Welcome to the world of Hops, Humulus lupulus. In this relaxed conversation with organic farmer and Hops grower Acadia Tucker, we discuss this unwieldy and happy to be alive plant. We touch briefly on the history of Hops, which like its illustrious relative Cannabis, was once feared as a “wicked weed.” Now revered for its distinctive bitter flavor and potency as anerve tonic, Hops is grown worldwide. Acadia talks about the difference between a bine and a vine, how to propagate Hops, and why the European Corn Borer is such a tenacious pest for Hops crops. We chat about what Hops needs to thrive, how to integrate Hops into your landscape as a home grower, and how It can grow so tall that farm workers in the past used to harvest it wearing stilts! Acadia and I also discuss the chemical components of Hops and some of the nonalcoholic ways to utilize it including paper making, fiber, natural dye, and as a medicinal tea for relaxation and insomnia. Acadia Tucker is a regenerative farmer...
Episode 36: Have you heard of Spilanthes? In this fun and informative interview withregenerative land designer, educator, facilitator, and Spilanthes fanJavan Bernakevitch, we discuss this unique plant. An herbal ally with a long history of use for oral health and immune support, Spilanthes is known by a multitude of common names like Electric Daisy, Toothache Plant, and Party in the Mouth.Spilanthes is a a plant whose reputation precedes it. Chewing on the flowers produces a strong tingling and anesthetic sensation in the mouth- in Javan's words, "It's like feeling a 9 volt battery on your tongue." Javan tells us why he holds Spilanthes in such high esteem and why he believes it's a must have in any herbal first aid kit. Javan shares his growing and harvesting tips and tells us how he makes and uses Spilanthes tincture. Javan Bernakevitchfounded and operates Permaculture BC, an education and community hub in British Columbia, Canada. The principle consultant at All Points Land Desi...
Episode 35: Did you know that Einkorn wheat is 27,000 years old? Wheat is one of the world's oldest grains and like it or love it, it’s been part of human life for thousands of years. Learn about this long revered and recently reviled plant with ancient grain farmer Larry Kandarian of Kandarian Organic Farms. Larry talks about growing, harvesting, and utilizing different varieties of wheat, including Einkorn, Ethiopian Blue Tinge, Emmer Farro, and Spelt. We chat about his method of regenerative organic farming and learn why emulating a forest floor is one of the best ways to grow healthy soil and plants. Larry also shares the exciting news of a new perennial wheat he is growing and explains why this crop could have major impacts on climate change. Larry Kandarian is an organic farmer and ancient grains advocate who has been farming for over 50 years. Larry is a passionate land steward who grows over 1,000 different varieties of plants on his 130 acre small, but mighty farm in Los O...
Tulsi is a beautiful aromatic plant with strong medicinal qualities. In this interview with organic farmer Alena Steen of Night Heron Farm we learn how to propagate, grow, harvest, and utilize this lovely and revered plant. Tulsi is native to India where it is known as Holy Basil.Tulsi is an adaptogen- a plant medicine that helps us with stressors of all kinds. In this episode Alena shares her favorite ways to use Tulsi in tea, tinctures, herbal honey, and skin care. We learn about annual and perennial Tulsi, how to harvest and dry the leaves and flowers, and why Tulsi is an excellent ally for our times. We also talk about why Tulsi is Alena's number one herb to grow for beginning gardeners. Alena Steen grew up in the deciduous jungles of the Southeast US and has spent the last decade as an organic farmer and native plant gardener. Alena and her partner Danny grow herbs and flowers at Night Heron Farm where they run an Herbal and Flower CSA. Alena and Dannybelieve that growing and...
Episode 33: Albizia julibrisson is one of my new favorite new trees. Commonly called The Tree of Happiness, Persian Silk Tree, and Mimosa, Albizia is native to Asia and a member of the Fabaceae family.I love its pink puffball flowers, gorgeous fragrance, whimsical nature, and potent medicine. To learn about Albizia, I spoke with Community Herbalist and Traditional Food Ways Educator Lindsay Kolasa. Lindsay and I start the interview by acknowledging that in some areas, Albizia julibrissin can be a weedy invasive plant. Albizia is self seeding, thrives in disturbed soil, and has very viable seeds. So please be mindful of planting it- especially if you live in a place where it can easily spread and outcompete native plants. With this in mind, Lindsay and I talk about invasive plant medicine and why it's important to learn the traditional uses of these plants. We then dive into Albizia's long history of medicinal use.Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Materia Medica in the 700's, Albizi...
Episode 32: Meet the broad and beautiful Amaranth family in this episode with farmer and seed saver Andrew McMillion. Andrew shares his experiences propagating and growing Amaranth and tells us about his favorite members in this low maintenance and resilient family including: Orach (Atriplex hortensis), Caucasian Mountain Spinach (Hablitzia tamnoides), Syrian Medieval Chard, and Strawberry Spinach (Blitum capitatum). We touch on the fascinating history of this plant, why Andrew believes it's important to "sow your weeds", and how Amaranth provides him with food nine months of the year. If you're interested in learning how to save seeds, Andrew says Amaranth is a great family for apprentice seed savers to build a relationship with. There's an Amaranth for every climate- just be aware that they are self seeding and some members of the family can become invasive. Andrew McMillion works on his small farm in Norway where he stewards a large and growing collection of plants. Andrew is a B...
Episode 31: Journey into the world of Quercus, the amazing Oak. Horticulturalist Byron Joel is an avid Oak fan and shares his knowledge about Oaks from tiny acorn to robust tree. You'll learn about what Oaks need to grow well,the beauty of Oak as a perennial staple crop, the three "fruits" of Oak, and some of the many uses of this iconic tree. Byron also talks about the Dehesa, the semi-domesticated Oak savannah and its high quality yields. We also discuss specific species of Oak, including lower tannin varieties. Byron Joel is a Permaculture teacher and designer who is an avid Oak fan. Owner of Oak Tree Designs in Margaret River, Australia, Byron works internationally as both educator and consultant in Holistic Management, Natural Sequence Farming, Bio-dynamics, Natural Farming, the Regrarians Platform, and Restoration Agriculture. You can read about Byron's new project Dehesa Australis here. In this epsiode, Byron mentions research about implementing the Dehesa system in Californi...
Episode 30: If you've ever wandered into a patch of Nettle, you probably remember its ferocious sting!But, did you know that Nettle is a nutritional powerhouse and herbal medicine rock star? Renowned for its tiny hairs and formic acid bite, Nettle is a plant with many medicinal benefits. Nettle contains protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, chlorophyll, and Vitamins A, C, D, and B! To learn about this medicinal herb that "bites', I speak with Western Clinical Herbalist Cheryl Fromholzer, owner and founder of of Gathering Thyme, a community herb shop, clinic, and education center in San Rafael, CA.I saw Cheryl speak at the Santa Barbara Plant Food Medicine Conferencelastyear and was impressed by her knowledge of Nettle. Cheryl fills us in on the many benefits of this tonic herb. Nettle has an alkalizing effect on tissue, can reduce allergy symptoms, alleviate fatigue, and help with skin problems like eczema. Cheryl tells us how and when to harvest Nettle and what parts of the plan...
Episode 29: Robin Parer loves Geraniums. An avid horticulturalist, Robin started a nursery in 1983 with 32 Geranium plants. Thirty five years later, Robin's nursery contains over 650 membersof the Geraniaceae Family. Robin has traveled through leech infested Australian swamps, explored Hawaiian craters, and climbed 14,000 feet to reach Andean lama pastures- all for her love of Geraniums! In this episode, I speak with Robin Parer about the entireGeraniaceae Family: Hardy Geraniums, Pelargoniums, Erodiums,and Monsonias. Robin talks in depth about how to grow and propagate them, where they are found in nature, the mistaken identity of Pelargoniums, and why she has been entranced with this plant family for so long. Robin Parer is the owner and operator of theGeraniaceae Nurseryin Kentfield, CA and the author of the book, The Plant Lovers' Guide to Hardy Geraniums. She is also one of the founders of the Bay Area Horticultural Society and has been featured in the New York Times, Sunset, a...
Episode 28: Have you ever heard of Loquats? In this episode, farmer, educator, and author Ken Love talks about this sweet and prolific fruit tree. Foundthroughout the world,Loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) are easy to grow and maintain. Also known as Biwa and Pipa, Loquats have a long and intriguing history and offer the home gardener an abundant source of delicious fruit with high levels of Vitamin A and Potassium. Loquats are also powerful medicine. The leaves are used medicinally in teas and syrups to clear the lungs. Ken tells us what Loquats need to thrive, how to prune them for high quality fruit production, and how to harvest them for longer shelf life and maximal nutrition. Ken Love specializes in tropical fruit horticulture and grows more than 200 types of exotic fruits on his farm on the Big Island of Hawaii. You can learn more about Ken at his website HawaiiFruit.net or at HawaiiTropicalFruitGrowers.org.