WILDCRAFTING SoCal

WILDCRAFTING SoCal Fall Issue 009

Connecting with our instincts Connection

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Contents 02 12 20 CONNECTION

PROJECTS

GARDENING

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ELDERBERRY A guide to identifying and using Elderberry along with a recipe

ACORN

How to properly leach tannins from acorns and create edible food.

WILDCRAFTING SoCal Fall Issue 009 Issue /009 Editor Amelia Schuelke Art Director/Designer Amelia Schuelke Contributing Writers Annotated from Chris Morasky, Thedore Payne Foundation, Mother Earth News, Amelia Schuelke, Mr_Altitude, Kat Morgenstien, Jane Sherry, Herbal Acadamy/Education, Sunshine Origanls, Texas A&M University, New Life on a Homestead, Farmer Almanac Contributing Photographers/Illustrators Illustrations:Leslie Goren, Cicely Mary Barker, Amelia Schuelke Photography: Amelia Schuelke, Wisdom Keepers, Mr_Altitude Typography Questa Grande: a collaborative type design project by Martin Majoor & Jos Buivenga.

Founded as the Quesra Project. Created in 2014 Adobe Garamond: Designed by Robert Slimbach in 1989. From Adobe Originals typefoundary Paper Source Mowkawk bright white uncoated paper Printing Paper Chase Press 7176 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046 Address Wildcraft SoCal Headquarters, 10459 Tuxford St, Sun Valley, CA 91352

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Wildcrafting Medicinal Herbs Wildcrafting is the practice of foraging for useful plants

GET A FEW GOOD PLANT IDENTIFICATION BOOKS FOR YOUR AREA. Find books that are geared towards medicinal and edible plants, and specific for your region. Try to go on a few plant walks with a local expert before venturing out on your own, and be 100% sure of your plant identification before harvest. Before you leave, put together a backpack or bag with your plant books, water, a snack or two, extra clothing, and even a small first aid kit. You will also want to bring a pocket knife and scissors and/or small pruners for collecting. If you think you might be collecting some roots, a small trowel is handy. This is the best part about wildcrafting – it gets you outside, exercising in nature, all with a purpose. It doesn’t matter if you go for a long hike in the woods or for a stroll in your own neighborhood, medicinal plants grow everywhere.

As a longtime hiker, this one was actually a hard one for me to start doing. I like to walk fast and get in some good mileage, but when your goal is to collect wild plants, you need to take it slow so that you actually have the chance to notice your surroundings.

Keep your eyes peeled.As you’re walking slowly, look down. Scan the trail, path, or sidewalk that you’re walking on. Pick out plants and practice looking them up in your identification books. When

you’re on the trail, try going off trail for a bit. Be gentle when doing this, as you don’t want to disturb the natural habitat. Beyond the woods, however, there are many places to wildcraft.

Wherever you collect, be sure that the plants aren’t being sprayed with pesticides and are not growing on polluted land. Always check if foraging is allowed. There are so many medicinal plants that we have all grown up with that are easily identifiable. Dandelion, red clover, plantain, yarrow, mullein, rosehips, and elderberry are just a few. Learn about common plants like these first, then move on to more uncommon or harder to find plants.

Research which medicinal plants are rare or endangered, and absolutely do not take any of those. Over harvesting can be devastating for many threatened plant species. Some example of medicinal plants that are at-risk are slippery elm, American ginseng, black cohosh, and goldenseal.Finally, even for plants that are abundnt, do not take them all. Always leave more that you take (a general rule is to harvest just 5-10% of a population), and better yet, plant a seed of the same variety whenever you remove a plant. Theses are just some simple tips to help you being and explore wildcrafting.

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Awakening Instincts DEEP NATURE CONNECTION & HUMAN POTENTIAL

by wildlife biologists, chris morasky photo by wisdom keepers

CHRIS MORASKY IS A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST WITH ALMOST 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE teaching Stone Age skills and nature connection and is considered one of the top Stone Age skills experts in North America. Chris has lived most of the past 20+ years in the wilderness and small communities of British Columbia, Idaho and Utah. He lived in a tipi for 6 years, homesteaded along the most remote mail route in the lower 48 states, lead totally Stone Age expeditions into the wilderness of Idaho and Oregon, and has had multiple near-death experiences. His teachers include Lakota, Shoshone, Arapaho, Crow, Blackfeet and Serri tribesmen, many wilderness skills experts and life itself. Chris’s work shops focus on awakening instincts, ancient skills and deep nature connection as doorways to understand who we are.

How do you know what you are untill you have let go of who you are and feel everything around you. to understand the deep gifts thats within us we have to offer back to our community then we find that our lives are greatful and full.So who are we? We are who we always have been. When we came out of the trees Seven Million Years ago our relativea are what make us who we are today and started with the common trait of our opposable thumbs from there we made stone tools and 1 million years ago, fire. since all that time our traits have been there to help and serve us everyday. for example Childern mimic and look up to adults and older people and get to know their tribe of about twenty five to fifty people intimately learning everything they can from them. After that they become intimately connected to the environment around them and begin to build a relationship with the plants and animals around them.

Chris Morasky identifying Plantain

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The Meaning of Medicine Bags by sunshine origionals photo by amelia schuelke

A MEDICINE BAG IS TRADITIONALLY A SMALL POUCH FILLED WITH TALISMENS such as stones, hearbs found objects, personal memorabillia, etc. and is intended to bring protection,good luck, and healing to its owner.Native Americans have carried these bags for centuries,but in recent years, they've also become popular in our modern day culture, becoming rear view mirror adornment, wall hangings, and decorative displays. However medicine bags are generally worn around the neck or belt because in Native American culture, it is belived that spirital power is the best when woren on the body.

Medicine Bags come in all shapes and sizes, fringed or not, but generally, are all made of leather, and, hand stiched. Each person who aquires a medicine bag should place their own individual power objects in it. Herbs, stones, feathers, fetishes, found objects, personal items, photos, or anything that is of significance to you if the bag is a gift, the origional owner or maker should add something of their own.

The owner of the medicine bag should remember that traditionallly,it is considerd to be sacred. the bag should not be opened by anyone else. The person can take out items of the the bag to show and share their significance with people, if so desired. Stones can be taken out and other stones put in as wanted/needed, due to the individual requirements of the owner, as the there are some stones that will change color over time, therby reducing energy. The other items need to always remain in the bag, because essentially each item in the bag is a tallismen and is representative of sacred power, meant to bring that power and spirituality to the owner of the bag.

Allowing other to acess the bag and its contents ‘steals’ the power.

homemade medicine bag example

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Plants as Spiritual Teachers & Allies by jane sherry | illustration by ceciel mary barker

PLANTS HAVE BEEN OUR ALLIES, our protectors, our food and medicine as long as there has been life on earth. The physical and spiritual presence of plants is deeply interconnected with our earthly existence throughout our lives.Photosynthesis helps create a breathable atmosphere. Plant life nourishes all animal existence.

Plant mysteries and histories are interwoventhe Art of Phyllis Tarlow into our psyches and our mythology, present in our relations with one another, with all spiritual beings, and with our dear home, Planet Earth.Flowers and seeds, stems and leaves, roots and fruits feed us and clothe us, house and protect us, soothe our fevers and our fears and form the basis of our rituals and celebrations. Plant medicine has helped women and men to conceive life, to nurture life, and to die with grace and dignity.Plants, like the myriad varieties of people on earth, have special qualities & abilities.

Each of us resonates most harmoniously with specific plants and plant medicines. These plants are our allies, our spiritual guides and helpers. Our plant alliances nurture our physical and emotional bodies and assist us in our earthly and cosmic journeys.The cycles of plant life provide a rhythm that shapes the seasons of our lives and informs our very language, so that plants serve us there as well, by helping us to connect to place, to the soil of our culture and to our spirit.We say we are feeling grounded when we are centered and feeling connected to our environment and our spirit. We say we are feeling ungrounded when we feel disconnected from ourselves or from others.We say we have put down roots when we have established ourselves and feel at home in our surroundings.

When we move to a new land or a new job, we say we have found new soil in which to grow; we are transplants. We say that we are planting seeds for the future when we are germinating new ideas, cultivating new friends and relationships. We say we are branching out when we try something new. When we make big changes in our lives, when we have breakthroughs, we say that we are breaking new ground. As we incorporate these new ways into our lives our habits change and we say we are growing new roots.The adage, “the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree,”is about the continuum from one generation to the next. We use the word seed to connote descendants, continuity and new beginnings, or to connote the origins

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of events, families, emotions or other states of being.We even name our children after plants and flowers. Babies and young children are sometimes called sprouts. We say that pubescent, blushing youth is budding when we describe their newfound sexuality, that they blush like the bloom of pink on a white rose; their budding new sexuality then flowers as they become young women and young men.

To bloom is to flourish, to shine with life force in full early earthly expression of a maturing life. Our alliance with the plant world is so deeply rooted in our psyches that spiritual and religious traditions from the Neolithic era to the present reflect the imagery of growth, flowering, fruiting, sacrificial death, decay and rebirth that characterizes the cycle of plant life around the world.Plants have always been our magical companions in our evolution here on earth, and will continue to evolve in their abilities to assist us to become more conscious, more kind, more loving in our relations.

“Plant medicine has helped women and men to conceive life, to nurture life, and to die with grace and dignity” Horticulture, is the cultivation of a garden, from the Latin ‘hortus’ for garden, and the Indo European word for culture. Gardening is the cultivation of the soul, not just the soil. When planting a seed, through our faith and love, we concentrate and focus the forces of the universe to prepare a suitable environment for the conception of new life. Through our faith and love and conscious partnership with the cosmic and earthly forces of nature, we nurture and fertilize the sprouting seed over time, until the growing plant reaches its full expression in flower or fruit.Because soul gardening involves full consciousness an intuitive connection with plant allies, gardeners have a unique opportunity to work spiritually with each living being in the garden, and to establish a unique relationship with the plants .

name of your ally. You may see a color or smell a fragrance, and then during the session or later, perhaps while walking in the garden or a park, you may see a plant that reminds you of what you saw or smelled in your dream or during your meditation.

It is easy and rewarding to find out what plants are your personal allies either through dreams or meditation. Before you go to sleep at night, or before a meditation, formulate the intent to meet your plant ally. the Art of Phyllis TarlowMost likely they are already growing right around you in your backyard, or in a nearby park. It may take several attempts to make contact. You may see a plant or flower or fruit, or you may hear a voice telling you the name of your ally. You may see a color or smell a fragrance, and then during the session or later, perhaps while walking in the garden or a park, you may see a plant that reminds you of what you saw or smelled in your Once you have contacted your plant ally, you can sit quietly, and speak with the spirit of the plant. You can get to know your plant ally by brewing up a cup of herb tea or taking flower essences, but the most direct way is to live in partnership & communion with a growing plant or garden of plants, flowers, herbs & shrubs.Plant seeds on a windowsill or in your garden. Grow herbs and flowers, make your own herb teas, and flower essences. Grow and eat more flowers and plants, like violets and dandelions, in your salads and other dishes, and thank them for their tireless service. Remember to leave wild places in your yard or farm for the plant spirits to play.

Each one of us has the ability to ask for and receive help from our plant allies.It is easy and rewarding to find out what plants are your personal allies either through dreams or meditation. Before you go to sleep at night, or before a meditation, formulate the intent to meet your plant ally. the Art of Phyllis TarlowMost likely they are already growing right around you in your backyard, or in a nearby park. It may take several attempts to make contact. You may see a plant or flower or fruit, or you may hear a voice telling you the

The Elderberry Fairy depicting a plant to human connection

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Elder Berry by kat morgenstien Photos by amelia schuelke

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Mythology and Folklore DESCRIPTION This well loved, bushy tree is a common sight all over Soulthern California and most of central and southern Europe. Its habitat usually appears a bit sprawling as several stems emerge from the ground, branching frequently. The bark is light gray, bendy and break off quite easily. The twigs contain an inner pith, which is cork-like, and can easily be removed.The pinnate leaves have opposite, ovate leaflets with serrated margins and one larger terminal leaflet. The inflorescences appear in May as big umbel-shaped bunches of tiny five petaled whitish flowers, exuding a sweet smell.By the end of the summer they develop into drooping bunches of small purple-black berries, which are a popular food of many birds.

HABITAT Elder commonly grows near farms and homesteads. It is not fussy about soil type or pH level and will virtually grow anywhere where it gets enough light.

MY THOLGY & FOLKLORE The name Elder, is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Aeld, meaning fire. Once upon a time, the Elder-tree was considered sacred to this Goddess, and the tree’s gifts were regarded as her blessings.

It was commonly believed that Elders were inhabited by a dryad who was thought to represent the soul of the tree or sometimes was seen as an aspect of the Goddess herself. If treated well and honoured appropriately, the dryad was a most benevolent spirit that blessed and protected the people who cared for it. Thus, Elderberrys were often planted around the house and on the farm where they served as a shrine to the Goddess whose protective powers could be invoked by making prayers and offerings to the tree. There was a widespread taboo against cutting Elders down, or burning any of its wood. It was thought that the dryad would take out her vengeance against the offender by hunting them down and punishing them with bad luck or, as was believed in Rumania with toothache. The only legitimate reason for cutting down an Eldertree or taking any part of it was to use it for medicine or as a protective charm - and even that only with the consent of the resident dryad. To ask for consent the person would bend their bared heads, fold their arms and exclaim: “Lady Ellhorn, give me some of thy wood, and I will give thee some of mine when it grows in the forest.”With the rise of Christian and the subsequent persecution of any form of tree worship, the sacred Elder tree became a tree of witches and the old stories were soon distorted and turned around to suit the preachers of the new religion. In pre-Christian times the ancient vegetation Goddess presided over the cycle of life - birth, fruition, death and

“Lady Ellhorn, give me some of thy wood, and I will give thee some of mine when it grows in the forest.”

Elderberry

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General Uses L E AV E S Harvest time, spring. Constituents,Sambucine Triterpines, Flavonoids(include rutin and quercetin). Actions,Externally emollient and anti-inflammatory Internally: purgative, diuretic, diaphoretic, expectorant.Indications,An ointment made with fresh green leaves (traditionally known as Unguentum Sambuci Viride - Green Elder Ointment) can be used for the treatment of chilblains, sprains, bruises and wounds and was also once valued as an emollient.

Leaves boiled with linseed oil makes a soothing application for haemorrhoids. It has been much employed as a diuretic, an aqueous solution having been found very useful in cardiac and renal dropsies. It has also been successfully BE R R I E S Harvest time, late sumer, early autumn. Constituents, viburnic acid, odorous oil, tyrosin, invered wsugar, tannin, vitamin c and p and j. Actions,aperient, diuretic, source of nutrients.Indications,The berries are rich in vitamins and minerals and are best used as a tonic syrup to ward off winter ailments. They are full of vitamins and thus strengthen and support the whole body. In particular a vitamin J is mentioned, which is specifically indicated to counteract pneumonia. Elderberries are reported to be of value as an alterative remedy in rheumatic conditions. They also soothe sore nerves and help to improve poor circulation BARK Though no longer used for medicinal purposes for completion’s sake we will quote Mrs. Grieves on these now obsolete applications,“The bark is a strong purgative which may be employed with

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advantage, an infusion of 1oz in a pint of water being taken in wineglassful doses; in large doses it is an emetic. Its use as a purgative dates back to Hippocrates. It has been much employed as a diuretic, an aqueous solution having been found very useful in cardiac and renal dropsies. It has also been successfully employed in epilepsy. An emollient ointment is made of the green inner bark, and a homeopathic tincture, made from the fresh inner bark of the young branches, in diluted form, relieves asthmatic symptoms.

FLOWERS Harvest times early summer. Constituents, triterpenes, fixed oil containing free acids, alcanes, flavonoids. Actions,diaphoretic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant.Indications, The flowers have a long-standing reputation as a treatment for all kinds of inflammatory and congestive conditions of the respiratory system, especially when these are accompanied by fever. An infusion can be made to treat coughs, colds and flus, asthma and hayfever. The diaphoretic action helps to reduce fevers and thus it has often proven useful in cases of measles, scarlet fever and other infections.

CAUTION The fresh roots of the American Elder (Sambucus canadensis), which closely esembles Sambucus nigra, are extremely poisonous and can cause death if ingested. In the northeast United States a close relative of Sambucus nigra, known as ‘American Elder’ (Sambucus canadensis) used to be valued for its very similar medicinal properties by the Native Americans of those regions. The Iroquois prepared a poultice from the inner bark of the stem, pounded with

boiling water, which they used to treat toothache. An ointment for treating sores, burns and scalds was made with equal parts of the roots, root-bark, inner bark of the stem, leaves, flowers and berries.

Asthma was treated with a tincture made from the fresh leaves and the flowers. A decoction of the wood and buds served as a remedy for inflammations. The Choctaw Indians prepared a poultice by pounding the leaves with salt to treat headaches. The Creeks made and anti-inflammatory poultice for swollen breasts by pounding the tender roots with a little hot water.

TOOL-MAKING Whilst the branches are bendy and flexible, the heartwood and rootstock nevertheless are extremely strong and have been employed for fashioning various articles such as handles, stakes, fences, combs, and even instruments.‘The Latin name of the plant, ‘sambuca’ refers to an ancient instrument said to resemble a harp. Some authors however have their doubts since in their opinion any instrument made from Elderwood would more likely be a wind-instrument.

Generations of children have fashioned flutes. and used these naturally hollow stems for their advantages.

REPELLENT Cattle appear to appreciate the presence of Elder in their fields and seem to instinctively recognize the insect repellent properties of the trees. Organic gardeners have used a decoction of the young shoots as an insecticide spray against aphids and small caterpillars. An emollient ointment is made of the green inner bark. Elderberry is a great insect repelent but is safe enough for your pets.

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elderberry

Elderberry Syrup Recipe Prep Time – 5 mins Cook Time – 45 mins Total Time – 50 mins This elderberry syrup is thought to be a natural remedy for cold and flu symptoms. When taken within 48 hours of symptoms, it’s been shown to reduce the duration of symptoms by up to 4 days. I like to sweeten it with honey, which is rich in antioxidants and has been shown to help suppress coughing in children.

SERVINGS: 5 RECIPE FROM: Megan Gilmore Ingredients 1/2 cup dried elderberries 2 cups water 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (optional) 1/2 cup honey Instructions Combine the elderberries, water, and ginger in a small saucepan over high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.

Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer until the water has been reduced by half, about 45 minutes.

Transfer the cooked berries and liquid to a clean bowl and pour it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the berry skins. Use the back of a spoon to press on the berries in the strainer, to extract all of the juice, then discard the small amount of pulp left in the strainer.

Allow the elderberry juice to cool to room temperature, so that the heat doesn’t harm the nutrients in the honey, then stir in the honey. Use a whisk to incorporate it smoothly, then transfer the syrup into a sealed glass jar that you can store in the fridge.

This syrup should keep well for at least two weeks when stored in the fridge, so if you don’t think you’ll use it all before then, feel free to freeze it until you’re ready to use more.

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Abstract Elderberry zoomed up for detail and texture

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projects

Marshmallows From Mallow written by kendra from new life on a homestad

Homemade Marshmallows

MARSHMALLOW IS ACTUALLY A PLANT. Found mostly in Europe and western Asia, Althaea officinalis grows as high as six feet tall and sprouts light pink flowers. A member of the mallow family, it grows mainly in wet or marshy areas—and thus, "marsh" meets "mallow."By the Middle Ages, marshmallows served as a treatment for everything from upset stomachs to chest colds and insomnia.The Ancient Egyptians were the first ones to make a sweet treat from the plant, when they combined marshmallow sap with nuts and honey. The dish bore no resemblance to today’s marshmallows, and was reserved for the nobility. The gods were supposedly big fans, as well.For centuries afterwards, the plant served as a food source only in times of famine. In contrast to the marshmallow candy, the marshmallow plant is tough and very bitter. In 19th century France, confectioners married the plant’s medicinal side with the indulgent qualities revealed by the Egyptians. Pâté de guimauve

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was a spongy-soft dessert made from whipping dried marshmallow roots with sugar, water, and egg whites. Sold as a healthful treat in lozenge and bar form, the guimauve. With production streamlined, marshmallows made their way to the U.S. in the late 1800s.

The next leap for marshmallows came in the 1950s, when manufacturer Alex Doumak developed a process called extrusion that forced marshmallow mixture through metal tubes, shaping it into long ropes that were then cut to uniform size. The process gave marshmallows their cylindrical shape and it pumped more air into them, giving them the soft-but-firm quality In 1927, the Girl Scouts Handbook came out with a recipe for "Some More." It instructed readers to "toast two marshmallows over the coals to a crisp gooey state and then put them inside a graham cracker and chocolate bar sandwich." The name was soon shortened, and s'mores have been an American campfire tradition ever since.

Mallow Plant

Marshmallows From Marshmallow Root 4 tablespoons marshmallow roots 28 tablespoons refined sugar 20 tablespoons gum arabic 2 cups water 1-2 egg white, well beaten Make sure the mallow roots aren’t moldy or too woody. Marshmallow gives off almost twice its own weight of mucilaginous gel when placed in water. Make a tea of marshmallow roots by simmering in a pint of water for twenty to thirty minutes. Add additional water if it simmers down. Strain out the roots. Heat the gum and marshmallow water in a double boiler until they are dissolved together.

Strain with pressure. Stir in the sugar as quickly as possible. When dissolved, add the well beaten egg whites, stirring constantly, but take off the fire and continue to stir. Lay out on a flat surface. Let cool, and cut into smaller pieces.

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Bow Drill

FIRE IS ONE OF MAN'S GREATEST MULTITOOLS.

article and photo by mr_altitude

Bow Drill in Use

Step 1: What Wood You Should Use Preferably, for the fireboard, you should use a wood of medium-hardness, like cottonwood, willow, aspen, tamarack, cedar, sassafras, sycamore, and poplar, which are the very best. For the spindle, you should use either the same wood or harder wood. I find that an aspen fireboard and a yucca spindle work well. Remember, use a dead, very dry branch for the spindle and fireboard. Use a piece of hardwood or a rock with an indent in one side that fits in your palm comfortably. The bow should be a flexible, slightly curved piece of wood about as long as your arm. Tie a piece of paracord on the bottom with a fairly permanent knot, then tie it loosely (not too much slack, but some) to the top with an easily adjustable knot.

Step 2: The Spindle The spindle will be the spinning piece of wood. It is about 3/4 of an inch in diameter, 8-12 inches long, and round. It should be made out of a piece of wood about the same hardness or harder as the fireboard. On one end, the top end, it should taper down to a point, then the point ground off slightly to dull it. On the other end, the bottom, it should be rounded. The spindle should be mainly pointed but not to sharp to hurt you.

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Step 3: The Fireboard The fireboard will be medium-hard wood about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick, and as long as you want. This should be dead wood and extremely dry. On one end, make an indentation by putting the tip of your knife on the board and twisting to make a shallow hole.

Step 4: The Handhold and Bow This is a piece of hardwood that can fit comfortably in your left hand (lefties reverse from now on). Carve a hole in one end like in the fireboard. You can also use a stone with a depression in it. Just make sure it's big enough to keep your fingers from going under-it gets hot down there! Tie a strong string at the bottom using a permanent knot of your choice. Now bend the bow and tie the string at the top in an easily adjustable knot, since you will be adjusting it very often. Make sure the string is slack enough for your spindle to be twisted in it, but tight enough for it not to slip around it.

Step 5: Drilling It In In this step, you will drill the holes in the handhold and the fireboard so that the spindle won't slip out. Begin by putting your left foot to the left of the notch you carved out in your fireboard. Put the spindle in so that the bottom end, the one that is more rounded

and will be in the fireboard, is on the right. Make sure that the string is resting on the middle of the spindle. Now reverse your hands so that you're grabbing the left of the spindle with your right hand and the right with your left. Twist the spindle clockwise, pulling it up slightly, so that the string twists with it. Hold the end of the bow with your right hand, and start drilling slowly, moving the bow toward you and then away from you. Push down with your left hand, not too hard, but just hard enough so that the spindle doesn't pop out. If it does, carve the notches deeper in the fireboard and the handhold. Now start to drill faster, and push down harder, remembering to use the entire bowstring and to keep

Step 7: Tinder Tinder is the dry, fine, fluffy material that catches the coal and allows you to blow it into flame. You should fluff it out by rubbing it in between your hands so that it stays together in a clump. You should then collect the ultra fine material that then falls out and put it in the hole you make with your thumb to put the coal in. Here's some good materials:(Note: the following information is copied from the book Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen.)Cliffrose (Cowania)- Outer bark from trunk and larger limbs.Cottonwood (Populus)- Inner cambium layer on old dead trees.Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)- Outer bark from trunk of larger plants.

Step 6: The Air Notch When it's all drilled in, take the spindle out and let it untwist. Now, carve a triangular notch in the socket in the fireboard. This is where the coal will form. It should go almost to the middle, but not quite, and should be a little less than 1/8 of a pie. Just experiment, because if it's too small, the coal won't have enough oxygen, but if it's to big, the spindle will fly out, and believe me, it hurts. Carve it out a little on the bottom, just for a little extra oxygen. Put bark or a thin piece of wood underneath it to catch the coal.

Step 8: Put It All Together Drill it exactly like you did in step 5, only now it has a notch, so put a piece of bark or a thin piece of wood underneath to catch the coal.

If it continues to smoke, that means that you may have a coal. Poke it out with your knife tip. Fan it with your hand. If it holds together in a clump and continues to smoke, keep fanning it. If it is a true coal, it will eventually start glowing red. Remove the fireboard from the bark and sprinkle extra powder, from the notch, on the coal to keep it going. Now Softly bundle the coal, and blow it, softly

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acorn pancakes

Pancakes by the farmers almanac photography by amelia schuelke

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CHUMASH FOOD The acorn was a major staple of the Chumash Indian diet. Although bitter, they used a time-consuming method to make this food staple edible. They ground the dried acorns into a powder, put the powder into a basket and filtered the powder with water to remove the bitter tannic acids. When the acorn powder was filtered sufficiently, the preparer transferred the powder to a watertight basket, mixed in water and cooked it with heated stones. After it was fully prepared, the Chumash ate this acorn soup with every meal.

LEGENDS At the time of the Rainbow Bridge, when the Chumash lived on the coastal islands, Hutash­Mother Earth, created a long, high rainbow.

She asked the people if they would like to leave the island, cross the rainbow and go to the mainland.When they arrived, the foods were different and the people weren't sure what to eat.So Mother Earth and Father Sky created the oak tree.They told the people what to do with the oak tree.How to take the acorn-the fruit ofthe oak- and prepare it to eat.The acorn became the staple food of all the Chumash people.That is why, as long as there is an oak tree, there still will be Chumash.

Acorns soaked

Acorn Pancakes

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acorn pancakes

How to Prepare and Cook Acorns the farmers almanac Why acorns? They are incredibly nutritious with healthy levels of carbohydrates, protein and fiber. It’s fun to forage and try making something adventurous. Many Native Americans have a long history of consuming acorns. Plus, acorns have been a staple around the world for many cultures from Asians to Europeans to Africans.

You can also eat acorn as roasted nuts (they are a lot like chestnuts).

WHERE AND WHEN TO FIND ACORNS Acorns come from oak trees and can be found across North America. They are typically harvested between September and November, when they fall from the trees and become easily accessible to deer, squirrels, and resourceful humans.

HOW TO COLLECT ACORNS When gathering acorns, look for brown, fully mature acorns that still have their caps, as those without caps are more susceptible to infestation by worms and other critters.Green acorns are not yet mature and shouldn’t be used.

HOW TO WASH ACORNS Give acorns a quick rinse in cool water. Place them in a pot or bowl and fill it with water, then remove and dispose of any floating acorns, as they have likely gone bad. Place the acorns in a colander and run them under the tap for a minute or two to dislodge any loose dirt or hitchhiking bugs. Set the colander aside to let the acorns air-dry, or simply dry them by hand with a dish towel.

Remove the shells and caps from your acorns with a nutcracker (or a hammer, if necessary). Do not eat the raw meat of the acorns yet.

HOW TO LEACH ACORNS Acorns contain bitter-tasting tannins, so you must prepare, treat and cook the nuts before you eat them. It sounds like a pain but it’s really not that difficult. Start two pots of water boiling. Drop the raw, shell-less acorns into one pot and boil until the water is the color of strong tea. Strain the nuts through a colander and drop the strained nuts into the second pot of boiling water. Discard the dark water from the first pot, then refill it and bring the water to a boil again. Repeat the process without interruption until the water boils clear. This may take an hour or more. Spread tannin-free acorns to dry on cookie sheets in a warm place. If it is hot out, lay the cookie sheets in the sun. Or, you could put them in an oven set to “warm.”

You can also put the acorns in a dehydrator set on low heat.

EATING ROASTED ACORNS Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. layer on an ungreased, rimmed cookie sheet. Cook the nuts for about 60 minutes.

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Wildcraft SoCal: September/October

Acorns soaked

Acorn Pancakes

Acorn Pancakes by texas a&m university agrilife ingredients:

1 egg 1 tsp. salad oil 1 tsp. honey or sugar ½ cup leached and ground acorns ½ cup cornmeal ½ cup whole wheat or white flour 2 tsp. double action baking powder ½ tsp. salt ½ cup milk Instructions: Break egg into bowl and add all ingredients, beating to create a batter. If batter is too thick, thin with additional milk.

Pour batter onto hot greased griddle and cook slowly until brown.

Flip to brown opposite side. Serve with butter and syrup or jam and enjoy!

Acorn Pancakes

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gardening

Native Plants

by theodore payne foundation photography by amelia schuelke

WHAT NATIVE PL ANTS ARE AND WHAT THEY AREN’T According to the California Native Plant Society, “Native plants grew here prior to Europeancontact. California's native plants evolved here over a very long period, and are the plants that the first Californians knew and depended on for their livelhood. These plants have co-evolved with animals, fungi and microbes, to form a complex network of relationships. They are the foundation of our native ecosystems, or natural communities.”California is home to a wide range of ecosystems and plant communities. Though many nativeplants are extremely drought tolerant, others grow naturally in wet habitats. You can find anative plant for almost any garden condition.California is unique in that it is home to more than 6,000 native plant species, subspecies and varieties, and contains one-quarter of all plants native to North America, north of Mexico.

Approximately one-third of our native species do not occur anywhere else on Earth.Many plants marketed as drought tolerant are from mediterranean-climate regions other than California. Though these plants may conserve water, they are not necessarily adapted to ourarea in other ways – such as to our soils,climate and pollinators. For greatest success, choose plants that are adapted to all of your garden’s conditions.“Naturalized” is not the same as native.

Naturalized plants are non-native species that haveescaped cultivation and spread into wild lands. Without their natural predators andcompetitors, some of these plants, such as mustard and fountain grass, have become invasive. Although drought tolerant, such plants reduce habitat and biodiversity by outcompeting native plants for space and resources.Being adapted to our soils, climate and drought, native plants are a beautiful, sustainable, environmentally friendly choice for California gardens.

WHAT NATIVE PL ANTS CAN DO Reduce water consumption. Once established in a garden, native plants use, on average, one-seventh the water of most non-natives.

Reduce pesticide use. Because they have co-evolved with native wildlife, native plants typically have fewer pest problems than non-natives. Native plants like nutrient-poor soils.

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Wildcraft SoCal: September/October

WHAT NATIVE PL ANTS CAN DO Native plants are beautiful for their many colors, forms, textures and aromas.With good design, your garden can have flowers year round. Attract wildlife. Native plants provide birds, hummingbirds, butterflies and pollinators with Support essential ecosystem. services. Think about this: only 10% of herbivorous insect species can eat non-native plants, and insects comprise over ninety percent of the diet of baby birds, making native plants an essential part of any bird habitat. Insects also provide other important services, such as decomposition, pollination and predation (on other insects).

ABOUT THEODORE PAYNE, PIONEER CALIFORNIA HORTICULTURIST Theodore Payne (1872-1963) devoted his life to the California. At the age of 20, this British nurseryman moved to Southern California and fell in love with its rich flora, especially its wild flowers. He opened his first nursery and seed business in 1903 in downtown L.A.Over the course of his career, Mr. Payne brought more than 400 species of native plants into cultivation and developed dozens of private and public gardens in Southern California, including Descanso Gardens, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, the original Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, and native gardens at Exposition Park in Los Angeles and Cal Tech in Pasadena. Theydore Payne is considered the father of the native plant movement in California.

Gardening

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Connection

Theodore Payne Foundation Lecture

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Wildcraft SoCal: September/October

Oct. 3, 1996 Theodore Payne Foundation

Connection

WILDCRAFTING$20

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Wildcraft SoCal: September/October