P2F Archives - The Cargo Cult Café

Black Medick: Cautions, Edible & Medicinal

June 30, 2017 by Mike Leave a Comment

Black Medick, or known by its Latin name as Medicago lupulina, is a member of the Pea Family. Its lifespan is either an annual or a short lived perennial and the plant sprawls out along the ground from a 1-1 ½’ in length. This native plant of Eurasia can be now be found throughout much of North America in roadsides, waste places, meadows, and cultivated beds.

Black Medick Identification

The flowers can be observed from March to December and are yellow, irregular, and grow in small flower heads that will turn into fruit clusters of small, one-seeded, black, spirally coiled pods. The plant has alternate leaves that are divided into 3 leaflets, which are entire or finely toothed, the leaflets are tipped with a short bristle, and they have long leafstalks. The stem is sprawling and downy, and the root is deeply rooted.

Caution

The seeds of Medicago lupulina is said to contain trypsin inhibitors. These can interfere with certain enzymes that help in the digestion of proteins, but could possibly be destroyed if the seed is sprouted first. It should also be noted that other Medicagos, such as Alfalfa, contain the amino acid L-Canavanine which can cause abnormal blood cell counts, the enlargement of the spleen, and possibly a recurrence of lupus in those who suffer from the disease. Alfalfa also has some estrogenic components, so it is not recommended for pregnant women or children. The estrogenic components will also increases the clotting ability of your blood, which will decrease the effectiveness of drugs such as Warfarin/Coumadin.

Edible

Edible Parts: Seeds & Leaves: Summer to Fall

Nutrition: Three ounces of the leaves contains about 23.3 grams of protein, 3.3 of fiber and 10.3 of ash. In milligrams they have 1330 mg of calcium, 300 mg of Phosphorus, 450 mg of magnesium and 2280 mg of potassium.

The seeds were lightly roasted and eaten out of hand or ground into flour. The Leaves are a bit chewy and were cooked as a potherb.

Medicinal

Medicinal Actions: Antibacterial and a mild laxative

Aqueous extracts of the plant have antibacterial properties against micro-organisms and the plant is mildly laxative.

Other Uses: Fodder plant for grazing animals

Black Medick Sources:

Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986

Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

Green Deane, Black Medick. Eat the Weeds and other things, too. Web.

Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant’s Notes on Edible Plants. Dover Publications. Albany. J.B. Lyon Company, State Printers. 1919 pg. 357

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 58-59

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 80-81

Plants For A Future, Medicago Lupulina. Web.

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Dept of Agriculture. pg. 37

Three Ways to Set Up A Tarp Using Trekking Poles

May 17, 2017 by Mike Leave a Comment

A trekking pole is a handy piece of equipment, not only for it’s help navigating in difficult terrain or relieving the strain put on your back, but to also help you setup your shelter for the night. Let’s take a look at three different methods to set up your tarp using trekking poles: the clove hitch, the upside down, and the cross method.

Trekking Pole Clove Hitch Method

The first method obviously involves using a clove hitch. First attach the guy line to the tarp. I normally use a bowline hitch but there are serval options for you to try. Next, clove hitch the guy line onto the handle of the trekking pole. Form two loops the same way and cross the first loop over the second, slip it over the pole and tighten. From there I normally stake it out using a trucker’s hitch but again there are numerous options such as various friction hitches, regular hitches, or hardware.

Upside Down Method

The second method is just as simple, but upside down. Start out by tying an non-slip loop knot such as a bowline hitch or the figure of eight loop, onto one end of your guy line. Turn your trekking pole upside down and slip the loop over the tip of the pole letting it rest on the basket. Insert the tip of the pole into the tarp’s grommet, connect the line around the stake, feed it back up to the loop, add tension, and tie it off with two half-hitches. Alternatively you can tie a loop onto your tarp and proceed in the same manner.

Cross Pole Method

The third and final method is the cross-pole method. This will give you more room to enter and exit an A Frame or Tent-like structure. Again, start out by tying a guy line to the tarp. Holding your poles parallel, slip one of the pole straps over the handle of the other. Pull the strap of the second pole through the strap of the first and loop it over the handle of the first pole. Cross the shafts of the poles and you will create an upside down V, then slightly push the poles down into the ground so that they are freestanding, or nearly so. From here take the guy line and loop it at least once around the handles of the poles, taking a turn, and choose one of the many options you have to add tension to the line and to secure your structure into place.

Special Note: Visit Hocking Hills, Ohio

The footage of the waterfalls is from one of my favorite places in the world, Old Man’s Cave in Hocking Hills, Ohio off of State Route 664. Ever since I was a child this place has captured my imagination as a magical wonderland and in a sense it is, but that is for another post. If you visit Ohio, visit Hocking Hills.

5 Do It Yourself Elastic Tarp Tensioners

February 8, 2017 by Mike Leave a Comment

Here are 5 DIY Elastic Tarp Tensioners anyone can make.

Rain, snow and high winds can put a lot of strain on your tarp or rainfly, especially on its tie out points. Some materials such as silnylon tends to sag when wet, and paracord is known to stretch under tension. Besides spending the cash on a Cuben Fiber tarp or tent, you can add tension your line using a variety of different friction knots and hardware. You can change the cordage on your guy and ridge lines to either Lash-it or Zing-it line, which are extremely strong, light weight, and they do not stretch like paracord. Or, consider adding a little spring to your setup with elastic tensioners.

The purpose of an elastic tensioner is to add tension to your guys if the material begins to sag or if your line begins to stretch, and they conform to the give and take of high winds, so you won’t tear your tie outs.

Bungee cord.

Bungee Cords are one of the easiest kind of tensioners to setup and many people use them as a substitute for their guy lines. When choosing a bungee cord, shop around and test them out. Some bungees have little elasticity and others will stretch, but they lack the strength to pull back to shape. Try finding something with both stretch and strength.

A simple bungee loop.

If the hooks on the ends of your Bungee Cord makes you nervous about attaching them to your tarp, a simple remedy would be to cut the hooks off and tie a Loop into the bungee cord. They can be hitched onto your tie outs and then your guy line can be hitched onto the loop. I have tried this with both bungee and shock cord with good results.

Shock cord guy line tensioner.

Shock Cord tensioners seem to be pretty common amongst tarp enthusiasts. Tie two figure of eight loops in your guy lines about eight inches apart, then take your shock cord and feed it through both loops, tighten the shock cord to the point just before its maximum stretching point, and finish it off with a simple knot.

A piece of bungee cord clove hitched onto a guy line.

As an alternative to using your bungee cord in a loop, try Clove Hitching a 6 to 8 inch piece of bungee cord onto your guy line. Form two loops the exact same way with the working part on the top of each loop. Then tuck the second loop under first loop and slide one end of the bungee cord into the loops and tighten. Then stretch out the cord along the guy line to a point just before its maximum stretching point, mark that spot, and clove hitch the other end of the bungee onto it. I like this one because it is simple, quick to tie, and you can add the elastic tensioner anywhere along the line that it is needed.

Thera-band tarp tensioner.

In a previous video I showed you how to make a Thera-Band Tarp Tensioner. This tensioner is definitely more difficult to make compared to the other methods, but it is one of my go to’s when setting up my tarp. Here is a quick summary of how you can make your own. Choose a strong, lightweight line that does not stretch under tension and tie a figure of eight on one end of the line. Feed the line through a section of Thera-Band and pull the band about an inch over the knot and lash it down on the loop side of the knot, then roll the excess band over the lashing to make it look nice and lock the lashing into place. Stretch the elastic tubing along the inner cordage until it the tube reaches it’s near maximum stretching point, tie another figure of eight loop at that point and repeat the same process on this side.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Giant Puffball: Cautions, Edible, Medicinal & Other Uses

October 20, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Giant Puffball, Calvatia gigantea, one of the four safe mushrooms to forage, but forager be warned!

There are no foolproof methods for determining edible or poisonous mushrooms. Make sure the interior flesh is pure white, it becomes bitter when it turns yellow. Always discard Puffballs in which the flesh is not white and firm. Your digestive system can be upset when the spores begin to form. Look-a-likes include Pigskin Puffballs that are about the size of a tennis ball. They are dense, tough-skinned, have a black interior, and they are poisonous. Also, Make sure you cut it open to be sure there is no rudimentary stems or gills. Do not eat if you see a pattern of a developing capped mushroom on the interior after you cut it. You could die from eating an amanita (Death Cap or Destroying Angel) button. If you decide to eat this mushroom you are doing it at your own risk. You have been warned!

Western medicine has used Calvatia gigantea as a styptic (to contract tissues or blood vessels), and it was used as a wound dressing. The fungus was harvested prior to battles, and used either in powdered form or as slices 3 cm thick to stop bleeding. Small quantities of an anti-cancer agent called calvacin has been extracted from young fruit-bodies and cultures of the puffball species, and used effectively against tumors.

It was used as a tinder and it has also been used in beekeeping. The fumes of smoldering fruit-bodies were used to calm bees and allow easier access to the hive.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Giant Puffball Sources:

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 401

Fischer, David. Giant, Gem-Studded and Pear-shaped Puffballs Scientific names: Langermannia gigantea, Lycoperdon perlatum, L. pyriforme, and others. American Mushrooms. Web.

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 98

Landers, David. Giant Puffballs, Calvatia gigantea, Cornell University. October 26, 2006. Web.

Lincoff, Gary H., & Nehring, Carol. Nation Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1981. Print. pg. 823-824, pl. 647

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 133

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 238-239

Kew Botanica Gardens Calvatia Gigantea”. Retrieved 1 May 2016.

Common Ragweed: Caution, Medicinal & Other Uses

September 27, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Common Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, is a plant scorned by allergy suffers everywhere. But did you know it was historically used by both western culture and American Indians as a healing plant? The Cherokee used it for insect stings, pneumonia, fever, hives, and infected toes. The Dakota used Ragweed to stop vomiting and for diarrhea. And, the Iroquois used it for cramps, stroke and diarrhea. Western herbalists used it as a stimulant, astringent, hemostatic, and antiseptic. There are historic accounts of the Lakota using Common Ragweed as toilet paper, a sentiment that many would agree with, but I would advise you to think twice before doing this if you are prone to allergic reactions.

Besides causing you to itch and giving you a bad case of the sneezes Ragweed can effect your food. If cows consume it, their milk will retain a bitter taste and if it is harvested with wheat it will cause the flour to become bitter and unsuitable for bread making.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Common Ragweed Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 168

Foster, Steven and James A. Duke. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America. 2nd. ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000. Print. pg. 246-247

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 52

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 227-228

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 66

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 438-439

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Passionflower: Edible, Medicinal & Cautions

August 31, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Passionflower, Passiflora incarnata, also known as Maypop is a fruiting vine with a lemon flavor that has amazing and beautiful flowers. The fruit turns yellow when ripe and can be made into a juice or jelly. The Cherokee used Maypops as a dermatological aid for wounds and inflammation, used the root juice for earaches and to wean babies off of breastmilk and the plant was used as a liver aid.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Passionflower Sources:

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 1439-1441

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 275-276

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 47

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 379

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 396-397

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 94-95

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Cardinal Flower: Poison, Medicinal & Other Uses

August 24, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis, is a striking but irregular flower of mid to late summer. Medicinally, the Iroquois considered this plant one of the highest of medicinal plants and they used it to strengthen all other medicine. A common theme amongst the Iroquois, Meskwaki and Pawnee was the use of Cardinal Flower as a love medicine. It was either used as a wash, charm, or placed in another food to end quarrels, cause someone to fall in love, or to prevent divorce. The plant was also used as a ceremonial tobacco but it was not smoked. It was used to ward off storms and strewn onto graves.

Cardinal Flower Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 1199-1205

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 28

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 218

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 311-312

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 52-53

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Common Mullein: Cautions, Edible, Medicinal & Other Uses

August 17, 2016 by Mike 6 Comments

Common Mullein, Verbascum thapsus, is a medicinal plant asthma suffers may want to know. Though it sounds strange the leaves were dried, ground, and smoked to relieve asthma attacks. Beyond that this plant has been used for a variety of ailments from colds and coughs to rashes and wounds. The plant has such a long history that the Romans used to dip the flower spikes in grease and use them as torches. The leaves are still used to this day as wicks.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Common Mullein Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Culpeper, M.D., Nicholas. Culpeper Color Herbal. Ed. David Potterton. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1983. Print. pg. 130

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 2054-2055

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 45

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 215-216

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 590-591

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 188-189

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 72-73

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Narrow-Leaved Cattail: Edible, Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

August 3, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Narrow-Leaved Cattail (Typha anguvstifolia) is a plant everyone can identify. Cattails have very distinct flowers that look like fluffy hotdogs. Narrow-leaved cattail is similar to most cattail but there is a distinct gap between the upper and lower flowers. As for the plants edibility you can harvest the young shoots, stalk, flowers, pollen, and even roots. The shoots contain vitamins K and B6 and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Medicinally it was used for dysentery, diarrhea, gonorrhea and infantile complaints.

If you’re into bushcraft then you might be interested to know that the plant was used to weave baskets, roofing, mats, rugs, and bedding. The silky down from the flower heads have been used as stuffing in pillows and to make a birds nest for fire starting. The heads were also dipped in oil or grease and used as a torch. Some have even used the stalk as an arrow shaft.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Narrow-Leaved Cattail Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 2. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 2011-2012

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 82-85

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 573

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 410-411

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 158-159

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Trumpet Creeper: Cautions

July 27, 2016 by Mike 2 Comments

Trumpet Creeper, Campsis radicans, is also known as cow-itch vine because some people experience skin redness and itching after coming in contact with the leaves. For some this is a great vine that will attract hummingbirds, protects against erosion, and can provide a quick cover for fences and other structures. For others, this vine is very invasive, can quickly spread if not kept in check, is destructive to structures and property, and can be hard to get rid of.

Trumpet Creeper can be found in moist woods, roadside fences and thickets throughout most of the United States and in Ontario Canada. This member of the Bignonia Family can grow from 25 to 40 feet high and it has a woody bark. The flowers have five regular parts, is three inches long, trumpet-shaped, and it has orange and red flowers that can be seen from June to September. The leaves are divided into seven or eleven leaflets that are sharply toothed.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Trumpet Creeper Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 460-461

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 328-329

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.