By Janelle Eklund
Fringed Sagebrush dotted the south facing hill side accented by lingering snow halos. The river below was slowly being released from winter’s grip of ice. Drop by drop the flow of water let go of the icy bank and hurried on its way to complete its cycle - winding and dropping way below, defying nourishment to the roots of this hearty plant. When one thinks of sage it brings to mind desert scenes and usually one thinks of a desert as hot and dry. But in this part of Alaska it's a cold and arid climate that encourages the sage to make this its home. It doesn't necessarily long for that river water way below its home because its roots are pretty adaptable. The tap root will grow deep where there is little water but if the water is easy to get at it will grow lots of surface roots. So that is why it can survive droughts. Wildlife use this plant for forage and habitat. I bent low to get an up close look see that new life was emerging and breathed in the essence of sage. The pleasant aroma has been used by Native Americans to get rid of bad odors and even was used as toilet paper. They would also masticate it by chewing and putting it on wounds and then bandaging. Some would make a salve, mixing it with bear fat and putting it on skin sores. They would also use the leaves like a toothbrush and rub it over their teeth and gums. A hot poultice of the leaves can also be applied to treat a toothache. And like yarrow, the leaves can be used to stop bleeding. Sage has volatile oils and tannins which can dry up perspiration, and is a powerful antioxidant. Thus making it an herb of choice, by making a tea of the leaves, for hot flashes and night sweats. The tea is also good for menstruating or irregular menstruating in women. These oils also help in treating sore throats and colds and getting rid of worms from the system. Sage can be made into smudge sticks (take a bunch of sage, wrap it with twine and dry). The dried smudge is burnt to impart its smokey aroma in a room and cleanse the air, acting as a disinfectant. Are you getting forgetful, feeling mentally exhausted, and/or not able to concentrate? Sage leaf tea can be beneficial to these maladies. While you are out in the summer battling the mosquitoes and you come upon some Artemisia frigida take a bunch of leaves and rub them on your skin to deter them. Or bring your smudge stick and use its smoke to keep them away. Enjoy Fringed Sagebrush for its many uses. From my light to yours- References: US Forest Service web site; Natural Medicinal Herbs web site; The Little Herb Encyclopedia book, by Jack Ritchason, N.D.
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By Janelle Eklund
It was mid-day and the snow lay deep on the ground and thick on the trees. Snowshoes strapped on, I headed for the entrance to the packed trail near the woodshed. Head down, I noticed large dog like tracks. No dogs had been around and these were pretty large tracks, indicating wolf. I followed the story of its journey. It used my tracks as solid surface for travel. Across the field and through the woods to the next field. Some smaller trees, burdened with the last couple inches of snow, gave homage to the weight and gracefully arced over the trail. The thick layer of snow outlining the branches of spruce trees hid their dark forms. In their dark recesses I could imagine chickadees and spruce grouse hunkered down in its protective cape. Being Christmas bird count day, of course they sent the word out - I'm sure the night before. Therefore nary a bird was to be seen. Looking up, straining to see some sort of avian movement in the trees, my neck started to tighten. Remember balance class, look up with your eyes, not your head. That works pretty good except when you are right close to very tall trees. Then you have to cheat a little. Through the woods the wolf track encountered hare tracks, both tracks mingling in a scurf. No other evidence of blood or fur in this story. Who knows the demise of the hare - carried away intact for a special treat later - or escapement. The wolf tracks diverted off the trail and crossed the deep snow in the next field. Its journey continues in my imagination. As I meandered along the packed trail through another part of the forest I marveled at the beauty of the trees; the strength to hold the weight of heavy snow; the naked branches where ribbons of snow clung and drooped, creating fairy snow swings throughout the forest. Many different kinds of trees are used as Christmas trees and spruce is one of the favorite. In interior Alaska finding a good spruce that's just the right size and diameter is a journey in itself. Most spruce like the company of each other and grow close together. You find what you think is a very 'full' limbed tree, and just the right size. But once you take it away from its fellow trees you find it’s a one sided branched tree. It didn't need any branches on one side because it had the protection of its relatives surrounding it. And Christmas size spruce in this part of Alaska have branches that are a bit far and few between. But, in a good sense, they are a typical 'Charlie Brown' tree. Their beauty is in the mind’s eye. A sort of wabi-sabi. (wabi-sabi is a Japanese term for finding beauty in something that is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete). Many years ago we had a small LONE spruce tree outside our living room window. It was the perfect Christmas tree. It had room to grow many branches all around. But it was too perfect to cut. So we decorated it with real clip on Christmas Tree candles and enjoyed it from the warmth of the living room. The tree has now way outgrown its small Christmas size. Now, for an indoor tree, each Christmas I christen our ficus tree to be a Christmas tree for a few weeks. This tree is also getting very big. It loves its home at the end of the kitchen counter and is encroaching closer to the dining room table. We brush it every time we walk by and I think it likes to be touched. It's very healthy. It only gets water once a week, sometimes plain and sometimes egg shell soaked. It gets moved by the front door at Christmas to be decorated. I also think it enjoys the decorations. And I enjoy decorating it with ornaments that bring back lots of memories - ones my mom made, some my sisters made, some I made years ago, and other special ones given by friends and family. That is what makes Christmas special - being with family and/or friends, sharing love, friendship, and the light, hope and joy of a Christmas tree. From my light to yours- By Janelle Eklund
We put our rafts in the Gulkana River at the highway bridge next to Gulkana Village. It was a nice sunny day with some puffy white clouds lingering about. The river wound its way back and forth cutting a snake like path through the boreal forest. Bald eagles stood watch along the banks giving us their wary eye from the tops of spruce trees and exposed bluffs. We let the river take us on its journey to marry with the Copper River. The Copper has many brides, including the Slana, Gakona, Tazlina, Klutina, Tonsina Rivers and many more. All these rivers bring a nutrient dense dowry to its marriage with the Copper. The shoulders of the mighty Copper teem with plants and wildlife. We made camp on one of its sandy shoulders where flowers and grasses bobbed their heads in acknowledgment of the rivers breath. Foxtail barley was adorned in its beautiful pinkish-red glossy flowing dress. Such a stunning grass in its prime, but looks don't account for the hidden roughness of this prolific plant. Before it flowers it is palatable to animals. But once the seeds develop - watch out! The seeds are about 1/4" long and have barbs that are pointed backward and are very sharp. When something like an animal or human brushes against it those tricky barbs catch on fur or clothing and are very irritating. Imagine fishhook, only much smaller. On humans they are annoying as they can catch on clothing. But animals don't have the advantage of clothing and foxtail can be very irritating, especially around the soft tissues of their eyes, nose, mouth and intestine if ingested. If swallowed it can eventually be fatal to the animal. The leaves of this plant are covered in short dense hairs that are rough rather than soft. So even though they look soft in their graceful flowing dance they can be irritating when touched. Foxtail barely sucks up and stores a lot of salt in its leaves and roots. So it can tolerate saline soils thereby lowering soil salinity. Its root system is shallow, it can be very prolific, and a nuisance to farmers. As the plant matures it loses its pinkish-red color to a grassy tan, spreads its leaves wide open, and drops its summer beauty, putting on its wabi-sabi decomposing dress. I was able to capture the beauty of this plant in the evening sun as we lounged on the river's edge enjoying the evening sky, the colorful splash of wildflowers, birds communicating, the rush of wings overhead. The river is a sanctuary to my spirit. The next day was our second and last to be one with the river. A sad day to leave but a renewed spirit to take with. I'd like to share the poem "Advice From a River by Ilan Shamir: Dear friend, Go with the flow Be thoughtful of those downstream Slow down and meander Follow the path of least resistance for rapid success Immerse yourself in nature, trickling streams, roaring waterfalls, sparkles of light dancing on water Delight in life's adventures around every bend Let difficulties stream away Live simply and gracefully in your own true nature moving, flowing, allowing, serene and on course It takes time to carve the beauty of the canyon Rough waters become smooth Go around the obstacles Stay current The beauty is in the journey! From my light to yours- By Janelle Eklund
We awoke to a crisp clear frosty morning in September on the Denali Hwy. Most of the photography class, brave enough to face the cold, donned their wooly clothes, left the comfort of the lodge, and headed for the tundra, instructor in tow. Tripods heavy with cameras balanced on shoulders. The sky overhead was blue, and as the sun rose above the horizon the spectacular reds and yellows of the tundra came alive. The kaleidoscope of leaves sparkled with the frozen breath of night. Dwarf birch leaves were stunned by the frigid cold. Sunlight poured through them highlighting the outline of their toothed edge. Capturing the beauty in the camera's eye before the sun melted it away was tricky. Arranging the tripod in the right position for composition, adjusting depth of field, shutter speed and focus was a bit challenging while keeping fingers warm. It all paid off for some stunning photos, and the fun and joy of experiencing the beauty of the tundra as it woke from the sleep of night. Dwarf birch is important browse for some animals and birds such as caribou, moose, and ptarmigan. Ptarmigan will eat the buds, catkins and twigs, while caribou and moose dine on the leaves, buds, and sprouts (US Forest Service web site). Salicin, the aspirin like compound, is present in the bark of dwarf birch. 'Medicinal Flora of Alaska Natives' by Ann Garibaldi says that on Nunivak Island the leaves "were boiled and drunk to relieve stomach and intestinal pain". In Tanaina Plantlore other traditional uses were to place the branches on the back for protecting the hunter’s clothes when packing meat. Branches were also used as a sort of 'clean table', laid on the ground while processing meat and fish. Dwarf birch likes to live amongst willows, blueberry bushes, and other low lying plants. In the fall they all work together in their final encore when they morph into brilliant autumn colors. The fire red landscape shimmers against the backdrop of a deep blue sky. Capture and keep it in a photo, a painting, your writer’s hand, or your mind's eye. May the beauty of the wild give you pause for contemplation. From my light to yours- By Janelle Eklund
Elegant draping leaves, a skirt of ruffled bark, and a stately composure make the birch the jewel of the forest dance. Although they are not so prolific in the Copper Basin, the small numbers make them even more of an outstanding jewel. I love coming upon these peaceful looking trees and admiring their beauty. I'm sure everyone has either heard of or tasted the life blood that flows through the veins of this wonderful tree - birch syrup. Sap from the tree is tapped in the early spring. The process from turning sap into syrup can be labor intensive and it takes a lot of sap to produce a little syrup. One time I watched a video on the making of birch syrup in Alaska. The company lived in an area where there were lots of birch trees. It was mind boggling to see that it can take 80-100 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. The sap is also used medicinally and natives have used it on boils and sores. Sap is best used fresh as it tends to spoil fast. Birch has a compound, methyl salicylate, which is similar to aspirin, and contains betulin. An infusion of the leaves can help with urinary problems and kidney stones. To ease a headache or pain from inflammation of muscles, joints, or fibrous tissue make a tea with birch leaves and bark, willow, and poplar since they all have similar qualities. You can take it a step further and make a salve or massage oil out of the birch buds and leaves and rub on your skin to ease those aches and pain. Birch leaves and catkins are also edible so try in a salad or use as a spice in a main dish. Birch bark has been used for centuries to make waterproof containers. Natives fashion the bark into baskets for containers when picking berries or in ancient times to boil water. Rocks were heated and placed in a basket of water over and over until it reached the boiling point. The bark has also been used as roofing and fashioned into tarps or shelters in wet weather. Need an emergency splint when an unexpected accident occurs out in the woods? Birch bark has been wrapped around an appendage and padded with moss and then tied in place. The bark has been made into many other useful items such as canoes, baby carriers, dishes, etc. It's important to be careful when harvesting the bark so as not to damage the tree. It is best for the tree to take bark from a pruned branch. The birch tree is a host for a fungus called chaga (Inonotus obliquus) - a type of fungus mushroom. My dental hygienist was telling me about it so I did a little research. In Tanaina Plantlore the natives call it Black Birch Burl or k'atnitsayi, meaning 'to ignite'. It can be used for fire starter and they used it as a toothache medicine after soaking in hot water and used as a tea. It looks kind of like a burl of burnt wood on the trunk. It doesn't hurt the tree to cut it off with a saw or hand ax. It is amber on the inside and has been described as a corky texture. It has an incredible amount of antioxidants, has been used in cancer therapy, and has been reported to be anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-candida, anti-viral, and helps to regulate the immune system. In 'The Fungal Pharmacy' by Robert Rogers there is a Russian recipe for chaga tea: Pour 2.6 qrts of boiling water over 17.5 oz. of dry crumbled chaga. Cover and leave at room temp for four days. Filter and refrigerate. Grind chaga to a mush. Add two qrts of 122° water and let stand for 48 hrs. Strain and add the two liquids together. Drink 6.7 oz. four times daily before meals. From my light to yours- Information for this article was gleaned from Tanaina Plantlore by Priscilla Russel Kari, Discovering Wild Plants by Janice Schofield, The Fungal Pharmacy by Robert Rogers, and the internet wikipedia and youtube. By Janelle Eklund
Once upon a time many years ago I was hiking somewhere in the Copper Basin. As I recall, I was up high on open ground where I could see the lake I was aiming for. I knew where it was, and it wasn't all that far away, but getting there was easier said than done. Not far above the lake the brush was thick but looking down on it from my vantage point it looked easy enough to get through. As I got closer, though, it became clear that it wasn't just little scrub brush - it was alder. The closer I got the taller it got. It's amazing how perception can fool the brain. As I entered this 'forest' of trees with many tangled trunks, it towered over my head. Going through it I felt like a microscopic bug trying to navigate through thick tall grass. As I started to scramble through, my vision around me decreased and my 'hey bear' voice got louder and louder. With much frustration and yelling, I managed to reach my destination. My recommendation - find a way around the alder, even if it means walking further. That's the hate part of the alder relationship. The love part is that it does have some good qualities. Its bark is great for smoking salmon, imparting its sweet scent to the meat. I will cut a stem, take a hand ax and chip off pieces for the smoker...mmmmm! The male and female flowers develop on the same alder plant. The male flowers are called catkins. They are long and flow languidly from the branch. When a breeze or the wind breaths through them, they gracefully sway and, when the time is right, release pollen into the air. The female flowers do the opposite of the males. They stand upright, start out as green buds and then grow into what looks like a little woody cone. You can pick the catkins in the spring and eat them raw or add to a favorite soup or other dish. They aren't the best tasting but they are high in protein. So remember - if you are caught out in the wild, in the spring, and need some sustenance - munch on a few alder catkins. Alder has some medicinal qualities from making a tea of the leaves and dried inner bark, which are bitter. I learned in Janice Schofield's class that bitters are good for digestion and cause moisture in the mouth, which is part of stimulating digestion. To make the bitter taste of the tea easier to get down you can mix other herbal leaves with it like dandelion and nettle. But Janice says be sure the inner bark of alder is dried before using because if it's fresh it's emetic and induces vomiting, which could be a good thing if a poisonous substance has been ingested. Like yarrow, alder can also stop bleeding, although yarrow is better tasting. In Janice's book, ‘Discovering Wild Plants’, she says that making a stronger alder tea can stop internal bleeding in an emergency when no doctor is available. I read an interesting thing about alder in Medicinal Flora of Alaska Natives by Ann Garibaldi. She says the natives have used the sticky alder leaves to help relieve arthritis. And sucking the juice out of the green alder cones was good to treat diarrhea. One to many cones were used, depending on how bad the situation was. Making a tea out of the fresh green cones by boiling for a half hour and then drinking 2 or 3 tablespoons anytime seemed to help. If it didn't stop it then they would make the tea stronger and drink it until the diarrhea slowed down. Alder roots are good for the soil because they are nitrogen fixers and add organic matter. They often come in after an area has been disturbed. Once other species take over and grow taller it crowds the alder out because alder doesn't like shade. And anyway, it did its job. May you enjoy the love relationship with alder and avoid the hate part. From my light to yours- By Janelle Eklund
I love walking through the forest during the autumn to drink in the fragrant aroma that permeates from prolific Labrador tea plants. Their leaves resemble rosemary and to me have a sweet earthy smell, not too much unlike rosemary. Intermingling with other decaying plants that have a more 'rotten' odor, they seem to mask rottenness with its intoxicating earthiness. Labrador tea is in the heath family and there are two varieties even though they look the same. One is narrow-leaf Labrador tea and you will see it primarily on the tundra and in sphagnum bogs but also grows within the spruce forest. It has narrower leaves than Labrador tea (also known as Hudson's Bay Tea) and grows only about one to two feet tall. Labrador tea has wider leaves, grows to three feet tall, and you mainly see it in the forest and open bogs. They both have clusters of delicate white five petal flowers that look like an umbrella over the top of the stem. Leaves in different stages of development, and/or flowers of Labrador tea, are used to make a tasty tea known to have medicinal qualities. In Tanaina Plantlore Priscilla Russel Kari says that the natives have used it for treating weak blood, colds, tuberculosis, arthritis, dizziness, stomach problems, and heartburn, sores, and used as a laxative. Another way she says it has been used is for a spice for meat. "...boil the leaves and branches in water, and then soak the meat in the tea until it tastes just right. The meat may also be boiled directly in the water with the stems and leaves. It can lighten the taste of a strong tasting meat such as bear.” There are some cautions that need to be taken when using Labrador tea. Since it contains ledol, which is a narcotic toxin, it must be used infrequently, in small concentrations, and in small quantities. Steeping it about 5-10 minutes is the norm. Never let it sit for days as more ledol will decoct out. It is toxic and can cause all kinds of problems, including death in large amounts. So use it in moderation. On the tundra be sure not to confuse Labrador tea with Bog rosemary when they are not in flower. The leaves look very similar but the difference is that the back side of Labrador tea leaves has a rusty look, are fealty, and aromatic. The backs of Bog rosemary are smooth, light colored and don't have that aromatic smell of Labrador tea. Bog rosemary is very poisonous, so stay away from it except to enjoy its beauty. During mild temperatures and lack of snow you just might still be able to enjoy the forest aromas. Drink it in and savor it for when the snow flies and lays a blanket masking the flavors of the earth. From my light to yours- Wild Plants of the Copper Basin: Indian Potato (Hedysarum alpinum); Sweet Pea (Hedysarum Mackenzii)9/24/2013 By Janelle Eklund
During the summer you can usually drive down the road - almost any road in the Copper Basin - and be swept away by the beauty of pink flowers lining the road. Role down your window and you most likely could drink in the sweet aroma of Indian potato and sweet pea. Many people wonder what those brilliant flowers are. They look very similar so it requires a stop (of course in a safe spot), get out, and take a close look to get a positive identification. If you are looking for food this identification is vital to your health. Indian potato (sometimes it is called Eskimo potato) roots are edible and sweet pea is very poisonous. The easiest way to identify them is when they are in flower but, unfortunately, this is not the best time to harvest Indian potato. The flowers of Indian potato grow on a long stem. The little flower clusters are big on the bottom and taper as they reach for the top of the stem - kind of tapered like a tree. The flowers of the sweet pea sit in clusters around the top of the stem. They just look more 'clustery' and don't taper like the Indian potato. Once both of these plants go to seed it is very difficult to identify them. The Old Edgerton was in full bloom with Indian potato one summer. On my morning walk I only noticed a few sweet pea plants and made a note of where they were. I went back and got my camera to capture their glow, along with the Indian potato that was next to them and very prolific. I watched these beauties explode to life so fast. The flowers didn't stick around long, and it seemed in a heartbeat they morphed into their next seed stage of life. A week later I went back to the same spot to see if I could distinguish between the two plants. I was hard pressed to find the sweet pea. I finally saw some subtle differences and brought home a sample of each to identify. Once they go to seed you must look at the pods, leaves or roots - or refer to a plant specialist - to get a positive identification. The pods of the sweet pea are hairy, cross-veined, and have 3-8 joints. The Indian potato pods are smooth, net-veined, and have 2-5 joints. Sweet pea leaves are somewhat whitish and fealty and the veins are hidden. Leaves of the Indian potato are smooth and the veins on the underside are obvious. The root of the Indian potato grows to two feet long. The root of sweet pea is shorter and the tap root is not so branched. Harvest time for the root of the Indian potato is either in the spring or fall after frost. If you do harvest the root mark the plant when it's in bloom to be sure you have the right plant so when you go back to harvest you know what you are harvesting. Still, identify it again as described above. When you do harvest in a dense patch, only take one or two out of every ten roots so you don't disturb the population. Once you have positive identification Indian potato roots are very good in soups, coleslaw, eaten like a carrot, stir fried, steamed, boiled - take your pick of how to prepare. Remember to be safe and respectful when harvesting wild plants. From my light to yours- By Janelle Eklund
As I walked down the Old Edgerton this morning the pungent aroma of plant decay wafted up my nostrils and into my brain where the vision of decay painted a beautiful picture of yellows, reds, oranges, and fading green. The plant kingdom seems to celebrate its eminent death with a party to beat all parties. The Japanese call this Wabi Sabi - finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature, of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. I learned this term while taking a macro plant photo workshop with the late Nancy Rotenberg some years back. One of our assignments was to find Wabi Sabi, connect with it, and capture it in a photo. And it wasn't the photo that was important, it was the experience and the celebration of life in all its forms. Nancy lived that life and her photography was a picture into her very soul and heart. I have picked nagoonberrys where they grew amongst the diamond willow in a damp area behind the old house. The berry resembles a raspberry in shape. Their shiny red color makes them glow with happiness. They are quite delicious. They don't grow real abundantly but if you can find a good patch they are great for just eating or making jams, jellies, pie, or putting in the freezer for a winter time taste treat. If you are enjoying them in the raw eat them up within 2-3 days as they don't last much longer than that in the fridge. They do keep well in the freezer. They are another one of those plants that love to hug the ground. In the summer it wears a pretty pink flower with five to eight petals. This stately flower changes its dress into a pretty red berry as summer is just starting to think about dying. Summer has already passed its prime so as of this writing all that is left is their wabi sabi leaves, helping to create that tapestry of beauty. Their distinct three-toothed leaflets resemble strawberry leaves and the stems they grow from are thorn less, making this a friendly fruit to pick. The UAF Cooperative Extension Service flyer states that "The name of the berry comes from goon, a word in Tlingit that means “jewel.” Tlingit elders say the berries are like little jewels popping up from the ground." On the other hand wild raspberries are abundant in certain areas of the Copper Basin. The leaves are similar to nagoonberry but more elongated. Unlike their cousin, the nagoonberry, they like to grow tall. But they are also huggers, hugging anything in their growing space, including you! Proceed with caution when picking as their canes are covered in little thorns that will grab your shirt or skin if you are not careful! Their dull red color hides lots of seeds. If you don't mind getting seeds between your teeth these are very delicious just to munch on. Also great on ice cream, in pies, jams, jellies, juiced - you get the picture. This year the plants were full of berries and maybe the hot weather had something to do with it. From my light to yours- By Janelle Eklund
When I lived in Kotzebue in 1980 I worked at a salmon counting camp on the Noatak River for Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game. In the fall the berries on the tundra around camp were so profuse. In the off hours I would pick a variety and mingle them together into jellies. I don't know why the crowberry stands out in my mind on those chilly fall days as I leaped inside the intoxicating bubble of brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows of the tundra carpet. Here I became lost in its dreamy state. The perfume-like taste of the crowberry married with the pungent aroma of decaying labrador tea - and other tundra foliage sticks in my mind to this day. Crowberry, or as others prefer to call it blackberry, not only grows on the tundra but you can find it trailing around on spruce forest floors. The reason I choose to call it crowberry is because I grew up in Washington State where blackberries resembled raspberries - only they were black, their vines grew high, and were laced with sharp thorns. So it's hard for me to envision this little round berry hugging the ground as a blackberry. The evergreen leaves of the crowberry pretty much resemble the needle-like leaves of the spruce tree. The fruit is very juicy and also slightly seedy. I like its perfumey flavor and, since I don't eat much jelly, making it into juice would suit me fine. Of course, you can mix other berries with it to give it another flavor. Like low bush cranberries, if you wait until after the first frost these berries will reward you with a sweeter flavor. The crowberry publication of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension says that crowberries have lots of antioxidants, even scoring higher than Alaska blueberries. In the test that is done to score the levels of antioxidants it scored 94, and a score over 40 is considered very high. But once made into juice by heat extraction, jelly, or wine the antioxidants are reduced. They are also a great source of fiber. The leaves and stems of this plant can be made into a tea which is good for any kind of tummy problems. "Medicinal Flora of the Alaska Natives" book by Ann Baribaldi says that a cooled tea of the roots, as well as the stems, can be used as an eye wash in treating eye problems. "An Outer Inlet person stated that her grandmother's eyesight was saved with this medicine. For two to three weeks her eyes were washed with a tea made from the stem bark. Each time after the washing, the growth was gently dabbed at with a soft spruce pitch. Finally the growth became loose and was removed from her eye. It was said that she saw well until she died" (Kari 1995)." The book also states that in the Kotzebue Sound area "Crowberry juice was squeezed into the eye to remove cataracts. Other Native peoples used the stem for the same purpose. It was not stated how the stem was prepared. (Graham 1985; Mauneluk cultural Heritage Program in Fortuine 1988)." Native peoples have also used the juice of this berry to treat snow blindness. As you enjoy the fall colors while picking cranberries, give a little extra time to fill a bucket of crowberries and enjoy their sweet flavor. They are often very thick on their little branches and you can practically scrape a handful at once. This fall may your hands be stained with the fruits of Mother Nature! From my light to yours- |
Who We AreWISEfriends are several writers connected with Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment, a nonprofit organization located in Alaska's Copper River Valley. Most of these articles originally appeared in our local newspaper, the Copper River Record. Archives
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