SECRET POWERS: AUTUMNAL VISIONS

Monday, September 21, 2009

AUTUMNAL VISIONS

Today marks an occasion: the last day of summer. As the final blackberries burst forth on the vines we're seeing apples, super tall nettles and the falling of leaves. The nights are a bit cooler. The harvest moon is right around the corner. The fever of summer will soon be a thing of the past. But then again, the temperature is up and we’re still dipping in the river. It’s a toss up.

As any one in Cascadia knows, Autumn is the beginning of the rainy season(s). Hordes of Portlanders will now begin to settle indoors, get cozy and dream up new projects. Feel free to check the blog for postings on plant classes and any other info related to wild edible and medicinal plants. The idea behind this thing is to share secrets about plants and tap into the wonders of using native plants for food and medicine. However, all things are subject to change. Maybe the next post will be about pizza...

1 comment:

UnknownNovember 10, 2009 at 10:03 PM
Bob, this is your homey to the East, C. I just want to commend you on your progress. I am still lovingly consuming my blessid Oregan Grape especially now when its getting chilly and this Wisconsin winter lasts for a good, oh I'd say 12 months. I love you dude nice blog, lets chat fungus soon.
-Cress
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CLASS INDEX

Trees of Life On a walk in the forest, we will observe a variety of native trees and examine their unique heritage to the people of the Pacific Northwest. From Native Americans to Lewis and Clark, foresters, biologists and more we will examine our area's natural history and learn about the culture of the forest as it applies to modern living.

Spring Greens What exactly are "spring greens?" Are they vegetables? Salad fixings? In this course we will explore the various kinds of "greens" one might find outdoors in the Springtime. We will focus on wild edible plants of the Willamette Valley, discussing their edible and medicinal benefits.

Floral Wonders Flowers are the way many plants express themselves, both genetically and artistically. In this course, we will look to the flowers to gain plant identification skills as they apply to wild edible and medicinal plants. We will also examine the unique beauty and diversity of our native wildflowers in relation to pollination and ornamental landscaping.

Native Wild How did Native Americans survive the seasons of the Northwest? In this course we will examine various tribes from our area and the ways in which they utilized native plant life. We will contrast these uses with those of modern herbalists in an interdisciplinary approach to native plant nutrition and medicine.

Native Plant Medicine Got a case of the sniffles? Well, you could certainly pick up some supplements but why not make your own remedy? Much of our local flora contains the same chemical constituents that you might find on a shelf in the pharmacy. In this class you will learn cost effective ways to make medicine in the forest and have fun while you're at it. Students will learn ways in which to ethically harvest and prepare herbal medicine. They will learn the various applications of these medicines by native cultures, modern herbalists and more.

Native Shampoo Would you like to add some body and sheen to your scraggly hairdo? Naturalists aren't normally the best cosmetic consultants but in this class we plan to shake things up a bit. Learn how to make shampoo from common plants in the Pacific Northwest. Remedy your follicle situation and find the best aromatic herbs for a bath. In this class, students will learn how to ethically harvest and prepare an herbal shampoo.

Medicinal Oil Making Learn the various methods of making oil from native plants. In this class we will make oil from Poplar buds. Poplar buds contain salicylates -- the same chemical compounds found in aspirin and other painkillers. This oil has a host of traditional uses and is a wonderful addition to any herbal first aid kit.

Naturescaping 101 Come learn the ways you can implement native plants into your landscape or garden. On a walk outdoors we'll observe a diverse array of native plants and discuss the benefits of planting natives in your yard. We will examine the way native plants grow organically in the wild, the ways in which birds and pollinators interact with them and more.

SECRET POWERS

Monday, September 21, 2009

AUTUMNAL VISIONS

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