Wild Watercress Harvesting with Jesse from Zia Permaculture School: Heres a look at an adventure in Chimayo, New Mexico with Jesse from Zia permaculture school to collect wild watercress in the fall of 2018. Watercress (nasturtium officinale) is a pungent plant in the brassica family, related to cabbage and kale, and the taste closely resembles other nasturtium genus plants. It is a very unique plant signature because it grows totally submerged in water and loves to root through whatever it needs to stay grounded, while allowing running water to pass it by. Perhaps an indicator of its signature of strength and centeredness. The leaves of watercress resemble the shape of arugula, and other cresses in the brassicacea, which are pinnately compound, divided, and smooth around the edges (no teeth). It is a perennial plant in most habitats as long as it is harvested with care and consideration and that’s where I suggest just pinching off the tops, right above the second or third set of leaves, before the plant goes to flower. This ensures that you can harvest plenty without needing to remove any plants from their habitat. If harvested in this way, it will most likely still allow the plant to quickly still produce flowers to complete its reproductive cycle. Watercress is native to Europe and Asia and is one of the oldest known cultivated plants. The flavor of this plant is pungent, and therefore increases pitta dosha (fire). The furthest extent of this can give loose bowels for those who consume large amounts, but this is also a medicinal action. Watercress is known as a digestive cleanser, helpful against parasites, helps regulate thyroid levels, and is even shown to be anti cancer; a great example of food as medicine. It has always been seen historically as restorative to the system, and that is largely due to how full of vitamins and minerals it is. It’s very high in pro-vitamin A and b vitamins, as well as vitamin k, and it’s also loaded with minerals. It’s also important to note that the stems of watercress are hollow and porous, and this is where the main concern with harvesting them from the wild is. If the water has any trace of water borne pathogens, then they uptake them into their bodies, and eating it raw would be contraindicated. That is easy to avoid by cooking the greens, as concerns like giardia, flukes, or other potential pathogens can be cooked out and destroyed by heating. Don’t worry, that is rare. And, as with all plants, they also rely on us to help them thrive. We have been in a symbiotic relationship with this plant for thousands of years, cultivating and harvesting it. So when you find watercress, make sure to look around, observe the habitat and ask is there enough growing that I can harvest and it will sti ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUxN0l349R4

Heres a look at Dan de Lion of www.returntonature.us and Vincent Smith of www.vincentpiercepercussion.com improvising with ukelele and the Hang drum. Check out lots more on our links! ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sheEVIFVDx4