UNITED PLANT SAVERS BULLETIN A non-profit education corporation dedicated to preserving native medicinal plants Summer 2011 COLDENELLA: THE STORY OF A WOMAN AND HER LOVE OF PLANTS, HONORING THE SPIRIT OF CONNECTION by Susan Leopold, PhD The theme of this Summer Bulletin is the his Systema Naturae in which he proposed because we are embarking on a different concept of connections. In the last Winter the binomial system that reduced the mission in regards to plants—the need to Journal we highlighted several plantsmen naming of plants to two words—the first conserve native medicinal plants for future from the seventeenth century. These men the generic name, the second the specific generations. The network required to do corresponded through long letters and the name. Jane’s father would write the first this work will need to evolve rapidly to art of illustration, collecting and pressing flora of plants found in based on achieve this goal. Connections need to be plants for preservation for long journeys plants near his wilderness home, Plantae made between those who work with plants across the ocean. These specimens of Coldenhamiae. Jane’s interest in to gather critical information necessary pressed plants were highly valued as the grew, and she was well known by both to protect “At-Risk” plant populations. The field of botany was evolving. During this botanists in America and back in Europe seventeenth century plant enthusiasts time in history an international puzzle of for her skills in collecting and describing can teach us that through a network of plants from around the world was being plants. The French and Indian War made people gathering important information, studied to gain an understanding of a it too dangerous to travel far from her great things can be accomplished. It is global flora. For this Bulletin I was inspired wilderness home, and eventually her family now our time to take on the mission of by a woman not known by many plant would have to leave the family estate to protecting the plants that those of the people today, but in the 17th century she move east. Before she left her wilderness seventeenth century were describing in an was highly regarded as the first American plant sanctuary, she wrote a manuscript effort to connect the dots to gain a deeper and Colonial female botanist. Her name that described 341 plants along with 340 understanding of the global flora. This was Jane Colden (1724-1766), and as fate illustrations that described the anatomy Bulletin will further detail the tools of the would have it, she grew up in the wilderness of native plants along with medicinal new website that will lay the foundation of what is now Orange County, New York. properties used by Indians and country for members to connect to each other and She was home schooled and was fortunate people. Jane’s manuscript ended up in the share information relevant to medicinal to be influenced by her father, Cadwallader library of Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820), plant conservation, while at the same time Colden, a doctor and an amateur botanist and after Banks’ death, his complete library building community among UpS members. and anthropologist. This was an important went to the . Though Jane For this reason we have sent this Bulletin time in botanical history, for Colden was largely forgotten, she did play a out to not only our membership, but also (1707-1778) had just published in 1735 part in describing for the first time several to past members whose membership species; one in particular was goldthread has lapsed. Now is the time to reconnect (Coptis trifolia), which she named Fibraurea and engage with UpS and join the online as a literal translation in Latin. community that links our shared passion. wrote to Linnaeus and asked that he name the plant Coldenella in her honor, but in the The shared passion that I feel links the UpS end goldthread took on the name of coptis. community is our obvious connection to In Jane’s time she was describing plants that plants. In this issue there are four wonderful were virtually unknown to the scientific ways in which these connections have world, and through her father’s interests inspired members. “Seeding Sanctuary” is a she was able to engage in the active great story submitted by Isaac Wiegmann conversations in regards to this plant puzzle about what it means to him to be the that was being worked on by a network of seventh generation. “An Invitation” by Keri botanists from around the globe. Evjy reminds us that we don’t need roots to connect, that we can take small steps no I make this point in regards to the work matter where we live to have plants enrich that was necessary to understand the our lives. A wonderful article shares what puzzle of how plants are related and being connected the work of botanists and taxonomists continued on page 7

Summer 2011 | 1 WEBSITE INTRODUCTION by Susan Leopold, PhD I am thrilled to share with the UpS family the becoming a moderator for the website, please new website. As current members you will contact [email protected]. receive an email from UpS assigning you a login and password. If you are a member and have The Botanical Sanctuary Map is a new feature not received an email with a login, it may be of the site that demonstrates how quickly the because we do not have a current email on file. BSN program is growing. We have sent a letter Please contact us via email, and we will send out to all BSN members to ask for feedback United Plant Savers you your login. The new site is geared towards on how the website can serve as a tool to help PO Box 400, E. Barre, VT 05649 building a community based around native grow the network. The new website has the T. (802) 476-6467 | F. (802) 476-3722 medicinal plant conservation. As a member, ability for BSN members to have a place to Betzy Bancroft: Office Manager once you log in you have your own profile page put up information regarding each sanctuary, Email: [email protected] such as descriptions, photos, and events. If you www.unitedplantsavers.org that you can customize have thoughts on this, please Executive Director – you can contribute to the forums and network take the time to share your Susan Leopold; [email protected] with other members. ideas as well as feedback. The Editor goal is for the website to help Beth Baugh On the membership resources page you Botanical Sanctuaries grow in Graphic Artist can download UpS their individual goals amongst Liz Butler publications, and you their local communities and in Board of Directors can view the “At-Risk” addition connect with other Sara Katz, President slide show. The member sanctuaries to learn, share, and Rosemary Gladstar, Found. Pres. resource page will grow the mission of medicinal Joe Viny, Vice President also provide the most plant conservation. Bevin Clare, Secretary current journal that can Michael McGuffin, Treasurer Tim Blakley be read as a PDF, and Jim Chamberlain we will in the future be Annie Christopher archiving past Journals. Tania Hannan Lynda LeMole The Blog will be a place Helen Lowe-Metzman where you can read my Kathleen Maier most recent thoughts UpS Advisory Board in regards to United Plant Savers. I will also Mindy Green, Chairperson be soliciting guest writers to contribute to the Cascade Anderson Geller blog. The forum will be a great tool for the Don Babineau membership to contribute to the discussion Jane Bothwell based around topics of plant conservation. As Peggy Brevoort Richo Cech the forum grows, UpS will need moderators to Mark Cohen help manage the site; if you are interested in Ryan Drum Dr. James Duke Trish Flaster This will be the last printed Steven Foster James Green “Bulletin”; the Fall “Bulletin” will be emailed Christopher Hobbs David Hoffmann to the membership. We will be emailing the Loren Israelsen membership to make sure we have your Kelly Kindscher Nick Kulibaba correct email, and we may be Kathy Larson Jon Maxwell contacting you by phone or snail mail to Robert McCaleb Pam Montgomery update our records. Deb Soule Members will still receive a printed “Journal.” Nancy Scarzello Paul Strauss Mark Wheeler Please do not hesitate to email UpS at David Winston [email protected] with a Lee Wood Rebecca Wood preferred email. We do not sell or share Katherine Yvinskas our email or mailing lists. Thanks.

2 | Summer 2011 SEEDING SANCTUARY FOR THE NEXT SEVEN GENERATIONS by Isaac “Wiggy” Wiegmann As I write, it’s early spring in the Northern heating the greenhouses one winter. My My father and I continue to work towards Panhandle of West Virginia, and I’m taking earliest memories are of hikes to “Indian the dream we share for this land we hold a break in between hauling the sap of Rock” with my dad, transplanting in the sacred, and as our efforts here grow on, over 100 sugar maples, cooking gallons of greenhouse with my Grandpa Bob, and my we hope to open our place to the public maple syrup, and keeping wood on the fires Grandma Forrestine, barefoot out back in as a botanical sanctuary and as gardens, warming my greenhouse for the 200 seed the hollow digging dandelions. nursery, and history center for preserving flats of this season’s flowers, herbs, and and teaching the traditions of working I’m 24 years old now and have loved heirloom vegetable starts. I’m going into with nature in the Appalachian Ohio nature as long as I can remember. I’ve the fifth season of working with this land Valley. Some of the plants we’re beginning always been a student of the natural world my family has called home since the 1790s, to work with include yarrow, elderberry, with interests bordering on obsessions and I’m the seventh generation to live and echinacea, nettles, calendula, calamus, black from the great apes and tropical forest, to work in these hills and hollows in the Upper and blue cohosh, goldenseal, ginseng, sugar herpetology and homesteading. I was a boy Ohio Valley where these days you’ll find maple, black walnut, and apples, but that’s scout and grew up camping, canoeing, and the little town of Colliers, WV. only to name a few. We hope to continue hiking around Appalachia. At 18 I graduated and grow our efforts with “At-Risk” healing high school a few months early and began I come from a long line of hard working, herbs and are working to propagate live what ended up to be a 2000+ mile life- independent thinking, nature loving, plants, as well as provide dried botanicals changing hike along the Appalachian Trail Scot-Irish and German pioneer farmers, and a line of products from the farm. We and I continue on with this Appalachian are also working to provide fresh, naturally tradition of working with the gifts of the grown food and plants from the farm to land. My home and garden stand where those living in poverty and furthering our my ancestors’ first hand hewn cabin and educational efforts. Spring is getting closer garden were built; where my greenhouses with every sunrise and sunset, and as the stand was the barn for the horses, cows, seasons go on I’ll continue my work with sheep, and hay; and the garden and forest the plants, tending my gardens, working in I work are the same garden and forest the woods, teaching classes, hosting events, my great-great-great-great-grandparents and living to preserve this special place as a worked. Flint arrowheads and a large sanctuary for the next seven generations. I rock shelter with a carved-into-the-stone give thanks for all my relations I share this mortar hole remind me of the generations earth’s community with and all the gifts of Native Americans that called this land they’ve given me. A great growing season to home and worked with these plants before Wiegmann Family Photo all; keep your dreams in your heart and your my family was here. This land is a special hands in the soil. place, especially to me, and I consider in two 3-month, 1,000-mile jaunts. From there I went on to study Natural Resources The name of Isaac “Wiggy” Wiegmann’s myself the steward of this land for this homestead is Next 7 Farm. seventh generation. Management at Hocking College, as well as Permaculture Design in Southeastern Growing plants and working with the land Ohio. Between the trail experience and Ups’s Fall Internship are a family tradition, and I’m proud to college experience my life was changed Program be the first one since my Great Grandpa for the better, and my relationship Alva Robinson to be planting orchards and understanding of nature grew Deadline is August 1st, and making maple syrup in Colliers, profoundly. It was through living, for the August 29th to October 7th session. WV. My father and grandpa, Mark and Bob working, and studying in Southeastern Interns will get hands-on experience in Wiegmann, started Wiggi’s Ohio Valley Ohio that I became aware of UpS, the identifying a wide array of medicinal and Nursery in 1978; my father had a degree Goldenseal Sanctuary, and the efforts useful plants, trees and shrubs. They will learn in horticulture from WVU, $200, a one to preserve and protect Appalachian about various practices and techniques on handled wheelbarrow, and a dream. Their ecology through working with native growing, harvesting, processing and using a variety of herbs, seeds and roots. first greenhouse was a stripped down old healing herbs. I owe a special thanks to wooden garage in the front yard. At one Rebecca Wood and Paul Strauss, two Guest teachers and community members will time the nursery sold thousands of plants hardworking teachers and students provide weekly in-depth classes. every season, and a successful landscape of the natural world, as well as an Sanctuary work will involve trail maintenance business was managed, too. But in the late entire community of passionate and and development, general forestry and 1990s, with the collapse of the local steel talented heroes, friends, UpS members, landscape improvement work, as well as upkeep of existing gardens, nursery and mill industry so went the local economy. herbalists, farmers, and stewards of the facilities. The nursery fell into disrepair as my father land. You’ve all passed on a green spark went to work for corporate America, and my that continues to inspire me and help Fall interns will also participate in harvesting and processing orders for the Annual Fall Plant Grandpa’s age caught up with him after a me to hew the vision for my work with Giveaway Program. fall and a resulting broken hip while he was my family land here in Colliers, WV.

Summer 2011 | 3 UpS STORY TO SHARE by Olatokunboh Michelle Obasi Kuruman is a small town located in the When it shows up, we are reminded to of life and people, I identify with the Northern Cape of South Africa near the create balance of opposites and harmony in great efforts that Mama and Baba have Kalahari Desert. It could take a good 8-9 our lives. created in Kuruman. They are truly elders, hours depending on traffic, pot holes or examples of how I want to live and what how narrow the road is from Johannesburg. Baba also spoke about future visions such as role I should play as I become an elder. The majority of foreigners flock to this little preservation of land and people, especially They represent sustainable living, service town with mining contracts, exploiting the in Africa. He was very concerned about to humanity, and serious herbalists and abundant supplies of diamonds surrounding the exploitation of African Sleeping Mountain. Others go to visit the knowledge, culture, people, fascinating Eye of Kuruman, a lake with an children and plants. I would underground water supply. A few especially imagine he witnessed much as make it their business to visit the 90-year- the back drop of his home is old Vusuamazulu (Zulu Shaman) Credo Sleeping Mountain. Mutwa at his Academy for African Rebirth, Progress and Survival. Now, ask yourself Zulu Shaman is more to his if you have ever been in the presence of a community than a medicine being that seemed unlike any being of the man. He’s a humanitarian, human race, one who seems to be the last activist, storyteller, wonderful elder of that kind of race. For me, Baba family man and husband. (father, in the majority of African languages, Virginia Rathele Mutwa Baba’s Outdoor School of African Healing & Spirituality Garden used usually as a sign of respect, especially (Mama) is his wife, a beacon toward elders) Mutwa comes to mind as of light. She is Baba’s guiding light along clinicians. In going to Kuruman to spend that precious being, a walking, talking, living the shamanic path. He sees, she does, and time with Baba and Mama, I learned library, a source of unheard knowledge. together they are the zebra grazing on the cooperation of land and people. We must When I first met Baba I knew true love. African plains. work together even on a global level Before he or I spoke verbally I sensed love to consider the impact we have on our for strangers, life, enemies and Africa. His Lesedi la Bophelo Clinic is Mama’s environment and its effects on others in two-day teaching was composed of stories, manifestation. She has established a the world—and to listen and observe the parables and prophecies. He shared the healing space with 5 or so dormitories with plants and witness what they speak to us. story of the marula fruit and its significance the capacity to house 5-7 ‘patients’. She I learned environmental consciousness in in Zulu mythology. Marula (Sclerocarya treats all people, especially children, women that the simple act of planting, composting, birrea) comes from what the Zulu believe is and elders. Baba and Mama lament the involving community and children can the tree of good and evil knowledge. It is a atrocities occurring in their community create a conscious community that will symbol of sacredness, ritual, marriage and among these groups. They are target groups grow to respect the land. I learned to love fertility, amongst many other things. It is a of neglect, rape and HIV/AIDS. Outside in action, in speaking, in healing. Love is the common tree in South and Southern Africa their clinic is a wonderful smorgasbord synergistic ingredient. It is the medicine known also as the elephant tree. Baba of botanical medicine—a rich botanical to the soul, the language of the heart and also spoke of the zebra. The zebra, he told, pharmacy locally grown and ancestrally the binder of botanical formulas. I also represents the African yin yang, one that known. Some examples of botanicals learned to teach. Teaching is a sharing and is living and moving on the African plains. growing there are Sutherlandia frutscens is the greatest thing a healer can do. It (cancer bush), Warburgia instills empowerment, and it immortalizes salutaris (pepperbark tree), knowledge, which is important as future Hypoxis hemerocallidea generations may benefit from past wisdom. (African potato), I hope that I have shared all that I have Siphonochilus aethiopicus learned with you and that you may pass it (African ginger) and Artemisia on to others. afra (wormwood), among many others. Everything in Olatokunboh Michelle Obasi, MSc is a this botanical pharmacy is medical herbalist and owner of Nourishing grown using compost and Botanicals LLc. She is a mother of 3 cow dung as fertilizer. It is wonderful children. She teaches Synergy tended by local volunteers, Dance and enjoys teaching, traveling, arts, and children participate in its meditation and gardening. Her future plans sustainability. are to create an herbal volunteer group to travel to Kuruman. As a medical herbalist, an African woman and lover Olatokunboh Obasi in Baba and Mama Mutwa’s Herb Garden

4 | Summer 2011 Leaves & seeds: member voices We invite our members to send us articles, for clients, the green world beckons Your inner wisdom will answer, or you’ll brief notes and messages about their plant engagement of me to slow down, dig in, draw the answers from the physical world experiences. Here are a few we’d like to share be present in the moment of co-creation, by holding the question in your heart and with you…enjoy! and trust in deep relationships—a perfect yearning. I know this. antidote to moving around. AN INVITATION There’s a secret patch of American ginseng I still seek the solitude of the hills with my in the woods near my home; it isn’t at all by Keri Evjy siblings when we gather and find space for what you might imagine—a mere 7-minute My enchantment with the green world wayward plants in my rented backyard. And walk from a gravel country road and close began when I was very young. I grew up a when familiar questions arise regarding the enough to the neighboring highway that water child with pruned fingers and blood effort and cost, I honor my attachment to you can see cars whizzing by. I found it by shot eyes, acting out a myriad of made-up grow where I am as a gift to myself and my asking “Where is the nearest ginseng?” and games with my two brothers until the sun ongoing engagement with the Earth. We are opening my heart and senses to trust where went down. When we weren’t in the water, all tenants in these bodies, this landscape, I was being led. I found this magical patch, my family hiked the hills and peaks of New and the houses we inhabit. We ultimately which spanned about a hundred feet in Hampshire. At home, my parents offered to all experience the same impermanence. diameter. It’s not a north facing slope; the purchase seed trays, seeds, and soil for my I can make a difference wherever I am. I land is almost flat. There are none of the perennial and vegetable garden experiments. don’t need to see the fruits of my labors. companion plants one looks for…just some I remember my young 9-year-old self In fact, the world needs more unattached pines and tulip poplar and the remnants of setting up the capillary matting and plastic generosity and unabashed givers. Perhaps an old still. The forest actually had sort of trays, delicately watering the flats daily and the next renter might see this invitation to a sad neglected feeling right up until it felt running through the house exuberantly garden and run with it. like I walked into a bubble of “Dawning”. I heralding the sighting of emerging really had an awareness of a connection The plant world has been my lifeline cotyledons pushing through the moist soil. to great strength and a Knowing which reminder of the cycles of life and death, enveloped me from the ground up. It felt On my own, my life has been uprooted rebirth, and stewardship. I take a supported like an awakening. I looked down, and there numerous times across four states and a few seat, from this humble place connected to they were singing! That was 8 years ago. time zones in the 15 years since living with these essential truths. I am willing to invite During the first few years, I would go and my family. I have cultivated and reluctantly in the mystery as a way to maintain my sing with the plants, appreciating their given away gardens, houseplants, and humanity wherever I go. presence. I would go to conferences and supplies numerous times. Inevitably, before Keri Evjy connects people to their food and find ginseng in the middle of Virginia unpacking my boxed-up life, questions medicine through Healing Roots Design, an creeper patches 20 feet from the roadside. emerge. How long am I going to be here? ecological design and herbalism practice One time I ran off to pee, and one was right What if the next folks aren’t gardeners and located in Asheville, NC. there next to me to keep me company right rip up my compost, herbal medicine, and www.healingrootsdesign.com off a path at a YMCA camp. They started fruit trees for a dog run or another priority? calling everywhere! How much time and money am I willing to devote to another person’s asset? What is SANGIN’ OVER A DECADE Back at the patch, I was then invited to my reward for my efforts to bio-remediate by June Ellen Bradley harvest some for medicine, but only a few the soil and start anew? younger plants. I always made an offering “Go ask the plants,” one of my mentors and asked the grandmother’s permission. Over the last 10 years, I have moved from encouraged me about 18 years ago. Little One year though, I got careless in my care a place of selfishness to tender concern did I know then that I would be mentored and discernment. I was digging a root as for our taxed planet and wish to put my by the plants themselves ever since. Having big as my thumb and suddenly felt as if I time and care where it counts. At some had a science background growing up in were in the crosshairs of an assassin’s gun. points this has meant pulling my wondering a medical household and graduating from I felt as if I were in danger and experienced inside and containing it in houseplants, Wheaton with a Biology/Government intense fright. I actually ran away, heart saving seeds, and sharing baby plants with degree, emptying my cup and learning continued on next page... friends and neighbors. I have also rented so a whole new way to learn was short term that houseplants or container arduous, albeit rewarding. It was gardening didn’t factor into the equation. I most difficult learning not to noticed in myself an absence of connection believe everything I thought! to the larger picture—cynical, disconnected, and ignorant to the cycles of life and death. Some of the mentoring I received We all have daily choices to provide for our from Panax quinquefolius I basics needs. In points of clarity, I realized experienced directly over the span my spiritual and emotional needs to of 8 years. I will include some maintain skills and feed my spirit through coyote teaching in the process, so continual relationship with plants. In putting be sure to read between the lines down non-determined roots or designing and ask the important questions. Panax quinquefolius

Summer 2011 | 5 continued from previous page arguing with myself and making excuses UpS Adds for about a week until I realized what I was Native Hawaiian pounding! It wasn’t until I got to the field actually doing censoring communication! that I noticed that in my hands was a section The logical mind can be unsupportive in Sandalwood to its of the leaf scars from an Ancient One—a these instances. “At-Risk” List Keeper plant—the one that guards all the by Susan Leopold others energetically and represents the Upon my arrival, I felt the roots tingling collective knowledge of the species. I was under my feet and then looked around for The “At-Risk” list admonished by the entire family. If I had the stalks and confirmation. A large opening has been used since dug that root, it would have violated a sacred in the canopy had been newly created where UpS was estab- code and pretty much canceled my ginseng several big pines had fallen, obliterating the lished as a way to dharma for this lifetime! Seriously though, shade ginseng needs to grow. The plants bring awareness to it would not have been good. The impact in that area needed to be relocated. I can the vulnerability of of my carelessness served to recommit my do that for them! I was also surprised and overharvesting of empowerment of Sacredness with plants. grateful that some of the plants made native medicinal themselves available for another round of So that next year, I wasn’t invited back. I plants. The criteria that UpS considers in medicine. did ask for ginseng to connect with me adding a new species takes into account one evening and learned the importance of the morphology of how the species grows In the spirit of such generosity and support, defining the details because I was buzzing and reproduces, the distribution range I am compelled to encourage folks to have awake in my bed all night. The next year, I of the species, and the market demand decade-long relationships with one or several went back, scattered seeds, sang with them for the species relative to the species plant communities. It is amazing what the and did a sketch of some of the plants. I was population. Native Hawaiian Sandalwood plants will teach you, how they call you and not invited to harvest and did not for yet is extremely vulnerable to overharvesting the rewarding relationship that opens your another year. and risk of extinction due to the fact that heart to a deeper awareness of how we really are connected. All we have to do is tune in. it takes more that 40 years to mature, This year I was called twice. Earlier in the and harvesting involves taking the entire season, I did a nice painting of a gorgeous Everyone can do this! Pay attention to every tree. Furthermore the sandalwood tree elder in berry. Later in the season, I had the interaction, all the details (I advise keeping a is a hemi-parasite species meaning that prompting to go to the patch and harvest journal) and your emotional state, sensations it needs to grow along with certain host some for medicine. So off I went just as and knowings. Sometimes it’ll take days plants making it a very tricky species the last of the leaves were falling. I was or months to put the puzzle together; be to reforest successfully. Sandalwood’s allowed to harvest more than I had in past patient. You also get stronger in your non- extraordinary fragrance, versatility, and years. I sat in the forest for quite some plant life, treat everything as symbolic and medicinal properties have put it in high time anchoring our connection. For a while Sacred and see what happens. demand for centuries, all over the world. I felt guilty for harvesting so much and as I This is why Hawaii’s native sandalwood sat there I was reminded to let it go. Once I invite you to revive our dialogue with population was almost completely deci- offerings were made and the digging began, the green nations. Together we can create mated during the infamous sandalwood and I was breaking up the roots to put them a powerful way to be here in celebration trade that took place during 1815-1825. in brandy, I got this message: “Chew us up.” with the planet. Deepening relationships Despite this terrible time in Hawaii’s his- requires opening our tender selves and being tory, Hawaii still remains the only region Uh, OK. So I sat on the forest floor, feeling all completely honest, honoring and present. in the world where sandalwood is being primal chewing roots. I also felt incredibly We have to allow our vulnerability and commercially harvested with out regula- connected with a lineage of this tradition merge our symbolic pictures—the opposite tion. Native Hawaiian Sandalwood I know nothing about, although it was of our training! It is right brained. It is time represents a quarter of the diversity of the communicated that it was a tradition. I we use both hemispheres in partnership. As genera Santalum. Six separate species are knew deep within that this is the right way we become more balanced, our Being affects found throughout the islands, and within to do it. Meanwhile, my scientific nature was others, and true change happens when it these species are several unique variet- in hysterics. “How unsanitary!” (and other comes from the inside out. This is how we ies, all endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. judgments) around the process. How does bring heaven to earth. Santalum freycinetianum var. lanaiense one integrate these kinds of experiences, has already been officially recognized as especially in such a germophobic culture? June Ellen Bradley leads a group that helps endangered. Therefore UpS has added the I’m actually hesitant to even share this. save endangered plants with the intentional six native species – S. pyrularium, S. invo- Anyway, I made a quart of tincture in this community Adawehi. Also known as junebug, lutum, S. freycinetianum, S. haleakalea, S. manner and went home rather jumpy and she is connecting farmers with the culinary paniculatum, S. elliticum to the “At-Risk” hyper from the chewing, feeling grateful and and medicinal herb market, helping them list, in an effort to bring about steward- extremely fulfilled despite the sandy teeth. learn to grow, harvest and process herbs, ship of these living Hawaiian heirlooms providing education and resources for A month later we had a terrific wind storm that desperately need regulations that value added products through Polk County that blew hard for several days. I kept will provide guidelines to their manage- Agricultural Economic Development. getting “the call” from the ginseng patch. ment and protection. www.polkcountyfarms.org I kept wanting to turn down that little road,

6 | Summer 2011 UpS NEWS continued from page 1 United Plant Savers awards a grant Ashley wrote in that her two most to the Braddock Run Watershed influential herbal teachers and mentors can teach us, “Sangin’ Over a Decade” by June Association. Kelly Martin is the both studied with and under Michael Ellen Bradley. The lesson is clear that we need watershed coordinator, who applied Moore and that she is continuously to offer thanks and also be cautious when using for the grant on the Association’s inspired and intrigued by Moore and these delicate woodland plants. Olatokunboh behalf. The project is part of an adopt- his wealth of knowledge through Michelle Obasi shares her global experience a-lot program and involves several his students, who have become her of traveling to the town of Kuruman, in the community organizations (Chesapeake teachers. Northern Cape of South Africa, and how that Bay Trust, Western Maryland Resource has affected her life locally in her herbal practice Conservation, Frostburg University, in Maryland. I think about Jane Colden and the and local civic groups). The lot will challenges she faced in the seventeenth century be planted with medicinal plants and – the fear of being caught in between the French named “The Helman Drive Medicinal and Indian War, the isolation of living in the Plant Sanctuary Project”. wilderness, her lack of a formal education, yet her ability to contribute to the field of botany We have added two wonderful as an insightful taxonomist of her time – and Botanical Sanctuaries to the BSN I wonder how would she be contributing now program. One is located at the Black to the challenges facing plant conservation. Mountain Community Garden in Black Our membership represents a unique group of Mountain, N.C. Diana McCall, who individuals who have made their own connection organizes the successful community to plants in a variety of ways, and now UpS seeks garden that had over 600 volunteers to connect members to each other to grow the that produced over 3,000 pounds of network necessary to take on a different set of fresh produce last year, submitted the challenges. application. The garden is part of a Susan Leopold is UpS’s Executive Director. master plan for the town’s greenway, Celle Rikwerda at Stark Natural Herb Farm and a medicinal plant garden is in the works.

Secondly, UpS is excited to welcome Presenting The 2nd Annual our first Botanical Sanctuary in British Columbia located on Salt Spring Pond, Traditions in called Stark Natural Herb Farm. Celle Rikwerda is a second generation Western Herbalism herbalist, who is in the process of Conference! establishing her practice along with a medicinal herb farm on her land that was passed down to her from her Ghost Ranch, NM mother. September 15-18th, 2011 United Plant Savers has awarded the www.traditionsinwesternherbalism.com Michael Moore Scholarship to Ashley Rieger, who submitted a wonderful essay on why she should be chosen. Ashley has been working at Dancing Willow Herbs in Durango, Colorado and is planning to do the internship this spring before moving to Portland where she will be taking the National College of Natural Medicine’s Naturopathic Doctorate Program. There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. ~ Celia Thaxter

Summer 2011 | 7 UNITED PLANT SAVERS NON PROFIT ORG PO BOX 400 U.S. POSTAGE PAID EAST BARRE, VT 05649 PERMIT NO. 222 WWW.UNITEDPLANTSAVERS.ORG BARRE, VT

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UpS’s FALL PLANT GIVEAWAY DON’T MISS OUT! ORDER BY SEPT 1st

This Fall’s Giveaway is a special opportunity to order 3 Goldenseal plants! We are very excited to once again offer plants wild cultivated at a neighboring Sanctuary in UpS’s “Goldenseal Sanctuary”community of Rutland, Ohio. They will be robust, good-sized roots ready to thrive in a fertile, shady location.

Please send your name, address and $10 check or money order to our Vermont office address UpS, P.O. Box 400, East Barre VT 05649. Plants are sent US Postal Service, so if you have a post office box, please be sure to check it daily so you receive the plants when they arrive!

You must be a current UpS member to be eligible for this give- away. One order per member please. Orders must be received by September 1st!!

Special note to our Canadian members: We are unable to export goldenseal due to its CITES status, so we will send you stoneroot (Collinsonia canadensis).

Planting instructions will be included with your shipment. Live plants will arrive in late September, so be ready for them!

8 | Summer 2011