property a few years after he was diagnosed with Crohn ’ s Disease . Snyder ’ s goal was to reconnect with nature to save his life . He and his family lived in a camper for two years , learning the land and the plants and creating a new way of life for themselves –– all while planning the placement and construction of their new home . Two years into the Snyder ’ s camper life and connecting with nature , they began constructing their home .
Mike Snyder , owner of WildWise Botanicals .
Over many years of living in the home while completing the construction , including a threelayer floor made of clay that took over three years to complete , they eventually completed a spectacular hand-built strawbale home with natural building techniques ( without the use of plastics or concrete ) to live in a more nurturing home –– all built with blood , sweat , and tears . Although changing his diet to organic foods before the move had helped his Crohn ’ s recovery , it was truly when he started paying more attention to the plants and fungi on his property and using them for their medicinal qualities , as well as applying them to his diet , that his health recovery reached its full potential .
Soon , all 16 guests had arrived for the foraging walk , and Brown kicked things off with a question for the group . “ Look around you right now ,” he said . “ What percentage of all the plants you see around you right now do you think are edible ?” As I looked around , I may have seen a few wild onions or flowers that looked good enough to eat , but his answer was shocking . “ I would say 85 percent ,” Brown confidently answered .
Brown and Snyder with a haul of Morel mushrooms .
Brown is the founder and director of the First Earth Wilderness School , which he started on his property near Buffalo , MO , in 1992 . He has worked all over the U . S . and Belize as a songbird biologist since 1985 and has led courses on foraging , Stone Age wilderness survival , and nature education throughout the Midwest for over three decades . He also presents weekly foraging walks and primitive skills demonstrations at Johnny Morris ’ Dogwood Canyon Nature Park near Blue Eye , MO . Most importantly , he teaches people how to open their eyes , ears , nose , and taste buds to form a deeper emotional connection and appreciation of nature and ecology . A big part of his message also covers protecting the resources . Brown says .
“ One should never collect more than 1 / 4th to 1 / 5th of what is found when foraging . Always leave enough for the plant to reproduce and for insects and other organisms that depend on that particular plant .”
Brown continued , “ Also keep in mind that digging roots of plants is prohibited in all public land , and there are rules about what and how much you can collect .”
An Oyster Mushroom we foraged .
WildWise Botanicals owners , Mike and Cara ( and Everlee ).
As we were finishing up our fourhour educational foraging walk , I had sampled and photographed so many new types of vegetation while taking so many notes on their English , Latin , and even Japanese names , including all their various dietary and medicinal uses for each that my brain was overflowing with information . Luckily , during our walk back , Snyder ’ s wife , Cara , and daughter , Everlee , arrived with wild mushroom cookies and a basket full of Cara ’ s favorite snacks –– Violet Wood Sorrel ( an edible flower ), which she had picked for us to eat . They really helped slow my head from spinning with information !
An edible flower named , Violet Wood Sorrel is Cara ’ s favorite snack .
A few days later , on the morning of the solar eclipse , I found myself on a hike with a much deeper appreciation of all the plants around me . I not only started seeing food and medicine , but I was hunting it down . Snyder had taught us how and exactly where to find Morel mushrooms by walking creek beds , locating the tops of Sycamore
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