewa. Then later in July we are holding a wild food potluck in Coon Valley hosted by herbalist Linda Conroy of Moonwise Herbs. Linda will also be holding an herbal-share gathering the following weekend. See the calendar pages for details.
The 3rd annual Midwest Wild Harvest Festival with Sam Thayer will be held on September 7-9 at Beaver Creek Reserve near Eau Claire. Wild food educator Vicki Shufer from Virginia will be the keynote speaker alng with workshops, walks, wild food trivia game and potluck/recipe contest. This is a FUN event. Last year my cheeks hurt from smiling so much!
A special thank you to all of you who bought or renewed memberships to CRHI! Enjoy the newsletter and we hope to see you at some of the classes and events being offered around the region.
Wild Berries
The abundance and variety of wild berries in the Upper Midwest is quite impressive. The berry season begins with the wild strawberries in mid-June and continues through the frosty late October with a whole succession of ripening berries and fruits in between. Wild Strawberries give way to Black Raspberries (Blackcaps), Red Raspberries, and Gooseberries in July, Blackberries, Blueberries and Sumac berries in August. Then come the Wild Cherries and Elderberries, and Wild Grapes, Rosehips and Highbush Cranberries in September and October. Wintergreen berries can even be found under the snow! There are a whole host of lesser known berries as well.
There are also poisonous berries to watch out for. Some of these poisonous berries are used medicinally by skilled herbalists, with caution. Most poisonous berries won�t kill you, the worst they do is give you a bad stomachache or diarrhea if eaten in quantity. As with any unfamiliar food or plants, be sure to identify your berries carefully. Caution is especially important in towns or landscaped areas because a great many of our exotic ornamentals are highly poisonous despite beautiful, tempting berries.
Berries are exceptionally high in Vitamin C (when eaten raw). They are also very high in potassium, magnesium, fiber, and fructose, as well as an excellent source of iron and other trace minerals. These nutrients tend to be very concentrated in the wild berries and readily assimilated by our bodies. Hybridized berries tend to compromise the nutritional value of berries somewhat for size and uniformity.
Because wild berries are such a concentrated food source they often have very strong flavors that our modern palate is unaccustomed to. The prepared juice is rich and very satisfying in small amounts, a very different experience from our commercial juices that are often much diluted with apple juice and highly sweetened with sugar, fructose corn syrup or grape concentrate.
Mama�s in the berry patch her bucket�s gettin� full It�s a beautiful day, sing berry-hi-ho She�s tramped down trails to the biggest ones-o Blackberry summer time��.
Processing Wild Berries Most berries are easy to process and recipes abound for some of our more familiar species like blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. But other lesser known berries have fallen into disuse in modern times, like the wild grapes and wild cherries. These berries can seem dry, tart or all seeds and pits and may not taste that great right off the bush. They require more creative processing to unlock their unique juices and flavors.
Juicing Berries The easiest way to process and preserve the more challenging wild berries is to extract the juice. Following are different methods you can use to do this: 1. Put berries in a stainless steel pot (the acids in berries can react with aluminum and other metals). Add just enough water to cover. Bring water to just below boiling and simmer berries for 20-30 minutes, using a potato masher or other kitchen tool to press on the berries to help extract the juices. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth or jelly bag. This method works fine with no special equipment needed. The only disadvantage is that it tends to dilute the juice somewhat because of the addition of water. Especially useful for some of the drier berries, like wild cherries. 2. Cone Sieve: This is the �old-fashioned� way of extracting juices. Steam your fruit or berries thoroughly. Place a bowl under the sieve to catch the juice. Put the berries in the cone a cup or two at a time. Use the wooden pestle to crush and press the juice through the cone-shaped sieve. This device works quite well. Though not in common use anymore they can be found in kitchen supply outlets, yardsales, or special-ordered. 3. Victorio Strainer, Squeez-O: These are very handy kitchen gadgets designed for making sauces and juices. They have a big hopper to put the fruit in, and a handcrank that pushes the fruit through in a crushing gear and sieve. The seeds, pits, and skins come out one end and the juice or sauce comes out the other. Cost is around $40. These work great with the juicer berries. 4. Mehu Liisa SteamJuicer: This clever device comes to us from Scandanavia and is the perfect tool for extracting the juices from your fruits and berries for canning purposes. The Mehu Liisa is stainless steel and costs around 100$. Watch for cheaper steam juicers on the market made out of aluminum. The steam juicer extracts a concentrated juice using gentle steam, a process superior to boiling as it retains more of the vitamins, minerals, flavors and colors of the fresh-picked berries. The only regret that I have in using it is that the berries are not juiced raw, but there are other devices for that. I use the steam juicer when I have large quantities of berries and fruits that I want to preserve and store as juice.
She�s been pickin� them berries the whole afternoon It�s gettin� kinda late, the sun�s settin� soon She�ll be thinkin� about all the things she�s gonna do With her blackberry harvest fine���
I keep a large store of juices on hand every year, and have found them to be incredibly versatile and useful, besides being a good tonic beverage. Here�s some of the ways I use my wild berry juices: *Drink your Wild Berry juices straight up or cut them with apple juice to mellow out the intense flavors for the less mature palates. *Wild Berry Lemonade: Jazz up your summer lemonades with a splash of wild berry juice! *Punch: Use wild juices as a base for your favorite punch recipe. Punch can be as simple as gingerale and juice mixed together, or more extravagant for those special occasions. *Healthy sodas: I make healthy wild sodas out of wild berry juices and soda water. You can get carbonated soda water very cheaply in the liquor department of a store, I have found them for as little as 3-for-a-dollar at Wal-Mart. I sweeten the juices a little more than they already are and mix them roughly half and half with the bubbly soda water. Kids love this and these sodas are actually extremely good for them instead of loaded with sugar, caffeine, dye and all the other garbage that�s in our sodas today. *Popsicles: I freeze sweetened wild juices for a healthy popsicle snack in the summer. *Jello: You can buy the unflavored gelatin packets in the grocery store and use them to make wild berry jellos! Gelatin is good for the bones, hair and fingernails, and the wild berries are good for everything else! A nourishing, fun wild snack that kids will love! Try making wild berry ambrosia for a really exciting dessert! *Smoothies: I make smoothies using wild berry juices whipped up with yogurt and whatever other goodies I have on hand. Black Raspberry smoothies are simply out of this world!!!! *Milkshakes: You can make a yummy wild milkshake by whipping up vanilla ice cream and some wild berry juice in a blender. *Glazes: I make glazes for some of my baking projects out of wild berries. You can make the glaze ahead and freeze it or make it to order to top cheesecakes and coffeecakes and whatnot. *Sorbet: I bought a little electric ice cream maker a couple of years ago and have had all kinds of fun inventing ice cream recipes. Best of all are the wild berry sorbets! They are essentially just wild berry juice and sweetener, frozen in the ice cream-maker, healthy and delicious! *Jelly: If you didn�t have time in the summer when the berries were fresh to make jam, it�s not too late if you have preserved the juice! You can make wild berry jellies from your wild berry juices anytime of the year. (Hint: They make great Christmas presents!) *Syrup : You can cook your juices down with sugar to make wild berry syrups for pancakes, French toast, waffles, Italian sodas and more. *Flavored milk: I see flavored milks on the market these days in the dairy section of the supermarket�strawberry milk, chocolate milk, vanilla milk. But if you read the label on these they are flavored with sugar and dye. Nutritionists endorse them saying that at least they are getting the nutrients from the milk. Why not make a wild berry flavored milk? Use a � cup of wild berry syrup to each cup of milk. Guaranteed to disappear�.. *Cough syrup: I make my own cough syrups each year and like to use my wild juices to flavor them. *Vinaigrettes: Try making Wild Berry Vinaigrette to jazz up your salads!
Now mama�s in the kitchen with her favorite recipes The canning kettle�s boilin� singing pretty as you please Ol� winter won�t never get the best of me She�s putting summer in every jar���
Freezing Berries: If I�m in a hurry, I freeze berries to use later on in the year. They are as simple as putting them into quart freezer bags or containers and setting them in the freezer. It takes only a few minutes to put up a bucketful this way. Kids love to suck on frozen berries for a healthy snack anytime of the year.
Unfortunately when they thaw out they are never quite the same; they tend to get soggy and seedy, although some kinds of berries fare better than others. They just aren�t as good in the dessert recipes as the fresh berries. If they won�t behave in pie or cobbler recipes anymore, I run my thawed berries through a sieve and just use the pulp or juice to make a variety of treats.
Jamming Berries: I like to make lots of wild jam each year. Once you�ve tried making jams a few times, you�ll discover it�s remarkably easy and doesn�t require any special equipment. The �traditional� American jams and jellies are intensely sweet, with ratios of sugar to fruit as high as 3:1. After making my own jams for years I cannot tolerate the sweetness of storebought jams.
The only special ingredient you�ll need to make your own jams is pectin. There are several options to choose from these days, thankfully, as this didn�t used to be the case. There are �regular� pectins, low-sugar pectins and now even no-sugar pectins. There is also a kind of pectin sold in health food stores called Pomona Universal pectin that allows you to use honey to sweeten your jams. I like to use both the Universal pectin and the no-sugar pectin. These allow me the freedom to sweeten the jams to taste. I like them just sweet enough to satisfy the sweet tooth, but not so much that I can�t taste all the goodness of the fruits. When I make Black Raspberry jam (and most of my other jams), I generally use a proportion of 2 cups sugar: 5 cups fruit.
Sometimes I make honey-sweetened jams using the Universal Pomona pectin but I can�t always get a good gel using honey. The honey also changes the flavor of the berries some, not to mention the price of honey these days! All the instructions for making your jams and jellies are included inside every box of pectin.
Using your homemade jams and jellies shouldn�t be any trouble! My favorite way to eat my wild jams is on a hot buttered English muffin. But since I make so much of the stuff, I have developed plenty of other ways to enjoy it over the years. Here�s a few suggestions for showcasing your wild jams: * Mix your wild berry jams with applesauce * Buy plain yoghurt instead of the sweetened fruit yogurts and add a dollop of wild jam to each cup of yogurt. Kids will eat it right up! *Try topping your morning pancakes or French toast with yogurt and wild berry jam instead of butter and syrup. * Roll your wild berry jams into homemade crepes with yogurt or cream cheese filling for an extra special five-star breakfast. * Spread your jam on top of your favorite cheesecake recipe to give it a wild gourmet touch. *Try making wild berry jelly rolls! Imagine bringing a Wild Black Raspberry Jelly Roll to a potluck!
Now there�s jams and jellies and juices, oh my! There�s sugar-sweet love-making blackberry pie There�s wine in the crock for those cold winter nights Sing blackberry love���.
Berries are fun, versatile, nutritious, and wonderful in every way. Every family should have a favorite berry patch and make summer berry harvest a family tradition. Kids just instinctively know what to do with berries, right down to the littlest one. I�ve seen babies not yet able to walk prove quite adept at picking ripened berries. It is a deeply instinctive act����..
Rose Barlow is an herbalist in the Viroqua area, specializing in using nutritive herbs and wild foods as preventive medicine. She maintains an educational website at www.prodigalgardens.info, is available for presentations, walks and workshops, and is currently acting as director of the Coulee Region Herbal Institute Book Review
For Soul and Kitchen: Wild Food Cookbook Christensen, Alma. 1993
Last year at the first annual Wild Food Summit in northern Minnesota, I had the great pleasure of meeting Alma Christensen, known in those parts as the Lady of the Woods. Alma is a self-taught botanist who grew up on a family farm in Cass County. She is a survivor of the Great Depression and learned early in life to utilize the gardens weeds growing on the farm as well as the berries and fruits of the woodlands.
Alma raised seven children and has 19 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren to date. She has devoted her life to learning and teaching about wild foods, lecturing for local arboretums, garden clubs, school groups, church circles and homemaker extension groups.
Her cookbook, For Soul and Kitchen, represents the culmination of a lifetime of gathering and preparing wild foods and carefully preserving her recipes. The book is almost 200 pages long and has hundreds of recipes. There is a personal introduction, a brief directory of wild edibles of north central Minnesota (although she�s quick to say that the book is not intended as a field guide), a write-up on poisonous plants, and nutritional and seasonal charts. She also includes a chapter on wild food preservation techniques such as canning, drying and freezing as well as a chapter on wild wine-making.
But far and away the best part of the book is the recipes themselves, an amazing treasury of time-tested recipes, most of them having the pleasant ring of comfort food. The names of many of the recipes make the seemingly exotic sounding wild foods seem like ordinary fare: Acorn Griddle Cakes, Juneberry Muffins, Gooseberry Pie, Rosehip Freezer jam, Cattail Tuna Salad���I get hungry just browsing through it and have visions of her large family meal table laden with nature�s bounty. I also get lots of new ideas to try in the kitchen with my own harvest, even as a veteran forager!
For Soul and Kitchen was originally published by the General Publishing & Binding, Inc. back in 1993 when Alma was already well on in years. It has since gone out of print but is just recently back by popular demand and reprinted through the Morris Press Cookbook company. You won�t find this rare little gem on Amazon or in any mainstream book sales.
To purchase a copy, write to:
Lady of the Woods
Whatever happened to Jessie?
I first met Jessie Conaway at a Susun Weed event that took place in the Viroqua area a number of years ago. Jessie is someone you notice. She has a strong, compelling presence, a vivacious Irish personality, and an awesome cascade of thick auburn hair. We soon struck up an animated conversation around our shared passion for herbal medicine.
Jessie moved into the Coulee Region from Madison 8 or 9 years ago and immediately put her talents to work in almost single-handedly creating the Coulee Region Herbal Institute, connecting up people who are knowledgeable about herbs with people who wanted to learn more. She directed the Institute for over five years, putting out a quarterly (or so) newsletter, coordinating monthly classes and expeditions, and networking an incredibly interesting and diverse group of people together. She also took on apprentices and ran her Three Trees Herb Shop business. Not to mention raising her two daughters and managing a household!
But meanwhile, the horizon continues to beckon���..
�My kids, now 7 and 12, are becoming avid paddlers, and we have paddled whitewater and quiet water together in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. Now that I have completed my Master's Degree in Experiential Education, I am currently fulfilling a lifetime dream of teaching in the academic field of Outdoor Education. I am in my third semester of directing the "Mississippi River Program:" project-based, interdisciplinary environmental education for the Coulee Montessori Charter Middle School. The program is currently funded by the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board.
Jessie turned the directorship of the Coulee Region Herbal Institute to me about two years ago as her new endeavors work to synthesize her years of experience as an herbalist, outdoorswoman and gifted networker to provide a unique service to the greater community. Her most recent project is the Coulee Canoe and Kayak Club, dedicated to creating canoe and kayak friendly waterways through inner and outer LaCrosse. Her work with this group was featured recently in the June 10 edition of the LaCrosse Tribune, generating many enthusiastic comments from online readers.
So while we miss Jessie at our monthly classes and plant walks, we are all happy to see her chasing her dreams and and putting the paddle to the petal��� Go Jessie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Article by Rose Barlow, current director of Coulee Region Herbal Institute
***Herbal Iced Teas*** from the kitchen of Rose Barlow
Summer is the time to explore the wonderful world of herbal iced teas! I graduated from making iced tea with tea bags long ago and have since been developing recipes for making potent, tonic herbal iced teas and lemonades that are as nutritious as they are refreshing. The key to maximizing the nutritional power of your herbal iced teas and beverages is to make a tonic infusion with the herbs. A tonic infusion is a fancy way of saying a very strong, nutritious tea made with the intent to nourish or heal. The following recipes can be endlessly adapted by experimenting with different herbs, juices and sweeteners while leaving the basic proportions the same. My favorite iced tea herbs are Mint, Red Clover, Lemon Balm, Comfrey, Anise Hyssop & Red or Black Raspberry leaves. But don�t stop there as there are many, many more possibilities���..
Basic Tonic Infusion (1 quart) 1. Put �-1 cup dried herbs into a quart mason jar. {Fresh herbs need to be simmered gently right in the water for a few minutes to break down cell walls. Dried herbs have brittle cell walls} 2. Bring 1 quart water to boiling. 3. Pour water over herbs and fill to top of jar. 4. Cover or put a lid on the jar. {Some herbs have volatile oils that easily evaporate into thin air if not covered} 5. Let steep at least 8 hours or overnight. {Long steeping allows the water time to dissolve and do its work, much increasing the potency of the tea} 6. Strain and drink. {I tend to strain as needed, leaving the herbs in the infusion to continue steeping until the tea is gone} 7. Store in refrigerator.
Red Clover Iced Tea (1gallon) 4 cups fresh red clover blossoms, chopped 1 gallon water 1 cup honey
1. Gently simmer chopped Mint leaves in a covered pot for 10 minutes. (Note: Covering your pot with a tight-fitting lid prevents evaporation of the volatile, aromatic oils in mint, keeping the flavor more intact) 2. Add honey, stirring until it dissolves. 3. Cover and let steep and cool for several hours or overnight. (This makes a strong, potent tea, maximizing the calcium and other nutrients in the mint.) 4. Chill overnight. Serve in a tall glass with ice. Float a fresh Mint leaf for a garnish for those special occasions.
Fresh Mint Lemonade (1 gallon) Herbal lemonades are a refreshing summer drink, and a wonderful way to sneak some nutritious greens into the family�s diet. 4 cups fresh mint, chopped 1 gallon water 1-2 cups honey 1 � cups lemon juice
1. Gently simmer chopped mint leaves in a covered pot for 10 minutes. (Note: Covering your pot with a tight-fitting lid prevents evaporation of the volatile, aromatic oils in mint, keeping the flavor more intact) 2. Add honey, stirring until it dissolves. 3. Cover and let steep and cool for several hours or overnight. (This makes a strong, potent tea, maximizing the calcium and other nutrients in the mint.) 4. Add lemon juice and chill in the fridge. Mints make a classy lemonade, but this same recipe can be made using any mild, nutritive herb.
Red Clover Raspberry Juice (1/2 gallon) An excellent way to sneak nourishing herbal infusions into your children�s diet is to use tea instead of water when you make frozen juice concentrates. 6 cups Red Clover infusion 1 can frozen Raspberry juice concentrate
1. Make Red Clover infusion, steeping overnight for maximum nutritional value. 2. Add 1 can frozen juice concentrate to the tea. 3. Chill in refrigerator for several hours or serve in a tall glass with lots of ice. Note: This recipe takes about 24 hours of long-steeping and chilling to make, so do plan ahead. You can use any flavor of juice concentrate to mix with tonic infusions, so feel free to improvise!
Rehydration Drink ( 1 � quarts) This is an excellent recipe for those dog days of summer when we really need to pay attention to keeping ourselves well-hydrated. I like to drink a quart a day of this during the hottest part of summer. 1 quart herbal infusion 1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup lime or lemon juice (2 fresh limes or lemons) � teaspoon salt � tsp baking soda
Roasted Root Iced Coffee (1 gallon) I generally make this with roasted Dandelion root, but lately am experimenting with other roasted roots such as thistle, burdock and chicory. This iced tea is awesome and well worth all the effort of preparing the roots or the cost of buying them. 2 cups roasted Dandelion (or other) roots 1 gallon water 1-2 cups sugar 1 Tbsp vanilla 1 pint half-n-half or heavy cream
1. Simmer roots gently in water for about � hour or so. 2. Let cool to room temperature, leaving the roots in to steep a bit longer. 3. Add sugar and vanilla. 4. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. 5. Add half-n-half or cream just before serving.
Southwest Botanical Medicine Conference
I recently attended the Southwest Conference on Botanical Medicine in Tempe, Arizona in April of 2007. I try to attend a national conference every 2 or 3 years to see what is new in the world of herbalism. The conference was held at the Southwest School for Healing Arts, one of only 4 naturopathic schools in the country. It is a great opportunity to connect with plant lovers from all over the US and to enjoy a bit of sunshine. Here are a few highlights; � Cascade Anderson Geller provided a wonderful update on the political world of herbalism. The TCM (Traditional Medicines Congress) is attempting to restrict access to herbal products, limiting access to diverse health care options and interfering with individuals and practitioners who use herbs as a form of treatment. Geller encourages all who are interested in herbs to become informed, send a letter to the TMC letting them know your concerns as well as your favorite herbal suppliers. I have a flyer with all contact information including e-mail and web sites. Please contact me if you would like to know more. 557krall@hbci.com � David Winston presented a very informative discussion on herbs used in the treatment of gastrointestinal problems. His focus was on low and high acid states in the stomach. No surprise to most of us, he stressed a good diet and bitters for digestion. Artichoke leaves and dandelion were 2 of his favorites. He also encouraged the use of fenugreek, turmeric and ginger. All of these can be included in a meal stressing my favorite way to use herbs, in my food! � Dr. Tieraona Low Dog provided an informative session on menopause. While her lecture was clearly presented in a �medical model-lots of research,� I appreciate her efforts to combine the two worlds of traditional and allopathic medicine. She discussed the use of soy, progesterone creams and black cohosh. From this lecture, it would seem the medical world is actually coming around a bit. � Denise and DeeAnn Tracy offered a wonderful facial demonstration using a variety of fresh fruits, yogart, honey, spirulina, eggs and goat�s milk! Not only good for your face but tastee! � Paul Bergner discussed the next �great pandemic.� He gave a wonderful social- economic overview of the last great pandemic highlighting factors other than the influenza virus as a cause. He found that most victims were the very young and middle-aged living in urban areas. He saw a lack of good quality food, stressful working conditions and a vitamin D deficiency as huge factors. Also, he said that those patients who went to bed early and had good nursing care survived best. An interesting fact, aspirin had just been introduced by the Bayer company in the early 1900�s. Used to treat fevers, doctors often suggested as much as 4 GRAMS of aspirin 3 times a day for fever control. Often these patients bleed to death and they felt the virus was the cause. We know differently today. Prevention and good nutrition will dictate survival of any pandemic so be prepared. � The overall recurring theme from all the presenters-good nutrition is key to good health no matter what ails you. They also discussed Vitamin D deficiency and suggested supplementation with up to 10,000iu to build immunity as well as aid in bone deposition. As our food supply becomes increasingly depleted, sadly supplementation may be necessary. So support your local farmers and use organic whole rich foods as often as you can!
Yours in Greeness! Lora Krall Winona, Mn
Herbal Conferences 2006
The summer line-up for herbal conferences is available for those who are able to travel and treat yourself to one of these wonderful herbal experiences. Alas! Not much being offered in the Midwest this year since Frontier discontinued their Herbfest! The CRHI e-mail list is available to use for ride-sharing opportunities. Send ride-sharing notices to dandeliongold22@hotmail.com
2007 International Herb Symposium June 22-24 Sage Mountain Retreat Center, Vermont http://www.internationalherbsymposium.com/
Midwest Wild Harvest Festival September 7-9, 2007 Beaver Creek Reserve, Fall Creek, Wisconsin http://www.foragersharvest.com/
Wild Foods Mountain Retreat July 29-August 4, 2007 Rural Retreat, Virginia wildfood.home.infionline.net/foragingweek.html
2007 Breitenbush Herbal Conference Sept 7-9 Breitenbush Hotsprings, Oregon http://www.trilliumbotanicals.net/594/index.html
20th Annual Women�s Herbal Conference August 24-26 Peterborough, New Hampshire http://www.womensherbalconference.com/
Northwest Herbfest July 21 & 22, 2007 Wise Acres Farm, Pleasant Hill, Oregon www.herbaltransitions.com/Classes.html#nwherbfest2005
Southeast Woman�s Herbal conference September 28-30 Camp Pinnacle, Hendersonville, North Carolina www.redmoonherbs.com/womens_herbal_conference
The 17th Annual Northern California Women�s Herbal Symposium August 31-September 3 Black Oak Ranch, Laytonville, California
Regional Calendar of Classes and Events
*LACROSSE AREA* Coulee Region Herbal Institute 2007 Classes & Events Classes and events are typically held on the third Sunday of each month. Months where it is held on a different Sunday are marked with ***. Classes and events are free for members and cost 5$ for non-members. Some classes may request a nominal fee for cost of materials. Check details for location and contact number.
***June 24 Annual CRHI Prairie Field Trip with Carol Jacobs and Carl Lacher Lacher Farm, Wiscoy Valley near Winona, MN 12:00-5:00 Brush up on your native plants with local experts Carol Jacobs and Carl Lacher in Minnesota�s beautiful Wiscoy Valley. Meet in Lacrosse to car pool over. Potluck and campout is an option for those who want to participate. This year�s Prairie Walk will also feature Tree Identification with Mitch Chowela. Don�t miss it! Call Jessie for more details and directions at 786-4425 July 15 Wild Food Potluck w/ Linda Conroy of Moonwise Herbs Coon Valley, Wisconsin 3:30-5:30 Enjoy the summer bounty with Linda Conroy and John Holzwart at their beautiful new property just outside of Coon Valley. Bring a potluck dish to share featuring a wild edible of some sort. We will also be taking a plant hike to discuss and explore the abundant mid-summer herbs. Call Linda at 920-457-9290 (Sheboygan) or Rose Barlow at 608-637-3074 for directions.
*VIROQUA* Alternative Treatments for Lyme�s Disease Carol Jacobs of Winona Saturday, June 16 9:00-12:00 Wisconsin Technical College, Main St, Viroqua Carol Jacobs of Winona. MN will be sharing her firsthand experience and knowledge of the dreaded Lyme�s Disease. Carol has done extrensive research and self-experimenting into alternative methods of treating and coping with the effects of Lyme�s Disease. This is a must those of us who love to spend our time in the woods and fields of the Coulee Region.
Sally Fallon�s "Dirty Secrets of Modern Food Processing". When: Thursday, June 28th at 7:00pm (Friday, June 29 4pm - 6pm & Saturday, June 30 9:30am - 5:30pm
Driftless Folk School Our Green Allies: Flower Essences w/Marcee Murray KingJuly 7 60$ plus 10$ supply fee This class will teach techniques for making essences for yourself from flowers near your home, how to determine the use of different essences, and how to select essences using various methods such as repetorizing, dowsing, kinesiology, and pulse testing. Handouts and a list of resources will be provided, and you will leave with one or two essences that you have made. August 12 40$ plus 20$ supply fee Learn how create a rainbow of colors using plants that we will gather at the farm, along with traditional dyestuffs such as indigo and cochineal.
*COON VALLEY* Women�s Herbal/Earthways Apprenticeship Program July 14-August 5, 2007 This intensive apprenticeship is an opportunity for women to connect deeply with themselves and to develop a connection with herbal green allies. Participants will have the opportunity to experience living close to the earth while incorporating herbs and wild foods into their daily life. We will create a community of women that encourage, inspire and challenge each other to look to the mother earth and plant sisters for deep healing and wisdom. This program is an authentic apprenticeship where participants are offered support on their own personal journey and encouraged, supported and challenged to journey to their depths. We will connect with the wise woman within while hiking, kayaking, dancing, harvesting, creating community, crafting traditional foods and medicines, practicing compassionate communication, sitting in talking stick ceremony, exploring nature awareness and learning a wide variety of skills including but not limited to cordage making, basket weaving, attunement etc. rosemarygoddess@moonwiseherbs.com or 920-457-9290
Midwest Herbal Share Gathering July 21 & 22 Opening Circle at 1pm We are interested in cultivating a community to share herbal wisdom and keep our herbal traditions alive!! Let�s share our herbal wisdom by taking plant walks, gathering wild foods of the season and preparing food as well as medicine together. We will also hold a discussion about future herbal gatherings and events. Potluck Dinner 6:00pm , Evening Drum and Fire Circle Please RSVP to Linda rosemarygoddess@moonwiseherbs.com Or call 920-457-9290
*DULUTH AREA* Northhouse Folk School Life On The Edge: Shoreline Ecology and Wildflowers
Giving Ground Wilderness Herbal Retreat Center Superior National Forest, Brimson, MN (60 miles north of Duluth) Pam Thompson 1-888-276-1336 June 15-17, 2007: Greens! September 7-9: Fall Harvest, Roots September 14-16: Digging Roots
*MADISON AREA* Nature�s Acres Farm North Freedom, WI (Madison Area) Nature�s Acres Farm, home of Four Elements Organic Herbals Tours at 12:30 and 2:30 FREE June 24 Medicinal Oils and Salves June 29 Flower Essences July 8 The Chakra System Displayed in a Garden July 14-15 The Doctrine of Signatures with Matthew Wood (This is a weekend seminar, camping available) July 20 Making Hydrosols and Essential Oils August 10 Tincture Making August 19 Herbal Teas August 24 Lavender Workshop September 23 Ritualistic Use of Herbs
Weed Eater Workshops Join us for an edible herbal experience, and discover tasty treats just outside your door! Learn to identify medicinal weeds in the wild and discuss using them at home. Summertime Weed Walk Call for directions Fresh Teas, Tinctures and Vinegars Sat. July 21st 2pm-4pm $10 Create and taste liquid extracts from fresh herbs. Madison Senior Center (330 W. Mifflin St.) Details: Call Community Pharmacy 608-251-3242
*OGEMA* July 21-22. Summer Foraging and Mushroom Hunting Weekend. Learn about edible wild plants of midsummer and get an introduction to mushroom hunting. The first day, we will be identifying and collecting berries, vegetables, greens, and wild teas. There will be a focus on common yard and garden weeds, berries, and wetland plants. The second day you will learn some common mushrooms and the basics of mycology and mushroom identification. After leaving, you should feel comfortable using field guides to identify mushrooms on your own. Other highlights include the opportunity to swim in beautiful clean lakes, visit a virgin tract of timber, and climb the lookout tower at the highest point in the state. Accomodations: meals and campsite. $125. Late August-Early September. Guided Manoomin (Wild Rice) Harvest. Northern Wisconsin. A one-on-one experience, learn the ancient method of harvesting wild rice by canoe. Participants will receive a substantial share of the harvest � usually more than a year�s supply. Location and time to be established according to the rice crop and participant�s needs. $175/person or $275/couple. http://www.foragersharvest.com
*SHEBOYGAN AREA* Moonwise Herbs August 12 Herbs for Healthy Skin 1-5pm, Cost: $25 Held in Sheboygon Learn to make herbal oils, salves, lotions and more!! We will harvest plants from the garden that promote skin health and make a wide variety of skin care preparations for you to take home. Info: rosemarygoddess@moonwiseherbs.com or 920-457-9290 August 14 Herbs for Family Health Maywood Environmental Center, Sheboygan, WI Learn about simple herbs that can promote your families health. We will explore the herbs that have historically been applied for healing minor injuries and illnesses. For more info: www.gomaywood.org or 920 457-3906
*EAU CLAIRE* Midwest Wild Harvest Festival Sept 7-9. Beaver Creek Reserve, Fall Creek, Wisc.. A weekend of fun and learning in celebration of wild food. Activities include a wild food banquet, cooking contest, plant identificaiton hikes, hands-on workshops, demonstrations, presentations, and wild food fun and games. Our guest speaker will be Vickie Shufer, wild food author, educator, and creator of "The Wild Foods Forum" newsletter. Get reinvigorated by hanging out with a fantastic bunch of foragers who share your passion. Learn a lot and love learnin' it! Accomodations: meals and campsite or rustic cabin. $100. Call 715-767-5826 or www.foragersharvest.com
Center for Healing Arts Herb & Eco School June 24 Life in the Wilderness: Wild Plants for Food, First Aid & Survival Craft Jason Faunce, wilderness instructor July 1 Natural Approaches to Lyme Disease Carol Jacobs, herbalist July 8 Being at Home in Wild Nature Cader Olive, wilderness instructor Aug 19 Weed Walk & Health-Nutrition Session A guided plant ID walk along the UpS trails with more on nutrition! Kathy Miller, Master Herbalist Aug 26 Self Guided Plant ID Walks Explore the UpS Botanical Sanctuary trails with Amy Quade, Botanical Sanctuary Manager, or self-guided Suggested donation: $5-15 Sept 2 Life in the Wilderness: Making the Deluxe Survival Camp with Shelter & Fire Jason Faunce, wilderness instructor Sept 16 Herbal Tincture Making for Humans & Critters Kathy Miller, Master Herbalist All classes 39$ Email: fireweed@citizens-tel.net Plant & Paddling Eco Tours with Adventure Botanica & MI ZI ZAK KAYAKS July 24, Oct.7, Oct 21, 2007 August 4 Wilderness Medicine & Water Element with Gigi Stafne, ND, MH See website: www.mizizakkayak.com
*MINNEAPOLIS/ST.PAUL* North Country Herbalist Guild 1st Wednesday meetings held at Bethany Lutheran Church 2511 East Franklin Ave, Minneapolis "The Bounty of the Summer Sun: Herb Walk at Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden" Wednesday, July 11 Cooking with Herbs and Wild Edibles with Linda Conroy Wednesday, August 1. Social time with tea and snacks from 6:30-7:00 Lecture from 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Wild Plant Walk with Matthew Alfs Focus will be on Identification, Medicinal Utilization, & Best Techniques for Harvesting, Storage, and Medicine-making Sunday, Sept 9 2-5 PM, Fridley, MN $20, payable in advance. http://www.midwestherbalstudies.com/events.htm
Meet the Local Medicine Plants with Lise Wolff June 13, June 27, July 11 & July 25 2pm-5pm Through a series of plant walks, students in this course students will learn how to identify, harvest, and prepare herbal remedies for home use, including the preparation of tinctures, herbal oils, and salves. The practical nature of this class encourages the common sense use of local plants in everyday life. $135 for the series of 4 classes. Registration is for the series, not individual classes. Questions? 612 819-9946 or lisewolff@yahoo.com
Blueberry Moon-A Northwoods Gathering for Women and Children Black Lake Campground, east of Hayward WI July 27-30 Join us to feast on blueberries and harvest northwoods herbs. Herbal medicine classes, harvesting and preparing, ceremony, activities for the kids. Call Jessie Conaway for more info @ 608-790-7425
Calendar items are also sent out via a monthly (or so) e-mail list. If you are not currently on the list and would like to receive our monthly e-mail calendar of herb and wild food related classes and events please send your e-mail address to dandeliongold22@hotmail.com and I�ll get you hooked up right away!
CRHI c/o Prodigal Gardens 673 S. Washington Ave Viroqua, WI 54665
CRHI Quarterly Newsletter Calling for submissions for our summer issue of the CRHI quarterly newsletter! It�s never too early!!!!! Autumn issue submissions are due by September 10. Some ideas for newsletter submissions are: Book Reviews Articles--seasonal and otherwise Profiles of Local Herbalists (can be self-portraits) Community Calendar Events Recipes Anything else you think would interest herb enthusiasts! Submissions can be e-mailed to Dandeliongold22@hotmail.com or mailed to CRHI c/o Prodigal Gardens, 673 S. Washington Ave, Viroqua WI 54665 Deadlines for quarterly submissions are: Spring��. March 10 Summer��June 10 Fall���.Sept 10 Winter��..Dec 10
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