The Through the Seasons Wild Plant Walk Series features ethnobotanist Patricia Armstrong. Film production of the series was envisioned and facilitated by Linda Conroy of Moonwise Herbs/Midwest Women's Herbal.
It was filmed and edited by Shari Ralish as part of her Herbal Internship with Moonwise Herbs.
To learn more about Patricia Armstrong and her work visit: www.patriciakarmstrong.com
To Learn more about herbalist Linda Conroy visit: www.moonwiseherbs.com
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AUGUST: The August walk takes place at the McDonald Farm again where we will see at least 10 common farm weeds, at least 7 different edible grasses and about 10 different plants in the Food Forest. We will see 3 different Fox Tail Grasses and our state grass Big Blue Stem. We will see Amaranth, Pineapple Weed, Ragweed, Bittersweet Nightshade, and Thistles. In the Food Forest we will see: Rugosa Rose, Rhubarb, Lemon Balm, Spearmint, Hops, Nettle, New Jersey Tea, and a big Quince bush in the yard area.
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SEPTEMBER: The September walk takes place in Downtown Naperville, IL, on part of the River Walk, which is part of the many walking trails (and also bike trails) in the Chicago Area. These wide, paved trails often follow rivers and are usually landscaped with native plants. We will be concentrating on learning 6 different Oaks including the 4 best ones for eating: The White Oak (our state tree), Swamp White Oak, Burr Oak (which should have been our state tree), and English Oak, plus some other trees and shrubs: Stag-horn Sumac, Bitternut Hickory, and the American High Bush Cranberry.
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OCTOBER: The October walk takes place at Prairie Sun (the instructor’s yard) again to see it in its glorious fall colors. Not just the trees and shrubs, but even the prairie and woodland wildflowers have lovely fall colors. Pat has 8 species of Goldenrod and 11 species of Asters in her yard and on the roof of her Prairie Sun home. There will be bright scarlet leaves on 4 species of Sumac and the Virginia Creeper Vine. The Hazelnuts with be shades of red-orange. Sweet Gum, Sassafras and Bald Cypress should be colorful. New England Aster and Showy Goldenrod may still be in bloom, plus Tall Coreopsis, Prairie Smoke, wild geranium, and Bellwort should have some fall color.
Patricia Armstrong has a Master of Science degree from the University of Chicago in Ecology (Biology-Botany). She previously taught multitudes of nature classes at the Morton Arboretum for 16 years, plus Botany, Ecology, and Geology at the University of Wisconsin Extension, and Michigan State University's Juneau Icefield Research Program in Alaska.
Pat's knowledge and understanding of all things wild and free come from a life-long personal and intimate relationship with Nature that is passionate as well as scientific. She lives in a home she and her husband designed and built to fit into the natural ecosystems of northern Illinois. It is active and passive solar, energy-efficient, and landscaped with over 300 species of native trees, shrubs, prairie grasses and wildflowers approximately 40% of which are edible.
Pat is actively involved in living joyfully with Nature. She runs a consulting firm, PRAIRIE SUN CONSULTANTS, to educate and assist others in appreciating and using native plants and wild edible plants in home landscaping.
For more information about Pat visit her website HERE.