- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
- Messages
- 7,021
Well, I don't have a backyard because I live in an apartment, but I used to have 1600 acres of natural habitat within walking distance, all contained in a creek valley. It is called Red Hill Valley because of the red clay that makes up most of the valley walls. Good resource for making primitive pottery. Used to, until the idiot politicians decided what could be better in that green 'wasteland', than another expressway!
What you're looking at a part of the valley that had a large patch of Indian Hemp (Apocynum cannibinum). Closer in and a bit to the left was a large patch of Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis). Also close by was Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosa) and Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) - cordage plants, edible plants, arrow shafts, hand drills, tinder, etc.
So I haven't been back to this area since they put in the road. Today, being every bit as nice as kgd mentioned, I thought it was a good time as any to see what was left. Actually, I wanted to see what was green and worthwhile poking up out of the ground and I wanted to collect some Great Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) for hand drills. Last year was a bumper year for Great Ragweed. Some years the stalks make excellent hand drills but others, either the stalks are too fragile, or the plant is almost non-existent.
Here's a picture of the top of about a 9 foot tall plant.
Finding some new green growth was quite a challenge as there wasn't much growing, so I decided to take a few pictures of miscellaneous bits of interest.
Some 'I don't know what kind of' fungus for the fungus lovers.
Another type:
And talk about 'thorny issues', a branch of Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
This is something I always enjoy - the dried flower head of Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Whenever I find these, I crush the flower heads and take a big smell - reminds me of summer.
Finally, some green -
A young Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) struggling to grow. (By then tonym may be ready to use it for a hand drill.
).
Some Garlic Mustard (Alliaria officinalis).
more to come
What you're looking at a part of the valley that had a large patch of Indian Hemp (Apocynum cannibinum). Closer in and a bit to the left was a large patch of Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis). Also close by was Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosa) and Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) - cordage plants, edible plants, arrow shafts, hand drills, tinder, etc.
So I haven't been back to this area since they put in the road. Today, being every bit as nice as kgd mentioned, I thought it was a good time as any to see what was left. Actually, I wanted to see what was green and worthwhile poking up out of the ground and I wanted to collect some Great Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) for hand drills. Last year was a bumper year for Great Ragweed. Some years the stalks make excellent hand drills but others, either the stalks are too fragile, or the plant is almost non-existent.
Here's a picture of the top of about a 9 foot tall plant.
Finding some new green growth was quite a challenge as there wasn't much growing, so I decided to take a few pictures of miscellaneous bits of interest.
Some 'I don't know what kind of' fungus for the fungus lovers.
Another type:
And talk about 'thorny issues', a branch of Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
This is something I always enjoy - the dried flower head of Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Whenever I find these, I crush the flower heads and take a big smell - reminds me of summer.
Finally, some green -
A young Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) struggling to grow. (By then tonym may be ready to use it for a hand drill.
).
Some Garlic Mustard (Alliaria officinalis).
more to come
