Wild Remedies is a holistic guide to connecting with nature by developing a mutually beneficial relationship with plants. It focuses on the ethical and sustainable use of native plants for food and medicine and employs a variety of techniques and activities to fully engage the reader in the learning experience. The authors, Rosalee de la Forêt and Emily Han, are both experienced herbalist and share their botanic knowledge and experiences with plants through instructive stories, anecdotes, and lessons that make the text both informative and enjoyable. Whether you want to forage or grow wild plants in your backyard, Wild Remedies is a good place to start.
Introductory chapters explore the power of plant medicine, discusses the principles and practice of wildcrafting, explains the basics of botany such as botanic names, plant morphology, and ecology, and gives suggestions for starting a home apothecary. One of the highlights of these chapters is the way the authors stimulate journaling by encouraging reflection and asking questions. In a similar fashion, the authors include suggestions for sharing with the community in order to spread and deepen the connection with the plant world.
The most outstanding feature of the book is the 25 plant profiles of diverse species ranging from dandelion and yarrow to citrus and evergreen conifers, presented by season. Each entry is several pages long and includes detailed botanical and identification information, medicinal properties and benefits, ecological considerations, suggestions for harvesting responsibly, gardening tips, and two or more recipes for culinary and/or medicinal use. The entry for chickweed, for example, includes a recipe for a salve that soothes skin itchiness, and recipes for vinegar and pesto. Other tantalizing recipes are violet gin fiz, nettle fritata, and plantain body wash and shampoo.
Although a paperback, the book is sturdy and is attractively laid out. Many photrographs enhance the text and are especially helpful for plant identiication. Additional information is provded by a conversion table, glossary, resource list, end notes and index.
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Karen Meyers