Edible Wilds

My Dad is a very wise man. When I was a little girl, my parents used to take our family on annual camping trips. We lived in the city, so they wanted to expose us to nature and just spend some quality time with us kids. We used to camp in Gatineau, Algonquin, New Brunswick, and even Virginia Beach!

My brothers were far more interested in fishing and catching frogs and snakes than they were in identifying the different flora and fauna. Dad taught the boys how to fish, but he took me on a walking tour through the woods and showed me all sorts of wonderful edible plants! My Dad once told me "if you're out in the wilderness you will never starve". He's right! If you are stuck in the wild and you know what to look for, you will not go hungry.

When I was in the bush moving the cattle with Hubby yesterday, I thought of my childhood camping trips and my walks with Dad. I am really thankful for the times that Dad took me on those walks and taught me about edible wilds. On our property, Hubby's got a few hundred acres of forest.

In our forest, I've seen:
*Fiddle heads
*Mushrooms
*Mint
*Raspberries
*Strawberries
*Hawberries
*Leeks
*ASA from poplar bark (medicinal)
*Chamomile
*Blackberry
*Elderberry
*Dandelion
*Mustard
*Chives
*Crabapple

I know there are many more edible wilds on our property, but these are the ones I can identify. The number one rule for edibility is KNOW BEFORE YOU EAT!

Looking for edible wilds is such a fun activity. When Hubby and I have kids of our own, I'd really like to take them for walks through the bush to identify and sample some of the wonderful treasures Mother Nature has to offer us. The hiking part is fun, but finding wild raspberries is the part that is the most fun!!!

If you're ever over for a visit, we'll take a walk in the woods and look for edible wilds :)

(Cross-posted at Random Thoughts and Musings on the Island)

Make Your House Smell Good Without Air Freshener Sprays

Hi, everyone! Chrissy here! I was hoping Hubby would get around to posting today. Since he hasn't, you're stuck with me!

I have to admit that I am guilty of using air fresheners sometimes. We've got two kittens and a doggy that don't always smell that great! Okay, they can sometimes be a little stinky! Oh, and sometimes...just sometimes the bathroom can use some nice citrus fresh fragrance after it has been occupied. I'm trying to be polite here, people!

Since I don't really like using those sprays from the stores, I try the natural and earth friendly route. Since I eat a lot of oranges (especially Clementines), instead of tossing out the peels with the rest of our compost, I make a little aromatherapy concoction. Orange and other citrus fruits are known to have therapeutic qualities if you have headaches. I'm the type of person who gets migraines from very strong fragrances and perfumes. I have tried the scented candles, but many of them give me a headache. I have found that this all-natural citrus infusion seems to work well for me.

You can make your entire house smell nice by infusing the orange scent. To do this, you will need:
-Orange peels. The amount depends on you. Just break them up into pieces.
-a small cooking pot filled halfway with water.
-cloves or cinnamon, if you wish. Again, the amount depends on you.

Bring the above ingredients to a light boil. The fragrance permeates the air and makes your house smell warm, inviting, and fresh for hours.

If you prefer not to infuse the orange fragrance, you can make little sachets of the above ingredients (minus the water, obviously). Just dry the orange peels on a dry, flat surface. When dry, take some breathable material (like gauze or organza) and put some dried orange peel, cinnamon and cloves (if you wish), close it up and tie it with a ribbon.

A friend of mine has really bad headaches and she keeps one of these sachets under her pillow. She claims it really helps her. Another friend keeps a sachet in her underwear drawer. She says it just makes her clothing smell fresh.

Though citrus and orange scents appeal to many people, it has the opposite effect on some people. If you are someone who doesn't like the smell of citrus fruits, do not try this at home.