Wild Harvesting Adventure ~ Cottonwood Buds
- WHEN: March 25, 2023
- TIME: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
- FEE: $115.00 USD
- INSTRUCTOR: Suzanne Tabert
- SETTING: In-Person
- LOCATION: Sandpoint, ID
(details & directions provided after enrollment)
Late winter and early spring may seem like a barren time with little to harvest, but it is actually the BEST time to harvest Cottonwood buds! These heavenly scented buds are incredibly medicinal. This is an especially wonderful opportunity to get out into nature in the winter and enjoy fresh air while learning all about a very ecologically important tree.
Oh, the beautiful aroma of cottonwood is one that is not forgotten. Cottonwood has been my all time favorite tree since I was a small child. Join me as I share a bucket ton of stories about the medicine of cottonwood.
Cottonwood leaf buds contain resins and constituents that are very effective at reducing inflammation and relieving pain. Plus, they are highly antimicrobial, making the medicine of the buds perfect for treating cuts, scrapes, cold sores and sore throats. Cottonwood also helps to heal tissues, prevent infection, and brings blessed relief to those experiencing arthritis, strains, pains, aches, and general muscle soreness or injury. Does it hurt? Well then, cottonwood is almost always the answer!
In this wildcrafting adventure you will learn all about the medicine of cottonwood trees, how to identify them (even when there are no leaves on the trees), where to find them on your own and how to responsibly harvest the harvest the richly sticky, heavenly scented, and incredibly medicinal leaf buds from the windfallen branches of the Cottonwood trees!
You will have the choice to make and take home one, and maybe two, remedies (depending on the amount of buds available to harvest ethically). Options will include making an an infused oil and/or an infused honey. We will also cover the many reasons why you might choose to do either!
After harvesting, we will return to the farmlet, where I will show you how to make a cottonwood bud salve with oil already made.
What you’ll need:
- 2 clean half pint jars with lids
- Masking tape or labels and a Sharpie pen
- 1/2 pint olive or sesame oils
- 1/2 pint honey (unpasteurized, local honey is best; liquid honey only – not spun or creamed)
- Rubbing alcohol or wipes
- Notebook / pen
- Something to sit on (low-sitting, small/tripod, normal)
- Lunch/water/a thermos of something warm to drink
- Dress for the weather! Bring warm layers (rain gear!) and sturdy shoes!
WHERE TO MEET:
We will meet at Suzanne’s farmlet in Sandpoint and carpool to our wild harvest site (address and directions will be emailed after enrollment). The workshop is open to registered students only. Please do not bring unregistered guests, pets or children.
Dress for changing weather, wear layers and bring your rain gear… if you have them, hand warmers are heavenly for early spring wildcrafting.
