Episode 124:
White Pine with Laura Gilmour

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Episode Summary

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve probably heard me say that herbalism is about so much more than, “Take this herb for that problem.” To me, reciprocal connection with the web of life is at the heart of herbalism and this episode with Laura Gilmour illustrates that beautifully.

You’ll hear stories about white pine, as well as the beautiful ways Laura has developed a relationship with this tree over time. As Laura points out, she isn’t a clinical herbalist and this episode isn’t about giving you lists of ways that white pine can be prescribed as medicine. What it will give you is inspiration for how you can deepen your relationship with the plants that give so generously to us. I also really like Laura’s parting thoughts about finding your way as an herbalist and her wisdom about failure, so don’t miss those.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► The easiest way Laura’s found to harvest super-nutritious pine pollen

► The culinary principle that guided Laura in the creation of her best-selling spice mix

► The cultural and historical significance of white pine

► How to find your own niche in herbalism

► Why embracing failure is so important to your growth as an herbalist

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t already know her, Laura Gilmour is a forager, herbalist, and business owner living near Dwight, Ontario, Canada. Laura has a passion for herbalism, naturalist studies, homesteading, and ancestral living skills that connect us to our food and the land in the most human of ways. Laura runs Wild Muskoka Botanicals, which produces artisan wild foods and cocktail products. It exists to reconnect people with the natural world and to promote wellness and fun by incorporating wild plants back into people’s modern lives. She also teaches foraging and herbal medicine classes in the Muskoka area from an animist and relationship-based perspective.

I’m so happy to share our conversation with you today!

Would you prefer reading this episode? If so, click here to download a transcript.

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, scroll down below.

Connect With Laura

• Website | WildMuskoka.com
• Instagram | @wildmuskoka
• Facebook | @wildmuskoka
• Pinterest | @wildmuskoka

What You'll Learn from This Episode

• [01:09] Introduction to Laura Gilmour
• [03:06] How Laura found her herbal path
• [09:48] Deciding how to build a career working with plants
• [13:31] Why Laura loves white pine (Pinus strobus)
• [18:57] Getting into right relationship with white pine
• [25:16] White Pine and Rosemary Roasting Salt
• [30:00] Closing thoughts about pine
• [36:01] Laura’s current projects
• [45:29] Herbal tidbit

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried white pine needles
• 1/4 cup dried rosemary
• 1/4 cup coarse salt

Directions:

1. Grind dried white pine needles and rosemary to a coarse texture. 
2. Mix with sea salt and bottle. 
3. Sprinkle spice mix and olive oil on veggies or whole chicken and roast in the oven.

-- TIMESTAMPS --

• 01:15 - Introduction to Laura Gilmour
• 03:12 - How Laura found her herbal path
• 10:39 - Deciding how to build a career working with plants
• 14:31 - Why Laura loves white pine (Pinus strobus)
• 20:23 - Getting into right relationship with white pine
• 27:15 - White Pine and Rosemary Roasting Salt
• 32:11 - Closing thoughts about pine
• 38:31 - Laura’s current projects
• 48:32 - Herbal tidbit

Connect with Rosalee

• On Instagram | @rosaleedelaforet

• On Facebook | Herbs With Rosalee
• On YouTube | Herbs With Rosalee

• Website | herbswithrosalee.com


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