tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60942532142259981052024-03-13T17:35:08.929-04:00UnstuffedA place to record my adventures of being a gentle consumer and living more fully, with less stuff.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.comBlogger329125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-60688252277754839872013-04-29T11:03:00.000-04:002013-04-29T11:03:22.743-04:00I'll be in the Wild Garden<br />
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Hi! I'm over <a href="http://thewildgarden.ca/">here</a> now. Do come and visit. :)Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-70548317732337487432013-04-15T15:18:00.000-04:002013-04-15T15:18:41.906-04:00Dear Unstuffed,It's hard to believe that we've been together for over 5 years. I remember when we first got together in 2008, the year that I bought nothing new. That was such a big year of change for me. I freaked out about climate change and peak oil (still do sometimes) and overhauled my life to lower my environmental footprint any way I could. I was ready for the economic system to collapse at any moment (still am) and stayed up way too late reading the Oil Drum and the Archdruid report (in bed by 11 these days).<br />
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I became...um...a touch overzealous, strident even. I think I turned off a few friends. But not you. You stuck by me through it all. You were such a good support. I could turn to you anytime and pour my heart out. You would listen, not saying anything, not judging, just being there for me.<br />
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You were there when I discovered permaculture and a new-found desire for gardening. You encouraged my rapidly growing obsession with wild food and healing plants, and I loved how I could talk and talk and talk to you about things like weeds and hedges and compost.<br />
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It was because of you that I got involved with Transition Ottawa and without you I don't think I would have gotten my permaculture design certificate, started gardening on my allotment plots, taken an herbal apprenticeship, begun leading walks and workshops, and quit my job to start my own business.<br />
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I am grateful to you for so much, which is why this is so hard for me to say. Unstuffed, it's over. I'm sorry, but I just think that we've outgrown each other. I've changed so much and it's time for me to move on.<br />
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To be honest...well...I've started another blog. It's still really new and there's a lot of work to be done yet. I'm still getting to know it and how to use it, but I think we'll be really good for each other. <br />
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Unstuffed, it's not you. It's me. I hope we can still be friends. So if you want to hang out sometime, you can find me <a href="http://thewildgarden.ca/">here</a>. You're the best.<br />
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Love,<br />
AmberAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-39815445297709872302013-04-10T11:18:00.000-04:002013-04-10T11:18:30.324-04:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-33618647153885445092013-03-27T14:32:00.000-04:002013-03-27T14:32:11.072-04:00Wordless Wednesday: The Return<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-28838774441842074312013-03-25T22:14:00.001-04:002013-03-25T22:14:10.037-04:00We Like Lichens!As members of the <a href="http://www.ofnc.ca/">Ottawa Field Naturlists' Club</a> (the oldest natural history club in Canada), the ADG and I recently attended a lichen workshop led by renowned, local lichenologist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irwin_M._Brodo">Irwin Brodo</a>. He gave a brief presentation on lichen basics, including a definition of just what the heck lichens are.<br />
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"The most significant thing about all lichens is that they are<i> two</i> plants, not one. Each lichen plant body or 'thallus' is a biological twosome composed of a fungus living in intimate contact with an alga. The relationship involves much more than the mere contact or even relative position of the constituents; it results in the formation of the entirely new, self-sufficient, functioning unit which gathers raw materials, manufactures food, conducts an exchange of of vitamins and growth substances, and often even reproduces as if it were a single plant." Cooool!<br />
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Many lichens are highly sensitive to air pollution and the presence or lack of lichens in urban areas can be indicators of pollution levels in a city.<br />
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He discussed the the structure and different parts of lichens.<br />
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I thought the distinct algal layer was really interesting.<br />
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Rhizines are hair-like structures that anchor lichens to the substrate and they come in different shapes and sizes.<br />
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After the presentation we spent some time looking at various specimens under the microscope. Irwin had a box of numbered but unlabeled samples for us to view, and a key to common, urban tree lichens of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. Our challenge was to key out and correctly identify the lichens under our lens.<br />
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After two initial misidentifications, the ADG and I got on a roll and correctly identified four in a row. Some lichens were best identified with the addition of sodium hypochloride or potassium hydroxide. Applied to either the cortex or medulla, a colour reaction might occur changing the test area to yellow, orange or red depending on the genus and species, which was very helpful in getting a correct ID.<br />
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It was fascinating to look at the different lichens up close. Many were stunningly beautiful under magnification, especially the specimens with fruiting bodies.<br />
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By the end of the afternoon, we both remarked about how tired we were. I actually find plant keys to be exhausting because they require such focused attention. Add to that a couple of hours staring into a microscope and it's no wonder we were ready for a nap!<br />
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It was a great way to spend a late-winter Sunday and I'm really glad to have had the opportunity to learn a little more about lichens. I will definitely look more closely at these amazing organisms. Next, I want to learn about which lichens are edible!<br />
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Here are just a few common, urban tree lichens you can find in the Ottawa area:<br />
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<a href="http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/lichens/Evernia%20mesomorpha">Evernia mesomorpha</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/lichens/Flavoparmelia%20caperata">Flavoparmelia caperata</a><br />
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<a href="http://kmubserv.tg.fh-giessen.de/pm/page.cfm?PRID=20&CFID=93729&CFTOKEN=154363&PID=210">Candelaria concolor</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/lichens/Graphis%20scripta">Graphis scripta</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/lichens/Phaeophyscia%20rubropulchra">Phaeophysica rubropulchra</a>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-55027286090743143442013-03-20T07:27:00.000-04:002013-03-20T07:27:06.324-04:00Wordless Wednesday: New Beginnings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-74332696474130281002013-03-15T10:59:00.000-04:002013-03-15T10:59:56.301-04:00Getting to the Root of it AllI recently had the privilege of presenting at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/337084726345626/?ref=ts&fref=ts">the Ottawa Herb Society</a>. The theme for the evening was all things roots. I talked about root coffees and wild roots as food, and I spent a little bit of time talking about roots in general, from a more botanical perspective. I'm sharing the handout I prepared, here. I hope you enjoy it! Oh and if there any botanists reading this, feel free to correct any of my amateur mistakes. :)<br />
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It’s easy to be overcome by the sensual beauty of brightly coloured flowers, or relax in the shade of dense, lush leaves, but it’s in the roots where magic and mystery happen and the alchemy of life occurs, transmuting one life sustaining substance into another. Unless we make the effort to observe what goes on beneath the soil, all these processes go unwitnessed by most.<br />
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But roots have important and fascinating stories to tell. Their shape and structure is complex and immense. Like icebergs, there is often much more below the surface than would appear by looking at what grows above. The nutrients that roots absorb are relatively fixed and immobile, therefore roots will frequently extend out in branching patterns to expose as much of their surface area to the soil as possible. Some long lived trees have roots that reach down to 100ft deep or more. If you were to take the total surface area of the roots of some plants, including the root hairs, and stretch them out in straight line, the distance covered would reach thousands of miles long!<br />
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Let’s take a look at what is going on underground.<br />
<br /><b>Functions of roots: </b><br /><ul>
<li>anchor and support plant in soil</li>
<li>absorb water and minerals </li>
<li>conduct water and nutrients to stem to be transported to rest of plant </li>
<li>receptacles for food storage </li>
<li>responsible for vegetative reproduction</li>
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<b>Root systems divided into two categories:</b><br /> <b> 1. derived from primary or seed root </b><br /><ul>
<li> first root that comes out of seed typical of dicots </li>
<li>ex. tap roots: main root from which smaller branches arise, thick and fleshy, store carbohydrates (starch, inulin) as food </li>
<li>ex. fibrous roots immediately divide into cluster of approx. equal thickness, can be swollen, fleshy, tuberous i.e. day lily</li>
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<br /><b> 2. roots that are derived from some other way- adventitious roots </b><br />
<ul>
<li>ability to sprout roots from parts of plant that are not actual roots (ex. layering) </li>
<li>roots that originate from stem, leaves, old woody roots, branches or root that develops from old root organs </li>
<li>typical of monocots </li>
<li>types of underground stems: </li>
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<b> rhizome:</b> stem growing more or less horizontally below ground level thick and fleshy or woody, bearing scale leaves roots produced from nodes and buds in leaf axils<br /> <b>tubers:</b> swollen tips of stems, connected to parent by thin roots<br />
<b>corm:</b> enlarged base of stem, orientated vertically in soil<br /> <b>bulb:</b> thickened leaves, called scales forming a storage organ<br />
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<b>The root-rhizome structure</b><br />
Typical of forest plants, this root structure consists of the rhizome, which is the horizontal,underground storage chamber, from which feeder roots grow in a hairlike mass. Examples of this include goldenseal, Solomon’s seal, blue and black cohosh and bloodroot.<br />
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Not all roots exist below ground. Aerial roots, aerating roots and prop or stilt roots are examples of roots that grow above ground. Some plants are parasitic and their roots adhere to the host.<br />
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Roots also develop amazing, mutually beneficial associations with soil bacteria and mycorrhizae (fungi that colonises the host plant’s roots). In mycorrhizal associations, the fungus absorbs nutrients from the soil and releases them to the plant cells, as well as extending the root’s reach. Fungi in turn receive certain enzymes that they require to break down and use lignin and cellulose. These mutually beneficial relationships are of such importance that some plants are so dependent on the presence of mycorrhizae in the soil, that the absence of the fungi impedes the plant’s ability to survive.<br />
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<b>Harvesting Wild Edible and Medicinal Roots</b></div>
You don’t have to look too far outside your backdoor before running into a wild edible or medicinal root. Dandelion, burdock, chicory, yellow dock, evening primrose, Queen Anne’s Lace, elecampane, nettle, day lily... I have harvested the roots of all these plants within a short bike ride from my home. Many of these plants are weedy, nonnative and even invasive and can be harvested without too much concern for damaging plant populations. However you still need to take into account the plant’s ability to reproduce and grow well.<br />
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Familiarise yourself with the plants in your region that are rare, endangered or at-risk and harvest with great care or avoid altogether. Many spring ephemeral, forest plants fall into this category (ramps, spring beauties, blue cohosh...), as they grow very slowly and only for the short period of time in early spring before the trees leaf out.<br />
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Remember, when you harvest a root, you are taking the life of that plant. Learn which plants can regenerate from the root crown (the top of the root, from which the stem arises) or rhizome and replant these whenever possible, as appropriate.<br />
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Michigan herbalist jim mcdonald describes an excellent technique for harvesting the roots of Solomon’s seal without killing the plant:<br />
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<i>“Find a plant and trace down the stem till you feel the root in the soil. Very often the roots are quite close to the surface, and if this is the case, and there's not a lot of clay to deal with, you can harvest with your fingers if not, hope you've got a small trowel... The front of the root will have the bud of the next year's growth, while the back can reach upwards of a foot behind the stem. Trace back two to three inches from the stem and sever the rear portion of the rhizome with a knife or trowel (or break it with your fingers), and pull that portion up from the ground. I find that if I run a finger underneath the roots as I'm pulling it up, I can collect it more effectively. It will be a creamy white color, and appear to have knobby knuckles indicating the previous year's stalks (I've collected plants over 13 years old). Because the growing portion of the plant is never removed from the ground, plants harvested in this manner show no signs of impact or distress, and will continue to grow unimpeded by harvesting. Very often, new shoots will grow from where the root was cut, which means more above ground plants, more flowers, more berries, and so more seeds. Also, any pieces of the back of the root that break off will likely, as well, continue to grow into new plants. Collected in this manner, you'll have more plants growing where you harvest than were there when you started, and that is indeed a good feeling.”</i><br />
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Most roots are harvested in the early spring, ideally before the plant begins putting out too much new growth, or in the late fall after a couple of frosts (there are some exceptions to this). Roots are storage chambers for nutrients the plants require and these nutrients are at their highest amount when the plant is dormant and drawing little energy from the root. The roots of biennial plants, (those that take two years to complete their life cycle) should be harvested in the fall of the first year after the plant has spent its growing months drawing and storing energy in its roots, or the spring of the second year before the plant takes all that stored energy and puts it into<br />
flowering and going to seed.<br />
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As with all wildcrafting, avoid harvesting in contaminated areas and know that roots will often contain the greatest concentration of heavy metals and other pollutants.<br />
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Roots can be preserved, prepared and enjoyed in any number of ways. I love roasting dandelion and chicory roots for a coffee substitute. I add the dried roots of Queen Anne’s Lace and evening primrose to my winter stews. Fresh burdock gets thrown into my long simmering bone broths. Elecampane is decocted and made into a syrup for coughs. I tincture yellow dock roots to support the liver, aid digestion and stimulate the bowels. I love working with roots!<br />
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What are some of your favourite roots and ways to use them?<br />
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Sources:<br />
<a href="http://www.dougelliott.com/products.html">Wild Roots: A Forager’s Guide to Edible and Medicinal Roots, Tubers, Corms andRhizomes of North America, Doug Elliott</a><br />
Plant Form: An Illustrated Guide to Flowering Plant Morphology, New Edition, Adrian D. Bell with Alan Bryan<br />
<a href="http://www.herbcraft.org/solseal.html">Solomon’s Seal</a>, jim mcdonald <br />
Images: Wikicommons<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-78357662401599555812013-03-03T10:23:00.000-05:002013-03-03T10:23:17.690-05:00Snow, Seeds and AnticipationI'm visiting my mom in Barrie. She had cataract surgery last week so I made the trip to spend a few days with her to help out while she recovers. It's a cold, grey morning with a light snow falling as I sip my tea. Winter is old, I can feel it, but we haven't broken her back yet, as my father said to me yesterday.<br />
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I borrowed my mom's van (she's a parrot head, so it comes complete with a Margaritaville license plate, Jimmy Buffet bumper stickers, plastic lei hanging from the rear view mirror and a shark sitting on the dashboard), picked my dad up and we headed to Penetanguishene.<br />
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Being away from Ottawa this weekend, I missed Seedy Saturday. As soon as I realised this tragic turn of events, I searched feverishly online for one happening close to my mom. When the one in Penetang popped up, I sighed with relief; the day would not go unmarked by me.<br />
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Held at <a href="http://www.karmamarketplace.com/">the Karma Marketplace</a>, with only two tables, it was a fraction of the size of the Ottawa event, but the folks who were there were no less passionate, enthusiastic and dedicated. And I got some really cool seeds: <a href="http://goingtoseed.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/chufa-nuts/">chufa nuts</a>, <a href="http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Fibigia+clypeata">fibigia</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenopodium_giganteum">magenta spreen</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum">sorghum</a>, along with calendula and echinacea.<br />
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I'm excited to have new plants to experiment with! Surprisingly though, I am not yet impatient with the weather. It might be because I still have so much reading, planning and researching I want to do, or perhaps I am content with nature and the time she chooses to take to move from one season to the next. I am in no rush.<br />
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That doesn't stop me from getting off on garden porn though. I am pretty much smitten by <a href="http://permaculturecottage.wordpress.com/">the Bealtaine Cottage permaculture gardens in Ireland</a>, and I'm ready to run off and declare my undying devotion to the woman in the videos with the soft, soothing Irish brogue.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DCIaK07EieY?list=UUHkXJ9wsrdPEpzb-KMgmt-A" width="540"></iframe>
There are 87 of her videos on youtube, so yes, it can snow here just a little bit longer, but maybe not too much, because already I can sense a spreading feeling in my chest, an expansion across the collar bones. There's something akin to anxiousness or nervousness in it. My breath quickens, my heart beats a little faster. I pause for a moment, take a deep breath and try to put a name to it. Ah yes, I know this feeling. It's anticipation.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-67793332587911777732013-02-27T10:00:00.000-05:002013-02-27T19:42:29.087-05:00Wordless Wednesday: February Sit Spot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-6389020063051477452013-02-21T11:07:00.001-05:002013-02-21T11:07:32.560-05:00Living in a Wild GardenI arrived early at the main branch library for a seminar last night, and with those spare minutes, made a beeline for the botany section and browsed the the titles on the shelf, head slightly tilted to the left, quickly scanning the book spines for something of interest. I found this delightful little gem and snatched it up.<br />
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<i>Living in a Wild Garden</i> was written by UK author Roger Banks and published in 1980. <br />
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Opening his story he writes, "This then is the ground I wish to cover in this book, the triangle between the obvious rural charm of wild flowers, ordered cultivation in the garden, and the kitchen. Usually it is a rubbish dump but I make no apology. In an over-tidy world it is on just these waste lots, often at the city centre, that one may find something of interest, useful or good to eat."<br />
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Later he recounts how Cousin Mary turned them on to nettles. "When she said, 'We must all eat stinging nettles; we did in the war. Find me an old glove', we did and thereby crossed unknowingly in another, older, more delightful world of people who are always on the look-out for something free to eat rather than being tied by the nose to the dreary compulsion of shopping."
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Ok, clearly this is a man after my own heart!<br />
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He gives a Lebanese recipe for dandelions in oil called Hindbeh.<br />
Boil 2lbs of leaves until tender, strain and squeeze out excess moisture<br />
Mix with 1/2 cup of oil, 1 1/2 cups of chopped onions and salt to taste and fry, stirring occasionally<br />
Hindbeh should be served cold with lemon.<br />
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To make a tea from the lime or linden tree, "simply gather flowers dangling from low branches on their little 'aeroplane propellers' which later will whirl the seeds away on the wing...Dry them on a tray and store in a jar, using a good pinch at a time in boiling water like ordinary tea." </div>
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I love his description of horseradish leaves: "...the leaves of the horseradish are some of the most beautiful I know; up to two feet long, each arches from the central growth almost describing a semi-circle like a palm frond. It is V-shaped with a tooted fringe which grows so strongly from its central rib that it develops a rhythmic undulation, all dark green with well defined veins yet, because of this serpentine growth habit, the light can be seen alternately to shine through it and be reflected from it in the most subtle way."<br />
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Roger gives a fascinating account of Bishop's Weed, or Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria). Often despised by gardeners for its aggressive spreading nature, he reminds us that this is an ancient food plant, having been discovered in the stomach of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tollund_Man">the Tollund Man</a>, who lived in the 4th century BC. I gather it every year, dry it and include it my herb salts.<br />
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He includes a number of medicinal plants and their uses in the book. <br />
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I love this drawing of chicory. All of the artwork in the book is a joy to look at. The writing style is warm, inviting and humorous. I'm glad I stumbled upon the book and look forward to making my way through it in the next few weeks, while I dream about living in my own wild garden!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-65807080931415223982013-02-15T09:00:00.000-05:002013-02-16T21:41:05.027-05:00Island HoppingA friend lent me his pair of snowshoes and I went for a lovely winter walk on the river early in the week. I crossed over to a couple of islands that I normally only see from my sit spot or have passed in my canoe.
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It was neat to look back at my sit spot from the place I usually have my gaze fixed on.<br />
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You can just barely make out the depression in the snow from where I sat the day before.<br />
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This small island has a lot of cattails growing on it, a few small willows and I think those plants in the foreground are purple loosestrife. See the line of trees in the background, just to the left of the tower, (the ones that are in my sit spot spot pics)? That's another island. I made my way there next. <br />
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This island is mostly covered in ash trees, all of which show signs of succumbing to the emerald ash borer, which means the island will be quite bare of mature trees before too long. :(<br />
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I was excited to see lots of evidence of what I'm almost certain are last year's fertile fronds of the ostrich fern, which means fiddleheads in the spring!<br />
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Winter is one of my favourite times to look for new foraging grounds, which might sound strange at first. But as you can see, it's very easy to spot certain plants poking above the snow with no greenery obscuring the view. If you know what your favourite wild edible and medicinal plants look like in their winter wear, it's a great way to spot them.<br />
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I will definitely return to this island by canoe in the spring and see if I am correct and if these are indeed ostrich ferns. If the population can support it, I'll indulge in a small harvest and steam me up some yummy fiddleheads.<br />
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The sad thing is: if all the ashes die and no longer provide shade cover, the fiddleheads may lose their habitat and die off as well. I'd like to keep an eye on this island over the next few years and see if there is anything I can do to help maintain a healthy balance. Perhaps I will dig up and transplant some ferns into a new habitat that can support them. Maybe I'll guerrilla plant some saplings on the island to try and increase biodiversity. It might just be best to let nature take its course and observe succession over time. Either way, I will visit again, by foot and boat!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-54318239942124860652013-02-11T18:27:00.000-05:002013-02-11T18:27:52.399-05:00Four Rooms in One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the morning, this room is where I get my yoga on, complete with OMs, up and down dogs and skull shining breath.<br />
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But I am slowly transforming this space to also function as a home office.<br />
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It's best to get as many outputs as possible from any one element in a system. In permculture we call this stacking functions.<br />
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The outputs of the 'spare room' include:<br />
- place to do yoga<br />
- home office<br />
- herb drying/processing room<br />
- closet for ADG's worldy possessions<br />
- misc. storage area<br />
- guest room <br />
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To keep the vibe serene and peaceful I'll need to make sure to reduce clutter as much as possible. My plan is to organise the space so that everything has its place, is easily accessible and can just as easily be returned to where it belongs.<br />
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Last week I put the desk in front of the window overlooking the river and now I want to be working here all the time.<br />
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I'm signed up for this incredible course learning <a href="http://www.herbfirstaid.com/sp/15832-herb-first-aid-with-7song-is-now-available">herbal first aid</a> from one of my favourite herbalists <a href="http://www.7song.com/">7Song</a>. <br />
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Add to that a cup of hot tea, a bit of candlelight and a river view and I am the happiest girl in the world!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-48782623042108615552013-02-08T09:58:00.001-05:002013-02-08T09:58:43.422-05:00This is Not a Recipe for the Best Spiced Pumpkin Chai Latte You'll Never HaveSome of my dietary restrictions include caffeine, sugar (including honey and maple syrup) and dairy. All the good stuff! What's the point of living right? Well, though giving up coffee was tragic, I have survived and after a year and a half without it, I don't even miss it. Very much. I do however still really like rich, dark and creamy, full-bodied, bitter and sweet, hot drinks. Root coffees are the perfect thing to fill the two shot Americano sized void in my soul.<br />
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All winter long I've been seeing various flavoured lattes in the coffee shops. "Come in and warm up with a chai latte!" "Winter special: pumpkin spiced latte." "Cinnamon mocha." I have to admit to coveting them just a little bit as I ordered my ginger mint tea. Then the slow, no longer fuelled by caffeine light bulb went off and I was all like, "I'll make own damned latte thank you very much!" And that's just what I did.<br />
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First I simmered some dandelion roots. <br />
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Then I took a couple of tablespoons of butternut squash that had been roasted the night before and added to that the water in which I had soaked a bunch of dates (the one sweetener that I seem to do ok with). Next I tossed in some chai spices. Ginger, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg.
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Into that I poured my homemade almond milk (store bought's no good because of all the extra ingredients and preservatives.) This mix got blended up with a hand blender and heated up in a pot with the brewed dandy coffee. I poured myself a piping hot mug and sprinkled some more cinnamon on top. Et voilà! My very own pumpkin spiced latte. It was delicious.<br />
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Is it worth it? All that work? Some of you may be asking. The short answer is: not at all.<br />
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To unpack that a bit; I don't see it as work. I see it as escape from the cult of convenience and instant gratification. I see it as the rhythmic unfolding of a life in tune with the seasons, that revolves around a stocked pantry, embraces slow food, makes do with what is at hand and honours the body by nourishing it with what it needs.<br />
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To try and write a recipe for this cup, that someone could follow step by step, would be ridiculous. It would have had to have started a year or two ago, with the encouraging of dandelions to grow in the garden, and include the digging up, washing, drying and roasting of those roots in the fall. There'd need to be instructions on gathering and storing winter squash before the snow flies and keeping a close eye on them over the passing months, making sure to cook up first those that start to develop soft spots. Then there would be a whole other meal to discuss when the squash gets cooked up the night before for dinner, saving the leftovers, knowing they'll go into the cup the next day. There needs to be acknowledgement of the knowing that this isn't an every day sort of thing, being content with that and choosing the day to craft this treat. Like maybe your birthday.<br />
There is the satisfaction and security of knowing that the only ingredients in the almond milk are almonds and filtered water. There is the remembering of the farmer that grew the squash.<br />
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There can be no recipe, and no one will be able to make this cup. And that's great! It means that you can create something that is completely unique and reflects the rhythm of your own unfolding days. Maybe dairy and sugar are your life's blood and you have a raw milk, cow share and gallon of maple syrup. I think that would be amazing!<br />
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Maybe you roasted and pureed all your pumpkins months ago and you just need to pull some out of the freezer to defrost. Maybe you grew them in your own garden and your memories are of long days and the whine of cicadas.<br />
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Heck. Maybe caffeine is the only thing that gets you out of bed in the morning and your cup will be full of the finest organic, shade grown, fair trade brew. Go for it!<br />
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Where I recommend you do not falter, where the strength of this non-recipe lies, is in fostering a connection to the land, your bioregion and having a fairly in depth understanding of the source of all your ingredients and the impact of your choices. Make sure you can pronounce those ingredients, and if some of them can directly call up images of an earlier season or put dirt under your fingernails, so much the better. Try to have something at the end that you will compost. It's a lovely way to participate in the closing of the nutrient loop.<br />
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But most importantly, make sure to enjoy and savour every last drop in your cup. Share it with a loved one, sip it slowly in a chair with a good book. If your non-recipe includes a fireplace in a cabin in a snow-filled forest I am so jealous!<br />
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Whatever ends up in your cup, wherever you enjoy it, may it nourish you and bring you warmth.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-16728079233832872812013-02-01T19:41:00.000-05:002013-02-01T19:41:51.912-05:00Funny Looking but FunctionalIt's hard to believe that the ADG and I have been living in this apartment for nine months already! I love the space, the wood floors, the big windows, the river view. It's felt like home for quite some time now and I have my favourite places at certain times of the day.<br />
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I start each day in the 'river room' while it is still dark outside, light a couple of candles and practice yoga until the sun comes up. The rest of the time the room functions as an office-y type workspace, but for those two hours in the morning it is a quiet, slow, meditative space.<br />
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Some Sunday mornings I like to lie in bed just a little bit longer, open the curtains and watch the trees and the sky.<br />
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The living room is <i>the</i> place to be on a sunny afternoon and from about 2-3pm in the winter there is one chair that I like to sit in and read when the light is buttery and mellow and dreamy.<br />
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I like the kitchen in the evening, listening to the CBC while I cook and wash dishes.<br />
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And one of my favourite places to be is on the pallet sofa.<br />
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When I left my old apartment, the loveseat I had in there for 6 years did not come with. It was handed down to me preloved by two owners before me. It was small and low and saggy, so we parted ways and the search for a new sofa began.
There was no way I was paying hundreds of dollars for a new sofa, probably cheaply made in a foreign country with toxic, off-gassing materials, so I went with a second hand option and found an absolutely gorgeous, extremely well made, antique sofa in pristine condition, that was ridiculously affordable. Unfortunately that sofa picked up some bed bugs while in the thrift store, and kindly passed them on to us. Two weeks, one chemical treatment and countless loads of laundry later, we were thankfully bed bug free but also sofa-less. This time, a second hand sofa was no longer an option, but I wasn't about to break down and buy something new either.<br />
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And that's how the pallet sofa came to be. I knew of pallet furniture already and did some searches online for pallet sofas to get an idea of design and materials. The ADG and I took some measurements of our space and started thinking about where to source materials. One day while I was leaving work I noticed a longer than average pallet leaning against the dumpster outside the building. It had a bit of dirt on it from being left out, but was otherwise in great shape. I gave the ADG a call, he met me by the dumpster and we carried it home. It sat outside for a while until the next sunny weekend day and we got to work cleaning it off and sanding it down.
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A trip to the hardware store provided the legs (which ended up being the most expensive part of the whole thing.) <br />
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The spare parts department at Ikea yielded two not quite matching, but suitable sofa cushions for $5 each.<br />
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This thrifted table cloth (which was immediately washed and dried on high heat now that I am extremely bed bug phobic) fits nicely over the cushions and can be removed quickly for easy washing.<br />
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The back of the sofa is a crib mattress donated by some friends whose children are sleeping in big kid beds now. A blanket covers the mattress and is held in place with loose stitches of nylon thread.<br />
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Pillows and cushions are added to both ends inviting all to rest their weary bones or lay down their tired heads. And there you have it! <br />
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O.k. I know it's not some sleek, mid-century modern showpiece, or fancy
European leather. It doesn't have a built in recliner, or arm rests for
that matter. It's quite deep so even if you're a tall person, you're
legs don't quite touch the floor when you sit all the way back. I admit, it's kinda funny looking, but
I can change the design anytime I want; stain the wood, switch colours,
swap cushions, add arms even. And you know what? It's comfortable.
Really comfortable. It easily accommodates two snuggley bodies,
watching a movie. It's lovely for naps, reading, crafting and even
getting work done. It's one of my favourite places to be!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-28334385980099486332013-01-30T13:52:00.001-05:002013-01-30T13:52:59.072-05:00Wordless Wednesday: In the Pine Grove<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-68036376468724076332013-01-28T12:51:00.000-05:002013-01-28T12:51:56.860-05:00A Little Taste of May in JanuaryJanuary is when I really dig into the food stores and start using up my preserves from last season. I'm tiring of winter squash and root vegetables but know that there are still many more weeks of them in my diet yet. Craving all those greens and wild foods I put up last summer, I poke around my pantry shelves and freezer, looking for a little variety to add my standard daily fair. Enter <a href="http://unstuff.blogspot.ca/2012/05/gather-ye-grape-leaves-while-ye-may.html">the grape leaf and sweet memories of perfect May days when I gathered them</a>.<br />
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Ah yes, these will do just nicely! I thawed a stack of 20. (I like to freeze the grape leaves in small amounts because they are somewhat time consuming to fill and facing 40 or 50 thawed grape leaves at a time is a food prep slog I'd rather avoid. If I'm serving a large group I just take out multiple packs.) These leaves were in perfect shape, the long months of freezing tenderizing them.<br />
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The filling that goes into stuffed grape leaves is limited only by your imagination. Recipes abound online, especially from traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. I have a lot of food allergies and have to make do with many dietary restrictions, so my filling was a very simple saute of acorn squash, grated carrots and zucchini, mixed with <a href="http://www.grazingdays.com/">Grazing Days ground beef</a>, cooked and seasoned.<br />
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I stuff my grape leaves by carefully separating a thawed leaf, taking a dollop of filling and placing it in the middle of the leaf. Then I fold the base up and over.<br />
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Then the sides are wrapped up.<br />
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Everything gets tucked in and rolled up, with the pointy tip of the leaf sealing everything into a nice little package!<br />
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I then briefly steam my stuffed grape leaves and serve 'em up!<br />
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I'm so glad I put in those few hours last spring, harvesting, cleaning and freezing grape leaves, and I will definitely savour my supply and eagerly look forward to this year's harvest.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-66000584881309749372013-01-23T09:05:00.001-05:002013-01-23T09:05:05.163-05:00Wordless Wednesday: January Sit Spot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-1480956495853574092013-01-09T15:31:00.000-05:002013-01-09T15:31:13.242-05:00Evergreens ForeverHappy New Year to all! I love this time of year. Deep winter is when I get to slow down, read more, craft more and enjoy being a total homebody. It's the season for endless pots of tea, naps, novels and seed catalogues. It's also a nice time for walking in the forest to do a little winter wildcrafting. <br />
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The ADG and I bused out to the south end of the city on the weekend to stroll through <a href="http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/places-to-visit/greenbelt/pine-grove">the Pine Grove</a>. Not surprisingly, there are a lot of pine trees here, as well as other evergreens. I like harvesting evergreens in the winter, when there's not much else going on, although you can gather any time during the year, especially in the spring, when there is fresh new growth. Spring is the best time for young spruce tips.<br />
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Pictured here clockwise from top left is red pine, Scots pine, a spruce (not sure which one yet, maybe white?), and white cedar. <br />
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Most conifers have edible and medicinal uses. (The yew tree, which some botanists don't consider a true conifer, because it does not produce a seed-bearing cone, is poisonous.) The conifers are rich in vitamin C and antioxidant flavonoids. Early explorers to North America suffering and dying of scurvy were cured when the Native Americans taught them how to make tea from the needles of evergreens. I love infusing pine and spruce needles into apple cider vinegar to extract all the vitamins and minerals. Use it wherever you would use balsamic vinegar.<br />
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Rich in essential oils and terpenes, such as pinene and limonene, evergreens tend to have an antiseptic, decongestant and expectorant effect in the upper respiratory tract, making them a wonderful treatment for coughs, colds and sore throats. A steam inhalation is a lovely way to get your evergreen medicine. Infusing the needles in oil or rubbing alcohol makes for soothing, external rubs and liniments for achy bones, sore muscles and arthritic joints.<br />
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This winter I made a salve with balsam fir, spruce needle, and spruce pitch infused oils. I slather it over my wet skin, fresh out of the shower, and I feel like I'm wearing a forest; a silky, smooth forest. <br />
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Even walking among these trees on a warm summer's day can have beneficial health effects. According to Diana Beresford-Kroeger, pines release aerosols into the air, that, when inhaled, have a mild narcotic and anesthetic effect on the body. Cedars release fenchone and thujone which stimulate the cardio-vascular system, and camphor and camphene, which act as bronchodilators to improve breathing.<br />
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Internally, the harsh resins in the conifers can begin to irritate the kidneys, if taken in large amounts for prolonged periods and internal used should be avoided altogether during pregnancy.<br />
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Of course, so many of the evergreens are considered sacred by the aboriginal peoples of North America, and are used for ceremonial purposes and various rituals. Burning fir wood was used to give protection and to help people overcome fear of thunder and lightening. Spruce roots were used to make ceremonial headgear and masks. White pine was used a ghost medicine by the Seneca people who would make an eye wash for someone who had seen a dead person. <br />
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It's too bad there's no such thing as scratch 'n sniff screen technology, 'cause I'd love for you to be able to bury your nose in this pile of cedar branches and breath deep! Instead I guess you'll just have to go out and find your closest cedar hedge and stick your head in it. You might look a little weird, but trust me, it'll be worth it!<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-57340060196563829452012-12-24T15:41:00.000-05:002012-12-24T15:41:57.830-05:00Homemade for the HolidaysThis little elf has been tinkering away in her workshop for weeks, crafting lots of holiday gifties.
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With a large garlic harvest this year, I dehydrated quite a bit and put it through the spice grinder to make garlic powder.<br />
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When a friend told me he was making beef jerky for gifts, I was all like, "Whoa, that's a brilliant idea!" So I made some too.<br />
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Pretty much everyone on my list is getting one of these little soap sacks. It's for when your bars of soap get too small and fussy to use. You put all those little slivers into the sack and use them up!<br />
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I had a panic attack when I realised I spelled coffee 'liquor' and not 'liqueur' and pretty much decided that Christmas was ruined because of it. Then, while watching TV at my mom's the other night, a commercial for Kahlua come on with the tagline: "Kahlua, the original coffee liquor." Ha! So Christmas is not ruined after all, but I'm pretty sure the commercial got it wrong too. <br />
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I loved making these herbal salves. I lined up all my infused oils, picked some wonderful smelling combinations, melted the beeswax and spent a few hours concocting various salves and balms.<br />
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Aside from one brief and focused trip to a mall, and another to a specialty, local shop, I managed to avoid all shopping chaos, and instead, really enjoyed making these quick and easy, stress free gifts for my loved ones.<br />
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Wishing you and yours a wonderful, happy and safe holiday season! May it be merry and bright!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-55332340704865290282012-12-19T10:51:00.001-05:002012-12-19T10:51:50.490-05:00Wordless Wednesday: November/December Sit Spot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-51376820963287912422012-12-11T12:06:00.000-05:002012-12-11T12:06:14.850-05:00Of Roots and Divinity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had mild temperatures in Ottawa last week and I made use of that little weather window by harvesting these wild carrot (left) and evening primrose (right) roots.<br />
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The more I get to know these two plants, the more I love them. Considered a weedy annoyance to many, I actually encourage these plants when they grace my garden with their presence. In fact, this year I prepared and planted a bed of wild carrot from seeds that I gathered and saved from a previous season.<br />
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The roots have an intense carroty aroma and flavour. The cultivated carrot that we all know and love is just a domesticated version of wild carrot. They even share the same Latin name: <i>Daucus carota</i>. Wild carrot, or Queen Anne's Lace, as it is also known, has many edible and medicinal uses from seed to root. A word of caution though: it is extremely important to have a 100% positive ID with this plant. Two of the most deadly plants in North America, poison hemlock and water hemlock, are in the same family, and have been confused with wild carrot with fatal consequences. A mistake you certainly don't want to make, so be sure to familiarise yourself with <a href="http://ontariowildflowers.com/main/species.php?id=118">this plant</a> and its <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0btqxLjI5TA">poisonous look alikes</a>, if you want to harvest it. <br />
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Evening primrose (<i>Oenothera biennis) </i>is another plant with many edible and medicinal parts. I love the sweet, slightly mucilaginous flowers in salads and tincture them for medicinal use. I dry the leaves for tea, gather the seeds and eat them for the nourishing oil they contain. The roots have a sweet flavour with often a sharp, peppery or slightly acrid aftertaste. I suspect this varies depending on growing conditions and times of harvest. This batch was very sweet with no sharpness at all.<br />
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Some of these roots went into a delicious beef stew along with some garden carrots and parsnips, and the rest I dehydrated to add to my pantry.<br />
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I've got a handful of years foraging under my belt now, a growing body of knowledge and a good sense of the effort and discipline involved in the practice. I've been eaten alive by mosquitoes, burned by midday sun, covered in mud, soaked by rain, with wet feet squelching in my boots, while scrabbling in cold earth with freezing hands. <br />
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I know gathering is the easy part and have spent long hours cleaning dirt out of gnarly roots, garbling leaves and carefully preserving the plants so nothing goes to waste. And still, the romance has yet to wear off. I get such a thrill learning about and working with wild plants. I feel deeply grateful to be in relationship with nature in this way and fiercely protective of the spaces where plants grow. I pray that I do right by the ecosystems that I interact with and ask for the wisdom to be a beneficial advocate on behalf of the plants.<br />
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You can't tell just by looking at the pictures above, but those unassuming roots are sacred to me. Digging them out of the earth on dirty knees, an act of worship. Spreading their seeds a prayer and gesture of hope for future abundance. <br />
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I've visited some of the most famous temples and sacred sites in the world and attended hundreds of church services over the years. Some have left me inspired and soaring, others dull and sleepy. My desire to experience the divine led to study religion in university. In all my seeking, nothing has brought me closer to understanding the interconnectedness of all things as the wild plants have, and I am humbled by that.<br />
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Well, I did not start off this post thinking this is where I'd end up! And I guess it might seem strange or downright blasphemous for some, to find religious ecstasy in a pile of weedy roots but there you have it. Some people look at the natural world and see dollar signs, some see the possibility to know the divine in all its manifestations. No doubt there is vast spectrum in between. When you pass your favourite plant, I wonder what you see?Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-35736863969704107062012-12-08T12:19:00.000-05:002012-12-08T12:19:13.226-05:00Juliette of the HerbsWatch this and fall in love!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="375" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/18952969?badge=0" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://vimeo.com/18952969">Juliette of the Herbs</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5039830">B Bee</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<i>"Juliette of the Herbs is a beautifully filmed lyrical portrait of the
life and work of Juliette de Bairacli Levy: world renowned herbalist,
author, breeder of Afghan hounds, friend of the Gypsies, traveller in
search of herbal wisdom and the pioneer of holistic veterinary medicine.</i><br />
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</i><i>For more than 60 years Juliette lived with the Gypsies, nomads and
peasants of the world, learning the healing arts from these peoples who
live close to nature. Juliette's well-loved and now classic herbals for
animals and for children have been a vital inspiration for the present
day herbal renaissance and holistic animal care community. Juliette's
extraordinary life story is as colourful and as exciting as her
tremendous wealth of herbal knowledge.</i><br />
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</i><i>Filmed on location with Juliette, 11 years before her death, and her
Afghan hound in Greece, Spain, France, Portugal, Switzerland, England
and America, and interwoven with Juliette's vast collection of archival
photographs, together with scenes of Gypsies dancing and Bedouins with
their herds, Juliette of the Herbs is an inspiring portrait of a
remarkable healer."</i>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-24056723854068909812012-11-27T14:09:00.000-05:002012-11-27T14:09:35.389-05:00Rocket Stove!This summer the ADG completed a project that's been on my wish list for some time; he built <a href="http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Rocket_Stove">a rocket stove</a>!
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Basically, a rocket stove is an insulated fire that burns efficiently and hot, releasing very little smoke or particulate matter and uses minimal amounts of small wood fuel. It's a fire that burns clean and runs on twigs. They come in all shapes and sizes and some are adapted as <a href="http://www.richsoil.com/rocket-stove-mass-heater.jsp">thermal mass heaters</a> to heat homes.<br />
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The version that the ADG built comes from <a href="http://www.rootsimple.com/2012/03/a-rocket-stove-made-from-a-five-gallon-metal-bucket/">Root Simple's design</a>, using a 5 gallon metal bucket, which I just happened to have on hand.
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We finally got around to firing it up for the first time last week. Carrying it to the edge of the river, in a secluded area, we proceeded to light the inaugural fire. This took a few false starts and some time before we got the fire going, but eventually it ignited and started to burn.<br />
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As you can see, the horizontal fuel chamber is near the bottom of the bucket. Once the fire was going, we had to keep it constantly fed with twigs and sticks, because they burn very quickly. My plan is to use the dried stalks of invasive Japanese knotweed as fuel.<br />
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We didn't cook anything this time around, but a rocket stove is best suited to things that you can cook quickly with high heat. We'll probably end up trimming the stove pipe coming out of the top and fit a wire cooking rack over it, and then we'll be set. I hope to offer a cooking demo sometime in the spring for any locals who are interested in seeing how it works first hand.<br />
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I'm really excited to combine rocket stove use with my solar oven cum <a href="http://unstuff.blogspot.ca/2012/01/nearly-energy-free-cooking.html">haybox cooker</a>, for some majorly low-energy, fossil fuel free cooking!<br />
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Thanks ADG for making this happen. Yer awesome dude!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-61895444394414672382012-11-21T14:36:00.001-05:002012-11-21T14:36:52.395-05:00Yesterday.......I had a litre of milk left over from a workshop I hosted recently on wild, roasted root coffee. I don't drink milk and the ADG has been so busy lately that he wasn't able to drink any of it before it had begun to sour slightly. Not wanting to cry over spoiled milk, I heated it up on the stove, added some apple cider vinegar to separate the curds and whey and proceeded to make <a href="http://youtu.be/BJBO1pSclK0">farmer's cheese</a>, thus extending the life of that milk by at least a couple of weeks. The ADG promises it won't last that long! <br />
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...I ladled my most recent batch of bone broth into jars to keep in the freezer. This one is rich in minerals and immune boosting herbs with the addition of astragalus, burdock, nettle and clover. It's so good.<br />
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...I found a little quiet time in the afternoon to work on a couple of craft projects, destined for Christmas gifts.
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...the marshmallow roots I dug out of the garden the week before, were finished drying in the dehydrator so they got stored away in jars. <br />
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...these local, organic apples were turned into juice and apple sauce.
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...I cooked up another batch of homemade laundry detergent while the apples were steaming.
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...it was such a beautiful day that I went for a long walk and watched the sunset at my sit spot.
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Yesterday. It was a good day.
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14504083012497351241noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6094253214225998105.post-22613180847475315802012-11-14T10:53:00.000-05:002012-11-14T10:53:52.158-05:00Wordless Wednesday: October/November Sit Spot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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