GARDEN AND OUTDOOR LIVING IDEAS
30/05//14 prepared by Natasha M
OUR MAY GARDEN AUTUMN BRIGHT COLORS NEW
it is so deep into autumn that if it was autumn-er it would be called winter already... and hey, apart from crazy 6m long cherry tomato plant that (no, better: "who") goes everywhere it sees the space in the garden, i found one green tomatillo fruit - small but single - at least i can tell our german friends who sent us the seeds now that our climate can be possibly friendly for them too ( i mean for tomatillos of course, not for germans!!! )
it is so deep into autumn that if it was autumn-er it would be called winter already... and hey, apart from crazy 6m long cherry tomato plant that (no, better: "who") goes everywhere it sees the space in the garden, i found one green tomatillo fruit - small but single - at least i can tell our german friends who sent us the seeds now that our climate can be possibly friendly for them too ( i mean for tomatillos of course, not for germans!!! )
what is it about your own garden and wild growing food?..
i photographed today a small box of greens that goes to Misha and Masha,,our son and daughter's places tonight... thumbs up for the organic gardens and wild food... of course i would like to add some live chickens and eggs into it... may be even some wild fish and good and tame predators like lions, bears and tigers to teach the chickens and fish some basic survival skills but as i mentioned already before my neighbours might start complaining as you know - chickens and eggs both can be very very noisy.., :) so to accompany my rich photo selection today I add an article "why eat wild food and what is considered totally wild: mushrooms? berries? pine needles? oak bark? what else?" absolutely damn serious article:
i also add a song about bears (pesnya about Medvedev) to make it more believable... who can argue with Medvedev?
Why Eat Wild Foods
Nature was the original supermarket. Ever wonder what the pioneers ate while transversing the Oregon Trail? There were indeed supermarkets waiting at their destination but they weren't the kind we have now. Strictly seasonal and ever evolving wild edible plants have always been the Creator's gift to us. What I have been learning used to be COMMON knowledge. Relearning nature's secrets and prolific offerings is a way of connecting with our ancestors in a life giving empowering way.
I found the outline for this article on the web years ago and have searched in vain to find the source to credit them. I am impressed with the thorough reflection of the various ways wild edible plants enrich our lives: Economic considerations, Health considerations, Gardening considerations and Well Being.
Economic considerations
i photographed today a small box of greens that goes to Misha and Masha,,our son and daughter's places tonight... thumbs up for the organic gardens and wild food... of course i would like to add some live chickens and eggs into it... may be even some wild fish and good and tame predators like lions, bears and tigers to teach the chickens and fish some basic survival skills but as i mentioned already before my neighbours might start complaining as you know - chickens and eggs both can be very very noisy.., :) so to accompany my rich photo selection today I add an article "why eat wild food and what is considered totally wild: mushrooms? berries? pine needles? oak bark? what else?" absolutely damn serious article:
i also add a song about bears (pesnya about Medvedev) to make it more believable... who can argue with Medvedev?
Why Eat Wild Foods
Nature was the original supermarket. Ever wonder what the pioneers ate while transversing the Oregon Trail? There were indeed supermarkets waiting at their destination but they weren't the kind we have now. Strictly seasonal and ever evolving wild edible plants have always been the Creator's gift to us. What I have been learning used to be COMMON knowledge. Relearning nature's secrets and prolific offerings is a way of connecting with our ancestors in a life giving empowering way.
I found the outline for this article on the web years ago and have searched in vain to find the source to credit them. I am impressed with the thorough reflection of the various ways wild edible plants enrich our lives: Economic considerations, Health considerations, Gardening considerations and Well Being.
Economic considerations
- FREE! Food prices are increasing at an alarming rate.
- Renewable resources Wild plants tend to be prolific and often invasive. They are the first vegetation to show up when the soil has been disturbed to renew the minerals back into the ground.
- Abundant and readily available Wild plants spread their seeds in a variety of creative life preserving ways. Many of the weeds right outside our homes are edible and abundant
- Highly nutritive: minerals and vitamins Compared to cultivated vegetation wild edible plants are many many times richer in nutrients. The Dandelion for example is high in calcium (a mineral that protects bones and teeth, prevents muscle cramping and maintains a regular heart beat. The USDA recommended daily allowance for calcium is 800 mg. One cup of Spinach has 102 mg of calcium, one cup of Kale has 206 mg and one cup of Dandelion leaves has 4,000 mg!
- Fresh, enzyme rich cause you just picked it!
- Wild foods have healing value: "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food"
- Many wild edible plants also have healing value
- Pesticide free
- Non GMO
- No additives and preservatives
- Foraging is health inducing. Vitamin D is an essential hormone that is best obtained from exposure to sun light.
- Wild foods are tough to kill, tenacious. If you can't beat it...EAT it!
- No need to garden and cultivate the weeds! They grow like...weeds!
- Duration of growth is longer than hybrid varieties.
- Wild foods are resistant to climatic imbalances and survive drought
- Weeds should be cultivated in the 'garden' for they bring up subsoil minerals and protect against many insects. A great way to renurture devalued soil.
- Be prepared for emergencies, wild foods are a secure resource. I look at all the wonderful food and medicines that grows right outside of my front door. These plants all have a purpose. Everything we would ever need is right under our noses.
- Learn to be independent and prepared for any contingency, become confident.
- Foraging is FUN
- Get in touch with nature and with the Creator God.
Wild Edible Harvesting Tips
Disclaimer:
Identification and use of wild plants requires particular care and attention. Never eat any plant unless you are absolutely sure that it is edible! It is a good idea to cross-reference your knowledge with a book written by an expert. The information in this program is for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The author, publisher, and any of their counter parts, assume no responsibility whatsoever for any adverse effects encountered by the individual. Please harvest wild edibles at your own risk!
Harvesting Safety Tips!
While there are countless benefits associated with eating wild foods such as, breathing fresh air, exercise, premium nutrition, and more food diversity, there are also some inherent risks. When you harvest wild plants for food, there is a high guarantee that edible plants will be sharing their living space with non-edibles. These non-edibles may range in toxicity from mild to extreme. If you are anything like me, then you too prefer to avoid any form of poisoning whether it is mild or severe. For this reason it is a good idea to first learn how to positively identify wild plants and then exercise caution when gathering them for food.
Over the last five years that I have traveled around the globe giving presentations about edible plants, I learned two things: first, people are eagerly seeking knowledge about wild edibles and secondly, there is a lot of confusion about which plants are safe to harvest. I found that the term "poisonous" is very loosely defined and is easily swayed by ones personal bias and educational background. For example, experts coming from backgrounds of toxicology, botany, and medicine claim exponentially larger amounts of poisonous plants, whereas, experts coming from Native American teachings observe the opposite. Unfortunately, these inconsistencies of professional opinion mixed with ill-fated Hollywood movies such as, "Into The Wild," breed unnecessary fear, preventing the mass populous from venturing into the world of free food.
Thus far, my research has lead me to believe that out of thousands of healthful, edible plants growing in North America, there are only a handful of poisonous ones. There are approximately 150 poisonous plants that are not recommended for consumption by the American Association of Poison Control. Out of the 150 plants classified as poisonous, only about 50 are considered highly poisonous. The rest, are classified as mildly poisonous. 100 of the 150 plants may cause nausea, headache, and / or stomach upset, but will not kill the eater, and only 50 plants have the potential to cause serious harm.
I think such statistics are encouraging because it is relatively easy to learn to identify, and stay away from, 50 plants. This task can be accomplished in less than one month if you were to learn to identify two plants per day. Once you have learned to identify the 50 most poisonous plants, your chances of getting poisoned are severely decreased if not get eradicated completely. Keep in mind that many of the so-called "mildly poisonous" plants, are considered edible depending on which book you reference. For example, I recently found common mint categorized as mildly poisonous in a book called "Common Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms of North America." Does this mean we should no longer drink mint tea? What do you think? I urge the reader to do his or her own research to figure out which plants to steer clear off.
Fear is an important ingredient in the recipe for personal wellbeing. When channeled correctly, fear can force us to question our judgment and make the most educated guess. I think that harvesting wild edibles is like crossing the street in a cross walk; it is safe, but you still want to look both ways prior to stepping out into the street! I prefer to avoid any sort of poisoning be it mild or severe. Please consider the following tips, prior to harvesting wild edibles:
First, knowledge is power! The best way to stay safe is through good old-fashioned education! The internet is a valuable tool for this. Using the internet, you can track down a wild crafter in your area and take an informative class! I recommend any hands-on workshop because it enables you to retain information longer. During one edible foods workshop I was taught that taking a few minutes to study each wild edible would help me remember it forever. I sat down with a dandelion and began to notice how many leaves it had, what shape the leaves were, and if it had any marking or discolorations. After this exercise, I will never have any doubts about what a dandelion looks like!
Disclaimer:
Identification and use of wild plants requires particular care and attention. Never eat any plant unless you are absolutely sure that it is edible! It is a good idea to cross-reference your knowledge with a book written by an expert. The information in this program is for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The author, publisher, and any of their counter parts, assume no responsibility whatsoever for any adverse effects encountered by the individual. Please harvest wild edibles at your own risk!
Harvesting Safety Tips!
While there are countless benefits associated with eating wild foods such as, breathing fresh air, exercise, premium nutrition, and more food diversity, there are also some inherent risks. When you harvest wild plants for food, there is a high guarantee that edible plants will be sharing their living space with non-edibles. These non-edibles may range in toxicity from mild to extreme. If you are anything like me, then you too prefer to avoid any form of poisoning whether it is mild or severe. For this reason it is a good idea to first learn how to positively identify wild plants and then exercise caution when gathering them for food.
Over the last five years that I have traveled around the globe giving presentations about edible plants, I learned two things: first, people are eagerly seeking knowledge about wild edibles and secondly, there is a lot of confusion about which plants are safe to harvest. I found that the term "poisonous" is very loosely defined and is easily swayed by ones personal bias and educational background. For example, experts coming from backgrounds of toxicology, botany, and medicine claim exponentially larger amounts of poisonous plants, whereas, experts coming from Native American teachings observe the opposite. Unfortunately, these inconsistencies of professional opinion mixed with ill-fated Hollywood movies such as, "Into The Wild," breed unnecessary fear, preventing the mass populous from venturing into the world of free food.
Thus far, my research has lead me to believe that out of thousands of healthful, edible plants growing in North America, there are only a handful of poisonous ones. There are approximately 150 poisonous plants that are not recommended for consumption by the American Association of Poison Control. Out of the 150 plants classified as poisonous, only about 50 are considered highly poisonous. The rest, are classified as mildly poisonous. 100 of the 150 plants may cause nausea, headache, and / or stomach upset, but will not kill the eater, and only 50 plants have the potential to cause serious harm.
I think such statistics are encouraging because it is relatively easy to learn to identify, and stay away from, 50 plants. This task can be accomplished in less than one month if you were to learn to identify two plants per day. Once you have learned to identify the 50 most poisonous plants, your chances of getting poisoned are severely decreased if not get eradicated completely. Keep in mind that many of the so-called "mildly poisonous" plants, are considered edible depending on which book you reference. For example, I recently found common mint categorized as mildly poisonous in a book called "Common Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms of North America." Does this mean we should no longer drink mint tea? What do you think? I urge the reader to do his or her own research to figure out which plants to steer clear off.
Fear is an important ingredient in the recipe for personal wellbeing. When channeled correctly, fear can force us to question our judgment and make the most educated guess. I think that harvesting wild edibles is like crossing the street in a cross walk; it is safe, but you still want to look both ways prior to stepping out into the street! I prefer to avoid any sort of poisoning be it mild or severe. Please consider the following tips, prior to harvesting wild edibles:
First, knowledge is power! The best way to stay safe is through good old-fashioned education! The internet is a valuable tool for this. Using the internet, you can track down a wild crafter in your area and take an informative class! I recommend any hands-on workshop because it enables you to retain information longer. During one edible foods workshop I was taught that taking a few minutes to study each wild edible would help me remember it forever. I sat down with a dandelion and began to notice how many leaves it had, what shape the leaves were, and if it had any marking or discolorations. After this exercise, I will never have any doubts about what a dandelion looks like!
Another way to educate yourself about wild edibles is to purchase a good book on the subject. I have purchased many books published on this topic and have been disappointed with most of them due to the poor quality of their photos and confusing descriptions. When buying a book, make sure the one you settle on has clear, color photographs. It is also wise to think about book size because ideally, you want a book compact enough to take with you when you go hiking.
Lastly, you can use the internet to help you identify plants. If I find a plant I am unfamiliar with, I will take a picture so that I can do an internet search when I get home. Because the plants' name is still unknown, I describe what it looks like to the internet search engine (five purple petals, two green leaves, etc). As an added precaution, I might mention the geographical area in which I found the plant (mountains, desert, by a lake, Northern California, Southern Oregon, etc). When I hit the "search" button it generates thousands of possible matches. I look through the images until I find one that resembles my picture. From this search I get a name, "wild violet." Now I can look up "wild violet" in one of my favorite wild edible books to determine if it is safe to eat!
......................................................................................................................................................source
Lastly, you can use the internet to help you identify plants. If I find a plant I am unfamiliar with, I will take a picture so that I can do an internet search when I get home. Because the plants' name is still unknown, I describe what it looks like to the internet search engine (five purple petals, two green leaves, etc). As an added precaution, I might mention the geographical area in which I found the plant (mountains, desert, by a lake, Northern California, Southern Oregon, etc). When I hit the "search" button it generates thousands of possible matches. I look through the images until I find one that resembles my picture. From this search I get a name, "wild violet." Now I can look up "wild violet" in one of my favorite wild edible books to determine if it is safe to eat!
......................................................................................................................................................source
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