Wildcrafting is a practice that is deeply intertwined with the tissue of herbs. This age -old method of collecting plants and food from the wilderness is a fundamental part of human survival since the beginning of our species. We are children of the wild, just like our food and herbal remedies. Despite our desire to cultivate every plant in neatly arranged and organic farms, some plants simply refuse domestication. They belong to the unfinished wilderness, just like the wild crafters who venture into the wild to collect them.
Behind the scenes with a wildcay: collecting for sustainable herbal remedies
This summer, while I participated in the Sustainable Herbs Initiative in Oregon, I had the extraordinary opportunity to meet three experienced Wild Crafters in their natural office – the forest. Our group silently ventured the heart of Oregon’s huge old forests, and there I was a spectacle: trees that were decorated with lively, neon green strands, draping like the beard of an old man from their branches and tribes. It was ussnea, a considerably medicinal lichen. In spicy, Usnea is celebrated for its ability to balance an overactive immune system, among other things, and it has a special place in the Wishgarden Herb collection.
What an incredible fortune! As the Herb Sourcing & Purchasing Manager for Wishgarden, I was led by deep expert Wildcrafters by this biodiverse site. The elusive usnea hanging in a wonderful way hanging above me. Serendipitics was one of our guides the person who is currently harvesting usnea for Wishgarden. It is remarkable how plants can guide us, often appear when we expect them the least.
After I discovered that our Wild Crafter had participated in the Sustainable Herbs Initiative workshop, I felt forced to share his journey. It is rare to bring the stories of Wildcrafters to the attention, because they often work in the shadow of the supplement industry, far away from the end products in the shopping boards. Yet it is crucial to remember that the roots of our herbal trade are in these wild collections, and many elements of our modern supply chains are still highly dependent on the efforts of these dedicated, hard -working collectors that feed our plant weather industry.
The Art of Wildcrafting: How Usnea is harvested for medicinal use
For more than 35 years, the person who has now supplied Wishgarden from Wild Yerba Santa, Usnea and Wild Slaced has a career steeped in nature. Starting as a forester, then to organic farming and seed trade, his wild crafting company embodies the spirit of traditional herbal practices intertwined with modern sustainability efforts. This year he plans to pass on his things to his son, including conventional knowledge that cannot be taught in any class. Let’s sit with him and ask about collecting ussnea.
Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, first of all I would like to ask how you started your wildcrafting career and company?
I have been organic agriculture, wild crafting and seed trade for more than 40 years now. I started in forestry, worked for our government, but was fired with many others because of spending cuts during Reagan’s presidency. I wanted to stay close to the forest, so I looked at wildcrafting. Today I consider myself a 3rd generation Wildcraffter, although this is my last year in control because my son takes over the company.
Tell me about the ussnea, what is needed to collect every year?
Usnea is a very labor -intensive collection. I have been working with one man for 30 years, he collects for us and sometimes 3-4 people can collect around 11 pounds every spring. Usnea can keep collectors busy between larger collections, such as Yerba Santa for Wishgarden! By August we could have 300 lbs ussnea.
Amazing, so several people are needed. What are the most important points of collecting ussnea that you think are important?
It is very annoying, because if you collect, you have to avoid collecting foreign material such as tree bark or conifer needles where it thrives. I like to find large white leaf Manzanita trees because they have a smooth bark. We usually have ladders or long posts to collect. It is also important to remember that we have to dry the Korstmos and sort all foreign material for the quality standards of our customer.
Ah yes, this sounds labor -intensive and annoying! I admire your dedication to quality. Before we met today, I read the opinions of some people about collecting ussnea, some only suggested collecting from the ground, do you agree?
No, it is impossible to collect usnea from the ground. Perhaps that is best for pharmacist needs at home, but we could not pay someone $ 15- $ 20 per hour to collect from the ground. As I said before, we must meet the quality standards of our customer and collecting usnea from the ground would have a lot of foreign material and fungus. There are so many opinions about the ecology of ussnea, but a lot of wrong information.
How do you ensure sustainable collections?
We explore different locations every year and would only return to the same location 5 years or 10 years later. We do not collect much from every site, although we often continue to new sites. I have worked with different Indian communities during my wildcrafting career and find native knowledge important to follow, they know the importance of roots or seeds to put down in the wild, and they maintained the collecting the wild for more than 1000 years. They have maintained their local places and so do we.
I acknowledge that you have been successfully on scale for 35 years, ethical wild Crafters as you know the importance of sustainable collecting for your future company! What else is there about collecting ussnea?
Sometimes it is difficult to say which lichen is which is. Usnea has a central cord, but when you stretch it, it doesn’t click like other lichen. When it rains and the lichen get wet, it is more difficult to identify. Years ago I made the mistake of collecting the wrong Korstmos!
For 45 years, Wishgarden has not only been cherishing plants, but also relationships with those mystical beings that we call wild crayers. Each of them sings the same tune-so to deliver nothing but first-class, only good vibes, sustainable plant goodies. It is as if you compare wild plants with their domestic cousins and nieces; De Wilde who pack more punch, and also, our Wildcrafters bring deeper, richer wisdom about the flowering of our wilderness. So let’s keep running the yarns of these uncomfortable heroes of the herb world!
Lauren Ann Nichols-Leffler went to the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism and received her certificate in medical herbs. She is the owner of Blue Yarrow herbs AKA Herbal Vice, a herb product company that practices biorgional spicy by cultivating plants and purchasing locally. Lauren loves training and arguing for the sustainability of plants. She is the Sourcing & Purchasing Manager for Wishgarden Herbs.
Only for educational purposes. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent a disease or to sell a product.
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