I liken Lichens

Lichens are thrilling to me. Their mere existence is so poetic and should be a lesson for us all.

Okay, so what are lichens? Well, they are symbiotic organisms ~ 2 organisms that cannot exist without each other.  Basically, they are one part fungus (that is incapable of making its own food) and one part algae, (which produce carbohydrates by photosynthesis ~ food). In other words, the algae provides the fungus with food while the fungus provides the algae with structure or, I guess you can say, a home. Lichens are a perfect relationship between fungus and algae ~ they need each other and could not exist without each other.

However, their story gets even better. They are known as a pioneer species. Their cooperative living arrangement gives them a mutual advantage so they can live in the harshest weather conditions. They grow in areas that tend to be too harsh or limited for most organisms. They “pioneer” bare rocks, desert sand, dead wood, animal bones, rusty metal, and living bark, just about anything. As lichens colonize rocks, they produce an acid that breaks down the rocks into soil, making minerals available. Although the process is slow and tedious, eventually there will be enough soil for mosses to develop, which will make more soil and water available for vascular plants such as ferns to come in.  As these plants live and decompose, the soil becomes richer and invite shrubs and then trees to occupy the area. These plants will attract insects and herbivorous animals, which will eventually attract predators eventually creating an entire ecosystem, pretty awesome, huh! An ecosystem grows out of a two organisms working and living together cooperatively.

A nice example of lichens pioneering a rock, making way for moss and then vascular plants coming in.

A nice example of lichens pioneering a rock, making way for moss and then vascular plants coming in.

Now, let review the poetry of Lichens ~ we have this symbiotic relationship, where 2 organisms who need each other to merely exist. By living and working together, their simple existence creates a hospitable environment for all life on this planet to live and thrive.  One last thing: although they can live in very harsh conditions, they cannot live is highly polluted areas. They are very sensitive, especially to sulphur dioxide, which is a by-product of burning fossil fuels. Therefore, if you live in an area which is abundant in lichens, you should celebrate that your air is clean enough to support these amazing organisms.

Our society could learn a couple of things from lichens:

  • Always work together
  • Provide food and shelter for each other
  • Don’t pollute

Then we would all thrive and create a welcoming world for all to live. These lichens make it seem so simple.

That is why I liken lichens.

Since lichens are created from different combinations of fungus and algae, there are over 13,500 different types, which come in so many different shapes and colors. These are just a few that I came across on a recent hike.

There are at least 3 different types of Lichens in this photo. I can only identify Reindeer Moss (which is not a moss but a lichen) and Pixie Cup Lichen.

There are at least 3 different types of Lichens in this photo. I can only identify Reindeer Moss (which is not a moss but a lichen) and Pixie Cup Lichen.

Rock Tripe

Rock Tripe

 

Spring Nourishing Root Soup

burdock and dandelion in gardenLet’s get this straight – I am not a farmer, I am a forager by nature. I get great pleasure in walking the land and finding plants to add to our meal. Yesterday, I walked the land looking to see what was peeking up through the earth. I was overjoyed to see at least six patches of stinging nettles that were ready for a light harvest. In our small herb garden, there was a second year burdock emerging and some dandelions flourishing. I decided it was time to make my Spring Nourishing Root Soup.

Spring is the perfect time to cleanse the body and detox the liver. The liver works very hard for the body. It breaks down hormones, waste products, chemicals, and toxins.  The liver regulates blood sugar levels in concert with the pancreas.  It also metabolizes carbohydrates, fats, and proteins; as well as stores many fat-soluble vitamins and iron.  The liver stores excess blood and supplies blood when there is reduced blood volume. The Spring Nourishing Root Soup is my gift to the liver, a delicious, nourishing and cleansing soup, so it can do a good job for our bodies.

Making nourishing root soup can be quite the task. The burdock is rather reluctant to leave the earth and holds on for dear life. I thought since the burdock was in the herb garden, which was weeded and disturbed, it would be easier to remove than one in an undisturbed area. There were fewer rocks for it to anchor onto, but I was very wrong. It seemed the root enjoyed the garden and grew very well and very deep. Frankly, I gave up after digging almost 2 ½ feet down with no end in sight. Hey, we didn’t need more burdock for the soup anyway.

It is important to harvest equal amounts of dandelion and burdock. Eaten alone burdock encourages the body to cleanse the body’s toxins through the skin, but when combined with dandelion toxins are released through urine. I think it is a much better way to eliminate toxins. Since, if you have too many toxins being released through your skin, it may result in pustules: yuck. Please never forget to add dandelions when eating burdock.

My Spring Nourishing Root Soup is just like my Nourishing Burdock Soup. The main ingredients are nettles, burdock, dandelion, ginger, garlic, onion, and turmeric. Now I am able to get fresh turmeric (normally I use powder) at the local health food co-op; it is a nice addition. Then I simply empty my produce bin into the pot.

Basket of nettles, burdock and dandelions

“Debbie’s Spring Nourishing Root Soup”                                                                        (portions are up to you and how much you actually want)

  • Dig up equal amounts of burdock and dandelion root (keep dandelion greens but compost burdock’s)
  • Harvest nettles
  • Sauté chopped onions in olive oil, when clear, add lots of chopped garlic, wait a couple minutes
  • Add peeled and chopped fresh ginger root, wait a couple minutes
  • Add peeled and chopped fresh turmeric root or 1 – 2 tsp turmeric powder
  • Add chopped shiitake mushrooms, wait a couple minutes
  • After a couple of minutes add broth (veggie or chicken) or water (4 -6 cups)
  • Add cleaned and chopped roots: burdock, dandelion, beets (keep tops for later), carrots, sweet potato, potato, turnip, or whatever floats your boat (I like to add sweet veggies to balance the bitterness of the dandelion)
  • Add nettles, dandelion & beet greens
  • Bring to a boil and then simmer for at least 45 mins.
  • Put in blender or not (I blend it so Mathew eats it without picking out veggies but it tastes great either way)
  • Add 1 tsp. of miso to bowl
  • Pour soup over miso
  • ENJOY!

Mike claimed the soup I made yesterday was the best so far. I have to admit it was rather tasty. I added extra ginger and enjoyed how it worked with all the other ingredients, but did not overpower them. Mathew actually enjoyed it as well, which is a big deal, as he does not like cooked vegetables. Perhaps, it was exactly what our bodies were craving this spring. Regardless, remember to take care and nourish your liver so it can take care of you.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.