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LivingoffthelandinNewHaven,CT ThisisnotforpublicationitisjustmyownpersonalnotesforinformationthatIfoundacrosstheinternet.Ihaveyet togetthemorganizedbutthoughtIwouldsharewhatIhavefoundsofar.

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT WILD EDIBLE PLANTS

BesureofyouridentificationofthewildedibleplantBEFOREyoueatit!Somewildedibleplantshavevery poisonouslookalikes. Youmaybeallergictosomewildedibleplants.Ifyouareatallunsureifyouwillbeallergictoaparticularplant, eatjustalittlebitatfirst. *YOU*are100%responsibleforproperlyidentifyingandproperlypreparingwildedibleplantsthatyoueat.NOT me! Youshouldsupplementtheinformationonthiswebsitewithreallifepracticeatidentifyingtheseplants,preferably alongwithoneoftheexcellentfieldguidesthatareavailable,andwiththehelpofcompetentpeoplewhoknow plants.DoALOTofresearch

takelessthan10%ofwhatisavailableinanyarea.

needtofindplants

Nettle(forhayfever)usedfortreatingrheumatism,arthritis,allergiesandeczema,baldness,bladderinfections, cough,bronchitis,bursitis,anemia,gingivitis,hives,laryngitis,gout,multiplesclerosis,tendonitis,premenstrual syndrome,prostateenlargementandsciatica. Carehastobetakenincollectingnettlestoavoidit'sirritatingstingandthewearingofstoutglovesishighly recommended.However,theleavesarehighinnutrientsandalsoverytasty,makingitworththetrouble,whilst cookingthemdestroysthestingingeffectandmakesthemperfectlysafetoeat.Theyareanexcellentadditionto soupsandstews,buttheleavesalsomakeagoodsoupasthemainorevensoleingredient.Theycanalsobedriedand usedtomakeatisane,ascanbedonewiththenettle'sflowers.Theshootsarealsoedibleandliketheleavescanbe addedtosoupsandstewsorcanbeboiledorsteamedalone.Theshootscanalsobeusedforbrewingnettlebeer,an ancientandmuchloveddrinkinmanycountries.BothleavesandshootsareusedinScotlandtomakenettlepudding andinItalytomakenettlepasta.Theyarealsorenownedallovertheworldasaspinachsubstituteandcanbeusedas analternativetoitinanyrecipecallingforspinachasaningredient.Whensqueezedtheyproducenettlejuicewhich

canbeusedasavegetariansubstituteforrennettocurdlemilkwhenmakingcheese.Therootofthenettle,although betterknownmedicinally,isnotregardedashavinganyculinaryvalue.

ConfirmedplantsinNewHaven
Dandelion Youcaneatthegreensinsalad..orcooktheminsoup.Storesellsthese.Youngeronesarelessbitter. ButDandelioncoffeemadefromtherootsofdandelionsroastandgrind.

Cutoffcrowcleangoodandtoweldry.

Grindtoacoffeetexturethenroastinoven250for2hoursorso..roast,goingfromablondecolortoadarkcoffee color.Use1levelTablespoonRoastedRootforeachcupofwater.Oruse1/3cuprootforeachquartofwateror1 1/3pergallon.Youmakeneedtoadjusttheseamountstoyourtasteifyoulikeitstrongerorweaker. Notes:Therootscanbestoredinanairtightcontaineraftertheyhavebeendriedintheoven.Theywillkeepthisway forseveralmonths.Dandelionplants,2yearsandolder

Chickweed

Regchickweedmouseairchickweed

Chopcommonandstarchickweed,andaddthem,raw,tosalads,orcookthemlikespinach.Mouseearchickweedsso hairy,youhavetocookit.Cooked,chickweedtasteslikespinach.Includeanyofthespeciesinsoupsandstews,but cooknomorethan5minutestopreventovercooking.Unlikemostotheredibles,thestems,aswellastheleavesand flowers,tastegood. Cookingshrinkschickweedby3/4,concentratingthenutrientsandcompensatingforwhatevervitaminscooking destroys. NUTRITION:ChickweedisanexcellentsourceofvitaminsA,D,Bcomplex,C,andrutin(anaccompanyingflavonoid), aswellasiron,calcium,potassium,phosphorus,zinc,manganese,sodium,copper,andsilica. Appliedexternally,finelychoppedchickweedsoothesirritatedskin,especiallywhenmixedwithmarshmallow (Althaeaofficinale)root.It'sgoodforcuts,minorburns,eczema,andrashes.Bandageitontheaffectedareabyitselfor mixedwithclay,whichaddsadryinganddrawingeffect.Changethedressingoften. Ofcourse,trytouncoverthecauseoftheskinmaladyandworktoundoit.Ifyoucontinuallywakeupwithitchy, swollenareasonyourskineverymorning,youmayfindvigorousapplicationofaflyswattertothesurfaceofthe mosquitothat'sbeencampingoutinyourbedroomtobetheremedyofchoice! Tomakechickweedinfusion,pour1cupofboilingwaterover1/4cupofchickweed.Coverandletsteep,offtheheat, for15to20minutes.Strainouttheherbanddrinktheteahot. Amilddiuretic,promotingtheflowofurine,thisbeverageisalsosupposedtocleanseandsoothethekidneysand urinarytractandhelprelievecystitis.Unlikethemorepowerfulpharmaceuticaldiuretics,itwontdepletethebodyof minerals.Itsalsoreputedlygoodforrheumatism.

Chicory

NUTRITION:ChicoryleavesareagoodsourceofvitaminsA,Bcomplex,K,E,andC,aswellaspotassium,calcium, phosphorus,copper,zinc,andmagnesium. Addveryyoungchicoryleavesrawtosalads,orincludethemincookedrecipes,thesamewayyoucookdandelions. Morestronglyflavoredthancommercialchicory,theycookin10to15minutes.Toovercomethebitternessofolder leaves,youmayboilthemin1ormorechangesofwater. Tomakeacaffeinefreecoffeelikebeveragefromtheroots,scrub,chop,andtoastthemina350Foven1hour,or untildarkbrown,brittle,andfragrant,stirringoccasionally.Grindtothesizeofcoffeeinaspicegrinderorblender, anduselikeregularcoffee1tsp.percupofwater. Astrongteaoftheboiledroots,flowers,andleavesisreputedtobeagoodwashforskinirritations,including athletesfoot.Youcanapplyacompressoftheboiledleavesandflowers,wrappedinacleancottoncloth,toswellings, boils,andmildinflammations.

Clover

Pouracupofboilingwateroverhandfulofredcloverflowerheads,cover,andsteep20minutes.Strainoutthe flowersandenjoyatasty,healthfultea.Youmayalsopicktheflowersfromtheflowerheadandusethemrawor cooked.Theytastealittlelikesweetstringbeans.

CornSalad(lambslettuceorMeche)

GrowsallyearhereinNewHaven,onlyuseissaladbutaverytastyoneandyoucancookwithspiceslightly Daylilies

Userawtheshootsrawinsalads,orsaut,steam,stirfry,deepfry,bake,simmerinsoups,orpickle.Growingindense standsmakestheshootseasytocollectinquantitybeforemostotherediblesevenappear.Cooktheunopenedbuds likestringbeans.Onceflowered,useflowersrawinsalads,inhotandsoursoup,ordeepfried.Discardtheflower's acrid,greenbase.Reconstitutethepreviousday'swiltedflowersinsoups.

Elderberry

Pokeberrys(longhanging)elderberrys(ingroups) POKEBERRYSAREVERYPOISONOUS!!ThisWHOLEPlantis!

Elderberrylookslikethiswhenitflowers.

heflowersmakewonderfulfood.Tryelderflower(sometimescalledelderblow)frittersusingyourfavoritetempura orpancakebatter.Makealight,mildbatter,soyoudontoverpowerthedelicateflowers.Trysautingthem. Elderflowersmakeapleasanttastingtea,especiallywithmint.Theyalsomakeapotent,fragrantwine.StGatherthe berriesliketheflowers.Thisisquick.Therealworkoccursathome:Pullingsmallbunchesofberriesfromtheirstems, andsortingthefruitfromthedebrisonatray,takestime

Avoidunripe,greenberriestheyllgetyousick.EvenrawripeelderberriesmakesomepeoplenauseousCookingor dryingdispelstheoffendingsubstance,andgreatlyimprovestheflavor.Bakingthisfruitinmuffins,cakesandbreads imbuesthemwithapiquantcrunchiness.Theybecomethecentralingredientwheneveryouusetheminbakedgoods. Elderberriesarentsweetandcontainnothickeners.Relyonotheringredientsfortheseelements,especiallyifyoure makingtheEuropeanfavorite,elderberryjam. eepedinvinegartheyaddflavorandstrengthenthestomach.Theberrieshavefewcaloriesandlotsofnutrition.They provideverylargeamountsofpotassiumandbetacarotene,aswellassugarandfruitacids,calcium,phosphorous andvitaminC. Manyolderherbbooksrecommendusingelderberryleaves,roots,orbarkmedicinally,probablybecauseIndian herbalexpertsusedthem.Thisdoesntguaranteesafety:Neverusethesepartsoftheelderberry.Theyrepoisonous. Theycontainabitteralkaloidandglycosidethatmaychangeintocyanide.Childrenhavebeenpoisonedusing elderberrytwigpeashooters,andadultshavebeenpoisonedusinghollowedtwigstotapmapletrees.However,there isabenefittothetoxicity:Peopleusedried,crumbledelderberryleavesintheirgardensasanaturalinsecticide. Ginko

Thegingkotree'sdullorangeglobularfruit,whichgrowsonfemaletreesonly,smellslike...vomit.Butbebrave,fora hiddentreasurelieswithinabeige,almondshaped,thinshellednut,enclosingajadegreenseed.Thekernelscanbe eatenasanappetizer,orinsoups,stews,orAsiandishes. WHENTOPICKIT:Thefruitripensinlatefall. NOTESONHANDLINGANDPREPARATION:Discardthefruitwearingrubbergloves,tokeepyourhandsfrom smellingandtoavoidthepoisonivylikerashthefruitsometimesincurs.Rinsethenutsinacolanderandtoast30 minutesinapreheated,300Foven,stirringoccasionally(rawnutsarepoisonous).Tapthenutswithawaterglass tocrackthethinshellsandremovetheedibleanddeliciouskernels.

Knotweed

FOODUSES:Bestwhen6to8inchestall,theintenselytart,tangyshoots(discardallthetoughleaves)tastelike rhubarb,onlybetter.Atoughrindthatyoumustpeel(goodformakingmarmalade)coversthetallerones. Slicethestems,steamasavegetable,andsimmerinsoups,sauces,fruitcompotes,andjam,orbakeindessertdishes. Usesparingly.I'vemadeterrificapplesauceandexcellentstrawberrycompotesusingjust1partknotweedto10parts fruit. Youmayevensubstitutecookedknotweed,whichgetsverysoft,forlemonjuice,transformingfamiliarrecipesinto exoticones.Oruseachopsticktopiercethemembranesthatseparatethesegmentsof1foottallshoots,peel,stuffthe stalkswithsweetorsavorystuffing,andbakeinanappropriatesauce. NUTRITION:AnexcellentsourceofvitaminA,alongwithvitaminCanditscofactor,theantioxidantflavonoidrutin, Japaneseknotweedalsoprovidespotassium,phosphorus,zinc,andmanganese.Itsalsoanexcellentsourceof resveratrol,thesamesubstanceintheskinofgrapesandinredwinethatlowersLDL(bad)cholesterolandreduces theriskofheartattacks.ResveratrolmaydelaytheonsetofAlzheimer'sdiseaseorslowitsprogression.Normally, glialcellsinthebrainsupporttheneurons(nervecells)andapparentlymodifythewaytheycommunicate,butin Alzheimer'sdisease,anaccumulationofgunkcalledamyloidplaquessignalsthesehelpercellstokilltheneurons instead.Resveratrolseemstoblockthisdeadlysignal.Andresveratrolwillalsoincreaseyourlifespanby30%,but onlyifyoureafruitfly.Itactivatessirtuingenes,whichincreasecelllongevitythesamewayacalorierestricteddiet does.Whetherthismightalsoslowhumanagingisstillopentoquestion.

Garlicmustardhttp://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/food/edibleplants/garlicmustard/index.html

GarlicMustardisaseriouslyinvasivealienplant.Lefttoitself,it cancompletelytakeoveranarea,crowdingoutallnativeplants.Feelfreetopullup(andeat)asmuchofthisplantas youcan.Thecrushedplantsmellsofgarlic,henceitsname.ToprepareGarlicMustard,simplyboilorsteamthewhole plants(thepartthat'saboveground).Pestotoo.

CrowGarlic

uselikegarlic

QueenAnnesLacewildcarrot

youwanttofindfirstyearcarrots.Theseareoneswithoutflowerstheytastebetterbutyoucaneattheolderoneto. Thisbiennial(2yearplant)beginswithabasalrosette:finelycutleavesspreadoutinacirclealongtheground, arisingfromthetaproot.Theleafstalksarefuzzy,whilepoisonhemlock'saresmooth.

whenitlookslikethis TheseedsoftheflowerarealsobirthcontrolThisherbisgenerallyusedlikeamorningafterpill.Onecommonly discussedmethodischewingupandeatingtheseeds,buttheteaortincturemaybemoreeffective.Theflowerscan alsobeusedaloneorwiththeseeds.Thereareavarietyofoptions.RobinRosenowgenerallyrecommendsthatthe tincturebeused3timesafterintercourse,onceevery812hours,atadosageof1/21dropperfuleach,seedsand flowers.Sheemphasizesnottakingittoomuch,thatwithdrawlfromtheherbispartofitseffect.SoIemailedand askedtheobviousquestion:Whatifyouarehavingsexeveryday!?Wouldyoutakeitonlywhenyouweremost fertile? Herresponsewasquickandconcise:Thisquestionhascertainlycomeupbefore.Youcouldusethatapproach,takeit onlyduringfertiletimes,itworksgreatunlessyouhaveasecondovulationorovulateatadifferenttimethanusual duringamonthsoImmoreconfidentwiththatapproachwithwomenwhocharttheircycles/taketheir temperature,etc.WhatIwoulddoislowerthedosagetoonetimeaftereachintercourseinsteadof3times.Andtake breaksfromthewildcarrotwhenyouareabsolutelysureyourenotasfertile.Hopethathelps.

Puffballs(Warningthereisonethatwillmakeyouveryveryill!Somakesureyouhavetherightone)Theone thatmakesyouillturnsblackinsidewhenitmaturessomaybeworthwaitingaseasonandwatchingand gettingtoknowthem)

WHATTHEYARE:Puffballsareamongthebesttastingandeasiesttoidentifymushrooms.Sautthem,addthemto soups,stews,orcasseroles,breadandbakethem,orgrillthem.Theyhavearichearthyflavor,andatexturelike marshmallows.Butbevery,verycareful!Therearenopoisonousspeciesofpuffballsbutonelookalike,the poisonpigskinpuffball,canmakeyousickenoughthatifyouatethem,you'dwishyouweredead!

andlooklikethisinside.Alwayscutopensmallpuffballsto makesuretherearenogillsorsteminside,indicatingpossiblydeadlyamanitas.Becausepoisononescanbe whiteinsideatitsearlystages..nevereatanythingifyouarenotsure! WHENTOPICKTHEM:Puffballsappearmainlyinlatesummerandfall.Eatthemintheirimmaturestates,when they'rewhiteandverysoftinside,likecreamcheese. HOWTORECOGNIZETHEM:Thegiantpuffball(Calvatiagigantea)istheeasiesttorecognize.Itgrowsonhard packedsoilorwellmanuredpastures,andlookslikeawhitesoccerball,beachball,ormassofStyrofoam. Pearshapedpuffballs(Lycoperdonpyriforme)growpackedintolargetroops,ondeadlogsandstumps.They'reoff white,pearshaped,andthesizeofagolfballorsmaller.Lookforthemfrommidtolatefall.

Thegemstuddedpuffball(Lycoperdonperlatum)isaboutthesamesizeasthepearshapedpuffball,onlyitgrowsin thegrass,anditssurfaceisstuddedwithtinyspines.Theyaremostcommoninearlyautumn. PoorMan'sPepper ThiscommonEuropeanweedofsunny,disturbedhabitats,poororsandysoil,androadsides,growsthroughoutthe US,fromspringtofall.Usethespicyleaves,flowers,andseedpodsinsalads,soups,sauces,casseroles,andformaking preparedmustard.

Strapshapedleavesspreadinacirclealongthegroundearlyinthespring.Notetheteethpointingtowardtheleaftip (dandelionleavesteeth,usuallymuchlarger,pointdownward).

Sycamoretree

Thesapcontainssugarandcanbeusedasadrinkorbeconcentratedintoasyrupbyboilingoffthewater.Thesyrupisused asasweeteneronmanyfoods.Itcanbeharvestedinlatewinterbutisnotproducedineconomicquantities.About25 gramsofsugarisobtainedfromaliterofthesap.Thesapcanalsobeusedtomakeawine.Theflowisbestonwarmsunny daysfollowingafrost.Thebestsapproductioncomesfromcoldwinterareaswithcontinentalclimates.Thekeysofthe developingseedshaveasweetexudationonthemandthisisoftensuckedbychildren.Theleavescanbewrappedround foodsuchasbunswhenbakingthemandtheyimpartasweetflavor Thebarkhasmildastringentpropertiesandhasbeenusedtomakeawashforskinproblemsandaneyewashforsoreeyes. Theinnerbarkofthetree,containingthesweetsap,canbeusedasadressingforwounds.


Thetreesarefastgrowingandmakeagoodwindbreakforexposedandmaritimeareas.Theyareoftenusedinshelterbelt plantings.Thisspeciesusuallyselfsowsfreelyandisoftenthefirsttreetoinvadedisusedfarmland,clearedwoodlandetc. Itsabilitytotoleratedifficultenvironmentsmakeitagoodpioneerspeciesforreestablishingwoodlands.Itisagoodfuel andalsomakesagoodcharcoalthatcanbeusedasafuel. Propagation Seedbestsownassoonasitisripeinacoldframe,itusuallygerminatesinthefollowingspring.Presoakstoredseedfor 24hoursandthenstratifyfor24monthsat18c.Itcanbeslowtogerminate.Seedshouldnotbedriedbelow35% moisture.Theseedcanbeharvested'green'(whenithasfullydevelopedbutbeforeithasdriedandproducedany germinationinhibitors)andsownimmediately.Itshouldgerminateinlatewinter.Iftheseedisharvestedtoosoonitwill produceveryweakplantsornoplantsatall[Whenlargeenoughtohandle,pricktheseedlingsoutintoindividualpotsand growthemonuntiltheyare20cmormoretallbeforeplantingthemoutintheirpermanentpositions.Layering,which takesabout12months,issuccessfulwithmostspeciesinthisgenus.CuttingsofyoungshootsinJuneorJuly.Thecuttings shouldhave23pairsofleaves,plusonepairofbudsatthebase.Removeaverythinsliceofbarkatthebaseofthe cutting,rootingisimprovedifarootinghormoneisused.Therootedcuttingsmustshownewgrowthduringthesummer beforebeingpottedupotherwisetheyareunlikelytosurvivethewinter.Cultivarscanbebuddedontorootstocksofthe species.AnygraftingisbestcarriedoutinSeptemberratherthanFebruary

Blackbirch

Smellsofmintwhenyoupeelthebarkoffthetwigbrewinwateronecupisequaltoanasprin.Thebesttimetoget sapismidNovemberintodecember MapleisinthesapinthespringandSycamoresapisthesame.Pinesapisnotareallyfordrinkingoreating. Theresinisusefullylikealacquer. SappingatreetomeseemsabitdestructivebutIdolikethistechniquethattreefriendlypeopletotheyjustsniptheends ofafewbranchesseepic.

Butforlargertreesthisisnotpossiblesobegentalandonewholepertreeandcorkitupwhendone. Drilltheholeabout2inchesdeep.Drillwithaslightupwardslantsothatthesapwillrunoutbygravity.3/8hole. Youcandoamakeshifttapoutofpvcorthinpipeevenwood.Hangabucketunderitandmakesuretoputsomething overittoprotectfromrainanddebris. syrupisproducedbyboilingwaterfromthemaplesap,concentratingitintoasweetsyrup. NOTE:Sometimestreessufferfromunnaturalblisteringoroozingofsap,whichmaybecausedbynumerousthingssuchas disease,fungus,orpests.Onaverage,however,treesdonottypicallyleaksapunlessdamagedinsomeway. Sumac

ThisPlantisEdibleMidspring,latesummer,earlyfall,midfall,latefall. Theberriesofvarioussumacspeciescomeintoseasonfromlatesummerthroughfall.Smoothsumacandsquawbush ripeninlatesummer,staghornsumacripensinearlyfall,andwingedsumacripensinmidfall.Andyoucanharvest theedibleyoungshootsinthespriSumacusuallyhaslong,feathercompoundleaves,uprightterminalspikesor panicleswithmanytiny,yellowtogreenyellow,fivepetaledflowers,anduprightfruitclustersconsistingofmany tiny,spherical,hard,redberries.ng.Thisisagroupofshrubsorsmalltreeswhichusuallyuseundergroundrunnersto formdensestands.Theycanreachfromfourto30feetinheight.Thestouttwigsexudeawhite,stickysapwhen broken. Theirlemonscentedalternateleaves,usuallyfeathercompoundbutsometimespalmatecompound,cangrowtoover twofeetlong.Themanypointed,toothed,paired,ellipticaltolanceshapedleafletsonthefeathercompoundleaves, pointedatbothends,turnabeautifulscarletinthefall. Fragrantterminalspikesorpaniclestwoto12inchesconsistingofmanytinyyellowtogreenyellow,fivepetaled flowersbloominmidsummer.Theygivewaytodenseclustersofsmall,hard,dry,sticky,spherical,redberries,each withastonyseedinside.Theberriesturnrustcoloredwithageandpersistthroughthewinter,evenmorefaded,and attachedtotheirbrown,stiff,branchingstems. Don'trinseofftheseberriesbeforeuseoryou'llwashalltheflavordownthedrain.Thebestknownwaytousesumac isbymakingawonderfullyflavoredpinklemonadewithit.Submergetheberrycluster(minusanysixoreightlegged stragglers)inabowlofroomtemperatureorwarmwater,andsqueezeandtwistitwithyourhandsforaminuteorso (youmayalsosteeptheclustersinhotwater,butlemonadeisbettercold).Strainouttheberriesthroughafinesieve orcheeseclothlinedcolander,sweetentotaste,andenjoy. Youcanalsomakesumacconcentrate,whichyoucanuselikelemonorlimejuice. Theyounggrowthatthetipsoftheplantstheshoots,arealsoedible,raworcooked,afteryoupeelthem.Theymake quiteatastyvegetableyoucanuseinavarietyofdishes. I'vediscoveredthatyoucanmakeaveryusefulandtastysumacconcentratebyprocessingaboutfivebatchesof sumacthroughthesamewater.Whenyouachievetheacidityoflemonjuice,youcanusethisinanyofthethousands ofrecipesthatneedatouchofacidityorcallforlemonjuiceorlimejuice,orvinegar. Sumacwillimpartsitsownspecialflavortoanyappropriatedish,fromsaladdressingstodesserts.It'sespeciallygood withmulberries,whichlacktheacidityofotherberries,orothernonacidicfruitssuchasbananas,papayas,or pawpaws,nottomentionmildflavoredvegetablessuchpotatoesorcauliflower. Youcanalsofreezesumacconcentrateinicecubetrays,packthesumaccubesintofreezercontainers,anddefrostas needed.

Sumacberryclusters,unwashed Lukewarmorroomtemperaturewaterasneeded 1.Placethe1/5thofthesumacinabowl,coveritwithwater,andsqueezeandrubvigorouslywithyourhandsfora minuteorso,oruntilmostofthecolorhasbeentransferredintothewater. 2.Strainouttheusedsumacinacolander,andputthecoloredwaterbackinthebowl. 3.Repeatstep1withtheremaining4portionsoffreshsumacbranchessuccessively,untilyou'veusedupallthe sumac. 4.Strainthroughacheeseclothorfinesievetoremoveallthedebris. MedicinalUses:Sumacisanastringent,andit'sbeenusedinherbalmedicineasanantisepticandtonic.Sumacpink lemonadewasusedforfever.Itmaynotgetridofthefever,butlikelemonade,itwillmakethepatientfellalittle cooler. Adecoctionofthecambiumoraninfusionoftheleaveshasbeenusedfordiarrhea,dysentery,asthma,urinarytract infections,sorethroat,chronicgumproblems,andcoldsores.TheNativeAmericanschewedtheroottoeaseswollen orinfectedgumsandtostopkids'bedwetting,andtheyappliedsumaccompressestoburnsandcuts,tostop bleeding,andreduceswelling.Thisplantcertainlymeritsscientifictesting. PoisonousLookalikes Makesuretheflowerclustersareupright,andtheclustersofberriesareuprightandredorredorange.Poisonsumac (Rhusvernix)hasdroopingclustersofwhiteberries,quitedifferentfromtheediblespecies.Touchit,andyou'llhavea severerashforamonththatcanrecuroverandover. Poisonoakhasleavessimilartoskunkbush,buttheflowersaresmallandinconspicuous,andtheberriesareyellow brown,notred.CautionsSumacisrelatedtocashews,mangoes,andpoisonivy.Ifyou'reyou'resosensitivetopoison ivythatyoucan'teatcashewsormangoes,youshouldavoidsumactoo

ThinLeafedPlantain(FairyBandAids)
Yesyoucaneattheseinsaladbutchewonthemabitandapplythemtostinksandbitesanditmakesthepaingoaway!

TheotherkindofthisplantiscalledBroadLeafedPlantain(Plantagomajor)Sameusesasabove.Thisalsohasseedsinthe
fallwhichcanbecollectedandusedinoatmeal,breads,flours,andasasubstituteforpsylliumseeds,whicharealsoaPlantago.

KousaDogwood

Soft,red,globular,longstalkedfruits,containinghardseeds,ripeninearlytomidfall.Enjoythered,pronged, globularfruitrawitturnsbittercooked. BurdockRosetteandRoot

LeavesaremoreforthegoatsbuttherootsYoucanharvestthelarge,deep,beigetaprootfromthebasalrosetteform (assoonastheflowerstalkappears,therootbecomestoughandwoody)fromearlyspringtolatefall.Itsheartyflavor isalittlelikethatofpotatoes,althoughitsrelatedtoartichokes.Scrubtherootwithacoarsecopperscouringpad,but dontpeelit.Sliceitrazorthinonadiagonal,orientalstyle,orusethefinestslicingdiskofafoodprocessor.Simmer 20minutesoruntiltender.Youmayalsosautit,butaddliquidandcookitinmoistheatanother10minutes afterwards,oritmaynotgettender.Youmayalsoharvesttheimmatureflowerstalkinlatespring,beforetheflowers appear,whileitsstilltenderandveryflexible.Peeledandparboiledfor1minutetogetridofthebitterness,ittastes likeartichokehearts,anditwillenhanceanytraditionalrecipethatcallsfortheheartofartichokes.Cookthisfor another510minutes.istheofficialherb.Yourwouldroasttherootthesamewayyoudothisdandeliontomakeacoffee sub.

RecentresearchhasshownBurdockisoneoftheforemostdetoxifyingherbsinbothChineseandWesternherbal medicine[254].Thedriedrootofoneyearoldplantsistheofficialherb,buttheleavesandfruitscanalsobeused[4].Itis usedtotreatconditionscausedbyan'overload'oftoxins,suchasthroatandotherinfections,boils,rashesandotherskin problems[254].Therootisthoughttobeparticularlygoodathelpingtoeliminateheavymetalsfromthebody[254].The plantisalsopartofaNorthAmericanformulacalledessiacwhichisapopulartreatmentforcancer.Itseffectivenesshas neverbeenreliablyprovenordisprovensincecontrolledstudieshavenotbeencarriedout.Theotherherbsincludedinthe formulaareRumexacetosella,UlmusrubraandRheumpalmatum.Theplantisantibacterial,antifungal,carminative.Ithas soothing,mucilaginouspropertiesandissaidtobeoneofthemostcertaincuresformanytypesofskindiseases,burns, bruisesetc.Itisusedinthetreatmentofherpes,eczema,acne,impetigo,ringworm,boils,bitesetc[244].Theplantcanbe takeninternallyasaninfusion,orusedexternallyasawash.Usewithcaution.Therootsofoneyearoldplantsare harvestedinmidsummeranddried.Theyarealterative,aperient,bloodpurifier,cholagogue,depurative,diaphoretic, diureticandstomachic.Theseedisalterative,antiphlogistic,depurative,diaphoreticanddiuretic[218].Recentresearchhas shownthatseedextractslowerbloodsugarlevels[.Theseedisharvestedinthesummeranddriedforlateruse[254].The crushedseedispoulticedontobruises[Theleavesarepoulticedontoburns,ulcersandsores.thatseedextractslowerblood sugarlevels DockRumex

The'milk'ofthedockleafisknowntocontaintanninsandoxalicacid,whichisanastringentAtinctureofdockishelpfulfor problemsofthemenopause.Accordingtofolkremedies,dockroothasapronounceddetoxingeffectontheliverandit cleansestheskinTheleavesareoftenappliedexternallyasarusticremedyinthetreatmentofblisters,burnsandscalds. Therootcontainstanninandisastringentandbloodpurifier[.Ateamadefromtherootshasbeenusedinthetreatmentof jaundice,whoopingcough,boilsandbleeding.Aninfusionoftheroothasbeenusedasawash,especiallyforchildren,to treatskineruptions.Onereportsaysthattheroothasbeenusedasacontraceptivetostopmenstruation.Therootis harvestedinearlyspringanddriedforlateruse. EdibleParts:Leaves;Seed;Stem. Youngleavescooked.].Abittertaste,especiallyiftheolderleavesareused[.Theleavesareusuallycookedinatleastone

changeofwaterinordertoreducethebitterness.Leavescanalsobedriedforlateruse.Theleaveshaveamuchmilder flavourwhentheyarefirstproducedinearlyspring.Youngstemscooked[257].Seedraworcooked.Theseedcanalsobe groundintoapowderandusedtomakeagrueloraddedtocerealflourswhenmakingbreadetc.Itisrathersmallandfiddly toharvest. GoldenRod50differentkindsThisisthemostcommononeinNewHaven.

Allareokandhavethesameusesbutthisone(sweetgoldenrodhasabettermedicaleffect) Aninfusionofthedriedpowderedherbisantiseptic.Theleavesmakeaverypleasanttastingteathatismildlyastringent, carminative,diaphoretic,diuretic,febrifugeandstimulant.Itisusefulinthetreatmentofcoughsandcolds,dysenteryand ulcerationoftheintestines.Theessentialoilhasbeenusedasadiureticforinfants,asalocalapplicationforheadachesandforthe treatmentofflatulenceandvomiting.Theflowersareaperients,astringentandtonic.Aninfusionisbeneficialinthetreatmentof gravel,urinaryobstructionandsimpledropsyTherootcanbechewedasatreatmentforsoremouthsplantscanbecooked. flowersareedibleraw.seedsareedibleraw. Thefreshordriedleavesandflowerbudsbrewupintoadelicate,golden,aniseflavoredtea.Ipreferminedried,theflavoris moremellowandlessgreen..DrinkingGoldenrodtearelievesmyitchyeyes,postnasaldrip,headacheandpersistentcough; causedbyotherpollenbearingplants clipthetopoftheplant;makingsureItakelessthan10%ofwhatisavailableinanyarea.

But beware! Wild parsnip grows near and looks a bit like golden rod!
WildParsnipsBut

beware! Wild parsnip grows near and looks a bit like golden rod!

ThefoliageofWildParsnipistoxicandirritatinginthepresenceofsunlight,particularlywhenitisinbloom.Thisisthe resultofthefoliagereleasingsingletonoxygen,whichischemicallyhighlyreactive(toanevengreaterextentthantriplet oxygen,orozone).Thus,thefoliageinthisconditioncanirritatethedigestivetractsofherbivoresandraiseblistersonthe skinofhumans. Itismuchlikepoisonivyontheskinbutlastwaylonger!!! Butwiththatsaid.EverywhereIhavereadsaysthattherootisedibleparsnip.NotsureifIhavetheballstoeatthem. Mugwort

Leavesraworcooked.Aromaticandsomewhatbitter.Theiradditiontothedietaidsthedigestionandsotheyareoften usedinsmallquantitiesasaflavouring,especiallywithfattyfoods.Theyarealsousedtogivecolourandflavourto glutinousricedumplings(Mochi)Theyoungshootsareusedinspring.InJapantheyoungleavesareusedasapotherb.]. Thedriedleavesandfloweringtopsaresteepedintotea[.Theyhavealsobeenusedasaflavouringinbeer,thoughfellinto virtualdisuseoncehopscameintofavour. Mugworthasalonghistoryofuseinherbalmedicineespeciallyinmattersconnectedtothedigestivesystem,menstrual complaintsandthetreatmentofworms[238].Itisslightlytoxic,however,andshouldneverbeusedbypregnantwomen, especiallyintheirfirsttrimester,sinceitcancauseamiscarriage[7,238].Large,prolongeddosagecandamagethenervous system[268].Allpartsoftheplantareanthelmintic,antiseptic,antispasmodic,carminative,cholagogue,diaphoretic,

digestive,emmenagogue,expectorant,nervine,purgative,stimulant,slightlytonicandusedinthetreatmentofwomen's complaints[4,7,13,21,147,165,178,201].Theleavesarealsosaidtobeappetizer,diuretic,haemostaticand stomachic[176,218,222].Theycanbeusedinternallyorexternally[218].Aninfusionoftheleavesandfloweringtopsis usedinthetreatmentofnervousandspasmodicaffections,sterility,functionalbleedingoftheuterus,dysmenorrhoea, asthmaanddiseasesofthebrain[176,243].Theleaveshaveanantibacterialaction,inhibitingthegrowthofStaphylococcus aureus,Bacillustyphi,B.dysenteriae,streptococci,E.coli,B.subtilis,Pseudomonasetc[176].Theleavesareharvestedin Augustandcanbedriedforlateruse[4].Thestemisalsosaidtobeantirheumatic,antispasmodic,andstomachic[218].The rootsaretonicandantispasmodic[243].Theyaresaidtobeoneofthebeststomachics[4].Theyareharvestedinthe autumnanddriedforlateruse[4].Theleaves,placedinsidetheshoes,aresaidtobesoothingforsorefeet[238].The compresseddriedleavesandstemsareusedinmoxibustion[176,178,218,222,238].Anotherreportsaysthatthedown fromtheleavesisused[4]. Thefreshorthedriedplantrepelsinsects,itcanbeusedasaspraybutcautionisadvisedsinceitcanalsoinhibitplant growth[20].Aweakteamadefromtheinfusedplantisagoodallpurposeinsecticide[201].Anessentialoilfromtheplant killsinsectlarvae[218].Thedownontheleavesmakesagoodtinderforstartingfires[115]. Acornsandoaknuts

AcornswereatraditionalfoodofmanyindigenouspeoplesofNorthAmerica,butservedanespeciallyimportantrolefor CalifornianNativeAmericans,wheretherangesofseveralspeciesofoaksoverlap,increasingthereliabilityoftheresource.[12] Unlikemanyotherplantfoods,acornsdonotneedtobeeatenorprocessedrightaway,butmaybestoredforalongtime,asdone bysquirrels.Inyearsthatoaksproducedmanyacorns,NativeAmericanssometimescollectedenoughacornstostorefortwo yearsasinsuranceagainstpooracornproductionyears. Afterdryingtheminthesuntodiscouragemoldandgermination,womentookacornsbacktotheirvillagesandcachedthemin hollowtreesorstructuresonpoles,tokeepthemsafefrommiceandsquirrels.Thestoredacornscouldthenbeusedwhen needed,particularlyduringthewinterwhenotherresourceswerescarce.Thoseacornsthatgerminatedinthefallwereshelled andpulverizedbeforethosethatgerminateinspring.Becauseoftheirhighfatcontent,storedacornscanbecomerancid.Molds mayalsogrowonthem. NativeNorthAmericanstookanactiveandsophisticatedroleinmanagingacornresourcesbyusingfire,whichincreasedthe productionofacornsandmadethemeasiertocollect.[citationneeded]Thelightgroundfireskilledthelarvaeofacornmothsandacorn weevilsbyburningthemduringtheirdormancyperiodinthesoil.Thepestscaninfestandconsumemorethan95%ofanoak's acorns. Firesalsoreleasedthenutrientsboundindeadleavesandotherplantdebrisintothesoil,thusfertilizingoaktreeswhileclearing thegroundtomakeacorncollectioneasier.MostNorthAmericanoakstoleratelightfires,especiallywhenconsistentburninghas eliminatedwoodyfuelaccumulationaroundtheirtrunks.Consistentburningencouragedoakgrowthattheexpenseofothertrees lesstolerantoffire,thuskeepingoaksdominantinthelandscapes.

Oaksproducemoreacornswhentheyarenottooclosetootheroaksandthuscompetingwiththemforsunlight,waterandsoil nutrients.Thefirestendedtoeliminatethemorevulnerableyoungoaksandleaveoldoakswhichcreatedopenoaksavannaswith treesideallyspacedtomaximizeacornproduction. grounduntilthemealissofinethat"itwillsticktothebasketsifter"whenitisturnedupsidedown.Whenyouhavedetermined thatyouhavegroundtheacornsto"primo"consistency,youmustthenleachit.Thiswastraditionallyaccomplished(beforewe hadwovenclothtoworkwith)bybuildingamoundoffinesand,nearaspringortheriver,andthenscoopingoutthecenter.The mealyouwishedtoleachwasplacedinthecenterofthismoundandwaterpouredoveracleancedarboughwhichwasplacedor heldabovetheacornmeal.Thetanninwouldleachoutoftheacornmealandharmlesslydownintothesand.Whentastingit showedthetanninhadbeenremoved,themealwascarefullyremovedfromitssand"colander"andputintoacookingbasket. Waterisaddedthecorrectamountfortheamountofacornmealyouaregoingtouse,whichissomethingthattakesawhileto adjustto.Toomuchwaterwillrequirecookinglongertogettheconsistencyyouwant.Notenoughwaterandtheacornwillburn. Thenspecialcookingrockswereheatedinafire,rinsedoff,andusingspecialstirringsticks,therockswerestirredinthebasket toheattheacornsolutionthoroughly.Aseachrockcooleddown,itwasremoved,andanotherhotcleanrocktookitsplaceinthe cookingbasket.Therockthathadbeenremovedwaswashedoffandplacedbackinthefiretoreheatandawaititsturntobecome acookingimplementonceagain.Inwhatseemslikenotimeatall,theacornsoupisboiling,andthestirringcontinuesuntilthe soupisofthedesiredconsistencyeitherthintoeatwithaspoon,orthickertoeatwithafork,dependingonwhatthe"cook"has inmind.Thoughtheabove"soup"waseatenstraightbythetraditionalpeople,Iusuallyaddalittlesalt,andoccasionallysome driedcurrentsorblueelderberries,orevenraisins.Somepeopleliketoaddalittlecinnamon. Therocksaresavedforthenexttime,sincefindingperfectrocksthatwon'texplodewhensubjectedtoheat,orwon'tcrumble intothefood,orgiveabadtaste,etc.,arenotaseasytofindasyoumightthink.Thebaskets,tools,implements,rocks,etc.usedto cookacornareconsideredafamilylegacyandkeptwithinafamilytobepasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration.Whatmakes agoodcookingbasketisthesubjectofanotherdissertationandshallnotbegoneintoatthistime.Askthenextexpertbasket weaveryoumeettoexplaintoyouhowacookingbasketismade. FYIremember3leavesandshinny!..poisonoakhasaredtinttoit.

AndyouknowthosevinesinthewoodsthatlooklikegrapevineswellNOTtheyarenogoodforeating Theyarevinesmoonseedvines.

Butagoundplantthatlookskindoflikehasberrysyoucaneat.TheThimbleBerries

PrettymuchthesameasaPurpleFloweringRaspberry,justwhiteflowers. Rubusodoratus

Thisplantdoesnthavethornsandarequitepleasanttopick! Theyreprettymuchlikearaspberrybutalittledrierandmoretart.Theyreusedalottomakejams.Thereasonitstypicallynot seeninstoresasaberryismostlikelybecauseitdoesntholditsshapeincontainersverywell. Youtakeitofftheplantanditllbreakupveryeasily,soputtingtheminabucket,theygetsquishedandbrokenupreallyeasy.I prefertoeatthemasIgo,orthrowtheminmymetalbucketmesskitratherthanmycanvaswaterbagasitllgetmessy. Ithinktheyredelicious.Onoccasionyoullfindtheplantsintinygroups,butmostofthetime,youfindthimbleberryplantthere willbeatonallovertheplace,ifnotahugepatch/fieldofthem!Theyrepleasanttopick,unlikeraspberriesattimeslol.

FatHen

hasmanynames,mostprobablyforgotten.ThisWildVegetableisactuallyafastgrowingweedthatisgenerousinallofitslife stages.OthernamesincludeWhiteGoosefoot,Lamb'sQuarters,DungweedorDirtyDick.Thisweedisntjustfamoushereinthe UK,itsnamescontinueinothercountrieswhereitisnamesincludeGrassePouletteinFrance,inGermanyitiscalledFetteHenne orintheUnitedStateswhereitiscalledPigweed.AlthoughFatHenhassomanynamesandisgloballyrenowneditislargely forgottenasafoodhereintheUK.IndeedaclosecousinofFatHenisnowcommonlygrowningardensandvegetablepatches. TreeSpinachisnowplantedinitsplacewhilsttheshootsofFatHenarepulledfromtheearth.

FatHenisatallannualandamemberofthebeetandspinachfamily.Itsleavesarelanceshapedandgreygreenwiththeplant reachingupto1minheight.Bothstemsandleavesarecoveredwithalightwhiteveryfinehairsandtheleavescanbeeasily recognisedduetotheirclosesimilaritytoaducksfoot.Thesmall,greenishflowersgrowinclustersfromleafjointsonspikesand arealsoedible.

Fathenwillpracticallygrowanywhere,itcanbefoundwheneverthefrostshaveceasedbutismostprolificfromMaytoOctober. FatHenprefersrichsoils,agoodreasonwhyitissooftenfoundinwellcroppedgardens!Thisloveforgoodsoil,likeallgood vegetables,leadstogoodanddownrightdeliciousleavesthatareenjoyedbyhumansandmanyothercreaturesalike. Theironrichleavesandyoungshootsmaybeeatenrawasaleafvegetableorsauteedinplentyofbutterandseasoning,tryit withasmallgrateofNutmegandasplashofcreamaswell(thankmelater).FatHenmakesagreatsoupcreamofFatHensoup, canbeusedinaquicheorflanFatHenandRicottaTarte.Orsimplyservedasaside. Aswellastheleaves,shootsandflowersthatarealledible,eachplantproducesmassesofblackseeds.TheFatHenseedsare extremelygoodforyouandarehighinprotein,vitaminA,calcium,phosphorus,andpotassiumtonamebutafewoftheelements. Theseedscanbegroundandusedasaroughdarkflour,thisdarkflourcanthenbeusedtomakepancakesorevenbread,just writingthisIaminspiredtomakealoaffromthedarkflourandmakeopensandwicheswithwildHorseradishcream,flecksof greenDillandslicesofsoftsmokedSalmonYummy! FatHenalthoughdislikedimmenselybymostGardenersshouldberecognisedandenjoyedbymorepeople.Althoughworld famousthisforgottenWildfoodisdefinitelythevictimofthesuccessofothervegetablesandforthisreasonhasfallenoffthe radarofnonforagingfolk.Thisplentifulanddeliciouswildvegetableisjustsittingtheirwaitingtoberediscoveredsogetout thererememberthiscommonplantandseewhatyoucancookwithit!

WildLeeks

WildLeeksareonionlikeplantsthatgrowinthedeepwoods.Theycomeupinthespring,usuallybeforemuchofanything elsehascomeup. Theleavesandbulbsareedible.Pleaseonlycollectwhenabundant,andthenonlycollectscatteredpatchesorindividual plants.Illeffectsmaybeexperiencedbysomepeopleiflargeamountsareeaten.Iftheydon'tsmelllikeonions,theyaren't WildLeeks. **PleasenotethatWildLeekshavebecomequiterareinQuebecduetoprofessionalpickersdenudingthewoodsofthem. NowthesamethingishappeningineasternOntario!Unfortunately,thismeansthattheyshouldprobablybeprotectedand treatedlikearareorthreatenedplant.Onceagain,greedisspoilingsomethingforeveryone.

HedgeMustard

TheteaispopularlyusedinEuropeforcolds,coughs,hoarseness,chestcongestion,laryngitis,bronchialcatarrh. HedgemustardcontainsvitaminCandmustardoil.tiswidelyusedasacondimentinNorthernEurope(particularlyDenmark, NorwayandGermany). Itsyoungshootsraworcookedarealsoedible.Theyhaveabitterflavourandareusedasaflavouringinsaladsorcookedasa potherb. Seedisalsoedibleraworcooked.Itcanbegroundintoapowderandusedasagruelorasamustardlikeflavouringinsoupsetc. HedgeMustardispartoftheorderBrassicales,whosecommoncharacteristicistheproductionofglucosinolate(mustardoil) compounds.Plantsubstancesderivedfromglucosinolateareresponsibleforthebitterorsharptasteofmanycommonfoodssuch asradish,horseradish,cress,cabbage,Brusselssprouts,kohlrabi,kale,cauliflower,broccoli,turnip,swede,rapeseedand,of course,mustard.HedgeMustardissaidtohaveabitter,cabbagelikeflavourwhichiswhatmakesitdesirableasasalad component.

Fillercrapwater

Charcoalcanbefromfirewood.

Ive had a few days during the HMX build while Im either waiting for parts or waiting for something to dry and had some free time. Im not exactly one to sit and watch TV when I have nothing planned, so I set out on another project.While I have electricity out to the garage now, heat has been an issue all winter long. Mattar graciously lent me his kerosene heater, which did an okay job of taking the bite off the chill. Insulating the garage would go a long way to help keep the bitter Vermont cold out, but thats a project for another day. I decided instead to take advantage of the south-facing side of the garage and build a solar furnace to collect some of that sunshine just bouncing straight off my garage. My dad built one years ago and said he recorded a 110-degree temperature differential between inlet and outlet. And I had enough scrap materials around the basement to do something similar to what my dad built.

I started with some 2x4s and plywood to build a simple box. Im no carpenter, but I learned that if its wobbly, just add more nails.

I actually built the box to certain dimensions, based on what scrap materials I had and on the dimensions of my heat collection method aluminum cans. That sure was a lot of Sprite. Fifty cans in five columns of 10 will funnel the air upward.

Sealed the box using adhesive caulk, just to keep any heated air from escaping the box.

So you may have already thought, How can air climb the columns of cans when theres no hole at the bottom of the can? Answer: drill press and 3/4-inch bit. Times 45.

The last five cans, the bases of each column, will sit on the bottom of the box and thus will be unable to draw air from underneath, so I poked holes in the sides of each of the five.

Stack the cans with liberal doses of adhesive caulk. Give them enough time to dry.

Once theyre dry, I painted each column with black BBQ paint. Black to best absorb the suns heat, BBQ paint to keep from flaking off the cans. At the top, I drilled an outlet hole. I left an inch or two of space between the tops of the columns and the top of the box to permit air to flow out of the columns.

I drilled the outlet hole based on the diameter of some wet-dry vacuum hose I picked up, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.

At the bottom, I used another wet-dry vacuum attachement that would more evenly disperse the incoming air. Screwed it in at each end, then caulked the seal.

Then started to caulk the columns in place. At the bottom, you can see the inlet hole I drilled. At about this point, I realized that a better place for the inlet would have been through the plywood at the bases of each column. In this location, the air can simply pass over the cans (theres about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch between the cans and the upper edge of the 24 frame) and not really pick up that much heat. If I were to relocate the inlet, it would force all the air to pass through the cans and pick up the absorbed heat. Next time.

Had some red paint left over from one of Heathers previous projects, so slapped on a couple coats to at least keep the weather off the bare wood.

The caulk is pretty strong. Kept the cans from falling out while I had the box inverted.

Also had some 3/4-inch PVC pipe from another previous project. Bought a couple elbows and T-fittings and whipped up a simple frame to keep the box off the ground and to angle it upward toward the sun. Didnt give the exact angle too much thought.

Caulked a clear plexiglas cover on the front and sat the furnace out in the sun for a full day over the weekend to see how it would work.

Using some advanced technological equipment, such as this precisely calibrated pyrometer, I determined the intake air temperature, which should have been the same as the ambient air temperature, to be about 80 degrees.

Using the same equipment and methods, I determined the outlet temperature to be about 95 degrees thus a 15 degree temperature differential. Not 110 degrees, but not bad , considering I didnt even break $50 in materials most of that being the plexiglas window. Obviously dont have the inlet and outlet attached to the garage figures that the day I finish the furnace, its 80 degrees and sunny and it looks like were finally done with winter. Dad recommends wiring a pusher fan at the end of the inlet tube to keep the air circulating through the furnace. Were I to do this again, Id first make the furnace larger. As I recall, Dads measured something like four feet on each side. Obviously, the more surface area, the more heat youll pick up. Second, as mentioned above, Id relocate the inlet to the back of the box to direct all the air through the cans. Or at least Id cut a piece of aluminum to act as a baffle and prevent the air from rising straight up. Third, I might use those small soda cans Ive seen in the grocery stores lately, just to get more surface area. Fourth, Id finish the build at the beginning of winter, not the end. UPDATE: Welcome, MAKErs. I appreciate your comments and suggestions on improving the design of the box. I also appreciated the comments over at a similar project page on Instructables. Version 2.0 will be a lot better, so thank you all. UPDATE UPDATE: The response on this has been fantastic. Thank you all for your comments and feedback. If I didnt have the HMX to finish, Id already be working on the next version of this box. By the way, Im no engineer and only have the vaguest understanding of thermodynamics. I know how old cars work, thats about it. But common sense tells me to build this thing bigger, to insulate it, to add a fan and to snake the air sideways as a few of you have suggested. Keep sharing your ideas and your successes in building your own boxes. UPDATE (22.June 2010): Ive taken many of the below ideas into consideration and finally finished a second version of the soda can solar heater. From 180 cans, Ive so far achieved a 120-degree temperature differential.

JUSTNOTESNOTPLANSONHOWTOMAKEAWINDMILLGENORATOR.(AGAINNOTESANDIDEASONTHEWINDMILL)AND SOMEBITSANDPEACESASIFINDTHEMONTHEGENORATORPART.

Thevanesattachbyfoldingthealuminumflashingoveronespokeandhookingabentnailaroundasecondspoke,Thebent nailisinsertedthroughadrilledholeinthevane.

Thisshowshowthebladeisattached.Thebendismadebyhand,simplybendingthealuminumflashingoverametalrod about1/8thinchindiameter.Themetalflashingweused(yearsago)wasthickerthancurrentlyavailable.Youwillhaveto laminate(rivetorusetwosidedtape)twothicknessestogethertoobtainabladethatisstiffenough.Butyoucanalsomake bladesoutofwood(1/8inchplywoodordoorskins)orplastic.

Thisjustgivesabitmoredetailedviewofthegenerator,pulleyandendlessbelting.

NowfromwhatIhaveseenandreadyoucansomehowuseacaraltenator(sawonatvshow)asthegeneratorandthe sitewiththewindmillpicssaida24voltDCpermanentmagnetmotorfromanoldtowercomputerworks.(Thegeneratorisa 24voltDCpermanentmagnetmotor.Thisonewassurplusandusedinoldmainframediskdriveunits.)

ThegeneratorismountedusingasimpleLbracket.Shouldbesturdy(notthetypicalshelfbracket)andboththemotorand thebracketaresecuredwithradiatorhoseclamps. Thewindmillpoleiselectricalconduitthat1.5inchPVCslidesover.AshortsegmentofPVCpipeisscrewedintothemetal conduittocreateabearingthatthewindmillpivotson(PVCtoPVC). Thetailhastobecounterweightedtobalancetheunit.Tedusedabunchofpenniesandgotitbalancedperfectly.What elsearetheygoodfor?:) Andhereissomemoreinfoandideas:

DoItYourselfWindTurbineProject

4 Foot Wind Turbine - option for 6 Foot Sweep


There are 2 parts to this project:
1. BuildtheWindTurbine 2. Variationsforyourscienceproject

Build the Wind Turbine

INTRODUCTION There are several DIY wind turbine science projects on the internet. This project is appropriate for high school level and was originally sourced from http://www.velacreations.com a very good site, maintained by a couple living off-grid. Their site is definitely worth a look. Another good website to visit for wind turbine projects is http://www.otherpower.com though these turbines can be fairly large. We have included some modifications to the original instructions for a larger treadmill motor which weighs more, takes larger blades, requires better fastening for the blades and uses a bearing to attach to the tower. Making a wind powered generator from scrap materials helps keep those materials out of the local dump. Most of the items you need, can be found in your local hardware store, your own garage or from one of the "Freecycle" groups in your area. . Try doing a search on Google for "freecycle" to see what parts you can pick up for free. For the wind turbine built in these pictures, we picked up the motor on eBay for $10 plus shipping and the PVC pipe for the blades from a junk pile. The tail is made from an old roller paint pan. Safety should be your first priority. Your health is more important than a DIY project, so please follow all safety instructions you read, use common sense and get help if you are unsure about something. Wind turbines can be heavy, dangerous machines, with fast moving blades and the chance for electrical shocks. This wind turbine is based on the Chispito Wind Generator with it's simple and efficient design and assembly. We have included several photos showing our changes, using the larger 20 amp motor. Generator The Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG) - You'll need a PMG that produces at least 1 volt DC for every 25 RPM, thus if your wind turbine blades turn at 400 RPM would would generate 16 VDC. A 260 VDC, 5 A continuous

duty Treadmill Motor with a 6 inch threaded hub is well suited for a small wind turbine. These motors are available locally and on eBay or other internet sites. You can get about 7 amps in a 30 mph wind. In other words, it is a simple, cheap little machine to get you started. I picked up a 90 VDC, 20A treadmill motor off eBay for $10 plus shipping. This motor requires an upgrade to most of the original instructions due to the increase in size and weight. It also produces a lower output voltage. The motor is better suited for a system with gearing to increase the RPM. You may use any other simple permanent magnet DC motor that returns at least 1 V for every 25 rpm and can handle upwards of 10 amps. The Ametek 30 is one of the best motors but is hard to find and the price seems to be getting rather high.Try to find a motor that comes with a 6" hub to attach the blades too - a circular saw blade with a 5/8" shaft adaptor might work. For our larger motor we initially used a metal slow moving vehicle sign, bolted to a 3.5 inch pulley. The triangular shape was just what we were looking for. We reinforced the sign with a wooden ring. This hub ended up blocking much of the wind on the smaller blades and we eventually switched to a six inch wooden hub, reinforced with metal plating. When hurricane Ike went through, that hub was also damaged. Thus we'd recommend a metal hub such as the saw blade or a used thick metal frying pan bottom.

Mounting the Generator


6ftof"L"tubing miscnutsandbolts 3/4"SelftappingScrews Forthelarger20Ampmotor,Iusedacaster wheelwithaholeinthecenter(Casterwitha HollowKingpin)toattachthemotortothe tower.Thisallowstheheavymotortoturnvery easilyanddoesn'tprovideweartothetoweror flange.

Generator

90VDC,20AcontinuousdutyTreadmillMotor 3050AmpBlockingDiode(oneway) 4x5/16xMotorBolts 8"X16"PVCPipeorlargerdependingonthesizeofthetreadmillmotor(cover)

Tail

1sqft(approx)lightweightmaterial(metal)usedrollerpainttraywillwork 2X"SelftappingScrewstoattachthetail

Blades

24"lengthof8"PVCPipe 6X"X20Bolts 9x"washers

3sheetsofpaperandtape

ASSEMBLY Cutting Blades - makes 8 blades (or 2+ blade sets) and a thin waste strip. I have created a separate page with more pictures and expanded on this process a bit. After you've done this once, it makes sense. These instructions could use a little help for the first time wind turbine blade maker. Here's the link to the page: Making PVC Turbine Blades
1. Placethe24"LengthofPVCpipeandsquaretubing(orotherstraightedge)sidebysideonaflatsurface.Pushthe pipetightagainstthetubingandmarkthelinewheretheytouch.ThisisLineA. 2. MakeamarkneareachendofLineA,23"apart. 3. Tape3sheetsofA4papertogether,sothattheyformalong,completelystraight pieceofpaper.Wrapthisaroundthesectionofpipeateachofthetwothemarks youjustmade,onethentheother.Makesuretheshortsideofthepaperis straightalongLineAandthepaperisstraightagainstitselfwhereitoverlaps. Markalinealongtheedgeofthepaperateachend.CalloneLineBandtheother LineC. 4. StartwhereLineAintersectsLineB.GoingleftaroundLineB,makeamarkat every145mm.Thelastsectionshouldbeabout115mm. 5. StartwhereLineAintersectsLineC.GoingrightaroundLineC,makeamarkat every145mm.Thelastsectionshouldbeabout115mm. 6. Markeachlineusingastraightedge. 7. Cutalongtheselines,usingthejigsaw,sothatyouhave4stripsof145mmand onestripabout115mm. 8. Takeeachstripandplacethemwiththe insideofthepipefacingdown. 9. Makeamarkatoneendofeachstrip 115mmfromtheleftedge. 10. Makeamarkattheotherendofeach strip30mmfromtheleftedge. 11. Markandcuttheselines,usingthe jigsaw.

Note: we also made a set of blades 38 inches long using the same measurement - only the length was changed - 24 inches to 38 inches.

Sanding the Blades You should sand the blades to achieve the desired airfoil. This will increase the efficiency of the blades, as well as making them quieter. The angled (leading) edge wants to be rounded, while the straight (tailing) edge wants to be pointed. Any sharp corners should be slightly rounded to cut down on noise.

Making The Tail The exact dimensions of the tail are not important. You need about one square foot of lightweight material, preferably metal. You can make the tail any shape you want, so long as the end result is stiff rather than floppy, we used an old aluminum paint tray (flattened). Our 6 foot long rail has holes already in it, so we will simply bolted the tail in place near the end of the rail - see instructions below about "balancing" the complete setup. Drilling Holes in Blades - using the " drill bit
1. Marktwoholesatthewideendandalongthestraightedgeofeachofthethreeblades.Thefirstholeshouldbe3/8 "fromthestraightedgeand"fromthebottom.Thesecondholeshouldbe3/8"fromthestraightedgeand1" fromthebottom. 2. Drillthese6holes2perblade(3bladesintotal)

Drilling Holes in Hub - using the

7/32" drill bit and " tap

NOTE: You may want to modify these old, used 7 1/4 inch skill saw blade. space to screw or bolt the blades to. We and tapping holes. I've also see old purpose. They are light and solid!

instructions. Try replacing the hub with an The larger surface area will give you more also used 1/4 inch bolts rather than drilling aluminum frying pans used for this

1. IftheTreadmillmotorcomeswith thehubattached,takeitoff,holdtheendoftheshaft(which comesthroughthehub)firmlywithpliers,andturnthehub clockwise.Thishubunscrewsclockwise,whichiswhytheblades turncounterclockwise. 2. Makeatemplateofthehubonapieceofpaper,usingacompass andprotractor. 3. Mark3holes,eachofwhichis23/8"fromthecenterofthecircleandequidistantfromeachother. 4. Placethistemplateoverthehubandpunchastarterholethroughthepaperandontothehubateachhole. 5. Drilltheseholeswiththe7/32"drillbit. 6. Taptheholeswiththe"x20tap.

7. Boltthebladesontothehubusingthe"bolts.Atthispoint,theouterholeshavenotbeendrilled. 8. Measurethedistancebetweenthestraightedgeofthetipsofeachblade.Adjustthemsothattheyareall equidistant.Markandpuncheachholeonthehubthroughtheemptyholeineachblade. 9. Labelthebladesandhubsothatyoucanmatchwhichbladegoeswhereatalaterstage. 10. Removethebladesandthendrillandtaptheseouterthreeholes.

Note: the metal slow moving vehicle sign is not solid enough to stand-up in high winds. We screwed on a wooden ring to the back of the sign to give it the required strength. This blocked to much wind so we ended up replacing it with a 6 inch wooden hub, reinforced with a metal plate on the back. Even later, we ended up replacing this hub with a 6" metal hub for added strength.

Make a Protective Cover for the Motor


1. Drawtwostraightlines,aboutapart,along thelengthofthe8x16PVCPipe.Cutalong theselines.

2. Makea45cutattheendofthepipe. 3. Slidethecoveroverthemotorandsecureinplace.

TURBINE ASSEMBLY
1. RemovetherubberwheelfromtheCaster.Drillthroughthecasterandbolttoyourtowerassembly(toppipeof yourtower) 2. Placethediodeonthe"L"tubing, about2behindthemotor,andscrew itintopositionusingaselftapping metalscrew. 3. Connecttheblackwirecomingoutof themotortothepositiveincoming terminalofthediode(LabeledACon thepositiveside). 4. Connecttheredwirecomingoutof themotortothenegativeincomingterminalofthediode(LabeledAConthenegativeside). 5. Placeeachbladeonthehubsothatalltheholeslineup.Usingthe"boltsandwashers,boltthebladestothe hub.Fortheinnerthreeholes,usetwowashersperbolt,oneoneachsideoftheblade.Fortheouterthreeholes, justuseonewashernexttotheheadofthebolt.Tighten.Thispointsthebladesawayfromyourtower. 6. Holdtheendoftheshaftofthemotor(whichcomesthroughthehub)firmlywithpliers,andturnthehub counterclockwiseuntilittightensandstops.Ourmotordidn'tcomewithahub,thusweattachedour"pulleyhub" totheshaft. 7. Attachthecasterdollytothemotorand"L"rail.Balancethiswholesetupbymovingthe1squarefoottailsection alongthe6'longrail.Onceyoufindthespotwhereeverythingisbalance,boltthetailtotherailatthatspot. 8. Forourlarger(heavier)motor,weusedarotatingcasterwithahollowkingpin,boltedtothetopofthetower.The dolly/casterneedstohaveaholeinthemiddlethatyouwillrunthe powerwiresdown,throughthetower.Thedollyisbolteddirectlytothe DCmotorwhichmadethecompletemountingsystemmucheasier.

For a longer life span of your wind generator, you should paint the blades, motor sleeve, mount and tail. On the larger 20A treadmill motor, we attached a dolly bearing directly to the bottom of the motor and then onto the top of the tower. Get a dolly wheel with a hole in the middle, which you thread the power wires through. We also used the same PVC Blade Pattern to cut 3 foot blades. Just make the length 3 feet rather than 2 feet. The measurements at both ends stay the same - 145 cm wide sections that are next cut into 2 blades. This gives the same curve to the blades. Depending on the size of your motor, you may want to experiment with different lengths of blades. Our larger blades were not balanced as well as the shorter blades initially and thus turned slower. We cut them down in length from 36 inches to 32 inches and balanced them. To balance the blades, we placed the blades and hub, onto a long pointed nail. We than slid a washer along the blades to find the balance point. Then epoxy the washer in place (try to account for the weight of the epoxy as well).

How much power can we get from the wind?


Power AVAILABLE in the wind = .5 x air density x swept area x (wind velocity cubed) Example: air density = 1.23 kg per cubic meter at sea level. Swept area = pi x r squared. Our 2 foot blades = 0.609m, 4 ft = 1.219m. 10 mph = 4.4704 m/s, 20 mph = 8.9408 m/s. How much power is in the wind: 2 ft blade, 10 mph winds = .5 x 1.23 x 3.14 x 0.609squared x 4.4704 cubed = .5 x 1.23 x 1.159 x 89.338 = 63.7 watts With 4 foot blades and 10 mph winds = .5 x 1.23 x 4.666 x 89.338 = 256 watts With 4 foot blades and 20 mph winds = .5 x 1.23 x 4.666 x 714.708 = 2051 watts That's the MAXIMUM power in the wind. However, it's impossible to harvest ALL the power. The Betz Limit tells us that the maximum percentage of power we can harvest from the wind is 59.26%. Thus our maximum power from these turbines would be: 2 ft blades, 10 mph wind = 37.7 watts 4 ft blades, 10 mph wind = 152 watts 4 ft blades, 20 mph wind = 1,215 watts These values are the maximum power achievable. Your results will be less, depending on how well you shape the blades, how well balanced the blade assembly is, drag going over the hub, copper losses, etc. A very well built DIY HAWT would not likely get more than 50% of the above numbers.

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