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March 2022 HerbWalks & OjaiHerbal Newsletter |
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Thank you, thank you, to the many readers of this newsletter who have ordered my book. Thanks to you and others like you around the state, the publisher already ordered a reprint midway through February. At the moment I have plenty of books in stock. You can order one by visiting this link on my website or clicking on the photo above. Use the “Order notes (optional)” field at checkout to request a simple autograph or a book signed to your first name. Remember, local authors and independent outlets appreciate when you buy direct from them in person or at their websites. You also can find my book locally at Bart's Books, Rainbow Bridge, Farmer & the Cook, Ojai Valley Brewery, and Ojai Valley Museum in Ojai, Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara, The Book Loft in Solvang, several bookstores in L.A., and, hopefully, wherever fine books are sold.
Book cover photo of White Sage by Jess Starwood
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Perry Van Houten of the Ojai Valley News interviewed me about my new book for the Ojai Magazine. I think he did a great job of capturing what it's about but you can decide for yourself. This link will take you straight to the article or you can click on the image above to read the whole (excellent) magazine and scroll to page 90 for the article, "Nature is the Teacher. I'm the Guide." |
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The legendary Christopher Nyerges -- author, forager, survivalist, teacher -- is returning to Ojai on March 12 for a workshop based on the book
Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen. Christopher had the honor of editing the 2021 updated reprint of this classic book. Click on the image above or read the article below for more info about the workshop. |
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We're celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a Green Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike on Thursday, March 17. After the hike, join us for an optional after-party at Ojai Valley Brewery with Irish food and music. See article below or click on photo to sign up now. |
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On Saturday, March 19, I'll offer a first time interpretive hike called "Know Your Native Plants (An Ojai Plant Identification Hike)" in Rice Canyon on the Ventura River Preserve. See article below for details or click on the image above to sign up now before it fills up. |
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We'll observe the Spring Equinox with an Herb Hike at the beautiful Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve. They are handling the reservations and I hear it's full with a waiting list. You can sign up with them by clicking on the image above or visiting this page. |
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My official Santa Barbara book launch and signing for
Medicinal Herbs of California will take place on Sunday, March 27, at 2 p.m. at the venerable Chaucer's Books. This iconic, independent bookstore has been in business since 1974! Come see why so many Santa Barbarians prefer to browse the shelves here. Click on the image above to learn more. |
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Christopher Nyerges edited the new 7th Edition (2021) of this survival skills classic. |
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Outdoor Survival Skills with Christopher Nyerges
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Join me and famed author/forager/survivalist Christopher Nyerges on Saturday, March 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Ojai for an Outdoor Survival Skills workshop based on the book of the same name by Larry Dean Olsen, recenlty edited by Christopher.
Participants will:
- learn to identify edible and medicinal plants of the season
- practice making cordage and soap from yucca leaves
- learn the most basic primitive fire-starting method: the hand drill
- learn principles of finding and purifying water, especially in dry areas
Visit this link to read more and sign up.
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Click on the USFS logo above to visit the newly redesigned Ojai Ranger District webpage for the latest info on trails, campgrounds, closures and more.
Attention: environmental career seekers and their friends and relatives! The USDA Forest Service is hiring foresters across the U.S., including multiple positions on Los Padres National Forest. Visit this link to learn more. |
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Don't see the event you want in the schedule? Did you know you can plan a private herb walk or nature hike with me? Just email me at lanny@herbwalks.com to learn more. |
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Lanny and his field guide in front of a toyon shrub, one of the medicinal herbs in the book.
Photo: Michael Kaufer
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Sustainable collecting of medicinal herbs |
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My new book for Falcon Guides,
Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants, was released on December 30, 2021 and the publisher has already ordered a reprint. Fortunately, I stocked up for my online/mobile book shop so I will have some while other outlets may run out sometime this month as the current supply is dwindling.
In these newsletters I've been sharing some of the principles that guided the writing of the book. In the December newsletter I shared Principle #1: "Nature is the teacher; I am a guide." In the January newsletter I wrote about Principle #2: Value the wisdom of Indigenous healing traditions and Principle #3: Consilience. In the February newsletter, I shared Principle #4: Give credit where credit is due.
If you missed those issues, their names are hyperlinked above.
Principle #5: Sustainable collecting & Native plant conservation.
As I first began to write the book, the importance of these two concepts was foremost in my mind. I included an introductory chapter on “Sustainable Collecting,” a fleshed-out version of the blog post on sustainable foraging on my website. In addition to explaining the ethical and legal considerations around collecting plants, I discussed the Indigenous ways of giving thanks and being mindful of leaving enough plants for their natural propagation.
In the following chapter on “Native Plant Conservation,” I acknowledged four key organizations that monitor the environmental status of plants and described each group's ranking systems. Then in the Brief Specs section for each plant in the book, I included these rankings.
Ideally, my book will serve to spur interest in the medicinal value of California plants while encouraging home and commercial cultivation of them to meet any increase in demand.
You can now find the book in most bookstores but please consider ordering the book on my website where I am able to generate some income from the sales. in addition, by lookiing for a field at checkout entitled “Order notes (optional)” you can request either a simple autograph or a book signed to your name. Please specify which type of signature you would like. |
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Springtime view of the verdant Ojai Valley.
Photo: Cindie Wozniak |
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Green Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike and After-Party
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In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I’ll lead a Green Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike on Thursday evening, March 17, from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the “wearin’ of the green.”
Then at 8:00 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia on Bryant Street at Ojai Valley Brewery‘s heated outdoor dining area for a St. Paddy’s Day party with Irish food and music and, of course, Jeremy's amazing herbal-based brews.
Visit this link to read more and sign up.
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Wishbone Bush (
Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia) seen in March 2021 in Rice Canyon |
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Are you one of the many hikers who walk our Southern California trails and wonder what is growing and flowering around you? Maybe you don’t care that much about their uses? Just want to know what they are? You are not alone. On Saturday, March 19, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, I will lead a native plant identification hike designed for you on the Rice Canyon Trail on the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Ventura River Preserve.
This will not be my typical herb walk discussing edible and medicinal plants. We will simply identify native plants on the trail, most of which can be found throughout Southern California.
Visit this link to read more and sign up.
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One last reminder about discounted price for the Milt McAuley classic
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Price slashed! Read all about it below. |
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Tired of seeing this in my newsletter? Me, too! So just buy it already! Okay, that's a bit of a hard sell. Here's the deal. I've discounted the price of Milt McAuley's classic one-of-a-kind flora,
Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains, from the already low $19.95 to just $14.95.
It includes hundreds of excellent color photos and descriptions of virtually every plant you're likely to find in Southern California. A book like this published today surely would cost in the neighborhood of $50.
Just click on the image or the linked title in the text above to learn more. |
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