Judson Carroll

Show 274: Virginia Creeper and Kudzu

This week, we discuss the medicinal uses of two very useful plants that are too often despised as weeds.

https://judsoncarroll.substack.com/p/show-274-virginia-creeper-and-kudzu

Any Old Time on guitar

I show you how to play my version of the Jimmie Rodgers classic "Any Old Time".  This is a very unique song in his repertoire, because it was recorded with Louis Armstrong in more of a Dixieland style.  I do it as an easy swinging country blues.  It is a very fun song to play, with a laid back rhythm that lets you experience a little of the joy these legends shared in the studio when music was less confined to strict genres and bootleg liquor fueled many a great recording.

https://youtu.be/bQjQAz28bHs

Kayla Ponomarenko wrote:I started using horsetail a couple years ago under the advice of my dentist, who said the silica in it is beneficial for tooth remineralization. Cool plant! I love "living fossil" types of plants like this.

It certainly is!

M Ljin wrote:I grow oxeye daisy in my garden as a perennial vegetable, and they are a mild, surprisingly sweet (almost like a mild stevia) green. They are also evergreen so stay fresh even during the coldest months, as long as snow is not covering the ground. I don't know what people are talking about when they mention how strongly flavored they are, and everyone around here I know says they are mild and sweet too--I suppose it could be climate or ecotype?

Probably growing conditions.  Poor soil and less moisture generally results in stronger flavor.

From the Spring Foraging Cookbook: Oxeye Daisy and Pepper Grass

https://judsoncarroll.substack.com/p/from-the-spring-foraging-cookbook-f94

Herbal Medicine 101: Parsley

I tell you about the medicinal and culinary use of Parsley.  I consider Parsley to be one of my top 5 herbs.  It is essential for cooking and surprisingly medicinal.

https://youtu.be/F331ASp6bYA

This week, we discuss the medicinal uses of two interesting plants. This first is Canada Moonseed, which is toxic plant that may be mistaken for wild grape, but does have some medicinal use. The second is Partridgeberry, often called Squaw vine, which is extremely useful medicinally and a good edible.

https://judsoncarroll.substack.com/p/show-273-canada-moonseed-and-partridgeberry

Joe Turner Blues on guitar

I show you how to play my version of "Joe Turner Blues", that is mostly based on Mississippi John Hurt's performances. It is a very old song, with many versions and origin stories.  Joe Turner may have been a regulator, deputy sheriff, philanthropist, government agent, railroad man or just a guy trying steal another man's wife.... who knows?  There were likely as many Joe Turners as there are versions of the song. But this one has a great rhythm and is a 3 chord song in G. that gives plenty of room to improvise.

I don't normally post my Prepper show here, but things are going to get bad over the next few days, and maybe this will help>

Herbal Medicine for Preppers: Winter Storm Prep and Mallow

Severe winter weather is moving in, and I am away from home. Looks like we will get very cold with a lot of ice. I recommend some basic preps for shelter, first aid, water, heat, food and coms. Then I tell you about the medicinal and edible uses of the mallow family.

https://judsoncarroll.substack.com/p/herbal-medicine-for-preppers-winter

For generations, Europeans and Americans alike (plus Canadians, Chinese, etc.) enjoyed The Bracken Fern as one of spring’s first edible plants. These were called Fiddleheads because when they are harvested, the fern has not yet matured and unfurled – they resemble the scroll above the tuning pegs on a violin. A couple of decades ago though, the medical/nutritional community found that Bracken Fern is slightly carcinogenic. Although one would have to eat large amounts of Bracken, regularly, to risk the stomach cancer researchers warned about, now our government warns us not to eat Bracken. I believe that by now you know how I feel about nutritional advice by government “experts.” Honestly, I don’t hesitate to eat a small amount of Bracken in the spring, but I cannot ethically recommend it. Fortunately, the Ostrich Fern is nearly as abundant as Bracken and tastes almost identical. Ostrich Fern has not been shown to be carcinogenic.

The flavor of Fiddlehead Ferns is very much like asparagus, but with a subtle hint of bitterness that is very nice. Cook them the same as you would asparagus. My preferred method for asparagus-like vegetables is to rinse them with cold water and add to a pan with a little animal fat or olive oil. I place the lid on briefly to allow them to steam, and then saute them in the fat as the water evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. A light sprinkle of herbs is nice, garlic or wild alliums are options; lemon zest is perfect! A little white wine added to the pan near the end of cooking makes a nice pan sauce, especially with some extra butter – this helps if the veggies are a little tough.

Alternatively, I like to coat such veggies with oil and salt, and grill them. Like asparagus, Fiddleheads go wonderfully with a steak, fish, chicken, etc. They also work very well in a basic chicken soup, omelet, etc.

Fiddlehead Ferns are often used in Asian cooking, especially Chinese, Korean and Japanese. And, as I mentioned earlier, a simple and inexpensive dish I came up with to cure a craving for Asian flavors in an area that lacks good Asian restaurants, is just made with a few fresh veggies, noodles, soy sauce and sesame oil. It also works well with the ferns, but again, you could use most any asparagus-like vegetable in this book. You could also use ramps or wild onions in place of scallions/green onions. And wild garlic in place of cultivated. But, as even I don’t always have everything I need on hand from the wild, I am going to give the recipe using what you can get at a grocery store, but with the recommendation of adding wild edibles.

Cheap Asian style noodle dish:

Cook any kind of pasta you like in salted water and drain. I usually use spaghetti, but rice noodles are even better.

Blanch and drain your Fiddleheads (or any other green veggie you like) in salted water.

In a pan, add whatever oil you like to cook with and brown a couple of chopped mushrooms.

Add a few chopped scallions/green onions and some crushed and chopped garlic along with the Fiddleheads.

Salt and pepper and add crushed red pepper or other spices to your taste – a dash of 5 Spice is nice or you could use chili oil.

Stir in your noodles and cook together.

I usually wait to add soy sauce and sesame oil until I plate the dish, because the sesame oil smells very strong when added to the pan and the soy sauce can make the noodles stick.

You can certainly alter this to your taste, adding chicken broth to the pan or fish sauce, herbs, etc. I usually add a little cilantro or a few celery leaves and miso, if I have some on hand.

This article is an excerpt from

The Spring Foraging Cookbook: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-spring-foraging-cookbook.html
Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CRP63R54

Also, I am back on Youtube. Please subscribe to my channel: @judsoncarroll5902 Judson Carroll - YouTube

Read about my other new books:

Herbal Medicine for Preppers, Homesteaders and Permaculture People: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2021/10/herbal-medicine-for-preppers.html

Available on Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B09HMWXL25

Medicinal Ferns and Fern Allies, an Herbalist’s Guide https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/11/medicinal-ferns-and-fern-allies.html

Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMSZSJPS

A Daily Catholic Devotional Reflections on the Daily Mass readings July-December, 2025
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2023/12/a-daily-catholic-devotional-reflections.html

Medicinal Weeds and Grasses of the American Southeast, an Herbalist’s Guide
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2023/05/medicinal-weeds-and-grasses-of-american.html

Available in paperback on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47LHTTH

and

Confirmation, an Autobiography of Faith
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2023/05/confirmation-autobiography-of-faith.html

Available in paperback on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47Q1JNK

and

Medicinal Shrubs and Woody Vines of The American Southeast An Herbalist’s Guide

Read about Medicinal Shrubs and Woody Vines of The American Southeast An Herbalist’s Guide: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/06/medicinal-shrubs-and-woody-vines-of.html

Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2T4Y5L6: by Judson Carroll


Visit my Substack and sign up for my free newsletter:

Judson Carroll, Master Herbalist
Herbal Medicine
Type your email...
Read about my new other books:

Medicinal Ferns and Fern Allies, an Herbalist’s Guide https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/11/medicinal-ferns-and-fern-allies.html

Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMSZSJPS

The Omnivore’s Guide to Home Cooking for Preppers, Homesteaders, Permaculture People and Everyone Else: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-omnivores-guide-to-home-cooking-for.html

Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGKX37Q2

Medicinal Shrubs and Woody Vines of The American Southeast an Herbalist’s Guide
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/06/medicinal-shrubs-and-woody-vines-of.html

Available for purchase on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2T4Y5L6

and

Growing Your Survival Herb Garden for Preppers, Homesteaders and Everyone Else
https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/04/growing-your-survival-herb-garden-for.html

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09X4LYV9R


The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Bitter Herbs: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-encyclopedia-of-bitter-medicina.html

Available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5MYJ35R

and

Christian Medicine, History and Practice: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2022/01/christian-herbal-medicine-history-and.html

Available for purchase on Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B09P7RNCTB



Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/southern-appalachian-herbs

Blog:

https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/

Free Video Lessons: Herbal Medicine 101 - YouTube

Disclaimer

The information on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing on this site has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a doctor. The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and their is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I’m just a guy who studies herbs. I am not offering any advice. I won’t even claim that anything I write is accurate or true! I can tell you what herbs have “traditionally been used for.” I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb helped me. I cannot, nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use any herb I, or anyone else, mentions you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, sensitivity or underlying condition that no one else shares and you don’t even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything, ever.