Wilderness Witchery

Matt Inden takes a bite of Usnea, a curative, on the Herb Walker Tour.

Herbalist John Sir Jesse points out the important parts of penstemon.

You won't starve in the woods after taking this tour — lots of wild plants are good to eat.

The plants here in the mountains are not just for looks. Did you know that arnica helps heal injuries? Or that osha root aids in breathing and can ease flu symptoms? Or that red clover flowers are edible — and tasty?

You can learn all of this and more on the Herb Walker tours hosted by long-time local John Sir Jesse. Sir Jesse conducts the tours from the St. Sophia Nature Center, showing people how to identify edible and medicinal herbs that grow in the region.

Sir Jesse talks about the leaf structure and other characteristics that differentiate each plant. He picks seeds, flowers, and leaves and gives students a taste of the feast that exists naturally in our forests. The nature center is open daily from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.; to learn more about the programs, visit the nature center web page.