A Window of Time

Why do you spend so much time out in the forest?, I am asked from time to time.
And my answer to this is two fold.
1. Because I love being out there to nurture my soul, to give back to mother earth, and to put the pieces together to help others, studying continually out there.

2. Because there is a window of time each plant has, where its potency is at it's best. Unless I am out there learning these things, I won't know otherwise.
Depending upon others, I find, is not the best source for the work I do. I have to learn it myself this way.

So today I want to talk briefly about the window of time. I will also include a few photos of a walk I took along the Snake River, outside of the park and canyon, where many non forest plants grow. Just for fun!


There are many people that do not trust their own capabilities in creating food or medicine themselves. So for those that truly desire, but are afraid, this is for you.

Each plant I have been working with this year has a window of time where it's potency seems to be greatest. And not all plants come up at the same time. Not all parts of the plant are those one would want to use for their food or medicine.

Some plants really do not have palatable stems to eat, but the leaves are wonderful, so the leaves are usually stripped from the plant.


Some needs require the roots of the plant, so in most cases, you will want to dig the root up in the fall when the energy of the plant goes back into the earth, into the root, to store until the next growing season.

Some plants, one would desire flowers or berries only. In that case, one must be able to harvest in its perfect time. One that looks alive, feels, tastes, and smells alive, not droopy with its color wilting away.

This can be a challenge at times for an herbalist because you can only be so many places at one time.


Often, I find, in the winter, I dream of ALL the things I would like to eat and make medicines with in the growing season, only to find, some of those things did not cross my path, or that that growing season was different for that particular plant.

Even more often, I find something I did not expect in abundance, just wanting to be picked, and that is when plans can change as well.

So rule number one, is make no rules or restrictions on what you will or will not harvest. Nature is a mystery, so use your desires as a guide. Some things will be absolutely neccessary for you, and some things will surprise you.

Trusting yourself! That is another big issue. Of course, you do need some knowledge of what plants are good for food, medicine, to ensure you aren't ingesting poison hemlock for yampah (this fatal mistake has happened out here before). But, the more you get use to the plants, the easier it becomes to TAKE NOTICE of its personality and characteristics.

For example, the wild valerian this year was raging in May. I found that if I pinched 3 flower tops and ate them, while hiking, by the time I was back to the car I was WAY MELLOW. Not always the best mental state if there are errands to run later.

Experiencing that, I realized that this potent flower top would make excellent medicine instead of just focusing on valerian root only.
I trust my experience with the action it had in my body.

Now in July, you can barely find valerian, and the lone one dispersed in the forest does not have the same action as that in May. The window of time for this plant was important. And now, if you can find the valerian plants with the abundant growth of the forest, the root is probably becoming more potent as its growing season has come to an end.
Some days, after all the rain we had this year, the forest smelled of sweet earth and valerian as the flowering cycle was beginning to wind down.

Nettles is another one. The mature leaves, those big leaves you would love to take home to eat and drink, are not the best ones, despite the lovely size. Science has taught us that it has crystalline properties that may be too hard on the kidneys if used at this stage for extended periods of time.
In this case, the spring new growth, BEFORE FLOWERING is what you would be after. These leaves can be dried or steamed and eaten that day.

Nettle seed, which I hope to work with for the first time this year, needs to be harvested at its perfect time. To late, the seeds are black and not as potent, or rotten from what I understand.

Melilot, which graces the air with her sweet scent can be eaten or dried for tea. You can smell the potency-taste the potency. Good time to harvest then!

Hyssop, I personally found that before the tops get their flowers, they are stronger than when the flowers pop out.

The photo at the top of the page is lupine. This flower is RAGING in the spring, but now, her season is closing for pollination, and moving onto the next phase of reproduction, with seed pods. Harvesting this plant for bouquets is not as easy as it was even 2 weeks ago.

And some of you know of my story about the rose petals. A bush was in bloom so abundant that I could not help myself to stop right then and there to harvest. Of course, to get to this, I had to stand in a stinging nettle patch.....in a skirt and chacos.
Knowing that the roses are random, growing differently in elevations, as well as here and there, and not always easy to get too, it was worth it to have numb legs for a couple days from the nettle stings to get what I needed then. They were perfect!

This year, I have been very drawn to work with the flowers of most plants I am using.
I will still do other harvesting, but it seemed all the plants wanted me to be familiar with their flowers. This was so fun to look at them all on a completely different level than what may be politically correct in a plant guide or herbal book.


No one talks much about nettle flowers, but they are delicious! Letting a chokecherry blossom float in your mouth will provide a nice floral cherry flavor, if the flower is in just the right time.

Twinberry flowers are one the most delicious flowers thus far out here, that I have experiened.
A nibble here and there along the way is so enjoyable, and does help one to connect the dots, so to speak, about wild plants for food or medicine.

Herbalism is not a fixed art, but rather an experience along with the willingness to study and use the plants yourself in a variety of forms.

Summer is here with the last of the growing season coming upon us.
If you see a plant you are interested in working with, check it out in all it's forms.
Flowers, leaves, seeds, smell, taste(if safe to do so), what it looks like when it dies off, what does it taste like as it is fading. Does it change? How does it feel within the body. When does that action take place in the body, best early in the season, late, or all the way through.
When the plant is working well for you, that is a good indication that harvest might be good at that time.

Another way you can guess at a flowers potency....watch the bees. Are they chillin out on that valerian flower or buzzing wildly amongst the clover.
The bees can clue you into what is powerful for many plants.

And the greatest thing to remember is that it takes time. A good way to learn in depth, is to choose 1-3 main plants you would like to work with that year, and carefully observe.
If you do not get in over your head, then you can really pay close attention to it throughout its life above the ground. And it is fun and soul nurturing at the same time!

Often, as in my case, working with 1 plant at a time makes one feel their herbal pantries will not have all the medicines neccessary for the year.
Well, as you get to know the plants, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much more some plants can assist with, then what you read in books.

Also, if you can network with other herbalists, you can focus on your work, they focus on theirs and you share throughout the year.
I do that with dL and it is such a blessed relationship. I am only one person, and cannot get every plant medicine available this year.
She in turn, works mostly with flower essence, and cannot make all the tinctures and oils she needs.
So whalla! We both work hard on what we feel we are suppose to, and still can meet our needs pretty easily by working together.
And like I said, never make rules for yourself! This year, she and I had plans to do all sort of things together that have not come into fruition like we expected, due to life. But we still are super busy, while the plants are here to teach us on a personal level which we can then share with each other.


In 2-3 months the snow will fall again. We will sit back and regret what we did not do, what we did not get enough of. It seems to happen every year!
But sometimes, that is what is suppose to happen.

Some plants need more of a break some years than others.
The important thing one must realize, is that starting with one plant, will open up channels for you. Things will build and grow each year, and trust in yourself and the plant relationships will build.
You got one month ++++ to fulfill your desire to do this. So I encourage you to not be afraid, pick a plant that is coming into its growing season right now, and let it teach you through observation.
A couple that come to mind are mullein, goldenrod, and rose.

Mullein can be found in many parts of the country, and you will often see a tall dead stalk somewhere that can clue you in that offspring is nearby.
If you see a small furry leaved plant, with no flower stalk, pick a few leaves and work with it this year. The leaves are good the first year. If you see a stalk with yellow flowers, it is in the second year and those little yellow flowers are awesome to make ear oil with. Just pluck the flowers off the stalks, let it sit out a bit and then cover with oil. Let it sit 3-6 weeks while checking to be sure the oil levels constantly cover the flowers. Since the plant has a 2 year cycle, you can also cut the entire stalk if time is a factor, as long as the flowers are mature enough to pull them off and put into oil. There are a lot of little critters in those flowers, so let it sit a bit before making your oil, so they can leave.
Roses love the heat it seems, so gather them throughout the summer and dry for winter teas. Taste some as you pick and notice how they make your mouth feel-how they taste. This is a very easy way to start with roses. I love the wild roses personally, but if you only have access to hybrid roses, give those a try and see how you like it.
One thing I have noticed with wild roses is that when they dry, the aroma gets stronger. Open a jar of dried roses in the wintertime, and LOVE comes rushing in your olfactory system.

Goldenrod is one of those plants some people feel they are allergic to. So go hang out with it when you can, touch it and get use to it and you may find, it does not bother you anymore. Read up on the uses of goldenrod from herb book or ethnobotany books from your region.

I felt to share this today for those who have so many questions, full of desire, but afraid. These are just simple thoughts that ran through my head tonite in reponse.
We all start somewhere, and even the greatest of teachers are going deeper in knowledge as each year passes. It is a glorious journey!
You will be so pleased that you did not hold back!