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Food and Medicine Books

Forager's Harvest:  A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
by Samuel Thayer

A practical guide to all aspects of edible wild plants finding and identifying them, their seasons of harvest, and their methods of collection and preparation. Each plant is discussed in great detail and accompanied by excellent color photographs. Includes an index, illustrated glossary, bibliography, and harvest calendar. The perfect guide for all experience levels.


Paperback, 368 pages. $22.95













Strength of the Earth : The Classic Guide to Ojibwe Uses of Native Plants
by Frances Densmore

Out of Stock

From techniques for tapping maple trees and harvesting wild rice to extracting dyes from bloodroot to making dishes from birch bark and dolls with cattails, Strength of the Earth details the many uses of over 200 forest and prairie plants. Early twentieth-century ethnologist Frances Densmore recorded traditions and techniques relayed by dozens of Ojibwe women to create this invaluable handbook perfect for readers interested in Native American art and culture, organic gardening, natural remedies, and living off the land. Brenda J. Child offers a fresh introduction focusing on the power of female healers in Native communities.


Paperback, 397 Pages.  $15.00
The Encyclopedia of Edible Plants of North America: Nature's Green Feast
by Francois Couplan

This book is the only one that:

- Lists all edible species - about 4,000 plants - on the vast North American continent that have been used as food by humans

- Contains a comprehensive account of each species, including etymology, geographical location, uses of each part, history of the uses, composition, medicinal uses, possible toxicity, endangered species, and much, much more.

- Is based on first-hand "grazing" research contucted over ten years on this continent by eminent European enthobotanist Francis Couplan, Ph.D.

- Includes traditional Native American cooking techniques and uses for plants which the author recorded while living with various tribes around the country

- Reflects an unusual bland of the author's 35 years of personal experience with edible plants and his highly sophisticated scientific expertise. By relating to the senses and to the pleasure of discovering amazing new tastes and flavors, the book encourages the reader to develop new relationships with nature.

Francis Couplan, Ph.D. has been teaching about the uses of plants in the United States and Europe since 1975. He has written 17 books in French and German, including The Encyclopedia of the Edible Plants of Europe in three volumes. A regular contributor to European health and nature magazines, Couplan is popularizing the use of wild palnts in cooking by working with several top chiefs in France, Germany, Switzerland and the United States. He lives on a farm in Switzerland when's he's not traveling around the world in search of new plants and new experiences with them.

"I hope that the publication of this book will inspire others to learn more about nature and become more intimately acquainted with edible and medicinal plants." James A Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy

The most concise, expansive, and authoritative plant book we’ve found.

Paperback, 583 pages. $20.00
Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Great Lakes Region
by Thomas Naegele

This thorough and informative guide features over 150 plants commonly found in the Great Lakes area, though many are prevalent throughout the United States. Each plant description is coupled with a detailed drawing, preparation techniques, related medicinal uses, edible qualities, a chemical breakdown, and poisonous aspects. This book also features over seventy tables, organized by ailment, that list the plants known to cure specific symptoms.

Thomas A Naegele, D.O. is currently in private practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and spent his youth among flora of Michigan's Upper Penisula. Before becoming a doctor, he stuided botany and published Edible Wild Plants of the Copper County and Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Great Lakes. His unique knowledge of medicine and botany are joined in this extensive, well-researched, and heavily documented guide.

"Whether you may ever use wild plants for food or for some medicinal purpose, care and precaution should always be exercised. Tom Naegele's new ediition of this book provides the right kind of information you need to do it wisely." - Richard Morscheck, Editor, Michigan Natural Resources Magazine

Authoritative and well researched; covers food, healing values, preparation and author's personal experiences of 150 plants (many found throughout the United States). Includes poisonous aspects. 70+ tables organized by ailment.

Paperback, 423 pages. $19.00

Botany In a Day - A Herbal Field Guide to Plant Families
by Thomas Elpel

Too often people try to learn plants one-at-a-time, without rhyme or reason. Now you can cut years off the process of learning about plants and uses. Tom's book help you beyond the piece-meal approach to botany and herbalism towards a more "whole" approach. Within one and a half hours you can understand the big-picture of botany and herbalism. Learn how related plants have similar features for identification. Discover how they often have similar properties and similar uses.

Tom's book takes you beyond the details towards a greater understanding of the patterns among plants. By mid-morning you can be in the field, matching flowers to the patterns in the book. Instead of learning plants one-at-a-time you will discover that you can learn them by the dozens--just by looking for patterns.

Most plant books cover only one or two hundred species. Botany in a Day includes more than 100 plant families and over 700 genera--applicable to many thousands of species.

By the end of the day you will have a functional knowledge of botany. You will be able to continue growing your knowledge of plants and plant patterns--in the wild, in your garden, among house plants, even at the florist. Understand the magic of patterns among plants, and the world will never look the same again!

Oversize paperback, 182 pages. $25.00
Mushrooms of Northeast North America: Midwest to New England
by George Barron

This is a well-illustrated user friendly book with over 600 species and all of them are illustrated. The pictures are big, the descriptions short and the keys simple (honest!). There are over 200 thumbnail images in color that help to get you where you want to go IN A HURRY. The book is compact and can easily be carried in a backpack without wearing you down. The different groups of fungi are color coded for rapid access and the pages have rounded corners that don't get dog-eared (page flippers will be especially grateful for these features). The fungi are photographed in natural surroundings and the pictures are very good to excellent. There are over 20 species of Slime Molds described. Slime Molds are interesting (to some), attractive and seldom illustrated in other books. All the fungi in the book are found between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic coast. Most other books contain large numbers of species from the west and the south that don't fruit in our area and this is confusing.

This book is a wonderful field guide. Every picture is large and in vivid color not like many books that that have small or unclear pictures. This detail makes distinguishing alike mushrooms simple, and if you are still confused Mr. Barron's simple laid back notes on each will correct any confusion. The book has user friendly color coded sections. There is even extra information on edible and toxic mushrooms overall there is no better book on the market today to identify mushrooms period. Although Mr. Barron is an expert on this subject and has a Ph.D in Mycology he is a master at keeping it simple.

Paperback, 336 pages. $20.00
Plants Used by the Great Lakes Ojibwa
by James Meeker, Joan Elias, and John Heim

The traditional medicinal arid edible sues of nearly 400 plants of Northern Wisconsin and Michigan and Northwestern Minnesota. Organized by habitat with a county-by-county range map for each species. Native names listed for each plant.

Large-format paperback, 440 pages. $36.00
Healing Wise
by Susun Weed

A rare and deep sharing of the Earth-self-Balance healing way, along with an intimate approach to relationship with several Plants, which she considers People, and their Healers.

Healing Wise sets forth the foundations of the Wise Woman Tradition, contrasting them with the Heroic and Scientific views of healing. "Weeds draw us into ancient wisdom in a clear and refreshing way," says herbalist Rosemary Gladstar.

Seven herbs -- burdock, chickweed, dandelion, nettle, oatstraw, seaweed, and violet -- are explored in depth. Each monograph includes the "voice" of the herb, a weed walk to encounter the herb in its environment, detailed instructions for harvesting and preparation, properties and uses for every part of the herb, pertinent facts, fun folklore, and recipes for gourmet foodstuffs, wines, beers, cosmetics, and more.

"Especially important is her discernment between the gentle Wise Woman Way and other "alternative" healing paths. . . . I wish every healer would incorporate this approach," says Vicki Noble (Motherpeace Tarot).

"One of the most powerful spokepersons of the herbal movement, Susun Weed introduces a marvelous sense of vitality and originality to herbalism. A poet, artist and visionary, Weed draws us into ancient wisdom in a way that is clear and refreshing. I recommend Healing Wise highly - there is good medicine in these teachings." - Rosemary Gladstar, Founder California School of Herbal Studies

"Healing Wise is filled with the wisdom of our Earth Mother who is the caretaker of all beings. To everyone concerned with personal and planetary health, this book speaks as a vital messenger and a call to wholeness from the Mother Earth." - Ywylah Nitshce, Yehwehnode Two Wolves, Seneca Elder, Wolf Clan

Paperback, 295 pages. $13.00

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