How to Make Moxa

Moxabustion is a Traditional Asian Medical technique of smoking/smudging the body with the prepared wool of Artemesia/Mugwort.  It is most commonly used during acupuncture treatment but can is also very effective as it’s own therapy. Traditionally, the medicine was developed from whatever species of the plant was growing regionally. I’m not sure why but it [...]

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Plentitude ~ Recipes and Love for Stinging Nettle

Last year at this time my little piece of land was being hit by yet another snow flurry.  The many feet of snow that had fallen in December was slowly decreasing yet the whole ground was still blanketed in a thick covering of snow turned ice. Down the valley, towards the Sound the weather was [...]

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It’s our NETTLEVERSARY!

This month’s gathering we returned to the season that first brought us together. A lot has transpired during the last year. We have all been gifted in profound ways and we have all continued to work with the herbs, learn from the planet and provide for each other. It is hard to believe the incredible [...]

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Lessons Learned ~ The Art Of Ethical Wildcrafting

I was listening to an interview with Paul Bergner the other day and in it he discussed briefly ethical harvesting.  He’s a very emotional speaker and I love how often he gets choked up when discussing various plant encounters. His words on the subject were touching and inspiring. However, there was one aspect of the subject that [...]

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Verdant Healing ~ The Evocative Nature Of Plants

The snow level has fallen and the mountains, now colored black and white, threaten to begin blanketing the river valley with the same frozen rain that will cover them through the winter and into summer. Smoke from the moxa Ellen made wafts out of the bamboo box it burns in and the room is doused [...]

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Devil’s Club ~ November Gathering

This month our gathering fell on November 1st, the day after Halloween and the day before lunar Samhain.  Here, in the Pacific Northwest, there are still yellow leaves clinging to trees, the weather is cool but not yet cold, and the recent rains have made the water in the rivers run high and brown. Samhain [...]

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The Final Fruit ~ Apple,Hawthorn and Nootka Rosehip Butter ~ A Late Fall Heart Tonic

The leaves have changed.  My land is covered in a veil of fallen leaves, remnants of summers prime.  We are entering the darker time, the static withdrawal, the pause before the re-fruiting.  This is the transition time.  The apple trees still have a few ripe fruit clinging to their branches even though the leaves have turned yellow [...]

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Yard Soup!

  This week is Eat Local Week! in Skagit County. Sponsored by Slow Food Skagit and Skagit Valley Food Co-op. The event is designed to raise awareness and build community and on Sunday September 20th there will be a neighborhood potlucks all over the valley. So check out the calendar and get on some good eats! [...]

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Fall Harvesting, the essential herbs of September

  While some medicines are available to us throughout the year, every season brings a unique collection of  herbs into their prime and typically we have a finite window of time for harvesting. Pay attention! Nature is not confused about when and how to provide for us. What is growing wild in your backyard may [...]

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