Wildcrafting herbs
From REWILD.info Field Guide, the free Field Guide To Rewilding
Wildcrafting refers to a process similar to "foraging", although wildcrafting is often considered to be more species-specific and does not necessarily suggest food-only gathering. Wildcrafting herbs is the locating and harvesting of wild herbal plant growth.
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[edit] Season
When you pick plants that are intended for medicinal use there are general rules regarding the timing of your harvest. These rules usually relate to where the energy is in the plant at the time of harvest. Wildcrafting can become more complex when there is a deeper understanding of the actions of the plant and how we want that plant to interact with our bodies. Some herbs seem to be strong all year round where as others noticeably change with the seasons. However, it is best to follow the basic seasonal harvesting principles outlined below.
[edit] Time
- Weather—When possible, leave a stretch of distance between your gathering excursions and the last rainfall to allow plants above the soil-line to shed any significant moisture. Resin and sticky buds—cottonwood, etc.— have less adherence when chilled, making them much more managable during cold weather. Plants damaged by heavy winds are often unable to survive: harvesting from these individuals can lessen your impact on stands and families.
- Plant Cycle—The level of active constituents in a flower is highest at the end of the period of most active growth; polinating insects, wind, and general exposure can lessen these levels: for these reasons, they should be picked in the days/hours/moments before they bloom.
[edit] Preparation & Materials
Prepare accordingly for where you are going, the season, and how long you will be gone for.
- Clothing—Consider temperature, mobility, and protectiveness when getting dressed for the adventure. Most of all, consider gathering-specific conditions. Will you be wading through wetlands? Will you be standing amongst spiny Stinging Nettles? Will the ticks be falling from the leaves of hardwoods, or leaping from the blades of prairie grass? Remember to bring hand protection if you plan to be working with sharp or spiny plants. Depending on climate, clothing is optional.
- Blades—Always carry a knife: a wildcrafter's knife ought to be maneuverable and sharp. Scissors or pruning shears will prove valuable when clipping pieces from a plant you'd rather let live. If you plan to be harvesting any large roots or tree bark, you might consider bringing a small handsaw along. Harvesting tall, heavy-stemmed plants may require a machete or other large cutting tool.
- Containers—Cloth- or fiber-woven- bags make excellent containers: they allow for breathability, which preserves the freshness of the gathered plant matter. Plastic buckets and bags can also be used: plastic buckets work especially well when gathering juicy berries. When wildcrafting fungi, it is important to use wide-weave baskets in order to spread spores throughout the your adventure.
- Literature—Bring a plant identification book with you, unless you feel totally capable of distinguishing what you want from what you don't: it's always terrible to return from an excursion having gathered—and in the process, perhaps killed—plenty of plants only to find that they weren't the plants you wanted! It's even worse, of course, to confuse one plant with a much more dangerous look-alike. Also, consider bringing a journal or other tablet with you to take notes and make observations for next time.
- Digging Tools—A sturdy root digger will make unearthing tubers and other roots much easier. Also, you might find that a hand-trowel or other small shovel is a useful addition to your trip.
- Miscellaneous—Twine or cordage for binding bunches of plants together, as to keep them from accidentally mixing with each other. Don't forget snacks and water, of course!
[edit] Location
Obviously, if you're looking for a specific herb (or selection of herbs), you should first consider the common habitat of your intended find. Try to locate an area that is likely to include all habitat types within its range. For example: in a mountainous valley you will likely find a rocky stream bed, steep ravine, pine forest, and rocky outcropping in a close proximity—this would not be a good choice if you were looking for the banks of a large lake, wetlands, and a grassy meadow. Information you have personally recorded in an almanac will prove incredibly useful when determining where to find what herbs.
Accessiblity is often an issue when gathering wild plants. State/provincial parks, national parks and other government-owned wilderness areas have specific laws regarding harvesting wild plants—in the interest of rewilding these laws can often be totally disregarded: you should, however, be aware of any crimes you may be committing. It is wise to respect the wishes of the owner of any property you wish to return to.
Whenever possible, plan to gather away from heavy traffic, contaminants, and other pollutants: herbs commonly found in disturbed soil should be gathered in healthy environments. Some herbs absorb toxins from soil much more so than others, be aware of this.
[edit] Gathering
- This section needs constructive tips for gathering herbs in the wild
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[edit] Ethics
Wildcrafting is a special part of rewilding because it signifies an individual's relationship to uncultivated wild beings: as individuals, we impact and affect the world around us acting 'as part of it'. From this perspective, it is important to be considerate and aware of the life we interact with and, at times, disturb.
It is possible to 'over-harvest': always leave a significant portion of the herb's population to thrive unoffended. It is common practice to harvest no more than 30% of a specific herb in its immediate habitat. Observe and research how specific herbs proliferate and encourage reproduction as often as possible. Consider harvesting leaves, flowers and other above-soil parts Selective Harvesting in a way that allows individual plants to survive your harvest. Visit damaged plants that would otherwise die before strong, healthy plants: damaged plants are less likely to produce offspring.
Some people feel compelled to leave offerings and well-wishes to plants, others explain to plants what they will be used for—whatever customs you feel like practicing in your wildcrafting adventures, respecting plants and lessening your impact on their habitat is an important part of rewilding and connecting with the wild world around and including you.
[edit] Storage
There are a number of different ways to store your plants in order to preserve the active constituents and retain the high quality of your plant medicine. Before you store your plants, inspect them for signs of damage such as: bugs, dirt, mold, and other unwanted seasonings. Once the herbs have been prepared, you can determine the best method of preservation.
- Drying—If you are drying the plants consider whether they need to be chopped first or if you can dry them whole. Leaves, flowers, and stems can often be dried whole and they can be broken up easily once they have dried. Denser plant material such as roots, barks, and twigs will be more difficult to break up once dried and should therefore be chopped before dehydrating. Place the plants in a dehydrator or in a clean, dry, and warm environment. Make sure that the plants dry completely so as to avoid mold problems later on.
- Tincture—When tincturing the plants you will want them to be finely chopped or ground.
- Oils & Salves—If you are making an oil you will want to either partially or completely dry your plant material. You will also want it to be finely chopped or ground.
