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Message started by walter on Nov 7th, 2021 at 5:07pm

Title: Usnea
Post by walter on Nov 7th, 2021 at 5:07pm
A lichen that grows on oaks and junipers at this elevation. A different species also containing usnic acid grows on firs at higher elevations.
We managed to collect 1.5 oz, which will make a winter supply.

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Title: Re: Usnea
Post by Morphy on Nov 7th, 2021 at 7:14pm
Whats it for Walter? Did the bow grow on it too?

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by walter on Nov 7th, 2021 at 8:53pm
@ Morphy

Bronchitis, pneumonia and is an anti bacterial styptic.
I don't go into the forest without bow or sling :)

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by vetryan15 on Nov 10th, 2021 at 2:57am
We have TONS of that growing up here. Very good for medicinal,  plus a fantastic firestarter. I just go into the woods and eat it.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by vetryan15 on Nov 10th, 2021 at 2:57am
Also known as OLD MANS BEARD

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by walter on Nov 10th, 2021 at 8:18am
@ vetryan15

You eat it?! Never thought to add usnea to my diet.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by vetryan15 on Nov 10th, 2021 at 9:33am
Yeh. With its many medicinal purposes,  has a ton of vitamin  C in it. Very healthy. We collect it for medicine and firestarter... it catches embers just as fast as birch bark. I made a YouTube video last winter, for my nieces and nephews.  It compared birch bark and old mans beard.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 16th, 2021 at 10:43am
would that also be the same stuff they call 'reindeer moss' ?

Watched a couple of idiots who got themselves dumped in an artic forest for a couple of weeks and reindeer moss was pretty much all they had to eat.

At the end they claimed they'd succeeded in 'living' rather than simply surviving.

Despite the fact they had no regular food had not built any kind of shelter and one had very nearly died of exposure after falling in a freezing river.

Another week and they'd probably both have been dead.

But they did eat a bunch of 'reindeer moss' for the vitamin c.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by walter on Nov 16th, 2021 at 7:54pm
@ Curious Aardvark

I don't think so. Its binominal name is Usnea barbata.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by vetryan15 on Nov 17th, 2021 at 4:15am
@CA,

Its totally different. 

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 17th, 2021 at 11:32am
Just checking :-)

We don't get much in the way of arborial mosses in the UK.
So no real experience of the stuff.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by walter on Nov 18th, 2021 at 11:10pm
A little over a week into the tincturing process

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Title: Re: Usnea
Post by vetryan15 on Nov 19th, 2021 at 6:59am
Thats awesome. 
Question,  are you using vodka and rubbing alcohol? Or am i reading the label wrong?

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by walter on Nov 19th, 2021 at 7:15am
Vodka 50 percent, which is 100 proof.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 19th, 2021 at 8:32am
So how do you take it ?
There doesn't seem to be a great deal there.

Years ago we knew some Canadian ginseng farmers and we'd generally have a couple chunks if root stewing in a jar.
Stuff was not pleasant, really dry.
So it lasted a really long time :-)

Can't honestly remember, what it was supposed to be good for.

But there was a definite period in the 90s when it was the new miracle cureall and s lot of tobacco farmers switched to producing ginseng.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by walter on Nov 19th, 2021 at 5:58pm
There are 750 mls in the jar. Should be at least 725 after the plant matter is removed by straining through muslin. The average daily dose is around a quarter dropperful from a two oz bottle twice a day . Should last several months :)

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by Curious Aardvark on Nov 22nd, 2021 at 7:55am
So you're using it as a preventative supplement ?

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by walter on Nov 22nd, 2021 at 8:19pm
Yes and as a cure for bacterial bronchial  infections like bronchitis and pneumonia. I am straining the usnea from the alcohol tomorrow and will post a pic of the tincture.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by vetryan15 on Nov 23rd, 2021 at 6:39am
Walter, if you ever need more. Let me know.  We literarily have it flowing off of trees. I will try to get a pic of it.

Title: Re: Usnea
Post by walter on Nov 24th, 2021 at 8:08am
Thanks, but we like spending time in the forest and wildcrafting can take you way back in time if you know what i mean  :)

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