• General

    Breaking the Silence in 2023

    December 6, 2023 - By 

    The last time we shared anything on this blog was late 2019!  Our best craft fair season yet had just closed and we had no idea what was about to land on everyone’s head in 2020!  For better or for worse, everything ground to a halt that year, and it wouldn’t be till early 2023 that we at Ashtree Wildcrafting finally felt we could get back into the craft fair scene selling our wildcrafted, locally foraged loose leaf tea.  Our first craft fair this year was in March, which led to two more craft fairs and Marilynn’s first holistic fair…

  • ashtreewildcrafting-Pine Garden
    Pine Garden - shop - Tea

    Tea: Pine Garden

    June 10, 2021 - By 

    Description: Give yourself a balanced, calming boost with this relaxing tea high in many vitamins and minerals, most notably Vitamins A and C. The scent is equal parts warm, sharp, and mellow. Has a sharp, bitter taste unsweetened after only 3 min steep time, and a more enjoyable warm, mellow flavour unsweetened after 10 min steep time. Special Order Only: Due to our access to a couple ingredients in this tea each bag is made when ordered. Net Weight:  22+g Tea: Pine Garden $12.00 Buy now

  • original 5 gift basket
    Blog

    I’m Pregnant, Is Your Tea Safe?

    December 12, 2019 - By 

    The Fall and Christmas 2019 Craft Fair season is behind us, and what a season it was! We sold 55 teas, some selling in groups as people bought more than one together or came back to buy more. We were asked where people could find us as the craft fairs came and went and brochures flew off the table at every fair. We were asked about plants that we have not yet discovered in the local area. Considering there are well over 300 wild edible plants in Okanagan and in 4 years of foraging we have only made positive identification…

  • ashtreewildcrafting orchard rose
    Orchard Rose - shop

    Tea: Orchard Rose

    October 17, 2019 - By 

    Description: One sip will transport you to the middle of your favourite orchard among the roses and sage of the Okanagan. Why the Name: Gathered from local orchards, wildlands, and our local rail trail, enjoy this one-of-a-kind fruity flavour. Net Weight:  37+g Price: $12 + shipping Tea: Orchard Rose $12.00 Buy now

  • ashtreewildcrafting-morning frost
    Morning Frost - shop

    Tea: Morning Frost

    October 17, 2019 - By 

    Description: Fall in the Okanagan features warm days and frosty nights.  This tea perfectly captures warm skies and frosty bite. Why the Name: Harvested while the frost was still on the leaves, this tea got its name from the beautiful fall mornings where we live. Net Weight:  37+g Price: $12 + shipping Tea: Morning Frost $12.00 Buy now

  • Catnip
    Stamina Potion Lite - Sun Drop

    Catnip: What it Is, How We Use It

    November 21, 2018 - By 

    It grows wild all over the Okanagan. It is known to make cats go crazy. It can be smoked like cannabis but is not related even remotely, nor has any kind of intoxicating result. This plant actually belongs to the mint family! Whenever we’ve tried to give this plant to our cat, he’s a) acted like it’s an intruder and to be treated warily, and b) the one time he couldn’t get away from it, he got worried and scared that he couldn’t seem to control himself. This plant has been known to sedate felines as well.  Our cat’s reaction…

  • lichen community
    Stamina Potion Lite

    Lichen: What it is, How we use it

    November 7, 2018 - By 

    Lichen is one of those plants classified in the edible/survival food category! But not all lichens are edible. If they are greenish-yellow, yellow, orange, or hairy, there is a strong chance they are not edible and may actually be toxic! Reindeer Lichen is one of the few hairy-ish type lichens that are edible. When edible is paired with Lichen, the intention is that you can ingest it, it does have necessary trace elements to the human body, and it does have nutritional value, but tastes absolutely terrible as a singular food! Some who have tried to prepare it as a…

  • alfalfa
    Stamina Potion Lite - Sun Drop - Warm Hug

    Alfalfa: What It Is, How We Use It

    October 25, 2018 - By 

    Cows eat it. Horses eat it. Humans eat it as a sprout. Of course if you’re pregnant, at risk for Lupus, or on blood thinning medication, you may want to steer clear of this widely and commercially-grown herb in both it’s seed and sprout forms, at least in large quantities. Unfortunately, Alfalfa sprouts sold in stores do not carry this warning, and it would appear you do need to eat it fairly frequently to risk the complications that can arise. Even in horses, too much Alfalfa can cause health problems due to the sugar content. So if eaten in moderation…

  • yarrow
    Rail Trail

    Yarrow: What It Is, How We Use It

    October 11, 2018 - By 

    You can find it in the grocery store and on the shelves of your local healthfood store too. But did you know you can probably find it in your backyard as well? Yarrow is a “weed” that grows well across the entire northern hemisphere! In the Okanagan, it is common to see its white or pale yellow flower heads in the late Spring/early Summer, but it’s feathery leaves can be harvested almost year-round depending on growing conditions. Those leaves are classified as ever-green, so even if it snows and you know where to look, you can harvest them even in…

  • Pine Needles
    Rail Trail - Stamina Potion Lite - Tea - Valley Hills

    Pine Needles: What They Are, How We Use Them

    September 21, 2018 - By 

    Pine needles, and conifers in general, have a very mixed review of their safety versus toxicity online. When we first began foraging, we brought with us various misconceptions about what was and wasn’t edible. For example, I grew up being told that Mountain Ash was poisonous, but information is coming out saying otherwise and that its great for use in cooking meat! I haven’t tried it yet because I plan to do more research before harvesting that berry. But when you spend so much of your life being told one thing and then another pops up, you have to be…