Hey Y’all,
Do you have any questions about wildcrafting or wild edibles and medicinals? Feel free to ask me a question and I’ll take a stab at an answer. Keep in mind that I’m nowhere near an expert, but do have some experience and am willing to do the research. Anyway my information needs to be added to or corrected is certainly welcome. Thanks!
September 5, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Hello Anna,
Let me begin with the maple tree. The sugar, red or silver to be more specific. I would be interested to know what you have been taught in the modern schools about the edibility and medicinal uses of those maples. I have used the maples for many moons with the knowledge past down to me from Native American Elders and I have not yet found someone teaching the complete ways of the maples that I was taught. (In an edible/medicinal form) I know there are others out there who must know and teach them but I have not had the privilege of running across them yet.
Perhaps you could shed some light on this.
Medicine Blessings,
White Wolf
waysofthewildinstitute.com
September 5, 2008 at 1:24 pm
There are wildcrafters is Vermont who pick wild edibles and sell them to the restaurants in the local area. Is this a sustainable practice? I can name 2 that come to mind Les Hook and Nova Kim.
September 6, 2008 at 3:00 am
To respond to White Wolf’s question about the medicinal and edible properties of sugar, red, and silver maples:
Other than learning about maple syrup, your medicinal plant walk is the first I’ve been on where anyone has even mentioned the edible and medicinal properties of maples. If I remember correctly, you told me that you can eat the inner bark (cambium layer where the xylem and phloem move through). The cambium is full of sap (sugars, calories, nutrition).
However, when I did some internet research I found that maple syrup (and I’m guessing the cambium too) is full of minerals (including zinc and iron), vitamins (thiamine, calcium, K), and trace amounts of amino acids. One can cook and eat the maple seeds from their winged samara fruits and also eat the tiny young saplings. What about the leaves?
I was not thrilled with the depth, quality or abundance of info. on maples, nevertheless some good sites to look at are:
Wild Branch Medicinal Maple Syrups in Craftsbury, VT infuses medicinal mushrooms and roots into maple syrup. Pretty cool idea! Their site is http://www.maplemedicinals.com/servlet/StoreFront
Dr. Jim Duke, a forerunner in phytochemical research, has a great Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Database covering plants from all over the world (http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/). He lists silver maples (Acer saccharinum) with astringent properties and red maples (A. rubrum) with vermifuge, tonic and astringent properties, but does not get more specific than that.
This site, http://www.massmaple.org/nutrition.html , gives a great nutrition table for maple syrup, which is probably from sugar maple (A. saccharum). Most maple syrup comes from because of it’s abundance in that particular species (though most maples could be tapped).
The “Plants for a Future Database” also gives medicinal and edible info. for maples: http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Acer+saccharum
Hope this helps!
-Anna
September 6, 2008 at 3:44 pm
You are quite right in that there is very little detailed information on the uses of Maple. The only reason I know what I do is because Meechgalanne and his people used it all the time and this wisdom was passed on to me. I have found very little in the written world that shows the many uses of Maple. I can lay out a few here for you and your viewers to see.
FOOD:
Inner bark can be eaten raw or cooked- full of sugar, zinc, iron, calcium, thiamine, vitamin K, with trace amounts of amino acids and many calories and carbohydrates.
Leaves- young leaves can be eaten raw or lightly steamed. The contain sugars and slight B vitamins.
Seeds- can be shelled and boiled like beans before eaten. The are high in sugars, calories, carbohydrates and small amounts of iron and B vitamins. (very tasty!)
MEDICINE:
Inner bark- (sugar, red and silver) decoction of helps strengthen liver and spleen and takes away pains caused by their imbalances. Soothing and a tonic to the nerves and immune tonic to the whole body.
Inner bark- (sugar) tea for diarrhea, coughs, diuretic, blood purifier, expectorant and insomnia. Also as a new mother muscle toner.
Inner bark- (red) tea for vermifuge action, immune tonic, diarrhea, coughs, drying mucus from lower body.
Inner bark- (silver) tea for diarrhea, coughs, expectorant- externally- wash for wounds, minor rashes, inflammations.
Leaves of any species- boiled and used as a poultice on boils and skin irritations. The leaves of sugar, red and sliver can also be used with the inner bark for the medicinal properties. The leaves alone do not hold the strength of the inner bark but compliment the inner bark properties nicely.
Sap- the sap of the sugar, red and silver is used as a blood cleanser, liver tonic and cleanser, kidney tonic and cleanser.
The steamed leaves and inner bark can be applied over the eyes to sooth sore eyes and eye inflammation.
So these are some of the uses for the sugar, red and silver maples. The box, striped, and rock have different uses.
There is a small bit of further info for you.
Medicine Blessings,
White Wolf
waysofthewildinstitute.com
September 25, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Thank you for this blog!
Couple of requests:
1. Do you know of a list of wildcrafters and / or native american harvesters covering north america?
2. Where I find get wholesale dried skunk cabbage
Much appreciated,
April 9, 2009 at 1:35 pm
To reply to the last question by fresh:
First of all, I want to say sorry for taking so long to reply. This has been a busy year and I’ve been out of the country for several months. Now I’m back and will be writing more posts and replying to comments!
Question !.
I’ve begun to compile a list of people who sell wildcrafted items in the North East of the US. My directory is in process and I have not put it up on the website yet, but keep checking back for updates. This website, which is created by a woman named Sunny Savage in California, is great:
http://wildfoodplants.com/
Go to the resources link and scroll down to find contact info. for wild food plant instructors across the US and other countries.
Question 2.
I don’t yet have an answer for where you can find wholesale dried skunk cabbage, but I’ll keep looking.
Best,
Anna
April 9, 2009 at 1:50 pm
To reply to Jonah’s question:
Yes, there are many wildcrafters in Vermont. Do they collect sustainably? WELL, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HARVEST SUSTAINABLY? That’s what interests me about your question. I don’t know if there is one right or sustainable way to collect wild plants. By getting to know different wildcrafters in New England and beyond I’ve noticed that each wildcrafter has his/her own definition of “ethical harvesting” or “sustainable harvesting”. I’ve had the privilage of meeting Nova Kim and Les Hook. They are two very unique and conscientious folks who have made wildcrafting a way of life and have lot’s of stories and lessons to share about what it means to wildcraft. Check out their website:
http://www.wildgourmetfood.com/
Good question! Thanks Jonah!
October 3, 2009 at 10:18 am
Hello Anna,
I am a wildcrafter in the Upper Delaware River region (NY & PA) and stumbled upon your sight looking for mushroom images with google. I am interested in the sight and will try to return to read things over.
My main reason for writing, though, is to ask if the mushroom/mug sketch is yours; and if it is if you would mind me using it on my handouts for an upcoming mushroom class. I am a self employed herbalist, and I only ask for a donation for my classes. I like to have a class outline and some notes to handout when I do a class. I expect a handful of people from the community to show-up. It is not a big money-maker, just trying to educate the community about medicinals and empower them to use them. The drawing I found with the reishi (looks like), and a couple cap and stem fungi, and a steaming mug is just perfect for the first page of my notes- it says a lot.
Thanks,
Nathaniel
And if I can be of any help to you, in your search to learn about wildcrafting, please let me know.
February 23, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Hi Nathaniel,
I did do the drawing of the mushroom with the mug. Sorry my late reply and permission, but I would love for you to use it in your handout. I just ask that you credit me for the drawing on your handout.
If possible, I’d like to hear more about the classes you teach.
Best,
Anna
November 28, 2010 at 6:20 pm
I live in Victoria BC. Does anyone know of a herbal or wild crafting group I could contact?
February 23, 2011 at 5:39 pm
Hi Julia,
I don’t live in Victoria BC, so I don’t know anyone personally. However, your question did get me doing a little research. The Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association looks like a good resource: http://www.saskherbspice.org/plant-identification-groupMEMBERS.html
Also, Royal Roads University has put out a publication called, “Development of Good Wildcrafting Practices and Wildcrafter Certification for Medicinal Plants,”: http://cle.royalroads.ca/files-cntr/Good%20Wildcrafting%20Practices.pdf Contacting someone from one of these organizations might be a good bet.
Hope this helps!
Anna
July 11, 2011 at 9:36 pm
Do You Have Any Information on the Cloud Mushroom that grows on old dead trees? Edible? Medicinal,etc.
Thanks. Peter.