Elderberry Immunity Elixir

Making a big pot of elderberry elixir feels like churning a cauldron. Using mantras and prayers, stirring clockwise to bring in healing and wellness, I feel connected to an ancient sacred ritual going back to the dawn of time, feeling a deep purpose of service to the community to bring healing sacred medicine into being.

The ingredients in the elixir are elderberries, raw honey from NJ, apple cider vinegar, and spring water from Pennsylvania. All of the ingredients that were worked with are made with the most ethically and local ingredients available, and are all certified organic.

Elderberry Elixir

Elderberry has been shown in clinical research to reduce cold and flu symptoms by average of 4 days earlier compared to those who took none.

You can take one or two teaspoons full every day to feel well or you can take a spoonful as often as needed when you feel like you’re getting sick, have a cough, or feel a build up of mucous. In my experience, it really helps to cleanse mucous from my system. It also tastes sweet and delicious and I have been using it as a sweet finish after meals.

All proceeds go to supporting my mission of bringing sacred plant medicine and nature teachings to the community and furthering my education to be of greater service.

This elixir is incredibly safe and the only contraindication is that infants may want to avoid honey . If you would like to purchase outside of paypal or have any questions or thoughts please email me at Dan@returntonature.us

Thank you!

Dan

Bottle Sizes Available (Suggested Donation)

Awesome syrup Dan! I felt a cold coming on a few days ago and started taking a teaspoon each of the last few mornings. It worked like a charm. Now I feel 100%. Thanks! – Matt Mastrianni

I got home this evening to my new bottle of elderberry syrup. Perfect timing for my scratchy throat. Many thanks for your thoughtful healing preparation, Dan. It’s tasty too! – Lori Shepard

*The statements presented on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The use of herbs for the prevention or cure of disease has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or USDA. The Author therefore makes no claims to this effect. The products offered on this web site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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The Growth of a Seed [New Seeds Day Poem]

The Growth of a Seed [New Seeds Day Poem]

The growth of a seed
Starts with a need

A feeling inside her
Like a burning fire
Glowing to inspire
And the growth transpires

Inside her that fire
Burning brighter and brighter
Ignites her into a frenzy of burning desire
To lift herself higher, and higher, and higher…

A desire to surrender to the growth that transpires
And she never grows tired, growing, and growing

And a sprout grows out from beyond the doubt
The shadows get exposed to the light of insight
As the stem grows longer getting stronger and stronger

The days get brighter and her spirit feels lighter
The pulsing emanates from a sacred place…
Babump…. babump… babump….

Reaching for the light radiating inner sight
[And an animal comes to take a little bite]

And the nutrients they grow as the energy it flows
And the time has come for her soul to become one
So she sends out her leaves allows herself to be alive
No running no hiding and nowhere to go

So it waits and it grows and it sits and it flows
As the thoughts pass by and she holds her composure
Growing and growing flowing and flowing
Getting taller and stronger

Allowing herself to be seen

It goes on and on as she reaches her dawn
Only to know that its time for her to move on
And release her seeds to the wind, set sail
And she trusts they will grow through wind, rain, or hail

As she brings all the energy up into her crown
The wind begins to blow as she listens to the sound
And she knows its time to let her children take flight
Getting lost in the life, the love, and de-light

She completes her deed and she dies a slow death
But she knows she will go back into the goddess breath
Where she feeds the soil that will grow her kin
With the nutrients she once used to help her begin

And she feels a sense of right-ness and completeness inside
As she knows that she worked with Natures highest design
And she never grows tired, growing and growing
Reaping and sowing, reaping and sowing.

– By Dan Farella

…..Never shakes her inner knowing

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Plant Walk Video from Green Planet Directory

          Many thanks to Greenplanetdirectory.net for coming out and recording footage of a plant walk, and inner-viewing the work that i do. They are a great company who advertise green businesses and connect them to the right places and people. Here’s what Mark from Green Planet Directory had to say about their mission.

“Green Planet Directory is the web-based directory of local, national and global based green and organic businesses providing a single location and opportunity to promote and advertise their specific products or services to the public and other businesses. Green Planet Directory brings awareness as well as educates consumers. This contributes to building a strong “green” economy and promotes an “organic” way of life. Visit us at www.greenplanetdirectory.net and make a difference in your life. Together, we can make a huge difference in the world for future generations.”

My listing on their site is Here Check out their amazing work!

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Wild Walks Email Newsletter – Sign Up

Subscribe here to stay up to date with information and write ups about wild food and medicine, dates for plant walks workshops and lectures, herbal products, as well as consultations offered.

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Herbal Tinctures Available

I have tinctures available. There is a limited amount of each for and I will have them available for while the supply lasts.  All of the processing, from gathering to harvesting was done in a sacred way. Your support goes to making more herbal gifts, and furthering my education and teaching.

Please specify which tincture you would like in your order.

Bottle Sizes (Suggested Donation)

All tinctures come from my own private collections of medicine, I make extra for those in need, and those who feel the call. Here is the information about their harvesting rituals and uses.

Boneset Tincture (Sold Out)
The Boneset came from the herb farm of my herbal teachers, at Heartstone Herbal School in Van Etten, NY. They are made with 50% organic grain alcohol, and 50% self-harvested mountain spring water from Ithaca. I extracted them on my altar for 3 full moons and bottled them from start to finish with prayers of healing. Every step of the harvest, from harvesting the water, to harvesting the herbs, was done with prayer and healing intent.

Boneset is great to take for oncoming flu feeling, body aches and pain from flu, as well as to relieve congestion. It is an immune booster, and good for colds, bronchial problems, pandemics, epidemics as it was traditionally used for malaria and dengue fever. Boneset should be taken as symptoms arise for no longer than 7 days.

Take 1-2 droppers full twice daily for best result.

Contraindications to taking boneset: Consumption of large doses can cause vomiting- use as directed or consult a qualified practitioner. Those allergic to chamomile, fever-few or ragwort should refrain or use with caution. Safety for pregnant women is not established.

Passionflower Tincture (Sold Out)
Passionflower is is a powerful relaxant to the immune system, great for insomnia, hyperactivity, spent nerves, nervousness, stress, and inability to rest and relax, asthma.

This tincture is made with 60% vegetable glycerin, 30% spring water, and 10% organic grain alcohol

Contraindications: Not to be used during pregnancy

Goldenrod Tincture (Sold Out)
The Goldenrod came from my herbal teachers farm at Heartstone Herbal School. They are made with 50% organic grain alcohol, and 50% self-harvested mountain spring water coming from the side of a mountain in Ithaca. I extracted them on my altar for 5 full moons and bottled them from start to finish with prayers of healing. Every step of the harvest, from harvesting the water, to harvesting the herbs, was done with prayer and healing intent.

Goldenrod tincture is good for reducing allergies, hay fever, sinus infections, mucous problems, head colds, UTI, prostate problems, bladder and kidney infections and stones, muscular cramping, chronic skin conditions, crohn’s  and intestinal infections.

Take 2-4 droppers full twice to 3x daily.

Purported allergies to goldenrod are often due to ragweed which blooms at the same time. Minor allergic reactions can occur in people who are prone.

Reishi Tincture (Sold Out)
The Reishi mushrooms were wildly harvested from the forest by me in a prayerful and ethical way from start to finish, leaving plenty for other beings, and for the mushrooms own re-population. I extracted them in organic grain alcohol and self harvested mountain spring water from Ithaca. I let them extract on my altar for 3 full moons and bottled them with prayers of healing. This is a sacred gift from nature that I am sharing because I hope to help heal our community with natural and organic methods and to share the gift of natures alternates to pharmaceuticals.

Take 2 droppers full 2 to 3 times daily for best results.

Reishi is a general life enhancing tonic and immune booster. It increases strength and immunity. Good for asthma, allergies, anxiety, high blood pressure, bronchitis, weakness and fatigue, aids, flus, virus, and infection, prevention and treatment of cancer, cleanses internal organs especially liver and kidneys. Reishi is a real Heal-All and is best used daily.

Please feel free to email at Dan@returntonature.us for inquiries or any questions. I have a passionflower tincture sitting now which will be ready in a few full moons, and goldenrod tincture will be available soon. Let me know of a suggested medicine you would like to see available. Also, ask about my custom medicinal tea blends specified to each persons healing needs.

 

*The statements presented on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The use of herbs for the prevention or cure of disease has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or USDA. The Author therefore makes no claims to this effect. The products offered on this web site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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Our Food Freedom

I know this looks like something out of science fiction but it surely is not. The senate is currently acting to pass a bill that would make you an outlaw if you gardened or saved seeds. http://www.naturalnews.com/030418_Food_Safety_Modernization_Act_seeds.html

for those of you who dont know about monsanto, they are the cause of genetic modification in foods, which maybe you will think isnt so bad.. BUT, there are deeper reasons they have genetically modified food. One reason is because they now can patent seeds, which they are doing. In doing so, they have successfully sued local farmers out of business for having their non-gmo seeds pollinated by monsantos patented seeds. In other words, if 2 farms are split by a street, one gmo, and the wind blows the pollen from one onto the other, monsanto has the legal right to sue them for stealing their genes. And as you can see in this article, this bill will help them to control the world of seeds.

“This tyrannical law puts all food production (yes, even food produced in your own garden) under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security. Yep — the very same people running the TSA and its naked body scanner / passenger groping programs.

This law would also give the U.S. government the power to arrest any backyard food producer as a felon (a “smuggler”) for merely growing lettuce and selling it at a local farmer’s market.”

This is our capatalist industrys way of destroying the local food movement, the organic food movement, and the grow it yourself and barter in your own community movement. These are all serious threats to industry, so they are finding ways that laws can prevent it. This is why it is so important to consciously choose where we are putting our money. To give these corporations our dollar is to not give these local food movement organizations our dollar. Every dollar is a vote towards our future.

I Highly reccomend watching this beautiful video by Vandana Shiva, who represents the people and is an inspired visionary with a clear purpose. Click Here to view it. It starts there and its a 3 part series. Each part gets more insightful and incredible. She shares profound insight which will help inform us to make better choices for ourselves and our families.

This time in history is the frontline of freedom. The revolution now is unseen, but brewing in these movements! I commend you for being brave and knowing what is right in your heart. For that is the highest power but also the highest threat to companies like monsanto.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and being a person in humanity willing to look at these issues.

Please free to share your thoughts and your feelings about these issues, it is important that we come together and build conscious community, and support each other through these trying times.

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Harvesting Gingko – A Stinky Job but Someones Gotta Get Nuts

 

gingko gingko

Gingko biloba is quite a sight, or should I say smell.

When you stumble upon them, youll know. Standing up to 80 feet tall, you may have found a gingko tree in a nearby park or while

Gingko biloba mother tree

Gingko biloba mother tree

walking down the streets of New York City but often times they are all males.  Sadly it is becoming rarer to find the gingko nuts, which ironically come from female trees, because they are often cut down due to people complaining about the smell.  I must admit, the smell is incredibly awful, but after time working with the plant I’ve gotten rather used to it.  If you have found female gingko trees with nuts, that means that someone was kind enough to leave a male and female to make babies, which are little gingko nuts.  During the fall, a healthy gingko mother over 30 years old will drop its fruits all over the ground or sidewalk which then get stepped on by passersby to release its rich hearty…disturbing aroma.

You may ask then, why would someone want to spend their time collecting it?  Well, because it is an ancient past time going back to who knows how long.  If they were around during the time of the dinosaurs that means our caveman (and woman) ancestors were collecting them and receiving all of the incredible medicinal benefits of the leaves and nuts; our DNA is full of Ginkgo genes!  And if you can get past the smell, it’s just plain fun!  I have a pretty good process of harvesting them that I will share in this blog.

But first….

Gingko History:

The gingko tree is the oldest living tree still existing on Earth.  When you come upon a tree think about how dinosaurs were eating the leaves over 200 million years ago.  For centuries the gingko tree has been viewed as sacred to Chinese and Japanese Buddhists who live a life of memorizing texts and mantras.  It is also tradition in Asia to keep a ginkgo bonsai tree.

The Gingko tree was at one point thought to have gone extinct during the ice age and was actually rediscovered in the 1700s in a Buddhist monastery in China where they were carefully tending to them.  From there the beautiful prehistoric “living fossil” has again spread all around the world as an ornamental tree in cities and suburbs due to its resistance to insects, disease and its ability to filter air pollution.  According to traditions, some Gingko trees are said to be 1000 years old.  They are so mighty that there is even a story that the only tree to survive the atomic bomb blast in Hiroshima was one solitary Gingko tree which sprouted back months later from a charred and seemingly dead trunk.  Now that is virility and stamina!  With all this being true can you imagine what it does for us?

Gingko nuts encased in the fruits

The Nuts:

Gingko Nuts are a pistachio shaped nut encased in the smelliest fruit you will ever experience. The fruit actually contains urushiol, which is the allergen in poison ivy that gives the common rash. Some will suggest to collect with gloves; I collect and by hand and never have had a problem. They are a prized food in Asia, particularly in Japan, and make a delicious addition to any rice dishes or stir fry’s.  Along with being tasty (after processing), Gingko nuts are very high in protein.  They also have medicinal benefits to the body, mind, and spirit including dilating blood vessels and increasing oxygen into the blood stream which relieves stress and hypertension (high blood pressure).  They are also reported to be antimicrobial and you will notice that they are resistant to bugs in the atmosphere and internally help flush bugs (from virus to parasites) out of us. They are also reported to have anti-inflammatory properties, which is good for all pain, soreness, and stresses.  In Asia, the seeds have also been reportedly used for asthma, coughs, pulmonary tuberculosis, senility, bladder irritability, and to aid digestion.

You will find the ripened fruits smashed all over the ground in the fall (especially in cities) and you don’t have to bother taking them from the tree.  The generous Gingko will drop them, as well as the leaves, when they are ripe and when she is ready and there will be more than enough to collect right off of the ground.

In order to eat gingko nuts they must be roasted in the oven on 275 degrees, or boiled, for 25 minutes, as they are toxic raw.  When they are done you can easily crack the shells off with your teeth or a nutcracker.  They taste like a sweet and savory bean.  It is best to freeze them after you have finished roasting them to extend their shelf life if you have extra to store.  It is important to note that some people have also reportedly become sick after eating more than 10-12 nuts in one sitting, after cooking.  So if you were to get dizzy or a headache when eating them that would be a good time to stop!

The Leaves:

Brain-shaped gingko leaves

If we observe the Gingko leaves according to the doctrine of signatures, which is an ancient way of perceiving the energy of the plant intuitively, it will help us use our perception to extract many ways that the plant works on us.  It is important to recognize that what the plant does for the inside of our bodies is also what it has been doing for the body of the earth long before we came onto the scene.  Being that the tree is so ancient, disease resistant and hardy, shows us what will be strengthened in our bodies.  Also note that the fan-shaped leaves look like a brain and indeed they are an excellent brain tonic.  The fact that gingko was being eaten by dinosaurs, as well as it being a great cleanser of smog in cities, is an indication of an incredibly vast spectrum of virility and strength.  These properties, according to the doctrine of signatures, would suggest long life, increased memory recall, and deep healing and wisdom of how to adapt through the ages, which just so happens to be the scientifically backed research about it.

Gingko biloba leaf extract is one of the most clinically tested plants and it repeatedly has clear results in reversing early stage Alzheimer’s and dementia.  It is great for helping us with increasing memory and retain-ability, as well as increasing circulation to the limbs and the brain. The leaf extract has also been found to stimulate the immune system, and help clear bad plaque out of the arteries, protecting against heart disease.  The extracts are also used for headaches, asthma, tinnitus, kidney disorders, depression, bleeding, bruising, and edema.  It is a potent free radical destroyer and therefore helps fight against cancer cells.  All of these factors stem directly or indirectly to its power to increase your blood flow which also increases vigor, stamina, and energy.  A virtual health miracle!

Notice I said “leaf extract”?  Unfortunately there is some sketchiness about drinking tea from our own collected gingko leaves. I have asked many herbalists, and according to Robin Rose Bennett and the wise woman tradition they have suggested to work with the yellow leaves.  Yet as the debate holds, Ginkgo leaves contain toxic substances which are removed during the process of preparing the standardized extract.  Unfortunately this is one that unless you have a science wizard in the house you might want to go purchase at the store.  Make sure the extract says that the gingkolic acid is removed.

Don’t take gingko extract if you are prone to seizures, or taking any other prescription medication as it can counteract and cause side effects.  There are only isolated cases of sporadic side effects, but in some cases they are severe.

And now time to get nuts…

 

 

After they are cleaned and dried, you can roast, bake, or boil them and enjoy, or freeze them for a later time…

Happy Foraging!

Any questions, feedback, or concerns about taking Gingko you can email Dan@returntonature.us

 

Further Suggested Reading: Foraging Articles

Foraging Videos: Click Here

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Edible Puffballs in your front lawn – A Look at Calvatia Species

Calvatia cyathiformis

As the rains come, the season to find these common edible puffballs strewn about your lawn or the nearest field abounds.  

This genus of edible puffball is Calvatia which includes the famous (in the mushroom world) giant puffball, which can be the size of a dog…you wouldn’t miss that one.

Most Calvatia species are edible as long as the inside is pure white; I am not aware of any that aren’t.  They tend to tinge green, purple, or brown as they age, which actually the mushroom is turning its own flesh into spores.  It’s sort of a self-destruct unit.  By that time the mushroom is too old and you can mark that spot to know that the next time it rains they have a habit to return to that general area. There are also several edible Lycoperdon species (about 50), and the same is generally true for them, however, in this article we will only cover Calvatia.

SONY DSC

Spores being dispersed by the wind

Calvatia are fairly easy to identify as long as you know these mushrooms are in a specific class which have no gills inside, they are just fluff all throughout which later turns itself into its own spores, which then are released with the help of an animal, or human who can’t resist smushing or kicking it, and are dispersed by the wind.

see how theres no gills, and its pure white

Notice how there are no gills, and its pure white

 

If you cut them open and you saw what resembled gills, then be aware that there are poisonous mushrooms such as the death cap, Amanita phalloides, which can and has been confused for puffballs.  But it would be a long shot if you’re actually paying attention to what you’re doing. The trick is to realize that all mushrooms with stems and gills begin as a tightly knit ball with all of the parts inside of it, similar to an embryo, and can be mistaken for a puffball from the outside – this is why it is important to slice it in half.

Poison Pigskin Puffball – Scleroderma aurantium

A similar looking yet poisonous puffball is called the poison pigskin puffball (Scleroderma aurantium).  Notice the genus (the first name) is not Calvatia.  You can tell this mushroom right away by your miraculous gift of the sense of touch (No poisonous mushroom harms people by touch). While C. cythaformis is relatively smooth to the touch, the poison pigskin puffball actually is rough to the touch, i.e. the serrated marks actually stick out on the poison pigskin puffball. Another way to tell the difference between these 2 is to slice them open.  The poison pigskin puffball is black colored on the inside.

Poisonous Scleroderma species - See black inside

Poisonous Scleroderma species – See black inside

Calvatia – Note the yellow tinge – slightly too old

The [correctly identified] puffball mushroom cooked properly makes a great meal.  It makes a great tofu replacement in a stir-fry, or a cheese crumble in any baked dish like lasagna. They fry up in no time and taste a bit cheesy and like tofu, they really absorb the flavor of whatever you cook them with. I’ve even seen them battered and used as “hot wings” and puffball parmigiana recipes are all over the internet.

Always make sure you have the right mushroom and consult a professional before you eat anything, you could die. And if you think you have found it you can always email any pictures to me at  Dan@returntonature.us to confirm your finds, but make sure you send clear pics of a cross section of inside the mushroom.

Happy and Safe Foraging.

Dandelion

Further Suggested Reading: Foraging Articles

Foraging Videos: Click Here

     

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Help keep over 300,000 people’s drinking water clean

Please take a moment to put your name on this moratorium. This is hopefully what you have been hearing about, to stop hydrofracturing, or “fracking”. A dangerous and toxic way to extract natural gas from deep down into the earth. They use over 400 chemicals (including the EPA watched volatile chemicals) which leech into our waterway and cause serious health problems to anyone ingesting. The Delaware river is going to get “fracked” with no avail which would poison it, just think of all those happy children tubing down the Delaware no more. Since our economy is badly hurting these companies are trying an immediate gratification of massive profits with zero concern for the future. For more information please watch the documentary Gasland which you can find online without looking too hard.

Please sign this, it will only take you a minute but the impact of this choice will last the rest of humanities stay here on earth.

http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/act-now/urgent-details.aspx?Id=52

“The only way to clean an aquifer is to not pollute it to begin with”

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