by Tim MacWelch
192 FEED THE FAMILY
Let’s say you have a family of four to feed and you’re on a budget (who isn’t these days?)—what kind of impact can your home garden have on the family dinner table? Depending on your menu and your garden’s success, your agricultural activities can make a major difference. You might be growing your own food to sell or trade, or just for the unparalleled taste and freshness. Or you might be nurturing a survival garden, in which case the most important consideration should be the caloric value of the food you’ll grow. You can’t live off salad—there simply aren’t enough calories and nutrients in leafy veggies to sustain a human being. In that case, rather than growing a bunch of space-hogging, low-calorie vegetables, try something from one of these healthy, higher-calorie categories instead.
PEAS AND BEANS
Peas, peanuts, soybeans, navy beans, chickpeas, dry shelling beans, kidney beans, lima beans, fava beans, and black-eyed peas
SEEDS AND ROOTS
Sunflowers, parsnips, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, and white potatoes
193 DON’T OVERLOOK THE WEEDS
Since we’ve devoted part of this book to wild edible plants, it would be a shame to overlook them when they unexpectedly spring up in the garden. Think of your weeds as a bonus rather than a nuisance. Make sure you can positively identify the plants, and treat them like valuable vegetables. Frequent edible garden weeds include dandelion, chickweed, plantain, clover, chicory, lamb’s quarters, sorrel, and violets.
194 SAVE YOUR SEEDS
The ultimate way to be frugal with your garden is to save the seeds from this year’s plants and replant them next year. This is most easily accomplished when you’re growing single varieties of each vegetable, to avoid unpredictable results due to cross-pollination. Let veggies mature completely, remove the seeds, dry them, and store for next year.
195 STORE SEEDS RIGHT
Seeds can last for many years if properly stored. Once you’ve made your garden plans and decided which plants to grow, follow these steps to store your seeds for the long haul of winter—or multiple winters. If you’re shopping for seeds, know that spring seeds often go on sale in late summer.
KEEP THEM DRY Store the seeds in a dry place, as they’ll go bad if they become damp. Use a watertight container and some desiccant packs (repurpose the silica gel packs that come in so many products) to soak up moisture.
KEEP THEM COOL Store them in a cool place like your fridge. They may sweat a tad when coming out of cold storage, so keep an eye on them.
KEEP THEM IN THE DARK Some seeds are sensitive to light and will refuse to grow if they’ve been exposed for any length of time, so be sure to keep them somewhere dark. Most storage places that are dry and cool will also be dark—but it’s worth making sure.
CHECK THE HUMIDITY Double-check your storage spot with the following 100-point rule: Add the temperature (in Fahrenheit) of your storage space to the humidity percentage and make sure the total is under 100. For example, a 60°F environment at 30 percent humidity makes for a “score” of 90 points. That’s below 100, so it passes the test. When possible, lean toward the drier side, and your seeds will sleep happily for years.
APPLES Antioxidants, fiber
APRICOTS Fiber, irons, vitamins A and C
BLACK CURRANTS Manganese, iron, potassium, vitamin C
BLUEBERRIES Antioxidants, vitamins A, B, and E
CHERRIES Antioxidants, beta-carotene, folic acid, fiber
FIGS Iron, folic acid, potassium
MANGOS Antioxidants, fatty acids, vitamins A, C, and E
PEARS Fiber, vitamin C, copper
TOMATOES Antioxidants, lycopene, vitamin C
196 DRY IT OUT
Drying can allow us to enjoy our foraged edibles and home-grown vegetables long after they’ve been harvested. Electric-powered home dehydrator units are a great way to preserve many foods while cutting down the food’s weight and volume—but they’re expensive. Luckily, you can make your own from something you already have around the house: window screens.
PREPARING Pop the screens off your windows and set them up on a few cinder blocks so air flows underneath. Avoid old metal wire screens, as metals can leach into your food—it’ll not only taste bad, but might be toxic (especially in the case of galvanized wire).
PROCESSING Cut fruits and bulky vegetables into thin slices and coat with a little fruit preservative powder (available at most grocery stores) or dip in lemon juice. Acid makes the food less inviting to bacteria and helps preserve nutritional qualities.
DRYING Dry in the sun for a day or more, until your food seems to have completed its transformation. Bring the screens in each night to avoid dampness and animal thieves.
This drying method works best with apples, pears, carrots, squash, and zucchini, as well as leafy things like herbs (which can be dried without mincing), and fleshy foods like tomatoes. The fleshier vegetables can be sprinkled with a little salt to help extract the water and act as a preservative.
197 BOIL UP A BRINE
A salty, vinegary brine can be a quick and easy way to increase the storage life of fresh vegetables and will impart a lot of flavor. To make a simple brine, blend 1 quart (1 l) each of water and distilled vinegar in an enameled or stainless-steel pot. Bring to a boil and add salt and/or sugar to suit your taste (I use both). Let the brine cool to room temperature before adding your food. Many vegetables can be stored when submerged in the brine. You can also add spices—I’m fond of ginger, garlic, and dried red peppers. Cucumbers become crunchy pickles this way, and wild edible greens take on a whole new flavor. Veggies submerged in brine can last two to four weeks in cool temperatures or the fridge.
198 FERMENT SOME KRAUT
From sauerkraut to kimchi, fermented vegetables are popular around the world. Cabbage, one of the most popular veggies to ferment, contains the organisms necessary for the process, and these steps are all it takes.
STEP 1 Chop or shred your cabbage into small strips. Rinse and then drain for five minutes.
STEP 2 Place enough cabbage in a large glass jar or glazed crock to cover the bottom by about 2 inches (5 cm). Sprinkle with non-iodized salt (table salt won’t work), and then mash with a wooden spoon, potato masher, or kraut stomper. You should start to see juices forming as the salt pulls liquid out of the cabbage. Add another thick layer of cabbage and more salt, and repeat until the container is full or you run out of cabbage.
STEP 3 Place a weight on top to keep the cabbage submerged in the liquid. You can use a small jar, boiled rock, or weighted kraut stone. Cover with a clean cloth and allow the kraut to naturally ferment for a week or two, then remove the scum that floats to the top before eating. Refrigerate your excess, can it in jars with a water bath, or store in a cool place like a basement. With open-air storage, make sure to keep the weight in place.
199 STORE VEGGIES UNDERGROUND
You don’t always have to harvest your vegetables when they’re finished growing. A few root crops can actually be stored in the soil until you need them. If your ground doesn’t freeze solid in the winter, consider leaving a patch of carrots or a row of potatoes in the ground where they grew. This frees up storage space in smaller homes, and it can help you to ration food by only digging up what you need. Parsnips can also be treated this way, and some people even prefer the flavor of older parsnips, as the sugar level increases over time. Turnips, however, are not a good candidate for this storage trick, as they can become woody and tough.
200 SUPERPLANT: ECHINACEA
FIGHT INFECTIONS WITH ECHINACEA
Echinacea, also commonly called the purple coneflower, is a native American perennial wildflower best known for its ability to stimulate the immune system. Echinacea preparations are used against colds, flu, minor infections, and a host of other ailments. Several echinacea species native to North America were originally used as medicines by Great Plains tribes, who then showed them to the settlers.
From 1916 to 1950, echinacea was liste
d in the U.S. National Formulary as a recognized medicinal ingredient. But the discovery of antibiotics and a lack of scientific support for echinacea caused it to fall out of favor. It has been regaining support in recent years, however. The juices and solid materials of several species are now used medicinally—treating the first signs of the common cold and minor fungal infections.
MAKE A TINCTURE
An alcohol-based tincture is usually the easiest way to use echinacea. There are no tablets or juices required, and you don’t even need to bother with hot water.
STEP 1 Dry your own echinacea roots or purchase some from a reputable provider, and get the highest-proof vodka (or any clear liquor) that your local liquor store carries.
STEP 2 Place the roots in a glass jar, cover with liquor, and screw on an airtight lid.
STEP 3 Store in a cool, dark place, and shake for a few minutes every few days. Do this for six to eight weeks.
STEP 4 Strain the liquid off the roots and bottle your echinacea tincture for use against future colds. When you feel a cold coming on, place the tincture under your tongue or in water. Use 20 drops every two hours for the first day of symptoms, then decrease to three times daily for up to ten days.
USE WISELY
Echinacea has been employed to treat a vast range of ailments, as noted below, but be aware that it will cause a rash in those allergic to ragweed, marigolds, mums, or daisies, and it can be harmful to those with autoimmune disorders. Be smart about your usage.
Flu
Urinary tract infections
Genital herpes
Blood poisoning (septicemia)
Gum disease
Tonsillitis
Streptococcal infections
Syphilis
Typhoid
Malaria
Diphtheria
Boils and abscesses
Ulcers
Eczema and psoriasis
Skin wounds, burns, and UV damage
Insect stings
Hemorrhoids
Rheumatism
Migraine headaches and physical pain
ADHD
Acid indigestion
Dizziness
Snake bites
CONCOCT A COLD-KILLER
You can create a tea from several different parts of the echinacea plant and even blend different species together for maximum benefit against the common cold.
FIRST Before flu season hits your area, harvest and dry (or purchase) leaves, flowers, and stems of Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia. Make sure you’re 100 percent positive about the identification of these plant parts, then dry them in a shady spot—they’ll be brittle in about two weeks.
SECOND Blend together two parts dried root, two parts dried leaf, and one part dried stem. Pulse this in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Store the blend in a glass jar in a cool, dry, dark location until needed.
THIRD Place about 1 ounce (28 g) of this blended echinacea material into a tea ball or reusable cloth tea bag. Steep the tea material in a small cup (200 ml) of very hot water for fifteen minutes. Drink five to six cups of this tea on the first day of cold symptoms, and then reduce by one cup of tea per day over the next five days.
201 POUR A CUP OF MEDICINE
Because hot water draws out plant compounds more effectively than cold, there’s no better way to get plant medicine into your body than by drinking a warm mug of wild-medicine tea. Tea also helps replace the water that some ailments can cause you to lose, especially when you’ve experienced symptoms such as diarrhea, profuse sweating, or vomiting. A few strong teas can even be used as skin washes, helpful for rashes and other topical ailments. And there’s nothing wrong with drinking medicinal tea as a tonic, both for the taste and to maintain good health.
202 HEAL WITH JEWELWEED TEA
Young jewelweed
Adult jewelweed
Jewelweed flower
The maddening itch of poison ivy is something that most outdoor lovers know well and dread appropriately. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are all capable of working their ills upon us year-round, as even dead vines can release the rash-causing compound. But the shiny, oily springtime leaves of poison ivy seem to be the worst ones of the bunch. After exposure, washing immediately with soap and water can help. But if you lack suds, you can try this traditional native plant remedy that I have used successfully on many occasions.
STEP 1 Find and identify the jewelweed plant (Impatiens capensis), which grows in moist, shady areas in the eastern United States. Collect several plants, and crush the juicy purplish stalks into a slimy paste. Place this green mush into a pot, and cover with just enough water to submerge.
STEP 2 Heat the mixture for ten minutes. You may bring it to a simmer, but don’t let it boil. Strain out the plant material and let cool to room temperature.
STEP 3 Use a cloth to scrub the jewelweed tea briskly over all the skin that poison ivy may have touched. Scrub for two minutes, then rinse with clean water. Using this remedy within the first hour after poison ivy exposure should make the rash minimal or nonexistent.
STEP 4 To store your tea, freeze it. Jewelweed tea has no shelf life as a liquid, and must be used the day it’s made if not frozen. An easy way to make the jewelweed useful throughout the year is to pour the tea into an ice cube tray. Just melt one or two when you need a treatment.
In the absence of hot water, you can also use crushed jewelweed directly on your skin. Crush the juicy stems, scrub the snotty-looking mush all over the affected area for two minutes, then rinse with clean water. If you’re outside the hour-after-exposure limit, you can still experience some relief from using jewelweed as a wash. If you already have blisters and itch, then you got into the ivy yesterday. Jewelweed will cool the itch, but it won’t help as much once the rash has erupted.
203 BREW THE PERFECT CUP
There seems to be some confusion about tea making, at least in the foraging and survival realms. Many people complain about their wild tea tasting bad. After a few quick questions, I usually figure out that it was the process, not the materials, that tripped them up. Follow these brewing guidelines and you’ll produce some outstanding teas.
TEA TIPS
Teas are made through a process called infusion, where the plant material soaks in a bath of scalding hot water. Never boil your tea! If you do, you’re making a decoction, which is generally used as a topical remedy and not for drinking.
Don’t ignore water quality and safety. If you’re making tea from a stream or other wild source, boil the water for ten minutes, then remove it from the heat before you add the plants. This way, you’ve disinfected the water without boiling your tea.
Keep it covered! Any kind of lid on the tea vessel will help to keep the oils (which are responsible for a good portion of your tea’s taste) in your brew. Open tea pots lose flavor.
204 LOOK AT YOUR HERBAL CHOICES
Plenty of commercial herbal teas boast medicinal properties. But which wild tea is right for your ailments? Study this list—and what’s growing around you—to get the right plant for your needs.
PEPPERMINT (Mentha piperita) Peppermint tea is excellent for soothing an upset stomach. Add 1 tbsp. dried leaf or 2 tbsp. fresh leaf to 1 cup (250 ml) hot water, cover, and steep for ten to fifteen minutes. Peppermint tea can also help with hangovers. Note: Pregnant or nursing women, anyone with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or anyone with liver disease should avoid ingesting strong peppermint teas or products.
AMERICAN GINSENG (Panax quinquifolius) Teas from different species of ginseng are used in many countries as a tonic and energy booster. Add 1 tbsp. dried root steeped in 1 cup (250 ml) hot water for thirty minutes, which will yield a tea that revitalizes and invigorates. It’s even touted as an aphrodisiac—though your results may vary.
PINE NEEDLE (Pinus spp.) Stave off scurvy with this survival classic. Pine needle tea is loaded with vitamin C. In fifteen minutes, 2 tbsp. of fresh chopped needles added to your mug of ho
t water will give you a tea that has five times your USDA daily allowance. Note: Pregnant women, or women who may be pregnant, should not drink pine needle tea.
YARROW (Achillea millefolium) Yarrow has over 200 different active compounds, many of which are antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal, and yarrow tea has potent medicinal properties. Place 1 tbsp. dried yarrow leaf or 2 tbsp. fresh leaf in 1 cup (250 ml) hot water and steep for fifteen minutes to create an immune system–boosting tea. Double the amount of leaf in the batch to induce sweating, which can detox the body and help break a fever. Note: Yarrow should not be used by pregnant or nursing women, and it can cause skin irritation.
205 INFUSE HERBAL OILS
The best way to add medicinal qualities to fat is a liquid oil infusion. And the optimal kind of oil infusion is a slow one done at room temperature.
Place the dried herbs in a jar with a watertight lid. Cover with organic, cold-pressed olive oil. Seal the lid and shake the jar every couple of days for the next six to eight weeks. Strain out the herbs using cheesecloth, and bottle the oil. This oil can be taken internally, as it’s nowhere near the strength of commercially manufactured essential oils.