Wild-Spirited Gardening: The magic of wilderness allures herbalists everywhere. There is nothing like walking through misty woodlands on a cool spring morning with beloved plants emerging from their winter slumber or strolling through familiar desert canyons singing...
Aligning with Invasive Trees as Herbal Medicine: Walking the urban sidewalks, riparian woodlands, and other forested areas around your home you may have noticed that the effects of globalization are not limited to fashion styles, international trade agreements, and...
Going Deeper with Yerba Mansa: I will never forget the moment I realized that The Rio Grande Bosque and I were one in the same. Walking along on a lovely Autumn day, the scent of Yerba Mansa filled the air and the muted light brought out all the yellow pigments from...
Herbal Tales from The Chihuahua Desert: The northern Chihuahua Desert is a striking land filled with surprises of all sizes from an unending and humbling skyscape to the plethora of small flowers obscured by the grandeur of the place. Even in the springtime one feels...
For the Love of Weeds: Wild Lettuce and Company: A weed by almost any account... What do we mean when we call a plant a 'weed'? Usually that indicates a plant that is growing where we don't want it to be, a plant that spreads prolifically, or a plant that competes...
Herbalism in the Crossroads of the Southwest: Welcoming in another new year often involves reflecting on the past and considering where we would like to go in the coming year. This post reveals those reflections and illuminates the background for the endeavors I am...
Rising from the Desert Mountain: Herbs of the Sandias: Standing in the center of New Mexico is a mountain range unlike any other. The Sandia Mountains and their southward extension of fault block uplift known as the Manzano Mountains are a unique amalgam of several...
Herbal Shorts from the Rio Grande Bosque: If you haven't figured out that I love the Rio Grande Bosque by now, you are falling behind. I've already written about lovely Yerba Mansa and her companion Cottonwood, but what about all those other plants hiding away in the...
Pedicularis: Community Coordinator, Muscular Medicine, and Gateway to Oneself: For the desert valley herbalist, mountain plants have a special sort of attraction. They not only provide the medicine we are seeking, but also put us in touch with the more lush and...
Rio Grande Cottonwood, Matriarch of the Bosque: The Cottonwood tree (Populus deltoides wislizenii) is the deeply rooted and life-sustaining matriarch of the Rio Grande Bosque. Our Bosque is a riparian woodland ecosystem with its origins dating back millions of years....
Seri Plant Ways from Sonora Mexico: The Seris, or Comcaac, are a group of hunter-gatherer people from the coastal region of Sonora Mexico. They have lived in close relationship to both the desert and sea while remaining largely independent and traditional in their...
The Medicine Wreath, Health and Ceremony: Approaching winter and a season of holiday celebrations means gifts, decorations, and gatherings with friends. It is also an opportune time for reflecting on what matters most to us as we take leave from routine and make space...