dawn shears

We are avid Star Trek watchers and were THRILLED with the new spore drive concept being brought into the show...  With the Lieutenant being named "Stamets" we were pretty sure Paul Stamets had something to do with it.  

Mushrooms in popular culture....gives me hope.

Here's the interview on YouTube:

I was super tickled to find meyer lemon trees growing well, outside in my new community on the south Oregon coast.  Come to find out lots grows here that does not even grow well in many places in northern California...

They call it the "banana belt" of Oregon and it's something like climate zone 9b in a little sliver on the south coast...

We also have olive and almond trees doing well in the front yard here...

I don't see where anyone has mentioned clumping bamboo here...  There are kinds of timber bamboo that fall into that category that grow really fast.  If you keep them mulched at the bottom you could also eat the shoots...

Edible landscaping of all kinds would be great...this might be a good place for himalayan blackberries...yes, they can be invasive but you can just mow or chop what starts growing in places you don't want them...

...and you get blackberries.

Now that is really interesting.  Another use for elecampane.  We've been using to infuse a honey for coughs, of course, a traditional use of the herb.  But I also made a tincture.

But we also are putting it into a cannabis root pain salve to add another level of warmth and more anti-inflammatory properties (smells good also) and I used it with other herbs in our herbal bitters.

Learned that elecampane is one of two herbs being studied for effectiveness against antibiotic-restant MRSA strains so I'm also putting it in my "Herbal-biotic" first aid salve.

So thanks for this head's up on using what's becoming a favorite family herb for dental issues.  Could be really great to infuse coconut oil with elecampane (and perhaps with oregon grape and myrrh too) for oil pulling.  Or powdered in a tooth powder.

For now we are going to experiment with the elecampane tincture we already have and using it as a mouthwash.

Love exploring all the different things that each plant is good for.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:Thanks for the link. I do already make some tinctures, teas etc. In this case I was referring to your infusion recommendation.

Yes, use more if it's fresh matter.

You can't really do anything wrong with the herbs you are talking about using.  All pretty safe.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:

dawn shears wrote: For liver protection and nourishment looks like you have that covered with the yellow dock and dandelion.  I'd zing that up and make infusions (1 cup dried herb to 2 quarts of boiling water...steep 6 hours) and have him drink that freely.

We are about 6 weeks away from surgery.
Dandies are just big enough to start harvesting greens. But not so big as to be worth drying... I think fresh is how I'll need to use them. Lots of dock to dry though.
I've seen recommendations of using from two to three times the volume of fresh herbs to equal dry amounts. What say you?

Thank you wise Permies, for the great comments here. Please keep them coming. We need him to get back to work as soon as possible after surgery. Whole and healthy, ready for physical labor.

If you want to make tinctures I'd use only the roots for that and use fresh greens for the infusions.  But that's me.

Here's a handy chart that I use all the time: https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/guide-tinctures-extracts

N Thomas wrote:Hi everyone,
I'm looking to avoid feeding my family GMO apples, potatoes, tomatoes, & sweet potatoes (if there are GMO varieties of the latter on the market). I've visited the FDA, EPA, & USDA websites. They list the names & manufacturers of the various GMO foods. However, they provide neither scientific names nor pictures of the foods. So, when I go to the grocery store I can't tell whether a given potato, etc. is GMO or not..  Does anyone know where or how I might find pictures of the GMOs so I can avoid them when shopping?

So, first of all, it's my understanding that there are currently no GMO potatoes or tomatoes on the market and the first GMO apple is coming out soon, though.  There were experiments with GMO tomatoes and they did not taste very great so consumers were not buying them...  With the first experiments with GMO potatoes I think they turned out to be poisonous or for industrial use only.  The apples that are coming out are engineered to resist browning after they are cut and are called "Arctic" or something like that.  

I am currently writing a book called, "How to Eat More Organically, Sustainably and non-GMO (on a budget)," and just wrote the rough draft of the chapter that talks about how to make wise choices if you can't source or afford everything organic (or grow it.)  

The MOST IMPORTANT factor to us is the pesticide loads in commercially grown foods.  Based on this info (yearly tests are made) we definitely never eat conventionally grown apples or potatoes or tomatoes.  We just do without if none are available.  

Pound for pound, conventionally grown potatoes contain the heaviest pesticide loads, overall of any fruit or vegetable. “According to the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program, 37 different pesticides have been found on conventional potatoes: 7  carcinogens, 12 hormone disruptors, 9 neurotoxins,  6 reproductive toxins.”  

 http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=PO

Here's the list of common produce by pesticide load and they have recently updated to indicate GMO items too: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list.php

Sometimes we DO buy conventional pineapple, asparagus, avocados, mangoes, kiwi and eggplant.  But aLL foods like rice, beans and corn masa (that we use to make tortillas) that we eat in larger quantities we always source organically.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:My Honey has to undergo surgery for shoulder spur and related damage. Reattachment of tendons is neccesary. I'm looking for herbs that will help his recovery.
I have plantian, yellow dock, dandelion, comfrey and mullien easily obtainable. Any recipies for healing? If comfrey is taken internally, what herbs will defend the liver from damage?
How much bone broth for medicinal use?
Thank you, Joy

Sorry to hear about your partner's challenges.  Starting as soon as possible with herbs and foods that support healing and immune function is a really good idea.  I dont' recommend herbal pills but instead use infusions and tinctures, salves and poultices.  If you have less than 6 weeks until surgery there is not enough time to make tinctures but you can purchase those or just use other methods.

About bone broths: I don't think you can get too much.  We really recommend using organic/pastured chicken feet (cheap) or wings to make a super collagen-rich broth....use filtered water and a bit of vinegar to help extract the minerals...put on in the morning and cook all day or put in the crockpot and cook it all night.  All that collagen and gelatin is so good for the joints and tendons!

For liver protection and nourishment looks like you have that covered with the yellow dock and dandelion.  I'd zing that up and make infusions (1 cup dried herb to 2 quarts of boiling water...steep 6 hours) and have him drink that freely.  Here's more information on other common herbs for liver protection: http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/June06/anti-cancer.htm

Same with the stinging nettles which we drink cups and cups of several times a week.  Sometimes we add kelp granules and sometimes we add comfrey leaf.  Add a little mint for flavor if you wish.

For pain and bruising I have personally used pounded or blended comfrey root  applied as poultices with saran wrap over it.  I used this effectively to relieve pain from broken/cracked ribs and it's our go-to for sprains.  I dislocated my shoulder badly in 2011 so a good chance to try a plethora of herbal remedies compounded by a local herbalist because it was a really horribly painful injury (I turned black and blue from shoulder to elbow) that hurt for months and months.

Hands down the most effective pain relief (I took no pharmaceuticals nor did I go see a doctor) was from a salve made from cannabis roots (best for deep achy pain) and an oil infused with arnica and st. john's wort.  From then on we've been covered for our pain needs around here after I found out how well those worked.  Comfrey root best as first aid along with ice (first 72 hours after surgery/injury) and then the others applied frequently with a heating pad or warm stones after that.

You can order the cannabis root salve here: http://dragonsalve.com/

You can source herbs and tinctures from these sources that I use myself (for the things we don't grow or wild harvest):

http://www.mountainmausremedies.com/ (best prices from a family-run farm in the PNW)

https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/

https://www.oregonswildharvest.com/

http://www.apothecary-shoppe.com/

Good luck and happy healing!

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:
Comfrey
Astringent, Cell Proliferant, Demulcent
The book describes a study that showed liver damage in rats. Hence the many cautions on using it orally. A few places suggest if using orally to include a liver support supplement as well. Use caution!

It's only the roots of comfrey that should not be ingested orally....we use those in salves and they are awesome for poultices.  The leaves, however, have been used as a common pot herb in cooking from way back.  I use the leaves frequently in herbal infusions along with nettles.

Susun Weed is my favorite herbalist for folk medicine.  Here's what she has to say about the safety of comfrey: http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/June08/wisewoman.htm

I've been practicing herbal folk medicine since the mid 70s when I was a teen and have continued to study and use and grow and wild harvest different herbs in all sorts of ways...right now we currently take zero pharmaceutical meds in our household and use herbs instead.

Here's a current list of remedies we are creating in 2017...many will be for sale online and at the local farmer's markets: http://greenspiralhand.com/greenspiralhand/2016/12/14/new-tinctures-salves-other-herbal-remedies/

My friend and I created two videos about raising (Heirloom) khaki campbells for eggs in a wet, north pacific coast permaculture environment some time ago. They are really getting popular on YouTube with the first segment capturing over 41,000 views.

I'd like to share and ask for your feedback as we are a north Oregon coastal community attempting sustainability and frankly, up against a lot of weather and enviro challenges. I want to say that I thought I knew all about organic gardening and animal husbandry until I came to the north Oregon coast... Then I realized I knew no-thing... Yup!

First video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZwqAJ3EBEw

Second video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctaS1_yGbDo&list=UU1eqaC733Cu-g66QNOzt7sg

Also my son did a great video on making compost tea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd0M3pEJbJc&list=UU1eqaC733Cu-g66QNOzt7sg

Hope my Permies friends enjoy these vids and want to share. NO, we have not monetized them and not have even used them for marketing .... but we need to. Just to forward our efforts in sustainability and permaculture.

I welcome all your feedback...please. I was rusty in my filming and interviewing skills...had been many years. We will do some more vids in our area...we have a LOT going on with sustainability, off-grid, permaculture and other modalities. It's a cool place to live!