Winter Wildcraft for Respiratory Ailments

By Jennifer Sala

There I was, an herbalist with a problem...

For many years I suffered from recurrent infection that attacked my lungs every winter. Here in Maine, winter is bitingly cold and takes up the better part of the year, or so it seems. Now, I’m not much of a wildcrafter but this much I have done – after all, the dog still needed a long walk on warmer days (though she was aging and not much for being out in the bitter cold too long) and I couldn’t handle a few rounds of antibiotics and steroids Every. Single. Winter. I was basically a super frustrated herbalist with that canary in the coalmine constitution. Something had to give, nothing could touch the infection. When I made this, I was privileged  to live in a tiny rural coastline neighborhood with a neighbor who owned plenty of wooded shoreland ripe with winter foragables and had given me permission to do my thing. 

One unseasonably warm day walking the dog out there I noticed a conspicuous greenish brown seaweed-like something growing on a tree right next to the trail – how had I never noticed it before? It distinctly looked like the pulmonary lobes of lungs. So, considering the Doctrine of Signatures philosophy, I was inspired to learn more. I went home and looked this strangely beautiful stuff up and found it to be a lichen known as lungwort, not to be confused with the flowering sort. It can be referred to by its scientific name Lobaria pulmonaria instead, which alludes to its resemblance to the pulmonary lobes, to avoid confusion. It turns out, when dry it turns more gray and camouflaged. When moist it is more green, and presumably more mucilaginous so this is when I would recommend harvesting it. It has several acid components, including fatty acids, and tannins. It is an astringent, demulcent, and tonic herb and the best extraction method seemed to be through tincturing. It is said to be beneficial for wound healing as well, but here we’re more focused on its affinity for coughs, tuberculosis, chronic lung infections, asthma, pleurisy, and emphysema. Sounds like a winner! It is especially indicated if coughing up bloody sputum as it stays internal bleeding (and slows heavy menstruation). Turns out, there was lots of it growing in the area so I only took a single fair-sized specimen, enough for a jar of tincture. I decided to try brewing a lung healing tincture and added it fresh.

By this time, I had been practicing home herbalism for a few years and was already familiarized with some other handy, local herbs. I was in love with pine needle tea and it indeed is lovely for agitated lungs. When reading on foraging Eastern white pine you often see the description of five needles to a cluster and this is how Pinus strobus is identified. I always verify this when meeting a new one, especially if I intend to ask it for resin/pitch/sap/needles, but I cannot recall a time this was not the configuration I found. This may be circumstantial because of locality but if you’re skittish about wild plant ID like I am, this is one you’re probably safe with, in my experience. You may have noticed in the winter when everything is dead that there will be shredded pine cones atop the snow, this is because within the pine cone are the seeds (or “pine nuts”) which non-hibernating birds and mammals rely on for a seriously impressive nutritional profile throughout the winter (you may know pine nuts from pesto as well – they are expensive but utterly delicious and nourishing). I had two of these in the middle of my yard and we had just had a storm so there were a few still fresh branches in the snow. Easy peasy.

Like most pines and such, Pinus strobus is high in volatile oil and is often used in essential oil blends, especially around Christmas. Pine resin salve is a well known and powerful antiseptic and restorative herbal first aid remedy but is also fantastic internally. The resin salve is used in herbal first aid for its cell restoration power and because it is powerfully anti-microbial and antiseptic. The resin is extracted from the leaves as it is throughout the tree like blood to an animal and, while it does come out in water, tincture is best. It is also excreted from the tree trunk itself in a collectible volume, a dab will usually do. 

The leaves make a reinforcing, affirming tea that is spectacular with raw honey. Its flavor is sweet, citric, slightly sour with a warm rising essence. Either way, taken internally, white pine is aromatic and uplifting, making it functionally an expectorating decongestant (as well as antidepressant, tonic, and anti-catarhal). It is quite vulnerary, helping your body to repair and regenerate cells. Containing considerable amounts of Vitamins C and E, it is anti-oxidant and strengthens the immune system. Resin excretion is the tree’s way of protecting itself from infection. So naturally, it works on us the same way. It also is high in flavonoids, especially chrysin, which makes it subtly similar to chamomile and they are tasty together. White pine is considered of assistance in coughs, colds, flu, bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, and sinus or bronchial congestion. It also extracts fresh in honey quite nicely. This takes a few weeks, as does tincture. I haven’t had much luck drying or storing the needles without an issue of some sort but it can be harvested easily year round in my area so it’s not much of a deterrent.

Eastern white pine has been appreciated by many tribes. In my local area, the Wabanaki Confederacy, have been using it for an extremely long time. There are accounts of indigenous folk in New England coming to the aid of European voyagers suffering scurvy with pine needle tea. Unfortunately, it was greatly over-exploited for over 150 years after white settlement for structure framing, woodworking, and ship building. However, they can live hundreds of years if left to thrive. Few elder stands still exist today, though it is in no way threatened, at least locally. In Maine, it is our state tree and it’s absolutely everywhere. You don’t even have to cut the tree at all to harvest leaves, as the delicate branches snap off in the wind and each yields seemlingly gazillions of the long rich needles. I made the lovely, magnificent Pinus strobus the primary of my tincture.

Another local herb I had fallen in love with was Usnea barbata, also known as old man’s beard. It is a pale green, thin and tangled mass that grows out of conifers and deciduous hardwoods, most notably in my mind on oak and apple trees. It is a lichen, which means it is a symbiotic relationship between an algae and a fungus. It cannot grow in highly polluted air (nor can Lobaria pulmonaria) and is an indicator both of decent air quality. It can also be a sign of declining air quality if you see a decrease in its localized population over time. That being said, it also absorbs air pollution so please take that into consideration when looking for a supply. Indigenous tribes use it as an expectorant and wound dressing, as well as for absorbing menses. It is quite dry, cold, dispersive, and bitter. I like to imagine its tendrils reaching around inside my body and looking for sickness to suck up and out. 

I find it is best gathered in the winter and works most impactfully when the lungs are hot, packed, and boggy, though I admittedly munch a little like a moose every time I find it thriving. Not super tasty, but I love it anyhow. It could be confused with Spanish moss (which we don’t have around here anyway) but is distinguished by a quick test. If you gently pull on a thick strand of Usnea it should stretch like a rubber band, exposing a white tendril inside the green coating. This is brittle and non-stretchy in Spanish moss.

Usnea thriving off open ocean air

Usnea has a long history of medicinal applications all over the world. It is not known when it was first used, though there are records of some varieties being used in Chinese medicine for over three thousand years. It is sometimes thought to have been first used in Arabic medicine. It was also used in Japan, Korea, parts of the eventual Soviet Union, Germany, and - as discussed - in precolonized North America. It is anti-inflammatory, expectorant, a bitter, disinfectant, broad-spectrum antibiotic, and anti-fungal. It’s antibiotic capacity works on gram positive bacteria, the type that retains crystal violet dye after decolorization in a petri dish (gram negative bacterial cells have an outer layer that prohibits this and must be broken down to kill the bacteria). As you likely will not know whether your bacteria is gram positive or negative, it is best paired with another antibiotic. It flushes systemic infections (like that of the kidneys, bladder, and lymphatic system – we love anything that helps the lymphatics and filters do their job!). It is reported to be helpful with candida, strep, and respiratory ailments like TB, bronchitis, and pleurisy. Lichenic acids (usnic and barbatic, not surprisingly), Vitamin C, fatty acids, and sterols make up some of the plant’s power, but as always there’s much more to it than just a simple few things. 

I can’t help but mention, too, that when I had my wisdom teeth pulled (as an adult) the dentist tried to make me promise I would at least take aspirin when I got home after I refused an opiate prescription but I didn’t even do that – like I said, canary in a coalmine – I hadn’t taken a single OTC painkiller in like five years by that point and knew I would flare up in ulcers if I did. So I pulled in my driveway, walked across the yard to the nearest beardy tree, balled up two little wads of usnea, pulled out the cotton balls, and stuck a wad of usnea on each side between the cheek and gum in place of the cotton balls. Within thirty minutes the swelling had largely subsided so I just continued this a couple times a day for the next three or four days and, like a charm, I healed up quick and (relatively) painlessly! Usnea is given in homeopathy, herbalism, and naturopathy today for bronchial afflictions and infections. Needless to say, this was going in fresh as well! 

Lastly, I knew of some birch polypore mushrooms growing bountifully, about a hundred feet from the Lobaria pulmonaria I encountered, so while we were out gathering that I had cut a couple mushrooms (smaller are nicer to prep, the big ones are pretty woody). It is also known as razor strop because in Victorian times it was used to safely keep sharps, by virtue of its styrofoamy nature. It has had a multitude of creative uses over the course of history. From polishing silver and kindling fire to tea, tincture, and food it really is a multifaceted little fungi. In 1991, Ötzi the Iceman was discovered preserved in a cave for over 5,000 years and was found with a sachet of birch polypore. Upon further assessment, scientists suspect he may have been using the mushroom as a wound protectant or for his intestinal parasites. It is appreciable for skincare and as a lymphogogue, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, laxative, anxiolitic, and as an aid to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – being sick does take a lot out of you so I liked that it supports the body’s energy level helping me heal faster and get less run down. It has terpinoids, anti-inflammatory acids (polyporinic acid, for one), and glucopyranans. Energetically, it’s cooling, calming, dispersive, and bitter. It inhibits the spread and reproductive processes of disease, including viruses. I have also made an immune boosting elixir using birch polypore and white pine tincture with elderberry extracted in raw honey and found it superbly effective.

If you have chaga you could use it in place of birch polypore. Interestingly, where the polypore grows typically chaga does not, and where you find chaga you are unlikely to find these polypores. However, if you are going to forage for chaga it is imperative you do not overharvest (or be sure the harvesters you obtain it from, if buying it, are responsible) lest the tree be made vulnerable to disease with this new giant gaping wound to try to heal by itself before it succumbs to pathogen and rot. The proliferation of chaga is also impaired with this type of wildcraft practice. Here in Maine, I have had an extremely difficult time finding untouched chaga. I have found trails with every single chaga growth carved completely out – this is incredibly irresponsible. Never should more than 20% (or 1/5) of a growth be removed. If some has already been removed, find another. If you can’t find another don’t take any. It’s that easy. Birch polypores are much less commonly collected, in my observation, and I seldom find any removed, plus the chemical and energetic profile works quite well with the other herbs in this blend. Because of this, I choose wildcrafting with the polypores instead, as much as I enjoy the replenishing fortitude of chaga.

I filled a mason jar with 1/5 polypore slivers (about 1/8”x1”x1”), 1/5 usnea, 1/5 lungwort, and 2/5 white pine. I then filled the jar to about half an inch above the herbs with 150 proof vodka (the highest proof available in my state). After 4 to 6 weeks in a cool, dry, dark cupboard, shaking regularly, it should be ready. Because of the tannins, you will have sediment so a coffee filter in the funnel will give you a cleaner finished product. If a strong alcohol kick in a tincture is too much for you (or the flavor is too…unique), adding honey to turn it into an elixir can help. The elderberry infused honey mentioned above would be an extra immunological and soothing burst for better flavor. Personally, I consider the alcohol burn a bonus expectorant and decongestant and like to take this preparation as is. Even though it’s an acquired taste (unless you like sour bitters), I have more than once woke up in the night feeling something coming on, done a dropper, and woke up feeling fine so it is totally worth it. It immediately relieves symptoms and cut my duration of active bronchial and sinus infection down to just a few days from several weeks. Sometimes I would take a sip if I was really miserable – like when I didn’t know I had any left and found the jar with about an inch and a half in the bottom one time desperately searching for relief. How happy I was! I made this probably three years ago and found out this summer my recurrent infection was from a tick borne infection. The fact that the infection was not fully absolved with the tincture (it sought dormancy in my brain so these herbs would indeed be inadequate for that job), it was rebuked from where it was flaring and pushed back into dormancy. Even so a four ounce dropper bottle (finished product, no herbs) had me feeling confident in my bronchial resilience for a little over two years.

Hi! I am a crunchy herb-nerd from Downeast Maine. I have been, at times gracelessly, managing multiple chronic diseases at home for over ten years through holistic remediation. It started with kidney supportive dietary changes and eczema friendly food-based skin care in my late teens and now my tea cupboard is overflowing! My understanding is based mostly in western holistic herbalism but I pull a lot of theory from Traditional Chinese Medicine or wherever appropriate or useful at the time – as far as I can tell there is validity to every foundation. I am an aspiring registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild, working on the long list of requirements to apply, and student of a couple online herb schools– not to mention years of self-education and self-study. One day soon I’ll be taking clients, probably over tele-meeting. In the mean time, I’m so glad and excited to be stepping out into the greater herbal world to share what I have learned and put my hard work to greater application outside of my own tiny sphere :) I’m grateful to be part of such a beautiful, benevolent subculture and human journey.

Lots of lilacs – Jennifer Sala

Cassia, Bevin Clare's daughter, takes us on an herb walk in Northern Ireland

Cassia and Bevin Clare take on Northern Ireland, where the spot some rosehips and nettle. Cassia even gives us some magical tips and tricks on how to dig up some fossils and gems from a fallen down tree, and tells us her favorite ways to create jewelry out of her finds.

More videos to come from this powerhouse mother & daughter duo, as they continue their adventure in beautiful Northern Ireland!

BECOME A WORLD TRAVELER WITH BEVIN CLARE Her "Ready to Roam" course comes with tons of practical and fun videos, a customizable digital journal for you to use and an online community around to offer support, it will get you ready for the trip of your dreams! Plan it all without the overwhelm, a step-by-step manual to finding your dream destination, booking your own flights, and taking the leap to creating an adventure, in your own way. The complete course bundle includes: LEARN MORE AT: https://www.bevinclare.com/courses

 

🌼Sign up for the HerbRally newsletter and receive these four herbal freebies!

✔️ 86 page ebook by Plant Healer
✔️ Calendula monograph by Rosalee de la Forêt
✔️ Hour long adaptogens class with Heather Irvine
✔️ Exclusive 15% off discount for Mountain Rose Herbs

Favorite Ways to Use Rose | Elaine Sheff with The Green Path Herb School

 

Join herbalist Elaine Sheff as she shares her favorite ways to use rose. The roses in this video were grown in her garden at the Green Path Herb School in Montana. She talks about how roses are good for overall health, strengthening the heart, a wonderful ingredient for body care products, and more! She especially loves rose tea, tinctures, and oils incorporated into her daily routines. If you enjoy the video, please give it a thumbs up! Thanks for watching. Learn more about Elaine and the Green Path Herb School: www.greenpathherbschool.com

✨ELAINE SHEFF, CO-DIRECTOR, CLINICAL HERBALIST, RH (AHG) is the author of several books on herbal medicine and healing, clinical herbalist Elaine Sheff has been passionate about sharing herbal knowledge for over 30 years. Her latest book is Naked: Botanical Recipes for Vibrant Skin and Healthy Hair. Elaine is the Co-Director of Green Path Herb School, located in Missoula, Montana, where she strives to inspire and empower students and clients to remember their connection to the earth, the plants and their own healing process. She is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild and teaches workshops, and at conferences, both nationally and internationally.

 

🌼Sign up for the HerbRally newsletter and receive these four herbal freebies!

✔️ 86 page ebook by Plant Healer
✔️ Calendula monograph by Rosalee de la Forêt
✔️ Hour long adaptogens class with Heather Irvine
✔️ Exclusive 15% off discount for Mountain Rose Herbs

Evolution of HerbRally with Mason Hutchison

 

Hey everyone, thanks for watching! We just wanted to do a short video about where HerbRally came from and where it's goin'! We've got a lot of excited projects in the works and we're happy you're here with us to join in on the fun.

If you love HerbRally, please give this video a big ol' thumbs up!

Thanks for bein' here ❤️ ~Mason
Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/masonhutchison

Preface | The Botanical Green Book with Derek Haynes

Derek Haynes AKA The Chocolate Botanist introduces us to his new project, “The Botanical Green Book”. In the year 1936, Victor Hugo Green wrote the first volume of “The Negro Traveler’s Green Book” which helped African-American travelers in the US find safe, and legal, places to stay, eat and safely travel. 

This new monthly video series with Derek is inspired by the Green Book, and he’s going to take us around the plant community introducing us to black botanists, horticulturists, herbalists and plant people. Stay tuned for chapter one, coming soon! 

Follow Derek online: TheCrazyBotanist.com
Instagram: @thechocolatebotanist

The Exquisite Beauty of Nature

Written by Suzanne Tabert

Photographed by Amanda Hutchison

Become Part of the Exquisite Beauty of Nature!

There are many more benefits to foraging plants in the wild than just the medicine they offer.

Before we pick our first plant, we are brought into the exquisite beauty of nature. It’s the peace and quiet that first draws attention. The utter calm that is so different from the jarring electricity of the urban or suburban areas where many of us live. After appreciating the freedom from disturbance for a few moments, we begin to notice the sounds of the area: birds calling, insects buzzing, whispers of larger animals moving just out of sight, sounds of water from waves on the beach, creeks and waterfalls up in the mountains, wind rustling leaves and branches.

Lungs take in deep breaths of fresh clean air and our souls unfurl like new fern fronds emerging from the ground in the spring. Then the colors. Oh the colors! Greens of all hues, yellows, reds, blues, pinks! Each month brings forth colors that reflect their seasonal personality.

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As for myself, when I’m walking in the woods, I’m with friends. Leaves wave as I walk past. The plants are happy to see me, I can feel it. Insects buzz around my ears. I strain to listen, wishing I could slow down their language so I can understand them better. Still, I listen, hoping to pick up a word or two. Cool breezes dry the sweat on my skin. In nature, I don’t feel shoved to the side or looked upon as that “weird plant woman,” because of my keen sensitivity to plants, trees, and animals and their unique ways of communicating. In fact, I’m all the more welcomed for it! It’s beautifully transforming simply by being among the woods and everything in them. 

Whenever I respond to nature’s resounding lure, my soul is once again satiated with a sense of belonging.

On a hike to a waterfall, I had the profound realization while watching the water flow that there is no “he said, she said” in nature. No guilt or worry, no seeking of approval or doubts about self worth. Nothing and no one is regretting what happened before or wondering what is to come. It seems to me that, in nature, everything just “is.” We all have the supreme opportunity to exist in that fashion just as the rest of its inhabitants do, if we choose. And if only for a short time, it brings us back to who we really are. It’s not about taking pictures for social media. It’s about sitting by a favorite tree or rock; we can go in grieving and come out feeling the peace that surpasses all understanding. Unexplainable, miraculous peace.

It’s still possible to get outside and find healing in the bosom of nature while practicing safe physical distancing. A simple walk in a park will present plants that want to meet you. Look for the single leaf waving when others are not. Breathe them in and give them your breath when you feel overwhelmed. The exchange of oxygen from plants and carbon dioxide from us show us how intertwined we are. Plants and humans connecting.

Often the very plants we need grow right outside our door, presenting themselves to us, if we just take a moment to notice.

Whether deep in the forest, on a beach or meadow, or tucked into a pocket of nature in the city, the natural world calls us to go deeper. To reach farther in. To become part of the community of flora and fauna. We were never meant to be separate. We are a part of a whole and we are welcome.

I encourage us all to get out into nature as often as we can. We are always invited. We are always welcome. We are always included in the collective. And when we are part of the whole, so too are we healed.

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Suzanne Tabert is a bio-regional herbalist, wildcrafter, founder and director of herbal education at the Cedar Mountain Herb School, teaching from a lifetime of personal and academic studies of plants and their habitats. She is a member of the American Herbalists Guild, the American Herb Association, Partner in Education at United Plant Savers, and is practicum supervisor and adjunct faculty at Bastyr University. She has been teaching herbal medicine for 30 years, with plans to continue throughout her lifetime.

Campfire Chili Bowl

Written and photographed by Amanda Hutchison

I’m not kidding you when I say I thought camping food only consisted of hotdogs and hamburgers, with s’mores as a tasty snack around the fire. Camping for me is all about being simplistic, the little things that brings so much joy on my adventures- but why should I apply that to my food?

Now before you start thinking that you have to bring your whole kitchen to the woods, I want to ensure you that this recipe isn’t something you’ll find at a five star restaurant, but it definitely brings a fun and new exciting twist to cooking outdoors. Still requires a good ole fire (during fire season bring a portable gas grill), a pan, and a boat load of spices that makes any dish from simple to “holy smokes that’s a lot of yum!”

Me and my fiancé, Mason, as some as you may know, decided that our next camping trip we are going to make a simple yet delicious dish just to prove how easy it really can be to eat in style. Below is the recipe to our “Campfire Chili Bowl” but please feel free to play around with portions and other spices that inspire you!


Campfire Chili Bowl

Serves 3 (or depending how hungry you really are)

1 hour prep+cook time


Ingredients: 

1 bell pepper

8 heads of mushrooms

2 small onions

2 limes

3 garlic cloves

1 can of corn

1 can of tomatoes

1 can of beans (Kidney)

1/2 cup veggie broth

1 Tbsp cumin powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp chipotle powder

Splash of cooking oil

Salt for taste

Sour cream (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

Green onion (optional)

Directions:

Chop up all veggies and sauté with cooking oil of your choosing. Add veggie broth and stir. At this point, you should turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Add your canned beans, corn and tomatoes. Bring it to a low heat, and add your spices. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Dish in separate bowls, and add a plop of sour cream, cilantro, green onion and lime juice as a garnish.

*Make sure to taste test during the process to add in any other ingredients your taste buds are missing.

Now sit back, relax, and enjoy! Worry about the dishes later…

The Evolution and Offerings of Molly Muriel Apothecary

by Michelle Lundquist of Sea Goat Herbs

Editors Note - Starting March 1st 2018 Molly Muriel Apothecary will be known as Milwaukie Apothecary: Home of Molly Muriel Wholesale. The name change is an attempt to separate the retail and wholesale portions of the business.  

During the summer I harvest Calendula flowers from my garden. Known for it's skin healing properties and warming qualities of the sun it's one of my favorite herbs to use in creams and salves. When my supply is low I make a special trip to Molly Muriel Apothecary. Located in charming downtown Milwaukie (7 miles south of Portland, OR), Molly Muriel Apothecary has been owned and operated by Branda Tiffany since 2002. What began as a production facility for her Molly Muriel product line has developed into a valubal resource for herbalists, product makers and the local community. Her dried Calendula is wildcrafted when possible and is some of the highest quality around. 

Making products is how it all began for Branda. A candle making class she attended in 1994 was the catalyst for her to learn how to create handmade goods. Inspired, she taught herself how to make soap. Through trial and error, she learned the best oils and ratios of lye to produce a soap to her liking. As her interests grew and senses matured, she realized that many of the popular fragrance oils used in commercial candle and soap making are synthetic and laced with chemicals. "Smelling the difference between natural and synthetic scents was the turning point", said Branda. Encouraged to find a natural way to scent her candles and soaps, she made the switch to pure essential oils and learned the art of aromatherapy.

Upon entering the shop your senses are taken over by the calming fragrance of dried herbs and handmade products. Tidy and well lit, the shop has a distinctly warm and welcoming atmosphere making it easy to spend quality time there. Not only is Branda the woman who creates the entire Molly Muriel product line, she will also be there to greet you when you visit. Small batch soaps, body oils, and candles are just a few of the items she skillfully makes from scratch. 

Therapeutic base oils such as olive, sunflower, jojoba, and rose hip seed along with rose water and witch hazel can be acquired in small to large quantities. Items such as clays, powdered herbs, shea butter, beeswax, carnauba wax, salts and seaweed powders can be purchased by the ounce. Also readily available are candle making supplies along with empty glass bottles, lip balm tubes and tins. One of the shops more popular offerings is an extensive line of pure essential oils. From easy to find scents like lavender, rosemary, and peppermint to the more rare helichrysum, hyssop and coffee bean, chances are you will find the ones you need. If you are interested in learning a new skill, monthly candle making classes are offered at the apothecary and are open to the public. Each class includes guidance from Branda and all the needed supplies to make and take home two candles. 

A large selection of organic, dried medicinal and culinary herbs can be obtained by the ounce. When asked what her favorite herb to work with is and why, she quickly responded, "Tulsi", also known as Holy Basil. "It is an important plant ally for me. Its nervine properties help to keep me calm and stay grounded. It is so diverse and has many anti-microbial properties which makes it a great herb to have on hand". Branda has completed a handful of herbal courses including Rosemary Gladstar's Correspondence class and The Immersion Program with the Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies. Her dedication to herbal inquiry carries over into her business as well. "Herbalism and business force you to use both sides of your brain, I find their differences can actually help to balance one another." said Branda.  

The shop is adorned with beautiful and healthy house plants throughout. The open design and wood dressed interior of the apothecary helps to showcase the plants and their positive energy. All of the plants are for sale and are showered with light thanks to the shops pleasantly large windows. There is an array of succulents, air plants, and terrarium supplies along with house plant starts and a DIY planting station, stocked with dirt and ceramic pots. 

Throughout history medicinal plants have been used to heal and provide nourishment to communities near and far. With plant based medicine falling out of favor in the modern world we should cherish the businesses that allow herbalists to continue practicing their craft. Molly Muriel supports our niche community with the fine offerings they have available year round. It's one of my preferred herb shops located in the Portland area which I encourage anyone reading to visit. For a full listing of products, supplies, herbs, recipes and classes head on over to www.mollymuriel.com.

Molly Muriel Apothecary soon to be Milwaukie Apothecary: Home of Molly Muriel Wholesale

Located in Downtown Milwaukie

11049 SE 21st Ave

Milwaukie, OR 97222

Current Hours: Wed-Sat 12p-6p; Sun-Tue CLOSED

Milwaukie Apothecary Hours *effective March 1st*: Thursday, Friday, & Saturday 12p-6p

Email: info@mollymuriel.com

Retail Phone: 503.305.7549

Wholesale Phone: 503.888.1567

Website: www.mollymurielapothecary.com

Website (effective March 1st): www.milwaukieapothecary.com

 

By Public Transportation

MAX Light Rail - Orange Line 

Bus Line - 33

www.trimet.org for schedules and stop locations

Main ways By Bike:

Springwater Corrador

Eastbank Esplanade 

Waterfront Bike Path

Tilikum Crossing Pedestrian Bridge

www.traillink.com for trail maps and descriptions

 
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Michelle Lundquist is a self taught folk herbalist, aspiring herbal educator and homesteader with a passion for plants and their healing abilities. Inspired by the self reliant and nourishing practices of the Wise Woman Tradition, she enjoys utilizing plants of the Pacific Northwest and those that grow around her. Cooking, crafting kombucha and spending time in nature are a few of her favorite things. She is the content creator and medicine maker for her business Sea Goat Herbs that she runs out of her home in Portland, OR.

Simple Summer Sippers: Iced Herbal Drinks

By Maria Noel Groves
Clinical Herbalist & Author of Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self Care

On a hot, summer day, look no further than your herb garden for a refreshing drink. This time of year, I head to the garden at least a few times a day for a sprig or two to add to my glass.

Herbal Soda

Delicious, inexpensive, and calorie-free soda is as simple as a bottle of cold seltzer water. My husband and I drink seltzer so much that we use a soda maker from the local kitchen store, but you can start with a bottle plain seltzer or effervescent mineral water the grocery store. Pour off a little from the top of the bottle and slowly add about three sprigs of fresh herbs, rubbing each with your fingertips before you add them to release their flavor. (It will fizz as you add them.) Cover and let it sit for about 20 minutes in the fridge or cooler before serving. My favorite simple herb sodas include fennel fronds, apple mint, spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lemon balm, or fragrant heirloom rosebuds. Roses taste best after several hours of steeping. I store fresh lemongrass stalks in my freezer for year-round use – they actually infuse better post-freeze. Some of my favorite combos include fresh lime with spearmint, lemon balm with lemon verbena, holy basil and rose, or Korean licorice mint (or its close relative anise hyssop) with a squirt of vanilla extract.

If you don’t like bubbles, feel free to skip them! These all taste great in plain, still water, too. You’ll feel like you’re sitting poolside at a fancy hotel or spa. I love to add edible flowers when using clear containers, such as rose, calendula, violets, or Johnny jump ups. Anything that’s safe to consume and fits your flavor profile works great.

Experiment with the herbs you have on hand and the flavors that you like. I prefer mine unsweetened. For a little sweetness, add one leaf of fresh stevia or a couple drops of stevia extract or use liquid sweeteners like simple syrup, maple syrup, agave, or honey. Perfect for a day of gardening in the hot sun!

Iced Tea

Iced tea is a classic for summertime. You can make iced tea in a variety of ways depending on what’s most convenient for you. One easy way is to make a cup of regular tea (steep one teaspoon to a tablespoon dry or handful fresh herbs in two cups boiling water for five to 15 minutes, then strain), and then refrigerate it for a few hours. For faster iced tea, make a double-strength hot tea and then pour it over ice cubes. If you want to add sweetener, it will dissolve better when added to the hot tea before it’s chilled, or use a liquid sweetener.

You can’t get any better than green or black tea with lemon wedges and perhaps some sugar. However, you can also raid your herb garden or produce department for delicious combinations. I love to combine all the licorice-y, lemon-y, or mint-y herbs I have in my garden. Use about one fistful of fresh herb sprigs per 16 ounces of water. You may have to try a few batches to find the concentration of flavor and sweetness that you like.

Sun Teas

Sun teas rely on the heat of the sun rather than boiling water to pull the flavor out of tea bags or fresh or dried herbs. Combine the herbs, tea bags, sweetener, and/or sliced fruit with water in a big jug and let it sit for a few hours in the sun at the height of day. When it’s ready, pour it off into a glass of ice. Fresh produce and herbs combine well here: green or black tea with lemons, mint and limes, strawberries and mint or parsley, cucumbers and mint, blackberries and basil. Dried hibiscus flowers make an amazing tart red tea that Mexicans and Jamaicans drink cold to help cool off the body. (If it’s too sour for you, sugar perks up the flavor.) Depending on how strong of a brew you make, your drink will be light pink to fruit punch red.

Herbal Cocktails

I reserve herbal cocktails for special dinners and celebrations. The best-known herbal summer cocktail is a mojito: muddle fresh spearmint or apple mint with sugar and ice, add seltzer and light mojito rum or vodka and fresh lime juice to taste. However, you can use other flavorful herbs to bring new light to classic cocktails. For example, lemon verbena or rosemary in a martini, tarragon in a cosmo, basil in your bloody Mary, lovage stems as a bloody Mary straw. Herbs are generally added to cocktails in one of two ways. Either muddle or shake the fresh leaves with ice before adding the rest of the ingredients, or make an herb-infused simple syrup. Simmer two cups of sugar with one cup of water until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add one tablespoon of dry herbs or a small handful of fresh herbs. Cover and let sit until the syrup is cool, strain. Add simple syrup to sweeten and flavor cocktails. They can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen as ice cubes for up to one month.

Keeping It Chill

One of the best ways to keep a cold beverage handy throughout the day is to put it in a thermos with an ice cube or two. It stays cold all day and won’t sweat all over your desk or travel bag. Double-walled glass tea infusers allow you to see your work of art as you sip. If you’ve got a drink with bubbles, make sure your container can handle the pressure... before you pop it in the beach bag next to your iPad!

Maria Noël Groves, RH (AHG), clinical herbalist, runs Wintergreen Botanicals, nestled in the pine forests of New Hampshire. Her business is devoted to education and empowerment via classes, health consultations, and writing with the foundational bel…

Maria Noël Groves, RH (AHG), clinical herbalist, runs Wintergreen Botanicals, nestled in the pine forests of New Hampshire. Her business is devoted to education and empowerment via classes, health consultations, and writing with the foundational belief that good health grows in nature. She is the author of Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self Care. Learn more about Maria and herbs at www.WintergreenBotanicals.com.

Why Herbalism Matters

by Gabby Allen

Once upon a time, for a long time, herbal medicine was the only medicine. We as a species quite literally wouldn’t exist without it. I think that collectively, we are disassociated from this important fact, and thusly disassociated from the vital role that herbalism plays into our past and present existence.

At first glance, it seems a far off time when we were relying solely on plant medicine to keep our species on its feet. However, when looking at how long we have been here, and most especially how long plants have been here (oh hey, horsetail), it’s really less than an eye blink. In comparison to how long herbalism has been practiced, modern medicine is very....modern. I’d make clear right away that I am not attempting to invalidate modern medicines obvious efficiency and crucial roll in our current existence, but rather illustrate that herbalism has gained a lot of wisdom in the passing centuries and millennia.

Survival of the fittest, as it were, and of course when considering bruteness, we are of lesser strength than some of our more fearsome and outright tenacious neighbors. I don't doubt that history would be missing were it not for some major plant allies supporting us a long the way. The generations long process of learning plant medicine, and evolving along side them, not only kept our species alive, but enabled the nearly endless luxuries we partake in today.

If we could consider for a moment all of the various ailments, diseases, and dealings that are addressed by modern medicine, then consider the stark difference in physicality in the lives of our lineage bearers, how far would we have gotten with no way to treat an out of control fever, or pull an infection from a wound? Our big brains are wrapped up in fairly fragile packaging and I really just don’t think we would have made it very long if ailments and injuries were completely untreatable.

Without herbalism, we wouldn’t have made it far enough to have the millennia required to come to a point where we can develop such sophisticated technologies that make up modern medicine. Obviously there are a lot of factors to the here and now-ness in which we find ourselves, but its been my conclusion that we quite literally, and very directly own our sustained existence to the plants.

What a gift it would be to peek into the past and witness the undoubtedly reverent process of an individual who’s life had depended upon botanicals. That is, one who would not have survived and thrived nutritionally and medicinally without herbs and edible plants. I’d like to comprehend even a fraction of the depth of understanding, and the depth of plant knowledge of those that are in large part responsible for getting us this far. The reverence and treatments of plants by those who’s lives truly depended on them, without any hope of modern intervention, must have run unfathomably deep. I know one such man who can give us this peek.

Rewilder, hunter, and all around wild man, Jordan Manley, spent a grand total of seventy seven days in the wilderness, and gained a peek into what life was like for nomadic cultures, spending those days being reliant upon the land for sustenance. During his journey his diet was mostly wild plants.

"My diet during that particular trip was comprised almost entirely of plants. Somewhere of about ninety five percent or more. I harvested a bear during the trip, which was made into jerky, and I caught fish during a week that I spent camped along a river. The majority of my diet was Native American First foods, such as biscuit root, onions, fireweed, raspberries, serviceberries, lilies, and grasses. I also ate some introduced European plants, such as burdock and plantains. I usually ate one meal a day, comprised of a large salad, a dish of fried or boiled roots, and a large pot of stewy broth."

Mr. Manley was consuming herbal medicine everyday, and it had a very direct effect. While he does account low energy, he also reports that his mind was clearer, and sharper than it had been in all his prior days. His vision was better, along with a heightened sensitivity to all of his senses. There was a notable positive change in his thought patterns, and a lack of stress. That last bit is significant to our hyper stressed society. Imagine, over two months of mostly stress free days. That's the kind of thing that people pay big bucks (often earned through four lifetimes worth of stress) to achieve. It seems a dream, and Jordan, along with the original herbalists and wildcrafters lived it. From his account, it's easy to conclude that our ancestors lived a life of nearly infinite more vitality, strength, and stamina.

In the passing weeks, the relationship he had with the plants that were nourishing him evolved.

"Over time, I began to think of the plants I was interacting with more as relatives than resources. Once I became aware of the abundance of wild food, I noticed that it is hard to take a step out in the wild without stepping on something you can eat. I began to walk more softly on the earth, and interact with plants in a more gentle manner."

No one walks through a grocery store with such reverence and respect. The life giving and sustaining nutrients are trampled upon by generations of ignorance and greed (agricultural and industrial revolutions, respectively), so yes, herbalism matters very much.

Our ancestors were nomadic. Follow the seasons, follow the food, both flesh and plant based. Our existence literally revolved around the plants (and the animals, who also followed the food or were pushed by predators; predators who were following their food) we followed them, making a great circle on the land, over and over, season after season, century after century, again and again. Until of course, we didn't and disease, and malnutrition became a common companions, the penance for the boom in population allowed to us through our own domestication. (1)

It seems to me that we should stay in connection with something that was so important to our existence. If we couldn’t survive without it in the beginning, how long will we survive without it now, even with our new, very clever discoveries? The signs are clear, depending on who you ask- not that long.

Something that was such a vital foundation to our sustained existence is something that we probably shouldn’t lose touch with. One, me for example, could justly argue that our departure from the wild way of things is integral to many of the issues that we are facing globally and culturally. Herbalism matters because life matters and there wouldn’t be any of it without the plants. Without botanicals, there would have been nothing to isolate and concentrate, starting the decades long process that has lead us to modern medicine today.

There is independence in the addressing of ailment that is achieved thorough herbalism when modern medicine fails. Cottonwood and mullein cleared my son’s wee lungs when they were bombarded by virus. Herbalism can offer our children relief from unpleasant symptoms of viral infections that a doctor can give no prescription for but time.

My husband had a yearly spring cycle of sinus infections. It went allergies, cold, sinus infection, antibiotics. If luck was on his side, he’d do this once, then rinse and repeat next season. I came across a really great write about sinus infections by jim mcdonald, (3) and the resulting plantain and yarrow saline rinse that came of it worked famously. A simple tea of ginger, cayenne, lemon juice, and honey, also assisted this true healing process in a great way. (4)

The previous solution offered to my husband by modern medicine isn’t even what I would call a solution. A yearly cycle of wrecking absolute havoc on his gut flora, only to do so again a short while later, does not seem to me a path of true healing and vitality. I am grateful that we had access to the antibiotics for stopping the issue before we had knowledge to address it otherwise, but it was a bandage over a broken bone. Not only a bandage, but it left no opportunity for his body to heal itself. There’s a potential too, for a very lengthy discussion on the long term effects of too many antibiotics. It’s been four springs since he had to take them.

My goal here is not to say that modern medicine is inherently useless, or evil, or that we should just be rid of it. My point is that herbalism fills the undeniable gaps that heroic medicine leaves, and then some, because it has to power to truly support us through of various life phases and transitions.

The really great thing about it is that often no harm is done by trying to cure your ailments with plants. If your energy is low, the worse thing that will happen by adding herbal infusions to your life is that they won’t work. If you are prone to panic attacks, the worse thing that will happen by keeping skullcap tincture handy, is you will have the panic attack anyway. And in both cases, a complete lack of result is fairly unlikely. When a lack of result does happen, you've effectively ruled out a few of things that your ailment is not, and are closer to narrowing down what could help you.

The thing about modern medicine is often times it comes with consequences. Ugly side effects and sometimes (often?) irreversible damage. Side effects that pretty soon have you taking a whole cascade of medicines. Under the right circumstances, and with a few precautions (5) we can attempt to address many of today's aliments and life transitions with plants.      

The way that a pregnant or birthing woman is treated in the conventional birthing realm, and the less than conventional birthing realm is one of the biggest examples of the nourishment and healing that is offered through a more holistic or herbal approach. Nothing I’ve experienced cures the bone deep weariness of anemia like nettle infusion. Calendula soothes growing, tired skin. Ginger offers nausea relief, and hawthorn eases the ache of loss, when it happens, because it happens. How common is it for a bereaved mother to received genuine comfort, or tools for seeking comfort from a doctor? They’ll stitch you up, but steady vitals are not equal to heath and vitality.

Aileen Peterson of Lady Moon: Bodywork & Birthwork, offers enlightening information regarding the topic of modern pregnancy and the roll herbs play.

“I believe that traditional herbalism most definitely has its place in the modern birth world. Because, though we are ‘modern’ humans, we are also very ancient creatures, who have had a relationship with plants and the plant kingdom since the beginning of our time on this planet. Plants have provided us with shelter, clothing, food, and medicine (and yes, even poison) for time immemorial. I believe that plants and specifically medicinal herbs hold a key position in our repertoire of providing nourishment, preventative care, and treatment for menstrual health, fertility management (both contraception and conception), pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum. I believe that herbs in many cases can and should be utilized in some way by all childbearing persons and the birthworkers who serve them, whether they are on a more ‘conventional’ or ‘non-conventional’ birth journey. Though specific herbs can be utilized for treating acute or chronic conditions associated with menstruation, infertility, pregnancy, and birth, I believe that they can best be utilized by all peoples for their nutritive properties— which is the ultimate preventative medicine for pregnancy and birth-related complications.

The birthkeepers and midwives of old were knowledgeable in many things, and in all things related to womb health and childbearing. They were gone to for simple herbal remedies for colic and coughs, they were gone to when a woman wanted to get pregnant, or who did not want to be pregnant, they were gone to when a woman was with child and cared for her through the birth and beyond. And her most valuable tool, I believe, was her knowledge of and partnership with the plant medicines, both spiritual and mundane. This is true and can be said for wise women and midwives the world-over, from the First Nations of the Americas to Europe and Africa. Different herbs were sought for their different properties—such as nutritive, uterine tonic, abortifacient, to stop a miscarriage or early labor, to bring on labor, to relieve or treat different complaints such as nausea, to bring out a retained placenta, to prevent or treat a postpartum hemorrhage, etc. –  and depending on the area where they could be found growing. Some herbs commonly used in North America for womb care and birth were Queen Anne’s Lace, Black Cohosh, Blue Cohosh, and Nettle. A few examples of herbs commonly turned to in Old Europe were Pennyroyal, Rue, Nettle, Oatstraw, Mugwort, and Raspberry Leaf. [Note: I have included some infamous “abortifacient” herbs in these short lists because the releasing of unwanted pregnancies has always been an area of expertise belonging to the midwife, from thousands of years ago all the way through the 19th century when the war on midwives began in earnest in North America. I believe it is very important to acknowledge this and to not hide away this part of our history as birthworkers and as women, nor to ignore this knowledge which is still applicable today]. All of these herbs and more are still in use today. My personal favorite herbs for pregnancy and preparing for birth are nettle, red raspberry leaf, oatstraw, and alfalfa, which are nutritive, good for the womb and the nervous system, help build the blood, and are generally considered safe for most people to consume regularly [Note: alfalfa should only be used in medicinal quantities in the last trimester]."

All this to say, in a round about way, is that herbalism supports us and walks along side us through many twists and transitions, and has done so for a long time. This is not to say that all of ancient herbal knowings can be classified as applicable wisdom. Some texts of old contain information that is simply inaccurate, but there’s a lot that is accurate, and it has combined and meshed with what we have learned and discovered in recent years. Herbs can and will support us through our various transitions in life; Baby to child, child to maiden, maiden to mother, mother to crone, an on. (Insert whichever titles and transitory process that suits you. I simply have chosen the one that applies to me.)

If you walked into a doctors office and asked the doctor to give you something to help with your broken heart (a very legitimate ailment) you’d likely be laughed out and add a healthy dose of embarrassment to your plateful of pain. Ask and herbalist and they will lovingly supply you with their condolences and perhaps an extract of hawthorn, and perhaps go so far as to recommend you wear the berries on your person. (6)

Herbalism matters because despite growing and waning trends throughout the centuries, we have, undoubtedly through guidance of the plants, have found our way back to them, and have come at a new influx of energy in the ever growing movement of modern herbalism. It’s a continuation of ancient wisdom that is still more than applicable today, and we herbalists may not be able to replace a hip with the beloved botanicals we work alongside, but again, steady vitals isn’t the end of the story.

"Herbal medicine is the people’s medicine" - Susun S Weed. The people’s, all of them. Plantain won't turn you away because you can’t pay, or because of a culture influenced by "isims,” and I doubt it will ever be successfully regulated.

Down to the DNA in our bones, the same plants that were part of our ancestors, are part of us. They've been supporting, healing, and killing us for generations. Perhaps a balance between the world we created, and the world of old can be achieved in part, or perhaps in whole, through the guidance of our plant allies.

Herbalism matters a very great deal.

Gabby Allen is a student herbalist, writer, artist, and work-at-home mother currently residing in Roseburg, Oregon. She has spent the last four or so years on mostly self-study, and aspires towards higher education, and a career focused on holistic …

Gabby Allen is a student herbalist, writer, artist, and work-at-home mother currently residing in Roseburg, Oregon. She has spent the last four or so years on mostly self-study, and aspires towards higher education, and a career focused on holistic support of women's health. As a mother of two adventurous boys, she frequently finds uses for the plethora of medicine and nourishment around her, and continually seeks out methods and wisdom she may apply to her family's wellness, as well as ways to aid in the support of plant allies. She attempts steps everyday towards balance and integration between and among her passions. Gabby is also completely enamored with fermentation, is an organic gardening enthusiast, and budding seeker of wild foods. For more from Gabby you can visit her at GabbyLynnAllen.com.

References

1) Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari- Part Two The Agricultural Revolution *final

2) http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/June07/healingwise.htm  

3)  www.herbcraft.org/sinusitis.html

4) https://learningherbs.com/herbs-made-simple/ginger-lemon-honey-tea

5) http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Simple_Safe_Herbal_Medicine.htm

6) https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/energetics-of-aphrodisiacs-pt-2/id976377038?i=1000379615116&mt=2-Questions portion