Herbmentor Radio

Maria Atwood, CNHP is a Certified Natural Health Professional and has produced a DVD called Cook Your Way to Wellness. Her focus is on fermented foods and nourishment, in the tradition of our ancestors, the Weston Price Foundation and Sally Fallon. Sally Fallon is the author of the celebrated book Nourishing Traditions, who said Maria’s DVD is "A great companion to Nourishing Traditions! Perfect for beginners new to Nourishing Traditions principles."In this interview, Maria and I talk about the origins of this traditional style of nutrition, why it’s so good for us, as well as some ideas on how to bring it into your life. We discuss kefir, beet kvass, bone broth, fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut, how to eat well on a budget, and where to begin. We also answer questions gathered from HerbMentor.com members, which includes weight loss in relation to this style of eating.You can check out Maria’s DVD and lots more at http://TraditionalCook.com

RIcho Cech is a village herbalist, conservationist, and expert on making herbal extracts. For many years he was a developer at HerbPharm. He and his wife Mayche are owners of Horizon Herbs, an organic medicinal herb seed company based in Williams, Oregon. Their mission is to sow seeds worldwide for the benefit of people plants and the planet. Richo is author of the books Making Plant Medicine and Growing At-Risk Medicinal Herbs. His Horizon Herbs catalog is well known not only for its variety of hard to find extracts and seeds, but also as a treasure trove of information.In this interview we discuss not only the basics of herb gardening, but also answer some excellent questions from HerbMentor.com members. Of course, Richo infuses his amazing insights on working with herbs. Also, Richo and I talk a bit about comfrey. And as you might expect, another knowledgeable and wise herbalist with yet another varying opinion.

Stephen Harrod Buhner is an Earth poet and the award-winning author of books on nature, indigenous cultures, the environment, and herbal medicine. He comes from a long line of healers including Leroy Burney, Surgeon General of the United States under Eisenhower and Kennedy, and Elizabeth Lusterheide, a midwife and herbalist who worked in rural Indiana in the early nineteenth century.The greatest influence on his work, however, has been his great-grandfather C.G. Harrod who primarily used botanical medicines, also in rural Indiana, when he began his work as a physician in 1911.Stephen’s work has appeared or been profiled in publications throughout North America and Europe including Common Boundary, Apotheosis, Shaman’s Drum, The New York Times, CNN, and Good Morning America. He has spoken at colleges and conferences around the world, including the United Nations.Stephen’s books include:* Herbal Antibiotics: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria* Healing Lyme: Natural Healing & Preventio

"Wildman" Steve Brill is known as America’s Best Known Forager. His 1986 arrest in Central Park made international headlines and set his career as an environmental educator in motion.Wildman has appeared on every news channel as well as David Letterman and many other talk shows.His books include Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not-So-Wild) Places and The Wild Vegetarian Cookbook.Visit http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com

Tammi Hartung, M.H., is a medical herbalist, certified organic grower, and consultant to the Natural Products Industry. She has taught at the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies, the School of Natural Medicine, and has lectured internationally. Tammi and her husband Chris own and operate Desert Canyon Farm in Colorado, where they grow over 175 medicinal, rare, and native plants.Tammi is the author of Growing 101 Herbs That Heal: Gardening Techniques, Recipes, and Remedies.

When my good friend Mark worked at Tom Brown’s Tracker School, he often talked about a great herbalist who worked there named Betzy. Now, I finally get to meet her! She is an accomplished herbalist in many areas, and she is currently working with United Plant Savers!United Plant Savers’ mission is to protect native medicinal plants of the United States and Canada and their native habitat while ensuring an abundant renewable supply of medicinal plants for generations to come.I ask Betzy all about sustainable and ethical wildcrafting, her journey as an herbalist, and other practical tips and skills for collecting and storing herbs.

Doug Elliott is a naturalist, herbalist, musician, and storyteller. Doug has performed at festivals, museums, botanical gardens, nature centers, national parks, schools, and conferences from Canada to the Caribbean. A couple of notable places are the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and the Royal Ontario Museum.Doug has authored several books and cd’s including Wildwoods Wisdom: Encounters with the Natural World, Woodslore: Stories, Lore, and Truth Stranger Than Fiction About the Natural World, Wild Roots: a Forager’s Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Roots, Tubers, Corms, and Rhizomes, and most recently, Swarm Tree: of Honeybees, Honeymoons and the Tree of Life.In this episode, we discuss herbs and storytelling, mushrooms, life in the Blue Ridge Mountains, old-time remedies, mentors, and more. Doug even reveals the time-honored and best way to learn about herbs!Doug’s programs, products, concerts, and workshops are all listening on his website, which is http://DougElliott.com

Heidi Bohan has over 18 years of experience working as an educator of native plants, horticulture, woodworking, ethnobotany, and traditional ecological knowledge of the Pacific Northwest.She has been a carpenter, fine woodworker, architectural designer, and as a teacher has taught classes in basketry, carving, weaving, edible and medicinal plants, and more. She has worked with many local tribes, as an instructor and mentor for the Northwest Indian College.Heidi is the author of a new book, The People of Cascadia: Pacific Northwest Native American History. It is an incredible living work with over 300 pen and ink illustrations depicting the daily life of the four major cultural groups of the Pacific Northwest. It was reviewed by tribal members and cultural experts and approved for the school social studies curricula in Washington State.In this interview, I visit Heidi in person in her study. This interview goes deep into how to effectively use plants in your life, using Heidi’s incredible life as an example. T

Jessica Moore is a mom who has a passion for herbs. When her baby had a diaper rash, she whipped up an amazing balm that healed it. To make a long story short, she founded an awesome herbal remedy company out of that experience. Many who come to LearningHerbs.com often wonder how to learn about herbs and take that passion into the world. We’ll see how Jessica did it, and we’ll also ask her some of her favorite herbal first aid secrets.

I have known Jon for over half my life. He has been a mentor and is a good friend.Jon is an amazing speaker. We’ll focus on how one learns about plants in their ecosystems, how to mentor young ones in nature and herbs, permaculture, health, and…well, get us two together and you never know what will come up! Jon also discusses native peoples' relationship to the plants.

“Weeds are in every country of the world, so it’s beyond me why there is world hunger. An entire civilization is walking on their food.” –Linda RunyonLinda Runyon’s knowledge and expertise come from years of wilderness living and learning on her own just what foods were safe to eat. She became familiar with medicinal herbs as well, as an offshoot of her friendship among members of an Iroquois Indian tribe in the Adirondacks wild, where she lived for many years.

Peter Gail, Ph.D. has been studying, writing about edible and medicinal plants for half a century. Author of 13 books, including The Dandelion Celebration, he is an esteemed elder of botany and champion of weeds. He has had a big impact on awareness of pesticide use dangers through environmental awareness.USA Today called him the King of Dandelions. Good Morning America, the Wizard of Weeds. Many call him Dr. Dandelion.He founded the Dandelion Cook off, the Defenders of the Dandelion, and created a coffee-like beverage called DandyBlend.Dr. Gail is the director of the Goosefoot Acres Center for Resourceful Living in Ohio. His literary and research legacy is vast, and we are truly honored to have him on HerbMentor Radio.In this episode, John and Peter focus heavily on the Dandelion, Peter’s story, edible weeds, and the impact he has had since starting this journey 50 years ago.Visit Peter at http://www.dandyblend.com

Karen Sherwood is a Northwest native who grew up studying the flora of the Pacific Northwest. While studying at the University of Washington, she was hired by Tom Brown Jr. to develop and expand the wild foods curriculum for the Tracker School.Karen gained a strong understanding of the traditional uses of wild plants while teaching there. Since returning home to the Northwest, she continues to teach ethnobotany programs through Earthwalk Northwest and other organizations such as the Department of Ecology, Washington Outdoor Women, King County Parks, and Wilderness Awareness School.In addition to her botany background, Karen also spent many years in search and rescue, fine-tuning her wilderness survival skills. To balance her expertise, she also teaches utilitarian uses of plants, including cordage and natural plant dyes. Her professionalism and credibility are enhanced by a special gift for helping students become confident and comfortable with harvesting and using plants. Her current passion is teaching abou

Aviva Romm began studying herbal medicine and midwifery in 1981. A Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) and herbalist, practicing since 1985, Aviva is recognized internationally as an accomplished specialist in the areas of herbal medicine for gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics.Her numerous books are now regarded as standards for mothers, midwives, herbalists, and other health professionals using herbs for women’s and children’s health. Additionally, she has written numerous articles, has been published in medical journals, and has contributed to several major integrative medicine textbooks. Forthcoming is her latest book, Textbook of Herbal Medicine for Women (Churchill/Elsevier, 2008).Aviva is the President of the American Herbalists Guild. She has been active in establishing standards for botanical medicine practice and education in the United States and has taught at national herbal, midwifery, and medical conferences and in private seminars, as well as being a guest on nationally syndicated radio pro

Christopher Hobbs is a fourth-generation herbalist and botanist with 40 years of experience with herbs. Founder of Native Herb Custom Extracts (now Rainbow Light Custom Extracts) and the Institute for Natural Products Research. Christopher writes and lectures internationally on herbal medicine. He is a consultant to the herb industry and is currently practicing and working on a doctorate in biological sciences at Cal Berkeley.He has become an acknowledged expert in the field, lecturing all over the U.S., and internationally in such countries as Canada, Great Britain, and Spain. Christopher’s specialties include herbs and the immune system; adaptogenic herbs, Native American uses of herbs, the pharmacology, and chemistry of herbal medicines, herbs for the liver, and the botany, and taxonomy of herbs.Christopher has taught or lectured at universities and medical schools such as Stanford Medical School, Yale Medical School, Bastyr University, and the National School of Naturopathic Medicine; including ongoing cl

Dina Falconi is a practicing herbalist with a strong focus on food activism and nutritional healing. She is the author of Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair, owner of Falcon Formulations, a natural body care product business, co-creator of Earthly Extracts, a line of medicinal tinctures, and a founding member of the Northeast Herbal Association. She offers workshops and consultations throughout the Northeast. Dina is Chapter Leader of the Hudson Valley Weston A. Price Foundation, on the steering committee of Slow Food- Hudson Valley Convivium, and organizes the Family Farm Festival, a sustainable agriculture festival in High Falls, NY, held the Sunday after Labor Day.In this episode, we mainly discuss questions from many HerbMentor.com members.

Jim McDonald returns to HerbMentor Radio for a special episode on fevers and herbal energetics. What is a fever, why do they happen, and what are the popular myths? The difference between stimulating and relaxing diaphoretics as well as detailed descriptions of many herbs with diaphoretic properties.Diaphoretics are herbs that direct circulation, open pores, ventilate the body, and allow perspiration. This 105-minute lesson is sure to clear up any confusion you may have had about herbs and fevers.You can visit Jim Mcdonald at http://HerbCraft.org. His site has many wonderful and extended articles on a number of plants and how to use them for various ailments.

Jim McDonald is a self-taught herbalist whose approach blends a folk and indigenous perspective of herb craft with the eclectic/physio medical approaches of 19th century American herbalism. If you ever spent time on Henriette’s forum or the Herbwifery forum, then you may know Jim. He also gives herb walks at many conferences, including the International Herb Symposium.He has a unique way of teaching people how to connect with plants, and how to learn herbal properties. These are the areas we focus on in this interview, along with some other fun topics. Jim runs programs in Michigan from day-long classes to a 9 month intensive. He is a knowledgeable and engaging teacher, and I was excited to be able to interview him for HerbMentor Radio.You can visit Jim McDonald at http://HerbCraft.org. His site has many wonderful and extended articles on a number of plants and how to use them for various ailments.

Linda Runyon is an expert in wild foods and has been teaching since the 1970s. Though she has a lifelong love of nature, she really learned her stuff when she spent 13 years with her family homesteading in rural New York State, without indoor plumbing, electricity, or running water.Linda has turned her amazing life story into many publications, namely her wild foods field guide called The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide (formerly From Crabgrass Muffins to Pine Needle Tea) and a brand new DVD called Linda Runyon’s Master Class on Wild Food Survival. She is also the creator of Wild Cards, the deck of edible plant playing cards many LearningHerbs.com folks have come to love.For Linda’s return to HerbMentor Radio, we spend nearly 90 minutes on a virtual herb walk. We cover lamb’s quarter, and how to make flour. Also, dandelions (and dandelion french fries!), red clover, cattail, and milkweed. We even take a trip to the Southwest to visit prickly pear cactus and tumbleweed. Linda also reveals the secret to proc

Sandor Ellix Katz is the author of Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods and The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America’s Underground Food Movement.Starting with sauerkraut, Sandor has been fermenting foods for over 14 years. As an avid cook, gardener, herbalist, and nutritional enthusiast, his interests have led to a life of spreading “culture” wherever he travels. He refers to himself as a “fermentation revivalist.”Hailing from the great city of New York, and a graduate of Brown University, Sandor now lives in a community in the wooded hills of Tennessee.You can visit “Sandorkraut,” check out his resources, read FAQ’s on fermentation, find out his teaching schedule, and order his books at http://www.WildFermentation.com