To many (most?) people in our current culture, nature is a literal 'wall of green' that contains plants, trees, vines, bushes and shrubs, all interwoven in a way that is virtually indistinguishable from each other. It can seem impenetrable, and overwhelming, even, to begin to make sense of it.

If you are thinking of actually eating some of these wild foods, or using them medicinally, the stress factor can jump into the red zone almost instantly.

My guest this episode has spent years around wild plants, trees and shrubs, learning and sampling both the medicinal and edible varieties and also exploring their 'survival' uses as well. Zak Baker has lived in the Midwest and in the Western states, and he's spent an amazing amount of time unraveling how these important resources were part of the very cultural identity and connection to the native peoples who used them daily.

We talk about his early years in Ohio, and his professional adventures and his wonderful Bushlore Press, too. We dig into his pocket field guides and bush cards, how he created them to be a resource for anyone wanting to learn on the trail and into the wild.