LIVING Letter
An e-newsletter of THE LIVING WAY
Issue #19: "Wild Edibles"
6-8-09
__________________________________________CONTENTS:
1. Scheduled meetings and events
2. Ministry update from Mary Louise;Town Jaqua,
Hallelujah Acres Health Minister
3 Feature article: 'Wild Edibles'
4. LIVING resources
5. Buying Tips and more
6. LIVING recipe: Wild Power Juice
_________________________________________1. Schedule of meetings and upcoming events:
HANDS-ON HEALTH
"HEALTHY GLEANINGS:
A Gathering of Healthy Talk and Happenings"
Thursday, June 11, 2009
5:30-7:30PM
Winslow Public Library
136 Halifax St., Winslow
For more details:
http://www.livway.org/meetings_health.htm
LIVE FOOD DEMONSTRATION
'Summer Solstice in the Garden"
12th Annual Hospice Garden Party
Saturday, June 20, 1:30PM
Fieldstone Gardens, Vassalboro, Maine
Sponsored by The Hospice Volunteers of the Waterville Area
FMI- http://www.hvwa.org/specialeventsOur monthly HANDS-ON HEALTH meetings are
taped for later broadcast on Channel 7, Public Access TV.
DVDs are available for a modest fee. For details
contact Laura at 207-453-9895 or
laura@centralmainecatv.comLiving Letter archives-
http://www.livway.org/livingletter.htm____________________________________
2. Ministry update
Dear Friends,
It is June and spring rains are bringing on gardens
in Maine. Nevertheless, we are still looking for those
welcomed warm temperatures that accompany the
season. Our traditional spring weather patterns have
morphed into cold and damp experiences which keep
furnaces running and gardeners frustrated. Monsoon-
styled rains make working the land difficult with reports
of delayed and/or drowned plantings. Recent years prove
that climate changes are happening, but not as global
warming pundits would have us believe. All evidence
points to the fact that colder temperatures are here to
stay as the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms
of Yahshua Messiah. Therefore hold on tight, and weather
the weather no matter what it may be, for a better world
is coming!With the growing season now upon us, those of us at
The Living Way are in the healthy swing of gardening
and gleaning green goodies from local Farmers' Markets.
It's invigorating to see and talk with our farmer friends
who are on the front lines of 'growing healthy.' While
most are not live foodists, they do appreciate and applaud
our efforts to eat and promote their produce! So it is that
weekly we treat ourselves to farm fresh 'beauties' and
encourage you to do likewise! There is no better season to
start being healthy than now. Eating of the goodness of
the land is a blessing that pays great dividends. Give
yourself a healthy boost this summer by 'going LIVE!'By way of healthy encouragement, our HANDS-ON HEALTH
meeting this month will cover several topics...all in an effort
to educate you into the wonderful world of wellness. As an
added treat, David Gulak of Spring Water Farm (Benton) will
speak briefly about his new project, Barrel's Market, in down-
town Waterville. Consider joining us for an evening of healthy
talk that promises to add inspiration to your life.For those who would like a special LIVE treat, join us for
a LIVE FOOD DEMONSTRATION at the annual Hospice
Garden Party that is being held at Fieldstone Gardens
later this month. I'll be blending up healthy summer smoothies
in surroundings of blooming floral beauty. The event promises
to be stellar, so plan to attend. Details are posted on the
Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area website
http://www.hvwa.org/specialeventsOur feature article this month is 'Wild Edibles.' We hope
that you'll enjoy reading about these 'incredible edibles,'
and most of all incorporating them into your diet. Suffice
to say, I am having fun exploring our backyard and
harvesting green goodies that otherwise I mistook as
noxious weeds. In celebration of our first experience with
these found-plants, take a look at our 'Wild Power Juice'
recipe that follows in this newsletter!On a final note, we encourage you to celebrate the summer
season by improving the quality of your life. Treat yourself by
returning to simple, wholesome living. Reduce stress in your
life by simplifying what you do and how you do it. Many times
less is more. Getting back to the basics and finding our real
roots brings healing. So as you go through the day, don't forget
to stop, look, and listen, especially to YHVH Almighty Who
cares for you!
________________________________________3) Feature Article: "Wild Edibles"
As the growing season gains momentum, I am happily
discovering a new dimension to gardening: wild edibles.
These naturally-occurring, green leafies that sometimes
sport tasty flowers and luscious berries are a welcomed
find for connisseurs of good taste and good nutrition. Often
mistaken as 'weeds,' these uncultivated plants present a
dimension to live eating that has yet to be discovered by
most of the general populace. For many millennia, wild
edibles have proven their worth as nutritious foods with
medicinal value. Without a doubt, these indigenous plants
are given as a gift from YHVH for the benefit, if not the very
survival, of man.
What are these wild edibles, you ask? Have you ever heard
of dandelion, clover, chickweed, lambsquarters, wood
sorrel, violets, may apples, etc? These indigenous plants
grace the land and dot the landscape, waiting to be
discovered and eaten. Hunting wild edibles, also known
as 'foraging', is a growing sport in America. This age-old
way of shopping for dinner and between-meal-snacks is
gaining popularity as the ultimate way of 'going green' or
'going natural.' This natural, selective process of staking
out field and forest for nutritious, living food piques one's
appetite for the quintissential experience of eating pure.
If foraging for food in the field or forest is not conducive
to your lifestyle, how about bringing the experience closer
to home? For the average land owner or home gardener,
start looking around. What's growing on your ground? Plants
that you consider weeds may well be wild edibles. As an avid
gardener and ace weeder, I recently discovered this to be true.
After years of weeding, I now have learned that most of my
countless hours of tugging and pulling has been in vain! To
my dismay and shame, I have inadvertantly waged a war
against wild edibles in our own garden! In ignorance I have
tossed these wild treasures into the trash in preference of
'cultivating' a garden. Needless to say, I am now reeducating
myself concerning plants edible and discovering YHVH's
garden in the larger sense.
Learning about wild edibles, especially how to identify them,
is fun and easy, requiring little effort. An adventurous spirit
to explore forests, fields, and even backyards plus a reference
manual are that is needed. My 'wild' experience began in our
own backyard with a curiosity about certain 'weeds' that were
entirely too beautiful to destroy. When I researched the matter,
I discovered that the plant in question was Mullein, a medicinal
herb that sports large, celadon green leaves in rose-like fashion.
My enthusiasm being piqued because of this fabulous find, I
searched our yard for other possible wild plants. I was delighted
to find wood sorrel, cleavers, and lambsquarters. We have
wanted to grow lambsquarters for several years, so Imagine my
surprise when I discovered that it is all over our garden,
masquerading as one of those 'weeds' that I have been pulling
up for years! Shame on me!
Last year, in order to add variety in our herb garden, we
purchased some stinging nettles seedlings and nestled them
carefully (!) in the soil. Because of their quick growth and obvious
invasive nature, I moved the plants this spring, sequestering
them in their own habitat. Though our nettles are obviously
cultivated, the species qualifies as a 'wild edible,' because
the plants are indigenous to this part of the country. Nettles
is a nutritious plant: rich in vitamins A, C, D, iron, potassium,
manganese, and calcium plus it has a high level of protein.
Nettles extract can also be used to treat arthritis, anemia,
hay fever, kidney problems, and pain.
Now that the world of 'wild edibles' has opened to me, I am
rethinking my gardening strategy as well as my eating pattern.
Instead of pulling the 'weeds' out of our garden, I am selectively
letting them grow and eating them! Living in harmony with the
land is becoming a new reality for me, wherein I am learning
to balance cultivated with wild. This, I believe, is part of the
greater understanding of coming into YHVH's Sabbaoth rest
as declared in the scriptures: we cease from our labors by
allowing YHVH to take the 'work' out of work.
Allowing for the bountiful supply of 'wild edibles' that surrounds
us, we invite you to venture into the great outdoors and see what
wild edibles' you can find that appeal to your pallet. Educate
yourself into the wonderful world of found plants that are
nutritious, tasty, and healing. One of the benefits of wild
edibles is that they grow of themselves. They require NO
WORK! Futhermore, they are FREE! These naturally-growing
plants are sitting in front of us, smiling at us, and patiently
waiting for us to discover them! So let's eat!
In closing, there is a word of caution, however, when it comes
to wild edibles: exercise wisdom before eating! Make sure the
plant is safe to eat. If you are unable to positively identify the
plant and/or question the safety of its growing environment,
it is best to leave it alone.
For additional information about 'wild edibles,' here are some
excellent resources:
Of The Field (Linda Runyon)- excellent field knowledge
about wild edibles, how to identify, cautions, etc; books, DVDs,
classes
http://www.ofthefield.comWild Edibles Workshop (Pete and Kerrith McKechnie)- a free
download (upon free registration to Scribd.com) about wild
edibles, how to identify, benefits of, etc.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8100611/Wild-Edibles-Nutrition-Medicine
Wild Edible Plants (Esme Stevens)- wonderful information about
wild edibles from a confirmed raw foodist and veteran 'wild eater.'
http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/wild-edible-plants.htmlHarmony Hikes (Seigi Boutenko)- This is the personal website of
Seigi Boutenko of www.rawfamily.com.The Boutenkos are
internationally-known raw foodists who promote a natural, wholesome
lifestyle that is 'close to the land.' The Boutenko family hiked the
Pacific Crest Trail many years ago and ate mostly 'wild edibles' along
the way. Their courageous journey is both admirable and inspiring.
Interviews about their hike are posted on YouTube. Seigi has written
books about the raw food lifestyle and shares knowledge of 'wild
edibles' on his personal website:
http://www.harmonyhikes.com
Red Clover- Good in salads or juices. High in protein,
vitamin C, B vitamins, beta-carotene, bioflavinoids,
magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, and selenium.
They are used for blood purification, cancer growths,
hepatitis, and aids. Good survival food.
Yellow Wood Sorrel- rich in vitamin C, phosphorus,
potassium. Tasty in salads. Somewhat tart. A good
thirst quencher when chewed raw while hiking.
Let these and other 'incredible, wild edibles'
add a new dimension to your living lifestyle!
GO WILD!
_____________________________________
4) LIVING Resources
Hill Gardens
Have questions about gardening? If so, ask master
gardener, Fred Davis, of Hill Gardens, Palermo, Maine.
Fred is a walking wealth of knowledge when it comes
to subjects green and growing. He is an author and
columnist who has educated central Mainers for many
years into the secret world of plants and soil. Along
with his wife, Linda, Fred has designed and managed
Hill Gardens, a friendly commercial nursery that is
like a experiencing a glimpse of paradise. Though
Hill Gardens is now closed, Fred is still sharing his
valuable garden insight. For a real treat, inspiration,
and education, visit
http://www.hillgardens.comBarrels Community Market
Attention locales! A new mecca for local produce, crafts, and
goods is opening June 21 in downtown Waterville. Barrels
Market is aimed at connecting the consumer with local growers,
artisans, and suppliers of goods that are naturally healthy. For
more information about Barrells Market visit
http://www.watervillemainstreet.org/barrels.phpHealthy news sources
There are many excellent health news sources that offer a wide
variety of information. We recommend that you consider subscribing
to some of these free e-newsletters. A couple trusted sources are:
http://www.thepowerhour.org/news.htm
http://www.organicconsumers.org
http://www.newstarget.com
http://standeyo.com/index1.html
http://www.cornucopia.org/
Hallelujah Acres Publications
Hallelujah Acres sends out a free bi- monthly magazine that is now
called, The Hallelujah Diet News. George Malkmus, founder of
Hallelujah Acres, also sends out a free, weekly e-newsletter,
Hallelujah Acres Health Tip. Both publications are excellent sources
of inspiring information. Subscribe by visiting
http://www.hacres.comNews worth noting:
Reusable grocery bag alert-
http://www.newsmax.com/health/reusable_grocery_bags/2009/05/27/218566.htmlVicarious "protection?"
http://www.meatpoultry.com/news/weekly_enews.asp?ArticleID=102157So much for global warming:
http://standeyo.com/NEWS/09_Space/090531.solar.cycle.html_____________________________________________
5) Buying tips and order info
Living Food Survival Bar
If you're looking for a convenient as well as nutritious
solution to eating on the road, while hiking, or just
plain snacking, the Living Food Survival Bar from
Hallelujah Acres is the ticket. It is a raw, cold-pressed
combination of superfoods that can be used as a meal
replacement. Certified organic ingredients and vegan,
this nutritional bar is another step toward experiencing
ultimate health the living way! Enjoy this delicious bar
along with 'wild edibles while going out and about!
Order direct from Hallelujah Acres (using our PIN#407)
https://shopping.hacres.com/item/itemKey/1198472
Hallelujah Acres products
If you are interested in purchasing Hallelujah Acres products, we
encourage you to contact HA directly and order using our health
ministry PIN# 407. Since we do not stock their full product line, it is
easier and faster to purchase directly through HA. Kindly know that
we appreciate your support of our ministry through your purchases.
HA occasionally has specials on products and shipping. Quantity
pricing is available through our ministry. Contact us for details.
Equipment purchases
If you want to purchase a juicer, dehydrator, VitaMix, etc., please
order directly through us. Your order can be drop-shipped in a matter
of days. Other materials and products exclusive of HA can be
purchased from us by appointment. Call us to make arrangements.
________________________________________6) LIVING Recipe: Wild Power Juice
This is our first 'wild recipe' that promises to add
adventure as well as power-packed nutrients to your
diet. Adjust ingredients according to taste, adding or
substituting as desired.Generous handful of stinging nettles
Generous handful of grass (young barley or wheat)
Handful lambs quarters
several stems fresh mint
3 large celery ribs
3 small apples
1 lemon
Extract in a Green Star juicer and drink immediately!
Because of the richness of the greens, we consumed
only about 2-3oz., not knowing what affect, if any, this
powerful juice would have on us. Suffice to say, we
liked this juice so much that we plan to incorporate
wild edibles into our regular juicing routine. This recipe
makes approximately 12oz. of juice. What we did not
drink immediately, we stored in a tightly covered 8oz jar
and refigerated, so that we can drink it the next day.
'Tasting wild' is an exhilirating experience! This juice
was awesome!P.S. When picking Stinging Nettles, use heavy gloves
as the leaves have sharp, needle-type prickers that can
be painful if touched. While cutting and washing, I used
tongs to hold the stems. When juiced, the nettle prickers
are eliminated. Nettles are best harvested before they are
two feet tall. They can also be dried and eaten or used
as a tea.Organic ingredients are always recommended!
__________________________________________This LIVING Letter comes to you in Messiah's love to encourage you
toward achieving superior health. Healing of the whole man is the
promise of our Heavenly Father. Begin now to receive your new
life...naturally and spiritually. YHVH is able to do great and wondrous
works, if we will but trust and obey Him. YHVH bless you!
For your excellent health and His glory,
Mary
Stinging Nettles...more nutritious than
wheatgrass...but handle with care!
