As it happened, I did take nr's and Katrina's suggestion, and drive the 120 mile to listen to Dr. Weedons talk. It was interesting, but covered so much all at one time. Will have look at some of the handouts he gave.
Dr. Weedon is now teaching what he calls Ethnobotany. From my take on it, it is the study of how people and plants interact. We think of using plants for food and shelter, but for centuries people have had other uses for them, especially for medicine.
He mentioned that some of the recent discoveries in chemicals we are now using, for example in cancer treatment, are found in plants that had been used for maybe as long as 5000 years.
This was the third year I had gone to, what the Lady that runs Uncle Bucks calls a wildflower walk. I guess when she first starte it, there was a field trip involved, now she just has someone in to talk. We finished the day with a wild edible meal. Here is some of what she served: Flower and Field Green Salad, Raseberry and Vinegarette Dressing, Herbal Dressing, Herbal & Veggie Pizza, Buffalo Meatballs, Johnnie Jumpup Deviled eggs, (deviled eggs with a Johnnie Jumpup blossom), Lambs Quarter Casserole, Rose petal Anglefood Cake, and Rose Hip Tea.
I have always been impressed with Uncle Bucks Lodge. Brewster is a tiny town on the North Loup river, hardly a spot on the map. These people. Rhoads, I believe is their name, built this lodge, I believe about 1995, for people who came out in the Nebraska Sandhills to hunt. They were and still are ranchers, but needed a means to produce more income for their families. Was quite a risky undertaking for the area and such a small town, but it seems to be successful. I believe they have a convention room, It seems it may be just the place for people who want to get away from the hustle and bustle.
