March: Kith & Kin
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." ~ John Muir
It is a common and easily understandable practice, especially when first learning about plants, to ask "What is this good for?" or "What can I use that for?" This was certainly how I began my herbal journey and I never even really thought to ask different questions or think about plants in a different way. However this approach to the plants and herbalism focuses almost entirely on their utility, specifically their utility for humans. When we reduce plants solely to their usefulness in service to humans it diminishes all the other essential qualities of these beings, such as their role in the ecosystem, their importance to other creatures as food, medicine and shelter, and their millions of years of miraculous evolution and adaptation. The danger of this narrow, reductive approach, is that plants become simply another resource to exploit and over-harvest, to the brink of and into extinction in some cases.
As I continue to learn and grow as an herbalist, my relationships with the plants change and grow. The keyword here is relationship. The more time I spend with the plants the more I get to know them in a deeper and more intimate way, beyond how to use them and what they are good for. And just like any healthy relationship, I feel a sense of responsibility for the well-being of the plants I grow and gather, and that sense of responsibility extends to the larger habitats in which the plants live. It is of course those habitats that also sustain me in a myriad of ways.
It is a common and easily understandable practice, especially when first learning about plants, to ask "What is this good for?" or "What can I use that for?" This was certainly how I began my herbal journey and I never even really thought to ask different questions or think about plants in a different way. However this approach to the plants and herbalism focuses almost entirely on their utility, specifically their utility for humans. When we reduce plants solely to their usefulness in service to humans it diminishes all the other essential qualities of these beings, such as their role in the ecosystem, their importance to other creatures as food, medicine and shelter, and their millions of years of miraculous evolution and adaptation. The danger of this narrow, reductive approach, is that plants become simply another resource to exploit and over-harvest, to the brink of and into extinction in some cases.
As I continue to learn and grow as an herbalist, my relationships with the plants change and grow. The keyword here is relationship. The more time I spend with the plants the more I get to know them in a deeper and more intimate way, beyond how to use them and what they are good for. And just like any healthy relationship, I feel a sense of responsibility for the well-being of the plants I grow and gather, and that sense of responsibility extends to the larger habitats in which the plants live. It is of course those habitats that also sustain me in a myriad of ways.
This month's box will explore some of the other intrinsic qualities of plants, as well as their relationships with other organisms. Learn new ways to frame how to think and talk about plants that honours more than their human uses. Discover how intimately connected and interdependent we all are with the web of life.
Some of the plants you may find in this box could include hemlock needles (source of vitamin C, aromatic, expectorant), nettle root (urinary and prostate support), goldenrod (antiseptic, urinary and allergy support), blue vervain (nervous system support), bidens (mucous membrane tonic, antimicrobial), ragweed (allergy support), milky oats (nervous system support) and crabapples (delicious, rich in antioxidants). Products may include a loose leaf tea, hydrosol, wild food preserve, and tinctures.
Some of the plants you may find in this box could include hemlock needles (source of vitamin C, aromatic, expectorant), nettle root (urinary and prostate support), goldenrod (antiseptic, urinary and allergy support), blue vervain (nervous system support), bidens (mucous membrane tonic, antimicrobial), ragweed (allergy support), milky oats (nervous system support) and crabapples (delicious, rich in antioxidants). Products may include a loose leaf tea, hydrosol, wild food preserve, and tinctures.
Boxes are offered with sliding scale prices. To learn more about sliding scale pricing, please read this post. But basically, in a nut shell (pun intended!), I invite you to pay one of the reduced fees, if paying the full price would cause you to be less secure in your ability to meet your food, health, housing or essential transport needs. To determine where you fall on the scale when choosing which price to pay, please refer to this infographic created by Alexis J. Cunningfolk (Click image to enlarge).
Large Box- 6 products
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Small Box- 4 products
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Payments can also be made by cheque made out to:
The Wild Garden, 2389 Pepin Ct. Ottawa, ON, K1B 4Z3
Additional shipping fees apply outside of Ontario and Western Quebec.
Please contact me for more information: info at thewildgarden dot ca
About the Herbal Box
The Wild Garden Herbal Box is your opportunity to connect with and learn about the wild edible and healing plants of the Ottawa bioregion. Monthly boxes are delivered directly to your door. Each month’s box will explore a particular theme and comes with a detailed newsletter highlighting the products for the month and is full of information, historical lore, recipes and more! Herbal boxes make great gifts and can be shipped directly to the recipient.
Monthly subscribers also enjoy free access to any walks and select workshops offered by the Wild Garden, during the month(s) for which they are subscribed. (Material fees apply and pre-registration is required.)
With an herbal box you can:
The Wild Garden, 2389 Pepin Ct. Ottawa, ON, K1B 4Z3
Additional shipping fees apply outside of Ontario and Western Quebec.
Please contact me for more information: info at thewildgarden dot ca
About the Herbal Box
The Wild Garden Herbal Box is your opportunity to connect with and learn about the wild edible and healing plants of the Ottawa bioregion. Monthly boxes are delivered directly to your door. Each month’s box will explore a particular theme and comes with a detailed newsletter highlighting the products for the month and is full of information, historical lore, recipes and more! Herbal boxes make great gifts and can be shipped directly to the recipient.
Monthly subscribers also enjoy free access to any walks and select workshops offered by the Wild Garden, during the month(s) for which they are subscribed. (Material fees apply and pre-registration is required.)
With an herbal box you can:
- build your own home apothecary of healing plants and discover traditional ways of supporting wellness
- support local, small-scale, organic permaculture
- incorporate more nutrient dense wild foods into your diet
- enjoy organically grown and ethically wild gathered foods and herbs delivered directly to your door (all products are made from herbs that I grow and gather myself on the Just Food Food Farm.)
- nourish yourself and your family with local, seasonal products handcrafted with love in small batches
- learn about the wild plants growing in the greater Ottawa bioregion
- loose-leaf tea blend
- herb infused honey
- herb infused vinegar
- herbal syrup or elixir
- wild herb seasoning blend, dried culinary herbs
- wild food preserve (jam, jelly, fruit leather…)
- herbal liqueur
- tincture
- herbal salve
- body oil, body butter or lotion bar
- herbal scrub or bath salt
- herbal burning wands