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10 important things about foraging according to Tom Seymour

7/21/2016

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PictureTom looks at cattails.
Many people have purchased Wild Plants of Maine: A Useful Guide by Tom Seymour. It is a great book for those interested in foraging. With close-up photos and others showing the plant's location and relative size compared to other plants, it is a welcoming identification book for wild plants. More than that, Tom describes how to find, harvest and to use these plants.
Recently I asked Tom what were the ten most important things that people should know about foraging for wild plants here in Maine. Here are his answers.

PictureGoostetongue.
1. Prepare to harvest by knowing the right time. Each plant has a perfect time of availability, the “window of opportunity.” Since plants come ripe in a regular succession, knowing when to expect your favorite wild edible puts you in the driver’s seat.
2. Collect and transport your harvest in baskets (my favorite method), brown paper bags or canvas bags. Never collect in plastic because it causes the harvest to sweat and wilt. They lose flavor and can mold in the wet plastic bag.
3. Be aware of plants that cause irritation to the skin when foraging. Poison ivy, virgin’s bower (wild clematis, a vining plant of edges and woodland trails), often mistakenly called “poison oak” and several other plants can cause mild to severe reactions in people. Know how to identify these plants. There are many great photos on the internet so as to allow you to identify these the first time. Watch out, since some people are affected just by being in the same vicinity. They don't even have to touch the plant to have an extreme allergic reaction.
4. Become familiar with botanical names in addition to the common names to prevent mix-ups in communications. Scientific names for plants are called “binominal nomenclature.” The first name is the genus, or general family and the second name tells something specific about the plant. Don’t be afraid to use these names and don’t worry about proper pronunciation. Others will know what you mean. The danger in only using common names is that some plants often share the same common name. For instance, “pigweed” is the common name for several totally different plants.

PictureGoosetongue leaves ready to freeze or can.
5. Cook or prepare the plant according to suggestions from a trustworthy source. Wild Plants of Maine offers dozens of recipes in the back of the book. Within the section for each plant, I offer suggested preparations for each edible. You might find a few other recipes in other cookbooks. I particularly like fiddleheads with butter and salt and pepper.
6. When a wild edible plant is harvested, harvest extra then freeze, dry or can according to suggestions in Wild Plants of Maine. One example: I love goosetongue, or seaside plantain, Plantago juncoides. When home-canned, these have the same flavor and a similar texture as when fresh. Nothing says “summer in winter” like a jar of seaside plantain.
7. Here in Maine, plants have a short growing season. This means they change size and appearance in a short time. Get to know your favorite wild edible plants in all seasons. That way, you can locate groups of colonies of great, edible plants in the off-season and harvest them later, when they are ready for picking.I
8. When learning a new plant, note carefully every detail of the plant’s description in the book. If a plant matches everything else except for one detail, it is not the plant in the book. Each plant must match every, single thing in the plant description section. Take no chances, since there are some toxic wild plants out there. Don’t let this keep you from trying wild edible plants, though. Instead, know that you are safe when the plant in hand perfectly matches every item in the description.
9. When harvesting wild plants, never pull a plant up by the roots. Most wild plants are perennial, some are biennial and only a few are annual. Uprooting a plant kills it and takes it out of production. On the other hand, don’t worry about taking a good haul by snipping with clippers or cutting with a knife, since these plants come back year after year.
10. Have fun foraging and eating your wilds.

Check out Tom's website here.

​Stay up to date on the latest foraging stories on Tom’s blog.

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Nancy E. Randolph operates Just Write Books. With the tagline Maine books, Maine authors, Maine stories, Randolph quickly developed a reputation as a publisher of quality Maine books. An active community member she co-chaired the rehabilitation effort of the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge and guided the planning and creation of two riverside parks at each end. Along with two others she founded and serves as a member of the board of Save Our Swinging Bridge.Org to ensure the maintenance of the historic Roebling designed and built bridge connecting Topsham and Brunswick.
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10 Festivals to attend this year in Maine

7/14/2016

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Looking for something to do this summer in Maine? Check out some of these fun festivals all over the state.

1. Maine Potato Blossom Festival - Fort Fairfield - July 9-17
Enjoy this family-friendly celebration that lasts for nine days. Enjoy races, live music, a parade and even fireworks all honoring the area's agricultural heritage.
2. Central Maine Egg Festival - Pittsfield - July 11-16
Enjoy an eggs-cellent weekend full of food, crafts and fireworks.
3. Yarmouth Clam Festival - Yarmouth - July 15-17
Another weekend full of tasty food, arts & crafts, carnival rides and even a magic show.
4. Maine Brewers' Guild Beer Festival: Summer Edition - Portland - July 23
Get a chance to try some of Maine's best craft brews while listening to some great music. Enjoy the sun and relax while munching on tasty food from area food truck.
5. Redneck [Blank], Pig Roast and Music Festival - Hebron - July 28-31
Enjoy a great, lighthearted festival of food, camping and music. 
6. Maine Lobster Festival - Rockland - August 3-7
Lots of lobster to enjoy at this festival--a seafood cooking contest, arts and crafts, a parade and lots of great music.
7. Maine Highland Games and Scottish Festival - Topsham - August 20
Celebrate all things Scottish with music, dancing, games and tasty food.
8. Great Falls Balloon Festival - Lewiston/Auburn - August 19-21
May the force be with you at this year's Star Wars themed festival. Take flight and see the vistas surrounding the Lewiston/Auburn area from the sky.
9. Camden Windjammer Fest - Camden - September 2-4
Celebrate Camden's maritime heritage at this weekend full of schooners, races, history and plenty of other maritime activities.
10. Common Ground Country Fair - Unity - September 23-25
It's your typical fair with agricultural demonstrations, arts & crafts and lots of livestock see.

Is your favorite festival not listed here? What is it?
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​Nancy E. Randolph operates Just Write Books. With the tagline Maine books, Maine authors, Maine stories, Randolph quickly developed a reputation as a publisher of quality Maine books. An active community member she co-chaired the rehabilitation effort of the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge and guided the planning and creation of two riverside parks at each end. Along with two others she founded and serves as a member of the board of Save Our Swinging Bridge.Org to ensure the maintenance of the historic Roebling designed and built bridge connecting Topsham and Brunswick.
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White Pine Makes a Fine Tea

7/12/2016

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Tom Seymour in Wild Plants of Maine points out that White Pine makes a fine tea.  Pull off a handful of needles and steep them in a cup of boiling water.

High in Vitamin C. Taste and aroma is relaxing.
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10 Books about Maine History at Just Write Books

7/7/2016

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Many people like all things Maine. Some of us like to delve into the history of Maine. Just Write Books offers several books--both nonfiction and fiction--to satisfy the reader who enjoys learning about Maine history. From town histories that give you the flavor of many Maine towns, to an  historically accurate novel that follows the travails of little known Mainer to histories of families or people of Maine--you'll be able to find a book for your reading or an appropriate gift for a friend who loves Maine history.
1. Topsham, Maine by Robert C. Williams: The riverside settlement that became Topsham, and was once the buffer between the wilderness and Brunswick, became a mill town and now a noted retirement location with a retail and commercial center rivals surrounding municipalities. Robert C. Williams brings the people of Topsham—yesterday’s and today’s—to us in this very readable history of Topsham
2. 
Lovewell’s Town by Robert Williams: Visit Lovell, Maine and travel in time through the years! Read this book and follow the settlement from the survey of the Merrimack River in 1652 through the famous battle at Pequawket in 1725 to the current struggle between the forces of development and preservation. Williams haunted local archives, as well as state archive collections of Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire to produce this comprehensive history of Lovell, Maine. The writing is enlivened by current and historical photos and illustrations. For the historical researcher Williams has added a very thorough index.
3. Lewiston, Maine by Douglas Hodgkins: Lewiston—Its history, location, people and industry—all serve as an example of small riverside settlements that grew into industrial cities over the course of a century early in our country's history. Douglas Hodgkin presents a spectacular array of information in a very readable form. From school--s, to factories, to founding families, to all the minutiae that create a town—Frontier to Industrial City provides a clear picture of the many facets of Lewiston during its transformation. Those interested in small town histories, local politics, or all things Lewiston will want to own this book. Hodgkin gives us the best of meticulous attention to detail, insightful illustration choices, detailed endnotes, dozens of explanatory tables and an extensive index. Every Maine resident should read Frontier to Industrial City to understand the perils, hard work and dreams that have created Maine towns.

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​4. The Remembrances of Marietta Lufford and A Daughter of Francis Martin by Virginia Chute: These two books follow little known Maine characters through the vicissitudes of life. Hardscrabble life in a world where women were little valued, you’ll want these women to succeed. Immerse yourself in 17th Century New England with either of these deftly written books. With the Remembrances of Marietta Lufford enjoy accurate 17th Century historical detail on both sides of the Atlantic.
5. Driftwood from Popham Sands by Edith Owen:  After her mother’s and sister’s death, Edith completed the work they had begun decades ago using preserved original documents, pictures and heirlooms. History buffs surely will enjoy the product of these three women's work. Here in your hand is a quilt of recollections illuminated by fine old photographs.
6. The Seaside House by Trish Mason: Read this unique and fascinating narrative of the Gooch family as they settle in Colonial Maine. Follow them as they continue into the 21st Century. The family purchased an innkeeping business that continues today and is operated by a member of the current generation of Gooches. Through perseverance, back-breaking work, bravery and sometimes luck­—the family beat the odds and held onto the their land for centuries. The Seaside House tells of trials and triumphs each of these generations encounter while providing for the family. The rich characters will entertain and astound readers with their adventures and struggles. Enjoy them coming to life in the extraordinary events that shaped their lives and offers glimpses of Maine's history.
7. Mainely People by Paul T. Cunningham: Read about and see Maine people at their finest—everyday hard at work, ready to lend a hand and creating a better world—right here at home in Maine. Maine-ly People by Paul Cunningham features stories and photos chosen from his nearly two decades of photojournalism at the The Times Record in Brunswick from 1990-2008. Some of these photos and stories were published in that paper and others are from Cunningham’s collection.
8. Coming Home trilogy by Robert M. Chute:  This trilogy Coming Home, Return to Sender and Roadside Rest, chronicles many of the same quirky characters and much of the landmarks in this mystery set in post Korean War rural Maine. Enjoy these tales as they takes you around the world and back to Maine with nonstop action revealed through Chute's prose—that like, his poetry, is, "careful language, precise, with a sparse beauty."
9. Building a Viking Ship in Maine by Paul T. Cunningham: In 1996, professional photographer Paul Cunningham made the long drive down a narrow peninsula and onto Hermit Island in Phippsburg, Maine, to the boatshop of Rob Stevens to record the building of a Viking knarr later christened Snorri. Throughout the seven-month process, Cunningham revisited the site many times, curiosity having gotten the better of him. Cunningham's photos, taken with decades of journalism experience, say volumes about the ingenuity, skill and patience of a small band of boat builders who, out of wood and iron, created a sea-worthy vessel, the likes of which had not been seen in the light of day for a thousand years.
10. Excuse for Being Here by Robert M. Chute: This book by Robert M. Chute serves three purposes. It is first a collection of poems by Robert M. Chute. Secondly these poems are about Thoreau, written as if they were written by Thoreau or are written in reaction to something in Thoreau’s known history, actions or character. Last, this book serves as a rough memoir of Robert M. Chute, an award-winning poet who is also a scientist.

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    Author

    Nancy E. Randolph operates Just Write Books offering consulting and coaching for writers.

    An active community member she co-­chaired the rehabilitation effort of the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge and guided the planning and creation of two riverside parks at each end. Along with two others she founded and serves as a member of the board of Save Our Swinging Bridge.Org to ensure the maintenance of the historic Roebling designed and built bridge connecting Topsham and Brunswick.

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Phone: 207-729-3600

What our Customers say

Nancy E. Randolph, JWB owner, markets my titles on a wide scale. She also sets up book signings. I find it infinitely more enjoyable and rewarding to work with this Maine-based publisher than to deal with national publishers from out-of-state.
Finally, JWB does not publish just any aspiring author. Randolph is very selective, accepting only material that she is convinced will sell. I highly recommend JWB to any author. 
Tom Seymour, author of Wild Plants of Maine and many other titles.
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