First Greens of the Season: Nettles

Urtica dioica | First Greens of the Season | Traditional Roots Institutes | nettles for hayfever and allergies

By Amelia R. Cohn I was counting on gloves and long sleeves to keep me safe from the sting of nettle. The patch we were working with grows about 15 feet from a freshwater creek, surrounded by national forest. I was feeling brash thanks to my gloves, so I began to mock the plants, insinuating that they would not be able …

First Greens of the Season: Watercress

watercress | first greens of the season | wildfood | wildmedicine | Traditional Roots Institute

By Amelia R. Cohn Naturtium officinale, commonly known known as watercress, is is one of the oldest known salad greens consumed by humans, sharing the Brassicaceae family with collards, kale and broccoli. This semi-aquatic plant is high in many vitamins and minerals. It contains heart-rate and blood-pressure regulating potassium as well as the B-complex vitamins that are crucial …

Backyard Medicine: Eating Wild Spinach

Budget eating, with all the locavore/organic/foodie brownie points you care to collect. Do People Know About This? By Dr. Mahalia Freed One of the most common garden weeds is also known as Wild Spinach, and indeed, it is edible and delicious. With a deeper & more robust flavor than spinach, and without that squeaky teeth …

Build Your Immune Power with Change of Season Soup

By Dr. Mahalia Freed This herbal formula is a great harmonizer, helping to balance the body and mind in times of stress, especially during the change of seasons. It enhances the immune system and increases the body’s own adaptive energies. Thus, it is also excellent for those involved in active sports. Traditionally, there is no …

Nettle & Fiddlehead Happy Soup

By Dr. Mahalia Freed Seriously, this is the happiest soup I’ve ever made or had the pleasure of consuming. There is no other way to describe it. Perhaps it is partially the virtuousness I feel, eating local, wildcrafted herbs & greens in season. Mostly, though, it is just a great, simple soup. Learn more about …

Kitchen Sprouting: Local Greens, Year Round

By Dr. Mahalia Freed Committed to eating locally but also to eating green veggies daily? Not sure which value to prioritize from November to May? Not wanting to spend so much of your grocery budget on imported, tired greens? Sprouting is a beautiful way around these dilemmas, and is so satisfying. Kids will love to …