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Article on this Page: Your Everyday Herbalist by Christie Wolfe.
Other Articles Now Available:
• Index of Journey Intros on Study Sites, Hazards, Awareness, Journaling & Sketching, Tracking, Birding & Plants by Chris Chisholm.
• Class Notes from blog on Bugs, Amphibians & Seaweeds edited from Wolf Camp students.
• Woods Lake Species List by Wolf Camp staff.
• Nikki's Primitive Living Experience
• Survival Trek Log by Glen MacKay
• What is Earth Skills Education reprinted with permission from Tim Smith, M.Ed.
• Daily Routines of the Earth Skills Practitioner (using permaculture principles) and Ethics of Earth Skills Education by Wolf Camp staff.
• Naturalist Training: A Doorway by Bill Baroch, M.Ed.
• Camper Preparedness & Emotions by Chris Chisholm.
• Law of Fours: The Order of Survival by Chris Chisholm.

Your Everyday Herbalist

by Christie Wolfe

Hi! I'm Christie Wolfe. I'm so pleased to have the honor to write for WOLF Tales. I call myself a “budding naturalist”. Over the past eight years my formal studies have focused on quality and now I am blessed to incorporate my passion and reverence for nature into my spiritual practices. With my new found sense of connectedness to all things I have begun to recognize the beauty and balance in nature and in myself. I hope you enjoy my article as you enjoy the seasonal wonders of the autumn and winter in love and thanksgiving.

Into the Magic Forest
Just last spring I began a most remarkable journey back into the wonders and magic of nature. As with many of us, my union with Mother Earth was very evident as a child. I talked with the plants for hours, sang with the woodland fairies, ran with the wildlife (some seen and some unseen), and hid from my mom in gnome caves.

Sometime during my early teens, perhaps under the enchantment of one of those crafty gnomes, I fell asleep to our natural world. Now as I wake up to the glory of the world out of doors, I find myself back in the woods with the plants, animals, gnomes and fairies. It is good to be home.

Through my adventures I have come to realize that I have much to learn about our Creator's gifts. The Pacific Northwest has some of the most fascinating and distinctive ecology on earth. No need to travel far from home to experience a large diversity of flora and fauna. I have found myself particularly drawn to edible and medicinal plants, and I focus my studies there.

This article is to help remind you of what you may already know or to introduce you to a new plant you have yet to experience. You can test your plant knowledge by trying to identify the plant I describe before I tell you the name at the end (hey, no peeking!). Now, let's go into the woods!

Shrub of Gnome Village
I first encountered this incredibly powerful and sacred plant on my first spiritual retreat. Our destination was a sacred spot of old growth forest nestled between Mt. Baker and the Twin Sisters. There we would spend an entire week away from our busy lives, reuniting with the natural world.

Our hike began by following a small creek up a mountain side. Just after entering the magic forest my guide stopped to point out a very wicked looking plant. Since this plant loves wet, well drained areas it was thriving right along our route. He said that this plant held much power and magic and that even though it looks angry and dangerous, if it befriends you it will protect you
and provide for many of your needs.

Because this was my first intense experience into the forest since I was a kid, I was more than a bit overwhelmed before we had even gotten out of the car so I had not yet made the transition from "doing" to just "being". The plant did look very interesting but I really wanted to keep moving. "HURRY!" I thought, "Let's get there!" The chattering monkey in my mind was still fully activated and impatience was leading the way. I gave my guide a quick nod and vowed to myself that I would remember to notice this plant later and include it in my plant journal.

The plant, however, decided that it would introduce itself to me personally in spite of my desire to delay the interaction. It was not until I slipped on a mossy log and reached for an arm of this spiny, heavily armed shrub to use as a hand hold (OUCH!) that I began to truly appreciate its power and my relationship with this ancient plant began.

After my intimate christening, I noticed its bright green maple leaf shaped leaves everywhere there was saturated ground. The leaves offered much cover for the delicate under-story plants beneath it. This plant spouts many shoots from the interconnected root systems. It is told that the gnomes use these majestic guardian plants as sanctuary. The plant's roots provide a vast network of tunnels superb for underground elf travel! One plant can be parent to hundreds of stocks rising from the forest floor. To look upon a grove is just like looking into a small village.

Listening to the Elders
As told by the Lummi Cultural Resource Specialist Chadaskadum Whichtalum, the dethorned bark was applied to a woman's breast to stop the flow of milk. He goes on to tell that baldness and graying hair was never a problem for the Lummi people because this plant was used as a shampoo. Just lather up, and apply to the scalp!

Other native cultures use this plant in many ways. It is related to ginseng, and is one of the most important medicinal plants. The entire plant can be used in different ways to treat numerous ailments including arthritis, ulcers, diabetes, tuberculosis, and much, much more. The bark is very aromatic and has been used for perfume, deodorant, and baby talc. The bark can also be burned to make dye and face paint. The woody stock was carved into hooks and fishing lures.

I've only known this wonderful plant since late summer, but I'm told that in the spring, it blooms with pyramids of small white flowers. Later in the summer, I remember the flowers transforming into bunches of bright red berries. Perhaps the bears find the fruit delectable, but they are not suitable for humans.
This mystical magical and powerful plant is called Devil's Club (also known within WOLF. as Gnome's Club) – Oplopanax horridus. Next time you are creek side in the forest take some time to get acquainted with Devil's Club. It is now one of my most favorite and beloved woodland friends.

Resources include Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Pojar & MacKinnon. Special thanks to Eileen Van Bronkhorst and the Wise Woman Tradition for inspiration.

© 1999 WOLF Camps and Curricula

Employment: We only need instructors with experience running camps and teaching in the field of Earth Skills, including Permaculture, Tracking, Primitive Artisanry, Advanced Herbalism, or Wilderness EMT training with real outdoor survival practice. If you would like experience as a teacher and learn skills of the Naturalist, Tracker, Herbalist, Scout, Hunter, Artisan, or Permaculture Pioneer, apply to become an instructor through our Earth Skills Teaching Apprenticeship.

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