About this item
History, literature, and botany meet in this charming tour of how humans have relied on plants to nourish, shelter, heal, clothe, and even entertain us. Did you know that during World War II, the US Navy paid kids to collect milkweed's fluffy white floss, which was then used as filling for life preservers? And Native Americans in the deserts of the Southwest traditionally crafted tattoo needles from prickly pear cactus spines. These are just two of the dozens of tidbits that Tammi Hartung highlights in the tales of 45 native North American flowers, herbs, and trees that have rescued and delighted us for centuries.
About the Author
Tammi Hartung is an ethnobotanical herbalist and organic farmer with more than 40 years of experience working with plants. She and her husband, Chris, own Desert Canyon Farm, a certified organic farm since 1996 in southern Colorado, where they grow more than 1800 varieties of plants. They grow all types of herbs, heritage and heirloom food plants, native and wildlife habitat plants, edible flowers and more. In their flower seed production field, they grow over 60 varieties of perennials for a German seed company called Jelitto Perennial Seed Co, so seeds from Tammi's farm end up being grown by gardeners and growers all over the world!Tammi is an international speaker and the author of Homegrown Herbs, The Wildlife-Friendly Vegetable Gardener and Cattail Moonshine & Milkweed Medicine. She blogs at desertcanyonfarm.wordpress.comTammi is passionate about plants and their relationship with people past, present and future. If a plant has been used by people or animals, Tammi is interested to understand that relationship. In addition, she is an avid hiker, a stitcher of colored threads, loves to write, and enjoys life on her small farm with her husband, 3 very helpful cats, Shrek the farm dog, 2 sassy ducks named Gretel and Hannah and loads of wildlife.
