By Elke Heitmeyer

On June 14, The Ridge Route Museum hosted an informative presentation in their courtyard by Mary Brooks and Jim Lowery of EarthSkills about local useful native plants. Brooks Lowery spoke at length about their uses and time of harvesting.

For example, new growth leaves of the Yerba Santa can be used to make a tea that soothes sore throats and coughs. These leaves should be picked in May. Yucca flower petals…(please see below to view full stories and photographs)

****Editors Note*** The print version of this article mistakenly describes a medicinal tea made of elderberry bark for relief of upset stomach. Per Jim Lowrey and Mary Brooks, the people that put on the presentation, ELDERBERRY BARK TEA IS ACTUALLY TOXIC AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMED. The bark tea for this purpose is in fact from Fremontia trees that grow abundantly on the mountain; it is safe and effective. The Mountain Enterprise apologizes for this error.

Photo captions:

Above: Venita and BJ Saidi enjoy some of the food on the right

Above (l-r): Jim Lowery, Mary Brooks, and Robin Holmes work with native plants

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This is part of the June 27, 2025 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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