Knowledge Share Description
In this knowledge share, we will consider edible and medicinal plants that thrive in anthropogenic habitats like trailheads, garden beds, sidewalk cracks, and just about anywhere soil has been disturbed. Many such species have been categorized as weeds or invasives and are often vilified - but that view overlooks their superpowers. The same qualities that make certain plants "invasive" also allow them to thrive in stressful, climatically unstable environments. In this era of rapidly changing ecosystems and concern over endangered and over-harvested species, we can appreciate weedy plants as plentiful sources of resilient, adaptable, energy-efficient nourishment for humans and other animals.
We'll begin with a virtual plant walk to meet some of the Northeast's charismatic spring weeds, drawing on knowledge of participants as well as the facilitator. We’ll then gather for a guided conversation about the challenges of defining, controlling, and protecting plants based on anthropocentric boundaries and desires. Collectively, we will offer balance to the overwhelmingly negative narrative surrounding weeds by introducing positive ecological, ethnobotanical, and cultural services and stories such species may offer in certain habits. Drawing from her book, Edible Weeds on Farms: Northeast Farmer’s Guide to Self-Growing Vegetables, Tusha will offer approaches to safe and respectful plant harvests, introducing how to incorporate the Northeast's best-known invasives into one's diet and apothecary. Participants are encouraged to bring along personal experiences with gathering plants from their home habitats.
Knowledge Share Includes
Ecological and ethnobotanical introductions to self-growing food and medicine plants that commonly thrive in disturbed soils of the Northeast
Virtual plant wander to emulate a spring foraging walk
Considerations for balanced harvesting and respectful foraging practices
Guided conversation on invasion biology highlighting the missing voices, imposed chronology, subjective language and other social, cultural, and ecological issues that emerge from this construction
Exchange
$35
$70 reparations (If you have financial abundance, this is our pay-it-forward option to fund our scholarships and work redistributing resources to Black and Indigenous Land Projects)
The zoom link will be sent 1-2 days prior to the knowledge share. Recording will be available for 30 days.
For scholarships please email herbancura@gmail.com with subject Ethnobotany
Access
*ASR Captioning provided
*Spanish interpretation available (Si requiere interpretacion por favor mande un email a herbancura@gmail.com)
Virtual Gathering
Zoom link will be sent out via email 1-2 days before knowledge share
5-8pm EST
Class will be recorded and available for 30 days
Facilitator
Tusha Yakovleva is a life-long gatherer thanks to her family and first home - Russia - where harvesting plants and mushrooms for food and medicine is common practice. She spent years in the Muheconneok/Hudson River watershed, growing perennials, keeping seeds, running a wild food program, learning the gifts of weeds, and organizing community gardening and forestry efforts. Tusha’s work revolves around generating strong, respectful relationships between plants and people. She is currently a graduate student at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Onondaga Nation homelands, where she studies how to build generous bonds between land and people.
Co-Facilitator: Sarah Howard (they / she) is currently a graduate student at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry located in Syracuse, New York on the unceded homelands of the Onondaga Nation. Before grad school, Sarah spent ten years working as a farmer, youth educator, and environmental justice organizer in southeast Louisiana. This experience deeply informs their research, which focuses on cross-cultural partnerships for biocultural restoration. Sarah strongly identifies as an organizer, facilitator, gardener, street medic, and herbalist. Sarah is happiest in the forest.