I live in Western Massachusetts, where fireflies peak just as July 4th fireworks begin. Celebratory explosions that send dogs fleeing from their homes, cause wild animals to abandon their young, kill birds, disorient bees, trigger PTSD in survivors of war and gun violence, and release toxins into our air and water. NO KINGS is something that I will happily celebrate, but I don’t need bombs in the sky to do it.

Subscribe now

Of course, many people I love love fireworks. And as a child I loved them too, just as I loved chasing fireflies. I thought the celebrations and chase were exciting, unaware of the harm they caused.

My partner and I have been renting a house in Heath, Massachusetts for the last two years. We searched for a long-term place near the land we steward, about thirty minutes away, and couldn’t find anything closer. Nearby towns are filled with short-term Airbnb rentals, fracturing community in exchange for quick profit.

When we first climbed the steep rural road in Heath and pulled into the long gravel driveway, a fox trotted across the field ahead of us. The land around the house was lush and wild. I felt an immediate connection. I loved it.

But not long after we arrived, the owner hired a mower to cut the grass weekly. And as he rode his loud diesel mower throughout the yard, he cut wildflowers before they could rise to meet their pollinator companions. It broke my heart.

I asked that the mower please come less and less and the owner agreed. Violets, self-heal, red clover, and daisies began to bloom so I placed barriers around them. When the mower arrived, he circled the barriers with extreme irritation. As time went on, more flowers bloomed and the barriers increased. Eventually, the mower couldn’t do things his way and he stopped coming.

We celebrated.

Now native flowers and grasses grow freely. I see more butterflies, more bees, more birds and more fireflies. What was once lawn is a living meadow.

I have become intimate with this beaitiful place but my partner and I plan to leave Heath at the end of summer. The move has been on the horizon for a while and I worry for this land. I want the fireflies, pollinators and wildflowers to remain here and to thrive. I want the next humans who live here to love them as I do. In one attempt to ensure this, I’m giving the owner signs like the one above. Markers on behalf of the fireflies to say this wildness is in on purpose.

Whenever see someone quietly raking, I want to hug them. Raking is gentle and far more supportive of life than machines like leafblowers. But better yet we can leave the leaves. Fireflies need wildness. Tiny patches of wild or entire fields, with moist soil, leafy understory, and decaying organic matter where their larvae hunt snails and slugs. Horrendous, loud leaf blowers blast away shelter, compact soil, and destroy insect habitat.

Fireflies also need darkness. Too much artificial light scrambles their signals and interrupts mating. Creating bright, sterile environments kills wonder. In many cases, we can do less and experience more awe. And when we do, we might even see fairies.

So tonight, on the eve of the 4th, I will celebrate this place. I will sit in the window seat in wonder, watching the fireflies.

RELATED PIECES IN

wrote and read a gorgeous poem about these “eyes of the woods.”. You can read and listen to her poem here.

’s piece illuminates the joy of getting to know her wild neighbors: humble green beings on the way to her mailbox. You can read and listen here.

Finally, I feel moved to share this poem I wrote in summer, 25 years ago, when I was living in NYC.

LIGHT (East Village NYC, 2000) by Vanessa Chakour

We collected jars filled with fireflies
Bright and beautiful,
they became fairies

dancing together,
they captured our stares and smiles

Until we walked away and
forgot they were there

Not dancing,
but trying to live

And moved to share this…

Share Weeds, Wolves & Wild Women

Brandon and I first met during a talk we gave together at the Miami Book Fair last fall. In winter, we reunited for a discussion with Project Coyote exploring what animal personhood means legally, ethically and morally as we work toward a world of compassionate conservation and coexistence. Now in spring, our conversation continues as we turn our attention to the rhythms of this season and the awakening of our multi-species communities.

As spring unfolds here in the Northeast, birds migrate back, plants emerge, and queen bumblebees wake from their winter slumber in search of food. We humans, too, shed layers of winter as we reconnect with the warming world around us. These seasonal transitions remind us that we are part of the ecosystem, interconnected with the rhythms of the natural world. Brandon and I explored (among other things) how small, mindful actions can nurture the plants and creatures who share our environment; nurturing us at the same time.

We reflected on the beauty and diversity of overlooked places like vacant lots bursting with pollinators, medicinal plants, and wildflowers, many of them so-called "weeds," like dandelions that hold immense ecological value, inviting us to question why certain plants and animals are maligned.

Because we experienced some technical issues early on (thanks to the old, glitchy phone I refuse to replace), I’m sharing some clips here instead of the full recording.

In the following clip, Brandon shares poignant reflections on bumblebees dreaming atop aster blossoms during their final moments; a beautiful image that inspires deeper thought about the richness of their experiences and the fleeting beauty of their lives.

Here’s one more where some practical tips surfaced like using Acopian Bird Savers to prevent window collisions and adopting humane approaches for small mammals during their baby season.

Here is the rest of what Brandon was sharing above that was cut off:

“Her name is Kathy Pollard, and she lives here in Eastern Maine. She is of mixed Cherokee and Western European ancestry, and a very important part of her cultural sense of self and the values she was raised with is thinking of all animals as persons.

In the gardening and planting she does, she’ll discourage little furry things from chewing on shoots by putting fallen pine branches around newly planted plants—the scent and texture discourage chipmunks and groundhogs from getting in there. She also accepts that some amount of what she's planting will be eaten by other creatures. She talked about how, traditionally, Indigenous nations here would design their gardens so that the outer parts were for deer, and the interior parts were for humans. That vision of sharing and planting for all species is central to her practice.

Much of what she does now is planting native fruit and nut trees, tending areas owned by land trusts, and making them into food gardens for animals. It’s such a beautiful way of being in the world.”

Other tips that emerged in our conversation include planting early spring flowers to support bumblebees and celebrating the underappreciated beauty of early successional landscapes, highlighting their vital ecological roles alongside mature forests.

Reflections like these remind us of the importance of staying attuned to seasonal rhythms and finding ways to coexist compassionately with the many species who enrich our lives and who share our earthly home.

Who are you seeing outside in your local ecosystem?

Leave a comment

Coincidentally, and of The Next Big Idea Club shared my book, Earthly Bodies, and Brandon’s book, Meet The Neighbors in today’s post: “8 Books To Help You Unplug, Unwind, and Get a Little Wild: From building cabins to befriending deer, these thought-provoking reads celebrate the healing, humbling, and awe-inspiring power of the natural world.”

If you appreciated this post and conversation, you might also like these spring themed pieces: Wild Rituals, Migration, Spring Ephermals, and Rising With Spring. 🌱

Predatory villains in tales like Little Red Riding Hood and metaphors for evil in Christian literature, wolves have seeped into our consciousness as inherently bad, vicious, and violent. But this is not true. These majestic animals are essential ecological stewards that live in tight knit, well-organized, loving families. When wolves hunt, they kill sick, weak and injured animals and support other species with their leftovers — coyotes, grizzly bears, black bears, and eagles have all been seen dining on wolf kills. Some historians believe that humans learned to hunt by watching and imitating wolves and that at some points in history, we had a mutually beneficial relationship, helping each other survive. These canine relatives roamed the Americas over 700,000 years ago, long before humans set foot on the soil.

My latest book, Earthly Bodies: Embracing Animal Nature begins with wolves. The four sections of the book—enclosures, rehabilitation, soft release, and homing—follow the arc of an injured animal’s return to nature and home. And, in our case, a more embodied, instinctual self. A self that heeds circadian rhythms, embraces pleasure, maintains necessary boundaries and is able to express anger instead of bottling it up inside.

Aggression toward our animal bodies and animal kin is routine. Just as many of us have been conditioned to suppress our desires and instincts, wolves have been demonized for their natural behaviors.

Tragically, as many of us celebrate the true nature of wolves and work their behalf, it is hunting season in Montana, Wisconsin, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. For years, Montana imposed strict quotas limiting the number of wolves hunters could kill in the two districts north of Yellowstone. But during the ecologically disastrous Trump years those restrictions were lifted, allowing wolf-killing by cruel and archaic means: use of traps and snares, unlimited quotas, extended hunting and trapping seasons. And today it is not any better. The Biden Administration is seeking to remove federal protections for wolves. Even after the horrific wolf torture earlier this year, Wyoming is looking to codify running over wolves with snowmobiles into law. In Idaho, night time hunting, aerial gunning and killing pups in dens is allowed. Idaho also designated $200,000 to “cover expenses incurred” by private individuals while killing wolves—essentially reinstating a bounty on the keystone species.

If you’re overwhelmed by all of this like I am, I recommend Project Coyote’s resources that clearly state what you can do.

This was Project Coyote founder, Camilla Fox’s favorite quote from Earthly Bodies which she read at a recent webinar:

As our cultural landscape undergoes seismic shifts— injustice reckoned with, true history uncovered, and outdated myths composted— it is time to do away with the ridiculous myth of the Big Bad Wolf. Few animals are as misunderstood and misrepresented as the wolf, but wolves are very much like us: intelligent, family oriented, loyal. Although, unlike wolves, we have become a threat to the natural world from which we evolved. We might also need to examine our limiting, sometimes cruel inner dialogue, which encloses our own lives, and begin the work of rewriting stories. It’s not just our experience that informs our mental and physical health but what we have come to believe.

Framing nature as "other," alienates us from our planet, our home, leading us to lose touch with our interdependent roots.

Instead, we might weave the wisdom of the wild into the fabric of our human lives; transforming irrational fears of animals like wolves into respect, and transforming feelings of isolation into the reality of interconnectedness. When we separate ourselves from the wild, we diminish our own wholeness; silencing howls that ache to be heard.

By understanding and empathizing with wolves, we can challenge harmful stereotypes, stop trying to control the wild and maybe even embrace our own animal nature.

When we learn to speak the language of Earth, howling is not a threat, but a song of belonging. 

Two of my recent book events included a howl, inspired by my description of howling with wolves at the Wolf Conservation Center which I wrote about in my book. My friend Katrina led a group howl at my book launch (pictured here), and Sy Montgomery suggested a howl at our recent event with Toadstool Books in New Hampshire. It seems that the idea of a group howl has a certain appeal! As Sy said, "Maybe consider always leading a group howl in bookstores, to attract folks to the reading? That was fabulous!" So, if you come to one of my events, be prepared to howl.

SOME RESOURCES:

Non-profit Organizations:
Project Coyote
Wolf Conservation Center
Defenders Of Wildlife

Films:
Medicine Of The Wolf by Julia Huffman
Never Cry Wolf based on the book by Farley Mowat
Nat Geo series about Artic Wolves

Books:
Wolfish, by Erica Berry
Never Cry Wolf, by Farley Mowat
Women Who Run With The Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Visual Art:
This shadow puppet show written and performed by artists Sonya Nina Montenegro of The Far Woods always brings me to tears. Nina and Sonya are part of a new Wild Voices Collective a new iniative that will launch later this year.

Share Weeds, Wolves & Wild Women

Leave a comment

Terry Tempest Williams wrote a beautiful tribute in a recent Instagram Post:

”For 28 years she has brought wild dignity, great presence, and immeasurable joy to throngs of people who were lucky enough to witness her beauty against the backdrop of the Tetons — She has birthed generations of blessed cubs who now populate the Greater Yellowstone — Each year, we said our prayers that she might return from her winter den each spring with new vitality and she did. Bless her singular spirit, how she kept her cubs in public view as a form of survival. We have lost a dear friend.”

Her loss is a profound one, not just for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, but for all who love and appreciate the wild.

Elizabeth Leiter, Director of 399: Queen of the Tetons wrote this:

”399’s celebrity made her controversial. Yet, what she truly did was hold up a mirror, reflecting our own emotions, needs, and follies. Through all the intense feelings she inspired about her species, she taught us so much about our own.

399 never knew about the film, or her fame, or the fight over grizzlies that she came to symbolize. She just kept living her life. I have such deep respect for her and owe her a debt of gratitude. Making this film about her life changed mine forever.”

The tragic death of Grizzly 399 is a stark reminder of the toll our roads take on wildlife. Countless animals meet their end on highways that sever vital habitats. I am not only mourning her loss but the stress of forests ecosystems interrupted by dangerous highways. I am mourning all of the wild neighbors I see dead on the road. Like Grizzly 399, I want to name and honor each one. I want to honor the preciousness of their lives, to have a place to put the constant sadness and trauma from seeing dead bodies on the road. What does it do to our emotional landscape to simply drive by?

A few years ago I began to name each animal I saw on the road and imagine their stories. I have journals filled with Stanley the opossum trying to make it to his beloved across the street, Ophelia the young porcupine who was just starting to explore the world, Wisdom the vixen who had seen so much her kits will never know, and on and on and on. It got overwhelming. My notebook is bursting with their names. Someday, I’ll create a book in their honor.

Today, I imagine a letter to Grizzly 399 from her one-year-old cub:

Dear Mama Bear,

I miss you so much. I miss your warm fur, your loving nudges, your comforting presence. I miss the way you guided me through the forest, protecting me and teaching me the secrets of survival.

Now that you’re gone, I feel so scared, so lost. I hope to grow strong and brave, just like you. I promise to keep your spirit alive.

With all of my love,

Your cub

As we mourn the loss of Grizzly 399, let's honor her legacy by advocating for wildlife crossings. A wildlife crossing dedicated to Grizzly 399 would be a fitting tribute to her life and a testament to healing fractured landscapes.

Wildlands Network is an incredible organization and a great resource to help you advocate for wildlife crossings in your area: https://www.wildlandsnetwork.org/

Leave a comment

Share

Imagine walking into a quiet forest where you are safe, sheltered by ancient pine trees. Sunlight streams through their needle-covered branches and the air is filled with their earthy, resinous scent. You breathe them in and offer breath in return. Now, if you have a moment, close your eyes and picture it all over again. How do you feel?

With a spiraling growth of branches, needles, and cone scales, pine offers year-round medicine that can clear our lungs, strengthen our immunity, relieve our stress, and cleanse our environment. An evergreen, pine has the ability to transform the energy of the sun year-round and invites us into the present moment through our exchange of breath.

Pine trees have a long and rich history, with their symbolism and medicinal properties deeply embedded in cultures around the world. In the Celtic “tree alphabet” known as Ogham, alim is pine or conifer and is associated with contemplation, finding one’s purpose, and finding home. To Haudenosaunee First Nations, white pine is the Great Tree of Peace, representing harmony and unity.

By keeping their leaves through the winter, pine forests are an oasis for wildlife, providing food and shelter for animals that face increased scarcity in cold, harsh weather. Owls, squirrels, and other animals find shelter in their sturdy trunks and branches, while deer and bears browse on their bark. Pine pollen, carried by the wind, helps fertilize other plants toward the continued health of forests for generations to come.

Beyond their symbolic and ecological significance, pine trees offer a wealth of physical benefits. Their needle-like leaves release volatile organic compounds called phytoncides, which have been shown to boost our immune systems and reduce stress levels. One study found that inhaling phytoncides from forests significantly decreases blood pressure, heart rate, and salivary cortisol levels; markers of stress and anxiety. This is attributed to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and a "rest and digest" response.1 Further research by Seo et al. (2014) using electroencephalography found that alpha waves, associated with calmness and meditation, increased in the brains of subjects exposed to pine scent, suggesting enhanced relaxation and stress reduction.2

I like to collect branches and needles of White Pine (Pinus strobus) from the forest floor after strong winds or a storm. A tincture or fresh tea from young green pine needles is extremely high in vitamin C, perfect for fighting the common cold or to boost our immune systems in winter. The needles and twigs can be used for a revitalizing, clearing steam for congestion or a warming circulatory-stimulant bath for a winter chill or general aches and pains.

Every species of Pinus contains edible seeds that we call pine nuts. Harvested from cones, they can be used as a wildcrafted ingredient in pesto, but the seeds of most species are small and take time and patience to shell. Red squirrels love them and are skilled at shelling, and as they feast on them, they help spread the seeds. Their nickname, “pine squirrels,” reflects their strong symbiotic relationship and devotion to these evergreens.

In environments where fires are frequent, some pine species have evolved thick, hard, serotinous cones that are glued shut with a strong resin. They hang on a pine tree for years, long after the enclosed seeds mature. Only when a fire sweeps through and melts the resin do these heat-dependent cones open up, releasing seeds in huge numbers that are then distributed by wind and wildlife to repopulate desolate ground. While these seeds have adapted to fire to break their dormancy, unnaturally severe fires are destroying forests, even those where controlled fire existed historically. 

Pine trees are thought to have evolved from now-extinct ancient evergreens about 95 million years ago. They were on this planet long before we were and there is much we can learn by spending time with these elders that can live for thousands of years. Estimated to be 5,067 years old, a Great Basin bristlecone pine in California's White Mountains is the oldest living tree on Earth.

Symbols of strength, wisdom, and interconnectedness, pine trees offer us a wealth of benefits, from their medicinal properties to their role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Planting new trees, supporting sustainable forestry practices, and preserving existing forests are all important actions we can take to ensure the survival of forest ecosystems, and this generous ancient relative.

White Pine Elixir:

Designed to clear the lungs, boost immunity, and soothe your animal body, the recipe below is a potent blend of fresh pine needles, warming spices, and citrusy honey. If you drink whiskey and like a hot toddy, this is crazy good as a base.

Read more

These misunderstood mammals have been associated with witchcraft and demons in European art and fables for centuries. They have gotten a bad reputation in everything from horror movies, to vampire lore, creepy Halloween decorations and have been blamed for the spread of disease. But by eating mosquitoes that spread diseases like West Nile virus, zika, and malaria, bats help more than they could possibly harm. In some areas where bat populations have collapsed, the number of mosquitoes have exploded along with rates of the diseases the insects carry. Plus, the majority of disease spillover from bats is due to human behavior1

The truly scary (and absolutely tragic) thing is that nearly 40% of the bats living in the U.S. and Canada are endangered or are candidates for listing, and nearly one third of all bat species worldwide are vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered or ‘data deficient’. Their steep population decline is largely the result of our destructive and mythmaking species. Habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, wind turbines, fungal diseases2, spooky fables, and human ignorance have all led to the demise of the misunderstood, adorable (I think so, at least) and ecologically vital bat. These creatures play important roles in the ecosystems all over the world and beyond that, simply deserve that right to exist in peace whether they benefit us or not. 

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to promote a more positive image of bats. Bat conservation organizations like Bat Conservation International are working to educate the public about the important role that bats play in the environment while trying to dispel myths and misconceptions that have led to their persecution.

So, the next time you see a ‘spooky’ Halloween decoration like one of the many unfortunate plastic bats, take a moment to appreciate the adorable living creatures. We can help bats by sharing their true stories and taking steps to reduce our impact on their habitats. We can plant bat-friendly plants, avoid using pesticides, and support organizations that are working on their behalf. Bats are not to be feared, but admired and protected.

Share Weeds, Wolves & Wild Women

Holistic herbalism is not a “this for that” approach to medicine (take this plant for that symptom) or a tool to eliminate acute discomfort, though that can be done; it is preventative medicine and a daily, ever-evolving practice of self-care. For me, the most powerful aspects of the practice are working in direct relationship with the land while learning more and more about the incredible ecosystem of my body.

In a holistic view of health, we look at the whole picture of ourselves in relation to our environment. If we ignore the basics of good sleep, nourishing food, hydration, way of life, or tending to our emotional landscapes, then plants can only do so much. Treating symptoms without changing habits that deplete us is not a holistic approach to healing.

Awareness is the first step. I like to use these 4 categories as a basis for exploration:  the inner landscape, way of life, the outer environment, and heredity. Here’s a brief overview of each one:

Inner Landscape:  These are things that no one else can see or ever truly know. This includes your emotional body, soul-self, belief systems, and personal stories.

Way of Life:  Do your activities support or diminish your well-being? Do you walk in the park regularly or stress-scroll through Instagram? Do you get adequate sleep? Do you move your body? Take time to just be? Are you eating nourishing foods?

Outer Environment: How do your surroundings impact your well-being. For example: Who surrounds you? Do you have a healthy relationships and a relationship with Mother Earth? Are you aware of the plants and trees nearby? How do you feel in your home?

Heredity: What physical proclivities, belief systems, and possible trauma have you inherited? What is yours and what isn’t? Begin to untangle the web.

Here is one way to explore each of these categories:

Go through each list and subtract something that depletes you. In it’s place, add something that nourishes you. For example, you could replace the time you might spend on social media today with a stroll in your local park or forest. And then do it again tomorrow, and the next day.

When we become aware of our inner dialogue, notice the way we relate to the world around us, and recognize stories we have inherited from our families and culture at large, we empower ourselves with self-knowledge. We can look at where there is excess and where there is deficiency in each area of our lives and begin to create balance. And it is from this space of self-awareness that the plants can be true allies and collaborators in healing.

Share

I’m working on my forthcoming book and writing on behalf of other animals in La Ceiba Nature Preserve, a lush primary forest that plays a key role in the reintroduction of animals rehabilitated by The Jaguar Rescue Center. Primary forest is classified as an area where there are no visible signs of human activity. Thus, this mature and untouched forest is the ideal place to locally release many of the animals that arrive at the JRC. Since 2018, The Jaguar Rescue Center has achieved 368 successful wildlife releases within La Ceiba. I’m very lucky to be here, too.

The JRC's continuous monitoring of released animals - using field cameras placed in strategic locations - has revealed the presence of other species unique to pristine forests like La Ceiba including the endangered Puma (Puma concolor),the Central American Bushmaster (Lachesis stenophry), and my new friend, the Spider Monkey. 

Geoffroy’s Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) have evolved to be the biggest, strongest and most intelligent of all the Central and South American monkeys. Apparently (according to humans’ measure of intelligence) they are considered the third most intelligent non-human primate after orangutans and chimpanzees. Though I often wonder how intelligent humans really are. We are the only species destroying ecosystems that we and other species depend upon to survive.

Because of our so-called intelligent, destructive species, spider monkeys are the most threatened monkey in their native land. The IUCN estimates population declines of 50 or 80 percent in some spider monkey species in just over three generations. This is partly due to their slow reproductive rate of roughly 225 days (every 2 to 3 years) and their highly frugivorous diet. Since fruit is harder to find than leaves, they need larger territories than their relatives and are less able to adapt to land fragmentation. Almost entirely arboreal, a spider monkey’s fate is intertwined with the fate of the rainforest. In order to protect spider monkeys, we need to protect primary rainforests like La Ceiba. Their survival depends on it. 

In addition to their ecological needs, spider monkeys are also subject to hunting and the growing illegal wildlife trade. Just last week someone was found in Texas with 7 spider monkey babies in their backpack. Throughout their history, the Jaguar Rescue Center has cared for more than 5,000 animals, many of them confiscated illegal pets. Spider monkeys among them.1

The bottom line is that we can’t protect animals without protecting their habitat. There are few primary forests left, La Ceiba among them. Protecting living landscapes like La Ceiba — part of the Talamanca Biological Corridor2 — is vital to combat climate change and preserve the natural habitat of thousands of species.

The loss of rainforest ecosystems affects everyone.3 When we destroy rainforests for big homes, vacation Airbnbs, more coveted wood or trinkets or more space to grow tropical fruits we like, we destroy ourselves.

So what can we do?

• Know where your food and produce comes from and how it was cultivated and grown. Non-organic produce like bananas (banana expansion was responsible for deforestation of over 50,000 hectares of primary and secondary forest in Costa Rica's nearby Limon Province) and pineapple cause incredible destruction. Every action has a reaction. We make an impact with every choice we make. Whenever you can, buy local, join a local CSA or better yet, grow your own produce or join/create a community garden if you live in an urban area. 
  

• Support the Jaguar Rescue Center in their efforts to purchase land for the animals. They are working to make this objective more clear on their website but for now, you can read more about it here and donate here. If you have a larger donation contact: info@jaguarrescue.foundation
  

• If you have connections to potential corporate sponsors, please let me or the Jaguar Rescue Center know. Their work is getting harder and harder as this area becomes more popular. 
  

• Share this post and spread the word.

Share

I got to know Encar — a primatologist and founder of the JRC — after studying plant medicine in Costa Rica and running Sacred Warrior Rewilding Retreats in collaboration with local teachers. The Jaguar Rescue Center was always an essential (and favorite) destination. Encar and I became close friends over the years and after a 4 year hiatus from Costa Rica, I’ve finally returned. This time to help (or more accurately, to learn how to help) with orphaned howler monkeys and to finish my book — a hybrid memoir told through the lens of other animals. Right now, I am revising my chapter about ‘fitting in.’ It features howlers and Saske’s tender and ongoing story has made it’s way into the book.

Saske was rescued by Encar when he was about 4 months old. He was found in the outskirts of the jungle alone with his hand cut off by a machete. It’s unclear whether his injury was accidental or was done on purpose. Whatever the reason, he was by himself, in incredible distress and in need of care.

After being rushed to the JRC hospital where his wounds were treated, Encar visited him as he healed to give him motherly love and attention. “A lot of rehabbers forget that love is everything when it comes to healing their trauma,” she told me. “Monkeys need to feel a sense of safety. They need living, breathing, loving contact. Physical contact is the key between survival and death.”

In the wild, howler babies receive constant support — food, love, touch and the education they need to survive on their own. Howler mothers only have one baby at a time and take great care of their young. Babies nurse and stay close for years, needing ongoing tenderness and care. So much so that when howler mothers are mortally wounded, baby howlers - unless adopted by a nurturing mom like Encar — rarely survive

As Saske healed at the hospital, he became friends with another howler monkey and when he and his friend were well enough, they were moved to the spacious monkey tower at the JRC rehabilitation center. Once there, they continued to recieve loving care and after a year in the tower, they were ready to spend time in the main howler pre-release enclosure at the JRC. In afternoons, the howlers enjoyed field trips to the jungle to climb trees, encounter their wild relatives and remember how it feels to be free.

Doing relatively well despite his injury, Saske moved on to the next stage: a pre-release enclosure in La Ceiba primary growth rainforest. He was moved with his best friend, a female howler, and after a week and half when they seemed ready, the JRC staff opened the door and released them. But it didnt go well for Saske. He was attacked by other monkeys who chased him to the end of a branch and forced to jump, he fractured his leg was rushed to the JRC hospital once again. “We tried,” Encar told me. “He wanted to go back out into the forest and have his own troupe but it was too dangerous. He doesn’t have the same opportunities in the wild with no hand" Marginalized by his injuries, Saske found it difficult to find safety and community in a wild troupe that would accept him. 

"He is kind of a sad monkey," a volunteer at the JRC told me. “Sometimes it seems as though he connects and relates more to other animals — animals unlike him.” I imagine there is an ache for belonging in him but maybe his disability has also opened doors and offered him a life as a helper to other rescued monkeys. Not accepted into a wild troupe at La Ceiba (yet), he has opened himself up to friendship with animals — human and non-human — beyond his monkey kin.

Today, he has a good life at the JRC. Roaming free, he spends time with his former group — his first family — at the rehabiltation center where he’s served fresh organic fruit and veggies. Sometimes he hangs out other animals and with wild howlers, his new friends, who live closeby.”He knows he needs help because of his disability,” Encar tells me, “but his spirit is still wild and free.”

More about Saske’s species — Alouatta caraya — black howler monkey:
The black howler monkey’s cry can be heard for up to three miles, making the loudest vocal sounds of any land mammal. Male howlers call at dusk and dawn and throughout the day to create space in trees, come closer together, announce a nearby intruder, or warn another group member to stay away from their mate. Howler monkey troupes may include up to fifteen adult males and females with a dominant male and dominant female who helps him lead the group and keep everyone in order. While their voice can be intimidating, these primates are peaceful leaf-eaters who spend most of their lives swinging between trees. When young monkeys reach maturity, the troupe makes them go out on their own. During this period, the lone monkey wanders the jungle until they find another group willing to take them in.

A few guidelines on harvesting plants:

• Make sure the plant you’re harvesting is who you think they are. It’s helpful to learn about, and work with a just few plants, or even one plant at a time to build relationships and become confident about identification.

• Be mindful, and don’t harvest so many plants that you threaten the continuation of that particular population.

• Avoid gathering near roads, power lines, or areas that may have been exposed to fertilizers, chemicals, pesticides, or other forms of chemical pollution.

• Gather your herbs with respect and gratitude to the plants and to the environments they grow in. Survey the environment to make sure there’s enough so they will continue to grow and feed the wild creatures that depend on them.For more about this,check out to my post about asking permission.

Thanks for watching and reading! I’ve been a little shy about sharing videos and slowly getting more comfortable on camera. They’ll get better!

Too often humans see nature as a resource and ask: What can this plant do for me? What are they good for? What do they do? and forget to ask who they are, what role they play in the ecosystem, and how many of their species are left. Whether or not you believe a plant with answer you back or that you’ll receive an intuitive ‘yes’ or ‘no’, asking permission slows us down to reflect on the fact that we’re disrupting a life. A valuable lesson in this day and age of mass-consumption. 

Today, May 19th, is Endangered Species Day. When thinking about endangered species we often think about animals like red wolves or birds like condors but many plants are endangered, too. According to The Center to Biological Diversity, the IUCN has evaluated only 12,914 of the more than 300,000 known plant species and found that roughly 68 percent of evaluated plant species are threatened with extinction. We need to know where our plant medicine comes from, how it was harvested, and learn to identify and protect at-risk plants where we live before they are gone. 

I spoke on behalf of endangered medicinal plants at Harvard a few weeks ago.  The title of my talk was: “Taken Without Permission: Medicinal Plants and Fungi on the Brink of Extinction and Remembering Reverence for Earth.” Young me would be proud. As a child growing up in Western Massachusetts, the woods were my sanctuary and playground. I was in love with nature and when I learned that humans could be so destructive and cruel, I wanted to work and speak on her behalf.

Part of this life-long effort evolved into Mount Owen Forest Sanctuary. A nature refuge founded with my partner to promote ecosystem diversity and resilience through forest stewardship and propagation of native and endangered plants and fungi. To accomplish our goals and foster an ethic of regenerative land stewardship, we provide hands-on learning, offer forest steward membership and pursue grants to protect and regenerate the woodlands.

Here are a few of the at-risk species we have either found or are cultivating at Mount Owen. If you live in the United States, they may be growing in woodlands near you, too:

BLOODROOT Sanguinaria canadensis

GOLDENSEAL Hydrastis canadensis

AMERICAN GINSENG Panax quinquefolius

TRILLIUM Trillium Spp

BLACK COHOSH Actaea racemosa

BLUE COHOSH Caulophyllum thalictroides

SOLOMON’S SEAL Polygonatum spp.

We evolved from plants, they make it possible for us to be here. Our health and well being is interdependent - they depend on us not to harm them, and now, in many cases, to protect them. I imagine that endangered or threatened species like trillium, goldenseal or red wolves would not want us to despair too long about their dwindling numbers, but instead to remember and feel the beauty of our interconnection. If we are moved enough by the magic and reality of our coexistence, we might be compelled into action before it’s too late, becoming part of their survival.

If you’d like to be on the list for upcoming events and support our mission at Mount Owen Forest Sanctuary, you can make a donation via our website and contact us here.

Here are a couple spring ephemerals we’ll explore during our online plant walk for paid subscribers at 11am EST tomorrow.

Red Trillium (Trillium erectum)

Throughout most of Trillium’s extensive range, they are classified as an endangered or vulnerable species. Trillium is a slow-growing plant whose seeds take two years to germinate, three years to grow the first leaf, and up to 15 years before flowering. And though the flowers are beautiful, picking them may result in the plant’s early death or if the flowerless plants do survive, picking the blossoms may render them unable to flower for many years. When able to establish themselves without interruption, these beautiful plants can live for up to 30 years. 

Ramps (Allium tricoccum)

Ramps are long-lived perennials, taking at least seven years to produce seed. The combination of the rare, limited availability of these plants and the brief window in which they’re available makes them highly coveted. But sadly, many patches are now extinct because of unsustainable harvesting. United Plant Savers has placed ramps on their “to-watch” list.

Since most people harvest the entire plant, including the bulb, the older plants will not be around to generate more seed and repopulate the area.

If you find a healthy and abundant stand of wild ramps, one way to harvest with the least damage is to gather just one leaf (the leaves are also really flavorful) and leave the bulb. This will allow the plant to continue photosynthesizing and feed the bulb so that the plant might produce a flower and seeds. Removing all the leaves will make the bulbs go dormant, unable to complete their life cycle.

While spring ephermals come and go, edible and medicinal plants such as garlic mustard (pictured above) appear in abundance. These plants are can be harvested instead of ‘at risk’ plants like ramps. We’ll discuss some abdundant plants like dandelion, cleavers, nettles and chickweed during the plant walk as well, and discuss safe and ethical wildcrafting.

If you’re not a paid subscriber and would like to join tomorrow’s online walk, it’s not too late to upgrade to a paid subscription. If you do, you’ll be helping to keep this newsletter going and have access to future plant walks and live talks. I hope to see you there!

.

We are vulnerable when we sleep and when we are alone at night every sound can become amplified, our primal senses may be on alert; the strange banging in the radiator, a creak in the staircase, and the rattle of the wind that was a pleasant breeze during the day suddenly seems menacing. Each sound may make our nerves stand on end, trigger our fight‑or‑flight response, and cause tension. Whatever the cause, skullcap can calm the feeling of hypervigilance and extreme sensitivity to external influences that can become a pattern of response in our body. If left unchecked, the tension that is created can take on a life of its own. 

Chinese skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) has a high level of melatonin, a hormone made by the pineal gland that regulates our sleep/wake cycles and can help reset our circadian rhythm. Melatonin aligns us with the seasons with higher levels in long nights of autumn and winter, and lower levels in the light of spring and summer. For animals like wolves, the hormone is essential in the timing of reproduction and their growing and shedding of fur. Without melatonin, they are not equipped to survive in the wild.

My in-person herbalism classes often begin by passing a mystery tea, tincture or plant around (a single, safe plant), then tuning into our bodies, listening, and journaling: 

What am I feeling in my body? Is the herb bitter, sweet, salty, sour, astringent or pungent? What is the mouth-feel? Does the plant feel drying, moistening? Warming or cooling? Stimulating or sedating? Loosening or contracting? Is it helping my mind focus or do my thoughts seem more expansive? 

I’m interested in what students feel and perceive when they interact with plants. The exercise is also a practice of deep listening; learning to trust our bodies and our experience.

I am always fascinated by what students write and share and it thrills me when their experiences and notes are similar. This is empirical evidence and over time, students learn to listen to subtleties and tune in when their bodies are whispering to them. Without knowing what it is, Skullcap is a plant that many have a profound reactions to. Students write and share: “I feel more focused, more calm, I think this is a nervine.”

Whenever possible we spend time with the plant in their habitat, too. Whether an herb garden, or forest edge, we get quiet and observe: Where does the plant grow? Do they prefer sun or shade? Are the leaves moist, slimy and flexible or do they crumble in my hands? Do I see pollinators? Companion plants? What might they be trying to defend themselves against? This not only helps us understand the plant and their medicine, but it also trains our attention to detail and deepens intimacy with nature.

WHERE AND HOW DOES SKULLCAP GROW?
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) is native to the eastern United States. A perennial in the mint family, Skullcap grows up to 3 feet tall and can be found in moist woodland areas throughout North America. The blue flowers usually bloom in July and are open through September

WILDCRAFTING & MEDICINE MAKING:
A mint-family plant, skullcap is easy to grow in your herb garden. But if you find a strong stand of skullcap in the wild, you can gather aboveground parts including the stems, leaves, while the plant is in flower. I mainly prepare skullcap as fresh plant tincture, soon after gathering.

MAKING TINCTURE
The best tinctures are made from fresh plant material. Tear or chop the plant material to extract as much medicine as possible (except flowers and delicate plants). Fill a glass jar 2/3-3/4 of the way to top with the plant material. You want to make sure the plant material is completely covered by the liquid. Then fill the jar to the top with 80 or 100-proof vodka, vinegar (ideally raw, organic apple cider vinegar), or the spirit of your choice. Cap the jar tightly. Label the jar with the name of the plant, the part of the plant used, the type of the spirit used, and the date. Top up the liquid level the next day. Let it sit for six weeks or more so that you have a potent medicine. Decant the tincture by carefully pouring the liquid into tinted tincture bottles and composting the plant material. Then it is ready to use. If you’re compelled to buy Skullcap tincture now, Herb Pharm is a good resource for responsibly-made tincture. Consult your local herbalist for dosage.

USE AS A TEA
Skullcap is also effective as a tea. Some students have found that the tea is slightly more sedating than the tincture and helpful to drink a half an hour or so before bedtime. I’ve found that a blend of dried skullcap and passionflower work well together. My favorite nervine blend is skullcap, passionflower and oatstraw.

Have you worked with Skullcap? If so, I’d love to hear your stories. Please share in the comment section. And if you’d like to learn more about medicinal plants, join me for an online plant walk on April 8th. Seasonal plant walks are free for ‘Weeds, Wolves & Wild Women’ supporters at the $50+ level. 🌱

St. John’s wort is a healing ally for those who have fought too hard and too long and who are mentally, physically, or emotionally bruised. John Gerard, author of The Herball, or Generall historie of plantes, wrote in 1597 that St. John’s wort is “a most precious remedy for deep wounds,” as the plant’s antimicrobial properties help to disinfect wounds, reduce inflammation, and heal from the deepest part and out toward the periphery. This usage led to the English nickname “balm of the warrior’s wound.”

St. John’s wort works to restore and repair overstimulated and burnt- out nervous systems. The infused oil (the red oil in the background of this collage) alleviates pain and can be rubbed into the skin to ease conditions ranging from sore muscles, pinched nerves like sciatica to overall damage to the nervous system, whether through injury or viral infection.

The bright yellow flowers bloom at the peak of summer when the days are longest, and as treatment for seasonal affective disorder and depression, this plant literally lets more sunshine in. If we were to take one of the plant’s leaves and hold it up to the sunlight, we could see small window- like holes that let light shine through, and if we were to crush a blossom between our fingers, the yellow flower would exude a bloodred stain.

At first, boxing was incredibly cathartic, I blossomed and healed, pushing beyond perceived limitations of my body. I was building confidence, revising my long-standing narrative of the physically deficient asthmatic kid and disproving all the mean things I’d said to myself over the years. Like herbalism, boxing felt like a deep remembering. Something I already knew, that needed to be awakened. Martial arts, like yoga, were originally a holistic practice of self-development. And though it’s generally perceived as man’s domain, women are natural warriors and have been for eons.

After a day of training, I was soaked in the bittersweet sweat of anger and fear that I hadn’t even known was lodged inside my body. It was as though I had just swum, fully clothed, in the ocean and every time I peeled those sopping clothes off and carried my heavy, waterlogged bag home on the subway, I felt a little more free. Something in me was being wrung out and revealed, and I couldn’t stop. I was getting good so in the year 2000, living in NYC, I decided to take the sport seriously and train as an amateur fighter and soon, a professional one.

I developed a trick that I learned from one of the many sports psychology books I read: no matter how tired I was, how much was going on in my mind, as I walked up each stair of the two flights into Gleason’s, I left behind each worry, each ounce of exhaustion, each ounce of pain and self-doubt. Once I walked through the door of the gym, I was present and ready to train. This trick was great for the first few years of training as I pushed beyond my insecurities and comfort zones, but I became too good at leaving my feelings — my connection to my body’s signals— behind and I was now ignoring the screams and pleas of my body. By then, I had already tried training southpaw (left-handed) so I could ease the pain on the right side of my body from repetitive movement and hitting the bags too hard, and finally the pain began to affect my performance — meaning that I could be in danger in a fight. What had been healing was starting to become harmful. My body needed a break but my ego wouldn’t let go. The longer I trained, the less my body trusted me.

Today, after many breakups and makeups with boxing, I am slowly getting back into training. Just for fun. But my shoulder isn’t very happy about it. Right now, my shoulder is resting, slathered in John’s Wort oil.

Here’s how to make your own St John’s Wort oil. It’s easy:

• Place dried (or partially dried, fresh herbs) herbs in a dry glass jar. It's important to break up the plant material first as it exposes more of the plant to the oil, making for a better infusion. Flowers can be put in whole. If using dried herbs, it's helpful to warm the oil a bit first. I usually fill the jar 3/4 of the way with fresh herbs and 1/2 with dried.

• Fill the jar almost to the brim with oil (I like to use organic olive oil) as an air gap will promote oxidation and spoilage. Stir the contents (wooden chopsticks are good) until all bubbles have dispersed and cap. This works well for fresh plant material as it allows moisture to escape.

• Infuse on a bright sunny windowsill or in a nice warm spot. Shake and swirl around as much as possible as it’s steeping, particularly during the first couple of weeks, then leave to infuse for another 4-6 weeks.

If you’d like to buy some today, Herb Pharm is a great,reputable resource. You may also want to check with herbalists in your area. St. John’s wort oil tends to be a staple in any apothecary.

Have you worked with St. John’s wort oil? If so, would love to hear your experience. Feel free to share in the comments.

Burdock roots grow deep into the earth to access minerals held in the subsoil, and like all tap roots have a nourishing quality as they act as a storehouse for vital nutrients. A powerful, yet gentle medicine, burdock acts as a blood cleanser, liver support, and prebiotic for our diverse microbiome. The tincture and tea nourish the skin, lymph, kidneys, liver, gallbladder and strengthen immunity. With medicine that nourishes the adrenals, regular consumption burdock root can calm the flight or fight response and help us ground.

Since Burdock is a biennial, the root, the most commonly used part of the plant, is generally harvested in autumn at the end of its first year of growth or in the second spring. By fall of the second year, burdock flowers become brown burrs full of seeds that attach to people and animals passing by. The seeds then plant themselves at the edges of woods, roadsides, in meadows and anywhere the Earth has been disturbed.

Deep roots are not only beneficial for us but for soil evolution, groundwater and streamflow regulation, soil carbon sequestration and moisture content in the lower troposphere. In the wild, burdock grows on injured soil, drawing nutrients from deep underground to replenish the land, offering steady healing. Sadly, most humans still overlook burdock as a weed.1

SOIL & OUR MICROBIOME

One of the constituents found in taproots like burdock is inulin, a prebiotic and rich food source for the diverse microbial ecology of the gut. By consuming foods and herbs rich in inulin, we feed the tiny creatures inside us, so that their populations remain strong and they can assist in the breakdown of our foods to provide optimal absorption. And since rich, healthy soil contributes to the health of our gut microbiome, the process of harvesting burdock root may be medicinal too.

The soil and the human gut are similar ecosystems that follow circadian rhythms and consume, digest, and cycle nutrients for plants or our bodies to absorb. About 100 trillion bacteria compose our microbiome, and one gram of fertile soil contains up to one billion bacteria.2

SKIN DEEP

In herbalism, health issues on the outside speak to problems below the surface. The health of our skin and hair, for example, has everything to do with what is happening inside and one of the best plants we can turn to is burdock root.

Like tiny roots, our head contains millions of hair follicles, most of which are in a constant growing phase. Burdock root contains all the necessary amino acids for building protein that creates hair, along with tannins, essential fatty acids, and vitamins  that strengthen our mane, promote growth and prevent rapid fall. Burdock root oil also helps with scalp irritation issues, dandruff, itchy scalp and is an excellent ally for skin.

Prolonged use of burdock can, over time, improve the metabolism and help to restore the proper channels and functioning of elimination. If the liver, lymph and kidneys are not effectively detoxifying and excreting toxins via the kidneys, then the body will attempt to cleanse itself through our other organ of elimination, skin. Whether this elimination takes on the form of eruptions such as acne or dry inflammations like psoriasis depends on our constitution and the nature of the imbalance. 

BURDOCK INSPIRED REFLECTION & RECIPE:

Roots supply us with the energy of survival, inviting stability and balance into our bodies, our lives and our practices. And when we ground, we calm. We might be mobile, but we need roots nonetheless. Here are a few burdock-inspired questions to explore:

Where do I find stability?

How do I nourish and nurture myself? What gives me sustenance?

What is my relationship to my body? To the body of Earth?

Where do I thrive?

TRY AN HERBAL INFUSION

Herbal infusions provide the body with easy-to-assimilate nutrition. They differ from tea because the plant material is steeped for a longer period of time which allows for all the medicinal constituents, including vitamins and minerals to be liberated from the herb. Regular drinking of infusions over time provides deep nutrition for the body.

This SPRING INFUSION has been my favorite lately. You can check out my post on nettles to learn why I’m drinking them now too, and refer to my post on medicine-making if you’d like more details about making decoctions and more. I’m terrible about measuring things so I’ll put the amount in handfuls. For me a handful is equivalent (compressed) to the volume of an egg. Experiment and use your judgment.

SPRING INFUSION (amount for a half-gallon mason jar)

🌱 Stinging Nettles (handful)

🌱 Burdock Root (if dried, a small handful. If fresh3, simmer it beforehand and pour it over your dried herbs)

🌱 Oatstraw (A small handful. I like to simmer this first and pour over the infusion)

🌱 A pinch of licorice root

🌱 A dash of organic cinnamon or cinnamon chips

TO PREPARE YOUR INFUSION:

Place your herbs into a glass mason jar while you bring water to a near boil. I like to use the half-gallon mason jar so I have an infusion to last me at least a couple of days. Pour the hot water into the jar with your herbs, mix with a wooden spoon, and screw the lid on tight. After a few hours (or even after leaving overnight) strain and squeeze the extra goodness out of the wet herbs through a strainer or cheesecloth and drink the liquid: cold, hot, or at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers and don’t forget to compost the spent herbs.

Enjoy! Share experiences with burdock, insights or questions in the comments. And if you’re interested in hands-on learning with medicinal plants, I invite you to explore my upcoming herbal apprenticeship.

By keeping their leaves through the winter, pine forests are an oasis for wildlife, providing food and shelter for animals that face increased scarcity in cold, harsh weather. Chipmunks and squirrels eat the seeds of pine cones, while deer and bears snack on tree bark. Owls can be heard in the cold winter air hooting from their roosts in old trees. Pine warblers spend most of their time in pine trees, red- tailed hawks nest in pines close to edges and openings in the canopy, and bald eagles may use dead pine trees as lookouts for clear, unobstructed vantage points. For woodpeckers, squirrels, and bats, a hollowed trunk is a protective cavern. 

With a spiraling growth of branches, needles, and cone scales, pine offers year-round medicine that can clear our lungs, strengthen our immunity, and cleanse our environment. A tincture or fresh tea from young green pine needles is extremely high in vitamin C, perfect for fighting the common cold or to boost our immune system in winter. The needles and twigs can be used for a revitalizing, clearing steam for congestion or a warming circulatory- stimulant bath for a winter chill or general aches and pains. I usually collect branches and needles from the forest floor after strong winds or a storm. 

Every species of Pinus contains edible seeds that we call pine nuts. Harvested from cones, they can be used as a wildcrafted ingredient in pesto, but the seeds of most species are small and take time and patience to shell. Red squirrels love them and are skilled at shelling, and as they feast on them, they help spread the seeds. Their nickname, “pine squirrels,” reflects their strong symbiotic relationship and devotion to these evergreens.

Pines are mostly monoecious, meaning the male and female cones are produced by single trees at the same time. The familiar woody, egg- shaped cones are the females that produce seeds, and the male cones, whose elongated, scaly structures grow in clusters and are substantially smaller, produce yellow pollen that has recently been touted as an adaptogenic superfood. In most species, both seeds and pollen collaborate with wind, and studies have shown that pollen can travel hundreds of miles to find receptive females and produce viable seeds. In the case of species like white pine, second- year cones open up in dry weather so gusts of wind can catch and carry them. Pines with large seeds rely more on animal dispersal by birds and furry creatures like the red squirrel. Wet weather just washes seeds away, so these intelligent trees close their cones to protect the seeds when it’s humid or about to rain.

In environments where fires are frequent, some pine species have evolved thick, hard, serotinous cones that are glued shut with a strong resin. They hang on a pine tree for years, long after the enclosed seeds mature. Only when a fire sweeps through and melts the resin do these heat- dependent cones open up, releasing seeds in huge numbers that are then distributed by wind and wildlife to repopulate desolate ground. While these seeds have adapted to fire to break their dormancy, unnaturally severe fires are destroying forests, even those where controlled fire existed historically.

These trees are thought to have evolved from now- extinct ancient evergreens about 95 million years ago. They were on this planet long before we were and there is much we can learn by spending time with these wise elders that can live for thousands of years. Estimated to be 5,067 years old, a Great Basin bristlecone pine in California’s White Mountains may be the oldest living tree on Earth.

Many of us just need to look down and see the beautiful brown wavy lines and other patterns on our golden wood floors to connect with pine trees. White pine is one of the trees most commonly cut to become our floors and each beautiful marking speaks to a moment in their lives. Even after they are gone, trees are still solid ground that supports us. 

Goldenrod’s small yellow sunflowers bloom late summer and into autumn as the days become shorter and nights become longer. They contain the energy of the waning summer sun, offering warmth and light to illuminate dark, damp spaces within our bodies. This plant, whose botanical name is Solidago, comes from the Latin words solidus, meaning “whole,” and ago, meaning “to make.”

Goldenrod is a medicine of transition, balance, wholeness, and integration.

Goldenrod is considered a weed by many in North America and is often blamed for late-summer allergies because they appear with their striking recognizable blossom at the time people begin to sneeze. But goldenrod pollen is too heavy and sticky to be blown far from the flowers that are pollinated by bees, flies, wasps, and butterflies. The inconspicuous culprit for our seasonal allergies is ragweed, with their green camouflaged flowers that bloom at the same time and are pollinated by wind.

Goldenrod tincture and tea are a remedy for the very allergies they often take the blame for, and with powerful diuretic properties, can flush waste from the body by releasing excess water and increasing urine flow. Many of my herbalism students have experienced the plant’s uplifing qualities, sharing that the tincture or tea when used regularly, has helped them through times of darkness. The showy flowers can also be made into a wonderful yellowish-gold dye.

This beautiful North American native has naturalized throughout Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. Perennial wildflowers, they are living torches that grow from rhizomes and rise together in fields, forest edges, and beach dunes, helping us find our way back to clearings as daylight fades. They provide food for the transformation of butterflies, supporting the most species of butterflies and moths year round, and are my favorite flower for life’s inevitable changes.

Mary Oliver writes of goldenrod, “they rise in a stiff sweetness, in the pure peace of giving one's gold away.”

Reishi grows in moist and temperate forests of Asia, Europe, South America, and the United States. The Latin name Ganoderma refers to the mushroom’s ‘shiny skin.’ The mushroom’s common name ‘reishi’ stems from the Japanese (霊芝) which is derived from the Chinese língzhī (灵芝; 靈芝). Regarded as the “herb of spiritual potency,” and the “mushroom of immortality,” língzhī have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2000 years where they are considered one of the most powerful herbs for all-around vitality. The extract has been used to enhance the immune system, reduce stress, protect the liver, improve sleep, strengthen cardiac function, boost energy, treat cancer, and promote longevity.

Reishi has thick skin and is a tough polypore so is typically made into a medicinal tea or tincture, not eaten like a portobello or shitake mushroom. Powdered reishi supplements in the form of capsules or drinks are also used, but it is important to research the process of extraction since many of the medicinal constituents are only released through prolonged exposure to heat (through a strong tea decoction) and alcohol. I like to use reishi water extractions as a medicinal tea and soup stock.

Here’s how to do it.

Slice your fresh reishi, and place into a large covered pot or Crockpot with water and simmer. Water temperatures over 180°F can destroy some of the beneficial constituents so try not to bring the water to a boil. I like using a Crockpot at low heat for up to 8 hours. The long infusion helps break down the tough chitin, a protective natural polymer found in the cell walls of fungi, and polysaccharide molecules. Once they are broken down, they further release biologically active chemicals that are beneficial.

Some constituents such as triterpenes will not be released from the reishi into the water-based extraction. But an alcohol tincture will capture many of the biologically active chemicals that were not released into the water extraction. So for complete medicine, a dual extraction — both water and alcohol — is often used.

When I make the tincture, I usually do my water extraction first, then collect the chunks of reishi to tincture. Like making other tinctures, I place them in a glass jar about 2/3 of the way full, fill the jar with alcohol, and let them sit for 4-6 weeks. For the combined tincture, strain the reishi and then combine water extraction. A typical ratio would be 3 - parts water decoction to 1 part alcohol.

While reishi has been revered as a potent medicine for centuries, it is only in the last decade or so that the mushroom has become popular as a natural food supplement. You’ll often hear reishi referred to as an adaptogen, a plant or fungi that helps bring the body into balance through beneficial effects on the nervous system. Adaptogens are known to help our bodies cope with physical, emotional, and environmental stress through interaction with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). Growing research shows that adaptogens help to improve mood, balance hormones, fight fatigue, and support the immune system.

Would love to hear about your experiences with this mushroom. I’ll be processing and drinking lots of reishi tea this bountiful season!

There are over 280 species of dense, deciduous hawthorn trees that thrive in temperate climates. The Latin for the genus, Crataegus, is derived from Greek, kratos meaning “strength” and akis “sharp,” in reference to the tree’s fierce thorns.

MEDICINE FOR THE HEART

Hawthorn’s serrated leaves, white flowers, and bloodred fruit are used in tinctures and teas to strengthen the all aspects of the heart. This powerful medicine can normalize both high and low blood pressure, promote circulation, offer courage, heighten pleasure, and ignite passion.

Regular use of the sweet and mildly astringent infusion or tincture of the flowers, berries, and leaves can strengthen our heart to make it a stronger muscle and a more efficient pump. In herbalism, hawthorn is known as a heart and circulatory trophorestorative, an herb that has long-term benefits to a particular system within the body when taken over a period of time. As someone who tends to have cold extremities in winter, I’ve learned to begin drinking hawthorn infusion in October to keep my circulation strong. Sometimes I steep the leaves, flowers, and berries in a brew with warming cinnamon chips, grounding burdock root, and my staple, stinging nettles. I always add a thorn to my tinctures — an essential aspect of the plant’s expression. Omitting a thorn makes for a defanged and less complete medicine. 

It’s tempting to isolate a plant into constituents— high levels of flavonoids, oligomeric proanthocyanidins in the berry, vitamins, minerals — to determine the “active ingredients,” but when we dissect a plant into “useful parts,” we are getting fragmented medicine, not to mention disrespecting the life of the living being. For most herbs, it is the combination of constituents, the synergy that evolved through all of their adaptations, that make plants potent healers. As herbalist David Winston writes, “The active ingredient in hawthorn is hawthorn.” It’s the unique blend of elements that makes hawthorn as potent as she is. 

A FAERY TREE

Scotland is dotted with hills and mounds that are said to be entrances to these invisible lands. Stories claim that if faint sounds of music can be heard, and that if hawthorn is growing there, the area is most definitely imbued with magic. A single tree is a presence that can live to be seven hundred years old with branches that burst forth with flowers at the time of birth on Beltane and ripen with red berries at the time of death on Samhainn. The Hethel Old Thorn, managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, is the smallest wildlife trust nature reserve in Britain, consisting of one seven-hundred-year-old hawthorn tree that continues to blossom and grow.

I imagine generations of birds and other wildlife living in relationship with the Hethel Old Thorn. The nectar-rich flowers attract bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators; deer and rabbits graze on the leaves and twigs, and the rich berries that cling to branches through winter provide important food for black bears and countless birds. While most hawthorn leaves are serrated and deeply lobed, their shapes can vary wildly, even within one species. I’ve seen many a small bird nests in the heart of lush, dark-green leaves and tangles of menacing, thorny branches. Perfect refuge from hawks and would‑be predators. Often planted to mark and protect holy wells in Scotland and Ireland, many hawthorn trees are still decorated, petitioned with offerings, and venerated by those who honor the old ways.

Hawthorn is the plant profile featured in chapter 11 of my book Awakening Artemis entitled ‘Lover and a Fighter.’ Portions of this post is excerpted from the book.

Leave a comment

My hands are still buzzing from harvesting stinging nettles in an area of Western Massachusetts I call ‘The Pretty Place.’ I highly, highly recommend using gloves to harvest this spring tonic but I like the sensation. The stems and leaves of stinging nettles are covered with plant hairs that inject a mix of formic acid, histamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin and can cause a burning rash that may last up to 12 hours (test a tiny amount on your skin before harvesting glove-free!). It may sound brutal but the nettle sting is a centuries-old treatment called urtication used to relieve pain and bring feeling to areas of the body that have become numb.

The sting is the plant’s own defense mechanism, of course. Heating or cooking the fresh leaves makes them safe for us to consume.

THE MEDICINE

As a medicinal herb, stinging nettles stimulate blood flow and are a body-wide tonic with an affinity for our kidneys and adrenals. Nettles’ high vitamin, mineral, and chlorophyll content feed our endocrine glands, build blood, and provide essential nutrients for stressed-out nervous systems. It’s interesting to note that the chemical structure of chlorophyll (which helps plants turn sunlight into food) is similar to hemoglobin, an essential protein in our red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout our bodies.

Nettles provide dense, but easily-assimilated nutrition: iron, potassium, phosphorus, silica, magnesium, manganese, cobalt, selenium, chromium, and sodium, Vitamins A, C, D, K, chlorophyll, B-Complex (except B-12) and a considerable amount of protein. As an energizing spring tonic, regular infusions of nettle are known to strengthen and revitalize weak kidneys, in turn, increasing energy.

A NOTE ON HERBAL INFUSIONS:

Herbal infusions provide the body with easy‑to‑assimilate nutrition. They differ from tea because the plant material is steeped for a longer period of time, which allows for all the medicinal constituents, including vitamins and minerals, to be liberated from the herb. I usually fill a half-gallon mason jar with a generous handful of dried herbs before bed so they can steep through the night for a strong infusion in the morning. Since nettles can be a bit drying for my body’s constitution, I’ve learned to combine them with slimy, moistening marshmallow root.

For those of you who have asked, I’ll be adding general medicine-making guidelines to the ‘Practices’ section of the newsletter later today. In the meantime, I’d love to hear how you’ve worked with stinging nettles and if you’re harvesting some this spring!

Read about Dandelion, a misunderstood spring tonic…

It's spring in the Northern hemisphere. A time to harvest roots, plant seeds, and renew relationship with the land under our feet. It is an opportunity to learn about the ecosystems that support us and maybe even rewire our perception of so-called weeds.

Read full story

.