Exploring the many gifts offered by Common Milkweed the in the context of Food Forest Design. This is Installment #15 of the Stacking Functions in the Garden, Food Forest and Medicine Cabinet series.
This was so interesting and captivating, I found it difficult to stop reading. Who knew milkweed was like a "Cisco router" in nature, communicating with so many insects and performing so many intricate functions/growth but alas technology can't match the beauty of nature here. I will certainly add milkweed to my landscape once I escape the confines of this condo. Thank you Gavin for poetic knowledge.
"Who knew milkweed was like a "Cisco router" in nature, communicating with so many insects and performing so many intricate functions/growth but alas technology can't match the beauty of nature here."
That is awesome, I recently discovered what is (as far as I can tell) the very last little piece of non-clearcut (primary) ancient Carolinian Forest in all of southern Ontario near a town called Kingsville up here. It is small (about 400 acres) but there is enough biodiversity in large and old growth tree specimens for the forest to become a center for biodiversity, tree communities and a memory of what this land used to look like from horizon to horizon to emanate outwardly. It is heartening to sit in there with the towering 300 year old oaks, 250 year old tulip trees, 200 year old maples, hickory, butternut, basswood and walnut and truly see the land as it was 500 years ago.
Today was t-shirt weather here (25 C), I wore a toque to work expecting fall weather and was sweating by 11am and had to take it off. I would welcome some snow though. Been brutal and relentless stratopheric aerosol injection operations the last week here, horizon to horizon, dawn till dusk, turning a blue sky soupy grey by 10 am everyday.
I could use an escape up into the northern forests for a breather I tell ya, hey i`ll trade you a few pawpaw tree seedlings and some homemade hot sauce for a camping site in your forest! :)
Thanks for dropping by buddy, happy forest exploring.
I was planning on leaning on you to create native gardens or something like that, maybe next year, I still don't know where. Installing the foundation for the quonset tomorrow. Outhouse, fire pit, loo and front gate on deck, Forest will be doing those, I'll be cleaning up the messes made by the backhoe. You're certainly welcome to come up and camp whenever you like whether I'm there or not, but you should probably plan to come up when I am there the first time. It seems I am here whenever the weather affords it. I'll probably have to make a run home soon to deal with society and get cheap diesel at the reservation. Last run was just overnight, I prefer to be here working on the forest.
Have a good road in but after that 4WD is kind of necessary. Not laying top gravel until the existing road weathers over the winter. So far 400 meters of road in. Not expanding that until cleanup is done, then side by side trails to get to know the property. Don't know what I'm going to build or where but it has to do justice to the surroundings. I want a sauna.
Let me know by email when you have a slice of time to come visit. Bring hot sauce!
awesome article. I knew milkweed was great for pollinators and insulation but had no idea it was edible.
as usual, your well-annotated presentation of data is appreciated.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment, it means a lot knowing the detail and references are appreciated.
Yes the battered pods are especially delicious.
I highly suggest combining this batter recipe https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/wild-rice-amarnath-seed-dosa-batter with milkweed pods, it is so tasty and nutritious.
This was so interesting and captivating, I found it difficult to stop reading. Who knew milkweed was like a "Cisco router" in nature, communicating with so many insects and performing so many intricate functions/growth but alas technology can't match the beauty of nature here. I will certainly add milkweed to my landscape once I escape the confines of this condo. Thank you Gavin for poetic knowledge.
Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.
"Who knew milkweed was like a "Cisco router" in nature, communicating with so many insects and performing so many intricate functions/growth but alas technology can't match the beauty of nature here."
Well said! :)
Cool informative article Gavin, thanks.
Working hard on the property. Beautiful road in, siting quonset.
Except for one run home been up here for a month.
Snowed yesterday morning, winter is coming.
Thanks Buddy!
That is awesome, I recently discovered what is (as far as I can tell) the very last little piece of non-clearcut (primary) ancient Carolinian Forest in all of southern Ontario near a town called Kingsville up here. It is small (about 400 acres) but there is enough biodiversity in large and old growth tree specimens for the forest to become a center for biodiversity, tree communities and a memory of what this land used to look like from horizon to horizon to emanate outwardly. It is heartening to sit in there with the towering 300 year old oaks, 250 year old tulip trees, 200 year old maples, hickory, butternut, basswood and walnut and truly see the land as it was 500 years ago.
Today was t-shirt weather here (25 C), I wore a toque to work expecting fall weather and was sweating by 11am and had to take it off. I would welcome some snow though. Been brutal and relentless stratopheric aerosol injection operations the last week here, horizon to horizon, dawn till dusk, turning a blue sky soupy grey by 10 am everyday.
I could use an escape up into the northern forests for a breather I tell ya, hey i`ll trade you a few pawpaw tree seedlings and some homemade hot sauce for a camping site in your forest! :)
Thanks for dropping by buddy, happy forest exploring.
Hey Gavin.
I was planning on leaning on you to create native gardens or something like that, maybe next year, I still don't know where. Installing the foundation for the quonset tomorrow. Outhouse, fire pit, loo and front gate on deck, Forest will be doing those, I'll be cleaning up the messes made by the backhoe. You're certainly welcome to come up and camp whenever you like whether I'm there or not, but you should probably plan to come up when I am there the first time. It seems I am here whenever the weather affords it. I'll probably have to make a run home soon to deal with society and get cheap diesel at the reservation. Last run was just overnight, I prefer to be here working on the forest.
Have a good road in but after that 4WD is kind of necessary. Not laying top gravel until the existing road weathers over the winter. So far 400 meters of road in. Not expanding that until cleanup is done, then side by side trails to get to know the property. Don't know what I'm going to build or where but it has to do justice to the surroundings. I want a sauna.
Let me know by email when you have a slice of time to come visit. Bring hot sauce!
I was working shirtless yesterday, 20 degrees here.
Thank you so much Gavin for sharing this precious information and also for your beautiful writing!
Thanks so much for reading and for your kind comment. It makes my heart glad that my writing resonates with you.
Cool.
thanks for swinging by, and commenting.
Btw I do still intend on listening to/reading and replying to your in depth commentary on my essay on The Rise Of Anthropocentrism when I have time.
For anyone curious that wants to engage : (this is the essay: https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/the-rise-of-anthropocentrism-bright and
Sober Christian Gentleman's second response to it: https://soberchristiangentlemanpodcast.substack.com/p/gavin-response-part-2 )