“from the Foreword” …..
In The Healing Trees, Robbie has given us the tools to claim back something essential, that we lost long ago: a home. This book is the ABCs of Trees and, as such, should be in every schoolroom, household, and library of northeastern America, until the facts herein come to be known by heart. Long ago, in rural schools, they actually did teach some of these things, like how to identify Trees, as well as their historic and industrial uses. The fact that we don’t teach or know these things is to me a glaring act of negligence that betrays a deep prejudice toward nature.
We would do well to emulate the approach Robbie has taken to the Trees. While his writing contains scientific perspectives and many medicinal facts, this book is also down-to-earth and respectful–even reverential–toward its subject, the Trees.
– Steven Elliot Martyn, author of The Story of the Madawaska Forest Garden, Co-creating Integrated Polyculture
48 years ago I immigrated to land which had been a farm for 90 years, carved out of the heavily wooded Wilno Hills. Not having been raised as a farmer, thousands and thousands of Trees soon moved steadily onto the 70 acres of open pastures and fields, taking root where their ancestors had lived for thousands of years.
Being curious about my environment, I wanted to learn more about my new Standing Tall rooted neighbours than I had learned during my childhood. Thanks to the help of many many people, I am ready to share what I have learned via this book, The Healing Trees: The Edible and Herbal Qualities of Northeastern Woodland Trees… and look forward to learning more.