There are many medicinal herbs that can be cultivated in a garden.  But what if you don’t have the space, time, or experience to garden? No worries, there are many medicinal herbs growing wild all around us. Some call them “weeds.” These weeds offer powerful medicine! You might find them on a hike or perhaps right outside your door! Some of my favorite wild medicinals are dandelion, plantain, yarrow, and lady’s thumb. But there is also bee balm, creeping Charlie, cleavers, chickweed, motherwort, nettles - oh, I could go on and on...

 

Ethical Wildcrafting Guidelines

 

Basically, practice good manners and leave an area better than you found it.

• Leave the area as undisturbed as possible.

• Do not damage other plants or disrupt the earth if possible.

• I often weed around the plants I've gathered to encourage their growth.

• When digging roots, I bring water along to help the remaining roots/plants reestablish easier

• Do not wildcraft “Species at Risk.”

• Take only what you need.

• Take a jar and tools with you to process the plant while harvesting to take only what you need, avoiding over-harvesting.

 

Collect the plant in a way that lets it propagate.

• If it grows from seed, leave some flowers that can go to seed.

• Rhizome growers benefit from just thinning out the plant intermittently.

• Leaves (and stems): Take from middle growth, leaving the largest and smallest plants of the community; never harvest more than one-third of the patch.

• Bark: Do not ring a tree. Use the suckers if present.

• “Prune” the tree for its benefit (cutting at a junction stimulates its immune system).

• Roots: Dig or gently pull up the plant, shake off excess dirt, and cut off part of the root, leaving enough to support the plant’s continued growth; then put the plant back into the ground. Or just dig some roots from perimeter.

 

Tips About Where to Wildcraft

Public "wild land" or “set aside” areas, along city or county waste areas.

Northfield area examples - along the river trail behind Culvers, edges of city compost site, bike/walking trail between Northfield and Dundas, similar places.

Rural ditches, but not alongside fields that may have been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides.

Organic CSAs and other farms are usually happy to have you help them control their weeds by harvesting (weeding) those weeds!

Old country cemeteries can be good sources.

You'll be surprised how many areas you can find when you start noticing.

Avoid highly trafficked areas– along highways, industrial areas, railroad tracks, etc.

Be careful not to gather where pesticides or chemical contaminants or fertilizers are used or in areas contaminated by livestock.

Do not gather on private land without permission, which includes both college campuses here in Northfield, Carleton's Arboretum, and St. Olaf's Natural Lands.

I avoid sidewalks in town where dogs are walked (use your imagination).

 

Robin Wall Kimmerer, a botanist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass, has popularized the concept of the Honorable Harvest, a set of Indigenous principles and practices, that guide the responsible and respectful taking and using of resources from the natural world, emphasizing reciprocity and sustainability.

 

The Origin and Concept of Honorable Harvest:
The Honorable Harvest is a framework for how humans interact with the natural world, viewing it as a source of life and not just resources to be exploited. It's a covenant of reciprocity between humans and the Earth, emphasizing that we should only take what we need and use it respectfully, while also giving back to the land.

 

Key Principles of Honorable Harvest:

• Take Only What You Need: Don't overconsume, and only take what is essential for your needs, not wants.

• Leave Some for Others: Ensure that there is enough for future generations and other living things.

• Use Everything You Take: Don't waste anything; respect the life that is given to you.

• Be Grateful and Reciprocate: Acknowledge the generosity of the Earth and give back through acts of care and stewardship.

• Ask Permission: Before taking anything, consider the needs of the plant or animal, and listen to the land's response.

• Minimize Harm: Harvest in a way that causes the least harm to the environment and the source of the resource.

 

Connection to Sustainability:
The Honorable Harvest is a powerful tool for promoting sustainability by encouraging mindful consumption and a deep respect for the natural world.

 

Beyond Foraging:
The principles of the Honorable Harvest can be applied to various aspects of life, including resource management, business practices, and personal choices, promoting a more sustainable and ethical way of living.