Comments on: Florida Springs in Peril http://www.myherbalnotebook.com/2009/07/florida-springs-in-peril/ Discovering the Edible and Medicinal Plants of Florida Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:35:28 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: EKSommer http://www.myherbalnotebook.com/2009/07/florida-springs-in-peril/comment-page-1/#comment-350 EKSommer Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:03:14 +0000 http://www.myherbalnotebook.com/?p=112#comment-350 I have read a bit about Codex Alimentarius, but not enough to know how dangerous it might be for us foragers and traditional herbalists. But without a doubt, the plants in our yards will hopefully always be under our control--all the more reason to learn about the "weeds," and their healing and edible properties. <strong>Cattail</strong> I have only recently started researching cattail. Here are some of my notes: <em>Typha domingensis</em> Southern Cattail <em>T. latifolio</em> Broadleaf Cattail Parts used: New young shoots, pollen, flower spikes. Harvest tips: Gather the shoots when they appear in early spring. Harvest the middle stem by tugging on the new leaf growing in the center. Be certain you are gathering cattail shoots and not some other possibly toxic wetland plant. Gather the male flowering heads (located above the female spikes) when the flowers are still enclosed in the bracts. Do this by stripping off the flowers. You can freeze the flowers, pollen, stamens, and anthers to use at other times in pancakes, muffins, or breads. Roots are nutritious from fall to spring when they store starch, but not in the summer when that energy is used for growth. Culinary preparations: The first few inches of the white part of the middle stem of the young plant has a flavor reminiscent of cucumber and can be eaten raw or cooked. Sauté in butter for a few minutes. Add seasonings of your choice The pollen can be added to baked goods such as muffins, pancakes, or bread. I have read a bit about Codex Alimentarius, but not enough to know how dangerous it might be for us foragers and traditional herbalists. But without a doubt, the plants in our yards will hopefully always be under our control–all the more reason to learn about the “weeds,” and their healing and edible properties.

Cattail
I have only recently started researching cattail. Here are some of my notes:

Typha domingensis Southern Cattail
T. latifolio Broadleaf Cattail

Parts used: New young shoots, pollen, flower spikes.
Harvest tips: Gather the shoots when they appear in early spring. Harvest the middle stem by tugging on the new leaf growing in the center. Be certain you are gathering cattail shoots and not some other possibly toxic wetland plant. Gather the male flowering heads (located above the female spikes) when the flowers are still enclosed in the bracts. Do this by stripping off the flowers.

You can freeze the flowers, pollen, stamens, and anthers to use at other times in pancakes, muffins, or breads.

Roots are nutritious from fall to spring when they store starch, but not in the summer when that energy is used for growth.

Culinary preparations: The first few inches of the white part of the middle stem of the young plant has a flavor reminiscent of cucumber and can be eaten raw or cooked. Sauté in butter for a few minutes. Add seasonings of your choice

The pollen can be added to baked goods such as muffins, pancakes, or bread.

]]> By: Tori http://www.myherbalnotebook.com/2009/07/florida-springs-in-peril/comment-page-1/#comment-342 Tori Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:57:52 +0000 http://www.myherbalnotebook.com/?p=112#comment-342 I've only been reading your blog a little while and I love it. I don't think I've commented before, but may have. I also live in FL and love it here. So, your blog is especially helpful in my desire to learn how to forage for health. I love how committed you seem to be to natural health and even wild remedies. I was wondering what you know about cattails. I know they are lots of places in the South. My hubby says you can eat the roots and the "tail" bit (sort of like corn on the cob). We haven't done it yet. I WANT to, but we really have to just DO it. It hasn't been exactly convenient thus far, so I think we just need to do it whether convenient or not, ya know? Anyway. My question is whether you use it for any healing purpose? Do you consume it at all? Also, I've recently learned about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Alimentarius" rel="nofollow">Codex Alimentarius</a>. Do you know about it? It is extremely disturbing to me and will drastically effect our rights to learn about and especially USE natural healing methods... and even extends into growing our own foods and herbs. It's VERY troubling. There was a bill on vote in the House yesterday. It was shot down, but will surely come up again sooner than later (since the deadline for Codex regulations to be in place is the 31st of this year! Actually, there are a few bills in the House and at least one in the Senate that all relate to Codex. I know your blog isn't exactly political in nature, but the fact that these bills are so closely related to your subject matter... I thought you might be willing to spread the word. You know people I don't. I hope you will either through your blog and/or email. If you would like to watch a <a href="http://gollihughfamily.blogspot.com/2009/07/codex-alimentarius.html" rel="nofollow">few videos</a>, I've compiled some in a post. They are very informative. The attitude of the speaker could be off-putting, but her information is important. I love your blog. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences with natural healing. It's SUCH a treasure to those like me who are striving to learn and grow in that ability! I’ve only been reading your blog a little while and I love it. I don’t think I’ve commented before, but may have. I also live in FL and love it here. So, your blog is especially helpful in my desire to learn how to forage for health. I love how committed you seem to be to natural health and even wild remedies. I was wondering what you know about cattails. I know they are lots of places in the South. My hubby says you can eat the roots and the “tail” bit (sort of like corn on the cob). We haven’t done it yet. I WANT to, but we really have to just DO it. It hasn’t been exactly convenient thus far, so I think we just need to do it whether convenient or not, ya know? Anyway. My question is whether you use it for any healing purpose? Do you consume it at all?

Also, I’ve recently learned about Codex Alimentarius. Do you know about it? It is extremely disturbing to me and will drastically effect our rights to learn about and especially USE natural healing methods… and even extends into growing our own foods and herbs. It’s VERY troubling. There was a bill on vote in the House yesterday. It was shot down, but will surely come up again sooner than later (since the deadline for Codex regulations to be in place is the 31st of this year! Actually, there are a few bills in the House and at least one in the Senate that all relate to Codex.

I know your blog isn’t exactly political in nature, but the fact that these bills are so closely related to your subject matter… I thought you might be willing to spread the word. You know people I don’t. I hope you will either through your blog and/or email.

If you would like to watch a few videos, I’ve compiled some in a post. They are very informative. The attitude of the speaker could be off-putting, but her information is important.

I love your blog. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences with natural healing. It’s SUCH a treasure to those like me who are striving to learn and grow in that ability!

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