The fountain at Cluff Vista Park.
Photo by Doc Pierce.
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I'm offering something new this year for those of you who prefer the footing of the urban environment or those simply curious about what useful plants can be found growing in places like downtown Ojai. Over four Sunday mornings (April 11, April 25, May 16, & May 30), we'll alternate between Libbey Park, Cluff Vista Park, and the Chumash Garden at the Ojai Valley Museum.
Read more about the new series at this link or sign up for individual walks in the Herb Walks Events schedule above. |
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Christopher's latest book,
Guide To Making Fire Without Matches, is the subject of his upcoming Ojai workshop on Saturday, May 1.
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Christopher's coming back behind his latest book
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Join me and renowned author/forager/survivalist Christopher Nyerges on Saturday, May 1, in Ojai for an outdoor Foraging & Firemaking Workshop. This workshop is based on Christopher’s book released in March, 2020:
Guide To Making Fire Without Matches.
You will:
- learn to identify edible, medicinal, and useful plants
- learn the 4 basic principles of making fire and practice 2 or 3 ways of matchless firestarting
- make their own wooden hand drill and hearth and practice hand drill firemaking
- try bow drill firemaking with Christopher’s kit
- enjoy a foraged meal cooked over a campfire
- process black walnuts for eating, time permitting
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Click on the image above for an interactive map, thanks to LPFW.
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Congress Passes Central Coast Land and River Protections
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Finally, some good news for our local Los Padres National Forest from the federal government. On February 26, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act, a bill that safeguards public lands and wild rivers in the Los Padres National Forest and the Carrizo Plain National Monument in Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, and western Kern counties.
Several areas will be added to the existing Matilija, Sespe, and Chumash Wilderness Areas. Segments of Sespe Creek, Piru Creek, and Matilija Creek will be listed as Wild and Scenic Rivers.
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At long last, my first book is due to be published on November 1.
Cover photo of white sage by Jess Starwood
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Medicinal Herbs of California is coming out November 1
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I'm pleased to officially announce the publication by Falcon Guides of my first book,
Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants. It's the first-of-its-kind statewide field guide to more than 70 common medicinal plants of California. The book includes principles of herbal remedies, history and roots in native cultures, current scientific information, and how to find and incorporate medicinal plants into daily life.
The book features 200 color photos for positive identifcation and about the same number of citations to references supporting the information for those who wish to dig deeper.
It's available for pre-order now on my website at this link. If you decide to buy one now or at some point in the future, I would greatly appreciate you purchasing from me rather than from Amazon or other online retailers. |
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Click on the USFS logo above to visit the Ojai Ranger District webpage for the latest info on trails, campgrounds, winter road closures and more.
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Hopefully, by the time you read this, COVID-19 restrictions have been reduced even more. In the meantime, we continue to stay safe by meeting outdoors in small groups, checking temperatures, wearing face coverings, and maintaining safe distances.
Photo: Enrique Villaseñor |
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