Rainy Roots

🌱 A week ago we took advantage of a weather window to forage on our local trails. Many local plants can be used in teas and tinctures for medicinal and wellness purposes. You never know what a wealth of resources you have right outside your back door until you really get out there and get dirty discovering its bounty!

On this occasion we found usnea and devil’s club. The plant body of usnea is used to make medicine. It is also used for weight loss, pain, fever, and wound healing, and to make phlegm easier to cough up. Usnea can also used directly on the skin for sore throat and for athlete's foot. Devil’s club root (and other parts of the plant) are used for a multitude of medicinal purposes. It has excellent antiviral and anti-fungal properties which makes it effective on both internal and external infections. Devil’s club is probably the most important spiritual and medicinal plant to most Indigenous peoples who live within its range. Different parts of this plant are used by for over 34 categories of physical ailment, as well as many spiritual applications.

Remember to check with your local land manager on rules and regulations for foraging. In Washington, the non-commercial harvest of nonmarine edible plants and mushrooms for personal consumption is allowed on all land managed by Washington State Parks except natural area preserves. ... Harvesting from wilderness areas is prohibited. Remember that rules may change for federally managed lands.

Fridays are for fun! (Especially when you get word the smoke is finally blowing out!) Rain or shine, you’ll catch us outside this weekend.